Take A Bough

 

Monday (er, Sunday) Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: On Our Own

 ....well, not really.

The other volunteers left this weekend. Charley and Ruby have been sniffing around, looking for them -- and Ben, their resident dog. No luck. We'll be on the way ourselves later this week, after finishing up some projects. It' tends to be quiet here anyways, but the desert feels, well, desert-ed. The regular staff is still here, but we're parked quite a ways from their houses.

(Keep going on this road -- and eventually you'll make it to our trailer's parking spot.)

     Last week saw two families and a single man candidating to join Ethnos360. We met two of the three at a potluck, and they're nice people. But I will be very happy not to wake up to a plane repeatedly zooming by at what seemed like wing-touching distance. (One of the airstrips is nearby, and they were practicing landing and taking off.) 

     Where are we going next? Haven't decided yet. Easter probably won't be celebrated the traditional way -- but we will remember this holiday, and Christ's sacrifice for us. 

Meanwhile:

The Holy Sepulchre church opens, to celebrate Palm Sunday.

Islamic militants attack Palma in Mozambique -- dozens of innocent people are dead. Others, particularly young girls were taken.

Filming the movie 'Midnight Cowboy:' what a trip. 

Two-ingredient bread dough -- and a variation on it, foccaccia.

Easy instant-pot recipes to try.

"It's always an angry white man. Always."  And that was the final tweet of an editor regarding the Boulder shootings.   Here's her apology (sort of). Gee, has anyone jumped to similar conclusions -- but on the other end of the spectrum?

Some Turkish garbage guys who built their own library -- from discards!  (Thanks for alerting us, Get Rich Slowly)

What's it like for migrants at the Mexican border? 

Ray Stevens: "I am my own grandpa." A very silly song, to balance all the serious yelling and screaming going on about [pick a subject].

"Turn yourself in -- it's beyond time." The FBI is still looking for a missing financial advisor -- and the cash he stole.

"Child poverty in America -- what's it like?" Some illuminating answers from Quora.

Grilled three-cheese bacon sandwich. Oh my, Betty Crocker...

Here's how President Biden did on his first press conference: cheat sheets helped. He got some help, too, by not being seriously questioned. Here's CNN's fact-check on what Biden said.  Reports are mixed on how successful President Biden was -- but that's not surprising.

What if you went to Harvard...and your life went to pot, anyways? Financial Samurai speculates. (He didn't, by the way. Neither did I... Go Blue, Michigan!)

UFOs tracking warships off the California coast?? Freaky. ("Sounds like drones," commented the Brick. Except they were going Really Fast.)

"I had pasta tonight" may not be what that person really means. Especially a teen.

A whole list of interesting lists, from The Richest. (Warning, these duplicate some individuals. But they're worth reading through, nonetheless.)

Powerful -- but frugal -- celebrities.

Kristen Bell wore a $45 Target dress -- and 14 other frugalites.

Eight famous people who pinch pennies.

Celebrities who aren't afraid to visit thrift shops.  Led by:

(Here's the original version -- swear words included:)

Celebrities who save on even 'tiny' things. Shop at the dollar store? Oh, the horror!

A secret room inspired by the Narnia tales. (Yes, it's accessed through a wardrobe.)

Fifty box office bombs that really were good movies. Or so this reviewer says...we thought Annihiliation, one of the choices, pointless and stupid. Ishtar and The [new] Lone Ranger followed closely behind.

Ten gemstones with unusual stories connected to them.  (Thanks, Listverse)

Ten top investment mistakes -- learn from this man's blunders.

How to dye eggs for Easter -- naturally.

Now you can cook hotdogs and toast marshmallows over lava...if you're willing to travel to Iceland to do it. Yep, you heard it first here.

Tents for homeless people -- with solar-powered lighting. Designed by a group of teenagers...good for them. (I wouldn't mind having one of these, either!)

Notes from pissed-off neighbors. Some very funny ones, too.

Upside-down pineapple cake -- the easier way.  (From Foodtalk Daily)

And finally a quote from Anna, a 105-year-old, who, along with her sister Helen (107), survived a bout with Covid-19. Her advice?

      “Be good to others, keep good friends, be honest, love God — 

                             and eat lots of hot peppers!”

And on that note:

Have a good week. 

Thomas Jefferson Said 'Act' --

 ...So we're acting. 

Headed out on a long day trip to Las Cruces, NM to see friends. Is that action enough? Back soon...

Frugal Hits & Misses: March Report

 We're just finishing up nearly two months of volunteering for Ethnos360 in McNeal, AZ. The Brick is now 'supervising' the house renovation, thanks to being the longest volunteer in residence. He finds this amusing, since he says he's been learning to do these skills himself, rather than overseeing them. Group #2 of volunteers leaves this weekend, and we'll follow them shortly. 

    Although I can suffer from "Gee, it's on sale at Amazon!"-itis, it's been rather frugal living this month. We did have to get parts for repairs, and we restocked on groceries. (I wanted to make sure we had enough for the wandering period, too.) But I also was able to poke through Ethnos' "Missions Barrel." It's had its share of trashy, well-worn stuff...but also a few bargains. For no charge! 

Here's a strange thing: we nearly always get a good dose of flu in January/Feb. There were a few 'iffy' days this year, but we both recovered quickly. Is that what happens when we limit contact with others?? Arizona finally lifted all Covid restrictions this week. Maybe I can go into a store now without struggling to breathe through a mask. (Yes, I'm one of those people -- but wear it when I'm required to.)

    Another strange thing: it is now a year since our world cruise was cancelled -- while we were still on the boat. (It took a month to get back to London, then another week to get a plane to the U.S.) Our cancelled-but-paid-for plane tickets were refunded. In spite of several efforts, including filing with the cruise company and the credit card companies, we still have not received one penny in refunds -- even though the cruise company promised it. (They declared bankruptcy and went out of business soon after we finally made it home.) 

A few drops of rain fell here-- Whoo hoo! Now I better understand why Brandy Simper makes such a fuss when this happens. (And I thought Colorado was dry...) This week, we even had an evening of fairly steady rain, with a few showers the next day, along with a cool thunderstorm. The mountains were snow-topped -- but the snow (not the mountains) quickly disappeared.

Welcome to Arizona.

After we leave McNeal next week, we'll wander for a bit until Daughter #2 and Son #1 roar into town for Tucson's annual gem show. Then we'll join them. 

Ethnos360's hangar... that's a Robinson helicopter getting checked out. (I'm not sure whether this is an R44 or an R66.) They work with small planes, too -- that's the white wing in the foreground.

FRUGAL HITS

*Put in a little work every day, keeping things tidy in the fifth-wheel. Cleaned out the vents. (A ton of doghair in there.) Did the Brick's chores, as well; since he's doing more volunteer work than I am, it seemed only fair. Used some free cleaner left behind by another group to polish the kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

*Volunteer stuff: The Brick continued to renovate the house for staffers moving in soon. He did drywall, worked on the shower, hung windows and doors...and planted trees at the Ethnos entrance.

     I gave piano lessons. Taught a multiweek quilt sampler class. Babysat. Helped set up and clean up for some events. Made meals. Some editorial work. Kept the laundry building, including the bathrooms, clean and mopped. We are still benefitting from free electricity, sewer, water and laundry, as well as free "Missions Barrel" visits. What a blessing.

*Planted Sweet William inside - bought seed packets (4 for $1) to put in Easter cards purchased at the dollar store. Lots of babies up, but they look a little leggy. I'll wait for their first true leaves, then repot them.

*Cancelled plane tickets to the Caribbean cruise-that-got-cancelled some months ago. Actually got that money back. We'll use the credit for something else.

*Cancelled plans to go to Florida -- for now. (We had planned to go on this cruise with cousins...) We'll hang around Arizona for a few more weeks, instead.

*Got our stimulus checks. I appreciate the money; I do. Once again, most of it will go into savings for future expenses.

*Did an appraisal. Did another appraisal. Updated a few others, and scheduled some for our return to Colorado in June. (Got my royalties payment for Ghosts & Legends, too.) Now on to taxes (sigh).

*Signed the contract for the upcoming children's book based on Ghosts & Legends.

     Ghostly Tales of Colorado's Front Range will be out May 24th!

*Chicken breast for 99 cents/lb. (And I used every bite, including homemade broth using the bones and skin.) Whole chicken for the same price -- but we paid extra for bacon and sausage. (Don't even ask about beef. Our corned beef this year was out of a can.) 

     Fresh veggies here are surprisingly cheap (peppers for 25 cents!), compared to Colorado prices -- but they get you on things like flour and cheese. Even our 'budget' restaurant meals usually cost more than what we would have spent in Colorado -- but this may just be the Covid effect.  Amazon buys: canned meat, walnut pieces and Alaskan pilot crackers on sale, for storage in our 'basement.' 

*Ate a lot of popcorn -- and some 50% off baked cheese curls. Better for me than potato chips. (Ok, I had some of those, too.)

*Used up our juice stock. Made iced tea. Helped stretch our milk consumption -- an important consideration when the nearest store is miles away. (Neither of us are big fans of plain water.)

*Went through the cupboards and did inventory: what needed to be used up? Cleared out the fridge. (The freezer is next.) Restocked where needed.

*Hosted supper for volunteers -- fed them on food we had on hand. (No time to run to the store, after all.) Made some other meals, as well. 

*When two bouquets of $3.99 carnations wilted, I cut some new-blooming rosemary, instead of buying more. The rosemary grows in huge bushes out here all year-round...if it's protected by a large building. Go figure. (We're out in the open, so have dry bushes and grass to look at, instead -- slightly greener, now it's rained a little.)

*Chose a bone-colored toilet, instead of a white one: $80 saved. Though it cost $270. Toilets for fifth-wheels are not cheap to replace. Fortunately, the Brick knows how to do this. He also re-mounted the bathroom sink himself. What a guy.

*A few items picked out of the "Missions Barrel:" I'll use them for Christmas and Mother's Day presents. A heavy plaid shirt for the Brick, a wonderful vintage ceramic Christmas tree that lights up, a St. Patrick's Day linen towel, plus some handfuls of trim perfect for future Crazy quilts. Donated some clothes back, for other people's use. 

*Watched dozens of lectures, even after the Williamsburg Antiques Forum was over -- a great way to absorb more fully. And it was free, thanks to the scholarship I got last month. Almost signed up for a lecture on 18th century glass on another website, but realized it was the same one I'd listened to from Williamsburg! ($10 saved) I have learned so much from these lectures! 

*Another free lecture -- on analyzing an object and establishing provenance. This skill is critical for appraisers.

*Went out to eat a few times with Sower friends (other people who are also volunteering) -- and ordered dessert. And Cokes. Most unusual for us. We've been out more; a restaurant 6 miles away has a Friday night fish special that's delicious. (It's also the only night all week that they're actually open.) We suddenly realized that a 4-piece meal fed us just as well as two 2-piece meals...for a lot less. So we've been ordering that, instead. (Red face, looking down. Why didn't I notice sooner??) Some other stops, including a Chinese buffet (sushi!), while we were out getting supplies.

*Got quilt kits for students -- bed-sized quilt kits, for less than $100. Picked up one for myself, as well as some extra tools (50% off). Mixed in other fabrics -- and was gifted a wonderful piece of Indonesian fabric by one of my students. (The sweetheart. She was a missionary for years there, so these weren't that big a deal to her.) Found an Indonesian fabric drawstring bag in the "Missions Barrel" that I intend to cut up, too.

*Digital credits from Amazon, for letting them ship a little slower -- enough to buy an album or e-book.

*Picked up the dogs' poop. A disgusting but necessary chore.

*Bought some ETF stock shares at discount; they recently dropped some in price. So far, they've seesawed a little, but are up nearly 10% from what I paid. (This may be a win in the long run -- we'll find out.) Bought more index fund stocks that have dropped a bit...but I think it's ok. My stock totals are slightly down; I don't understand this, considering most of the stocks are up and the market overall is up. Maybe the hit I took with GameStop is still affecting it?

*Watched a lot of free TV channels. Some were connected to Amazon Prime (which we share), some were just plain free, like Hulu. The Brick enjoys watching the political news talk shows, as well.

*A free helicopter ride! We enjoyed this very much. A trip to see the sandhill crane refuge was also a bonus. They're gone now...heading up north. 

*Picked up rocks. Found some nice ones here and there, like this piece of copper silicate. I love that blue-green color.

FRUGAL MISSES

*As mentioned -- No money back from the world cruise, in spite of our efforts.  We haven't given up yet. If anything, it's a reminder that we need to protect ourselves better, legal-wise, next time.

*Something's wrong with our newest batch of checks. Apparently they weren't printed properly -- because the bank is rejecting them. This means using cash, or paying via credit card -- which we usually do, anyways. Fortunately.

*Ate out once a week in March -- more than we normally did in February.  It's easier if we've gone to a bigger town, anyways, and it 'makes more sense' to treat ourselves. (Ha!) We're still careful on menu choices, though.

*I'm still letting vegetables spoil. Not many, but aarrgghgh. Green peppers get mushy at lightspeed around here. I missed a few other things in the back of the fridge, but managed to salvage most.

*Repair parts were needed, for the bathroom sink and the kitchen sink. Both had lost supports and were destabilizing. Luckily, I have a clever husband who fixed the bathroom sink (it took a LONG weekend for him, poor guy) and will work on the kitchen sink shortly. We made trips to all of the hardware stores within a 40-or-so-mile distance, but were eventually forced to order most parts via Amazon. 

*Lost my appointment book for 2021. It must have slipped out somewhere on our trip south. (Daughter #1, I misplaced your box of Valentine's presents, too. I'm guessing it went with the appointment book.) Made another from a $3 dollar store notebook, but still...

*Bought quilt kits for my students. Yes, they were on sale and reasonably priced, but...I also bought some extra fabric and tools, too. Gave away some books, as well. (Taking a line from Reese's: not sorry, either.)

These really are pretty...

February's report is here.  We were still on the ship in March 2020, so I didn't do a report last year. (Really, really bad access to the internet.) So here's March 2019's, instead.

Where will the road lead next, in April? It will be interesting to find out. 

And Proud Of It...

 

People of Color

 

A Strange New Find

     This mount of a medieval knight is shown coming out of a snail shell, riding a goat. It may have been worn as a badge on a belt...but why? The whole shebang is thought to connote cowardice. Why would you want to display it?

    It dates from c.1200-1350 A.D.

This illustration, from the Milus Christianus allegory, shows a knight from roughly the same period, armed with virtues and heading out to fight evil. No snail shell for him.

(thank you, Wikipedia)

The "snail man" was found in Pontefract in West Yorkshire last year, probably via metal detector. He's just one of the treasures found in recent years that have been put on display recently at the British Museum. Other finds include a bronze rapier (one of only 3 found in England), a Roman era-seal of an elephant, plus a bronze mirror, probably from a funeral set. And tweezers! 

Go here for more.

Update:  I just found a reference to St. David's Day that said eating a "taffy" -- a gingerbread figure of a Welshman riding a goat -- was one of the ways to celebrate. Could this figure be a Welsh knight?

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Keeping On Keeping On

 Still in McNeal, AZ -- probably our last full week. (Maybe one more after this.) The Brick still has renovation work on the home he's helping fix up; I have some editing and some other random things to finish, as well as quilt restoraiton and a few appraisals. I've been teaching a quilting class here -- the first in two years, thanks to Covid. It's actually been more fun than 'teaching!' I discovered, once again, that I do love this crazy world of quiltmaking...and I still have something to contribute to it.

    The surroundings may be desert-like, but the people here are kind and interesting. We've enjoyed getting to know them better, especially our friends Allison and David and their kiddoes.

    Other than that -- keeping the fifth-wheel tidy, clothes clean and everything dusted from what keeps flying in, as well as what sticks to the dogs. (Both love rolling in the dirt, the stinkers.) It's also been pretty warm and VERY windy, which means open windows. And THAT means dust. 

Meanwhile:

"What habit did you start years ago that's now paying off?" Another great one from Quora.

Iraqui truffle hunters -- and their desert harvest. I didn't even know truffles grew in the desert.

Beatboxing -- by a Brooklyn cockatoo.

An older Asian woman gets attacked -- and fights back. Attagirl!

Five weird Godzilla moments.  (From Cracked) Can't wait to see the newest G-monster flick!

Student loans are cancelled? Well, sort of...

Ten interesting facts behind Steven Spielberg movies...but they left out one of my favorites: Duel.  (From Listverse)

Is the eviction moratorium unconstitutional? The courts are starting to say YES.

Shakespeare's grave sculpture may have actually been commissioned by the Bard himself! (This would certainly answer a lot of questions about what Shakespeare actually looked like.)

Embroidering strawberries -- the Burden stitch.  (From Needlenthread)

Ten examples of government hypocrisy.  Just 10??  (From Listverse) Also from them:

Ten heroic wartime nurses. Stubborn, brave and dedicated.  (Are you listening, Congress?)

A great way to update your linoleum -- by painting it.

How the government got stuck with thousands of five-pound bricks of cheese in the 1980s. I remember this...not because we got free food from the government (because we didn't), but because someone we knew did! And they couldn't eat it all. Anyways, we ended up with some free cheese.

    The Mama said we also got some when she was single, before she married my beloved Pa. It was always this Velveeta/American cheese product -- good for mac and cheese, as well as grilled cheese sandwiches. It's probably the reason why to this day, I do not care much for this stuff. But if someone gave it to me, I'd use it!

An extremely funny 'Let's Make A Date' from Whose Line Is It, Anyways.

Toffee brownies. The secret ingredient? Black beans!  (Thanks, Betty Crocker)

Weird breakup messages. Lots of them.

Want to buy your own Scottish island? Only 80,000 quid. (Warning: it has no electricity.)

Don't apologize for following your dreams.  He's right! (From Financial Samurai) If you enjoyed that, try his post on F.U. Money.

Cinnamon roll pancakes -- yum.

A very cool way to bleach fancy designs onto your denim clothing. 

'Portrait of a Young Woman' really is by Rembrandt, after all.

Ten famous cold cases that could be solved this year. (I hope so!)

Another look at Dublin Coddle.  (from Simply Scratch)  I've made it before, but it may be time...25 more Irish recipes from Simply Scratch are here. 

And just to keep your Monday pumping, try this security flash mob:

Have a great week. 

Rain...what's that?

Dogs and Cats Living Together

Yep, I've felt this way before...

 

Charley can literally clear the room sometimes.

Haven't you felt this way, as well?

Except it's considered impolite to just take off during a scary movie. Darn.

And finally:

Hey, only the best from us here at Brickworks.

    We don't just 'put on the dog' for everyone!  

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 The Brick and I only have a few tablespoons of Irish blood each -- but it starts bubbling on this day. Chicago's dyed its water green, and all's well with the world.

We'll watch an Irish movie:

(This lovely scene is from P.S. I Love You)

And have some corned beef and colcannon to celebrate. 

You can make your own Irish dishes, including corned beef and cabbage (which is really an American Irish dish), colcannon, Irish stew (stobhach), tea brack or Kerry Apple cake -- recipes are on our sister blog, Holiday Goodies. And they're easy to make; our ancestors had no more time to mess around than we do. Eton Mess, Burnt Oranges and Dublin Coddle are further proof of that. 

And hats off to the patron saint and his beautiful, beguiling country. 

Happy St. Patrick's Day -- Erin Go Bragh

Go Figure...

We've been warned about snakes out here in McNeal, but haven't seen any. Sir Charles enjoys "playing" with his wiggly friends, so I'm extra-careful about this. Rattlers do not exactly enjoy being tossed up in the air, then shaken hard. Charley once brought a garter snake to The Mama, who is deathly afraid of snakes. He couldn't understand why she didn't want his "present--" and it was even still alive!

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Week Five in McNeal

     The good news: we're missing a big blizzard in Colorado. The Brick is almost gleeful about what we're not putting up with -- but I feel funny. Almost guilty.

                 Snow in Feb. 2021 -- just before we left for AZ

     The bad news: I'm also missing our family and friends. It's one thing to talk about being away from them, and another communicating by texts, phone and FaceTime. (With my skills, they're probably looking up my nose more often in FT than not.) 

Saturday's snowstorm in McNeal -- and it really was one, for a while.

   We'll be here a while longer, finishing up commitments. The Brick is also taking this time to make some much-needed repairs on the fifth-wheel. I want to do some inventory, checking to see what we've got -- and what we don't have. We plan to do some boondocking in a few weeks, 

and I want to make sure we're ready. 

Meanwhile:

More agony in Portland. At least the police seem to be proactive this time. Somewhat. Though I doubt that's comforting to the businesses whose windows got smashed. Again.

More protesters killed in Myanmar -- at least 21 on one day alone. Add them to the list...

A BIG deer/auto crash!  Speaking of:

The mystery boom that shook San Diego.  Any ideas what it was?

Free fishing days -- check which days this happens in your state.  

Ten finds on old ships and shipwrecks.  (From Listverse) Speaking of:

Revolutionary War era cannons are found in the Savannah River. Could they be from the HMS Rose?

While we're at it:  a closer look at Japan's 'sunken city.'  Do you think it's natural...or man-made?

How a kid's plaything on a princess dress suddenly became a real royal gem.

Ordinary people who became an integral part of history.  (From Ranker)

How to keep your food from getting stolen at work!    I am fascinated by clever ideas like this, ever since the Brick saved his milk (for use in his coffee) from disappearing by writing "spoiled milk" on the carton.

It's ok to be cheap!  (From the Nonconsumer Advocate)

A DIGITAL artwork just sold for $69 million. Wow. (Beeple, the artist behind it, has been compiling for 13 years -- but still...)

A fossilized dinosaur found -- still sitting on her eggs. This one's a first.

Harvard University offers degrees in "feeling oppressed." (From the Babylon Bee. Yes, this is satirical. Or is it...)

A Christian college student wins his right to free speech on campus.

Living secretly inside a baseball stadium? This guy did it.

It was supposed to be gone from Scotland -- but the Lady Amherst pheasant apparently is back. Here's another look at this unusual bird. 

It's sure nothing like the pheasants I grew up with.

Don't trash your favorite sweater -- make mittens from it, instead.

The FBI were investigating a "cultural heritage site" in Pennsylvania -- not digging for Civil War gold back in 2018. Yeah, right. Uh-huh. Just like the military weren't excavating Victorio Peak.     (Or not.)

* * * * * * * *

So...President Biden will 'resign' if he disagrees with VP Harris on a serious policy? That's what he said. Is he making a 'peculiar joke,' as the article is trying to imply? Or is he a bit serious? (This is MSN reporting a CNN interview, people...not Fox News, as some of my Gentle Readers are fond of pointing out.)

     I am having great difficulty trying to imagine Trump saying this, ever. Or Obama. Either of the Bushes. Or Clinton. Or any President...except maybe Warren "Good-Times" Harding. 

     This could be written off as a joke...if I hadn't just read an article that said VP Harris has been making a series of phone calls to world leaders -- by herself. Granted, the article points out that other VPs have done this -- but not to the extent, early on, that Harris has done. It also seems odd that as of this writing, Biden STILL has not done a solo press conference. Twice, he offered to take questions -- then the feed suddenly shut down. In other cases, he's hustled offstage or out of earshot. Here's a British report on the subject.

     Who was elected President, again??

* * * * * * * *

A 'pink sleep elixir' that helps you snooze. I am skeptical, but intrigued...

A platform bed, out of a dresser?  This is one of the the best make-something-out-of-nothing ideas I've seen in a long time.

The mystery of the lonely skull.  (From Atlas Obscura)

A French student admits to lying about her teacher disrespecting Muslims -- but that didn't stop him from being beheaded by a vengeful assassin. (In fact, the girl wasn't even in class that day. Didn't anyone check, especially her parents?? Noooo.)

The first lines from Beowulf, that creepy saga of Beowulf the heroic Viking fighting the monster Grendel (and his mom) -- but done in the original Old English. 

I have a soft spot in my heart for this saga; I studied Old English in grad school. It is a wonderful way to understand our language. Yes, it's disgusting at times -- fights are that way. It's also swashbuckling, tragic and incredibly heroic.

Dog shaming photos. Can you ever get enough of these...the labrador ones are even funnier. 

     I read these when Ruby is being a real brat. (She likes to bark at people, terrifying them, then runs up to be petted by same. She's also known to steal food off the counter now and then.)

                                                          "Not me, Mommm!"

An interesting way of looking at the recent Meghan/Harry/Oprah interview -- and it ain't good for the royal family's future. (Not that we Americans didn't see this coming long ago...but we have our own leadership troubles to deal with.)

Wisdom the albatross has hatched another chick -- and she's 70 years old. Wisdom, that is. Documented.

Spaghizza -- a cross between spaghetti and pizza.  (From MoneySaving Mom)

'Secret tunnels' found in Wales -- or are they just old water systems?

Have a great week. Erin go bragh.

A Study in Weather Contrasts

 As of Sunday afternoon, 3/14/21, it looks like this up in Nederland, Colorado.

 (Up in the mountains above Boulder, where our granddog Karma lives. She's shown above, on a less-snowy day.)

Son #1 said the snow was "four-plus feet, and still coming" in Ned. It doesn't seem quite that heavy down in the flatlands, but it is still snowing there, too. Creekside Bible Church in Castle Rock didn't even meet today -- just streamed the service, instead.

And here's what it looks like at the same time, where we are, in McNeal, AZ.

    (taken by the Brick, my intrepid photographer.)

We did have overcast skies yesterday, lots of wind...and for a little while, bits of hard snow whirling about. Nothing stuck, of course.

Weird.

Brrrr....

It's supposed to be snowing in Colorado. Big-time. But it's still desert and blowing dust down here in Arizona.

So I thought I'd include a blue and white quilt top from my collection, snagged from the inventory of the Great American Quilt Factory, which went out of business in Denver some years ago. I love an unusual sampler, and this one fits the bill. Someday I'll quilt it.

    Looks a bit wintry, doesn't it..

.

 

Images from Perseverance

 I am just beat.

Spent the day struggling through business paperwork -- then when I was almost finished, realized I'd left out an important detail and had to re-do everything. Fortunately, it went quicker the second time. 

The fifth-wheel is cleaner, too. When the going gets tough, the tough start tidying up.

A few more reports to mail, some editing work and I'm done. 

Meanwhile, a look at some of the amazing photographs Perseverance is sending back from Mars. 

Here's one, courtesy of NASA, to tempt you:

It makes McNeal look like a blooming paradise...

Women's Words

 

Wow.

Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Brownies and Quilt Restoration

 This week marks the fourth we've been volunteering here in McNeal, AZ. Some small things have happened, but we're mostly putzing along, doing what we should be. After a quiet weekend, the Brick has gone back to working on the house -- and I've got some reports to write. Plus some work on quilts.

     I made the Brick a happy camper, though, with a batch of brownies topped with pecans. (Our friends brought some from Los Cruces, which I've been snacking on.) They'll go great with the Laotian and New Guinea coffee we've been drinking...from the son of one of the Ethnos360 staffers. 

A WWII bomb detonated -- right in the middle of Exeter. England, that is.

 Ten places on earth with recurring unsolved mysteries.  (From Listverse)

A puff-sleeve cardigan you can sew...that doubles as a dress!

An iconic NYC boardinghouse for would-be actresses is reopening.

A poem about cats..and sleep...and the hour before dawn.  (From Paul Klusman)

Dozens of (small) earthquakes rock Mount Hood. Scary.

General Tsao's Chicken -- made at home.

A 15th century Ming bowl is going up for auction -- after being found at a Connecticut yardsale for $35!

Adding joy in your life -- when you don't have a penny to spare.  (From the Prudent Homemaker)

A secret message and bottle of whiskey -- found hidden in a house!

Homemade poke bowls.  (From Penniless Parenting)

Five interesting lessons gleaned from Warren Buffett's 2021 letter.

A dog learns how to jump rope.

A gathered-bodice puffed sleeve dress...and you can make it.

Congress is much more diverse this year. But as far as Congress Hill staffers? Nope.

The Vitim Event, back in 2002 -- a COMET caused all this damage??

A hummingbird cam!  (Thanks so much, Living on the Cheap. Here's the blogpost that explains it.)

Was Iran behind the explosion on an Israeli-owned ship?

What barfing on a bus teaches you about money management.  (I'd try to explain, but you really need to read it to understand. From Len Penzo)

"What was the strangest Christmas present you received during your adult years?" Quora wants to know.

France's former president is going to jail.

Another Viking treasure hoard discovered. This one was on the Isle of Man.

Grandma's best baking recipes.... although my own grandma would have dropped dead, rather than bake rum bars!  (From Taste of Home)

The California teachers union president leading the charge to keep schools closed, 'because kids won't wear masks' -- was filmed dropping his daughter off. At a private school. With a mask on, which she wore all day in the classroom, as well as the other kids. (Now he says that managing a small school is different than a large district -- which is true -- and filming him doing this was "inappropriate." But it may also put a fire underneath the teachers union, which says they're considering opening again in March. Teachers, it IS March.)

Have a good week.