HOT

 It's back to heat again...and the little fan that normally sits in our bedroom is broken. We took our friends to the airport -- and promptly borrowed their fan, instead. (Yes, they're good friends.)

It is blowing like crazy. I try not to think about tornados. My grandma was in a terrible one that literally turned the house upside-down... with her in it. She taught my mom to fear high winds, and The Mama has done her best to imprint that on me, as well. With all the wind roaring around and shaking the trailer...well, I try not to think about it. 

Ewww... at least temperatures around here aren't 110, 115, 116 like Vegas. 

I guess.

Middle of July -- Doesn't That Make It...

 My favorite time! Then again, I'm a big fan of Sharknado.

Here are some fun shark-type graphics for you to chew over. (Plus ten unusual facts about sharks, thanks to Listverse.)

Extra-big for effect.

Shark attack jello shots

And a Blood in the Water Shark Drink.  

(This is a little weird, even for me, but hey --- thanks, A Worthy Read.)

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

 What a week. Reports to finish, a Zoom lecture, and worries about The Mama's health...we're hanging in there, but find ourselves reeling a bit. 

      Life is beginning to steady itself -- and The Mama is improving. Thank God.

Meanwhile:

Want to buy an island? This one (Duck Ledges Island) has a tiny house, for $399,000. 

England loses the 2020 Euro Final -- Italy wins. (Sorry, Brit friends.)

The injured wife of Haiti's assassinated president speaks up. Also in the article was this curious connection:  

Under Haiti’s 1987 constitution, the head of the Supreme Court should take over as interim president.

But amendments that are not unanimously recognised state that it be the prime minister, or, in the last year of a president’s mandate – as was the case with Moise – that parliament should elect a president.

Further complicating the situation, the head of the Supreme Court died last month after contracting COVID-19 amid a surge in infections. There is also no sitting parliament as legislative elections scheduled for late 2019 were postponed amid political unrest.

Sounds more and more like a setup, doesn't it?

More about the little girl who feeds crows -- and gets regular 'presents' from them.  P.S. Bigfoot are said to do this, too!

Smart strategies against inflation.  (From Liz Weston)

A very strange account about a librarian -- who gives one of her students a haircut. There's GOT to be more to this story...

The STARBURST pattern -- an incredibly easy pattern (based on a Four Patch!) from Jordan Fabrics.

Four people murdered over Nazi gold -- that may or may not have been there. (The murderer said it "was an accident." Go figure.)

New warnings from the FDA about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine: more than 100 reports link it to Guillan-Barre Syndrome.

Nine ways to repurpose last season's Christmas decor.  (From Thistlewood Farms)

You may not need 'financial liquidity,' if you know what you're doing.  (From Financial Samurai)

So the government isn't going to MAKE you get the vaccine -- but it's initiating door-to-door response teams who are going to urge you to do it. Lots of emotional statements here. 

One last hike up in the mountains -- even if it's in a wheelbarrow.

Fifteen ways to use unusual items for your home decor. 

A DaVinci drawing the size of a post-it note sells -- for nearly NINE MILLION POUNDS.

The Andean date palm was known in Jesus' time -- but extinct by the Middle Ages. Now it's back.

What?? A librarian felt the need to cut a student's hair?? (And I'm guessing there's more to the story than we're being told.)

A miffed treasure hunter is suing Forrest Fenn's estate  for $10 million because 1)he didn't get the treasure, and 2) he alleges that it was actually moved after he solved all the clues. Talk about tantrums...

Who was scheduled to get the Covid vaccine early -- and why.  A classic from yours truly. 

Russian dogtroopers practice parachute landings. 

A very cool framing technique for different-sized blocks, courtesy of  Jordan Fabrics. This Youtuber has some verrrrry interesting ideas:

The 19 oldest surviving photographs -- ever. This Ranker classic is worth pondering.

A classic from yours truly -- 'Living Carefully.'

"Thriving At Rock Bottom," a series by yours truly, as well as Five Ways to Hedge Your Bets.

Ribbon Candy, another idea from  Jordan Fabrics that's perfect for Christmas.

Fifteen free maternity dress patterns -- some of these would work for the more generously-endowed, including a two-seam dress.

A swimmer argues that the Olympics should allow caps that fit more bouncy hairdos, like Afros. This is silly. Let her wear it! I'd always thought the formfitting caps were supposed to reduce drag and let you swim faster. If she can do it faster with this cap on...why not?

Ten wonderful Fred Astaire dance scenes.

Have a great week. 

Makes You Wonder, Doesn't It...

 

Don't Let Defeet Get To You

 ...not even at Walmart!

Can She Bake A Cherry Pie, Billy Boy, Billy Boy...

 We've been up to our hips in cherries -- on purpose. 

When black sweet cherries are less than $2.00 a pound, there's no reason NOT to gorge on these delicious sweeties. Also, cherry juice is an excellent help for preventing gout. (Which the Brick struggles with sometimes.) 

But when you buy six or so pounds at a time, the cherries start to get a little wrinkled. I spent a few hours pitting cherries, while watching The Walking Dead reruns. Two pounds produced enough for two pies, and a cherry tart. (Note to self: pitting cherries makes your hands really 'bloody.' Not a good look when watching a zombie apocalypse.)

But the pies turned out wonderfully, if extra juicy. Make sure you bake these on top of a cookie sheet, in case of overflow. 

P.S.  All you ever wanted to know (or didn't) about cherries -- plus links to several recipes, including a sour cherry pie.  (From One Hundred Dollars A Month)

Here's the bluberry version from same...

I used Food Network's version of cherry pie. It's good.

CHERRY PIE -- the basics

4 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries

1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 tablespoon almond extract (optional)

Your favorite pie crust or pie dough recipe for 2 crust pie

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, to dot

1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle

Mix filling, then pile into piecrust. Top with a second crust, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 min. until the crust is lightly brown. Take advantage of the extra juice this pie produces, and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Thursday July 8 -- Zoom Along with Me at the Arapahoe County Quilters Meeting!

I'll be speaking for them about "My Life in Quilts," as well as "What Judges Look For in Prizewinning Quilts."  Thursday, July 8 -- room opens at 6:15 p.m. MST, and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

Both will be on Zoom -- and it doesn't matter where you live -- you can come! 

It's even free, but you need to register in order to get the password e-mailed to you. Go here right away to register.  Spaces are limited.

See you soon.

                          Karen Kay Buckley's Majestic Mosaic won Best of Show-- 

                                                    and for good reason.