A Hint of Autumn?

Penny and I went for a walk yesterday morning around 10:30 a.m. and it was downright pleasant outside! There was a nice breeze, relatively low humidity (for the South, anyway) and it was only 80 degrees at the time. Usually at that hour of the day it is so hot and humid that we barely make it to the mailbox and back, and even then we are drenched in sweat. But yesterday morning was so pleasant that I mailed my letter and then we kept walking around the whole complex, which is six-tenths of a mile. I realize fall is a couple of months away yet and that we have a lot more of the hot, humid stuff to endure, but today was a nice hint of things to come. And every one knows that as long as there is no snow, I'm happy!

Tractor Pulling

My dad seems to be fully recovered from his heart surgery in June. I visited with him last week for a few days and it sure was nice to see him in a setting other than the hospital. He had lost some more weight, but I think that was the plan. Better yet, he was looking fit and tanned and had started back to work in the shop. He has an appointment with the cardiac doctor in six months, but otherwise is cleared to resume life. Hurray!

My brother Eric went with Dad to a tractor pull last week. Dad recently joined a local club and they meet the last Saturday of every month to compete. Here are three pics that my brother sent me of Dad competing.

Good Eats and other Food

I recently discovered the Food Network show Good Eats with Alton Brown. What a lot of fun that show is! I have watched about five episodes and learned a lot, even though I have been cooking for a long, long time. I did not know why russet potatoes work better for baking than red potatoes. Last night's episode was all about scallops. Now to go get some scallops and see if they will taste better than the last time I cooked them! I hope to convince the boys to watch a few episodes. Maybe it will get them excited about cooking.

Speaking of cooking, I tried a new recipe last night that turned out very well, California Cod. It is a Publix Apron's Simple Meals recipes. Bill was a bit apprehensive when I mentioned it was cod, which he remembered as not liking as a child. But we both liked this. The only thing I can see that I should do differently is peeling the lemons so that they are more edible. Try it and see what you think!

California Cod

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 4 cod fillets (1 1/2 lb: thawed, if needed)
• 3 tablespoons white wine (or white cooking wine)
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning
• 3 plum tomatoes (rinsed)
• 2 lemons (rinsed)
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange fish in baking dish (wash hands); drizzle wine over fish and sprinkle with seasoning.
2. Tomatoes and lemons can be peeled, but no necessary. Slice both very thinly; layer over top of fish, alternating and overlapping slices.
3. Sprinkle with cheeses and then oregano. Bake 11-14 minutes or internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (or flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork). Use a meat thermometer to accurately ensure doneness. Serve.

CALORIES (per 1/4 recipes) 180kcal; FAT 10g; CHOL 90mg; SODIUM 360mg; CARB 5g; FIBER 1g; PROTEIN 38g; VIT A 15%; VIT C 35%; CALC 25%; IRON 4%

Tip: If cod is not available, use another firm white fish like snapper or orange roughy.

If you have not seen the Publix Simple Meals cards, look for them the next time you are in the store. Publix highlights a different 30-minute meal each week. The recipe card includes a shopping list and needed items for a complete meal. This week's card included Baked Potatoes and Fresh Asparagus along with the California Cod. The menu cards assume that the reader knows next to nothing about cooking and so explains everything. And best of all, every ingredient that you would need to prepare the complete meal is all in one section of the store. I have tried a few recipes from different menu cards and usually they are very tasty. Tasty enough that I always check out the new week's card!

Back Again

No, it did not take me all this time to read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I began it at 11:00 Thursday morning and finished it around 7:00 Friday evening. And I did other things during that time, like sleeping, eating, chatting and working on webpages. But I was so into that book that I dreamt about it Thursday night. What a great story it is! I plan to reread book seven soon, though, since I read it so quickly just to find out what was going to happen and to whom. I feel like I gorged on a Thanksgiving Dinner, eating everything in sight but not really tasting much of anything. Time to go back for leftovers, try a bit of pie, taste some stuffing. Savor the story.

One thing that did strike me (well, one of the things) about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was how much the non-human creatures played in the storyline. How humans treated them, especially HP and friends, in the previous six books played such an important role in the eventual outcome in book seven.

Now I can begin to tackle the stack of books that I have set aside in order to read the HP series. Let me see, here's what I have waiting for me to read:

• The Sunne in Splendour, by Sharon Kay Penman
• Earthly Joys, by Philippa Gregory
• Founding Mothers, by Cokie Roberts
• The World Is Flat, by Thomas L. Friedman

Three of these books I acquired through PaperbackSwap. A great way to swap books online. Check it out! And if you decide to sign up, I would appreciate it if you would list me as a referring member (use my e-mail address, wdkmg@pipeline.com. Doing so will give me an additional book credit, and you know I need more books!

So many books, so little time!

HP Time

So much for getting anything done today! Charles finished THE book last night; it was sitting on the kitchen counter this morning, just waiting for me. I held off for several hours, walked the dog, walked me, did some webpage work. But then I decided to just crack the cover and read Chapter 1. Right. So this is official notice that you will not see any more posts here until I have finished reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Accio Book!

I am Ready Now!

This morning I finished Year 6, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I am so glad I reread it. I really did not remember nearly enough to have been ready to read Year 7. But I am ready now! Only I have to wait for Charles to finish with it. I think he has less than 200 pages, so likely he will finish it today. I sure hope so … I am not sure I can wait much longer than that!

After rereading Year 6, I no longer think that Dumbledore is still alive. Last time I read it, I was in such disbelief that Rowling had killed Dumbledore that I just did not want to believe it. So I glossed over certain statements made in the final chapters and finished the book believing that Dumbledore was under a spell or enchantment or perhaps Hagrid had spirited him away somewhere prearranged and he (Dumbledore) would come back alive in Year 7. I no longer think that will happen. He really is dead (although I will be more than pleased if I am proven wrong when I read HP and the Deathly Hallows!).

Rain and More Rain

We had more rain yesterday. The news this morning said we had 1.64 inches. And I know we had more than that on Monday. So now the pond is at full capacity. It was overflowing last night through the sluiceways and into the overflow reservoir. Even this morning there was still some water going from the pond to the reservoir. It is amazing how much water collects in these complexes when it rains. It is obvious now that the pond is here as much for water drainage as it is for esthetics.

I was looking for Mr. Alligator this morning but I did not seem him in the pond. Instead, he is now in the reservoir. He must have gone through the sluiceway along with all the extra water. He'll be more comfortable there, as the banks slope so he can get in and out of the water at any time. In the pond there were no banks, just stone walls, so when the pond level was low, there was no way he could get out of the water. Of course, getting out means he is more mobile now, but the reservoir is fenced off form the apartment complex and surrounded by open field and woods. He'll be fine until they begin to develop that area more.

I got a better look at Mr. Bird this morning. He is a Great White Heron. And today he was joined by a lot of smaller birds. They have moved from the reservoir to the pond, obviously not liking the reservoir's newest inhabitant.