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OK Tristan – The Spotlight is Yours! I have a nephew (named Tristan) who has been reading my blogs. He asked me to please write about him. (I emailed his mom and asked what she would like to see in a “public” place about her son. She did not email me back.) I think Tristan was practically born with a video game handle in his hand.  He loves computers and games and always has. As a toddler, Tristan would grab the remote the minute he entered anyone’s home. He was addicted to kitchen timers also and just loved all the buttons on every one of them. Occasionally when they would go off, his eyes would light up as if he just won something. The good thing about Tristan now is that if he comes for a visit, he is NOW old enough to let you know where he left all the remotes, timers, and game handles. 

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My husband and I were fortunate in that we were able to spend a few days in New Orleans one week before the hurricane. We stayed in the French Quarter and attempted to enjoy all New Orleans had to offer. 

One of the things we did on that trip was attend a cooking class. The word “lagniappe” means a little something special. It is like a small token or something unexpected, and this is exactly what we received as we entered the class.

This delectable little treat can also be called a Praline Muffin, and it does seem like a cross between the famous pralines of New Orleans and a pecan muffin. They are so easy to make and a wonderful treat especially when they are still warm from the oven. The batter can be mixed ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator a week or so. A “Dark” mini-muffin pan seems to cook better and not stick as much. Here goes:

1c light brown sugar (packed)

½ c flour

2/3 c real butter (melted)

2 eggs (beaten)

1 c chopped pecans (coarse OK)

Mix all. Spray mini-muffin pan “well” with Bakers Joy.  Spoon batter in.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

ENJOY! 

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The lava flowed from the volcano into the sea on the “Big Island” in 2002….and I stood inches away and watched it.  The “Big Island” is known as Hawaii.  My husband and I had arrived to spend 2 weeks on this island in a condo.  My parents had won the use of this condo for 2 weeks every year for 10 years.  I think this was about the eighth year.  My mom was fighting breast cancer at that time and couldn’t go, but we went with my aunt and uncle. 

We arrived on the island and heard within a few days that the lava was flowing in the Volcano National Park and that if a person could go at night with flashlights and hike a good distance, they could see the lava.  We thought it was going to be impossible as we were staying on the other side of the island and were quite a distance from the active volcano.  About a week later, we made it to the park and drove down the Chain of Craters Road to what is known as “the end of the road.”  It is the end of the road because a previous lava flow had covered it and now it was impassable.  As we parked among the tourists and walked to the end of the road, it got hotter and smellier.  The lava was coming out of the old lava and crossing the road to the water.  Lava is approximately 1000 degrees and burns anything in its path.  It was truly amazing.  I stood within inches of it and watched it intently.  The air smelled ripe with sulfur fumes and the temperature had risen to over 100 degrees near the lava.  Seeing lava close up is definitely an experience of a lifetime. 

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Simon, one of my outdoor cats, is eagerly anticipating his NEXT gopher snack, because the one he had on Sunday was apparently very delicious.  First of all Simon is a male yellow cat.  He is huge and mostly all muscle.  When I weighed him at Thanksgiving, he weighed 19 pounds.  Simon wandered up to our home about 8-9 months ago and decided "we were his people." 

I have a garden.  On Sunday, I noticed the dirt piled up next to my green beans.  It was clearly a gopher mound.  My neighbor has been extremely proficient at catching most of the gophers on his property so when I asked if we could borrow a trap, he said he would set it for me.  About 30-45 minutes later, he walked over and was holding his trap with a gopher in it.  Simon enthusiastically jumped up and ran over to him.  Simon stood on his back legs and stretched up to our neighbor's waistline.  He wasn't just asking "can I have the gopher, pretty please?"  He was basically saying "give it to me now!" 

As Simon was basking in the sun later -- stretched out with tummy full -- I think our neighbor now knows who occasionally takes his gopher traps out of the ground.  He usually finds them later -- empty!

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I have REAL COFFEE BEANS on my coffee plant.  I call it a plant, but it actually touches the ceiling in my dining room next to the bay window.  My dad started this plant years ago from a seed he had brought back from Hawaii.  After several years, he gave the plant to us.  We've had it about 4 years now.  We were told that it would "never" have coffee beans because Victoria is simply not at the right altitude.

This last fall, we actually got blooms on this coffee plant for the first time ever.  Within a month or two later, we noticed green coffee beans.  They have finally turned a deep red.  I think the roasting and drying procedures are quite lengthy and complex...and we have no idea of what to do next.  Oh well, I've enjoyed the red color on the plant -- it certainly makes me think of Christmas!

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It's Spring!  I love this time of year; however, the weeds do not love me.  I get something similar to "poison ivy" when I come in contact with "weedy" plants.  Sometimes I even break out after I pet and play with the outdoor cats (who have slept and wandered through the "weedy" plants).   I do my best to stay away from what I consider to be the possible culprits, but I really do yearn to just go out and dig in the dirt.

I have a garden started and hope to finish the last of the planting this weekend.  I will take my antihistimine and my pepcid (because it is a histamine blocker also).  I will wear long sleeves and gloves for the "weedy" chores, but what I am really looking forward to is just digging in the dirt that my husband has already tilled.  IT'S WAITING FOR ME......

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I didn’t get to choose the movie as my husband talked me into going with him last night.  On the way, I asked him what he really wanted to see and the answer was “10,000 B.C..”  Did he really say cave men?  It gets worse.  He said cave men and mastodons.  I was not excited.  I don’t care for mastodons trampling and killing cave men, but I could see that I wasn’t going to get my light-hearted, funny, and loving “chick flick.”

The theatre was full and I pondered to myself why did everyone really want to see cave men and mastodons?  Thankfully, it did have a plot.  Otherwise, I might have had to take a nap.  (Don't laugh!  I slept through "Alien VS Predator.")  The man did want the woman and when they were united in the end, there were a few tears shed.  Who said I didn’t get my “chick flick?”  It just wasn’t humorous.  (Oh well, next time it will be my time to choose. "WHOO HOO!")

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Years ago, a squirrel came to visit in our house.  He arrived….via the toilet!  We have had more laughs with this tale and it is true.  One day when my youngest son was home alone (and I was at a friend’s), my son decided to take a bath.  He started running the water in the tub and was goofing around in the dressing area in front of the mirror.  He heard a gurgling noise and glanced in the bathroom area, but he didn’t see anything.  Seconds later, he heard the noise again and glanced back toward the bathroom to see a wet squirrel sitting on the edge of the toilet. 

I’m not sure who was frightened more.  My son went to get our neighbor from across the street.  The squirrel had jumped up on the vanity and seemed to think the large mirror was a way out.  He was frantic and knocked over most everything on the vanity.  My neighbor used a laundry basket to trap him and get him back outside.

In country homes, the vents from the toilets on the roof usually aren’t covered.  Many vents don’t even have screens.  I guess this little squirrel just thought it looked comfy and cozy.  Of course, when a squirrel hits water, he must attempt to swim through it……and he did.  He was a smart little fellow though and learned from his mistake.  One visit was enough and he (and all his buddies) didn’t try this trick again….ever. 

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Busycountrymama has simply been a little too busy.  Is anyone else feeling that way?  The college semester is definitely full speed ahead……and I took my only day off during the week and agreed to work that day also (for a month) out-of-town.  I must have been crazy at that moment.  My weekends are devoted to my classes (and the house and laundry) and I am not getting enough “ME-time.”  Any suggestions???