What now? My quandary resembled de Kooning’s Untitled XI — one of his “20 new canvases”completed at 71 years old. What’s next? What is my passion? My answers and inspiration come from going outside myself… the Art Institute of Chicago my muse. I put … Continue reading
Direct and to the point… What have you got? We came to teach them how to make a Corned Beef Colcannon and celebrate Jamie’s Birthday… LET’S GO SHOPPING. RUSH back and get the pickling spices mixed with a bottle of beer and enough water to cover corned beef, fat side up. Bring to a boil … Continue reading
Thank you dear readers. May 2013 be filled with love, prosperity, good health and joy! The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 51,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this … Continue reading
The Lion roars. A time for reflection. Release the past… through the looking glass. And forgive everyone. Trim and star and keep it simple. Dear Santa, I can explain. Continue reading
The City of Highwood, Illinois was ready to make pumpkin carving history, as host of the Great Pumpkin Fest of 2010. The four-day festival brought people together in an attempt to break the Guinness Book World Record for the most jack-o-lanterns lit in one location. According to Highwood Alderman Eric Faldberg the total was 26,287. … Continue reading
ABRACADABRA!!! Mama Mic’s Magic Dough Yield: 2 loaves, 3 pizzas or 48 rolls Ingredients: 2 cups water, warm to the wrist 2 packets dry yeast, 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar * SWEET DOUGH increase sugar to ⅓ cup ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon Sea salt 5 to 6 ½ cups … Continue reading
The Last Sunday of Summer. The afternoon air tinged with damp. The hum of energy and anticipation, furtive glances of you’re-too-late mixed with smiles of recognition, smart phone connections, looking, eating, reading, drinking, talking, laughing, watching, and waiting… The first concert under the baton of Grandissimo Maestro Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s new music … Continue reading
Taste of Pensacola, a Chicago neighborhood block party, cordoned off with cars at each end, so the kids can ride bikes and trikes on the street all day. Complete with a blown-up-bouncing??? like a trampoline on steroids??? machine? Where children bounce up and down, giggling, falling, getting up again, sweating with exertion, breathless with fun. … Continue reading
To celebrate Summer, her beautiful garden and her Leo birthday, Flora gives a Garden Party for her friends, varied as the flowers in her garden. A gargantuan effort of a party bursting with sunshine, guests, flowers, umbrella-tables, wine and food. “What can I bring?” “A fruit salad would be wonderful and would give us a … Continue reading
I always thought change was fluid…but the Yellowstone mountains constantly change. The mountains teach me change is solid. Yet each hour is different. Cloud shadows, sun, peaks, rain, hills, snow, sand, boulders, gravel, grasses, flowers, streams, trees, lakes, pines, fire, cactus, sagebrush, dandelions and daisies. Grizzlies, buffalo, white pelicans, wolves, antelope, elk, snakes, fish… all … Continue reading
Italian Handful 