COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!

The latest product of the BAD's colorful imagination is this brightly painted rooster.

King of the farmyard, for sure.

BLT & WHAT????

The other day I suggested our glut of home-grown tomatoes and a fresh package of bacon called for Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwiches.

SWMBO readily agreed and set to work.

Starting with some slices of lightly toasted multi-grain bread, slathered heavily on two pieces with mayonnaise and lightly on the other two; then topped with Dijon mustard on the latter and some American cheese.

On top of the cheese went a copious amount of the oven-baked bacon (who doesn't like bacon).

Then the sliced tomatoes.

Followed by good handfulls of Iceberg lettuce.

The other slices of bread went on top and there you have it:  the diner favorite, the Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato sandwich.

But that was only the half of it!

Earlier in the day a recipe had popped up unexpectedly on Judy's laptop screen and it got her thinking.

She had a large cantaloupe in the fridge that was ready to eat and the recipe was for something called Cantaloupe Gazpacho.

Now that may be raising some eyebrows but stay tuned.

It called for pureeing the cantaloupe in a food processor, along with some cucumbers, orange bell pepper (she used the mini we had on hand), olive oil, water, and sherry vinegar.

She added a pinch of Cayenne pepper to "kick it up a notch", as Emeril Lagasse would say.

It was served cold with a touch of yogurt on top and garnished with minced fresh mint, also from our patio garden.

Back in the day I never liked gazpacho because the idea of cold soups didn't appeal to me.

But let me tell you something, kids, this cantaloupe version was wonderful and it complemented the BLT sandwiches perfectly!

If you're adventurous, you can find a number of different recipes for it on the Internet.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Aha, there you are!

I know, it's been a lazy week here at Oddball Observations and now we all have another one of those crazy three day weekends staring us in the face.

Labor Day is Monday and a holiday for many of us.

But in the meantime, did you know today is "More Herbs, Less Salt Day"?

If that turns the corners of your mouth down, it's also "National Lemon Juice Day" and you know what they say about "when life gives you lemons . . .", enjoy your lemonade.

Or Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars or Chicken Piccata or Lemon Drops . . . either the candy or the cocktails!

And just to crowd your thoughts a bit more, if you live in Argentina it's National Arbor Day.

But best of all, right here it's FRIDAY!

Alright, you've had your comedy kick in the pants.

You've been informed about all the National Days to keep you dazed.

All that remains is to advise you to have a fantabulous weekend!

And to always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . and what's he celebrating ? . . . )

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

I was outside yesterday and thinking it was HOT!

As I was heading in I took a look at the not-very-reliable thermometer I had tacked to the wall.

It said it was 105 degrees.

Now THAT'S toasty!

When I came in I went to my trusty computer and checked my site for a guy who has a weather station at his house probably half a mile from here.

It said the temperature was 97 degrees.

I almost put on a sweater.

I said "almost", folks.

Let's see what the humorists amongst us have come up with this week.

Well, of course!

That guy is just too clever.

I hope you all are clever enough to have a clearly captivating, charismatic, confident, calming weekend, full of camaraderie and can-do.

But always remember to keep chuckling.

Laughing, that is to confide.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . wake up, willya . . . )

NONSENSE

 It's too hot to bake today and almost too hot to care so instead I give you some wackiness from My Main Humor Elf, Wacky Wally.

Palindromes!

'MATERS

The latest harvest from our tomato barrel.

A little later, the artist in the kitchen called me into the room.

Here's what she had created with some of them.

"Ain't nuthin' in the world like home grown tomatoes"

BLACK CATS

 In case you didn't know it, today (Sunday, August 17th) is Black Cat Appreciation Day!

Let us all praise black cats everywhere!

Well, at least in the Taylor household, which has seen its share of black cats over the years.

I think the first one was Primo.

The young ones in our family rescued him from the street and suggested the name.

I thought it was great, signifying "Numero Uno"!

Only many years later did I discover the kids were laughing at me behind my back, because to them Primo meant some kind of black opium or something.

Nevertheless, Primo moved from Indiana to Arizona with us and was our faithful friend for many years.

A little later we got a combination black cat and calico who I named Jazz.

I don't know why, other than that he seemed like a truly jazzy cat to me.

He lasted through several other cat-mates before crossing the Rainbow Bridge.

Next, a feisty and wounded warrior showed up in our yard.

For that reason, I named him Blackie Detroit.

He was a scrapper of an alley cat and it took us awhile to tame him down but eventually he accepted us and became our beloved Blackwell.

And finally we have a new adoptee in the family.

Well she's been with us for a year or two now and we're still getting to understand her.

My wife named her: Sweetie-Pie.

Sometimes she is, sometimes she isn't.

But we love her anyway.

So that's my story.

Now give your black cats a pet and a treat.

It's their day after all.