Here to Ann Arbor

Hoping You Had a Very Merry Christmas

2013-12-28T14:24:00.002-05:00

Our Gifts

We had a special Christmas day, gifts, all day cooking, special visitors and visits and much celebration.

June's new watch.

I got jewelry too.

June's sparking gift from our friend Jane

June adores it!

Cooking with love and warmth & gratitude. Besciamella e
ragù and layers of spinach pasta.

Deck the table with boughs of holly

The aroma of spinach, celery, carrots and onion, the besciamella and ragù sauces and nutmeg scented the kitchen and beyond.

A day filled with love and labor happily.

A toast to a very wonderful Christmas
and New Year!

Heat Waves and Birthdays

2013-07-20T16:02:00.001-04:00

It's been one heat wave after another since early July with temperatures averaging about 100°F.
I haven't had much time to stop,sit and write.
Hopefully this weekend, I'll find my favorite blogs and catch up with blogging buddies, if only for a moment.
Here below is Bill's birthday cake. Not liking to acknowledge his birthdays, the cake reads "Happy 8th of July"

Everyone is different in approaching birthdays. Some celibate and others reflect.

For some birthdays are just a reminder of getting older.

We had exquisitely fresh snapper.

Seasoned only with garlic and lemon as it baked.

Another birthday

strawberries and cream !

Tomorrow it should be less steamy. July has been an unbearably hot month. Hopefully August will be milder.

And I will visit with my blogging friends.

Heres to a Happy New Year

2013-01-02T13:54:00.000-05:00

2013 has been snowy and very cold. It's only 20F at the moment.

Having a cold, it was a nice night to be in the kitchen with all the warmth from the oven. We made tortelloni with ricotta, ground nutmeg & cheese and parsley.

A good bottle of wine,

a little more cheese,

a slice of crème caramel

Spending the afternoon and early evening in the warm kitchen...

and hoping 2013 will be a kind, happy and wonderful New Year for all....

Christmas Greetings!

2012-12-26T14:44:00.004-05:00

I got to see my family in Ann Arbor.

Below is our shish-kabob which was grilled.

It was great seeing my Mom & Dad.

We went out for a Mexican dinner, which was delicious!

I got to spend some time with my sister, brother-in-law, nephew & niece and their dog.

Back at home, we opened gifts and had a delicious soup.

This is a hand made card I received from Brigitta, blogging friend.

Wishing that my blogging buddies had a great Christmas! :)

My Birthday

2012-11-22T08:49:00.000-05:00

Above is my birthday cake.

Below is my favorite fish The Walleye.

I prepare a stuffing for it, including, heavy cream,bread crumbs,blue crab meat, king crab leg meat, celery, green onions and spices.

There it is already to be flavored up.

crab meat and celery

stuffing

What lovely teeth!

Getting it ready for the oven

Walleye,stuffing and asparagus,yummy!

Strawberry cake with whipped cream filling

me with gifts

a University of Michigan fleece

a walley hoodie

I had a very happy birthday.

Fried Walleye and Pumpkin Pie

2012-11-17T14:34:00.001-05:00

At a beautiful farm on a chilly day, we went to get a couple pumpkins.

A little treat was nice for friends in jovial spirits,

the temperature was 52f.

I removed the pumpkin seeds to bake..The only part that is thrown away is the peel, the stalk and the stringy threads holding the seeds.

Cozy barn

added salt to the pumpkin seeds and spread olive oil on them and they baked nicely.

Then my treat, a walleye.They're not in my area.These fillets are from The Great Lakes.

I made a sauce of sour cream,dill,parsley and lemon

And enjoyed the scents and tastes in my kitchen, afterward a little walk showed me a cororful bright twighlight and I relaxed the rest of the evening.
Happy weekend friends :)

DAY AT THE VET

2012-11-11T13:50:00.003-05:00

This is Indian Summer. Lovely dry air and much warmer temperatures.The last reminder of Summer's end.

Worried Rocco going to the veterinarian for a routine exam. Some pets and sweet words reassure Rocco that there's nothing to fear.

Rocco studying and scrutinizing the staff. He gets a dog cookie from the doctor once the visit is over, but still nervous, he decides not take it.

He learns to trust the doctors and the staff. Dogs are like people, full of apprehension and worry until the visit is over.
Happy week :)
Brad

First Winter Storm a Nor'easter

2012-11-08T12:04:00.000-05:00

Today we had our first winter storm. Notice the snow stuck like glue to the North side of the pole. Some STOP signs were covered with snow and you could not see them.

Even the snow plows came out after a long rest.

It's really windy - notice the lone Japanese maple leaf blown on top of the snow!

Sorry for the white spots in the photo above. Some snow melted on my camera lens. I tried hard to keep the lens clear but, it was just too much snow and wind to accomplish that feat.

I wish I had the time to make a snowman.

Long after dark UPDATE for the above photo - I just went out there again and this statue is almost totally covered over with snow! Also, there are many branches from multiple trees (deciduous and coniferous) bent over all the way to the ground! The deciduous branches that are bent all the way to the ground still have their leaves on them which causes the problem. I have never seen anything like this! I would take another picture but, it's so dark and windy out there........that I will forgo that thought. It is a sticky snow and lots of it and although it has been windy all day it refuses to blow off certain trees and branches. I would guess there is about 6 inches of snow out there now and another 1 - 2 is on the way according to the forecast. All the photos in this post are from yesterday. Here the snow is on top of my woodpile that I gathered up after Hurricane Sandy. Here the trees are bent over from the snow almost to the ground because they still have their leaves.

It's still snowing and blowing out there......... This photo below was taken the next day. Peanut's first snow !

Another Strange Halloween

2012-10-29T13:54:00.001-04:00

Last year it snowed on Halloween, very early for snow around here. And now we have Hurricane Sandy whose ravaged through Haiti and Cuba and is making her way here....slowly. I took precautions and am as prepared as can be. Hopefully her wrath diminishes....

DOG DAYS OF AUTUMN

2012-10-27T17:13:00.000-04:00

It's been a long time since I've posted.
Has anyone missed me? Just joking.

Here is my little Peanuts in her sweater.I gave her a short hairdo and she needs to be warm. Above, now friends Pepper and her sister exchange a kiss. Below Daddy gets one too!

ANNUAL HARVEST FESTIVAL

2012-09-19T16:20:00.040-04:00

This September has begun with cool, sweet fresh breezes and a definite drop from extreme temperatures.On average 65 F, which to me is just ideal. The Harvest Festival happened to be one of the most wonderfully cool days. Below beside some of the hydrangea prize winners. Scare Crows, another symbol of Autumn were dressed in charming country clothing. These Scare Crows look happy, well they should it's their season. My photos don't cover the entire farm festival, but below were the judges choices with their ribbons placed beside them. I would never be able to judge the flowers as they are all equally beautiful, differently colored and a great variety of categories.Below flowers arranged in an old style wagon display. Delicate arrangement in a tea cup. Chinese lanterns A dahlia with a slight lavender blush. This hydrangea resembles green clovers. Who's the fairest of them all? Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and this beholder loves them all. Crimson loveliness. Warm yellow hibiscus. There was no gigantic pumpkin this year, but there were pumpkins scattered everywhere. Yes, no shortage of pumpkins, which make me think of pie. Unfortunately this year, there were no pies for sale, but no bother, I'm more happy making my own. Bleow I'm posed by an old milk wagon which in it's day would deliver the milk to your doorstep in glass bottles. Some of the herb entries, All kinds of peppers make the world go 'round. Well representing the fruits of farm labor. Gourds are so festive of this season. Prize winning eggplants. A junior cowboy amid crows and scare crows. Little princess finds her pony. A cute polka dotted pony, Ride' em cowboy! Yeehah! Children and pink piglets This rabbit has a leopard-like print down his back.How stylish! There were many many goats, rabbits, cows, chickens and other animals. One of the baby goats, There were more homemade articles than previous years. I always enjoy looking at the handmade items best.I only look, I don't really buy. Below hand knit hats. Adorable & charming homemade puppets, Decorated eggs of all kinds. Bees wax candles honey. I thought these bee hive candles were very cute. There was also homemade honey by bee keepers in the area.I'm sure this honey must be awesome. hand knit capes, shawls and sweaters Jewelry and witches This wine bottle label says "Mommy's Time Out", cute. Sales to aid military families, Ending on a sweet note, there were sales of candies, both commercial and homemade. The homemade included candy and chocolate covered nuts, fudge, chocolates galore, sweets and homemade honey :) May Harvest time greet you sweetly and embrace you with fresh air and warm coziness!

AUTUMN SOON TO COME

2012-08-27T14:25:00.016-04:00

At the grill and enjoying the beginning of Harvest Time just hot dogs on this warm but low humidity evening. The chili I made Friday for Saturdays chili dogs. Grapes, some ripening. Roses in pretty pastels, Chestnuts will be dropping next month. Here is full grown Peanuts.She must be a tea cup Shih-Tzu. She's just a little bigger than my Yorkie and weighs under 6 lbs. Fennel ready to harvest. I really did not plant this year.No vegetables.There are too many racoons, skunks and wood chucks.They rarely leave anything for me to eat in the garden. My chili all ready for the dog. I am a proud man showing off my chili dog. Happy Labor Day to those celebrating and a wonderful rest- of August for everyone! I know I haven't been bloging or visiting my favorite blogs, but I'll find time very soon :) Brad

LOVELY MORNINGS

2012-08-05T09:12:00.020-04:00

I've been taking walks in the very early morning at dawn when roosters crow. It's so serene and blissfully quiet, then you see a little friend And of course, give him something to eat Deep greens and dew and a mist in the air makes it relaxingly foggy. A butterfly gets his nectar, Oh so peaceful. A spider awaits his breakfast Blooms still dozing, The seed is put on the ground for early birds. Morning Glories greet your presence. A lonely scarecrow out too early for harvest time. But it's all beautiful and a sense of peace replaces all tension & all seems well. Below are pierogi, Polish filled pasta. I think every culture has it's own names for filled pastas.Some of these are filled with cabbage & onion the others potato and cheese. An icy martini with my meal Fried in butter and rich and delicious. Happy Sunday! :)

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

2012-07-28T16:40:00.012-04:00

My delicious recipe for Chicken Cacciatore.A bottle of wine compliments the dish. Part of the sauce includes these vegetables chopped and fried with tomato.The chicken is added and simmered for almost an hour. Cut the chicken into squares. Add parsley to the sauce. Enjoying a little floor show, Bill's grandson dances up a storm. Those feet just don't miss a beat. While waiting for dinner, holding his monkey as the succulent aroma fills the kitchen. And finally set on the table to eat. Happy & peaceful Sunday all :)

FRANKENMUTH, MICHIGAN’S LITTLE BAVARIA

2012-07-19T16:25:00.000-04:00

FRANKENMUTH, MICHIGAN’S LITTLE BAVARIA

Frankenmuth draws over three million tourists annually to its Bavarian-themed shops and restaurants.

Famous restaurants:

Bavarian Inn,

German-themed dining rooms offer a variety of meals - from Frankenmuth-style chicken to Wiener Schnitzel. You can learn how to roll pretzels here.

Zehnder’s,

Zehnder's is a large restaurant in Frankenmuth, Michigan. It has seating for 1,500 people. Every year Zehnder's serves almost a million people which makes them #1 for guests served by an independent restaurant. The restaurant is known for its all-you-can-eat chicken dinners, a tradition that began before the Zehnder family acquired it.

With a family-oriented environment, the restaurant serves 840,000 pounds of chicken each year. According to Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, it also holds the distinction of the lowest average dinner check in the ranking's top 100 independent restaurants !

"America's Largest Family-Owned Restaurant"

A quote from the Executive Chef says, "Thanksgiving weekend is coming to a close - finally!!!! We averaged 5,000 guests per day for the past four days, roasted 375 turkeys, 190 ducks, 3,600 chickens plus 3,200 pounds of squash and 1,500 pounds of sweet potatoes!"

"World's Largest Christmas Store"

Bronner's Christmas Wonderland - The building is 7.35 acres in size with landscaped grounds covering 27 acres. Inside, there are approximately 800 animated figurines at various locations throughout the store. Bronner's parking lot can accommodate up to 1,080 cars and 50 buses. Some 100,000 lights illuminate Bronner's half-mile (800 m) long Christmas Lane in the evening. Bronner's employs over 500 people during the holiday season (between October and Christmas).

Frankenmuth Brewery,

Founded 1862. This brewery makes the following beers:

American Blonde Ale, Hefeweizen Ale, Frankenmuth Pilsener, Batch 69 American-Style India Pale Ale, Red Sky Ale and Munich Style Dunkel Lager.

Oktoberfest:

In 1990, Frankenmuth celebrated its first Oktoberfest. Frankenmuth is the first Oktoberfest outside of Munich to be sanctioned by the Parliament and the City of Munich.

Frankenmuth has many other attractions such as an indoor waterpark, 18-hole championship golf course and riverboat.

The month of June brings the Frankenmuth Bavarian Festival and the popular annual Sunday Bavarian Parade.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL

2012-07-15T14:02:00.016-04:00

Happy Birthday to my friend Bill! We celebrated with strawberry and whipped cream cake. He shares his birthday with Sabrina & Luca's daughter Alice. We had a 30" grinder before cake. Also within a week is another friends birthday. About the same as Jenny's hubby Henry's birthday. I want to wish happy birthdays to both and to my blogging buddies Alice and Henry. We had meatballs this time :) Happy birthday to my birthday buddies!

GETTING ACQUAINTED

2012-07-01T07:08:00.012-04:00

Here are Rocco and Pina meeting for the first time. Rocco is now almost 40 pounds. He is 5 months old. They don't trust each other right now. She weighs about 7 pounds at 7 months old. This little fellow is a man of many disguises. See those cute little feet, He will have wings and I will not recognize him when he changes into a butterfly. I'd like him to stay as he is, but nature will take it's course and he 'll be able to fly and may not need to use all those feet :) For dinner I had a fennel bulb salad with just salt & pepper. Delicious! I've been eating lots of salad.It's too hot for cooking. Averaging 90 F and 32 C. A cool salad and beer is just right! The sun fell asleep and a rainbow appeared over the town. I wish a great week ahead to my family & blogging friends :)

WALLEYE

2012-06-25T15:10:00.000-04:00

WALLEYE

Walleye is a freshwater fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. The species has been stocked for over a century and has been planted on top of existing populations or introduced into waters naturally devoid of the species.

The name, "walleye", comes from the fact that their pearlescent eyes, like those of lions, reflect white light.

Walleye see well in low-light conditions, at night, and in turbid waters (stained or rough, breaking waters), which gives them an advantage over their prey. They have pretty big teeth and two dorsal fins – one of which is spiny.

Walleyes are olive and gold in color. Look at the tip of the lower part of the tail. That part of the tail is white.

The walleye is the state fish of Minnesota and South Dakota. The government of Saskatchewan declared the walleye to be the province's official fish.

To me these are the best eating fish period. I have caught them in Michigan and Canada. Nothing beats a lightly breaded sautéed walleye; if you want to get fancy add a sour cream and dill sauce.

Ideal walleye fishing conditions:

Early morning

Evening/Night

Overcast skies (with or without rain)

Windy

SHARING AN AWARD FROM STEPHANIE

2012-06-14T15:58:00.004-04:00

I want to thank Stephanie of the blog Steph's Green Space for thinking of me and giving me this award. You're supposed to list 15 favorite blogs,link of award giver and 7 facts about yourself.I guess you can bend the rules a little :) I would like to share it with

Jenny Eshjey, a wise Malaysian wife and mother of three truly precious gems, who writes a versatile blog of family events, Malaysian traditions & holidays and food.
Rita, a Finnish teacher who is multi-lingual and blogs about her friends, classroom and many different cultures.
Annie, one heck of a great cook and fellow cat lover who posts delicious & diverse recipes in her blog.
Antonietta, an Italian teacher who teaches English and blogs about her family, friends, travels and happenings in the classroom.
Sabrina and Luca, parents of a beautiful baby girl who blogs new & exciting recipes.
Bonnie, who posts all things pretty and vintage in her gorgeous photography blog.
Cat from Sydney, a cat who keeps his own blog!
Maria, fellow animal lover who blogs the cutest pet photographs.
Elisabeth. Her blog is about eating like a
Finn, a cute pooch blogs and Her thoughts.
Rosarita and her cute and funny blog.CLICK HERE
Iwona blogs about her life in Poland.CLICK HERE

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAM SAUCE & AN AWARD

2012-06-13T13:06:00.017-04:00

I want to thank Stephanie of the blog Steph's Green Space for giving me the Versatile Blog Award. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I used 1 lb. cockles for this recipe, small clams, about the size of a dime or 12 mm. I steamed them until slightly opened and then shucked them. Here is where I had some difficulty. I fried the cockles with some garlic and tomato, but somehow it all got lost in the spaghetti. Perhaps I used the wrong type of clam? Too little tomato? Some spices missing? Any tips, please leave me your suggestions :)

THROUGH ROSEY COLORED GLASSES

2012-06-03T12:07:00.020-04:00

Roses like their feet dry and it's been a rainy couple of weeks, with sun peeking through the clouds on only a few days. I love yellow roses. purple too, but this coral rose is striking. My chive blossoms want a little attention, not roses, but still pretty. A beauty ready to bloom. Silky soft petals white innocence I love honeysuckle, the smell is the sweetest. Wishing you a wonderful week :)

MEMORIAL DAY

2012-05-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

I hope all veterans had a great Memorial Day! That's who this celebration is all about. In the days leading up to Memorial Day, you'll find many old, sometimes crippled veterans volunteering to collect money for the vets. You can't pass them without the mercy of offering them loose change or whatever you can give. We celebrated with BBQ chicken and chicken cutlets with mushrooms (not typical fare, but it was fine) Corn on the cob, Enjoying a nice meal, Cucumbers Feeling as cool as a cucumber myself. Below, a real "Hero", his name is Ralph, his family didn't have a camera with them and asked me to take a photo of the family and their honored veteran in front of the plane he was in many years ago. To Ralph and all others like him...

SAUTEED & SEASONED MUSSELS

2012-05-25T13:29:00.018-04:00

Fresh mussels, farm raised.Try to be sure they are shut tight when buying. I'm sauteing them in olive oil, garlic, parsley and white wine. What a lovely aroma flowing through the kitchen. Opening up means they're just about done :) Bill's grandson Carlo laughing All done in a jiffy ! Scooping them out to serve. Done Man's Best Friend at the table wants to help me eat. All gone ! Great weekend all ! ♥ (\_/) (o.o) ( )

ABOUT BOXERS

2012-05-17T16:10:00.000-04:00

Boxers were bred by a cross between Old English Bulldogs and Bullenbeisser, The Bullenbeisser has been extinct. Boxers are very strong dogs with a very powerful bite. However, they seem to have a paternal instinct towards children. Below is my friend Bill in an old photo. His boxer would see him out the door and look on affectionately through the curtains. Here they absorbed some sunshine. You can see the bond between Boxer and family. They 'll gladly withstand "rough housing" from children. They may be aggressive if provoked or suspicious, but they will tolerate most anything from children, renowned for their love of children and family. They are excellent guard dogs who will awaken at the drop of a pin. Their high intelligence makes them curious , sometimes stubborn, because they may find their ideas better than ours. Protecting their families. And will await your return with licks and tail wagging. This is Rocco, again, Bill's new Boxer. decked out in a Maryland U. bandanna.

BATH AND A HAIRCUT FOR PEANUTS

2012-05-15T15:37:00.002-04:00

This is freshly shampooed Peanuts with her hair still wet. Saturday afternoon I washed Peanuts first, then Quisp and Lastly Peppers. I also cut their hair by myself. No more fifty dollars to groomers. Like my blogging friend Jenny said "They're not in a dog show and don't need perfect hair cuts" I brought each one outside and the sun and running and shaking themselves off helped them dry quickly. I saved a lot of money doing them all myself, now I can get my hair cut at the barber shop:D.