THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

So, it's Friday, how you feeling about that?

Ah, well, okay.

While she's busy, for the rest of you Gentle Readers I shall present a montage of mirthfulness.

Hopefully.

So there you go.

I hope your funny bones have been titillated.

Now I want you to tear into this weekend with terrific tenacity but if you thirstily tope too much at the tavern, take a taxi home and arrive triumphant.

Oh, and always remember to keep on laughing!

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oh, not again)

A NEW ANTHEM

I must thank Mr. Y.P., also known as Mr. Pudding, from the blog Yorkshire Pudding for making me aware of Imelda May.

She is a wonderful Irish singer and a song she released last year may be the song of the ages for our New Age.

Here it is.

TOMATO, TOMAHTO.

People ask compulsive bloggers (like me, for instance) how they can keep on day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year, thumping away at our keyboards.

And more curiously, where do you get your ideas?

Some people travel widely in their home area armed with a camera.

I used to do that and I still occasionally sally forth looking for inspiration.

But in recent months I've become more and more of a hermit . . . well, not totally because SWMBO is here, too.

So the ideas pop up closer to home.

Like today, for example, from a grocery bag.

A bag from Trader Joe's.

As I was folding it up I noticed this on the bottom.

First that made me think of my Internet friend Tess Kincaid, now living in London but still a huge fan of, as she puts it, a puddle of ketchup.

Wait, isn't it catsup?

Fittingly, the Trader Joe's empire used a cat to explain.

And that led me to think of the old "you say tomato, I say tomahto" tune.

It was originated by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 movie Shall We Dance, featuring an amazing dance on roller skates by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

Take a listen and a look and, please, watch to the end.

Now do you see how my blog posts arrive?

RANTING

Allow me to rant a little.

It's about the Weather Gods and their lying blasted radar.

Here's a screen grab of what they say is over my area as I am writing this.

That big yellow blob is pretty heavy rain and the green areas are somewhat lesser rain.

Now if you look up at the top of that picture you may be able to make out the words Prescott Valley.

Here's a closer view.

Now I live just below that winding line at the top of this picture, which is a highway.

The radar says there's pretty heavy rain falling on me right now.

I didn't see any outside my window so I went out to see if my vision was failing me.

Here's my view to the south.

Here's my view to the north.

And here's my view straight up.

See any raindrops on my lens?

Me neither.

Grrrrrr.

I know.

I'm old.

And I'm starting to sound like the guy yelling "Hey!  You kids get offa my lawn!"

But Jeeze.

Can't I get a little honesty from the Weather Gods?

YUP, IT'S A MILLION SELLER

As I was semi-preparing our evening meal awhile ago I began to sing an old song from my childhood.

But I forgot a couple of lines so, as is my wont, I made them up.

(Just think the verse of "You Are My Sunshine".  If you're old enough.)

The other night, dear,

As I lay sleeping

I dreamt I held you in my arms.

But when I woke, dear,

I clutched my pillow,

And it sure doesn't have your charms.

Hello, Nashville.

I'm on my way.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

I can remember the days when I could jump around like that.

I think.

Not about the jumping.

About the remembering.

Ah, yes, the good child.

You know who you are.

Well, Gentle Readers, it is time once again for me to bid you a beautiful, bountiful, benevolent, braggadocious weekend.

And never, ever forget to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

(oh, man)

THE LAST GIRL STANDING

After many years of being owned by cats, we have decided that when our last one crosses the Rainbow Bridge, that will be all.

Here is our last one.

The lovable Muggles, in black and white.

She has always favored SWMBO but she's taken to my pettings in recent days.

And without Blackwell to chase her, she's venturing out into the house more often, instead of just holing up on or under Judy's bed.

It's coming a bit late in her life.

She's 15 years old now.

But, after going through a health scare a couple of years ago she now seems healthier than ever.

And she talks more, DEMANDING that I pet her whenever I come near.

She has a loud raspy voice these days.

But she's still as soft and lovable as ever.

THE MURALIZED FENCE (continued)

I know, I know.

You're just keeping your silence because you know how important that is to the artist.

F.Y.I., SWMBO, aka Judy.

When she began it was just to daub some paint on a decaying board fence in our backyard and make it a bit more pleasant to sit out there with a cocktail in the cool (ha!) of the evening.

But then it grew.

And grew.

And grew.

Therefore, here are the latest photos just taken.

There are more and more trees and, lo and behold, a bobwire (barbed wire) fence!

More trees, a more defined lake, brush, a ridgeline . . .

And what's that down in the far corner?

Is it . . . a . . . tree?

Why indeed it is.

You might say she just has an abundance of green paint.

But she's a Hoosier girl.

She loves trees.

But it's not done yet.

There's more to come.

Stay tuned.

NEW (to me) MUSIC

I am indebted to the Food Editor of the New York Times, Sam Sifton, for introducing me to these wonderful musicians.

JUPITER AND OKWESS

Click the link and enjoy.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

So, Gentle Readers, the U.S. unemployment rate dropped below 4 percent, official news twister Rudy Goofy-ani will be crowing on cable news, football is back, and heat, fires and flooding are filling the news.

What's there to be happy about?

Oh, yeah, the Friday Funnies!

Okay, had enough?

Now my weekly benediction, please enjoy your blessed weekend, don't be bashful but bamboozle your friends and neighbors with bombastic, bewitching blowouts and always . . . always . . . remember to keep laughing.

Here, kitty-kitty . . .

THE BAKERY

The other day the BRD, after admiring the Cherry Clafoutis I made and blogged about recently, said she was going to get a big bunch of blueberries and trade some to me for the recipe.

I had mentioned in my blog that the recipe came from renowned pastry chef David Lebovitz and was readily available on the web.

But what the heck.

Free blueberries?

I quickly printed off a copy of the recipe and made the swap with her.

Here is her BLUEBERRY clafoutis.

We still had a handful or two of cherries left and SWMBO convinced me to make another one of the French desserts with them and some of the blueberries.

So here's mine.

Oh and a couple of loaves of English Muffin Bread that I whipped up after the clafoutis was done.

I'm finding great joy in baking as long as the recipes are easy and both of these fit that bill.

THE "GARDEN"

My blogging friend, Steve in London, has returned from his and Dave's week-long vacation in Cambodia and Vietnam and wrote today about the work he had to do in their amazing back yard.

He said he even had to mow the grass and stake up some of the plants and other tasks.

Which got me to thinking that I should write a short blog post about OUR garden, which has been doing quite well in our monsoon season.

It's not much when compared with Steve's verdant backyard.

Ours is just a few pots of herbs on our back patio.

But it's been supplying a good amount of basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, and mint.

I've never grown fresh herbs before and I'm learning about all I've missed.

I use some basil, some oregano and some parsley both in and on our Friday Night Pizzas and they give them an extra special kick.

Last night Judy made an Italian casserole out of some leftover pasta and red sauce that I had cooked up last week and she threw a handful of herbs into the middle of it, along with some mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.

It was wonderful!

By the way, do you know how to finish off a meal like that?

It may sound strange but it's a taste treat.

Just dunk your remaining slices of garlic toast in your glass of red wine before consuming them.

But back to the "garden".

Our cherry tomato plant is getting leggy but producing a lot of fruit.

And last night, Judy dug up the trumpet vine she had planted that wasn't doing well in the ground and replanted it in a pot next to the tomato plant.

She said that after getting a trim of dead leaves and being staked up and watered it was looking better.

I said maybe it was pining away out of loneliness and just needed a close neighbor.

Only time will tell.