The Missouri Midwest Roundup: A Perfect Day!

The planning began the day after last year's roundup.  By the second week of June I had started the steps to have the perfect gifts, perfect flower filled and vegetable garden, perfect party atmsophere and a perfectly pristine house.  There is a definite sort of excitment in having a roundup.  Some might think exciting might not apply when welcoming strangers to your home.  As Lora/ Magnolia Blossom pointed out, you are not really meeting strangers because through All Recipes you do know them.  You chat with them on the "Buzz", read their blogs, use their recipes and with some you are already "e-pals".  You just might not have seen their faces, heard their voices or felt their physical hugs.  You may have gotten those virtual hugs which are great but the real ones are the best.

At this year's roundup the lovely ladies that came were Lora/Magnolia Blossom, Lisa/Mangel, Sheila/Mi Being Mi, Brenda/bhawk, and Nicole/Soup Loving Nicole.  Nicole also brought her husband, James, and Max, the dog.  We also had Janice, a friend of Brenda's, who made Lisa feel right at home.  I convinced my sister she should come too and she brought her husband.  Terrie who was here last year wasn't able to make it but she did breeze thru, drop off goodies and pick up some Almond Grahams aka "Crack" that Lisa was kind enough to make.  It really is an addictive recipe.

Let's start with the "perfect gifts".  Back in November I decided to have the roundup over my birthday weekend so I could ease into the idea being 50.  Geez when I was 18, 50 was pretty close to having one foot in the grave.  What a surprise to find myself at this rather large numbered birthday!  I didn't think it was fair to have the day just be about my birthday so I came up with an idea that I thought would  include everyone's birthday.  As with some of my ideas, the idea is sound but the execution is lacking.  While my guys were boar hunting, I started my presents.  Painted flower pots with herbs.  Simple idea but I went a few steps farther.  I used the zodiac to get the birthday girl's herb and color associated with the their month.  I also ran across sayings that went with their month so I figured I'd stencil their names, birthdays and sayings on the pots.  I thought the sayings were really neat because they seemed to fit.  Lora's- "I Dream, I Believe".  Brenda's- "I Feel".  Lisa's- "I Have".  Sheila's- "I Think".  Nicole's- "I Will".  That one is mine too and really seemed to fit because that's what I kept saying to myself while trying to get everything done for this year's roundup.

So what went wrong? To get the right colors I used the wrong paint on some and ended up redoing them because they ended up bubbling and looking warty.  Then since I tried to pick from the herbs listed ones the ladies would like, I started from seed.  Should have been a simple thing but all the pots got infested so I replanted 5 times.  Deep sigh!  Even then I had to change herbs and dig some out of my garden.  What should have been big bushy wonderfully filled pots of herbs as you can see weren't.  The ladies seemed to think it was a neat idea though.  Not everything is pictured here but the gifts the ladies brought were perfect and very much appreciated!

Also, All Recipes Elizabeth surprised us with bags filled with goodies.  From last year Lady Sparkle and What's for dinner, Mom?'s number 1 daughter had generously made enough gifts so I was able to give a washcloth and apron to Lisa and Nicole, our new attendees.  With one apron left that went to my sister in her favorite print.  So how perfect was that?!

Now the perfect flower filled and vegetable garden, yeah right.  Only in my dreams.  For what seemed like forever I weeded.  Those of you that I regularly chat with may have noticed a marked decrease in emails from me.  Don't think I forgot about you.  Thinking of each of you, wondering how you were and what was going on with you gave me something to think about besides the scorching heat, bee stings and all day weed annhilation.

Even poor Bane got fed up with me working everyday in the gardens.  That's my gardening glove in his mouth. 

For the perfect party atmosphere I thought a signature drink was needed.  One created just for us birthday girls and using fruits from Missouri.  Have I ever done this before?  Nope.  Certainly didn't stop me from trying though.  Let's just say it looks better than it tasted.  Again deep sigh!

The perfectly pristine house we are not even going to talk about.  Dear sweet Lora came in on Friday night and I listed what was again left to do.  She was all for getting up at 6:00am and helping and she did.  She even baked these delightful muffins for us to have for breakfast.  Did I mention I left to go to dog obedience class that morning for an hour?  Yep, I'm trying to be a responsible owner and get proper training for Bane and I.  We have a wonderful trainer but one of the classes was scheduled the day of the roundup.  Again deep sigh!

BBQ Dude was at his best this year.  Although, I believe he miss timed getting some stuff on the smoker because he was busy talking with Nicole's husband.  And perhaps an adult beverage or two.

It didn't matter.  When you invite cooks to your home you are going to get some wonderful food.  Not to mention a wonderful fleet of cooks willing to help on last minute food prep.  They are even willing to risk getting yelled at by the head cook who probably should have had an adult beverage by then instead of worrying about perfection.  Right, Brenda?

Just look at this deliciously ladden table.  All the leftovers from the feast prompted my teen to say this the next day.  "I have a different question for you tonight, Mom.  What don't we have to eat?"

We were a decidedly lively bunch this year.  One of us started fairly early with the adult beverages which then encouraged some of the others to join in.   Lisa brought chocolate wine.  Lora made the sangria that she had at Maui girl's roundup.  Pretty soon the conversation was flowing and we were all acting like we had known each other forever.  And yes, the party lasted well into the night.  We talked about everything from food, pets and topics that, well, might be censorable.  We decided what happens in the garden stays in the garden.  Just like Vegas :)(:

I got 2 lovely and very thoughtful surprises yesterday.  One of them had me squealing like a kid who had a pony arrive at her birthday party.  I hope I didn't damage her hearing. 

Just as all of us ladies were proceeding on a garden tour, my son came to the door with the phone and said, "There's a woman on the phone for you and she won't say who she is."  Ok, so by this time I'd had some adult beverages too so I was really puzzled because everyone was here.  I answered the phone and the lady asked how the party was going and who all was there and then she said, "Do you know who this is?"  Well, no.  "It's Laurie."  That's when the squealing started.  Last year she had sent me the sweetest cross stitched birthday card.  This year has been so rough for them and so many others in New Zealand that I didn't expect anything from her.  To say it was delightful to have her call me from tomorrow and finally hear her voice is an understatement.  Some day I will see her in person.  Then we got another call.  This time from Maui girl.  Too cool!!!!

The next morning the ladies that were left sat in the garden talking and blowing bubbles.  We were supposed to do that the day before but we were too busy.  The window in this picture came from an old house and has 2 poems on it that I really like.  sueb gave me the idea for the starry windchime and I just had to have a picture of the bubbles floating past.

We discussed having the roundup at Brenda's next year so we could see her garden but she says she likes coming here.  She also thinks Sheila will be likely to spend the night too at next year's roundup.  Yep, the camper is that big.

So for all my imperfect plans what made the day so perfect?  The people, of course.  Those that came, called or were here in spirit.

I sincerely thank each and every one of you for my perfect day!

Are you game for a boar of a tale?

As some of you know, my guys plus one went on an out of state hunting trip last month.   I was excited to have the weekend to myself so I was talking about them being gone.   When I told you what they were going to hunt some expressed curiosity about it so I thought I’d share the results of that trip.  For those that have asked about Pippin, he has posted another blog if you’d like to drop in and check out his adventures-http://thesensiblyorganiccook.blogspot.com/2011/07/can-tiger-change-his-stripes.html  Also if anyone's plans have changed and they are interested in the upcoming roundup I'm having here, http://allrecipes.com/cook/13436831/blogentry.aspx?postid=233279 that's the blog if you'd like to read it and the email address is in it if you are interested.

My DH, Jeff, and his BF, Al, have talked about going elk hunting in Colorado for years.   They both have hunted deer for years but wanted to go after something bigger.   Either their jobs, lack of time or money kept them from doing anymore than talking about a big out of state game hunt.   Then early last year my DH started researching the possibilities again.   Plus, he thought it would be cool for his son to be able to go with them now that he was old enough.   So each Sunday he’d share what he had found with Al.   See, depending on the season Al comes up every Sunday to watch either the football game or NASCAR.   I fix a big lunch for them too cause Al always seems to help the DH with one project or another.   Usually it is a major project like cutting wood for the winter so I feel it is only fair I keep Al well fed.

After much consideration they decided to turn their sights on smaller game. Wild pig. Oklahoma is also a little closer to home than Colorado.   Since I did not opt to go with the guys on their trip, I’m relying on their version of events and pictures they took for most of my information.   I can, however, reliably share what I’ve learned about cooking wild pig.

If you do any scanning of the TV listings you might have noticed “reality” shows about the damage wild pigs are doing in various states, what is being done to round up these destructive creatures and what happens to them after capture.   The ranch the guys hunted on buy captured wild pigs from Texas.   When asked, the people at the ranch said those reality shows are a bunch of nonsense and the pigs are live trapped then shipped to places like theirs.

Here’s the first picture the guys were excited about showing me.

Goes to show what they were interested in.   Yep, I’m afraid my requests for scenery pictures fell upon deaf ears and, yes, that is the family truck for the owners of the ranch.   When the guys told me how cool the place was inside and I asked if they took a photo of it, I got a blank look.   Deep sigh.   So the best I could do with that is include the website just in case anyone wanted to see other shots. http://www.reddirtboarranch.com/

I really did not know how the hunt was to be conducted but I was told everyone was guaranteed a pig. I know my guys when they hunt deer here in Missouri sit out on frosty mornings in carefully constructed and concealed deer stands for hours.   Usually only to come home wanting a hearty brunch with a “Nope, didn’t see a thing”.   It never fails to amaze me how thundering herds of deer can simply vanish when it is hunting season.   Same with those turkeys. I  can hear them gobble around here every morning till opening day.   I’ve even scared them out of the front yard but I have yet to cook a wild one.

Evidently it is no surprise where the wild pigs are.   The ranch is well fenced since it is against the law to let any of these creatures back into the wild.   This is also a working ranch so the wild pigs are fed and receive veterinary care to keep any diseases from infecting the domestic livestock.

These shots are taking from the stands the guys were in.   For those that feel this type of hunting isn’t sporting enough, I’m not sure if the guys knew how little hunting skill they would need to get their pig.   As with any game they have harvested over the years we do eat it.   That’s one of our rules.   You only shoot another creature if you intend to eat it or to keep it from killing you.   However, I do think living out in the wild receiving food and care is better than being in an overcrowded feed lot. Also if it were up to me to shoot meat for our table, I can guarantee our menu would be vegetable heavy with some fish every so often.

WARNING!!! Hunting pictures.

The next pictures are my two guys with their pigs. Jeff got a boar and Ryan got a sow.   Al got one of each but somehow I didn't get pictures of his or him.

Now on to what I learned first hand about wild pig.   After going to a meat locker that would process the meat we ended up with this size cooler full.   In it we had ground pork, 2 smoked hams, spare ribs and boneless pork chops.

Before the meat went to St. Joe, I took a bit of it just to see what it would taste like.   I fried it in a skillet.   The flavor is much stronger than domestic pork. Since I did nothing else to the meat it was tough.   I generally like any game and have never had a problem with a gamey flavor.   My sister SWEARS she can tell venison jerky from beef because of the gamey flavor.   Hmmm, wonder if that’s like the great beet and cilantro debate?   Either you like it or you don’t!

I was rather concerned that all the meat except for the ground would be much tougher than my DH was used to.   I believe I was right.   When the pork came back, I decided to try tenderizing and marinating some chops for the grill.   Again we both liked the flavor, not quite shoe leather was the consistency.   Now, Al did the same thing and left his overnight and claimed a successful grilling came out of it.   After having fixed lunch for him for almost 20 years, I know Al is not near as picky as my DH either. So my next attempt at the chops was the pressure cooker.   I love that thing now that I am no longer afraid of it!   I put my own dry rub on the chops, browned them in the PC and added ½ c water and 1 c white wine.   Cooked for 40 minutes under 10 lbs of pressure.   Much better
with an excellent flavor.   I do think I could have gone even longer  with the cooking time and if anyone reading this has more experience with the PC and game, please share your knowledge.   I’m guessing the other cuts will have the same type of toughness.   Something my DH doesn’t understand at all. He figures one pig, domestic vs. wild should be like the other.   Uh huh.   I’m guessing a crock pot or a LONG slow cook on the hams.   I’m not quite sure the best method for the ribs.   Something long and slow I’m sure.

I did have great success with the ground pork.   We grilled hamburgers over the 4^th and we all liked them.   The jerky was AWESOME!   The spice mix pictured earlier on the right was just so so.   I added more spices to it because it seemed rather bland.   The one from Cabela’s was purchased later so we can make more jerky.   I guess!   I barely had enough jerky hidden to take the photo.   The jerky on the right was made with the “Hi Mountain”.   Now if you are wondering why there is asparagus on the plate, they guys brought that back from the ranch.   Someone had left it down after their hunt and the owners told the guys they could have it.   Given they can barely eat anything green, my DH said, “I bet my wife would like that is it all right if I take it for her?”   It’s pickled with some kind of hot pepper.   Can anyone identify it?   I don’t grow that type and am not sure.   I’d also like to have a pickled asparagus recipe too.   Man that stuff is good! Almost too hot for me.   I’d go with jalapeno peppers I think.   Now for the jerky on the left, I used a mix that I had from previous years but I decided to add some of the spicy vinegar from the asparagus to it.   YUM!   That came out so good!

Overall per pound, I’m sure the wild pig cost quite a bit.   I’m not even going to bother trying to figure that out because the guys had such a good time and really liked the ranch.   One other old friend was supposed to go on this trip but couldn’t due to his health.   What a shame.   Ryan is going into the Navy in Oct. so who knows when or if he will ever hunt with his father or Al again.   I swear everyone needs a friend like Al.   He is like a brother to Jeff so I’m glad they finally got to go on their hunting trip out of state.   Jeff is still laid off so it is a good thing he had put aside money to go.   It was a trip that was well worth taking.   Maybe not so much for the pig but for the three of them to have a weekend to remember for always.

Can a tiger change his stripes?

Absolutely!

My glorious set of sable stripes has certainly been shifted!   If you don’t know my story, my name is Pippin and someone shot me.  That caused the amputation of my right front leg.   Hey, I get around great and the human I own, Mama Cat or MC for short, has done some really cool things for me so I don’t feel like I’m missing out.   Toooo much.    Still I wish ole Doc had been a little more cosmetically considerate.   For pete’s sake, a boring tabby tan patch of fur has now taken the place of my beautiful black bands.   Ok, ok so looks aren’t everything but seriously how hard could it have been when all the cutting and stitching was going on to leave some of the glossy layers in place?   Having my armpit fur sticking out for everyone to see is tough to overcome even for a devilishly handsome fellow like myself.   I’m ok with my underneath being exposed when I’m rolled over napping like this picture when I'm trying to help MC.  See here I was rolling around helping MC sort her garden seeds something she didn’t seem to appreciate so much.   I got bored with that and decided a nap was in order.

Anyway, I do have new adventures to share.    I’ve broken them down to the good, the bad and the odd.   First, we will get the bad out of the way.   Although while I consider the “Great Escape” an excellent example of my extraordinary abilities some in this household do not.   I did not almost burn down the house that is MC’s muttering take on events.

The “great escape” took some careful planning to pull off but I did it!   Now, I wouldn’t have had to resort to such drastic measures if MC hadn’t sicced that purple-tongued pestilence on me.   Can you believe she told that stupid dog to sit at the door knowing full well he’d stay there and I wouldn’t get near him?!   Geez, you get anywhere near that drooling beast and you risk getting dog gakk on your fur.   And no, I’m not the slightest bit sorry I got the old buzzard, MC’s DH, in trouble.   His hearing is returning, not that he ever listened all that well to begin with so no harm done.   I can’t help he can’t tell one cat from another and I used that to my advantage.   There are three of us with similar stripes, granted the other 2 have all 4 appendages and are decidedly different sizes.  When the old buzzard opened the door to the garage and thought he was letting out my buddy Gloves I seized the opportunity for an overnight romp in the woods.   MC had been riding her horse and asked when she got back if I was downstairs.   She received an affirmative so off to bed she went.   It wasn’t until the next morning she realized I’d escaped.   Now would someone explain this to me?    How can a Mom go from all upset and teary to furious in a matter of seconds?   You should have heard her calling me as soon as she figured out I was in the wind.   She sounded so upset.   I decided to saunter out of my hiding place before she really turned on the waterworks.   Be my luck she would dry her eyes and blow her nose on my remaining stripes.   Eeewww!   You know it really is hard to muster a good swaggering step with only 3 legs but I thought I was pretty convincing.   I thought my “eye of the tiger” attitude would calm MC’s fears about my midnight excursion.   Nope.  She had to have a hissy after she got over being thrilled to see my wonderful self coming down the driveway. Took just a matter of seconds too!  The old battleaxe, I mean MC, is even more vigilant about me having unattended outside time.

Uh, about burning down the house.   Well, I didn’t but this little incident bought me indoor cage or garage time at night.   Everyone is so negative about this they are missing the bigger picture.   I can count!   And given some food I could have cooked.   You see, MC’s cook top can be locked.   You gotta hold down one button for 3 seconds to turn the whole thing either on or off.   MC turns the cook top off every night cause she is a "just in case" kind of person.   Well, MC got up one morning and one burner was blazing away.   So I forgot to turn it off.   The point is I held one button down for 3 seconds and unlocked the burners.   Then I selected a burner.   It beeped at me so I selected a temperature and away we went!   Might as well go for the glory right?   I turned her up on high.   MC might not have been so mad if I’d keep it on ultra low or if I‘d turned the burner back off.   I still think MC is choosing to look at this in a negative light.   It is not like all the buttons were in one place and there was counting involved.   I thought this spotlighted my obvious brilliance.   I know I’m not supposed to be on the cook top or the counters but don‘t I deserve a little lenience since the accident?   Locking me up at night so I can’t wander the house is a bit extreme don’t you think?
Ok, so everyone knows  the amputation is the reason I’m blogging.   I really am touched by the number of people and furred ones that have read my story and sent their best wishes but there are moments I wish I still had all 4 limbs.   Now speaking of that, this is the "odd" part.   Some days I’d swear my leg is still there. That fuzzed face idiot thinks it is still there too. The baying behemoth of  MC's  sticks his nose places it doesn’t belong and I swat at him every single time. Get this. I can use either leg, the one I can still see and use or the one that just feels like it is there and that stupid mutt will duck.   I still do my yoga pose, Upward Cat, with both legs too.   Odd isn’t it, that phantom limb?

Now for the really cool "good" stuff.   MC made me an indoor tree.   Granted I was prepared to resist using it cause I really want to climb a real one but MC knew what she was doing I’ll give her that.

I might still be protesting using the tree if it hadn’t been for that pea brained panting pooch.  He had  some nerve chasing me in the sunroom.   MC doesn’t allow him to chase us cats but if her back is turned the pea brain thinks maybe just this once we’d like a game of chase.   MC started to yell at the idiot but we’d just gotten near my tree and my tail was in jeopardy of getting dog slobber on it.   Yuck!   Therefore, I took advantage of MC’s engineering skills and up I went.   She really did a good job thinking of my needs and placed horizontal branches where I would need them.   She even put fresh catnip in the holes.   Did I mention she used mesquite branches to make the tree?   Pretty clever for a human she is.   She had gotten a bunch of mesquite branches from her Mom’s house.   Her Mom used to travel in the desert Southwest and brought home all kinds of stuff.   MC told me she figured the holes in the branches would help me climb.   They do!   She also said they’d be great for stuffing. Ooo yeah!   She had to alter some of the branches after I started using the tree.   I got a little goofy with the catnip and about rolled myself off.

That was another reason she used the mesquite, all the forks  make for perfect laying or napping perches, she just added a piece here and there to the original.  Works out great for me, I can observe my domain without that barking brute annoying me.

My friends like using the tree too. That is Houston. He has to check out anything new in the house.

This is the other cool thing MC has done for me.   She hates denying me the outdoors but she wants me to be safe.   I really do like my outside pen.

  Originally, it was built for the mutt but he is so high maintenance the backyard had to be fenced in for him.   Worked out great for me.   MC still needs to do some work on it but I have two potted trees and some potted catnip in it.   There are plants growing into the pen too so I can almost pretend I’m free.

MC puts Gloves in with me for company.   He doesn’t mind cause mostly he sleeps but it is nice to have someone to talk to and chase bugs with.

This last picture I couldn’t resist putting in.   I like to find new places in the house to sleep just  to keep my survival skills sharp but MC gets a little frantic when she can’t find me.   One day she looked everywhere.   Poor old dear, she's turning the big 5 0 soon and her eyesight is going.  If I do say so myself,  I blend so well in the teen’s room.   It is a great room to hide in.

Till next time.

“To be upset over what you don’t have is to waste what you do have.”
                                                                                      KEN S. KEYES JR.

With Malicious Intent

A pump brings water from the Earth.  Water gives life.  Without water we would surely perish but this pump is doing something else.  It is caring for life and I thought it an appropiate picture.  I'll show you what is inside at the end.

Someone shot my cat, Pippin, the first week of May. Do I have 100% proof of who did it? No. Do I have 4 possibilities of those that might have? Yes. Do I strongly believe I know the probability of what happened? Oh yes! Am I going to accuse one of the possibilities of doing the nasty deed? No, that would be libel without 100% proof but I am going to share the long story of the #3‘s and how they have impacted our lives. Why? Because putting it all down on paper helped bring the past into prospective for me and gave me some ideas of what to do with the future.

#1- when they heard about my cat they were truly sorry and were positive about not shooting him. Do I believe them? Absolutely. Any time a stray has shown up in the area I’ve gotten a call asking if it is mine. This neighbor has been known to dispatch strays but has stopped since discovering that two of his neighbors find this practice upsetting.

#2- the look on the face of the person told me what I wanted to know. That and they examined their target practice area to make sure they had not been the cause. We are also reasonably sure the night they shot and the evening Pip disappeared were not the same.

#4- shoots varmints only, coyotes etc. I’m 100% sure no animal even remotely resembling a pet has ever been shot by this person.

And so the tale starts of the series of misfortunate acts of Fate that involve us and the #3’s. My DH didn’t get along with my father so when it came time to build our own house, he chose this piece of property-20 acres with creek and woods. Having both lived in the suburbs; we decided to put our dwelling and outbuildings roughly in the middle of it to insulate ourselves from the intimate view of future neighbors on either side. Seems sensible to us but evidently this should have been my first clue to the #3’s mindset. The major part of their property is cut off by a large creek. So right off the bat they had major construction to fiord the creek. We helped with that. Then they built a very large steel construction garage roughly 25-30 ft. from our property line. Their intent was to live in it while their house was being built (illegal without proper permits which they didn’t have) and to use the building to run a business from (again illegal since we aren’t zoned commercial).

Let’s see what else did they put close to or right on our property line. Their house sets slightly further in than the garage but that does nothing to lessen its ugly looming presence from our view. One side of the fenced pen for their beastly barking dogs is our fence. We are ever so lucky that whenever we use our pond or track, their mutts announce our presence the whole time. All their bits and pieces of junk cars, implements and giant machinery are stored around the extra large garage. We also have an unadulterated view of all their personal garments as their clothesline which seems to be constantly in use is 10’ from our line. Still, back then we had friendly relations.

Now they have added a chicken house which could house raptors (the neighbor on their other side said that) right behind their dwelling. They neglected a proper pen and opted to string chicken wire all down our fence line. It looks so nice. Not! Does it work? Nope! Two hens escaped and destroyed 2 of my rose bushes scratching around my gardens. One enterprising gal laid 22 eggs on our side. I’ll add right here that I have raised chickens. Here and at the farm. I always had a proper pen to protect them and if they were out my cats never ever bothered them.

So there are 2 fateful accidents right off the bat, we moved here and so did they. Now for the big one! 1998, thirteen years ago I accidentally saved Road Kill Kimmie’s (the name will fit just wait) life. Most assuredly I never looked at it that way. The life saving bit that is.

Having a young child back then nights out were rare but it was a holiday weekend so we had one. Out late with friends and adult beverage or two might have made the sun shine a little too brightly for me the next day. In fact, I would have been happy to start my morning sometime in the afternoon. But I had promised to take RK out in the middle of nowhere to see a colt. Actually I was pet sitting a menagerie for a friend. RK called first thing saying she was ready to go and as I said, I promised to take her. So despite the lingering effects of my evening we went.

I was 36 at the time and she was several years younger but her life as she knew it was ended that day by a major stroke. Did I realize it was a stroke when she came around the corner of the house with her hand to her head? I’d gone through EMT training so that might have helped but it was one of those moments where clarity is instant. My neighbor was in dire need of medical help. I’d let the dogs out for a run. Cutting their play short would they come to me? I couldn’t leave them running. Animals never fail to amaze me; they must have sensed the urgency of my calls to them. My immediate concern was where is the nearest phone to call for an ambulance. I didn’t have keys to the house. There were NO neighbors. So I picked up the neighbor (she is small and I’m a fair sized girl) shoved her in the car. I raced to town, not wanting to waste time, stopped at the first house I saw people and called for help. I’m usually a slow plodding thinker but that day I made what seemed the best choices instantly. Medical help came and transported her. Then the second half of this awful day began. Finding the DH and medical info on her. If you get nothing else out of this story, get this! Always carry In CASE of EMERGENCY information on your person. Have it in your cell, your wallet but just have it! Also make sure the ambulance attendants are taking down what info you (if you find yourself in the position I did that day) do have. Like the NAME of the person! It took us a couple of hours to track down relatives and in the meantime the neighbor had been transported as Jane Doe. Great! The MIL yelled at me for that when I called the hospital to check on Road Kill. How did we manage to find a relative? No info came from the #3’s house or cars. My DH remembered the name of a close friend. We called information, got the phone # and made the call. Thank goodness that person was home and could give the name and number of the MIL. She was home too and headed to the hospital as soon as I called her. Where was the DH in all this? Fishing on the river with his dad. He arrived home well after 9:00 pm that day.

What would the outcome have been if I hadn’t answered the phone that morning? I really thought about that the other day because being blamed for saving R K’s life seems to have been the cause for her malice towards me, my son and maybe someone or something else. She couldn’t talk within a few minutes of the stroke so she couldn’t have called for help. She managed a short walk to where I was but movement on one side failed minutes later. So if she had managed to think “find help” and gone outside she might have ended up lying in her pasture. I wouldn’t have gone looking for her because it wouldn’t have been the first time she’d blown me off. I would have thought nothing of not hearing from her. Would her DH have looked in the field for her? Would she have just died? Or would she have suffered brain damage to the point of being a vegetable? We’ll never know because I did what I said I was going to do and ended up being with her that day. I’ve always thought that I really had nothing to do with the saving of that life. It was the medical doctors and the greatest of all doctors who affected the outcome of that day.

Mind you, from 1998 to 2007, I’d tried to be a supportative neighbor. I mowed the grass, brought over food and generally kept on eye out for R K. Let’s start with the first of the “complaint” phone calls that started coming my way, “Dog poop at the gate“. I was having some health issues and was on the way to the DR when this call happened. “Your dog is pooping so badly at our gate we can’t close it”. Seriously? “Look I’m on my way to the DR” “Well, what are you going to do about it. This is a real problem!” “I have to go I deal with it later.” Should I have called her DH, Goat Roper Wade, at work and discussed this with him instead of leaving him a letter on his porch apologizing for the dog and asking what he wanted to do. Oh yes! My first clue should have been when I looked at the gate and there was no poop. Then to be told by R K not to worry about it after leaving the letter. Why is hindsight ever so clear? I suspect now that all the complaints and that came from that point on made on his behalf were without his knowledge. Do I believe now that RK should have been taking the antidepressants the Dr recommended then? Oh yeah! Because there were a lot more complaints about really weird stuff. Why pick on me? Good question. Mad at me for accidentally saving her life? Maybe. Or was there just no one else available that she could get away with such behavior towards? Hmmm. Goat Roper wasn’t close friends with my DH so he wouldn’t have been suspicious of a lack of contact.

Much later while wakeful at night after the last incident in‘07, I thought about all the times the nastiness towards me happened. Each and every one matched to a “door closing” event in RK’s life. Complaining about the dog poop happened after she realized she could no longer do her former job. Going back to school didn’t work out for her either. The stroke hampered the ability to get her thoughts out clearly so that curtailed some of her productivity. I had started keeping my distance. Even though I was sick of the complaints by now, I would still say to myself “how would I feel if that were me. She deserves more of a measure of kindness”. Stupid me! When she discovered she couldn’t do the job of occupational therapist (I didn’t think she had the personality for that before the stroke!), I stopped speaking to her for weeks at a time.

Then the beginning of the end came in the form of an invite to a BBQ. R K had houseguests which she wanted to give a party for. She told me the only reason we were invited was so I could bring my homemade sourdough bread. Go ahead say it. “You dumb ass! Get a clue!” Especially after the party when she gleefully told me all the kind and wonderful compliments her houseguests gave to everyone. Uh, no we were not included in the praise filled comments. Again. Feel free to call me an idiot because while it hurt my feelings I just thought, “Poor Road Kill, how would I feel if it were me?” We ended up becoming friends with some at the BBQ and the DS ended up filling R K’s former stable hand job.

Here is the middle of the end, complaints started about the DS climbing her gate and breaking it down (he didn’t), driving the 4 wheeler too fast and scaring the horses (he didn’t) and leaving our gate open which would allow the horses she was boarding to escape if they got loose. It is this gate which hung open for years that really did us in. I tried to point out that if any horses got out on Road Kill’s property their logical path would be straight down her driveway, thru her open driveway gate and out onto the highway. The path to freedom they could clearly see. Winding around her property to and thru our gate (it was open wide enough to allow a 13 yr old thru, a skinny one), finding our heavily wooded creek crossing, making it across our front property and then thru our driveway gate onto the highway didn’t even begin to make sense. Oh NO!, Goat Roper said the gate had to be closed! Ok. I locked it. Poor Goat Roper couldn’t ride his motorcycle on our track anymore with the gate locked. That complaint rather backfired.

Must have really pissed her off when the gate was allowed to be cracked open once again allowing Goat Roper access to the track. She took to tying it shut everyday. Why? Good question. How badly did it being open disturb her? Judge for yourself. Mind you this is ‘07 and my Mom has been in & out of the hospital with a broken leg. In and out of rehab and returned home late June. July 4^th I get a call saying something is wrong. The 5^th she and I go to the Dr. She is admitted to the hospital. July 8^th her cancer Dr says her breast cancer has returned with a vengeance and she has 3 months to live. Stupidly, I call R K the 9^th to ask about a flea product. Should have called the vet! R K asks about Mom. I tell her. Then she started in. Yes indeed, she started complaining about the gate being open and my DS stealing the string she was tying it shut within seconds of hearing my Mom would be dead within 3 months. Turned out to be even less time than 3 months. Remember, I’m a little raw right now and not thinking clearly. We (my sister and I) were told after running back and forth to the hospital, rehab and Mom’s house caring for Mom she would be good to go for a few years. I didn‘t need someone complaining about something so incredibly petty. I had bigger things to deal with. One being a distraught sister who would insist on caring for our Mother at her home. And just what everyone needs during a time of grief; a bible quoting, God fearing sibling who would proceed to try and steal as much as he could while being as malicious as all get out. As if the knowledge of losing Mom wasn’t enough.

To say, I couldn’t believe R K would start an argument which escalated until I told her, “I hope you have a long and happy life with Goat Roper but I never want to speak to you again.” is an understatement. Should I have handled this differently? Oh Hell, yes! Did I feel like I had been cut in half and both halves were being rubbed with rock salt. Oh yes! Was it difficult to think Mom would be dead in weeks or days? Duh! Was I about to deal with nastiness I couldn’t begin to imagine due to my brother? Again, you be the judge. I will let you see one of the worst memories I have from those days. There were many but to me this is one of the worst.

I’m standing in my Mother’s hallway out her view. She has just woken up from her nap and is sitting on her bed like a child waiting for someone to come and tell her it is time to leave. That is the last nap in her bed and in the home my father built for her she will take. From where I stand I can also see my brother and sister arguing in the dining room. Rather my brother is browbeating my sister about, of all things, which funeral home is going to take care my mother’s remains. I turn my head and look in her room again. She sees me and asks,” Is it time to go?” I say, “Yes.”

Believe me that isn’t the worst my brother, the excellent Christian, did but this story is about RK and what I think she is capable of not him. So let’s git to gittin!

What is the behavior towards animals of the #3‘s? Have the #3’s put dogs to sleep because they decided they didn’t like them. Yes. Have they shot stray cats? Yes. Did they shoot the neighbor’s dog and leave it on the highway? Yes. The dog had been hit by a car so instead of calling the owner so he could decide what to do, they shot it. Leaving the animal on the highway was to teach the little twelve year old the dog belonged to not to let her pets run loose. Do they regularly sit on their front porch and shoot any bird that dares to build in their purple martin houses? Yes. I’ve got to get some wren houses because I’m sick of hearing their lovely song silenced. I wish I could shoot all of their purple martins but it goes against what I believe in. The birds have not harmed me nor will I eat them so I can not shoot them. And the giant houses on telephone poles add a certain something to the overall white trash look of R K’s place. Have the #3’s watched the neighbor’s horses & cows get onto our back pasture and neglected to call anyone? Yes. I guess it doesn’t matter that these are #3’s friends and were out of town. Heaven forbid, R K and Goat Roper call us but they could have called (having the cell #) the owners who in turn could have called us. After all the other neighbors removed a section of fence allowing excellent access to the highway. Good thing my son saw the animals and we penned them up till their owners could get them. Now for the last 3 things I wish to share about these nasty little people. Did Goat Roper on Mother’s Day stand 10’ away, with the wind blowing into my orchard, and spray poison on some wild plum trees that have been there for the last 18 years. We watched the little b------- so that‘s a yes. Is an apple tree and lilac bush of mine suffering from this? Oh yeah. Has Road Kill Kimmie live trapped a raccoon and then shot and ate it? Yes. Is this illegal? Yes. The raccoon’s transgressions, eating their outdoor cat’s food. Did Road Kill Kimmie, by herself, pull a dead deer out of the ditch in front of our property, tie it to the bumper of her car, drag the deer down the highway, up her long driveway and proceed to skin it? This story comes via the neighbor R K called to help with the skinning of the deer. Nice fellow but not given to exaggeration. When I say dead deer, I mean someone HIT the deer and it lay in the ditch a couple of days. DEAD! I thought the road crew picked it up. Now I know what happened to it.

I’ve been saying since ‘07 R K is to be held accountable for her words and actions. And in turn so is her husband. He is her caretaker after all. Everyone else tends to excuse her. Saying things like, “oh does she really know what she is doing? She has had it so rough….” True but she is not the only one in this world that has had something horrific happen to them. Which are we to believe? That she has no control over her behavior or her actions? Then why is she allowed to drive a car? One of the last things she said to me which I truly believe now, “I’m worthless and a liar.” I do believe she lies when it is convenient for her. I do believe she feels worthless and it has caused her to brood and act out.

At first, I really tried to get past all of her nastiness. I even had a friend say, “You know all the tools to use to get past this. Why aren’t you?” Because everything R K did towards me was with malicious intent. Every word or deed was done with the intent to hurt and the last episode came when I needed all my wits in order to deal with my siblings and my Mother’s death. I did not need to be distracted by a malicious act.

Did the #3’s shoot my cat? There are possibilities and probabilities and all I can say is-

The past is the past and I have thoroughly examined it. For the present, I will do my utmost to provide the healthiest environment for all my pets. What will the future bring? I don’t know but a pacific way of dealing did come to me while I was writing all this down. Wind chimes. Yes, all kinds of wind chime to be hung around our property. I read once that their musical tinkling confuses and chases away malevolent spirits. Can’t hurt and they sound nice. Money is still a little tight around here for now so if you have some old ones you would like to send my way, I’d appreciate it. Or if you know how to make your own send me the plans please. And most assuredly thanks for letting me vent!



“The stupid neither forgive or forget; the naïve forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.”

THOMAS SZASZ

A mother chickadee placed her nest in the pump.  I welcome the wide variety of bird life that come to my yard and gardens.  I would never chose one type of bird over another.  Nature works best when in balance.

Excuse me, just a Tabby? I think not!

My name is Pippin.  I am more than just some plain old tabby cat!  I'm a fearless hunter.  I can run like the wind.  I'm strong and capable of great feats.  Or at least I was until someone shot me.  This is my story and I'm sharing it not so much for me but for the human I own, Mama Cat.  We'll call her MC for short.  MC loves me dearly and was horrified when she found me with my gunshot wound.

This is what I looked like before.

So what happened?  Well, I don't really remember.  I remember asking to go out and that is about it until MC found me 2 days later.  Actually, I helped her out and crawled up high enough for her to see me cause I'm so clever.  She started calling and calling for me to come in that night.  She didn't worry really bad until I didn't show up in the morning.  Like I said I'm really smart.  I hid in places like this when MC couldn't find me so she wouldn't worry. 

Told you I was smart.  One night I actually pushed that screen out and got in the house by myself.

Um, on to the hard part.  When MC got me to Doc, he just looked at her and asked if I was a stray.  As if!  MC took the news pretty well about my leg.  Bones completely shattered.  It would never work again.  MC had to decide to amputate my leg or not.  I guess lucky for me she decided she could do without some stuff and said, "Yes, operate."

WARNING!!!!! These next pictures are rather harsh.  They are after my surgery!  The incision is long and the stitches are big!

I just got home and MC let me out.  She was worried how I would get around.  Geez, I'm great!  Let me out!

OK, it is great to be home too!

MC had concerns about my rehab so she had fixed up the basement for me.  I didn't think I needed it but she was right .  I'm sitting on the the huge dog crate that has a vey soft blanket in it.  She covered it so I would feel safe.  She also thought of food and water.  Even put a short litter box next to it for me.

I thought I was ready to go but being upstairs for awhile sends me back downstairs for long naps.

See I can get around.  It hurt MC to watch me stumble in the litter box and it hurts her to see me forget I don't have a leg anymore.  I still want out in the fresh air.  MC thought if I could sit and look out the window that would be enough.  It was, then I was tired again.

MC looked at all kind of websites to see if she could help me.  Someone named cheepchick sent her a great link that got her ready for me.  The other sites gave her some info.  One of them suggested sunshine would be helpful in the healing process.  YES!  Finally!  She is going to let me out.  OK, so it is MC we're talking about.  We went out into the fenced backyard.  MC hovered and I discovered I wasn't so sure it was a great idea to be out.  Something might go wrong again.

 No!  I'm not hiding like a scaredy cat.  I'm merely being cautious.

MC grows herbs.  Lots of herbs!  So she picked some catnip for me and let me enjoy it in the sun!

Yum!  And MC says it has healing properties for me.  She has really been great.  She even poached a boneless skinless chicken breast for me to have as treats after my meds.

Don't worry I'll look so much better when my fur grows back.  And if you see MC give her a hug, she worries too much about me I  think.  She just wants me to be happy.  I catch her crying when she thinks I'm not looking.  She's just a mom worrying if she did the right thing, she doesn't really care at all how I look.  Good thing cause you ought to see her in the morning before coffee.  Well, maybe you shouldn't.  It's scary. 

Till the next time MC let's me use the computer.

Happiness is a state of mind.
     Pain is inevitable but
       Misery is optional!

Food, flower, herb or dye. Which am I?

That's exactly what I wanted to know when I first spotted this plant in my sister's yard.  It was strikingly similar to a houseplant I'd given my Mom on her 70th birthday.  The big difference being it was outside and had self sown.  Mom's plant would be a goner if it tried to over winter here and root cuttings propagate it.  What did my sister know about her plant?  She knew where she bought it and she thought the seller said Native Americans used it as dye.  It grew well, self seeded, had a very pretty color, and a tassel like flower.  It got bonus points for easy removal if it grew where she didn't want it.  OK.  I wanted some but I also wanted to know more about it.  So my search began and I thought I would share what I discovered.  Why?  At this house cooking and gardening go hand in hand.  My gardens provide everything from fresh produce to a wide variety of seasonings for my kitchen to turn into tasty meals.   And any plant that can say, "I'm all of the above", I consider a winning garden plant and definitely worth sharing!

Order-Caryophyllales  Family-Amaranthaceae  Genus-Amaranthus  Species-cruenthus X A.powellii  Common name-Hopi Red Dye Amaranth

Mom's houseplant.  I learned during my search that quite a few members of this family are tropical.  Explains why this one doesn't like being outside during Missouri winters!

Family-Amaranthaceae  Genus-Iresine  Species-herbstii  Common name-Gizzard plant or Blood leaf

Yes, the color really does look like that and that is what caught my eye when I bought the Gizzard plant so long ago and again when I saw the amaranth in Sis's yard.  Discovering the 2 were in the same family was a search bonus.  And yes, it was quite a quest since I didn't have much to go on but prior to this I'd gone on a similar hunt for another plant so I was prepared.  An invasive that someone had introduced to my yard which went on to choke out my hyssop and several varieties of thyme.  I'm still waging a battle against it but I know what it is now!  Plus, I've gained a growing interest in botanical classifications of plants because the invasive's common name is used by other plants not in its family.   Little did I know when in college I'd be so interested in botany later.  Sure, I've alway enjoyed growing things but now I find the twists and turns in their family trees, so to speak, rather fascinating.  Did you know a rose is related to the apple tree?  They share Division, Class, Order and Family.  There's ever so much I don't know about the levels of plant identification but the cool thing about not knowing it all is knowledge can always be added to!  Sometimes it's even fun and you score bonus knowledge!  Like I did when I discovered yet another plant in the Amaranthaceae family.  A subfamily-Chenopodioideae.  Wait till you see what it is!

Back to my food. flower, herb and dye plant.  While the food, flower, and dye uses are pretty easy to show and explain, what about its use as an herb?   Yes, it is called an herb.  Webster tells me an herb is a seed producing annual, biennial or perennial that does not develop persistent tissue but dies down at the end of a growing season.  It is a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal, savory or aromatic qualities.  OK.  Again I'm not a botanist but I'll accept it as an herb.  A very pretty and tasty one!

I've included pictures of my attempts to grow it in a window box so I could harvest leaves for salads.  What a colorful way to dress up a salad!  In a container with nasturtiams and coleus.  I really like the color of this plant.  So vibrant in the sun!

Here it is out in the butterfly garden.  Did I mention the finches loved the seed heads?  Which you can also dry for flower arrangements.  The seeds are edible for us too.  However, it would take quite a few to consider yourself having had a snack of them.  Just wait till you see its bigger cousin (for lack of better word!).

I reseeded the window box and then got to look at those bright leaves all winter in the sunroom.  Rather cheery when the sun would shine between snowstorms.

Since this plant is used to make dye, I thought why not?  I'm not at all familiar with making my own dyes from plant products but the attempt was fun.  I was hoping to dye cupcakes with it but I don't think I made it strong enough because they were only vaguely pink.  Still tasted good though!

I've included links in case you'd like to read more about this plant and its family.  I never would have guessed a plant I found growing in my sister's yard would have so many uses and be good to eat.  Not to mention healthful.  Compared to some of the cousins I read about maybe not as high on the nutritional scale but I'd give it bonus points for being easy to grow!  You can toss the young leaves in a salad.  Wish this had been around when I was trying to get my son to eat salads.  I'm pretty sure he would have liked eating it for its color alone.  Its taste I'm not sure how to describe.  The only word that comes to mind is clean or fresh.  It doesn't remind me of spinach.  For my "Birthday brunch" blog, I had it steamed.  Worked pretty well and I liked it.  It could have a counterpart in another cuisine but my palate hasn't had the chance to extensively sample other cuisines.  I still chuckle when I think of Good EatNZ's attempts at broadening my culinary horizons during our joint blog effort.  Speaking of Laurie, I'm so glad to have made her acquainance and I truly hope the future gets brighter sooner rather than later for her and all those that have been affected by New Zealand's latest quake.  It is truly sad to think how permanent some of the damage to lives and property has been there.

Finally, what was my bonus plant in the search?  Order-Caryophyllales  Family-Amaranthaceae  Subfamily-Chenopodioideae  Genus-Chenopoduim  Species-quinoa.  Yes, indeed!  Quinoa.

Just what little I have read has been very interesting.  One site called it a puesdo grain since it is not really a grain but a seed.  So far everything I have read rates it high on the nutritional scale.  Plus, it is gluten free.  After I saw a request on the buzz about it, I decided to try some myself.  It must have been very popular at  the store because all the red was gone and there was very little white left.  Enough for me to try, though.  I know we are supposed to include more veggies and grains in our diets.  The veggies not so much of a problem for me.  A variety of grains more so.  One of the favorite grains they tell us to add I hate.  Yep, I hate oatmeal.  I'd rather eat it straight out of the box than cooked.  My poor mother would lament my lack of proper oatmeal for her breakfast when she came to visit.  She was just sure sure if I got the right kind I'd learned to love it.  Nope.  If you are a mushroom hater is there ever going to be a kind of mushroom you like?  I rest my case! 

I didn't try anything much with the quinoa.  Soaked it in chicken broth and heated it to see if I'd like it.  I did!  I like the consistency and the flavor.  So much so, I added the rest to homemade barley and mushroom soup.  This will be something I certainly try again and I look forward to seeing what else I can make out of it.

I hope you enjoyed the blog and I'm going to leave you with a picture that has nothing to do with it.  It happened to appear while I was taking pictures of the amaranth.  I thought I'd see who knew what it was especially Doug Matthews.  Yes, I do know what it is! LOL!

About Amaranth and Hopi Red Dye.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/18481/Amaranthaceae
http://science.jrank.org/pages/278/Amaranth-Family-Amaranthaceae.html
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=10031
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/93690/

About Quinoa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenopodium
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/10352/2

I saw this request and copied it for myself since I wanted to keep the info about quinoa. I thought anyone else interested in quinoa might find what these AR members were sharing interesting too.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Exchange/Recipe-Request.aspx?requestID=218668

How plants are classified.
http://faculty.fmcc.suny.edu/mcdarby/animals&plantsbook/History/02-Explaining-Life-Classification.htm
http://theseedsite.co.uk/class.html