Fudgey Day,Fall Back Night

Yep, I did the unspeakable.. Made a batch of Mrs. Pemberton's fudge...and as you can see, it set slightly prematurely in the pressure cooker, and I was under great pressure to scrape it out and onto a bed of Pecans before it totally hardened into one big lump. How did she do it??? How did Mrs. Pemberton make something like forty apples all perfectly coated int his beautiful fudge, without it turning rock hard? I guess it is a secret that went to her grave, although, I have vague memories of fudge in a pot ,set into another pot of boiling water to keep it soft... All a lot more than I could ever manage. For the recipe ...check the sidebar under recipes and look for fudge. It takes you back to my old obeast site, and you have to scroll down a bit to get to it, but it is exactly the one I used tonight. It foams up a lot at the outset of cooking.Be careful the splashes don't scald you. Stir it a lot and keep the heat going under a heavy pot.I used my pressure cooker. It needs to be around 248*,or a soft firm ball stage when dropped into water...you'll be able to pick up the drop of fudge and mass it into a ball that doesn't disintagrate. Once at that stage, remove from heat immediately, and add the butter and vanilla. I set the whole pot into a sink that has two or three inches of cold water in it...then I stir like crazy. It firms up fairly quick. This is where a strong arm would come in handy to lift the pot and hold it, while you scrape the fudge out. Maybe I left it in the cold water too long.


The bottom line is that it tastes yummy yummy and goes best with a crunchy fresh apple, in case you didn't get a chance to dip the apple in the fudge!


This was the view up the lake this morning.. the low fog hung around for most of the day with a little rain later in the afternoon.

The wind brought down the cottonwood leaves like a snowstorm ...and into my new garden.

The only sign of colour in my garden...a few marguarites that survived the transition.

I was so stiff int he hips and knees after dancing lst night, that we headed for the hot-tub this morning for a couple of twenties... Silky enjoyed the mild weather and hot-tub too... She just observes!
Ok, past my bedtime again...I am a zombie today. Don't forget to turn your clocks back!


"The Creator"

Hallowe'en 08

Another Hallowe'en to remember...or forget! It was a fun one for the "hood". We met over at Deb's for a pre-dance drink and some nibblies. Ashley had gone fishing, so he missed out on all the fun! Poor Ashley.
Our basic theme was black... except for Mike... he came as a Tacky Tourist...very cute!



Part of the Motley crew...Deb, Bea, Emil, Alyssa

Emil, and Deb with her very ,very loonnnnnnggggg witch nose

Emil, & Bea ... I'll try to work on the dead look...it is beginning to look too real!

Most of the gang at the BBI Ed, and Linda in front, then Deb to the right,Emil, Jan, as one of the many pirates, Alyssa with the Elvira hair, and Mike the hidden tacky tourist...
So these were pics from the beginning of the night... THe BBI was well decorated inside and out...black curtains... (one of which turned into Deb's accessory) and spider webs everywhere, plus pumpkins and the leaf arch, which framed the band. Outside,it was the Balfour Cemetary, complete with coffin and headstones... very well done!







Now,although I loaded these pics in some order, they are now in reverse from here on in, so use your imagination!



Turn your head sideways and use your imagination... Yuching it up on the ferry on the way home


Deb and Alyssa showing a little leg for the ferry driver!



Bea, taking a snooze on the coffin in the BAlfour graveyard!




Mike welcoming us all





Mike and Deb with Green man



Back to the BBI where we all danced up a storm to the tunes of Mystery Train... good bluesy dance music,albeit very loud... but good fun...


Alyssa and Emil dancing







Nice nose job

Deb compares hers. I think she wins by a nose!

Argggggg she's a pirate ye know!

Sorry, I couldn't find the turned version, but you can have a laugh at 6' + tall ,owner, Nathan, in his gorgeous blue hair and fru-fru dress. Love those stockings... He has the legs for it!

Little Miss Lady Godiva belted out only one song, and for a little gal, she had a good set of lungs on her!

Mike and Alyssa...nice blinkers Lisa!

Pirate meets Black MAn

Mike and Alyssa at Deb's!

Lots of un and so much dancing, that I had to hit the hot-tub this morning to thaw the joints out. I guess I better get in shape as there is another dance next week-end at the Balfour hall! No rest for the weary around here!




"The Creator"

Happy Spooktacular 65th Birthday to Joyce

It says Happy 65th B-Day and hanging on!


The real cake tasted better than this cardboard one.


Joyce will have a brand new Pumpkin tealight holder for Hallowe'en collection, or her garden...

OMG...Are they real???

It was a Spooctacular cake

Don't worry, I washed them off!

Now if this isn't a morbid piece of work arggghhhhhh

Awwwweeee Only for my sister would I go to the ends of my tendons to make her birthday special!

Joyce and I did a little tour of the two painting exhibitions at the Museum.. Peter Valisik's works were crazy wild and pretty interesting, despite his odd size relationships. Who else would think of seating three full grown men on a sagging very long horse... I love that weird painting!

Also he did a cool cluster of chickens...in painterly blue outlines on a sparkley whitish background...another favourite of mine... maybe because it was huge. I was a little disapointed that more of the paintings weren't recent.

I wasn't too crazy about the other show by someone with the name of Pixie in the middle...the exhibit was called Milk and Blood...lots of red and white. One small painting of African people holding a cup to their mouth, with two hands... only about 12x12, but well executed in muted tones of reds to blacks...very little of the "Milk".

Joyce and I enjoyed taking a look see, then made our way over to the Hume Hotel to the library where we promptly ordered a cool Honey ale, brie and garlic with Pitas, Calamari, and chicken wings... alll very yummy. We yapped while we ate and pretty much solved all the problems of the world before calling it a night there. We hauled the cake and gifties back to the store, where we made a cup of tea and had a piece of yummy Carrot severed finger cake! It was a good night ,and always it is fun to do a little HAllowe'en celebration with Joyce near or on her birthday.

Tomorrow night we are heading over to the BBI for some dancing to Mystery Train... a bluesey band that has good dance music...sounds better the more you drink.

Have a happy and safe HAllowe'en!

Oh yes, if you are up in the middle of the night, take a peak at the night sky to see if there are any Auroras.. they were spotted in the northern countries of Denmark and Sweden... and the auroras were amazing. To take a look at photos ,go to www Spaceweather.com

A big HAppy 65th to Joyce... she doesn't look a day over 55!


"The Creator"

Breakfast Pitas

If you haven't tried these yet, then give them a go...

They kind of look like a flat scone, but have the texture of a pita or panini...almost. They do have 200 calories, but no trans fat and no cholesteral at all. I like them! I like their texture...a little chewy and great when they are toasted in the toaster oven. For work, I spread on some light cream cheese and added a slice of ham and it was a filling sandwich for me.

They are full of flax seeds, so they have to be good for you!

They are advertised as an alternate for a hamburger bun...and they look like they could work as such, tho, I don't think the calorie value would be any less.
Anyhow, give them a try if you are tired of plain old bread.
Hmmm...It is so dark out in the morning, that now I am looking forward to the time change so I can get back to a proper walk in the am. THis morning, it was so frosty that even Silky turned around and headed for home when she reached the beach!
Well, time to get the costume spruced up. There is a few of us heading to the BBI for some dancing to Mystery Train... a bluesy band that I like a lot. The new Dock and Duck has something going on ,so some of our group are going to dinner there first to check it all out. Last year we listened to someone elses plan...went to Proctor and it was pretty dead, so it is back to the BBI for us.
Tomorrow I'll meet Joyce for a tour through the museum to see Peter Valisk's paintings, then we are off to dinner at the HUME hotel for an early celebration of Joyce's birthday... anyone is welcome to join us ,just after 6:00pm, in the library. I'll bring the cake!

"The Creator"

Beautiful afternoon in the bay

The calm days of fall on the lake

Then there is the what may be the last bonfire of the year

Hung my hallowe'en lights... I know...people are hanging their Christmas lights...not us!

Deep conversation between Deb and Emil.

Yesterday was windy but gorgeous out... I nearly finished the great transplant of flowers from old garden to new... Just a pile of iris left in the wheel barrow for me to figure out where to place them. No lack of space...just the decision process... Amazingly, buried in all the weeds, I could still find little tidbits of iris trying to survive the weedwhacker that took them down in the first place. I dug out as many as I could see, plus a whole lot of columbines, much to my pleasure. Maybe I'll even buy some more bulbs! The guys went out fishing for a choppy day on the lake...waves over the bow!!! Thats when they called it a day...and came home...only one little fishy.
Ashley fired up the fire pit and Deb brought down some awesome Beef barley soup and I brought over the hotdogs and smokies and so we had a campfire dinner... Ashley threw on some huge chunks of wood to keep us toasty warm! we stayed out till about 8:00 when it became unbareably cold... We abandoned the firepit for the warmth of Deb and Ashley's fireplace... and played half a game of Mexican train... Deb won that half! Way to go Deb! It was a challenge!
Have a great Sunday...I'll be back outside. It is clean the hot-tub day today ( drain and refill) and then cleaning of all the furnaces and the filters...and then back to my garden... I have the old pink rose to move. Emil said he would help.


"The Creator"