Opening Day

Imagine the scene....It's Spring (at last!) and almost April.  The sun is shining and warm, the flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing....and...it's baseball time!
The sun was actually shining.  It was almost 70º!  not many flowers.  no bees.  (It's been so cold and even snowy this last week.)  Fans crowded into the stadium to watch "America's favorite pastime."

say some.  If it means Spring is here to stay, I'm all for it!

Johnny Cueto, starting pitcher for the Reds 

Jay Bruce's first at bat

how fabulous to watch the game as well as the boats moving up and down the river on this lovely Spring day!

The Saint Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds. 

photos by me (some are iPhone) © 2014  all rights reserved

flower scenes

fantasy bathroom at the 2008 Cincinnati Flower Show.

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "S." Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun! 


 

photos by me  © 2008   all rights reserved

a walk in woods mid-March

Yesterday, the temperatures soared up to almost 70!  The day was partly sunny.  In the early evening, I wandered in the woods...

photos by me  © 2014 (all iPhone)   all rights reserved

Green Bean, White Bean, and Tomato Stew

This delicious stew is so simple as far as the ingredients go, but it does take a little time to prepare.   




INGREDIENTS
2 T olive oil
¼ C chopped onion
2 dried bay leaves or equivalent
3 medium cloves garlic, or equivalent, minced or pressed
1 ½ C broken (snapped) green beans 
1 C coarsely chopped mushrooms (I used a mix of white and baby bella.) 
16 oz of canned diced tomatoes with juice (or use fresh  tomatoes when in season)
¼ C vegetable soup stock
1 15 oz can of white Northern beans with liquid
2 T somewhat packed down and heaping, chiffonaded fresh basil
1 1/2 t chopped fine fresh rosemary
salt and pepper to taste
baby spinach





DIRECTIONS
In a pan, heat olive oil on medium-low heat and saute onion for a couple minutes till translucent.  Add bay leaves and saute 1 minute more.

Add minced or pressed garlic and quickly stir.  Add green beans.  Cook and stir for about 4 minutes.  

Add mushrooms and continue cooking and stirring for for 2-3 minutes more.

Add tomatoes, soup stock, white beans, basil, and rosemary.  

Stir and cover.  Increase heat till stew begins to simmer.  Adjust heat so that stew simmers but does not boil.  Cook covered for about 8 minutes after stew begins to simmer.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place desired amount of torn baby spinach in bottom of bowl  Ladle on hot soup.  
Enjoy!

NOTES:
◊ Fresh herbs are important and make a world of taste difference.
◊ to chiffonade basil: 

◊  You may need to adjust the timing and heat to your own equipment.  
◊ An easy way to check if soup is ready is to taste a green bean to see if it is cooked to desired tenderness.

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "R" (for Recipe!).  Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun! 


 

photos by me  © 2014   all rights reserved

Flower Tablescape

"Gnome Sweet Gnome"  won the silver medal in tablescapes at the Cincinnati Flower Show in 2008. 
I love the tablescapes best!  They are fantasies and so creative.

Next Thursday I'll be posting a couple scenes from this Flower Show.

Wordless Wednesday--where I linked up: 

  The Art and Tree Chatter of Aquariann

Create With Joy

  

photo by me © 2008  all rights reserved

quiet

a quiet beach somewhere on St. Maarten

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "Q." Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun! 


 

photo by me  © 2009   all rights reserved

Feeding

Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten

I don't know what kind of bird this is, maybe a tern.  If anyone knows please tell me!


LINKS:
Avabase  the world bird data base-Sint Maarten
Les Fruits de Mer  Saint Martin birds

Wordless Wednesday--where I linked up: 

  The Art and Tree Chatter of Aquariann

Create With Joy

  

photo by me © 2014  all rights reserved

peaks

The drive along the Going-to-the-Sun Road to Logan Pass in Glacier National Park (USA) is spectacular.  The pass itself is the highest point in the park reachable by car at 6646 ft. (2025m).  The following photos are from a hike to Hidden Lake. 

Clements Mountain (8760 ft / 2670 m) along the trail is majestic.

 

In late August of 2011, there was still snow on the path.

Mountain goats (see 2 above) and bighorn sheep can be seen along this path.  In fact, we were just a few feet away from mountain goats at one point.

Along the path...The sky is an ever changing panoply of blue and white and gray.

mountain goat

stunning!  Reynolds Mountain (9125 ft / 2781 m) and Hidden Lake


LINKS:
Clements Mountain 
Reynolds Mountain 
Logan Pass National Park Service
photo of Logan Pass Visitor Center
2 minute video of Hidden Lake and Highline trails

Alphabe-Thursday, hosted by Ms Jenny, is so much fun!  This week our letter is "P." Come visit others' submissions HERE and join in the fun! 


photos by me  © 2013   all rights reserved