Wordless Wednesday: Face along the Milk River

Murphy Mess

I didn't sleep much last night, didn't even lie down until after 3:30, lay awake for long time, and was awake again before 7:30.

For breakfast, I made myself a pancake which I intended to serve with apricot syrup. It was a new bottle and the top was tight; I couldn't get it off by hand so I used a nut-cracker to loosen it and set it aside. After the pancake was on the dish, I grabbed the syrup, and since it was new, I gave it a shake. I'd neglected to retighten the top and it exploded all over and made a huge mess.

These things happen to me much more frequently when I haven't slept, and I am also more easily upset when I haven't slept--double jeopardy! Darn Murphy.

Away Note

Away note: I will be away next week and prolly off-line the entire week. I am helping Leaf Lady move her cats to California.

Self-portrait of the Artist as an Insomniac #070822-m: Separated from Sleep

Self-portrait of the Artist as an Insomniac #070822-m: Separated from Sleep
(Guess what I didn't do last night.)

Click image to view larger.

Here Come the Hibiscus!

Blogs make an interesting phenology if the pictures are posted on or close to the days they are taken. These hibiscus photos were taken Sunday in Jackson, Michigan where the giant hibiscus were in full glory in spite of the rain! If we photographed or journaled about them every year, they might serve as a marker for global warming or climate shifts and fluctuations.
Anyway, they're pretty this year just like they were last year.
(Last year in this blog, though, there was more writing and fewer pictures.)

In Tonight's Rain

In Tonight's Rain
No spray bottles need apply.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday.

Keeping Company

Keeping Company, by Mary Stebbins Taitt. Click to view larger.

What I ate for lunch: Blueberry Pancakes with Vanilla-Caramel Syrup

What I ate for lunch: Blueberry Pancakes with Vanilla-Caramel Syrup

All from scratch. I made whole-wheat bran flaxseed blueberry pancakes and I made the caramel vanilla syrup from scratch. It has a hint of orange because I put it in the same squeeze bottle (intentionally) as my orange syrup. I thought the hint of orange would be good and it is. And the blueberries are high in antioxidants. Yay!

Here's how I made the syrup: a cup of sugar heated on high and stirred constantly until it melts, turns light caramel color plus a little, and boils. Remove from heat, add 1/2 c rice milk and 1/8 c canola oil. If you do dairy, add milk and butter. CAREFUL--it boils up hard. Return to heat, stir to melt the hardened sugar back into the rice milk. Remove, cool, add 1 tsp vanilla. If you want a hint of orange, add 1 1/2 tsp frozen concentrated OJ. Here is a recipe for Caramel Sauce that I modified for mine. I don't do dairy, so I can't use butter and heavy cream.

Today's Detroit Photo: RAZOR WIRE!

What I Ate for dinner

               I made myself a weird "dose-dessert" pancake with strawberries inside and strawberries over the top.  I made the pancake with whole-wheat flour and bran and baking powder and dash of salt and undiluted orange juice and rice milk.  I cut the strawberries up and put about a teaspoon Grand Mariner and a little undiluted frozen OJ on them.  The pancake came out custardy and the whole thing was quite delicious, but since I made it like I usually do, by guess and by gosh, I not only can't fully explain it, I probably can't do it again.  But boy was is good.