"Off To See The Lizzard" Everglades, Part I

Have you ever been to the Everglades?

Have you seen the Everglades?

I mean, like really seen the Everglades?

(Come back tomorrow and I'll show you more!)

This is the way it has to be....

I'm sorry. It just has to be this way. We can no longer be friends. Even though IRL, you might possibly be the most incredible, sweet, talented, loving person I know, I'm through.  And I'm sorry to have to tell you this way, so publicly. Oh, don't act that way! You know who you are!  And I'll tell you. It was the **** beef stew.  I can't keep up! It just pushed me right over the edge! And the fact that you and Leigh Ann are off in Blissdom with all the other bloggers, and I'm probably the only one here now only makes it worse.

Yeah, that's right. In my quest to be a better mother, I decided I would just try that beef stew of yours.  Looked good. Everything you make that I've ever tasted tastes good. But just like those ****shortbread chocolate chip cookies, mine didn't quite turn out like yours.  Ohhhhhhh........ n  n   n  n  o  o  o  o  o  ....  

Got all the stuff to make it with... only the best... all fresh... organic... I chopped and cut and cleaned and got into such a frenzy because -according to calculations- this was a 6-hr undertaking, minimum. 

And it was 2ish when I finally got the beef into the oven the first time.... roughly putting dinner at... oh, I don't know... 8pm?? On a school night!

And then I remembered! In my haste, I had forgotten to salt, pepper, and dredge the beef in flour, making my concoction beef-in-wine, literally. JUST beef-in-wine. Good wine, but still. JUST beef-in-wine. I started to panic, and got back-up dinner...

Oh, and it was about here, that my husband called and said, "Hey. Let's go skiing!" Which, as you know, just isn't THAT simple.... I mean, it's at least an hour away. And there's five of us in total... five to dress, five to pack for, five to feed. And the car! Don't forget the car... need to clean it out so all that ski stuff would fit.  And get gas, 'cause runnin' on empty won't be good on a 9degree night in East Tennessee... you know, where there are no plow trucks and only one salter in five counties (the one that drops a load ON my car E V E R Y darn time). And let's just not talk about the 2 play-dates that were at my house at that very moment. The ones I had to tactfully get rid of. Or the fact that I had to go pick up my middle child from a play date. 

So, as panic set in, I pulled the plug on the stew. Stew it!! I'll just finish it tomorrow. Yeah, that's what I'll do. We'll do the pizza tonight, and wonderful, warm, make-up-for-the-pizza stew tomorrow...

Oh... but wait. It only gets better. 

The next day, back in the oven... all that was left to do... another 3 hours. Time passed and I took it out to check. You know, like you said. Might need more honey/salt & peppa/whatever. And my wine-flavored beef-broth and raw vegetables had absolutely no taste. None what-so-ever. Like, none at all. So, I pull up your blog, re-read the reci... oh. Worsteshire sauce?  Oops. And red pepper? Honey. How did I miss that!?

Now, it's starting to get late. Again. And I'm starting to panic. Again. And why aren't the vegetables cooking?!  I know. I'll turn the oven up, and set it on convection... that'll work.  Where's the rest of that wine. I need the wine. Like, really. I NEED THE WINE.

And another latte. Really. I do. Wine AND coffee. Together. 

 

This, however, won't be enough to  make up for this collossal mess I've created.  I know. Surely they'll forgive me with chocolate chip cookies. The tollhouse kind. You know, the 2 sticks of butter kind.

(Notice the wine, behind the beater.) (And the stew bowls, to the left.)

So, to make a long story a little less long, we did eat that night. About 8pm. 30 hours after it was started. And the stew, in spite of itself (and the 3 times that I added flour and water to try to thicken it), was really awesome. Hmm... in fact, they fought over left-overs the next day....

Hmm.... Sigh. 

So maybe it wasn't that bad. Maybe we could still work something out... maybe we could still be friends? Maybe if I made you some chocolate chip cookies...  

(Thanks for the recipe, Edie. Clearly, it's not the stew, just the cook. Do you think people would be surprised to know that I actually, at another time, in another life, created a whole menu of food, that is still ordered from today?)

Snow Day

We had a snow day today in east Tennessee. It always makes me smile, because as a child of the north, honey, this just doesn't cut it. But, none-the-less, kids were home early, celebrating their newfound freedom.  Mine are a little big to make a real big deal of it, but when I couldn't find Lexi in the house (she was just playing with that **soccer ball-where'd she go?!), this is where I found her:

Satisfied that she was not only found, but happy, too, I turned back toward the house and saw this:

Pretty beautiful, hmm? And ya know, you just wouldn't think that a cold, snowy day would yield such a beautiful sky at sunset. But the turmoil in the sky and the leaf-less trees gave the scene depth, texture.

And notice how placid the water is, free of ripples and currents. The contrasts are striking and beautiful. Makes you wonder if that's not why we have turmoil and ripples and currents in our lives. Without it, it is hard to measure calmness and peace and beauty.  With it, (as we learn to live with it, or overcome whatever it is that is causing it), we weave a richer, more textured fabric of life, one with strength and depth and meaning.

26 Random Things

      (my niece, my daughter, my favorite #) 

 1. i love my family

 2. i'm confused about religion

 3. i'm not confused about God

 4. i love photography, but am not sure why

 5. i love color

 6. i love black & white

 7. i'm concerned about world issues

 8. i hate politics

 9. my children are not allowed to use the word "hate"

10. i love babies and animals

11. i know my heart

12. i'm not always brave

13. i am strong

14. my favorite number is 21

15. manners are important

16. so is wearing a seatbelt

17. so is making eye-contact

18. i love music, most any kind, and love to ponder lyrics (maybe it's poetry i like?)

19. i feel like i'm always chasing pavement

20. i love hooty and kid rock

21. christmas is my favorite time of year, but christmas has not felt like christmas to me for the last 3 years... hmmm...

22. i'm a superhero who fights laundry 24/7

23. my favorite snack is honeycrisp apples and peanut butter

24. i have a love/hate relationship with oreos, especially dbl-stuffed

25. i'm addicted to coffee

26. touch is important 

About Blogging

Whew. It's been kinda hard to come back after that last blog, even though I received so many kind and supportive emails and comments. So it got me thinking, "Why am I doing this?" And I looked around a bit, and I've come to the conclusion that it's all about connecting.  And maybe a little about being heard.  And definitely about creating. Some of us do it to share ideas, some to ask questions.  I like it all, but I think one of the biggest reasons I'm enjoying it is because it allows me to think things through, fully... it's part of an organized writing process. As I write, I organize my thoughts and make decisions.  "Yes, that's how I feel."  Same as keeping a journal, right? Why such a public forum then? So..., maybe I'm from the need-to-be-heard group, too. That, I don't truly understand yet. Maybe it's because IRL, it takes at LEAST 100 times to be heard by those tiny, little ears. Here, I only have to say things once! :)

How 'bout you? Why do you blog?