NOT AGAIN! ????

 I was merrily answering comments last night and got several done when all of a sudden, I got an error message. A little different this time. It did allow me to push the publish button, but the error message popped up saying my message could not be published. I am hoping by tomorrow that too will have been temporary and will try again. Has anyone else had a problem tonight? It happened at around 11.00 p.m.

The surprise I had the night before was this handsome fellow on our patio door above my head. I took my nightly look out the back window before going upstairs, and it was staring at me right in the face. I don't know who was more startled, yes probably the katydid. I couldn't see it properly and used the light on my phone, and then took a photo also with my phone. I made several attempts and all but this one were blurry. The ID online said it was a Katydid, also known as a Bush Cricket? It did say that this might have been after its first or last molt, can't remember which now. You can read about them at this link if interested. If any of you know for sure, let me know would you please? I had fun playing with one of the apps and came up with this.

A while ago I mentioned that several of the old homes that had been around for years, a mile so down the road, were finally torn down. This is the first house that has been built. I was amazed at how fast. We kept passing by and they looked like they were hollowing out the ground for a basement as there was this big hole. That seemed to take forever. A few days later this appeared. I will try and remember to take a photo once it’s finished. The place before was less than a quarter its size. I miss the old house.

This building is a church we pass by. When we moved here over 30 plus years ago it used to be a farm property where people kept their horses. I loved passing by and counting them. 

It wasn't such a wide road back then and we could slow down and sometimes stop to take photos. The church went up I want to say about 10 years ago. I still miss seeing the horses. Here's a closer look of the church.

I had a good time taking photos of clouds. The skies were full of them that day. It was hot but hardly any humidity, which is always a plus.

“Bows and flows of angel hair, and ice-cream castles in the air.” 

Joni Mitchell, Both Sides Now

I captured a plane on its way into Washington-Dulles Airport. I wish I had remembered to look at my airplane app to see where it departed from.

“I am the daughter of Earth and Water, and the nursling of the Sky.”

Percy Bysshe Shelley, The Cloud

The truck was huge and parked on the side of the road. There are town homes across the street, and this strip runs several hundred yards where people from those homes can park overnight. Parking spaces are at a bare minimum where they live, and the powers that be let them park there, for the time being anyway. This was still early so no one had made it home yet from work. Usually they are parked bumper to bumper.

It was a great day to sky watch. 

Thanks for looking and enjoy your day. 

MONDAY MORNING RECIPE POST - EASY AND HEALTHY SHRIMP SCAMPI - MAKES 4 SERVINGS

 Wishing those who are celebrating a very happy Labor Day. Thank you to all of you who help keep us going.

We are not doing a lot of cooking, no new recipes this past week again. We are a bit late in our food shopping, and it will be off to the supermarket in the next day or so to restock. 

There is no link and the blog I originally got it from seems to have disappeared. I don't remember much except I did say we enjoyed it, and I decided to add it to my list of seafood dishes on here. 

This is a healthy version of Shrimp Scampi. From the photos it looks like I overdid it on the parsley, and I would suggest just adding enough to your own taste.

Easy and Healthy Shrimp Scampi 

Makes 4 servings

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1-1/4 lb. medium raw shrimp, 

peeled and deveined, tails left on.

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine 

(we used a Sauvignon Blanc)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon parsley 

(the extra tablespoon will be used for a garnish)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 lemon wedges

In a large nonstick skillet heat the oil. Sauté the shrimp until just pink, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon transfer the shrimp to a platter and keep them warm.  

In the skillet, combine the broth, wine, lemon juice, 1/4 cup parsley, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

Boil, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced by half.  Spoon the sauce over the shrimp.  Serve garnished with the lemon wedges and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of parsley.

What did we think of this dish?  Having not tried this recipe before, I wasn't sure what to expect but we thought it was excellent and served it with a mixed green salad.

Squeezing the lemon over the shrimp always seems to add a nice zing.

That's about it but if you have any questions I will do my best to answer them. As I mentioned, this was from several years ago, and I haven't made it in quite a while. We did seem to enjoy it though, and I will be putting it back in rotation.

HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - ODDS AND BODS FOR SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2026

Good Morning! Denise’s Morning Brew.

Well, I have never appeared in my PJ’s, but today, in that imagination I am so fond of talking about, here I am. I also seem more wide awake than usual. Truthfully, I am not a morning person, but my other sleepy kitten personality below tells all, little blabber mouth! No worries, I am deep in the forest miles from anywhere, with no fear of any looky-loos walking by or unexpected drop-ins. Just me, the squirrels and birds and maybe a friendly rabbit, fox, raccoon and must not forget the family of deer. I could have Bigfoot stop by for a cup of tea. He would be welcome too, everyone is welcome. Hey, it’s my imagination, and here's me, moving on! 

My mind says “Get up!” My body says “Nope!” 

This week’s imaginary home in the middle of the forest.

I truly believe that...

The whole forest is my garden, how lucky am I?

Cute photo and…

pretty art.

I love this and in my world the cub's mama is okay with the little girl babysitting her little one. Mama Bear is happily foraging for berries and will be home soon. 

The cat had a good night casting shadows but...

 later returned home to its human.

Do you feel like a coffee smoothie? I would like to try this. My dear husband would rather have a coffee milkshake. I can see his point. Do you have a favorite smoothie you would like to share, and what is your favorite ice cream? Being nosy and curious seems to be going hand-in-hand with this one today.

Coffee Smoothie: 1 banana - 3/4 cup brewed coffee - 1/4 cup milk

2 tablespoons honey

Fun with Food

For the little kiddos and the big Kiddos.

Teddy Bear Toast

It is still too hot to put the oven on. I have another slow cooker pork dish for us to try. I don’t make these recipes before I publish them on here. It is always a culinary adventure.

Slow-cooker Pork Tenderloin: 2 pounds pork tenderloin - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

 1 tablespoon yellow mustard - 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 2 tablespoons diced dried onions - 1-1/ 2 teaspoons garlic salt or powder. Place pork tenderloin in the slow cooker. Mix all ingredients together and pour over tenderloin. Cook on low for 6 hours. 

Dump-and-Bake Meatball Casserole: you will need - 1 bag (32 ounces) frozen meatballs 

1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce - 3 cups water - 1 box (16 ounces) uncooked rotini pasta

2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese - 1 teaspoon dried oregano - 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions: 1. preheat to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). Grease a 9 x 13

inch baking dish. 2. Add the frozen meatballs to the baking dish. 3. Pour the marinara sauce

and water evenly over the meatballs. 4. Sprinkle the uncooked pasta evenly over the top.

Do not stir. 5. Sprinkle with oregano and garlic powder. 6. Cover the dish tightly with

aluminum foil. 7. Bake for 45 minutes. 8. Remove foil, stir gently to ensure pasta is

tender. Sprinkle with shredded Mozzarella cheese. 9. Bake uncovered for an additional 

10 to 15 minutes, or until pasta is tender. 10. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Bake time - covered: 45 minutes - uncovered: 10 to 15 minutes - total time: 55 to 60

minutes. Serves: 6 to 8 servings. Tips: for extra flavor, stir in a handful of chopped

parsley. Nutritional information (approximately per serving) - Calories: 520 

Protein: 25g - Carbohydrates: 56g - Fat: 20g - Saturated Fat: 9g - Fiber: 3g 

Sugar: 7g - Sodium: 950g

No dessert today. I’ll be good and eat some of this fruit. 

 

Wise Words for anyone who needs them.

Well, keep moving….you’re doing a great job….just keep going….No matter what

One day at a time….You’ve got this….Keep going

May you always dance to your own song and let the world see you as we do.

Life is busy for everyone. There will always be work, long

days, unexpected plans and a hundred things competing for

someone’s time. But the people who truly care never make

you feel like you’re another task on their list. They don’t always 

have hours to give, but they always find a moment to remind

you that you matter. Because real care isn’t about having more

free time, it’s about making sure the people you love never

have to wonder if they’ve been forgotten. 

It is time for me to get going and start my day. The cottontails let me know they will be visiting, and they are already on their way. 

Time to put the kettle on for a cuppa.

Let us have a cup of tea and talk about happy things. 

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope your day is full of blessings, and...

always remember you are loved 

because you deserve to be.

(My thanks to Pinterest for today’s inspiration.)

SHE’S AWAY WITH THE FAIRIES AGAIN…

(Friday - 9/4/26): I had fun playing on my app, creating a picture with elements from my childhood, as well as a few from life at the moment, that is my love for flowers and animals and birds, wildlife in general. I had to put in my imaginary cottage too. 

In my world both dog and cat are homebodies like me, and they have nice, comfortable beds to sleep on inside the house. They just like to be outside a lot, and the doghouse is there in case it rains and they need shelter. I'll even climb in there with them. It will be very cozy but snuggling with one's pets is a good thing and helps to teach us love and empathy. As I have said many times before, imagination is a fine thing, so is getting in touch with one's inner child. I am a great believer in it.

But, getting back into the real world, today was a drive over to our pasty place for lunch. We had our usual car picnic in their parking lot. Their pasties are delicious. We also bought three packets of bangers (British-style sausages), a small bar of Cadbury’s Chocolate for me which went lovely with my coffee that we get at the drive-thru coffee shop on the way home. Usually this is a Saturday treat and I am one day early. The bangers are already frozen but one packet will be ready for a full breakfast on Sunday morning. We were lucky to find a parking place as it is a relatively small lot. Many were taking advantage of a long weekend off due to Labor Day on Monday. All pretty humdrum stuff but we enjoy reading about our humdrum stuff from years ago, and this will be no different.

My dear other half had a busy week, seeing our son for a few hours one day, driving down to Williamsburg, where he spent a few hours with his brother. They had lunch, a great walk around, and a good time catching up. Another day he met up with his old friend and had another lunch. It was a feast or famine kind of a week, this week being a feast of get togethers. I, of course, was very happy to occupy myself at home. I am looking forward to the cooler weather and don't do well outside in hot weather.

We had heavy rain and a thunderstorm in the night with lots of downed branches in the yard. It is still very wet, and it rained again this afternoon. It's been iffy all week. I hope it won't continue over the weekend as it would be very nice to go for a walk around Green Spring. It all depends how hot it is and if it rains. We'll have to wait and see.

My glitch with publishing comments is still ongoing but from what I have seen, there seem to be many of us in the same boat. It will be interesting to find out what happened, or if we will find out. I had one blogging friend who was able to leave a comment today. Thank you Sandra! I have tried on and off all day to answer yours and many others, but no joy!  Hopefully it will have cleared up by tomorrow. 

I am going to see if this will publish.  My Saturday Morning at the Bird Feeder will be delayed for a day or so, as I am a bit late doing that.  

I hope you will be able to read this at least and fingers crossed!

Thanks for visiting and 

have a wonderful Saturday.

A CHANGE OF PACE - PAPER BAG BRIDE

Before I continue, I have had problems with publishing comments the last few days or so. I was doing just that, answering comments, and then the glitch happened and put a spanner in the works. It stopped for a while and then came back. I seem to remember someone saying the same thing and am thinking it is one of those blogger issues. I am even slower than normal catching up, but hopefully this will correct itself like it usually does. Fingers crossed!

As for today's post, this is my own very short poem, put together years ago. My apologies to all those great poets out there but sometimes, very rarely, I can look at something and string a few words together. Just a short little ditty, just for fun and a change of pace.

I looked in a window

And what did I see?

No wonderful jewels

To wear in her hair.

A bride half-clothed in this heat,

With a long, long train of

Plastic bags flowing behind her feet.

How sweet!

We were in Fredericksburg several years ago, walking by a large industrial-sized building on a main road. Being the nosy/curious person that I am, I peered inside and saw the mannequin. It looked like the beginnings of an art exhibit. No information on the door or windows, and have no information.

Thanks for looking, have a great weekend and take good care of yourselves out there.

IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN...

and too early for me but I've been seeing a lot of Halloween and Christmas items for sale lately. Today I am sharing the Jack O'Lanterns and Ghosts on display outside one of our supermarkets. 

I am one of the baa-humbugs who doesn't decorate for Halloween. I was always scared of those Halloween movies, any horror movie, and wouldn't watch them, this after I moved here. I grew up not knowing anything about Halloween. It just wasn't celebrated in my neck of the woods and I lived in my own little glass bubble. Nowadays it is and perhaps our blogging friends in other regions around the world can tell us more.

When our son was young, I used to make an effort, baking and decorating Halloween-shaped cookies for him, especially when his friends came over. I helped carve a pumpkin or two.

I put together a costume for him to go out on Halloween, that was pitifully tame compared to some that mother's made their kids, but he enjoyed them.

I do enjoy going around the neighborhood and seeing how people decorate their homes and front gardens, and taking photos. Many of those have made it on my blog.

No, I didn't buy any of these. Just looked and took photos.

Boo to you from our Crew.

Enjoy your Thursday and thanks for stopping by.

HORSES AT THE GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FROM AUGUST 2013 - ARCHIVES

 Another post of old photos. We were on a road trip across country, just about ten years ago now. The following is what I wrote at the time.

Today we drove from Yellowstone National Park to The Grand Teton National Park. After dropping off our bags at the hotel, we returned to the car looking forward to exploring the area. The first things we saw were these beautiful horses.  

  

Four young ladies had gotten out of a car at the parking spot we stopped at, and we noticed that a horse was following the girls as they walked along the fence, actually trying to touch them gently with his nose.  At first just one horse, and then another joined him.  

A very interesting thing happened after the girls left.  They started to play, running at a fast trot and kicking their heels at each other briefly, and then this.

After nuzzling each other for a minute or so....

they walked slowly back to their herd.

Another lovely memory. 

When I checked online with my first and second photo, it said it was a chestnut and white pinto, or American Paint Horse, with an 'overo' coat pattern, characterized by predominantly white head and splashy white markings along the body.

An overo coat pattern refers to a group of white spotting patterns found in horses, most notably in the American Paint Horse breed. Unlike the clean vertical shields of a tobiano, overo pattern looks like white paint has been splashed or sprayed onto a dark horse.

Tobiano is a dominant genetic white-spotting pattern commonly found in pinto and American Paint Horses.

Beautiful horses don't you think? I hope I get to see their kind again one day.

Thanks for looking and 

have a continued good week.