STILL BAKING

Just to let you know, I'm still baking.

Earlier in the week, I made a couple of loaves of banana bread.

This one is getting smaller by the minute as SWMBO, my official taster, has pronounced it delicious as one slice after another disappears.

But not to fear, the second loaf is in the fridge, so far untouched.

That same evening I finally squoze (Taylor vernacular for squeezed) 18 limes and made my first ever Key Lime Pie.

Half of it remains but it won't last out the weekend.

Don't tell anyone but the "whipped cream" that tops each slice comes out of a can.

SWMBO pronounced it equally delicious.

This morning I tried a new recipe I found for Maple Oatmeal Muffins.

Mine were studded with dried cranberries instead of the cherries the recipe called for and I didn't have pastry flour so used a mix recommended of half and half whole wheat and regular white flours.

No word from the official taster yet but she scorned them before I made them because she claims not to like maple syrup in baked goods.

I snagged a small corner as we were removing them from the pan and I loved it.

So we'll see.

I can not by any means be classified as a master baker but as SWMBO might say, "it keeps him out of the bars and off the streets."

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

With yet another humongous storm in the southeastern United States, it's been another of those weeks you don't want to write anything about in your diary.

Which may explain the absence of entries in my blog for the past several days.

But each day I wake and open my eyes with surprise and some degree of elation so I hope passing on some humor will help those in nature's angry path and those with friends and family in those areas.

So, once again, here goes.

Well, that's the best I can do, my friends.

Now let's all take care of each other and try your best to have the bestest of weekends.

And always remember to keep laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . oh, c'mon, that was good advice . . . )

PONIES

This past weekend was the time for not only the Fall Harvest Festival I told you about yesterday.

It was also when a Pony Only show was held just a short distance away.

For those of you not in the know, a Pony Only Show is where owners of the Ford Mustang automobile get to strut their stuff.

You're probably thinking "Are they all red?"

And though it is a popular hue, the answer is "no".

They come in all colors.

This "pretty in pink" model even had a "pony" posing under the hood!

The owner of this Shelby Mustang doesn't want his hood stolen.

Notice that heavy chain holding onto it?

Speaking of hoods . . . the promoters of this show encouraged Mustang owners to bring their cars in no matter the condition.

They said whether it runs or not, needs to be towed, hauled on a trailer, is in process of being restored or not . . whatever the condition, bring it in.

One owner apparently took that invitation seriously.

AUTUMN IS HERE!

Yes, Autumn is finally here.

So the temperature outside as I am writing this is 91 degrees here and 108 in Phoenix.

But I can assure you that Autumn has arrived.

How can I say that?

Because I looked in on Prescott Valley's official Harvest Festival yesterday.

These three stalwarts were viewing the flurry of activity at the town's Civic Center as the finishing touches were being put on the set-up for the Fall Festival.

Recorded music was blasting out over the grounds but equipment was being put in place and hooked up for the live music coming later in the day.

The police were putting on a bike rodeo, there were pony rides and a small train taking people around the grounds, a cornhole game had been set up and was attracting players, bounce houses were installed and active and delighted shrieks and screams were coming from the passengers in this whirling carnival ride.

And best of all for this reporter, there were a variety of food trucks!

This heart-adorned little girl seemed to be thinking, "Will he just hurry up and take his picture so I can get into that treat!!!"

Yes, my friends, ignore the temperatures.

Autumn is here!

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

 

Hmmmm, what shall I bake?

Suggestions?

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

I went to the library yesterday and picked out a book to read.

It's by Jane Austen and it's called "Sense and Sensibility".

But I haven't started reading it yet so today is saved.

Let's take a look at Nonsense and No Sensibility, shall we?

I know what you're thinking.

IT'S A TWO-FER!

That's right.

I have so many Trekkie memes in the Humor Bank that I was forced to start AND end with one this week.

Consider yourselves lucky.

Now let's see how you good people will start and end your weekends this time around.

Make it great, make it memorable, make it . . . . oh, not meh.

But whatever you do, don't forget to keep laughing!

Here kitty-kitty . . .

( . . . now who's mocking who? . . . )

THE LAST LEAF ON THE TREE

I had an email the other day from a long-ago colleague and friend in Phoenix.

He said after 45 years in Arizona, he's moving back to California to be closer to the children and grandchildren of he and his wife.

He pointed out that the two of them were now closer to 80 than 70 and all of their family lives there.

Well, I'm nearly halfway through my 84th year on the planet and I sympathized with him as I thought of all of the friends that I've lost in recent years.

The Old Gang is getting smaller every day, it seems.

All of this came up because of news of the death of Kris Kristofferson this past weekend.

He, along with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willy Nelson once formed a group they called The Highwaymen.

Now, only Willy is still alive.

And like Old Man River he just keeps on, still playing concerts and living his song "On The Road Again".

He's got another song out now and it seems prophetic, given Kristofferson's death.

Give it a listen.

By the way, I have to thank Gwyneth in faraway Scotland, known to readers of her "OOK" blog as "gz", for letting me know about this sad and sentimental song.