THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Ahhhh, Friday.

It makes me want to break out into song.

"Dah Dah Dah Dah

  da-da-da-dah,

              da-da-da-dah" 

Hmmm, maybe I'll just stick to humor.

Well that's it for this week, Gentle Readers.

Now let's all get out into the Natural World (no, no, not the Marlon Perkins one on t.v.) and have ourselves a flawless weekend.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oh, yeah)

DANDY, LION!

 After the glory of all those herb plants yesterday, I must return to another of those nasty but beautiful weeds that crop up through the gravel in our yard.

You may remember the  spikey guts of one I showed you about 10 days ago.

Here's one about to show off his interior with a bud of another one just behind.

But never fear, this one at least will not propagate.

I yanked him out of the ground and tossed him in the dumpster!

HERBS

 A short time (about a week) ago, I promised you a look at our herb plants.

Actually, since she did all the work, they should be called SWMBO's herb plants.

And if you're looking for a nicely weeded and carefully tended plot of land, think again.

These herbs are planted and thriving in pots.

So without further ado . . .

Chives

I suppose you're going to quibble so I'll face up to it right here.

Those last two aren't technically herbs, they're chiles, Poblano and New Mexico.

I don't know if the latter are Hatch chiles but I suspect we'll find out.

As opposed to rude basil, I suppose.

And this is not Emon Hyme, it's Lemon Thyme. but I suppose you figured that out yourselves.

I wonder what the other kind is.

Drunken, slatternly Rosemary, do you suppose?

In a larger pot right below the faucet and in this case a hose end, is mint.

It seems to love the space and the moisture.

And the Tomato Pot, with this year two kinds of tomatoes, Cherry and . . . some other kind.

Protecting them (allegedly) are a couple of volunteer Marigold plants from last year.

So that's it, our little effort to grow some of our own herbs and veg.

Just yesterday when I was reading Judy a recipe that called for copious quantities of fresh Tarragon, she interrupted to say "Oh, sure, you find a recipe that calls for an herb I *didn't* plant!"

Hmm, seems a bit testy to me.

MEANWHILE . . .

 . . . back at the Taylor Family Bakery, there was this.

My latest attempt turned out very well and tasted great.

It's called Blue Cheese Swirl Bread.

And yes it has blue cheese baked inside of the swirls.

If you like Blue Cheese, you'll love this loaf.

I do and I did.

CELEBRATION (continued)

 When you reach a milestone birthday, the celebration can last for days.

The much adored Judy, aka SWMBO, has been enjoying just that.

Yesterday her daughter, the BRD, took her to lunch at a new-ish restaurant in Chino Valley.

Essence, though located in the dry high desert of Arizona, specializes in seafood and that is what the girls dined on.

The honoree enjoyed a favorite of ours, Blackened Catfish with a Creole sauce, roasted corn and black beans.

Her daughter selected Seared Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna, drizzled with a lemon ginger vinaigrette.

I say "pretty good eatin'".

Meantime, back in Sedona a few days ago, let me show you some more of the beauty of the Tlaquepaque shopping village.

It is truly a photographer's paradise and there are many places to pose one's model.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

 Finally!

I'm getting so tired of computer problems.

I may just have to take mine out and blow the three years of dust out of it.

But now let's get on with the end of the week hilarity.

There!

That ought to keep all you pun-lovers happy for the weekend.

You groaners will just have to suffer along.

But whatever, I hope you *all* have a simply marvelous weekend.

And never forget: keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

ROAD TRIP

 The legendary She Who Must Be Obeyed and I took a little tour to one of our favorite spots yesterday, just a little over an hour away.

Our destination was the Red Rock Country and what was only a village when we first discovered it some 49 years ago . . Sedona.

It has grown since then.

The Village of Oak Creek, south of Sedona proper, has grown by leaps and bounds like Sedona itself and is encroaching on the red rocks themselves.

But one can still crop the photos taken at various viewpoints along the road to show only the strange rock formations.

Curiously, examining closely, one can see that small trees have sprouted in cracks in the red rocks  and are fighting for survival in a very dry world.

Arriving at the shopping mecca called Tlaquepaque, named after a suburban town of Guadalajara, Mexico, we find some visitors have found a way to escape the heat.

As for us, we repair to the Rene Restaurant for our coolers.

I know what you're thinking but remember, it's always 5 o'clock somewhere and we are celebrating a special day.

Judy, aka SWMBO, has reached a marker date, her 85th birthday!

And wonder of wonders, I can still get her to smile.

Or maybe she's thinking of that martini!

(. . . to be continued . . .)