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I love Mary Oliver! Thanks for the perfect Sunday post, Bella.

"Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about your despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting---

over and over again announcing your place

in the family of things.

from Dream Works by Mary Oliver

Published by the Atlantic Monthly Press

Prairie Flowers and Bugs

It's probably an innie trait that I photograph flowers and other non-human subjects almost as often as my kids, right?

These are from a natural prairie just south of Chicago. My kids especially liked the little snake (not pictured) and the walking stick (on the blue hat brim).

















Edited to add (since I can't frigging post comments!):

I was told it's a tiger spider, which is an orb weaver, but when I check on Google Images I can't find any others which look exactly like this one, other than the general yellow-&-black coloring.

It was big. Top to bottom, including legs, around 3". I got the camera to within about 4" to take the photo.

Edited again to add:

Angelique writes "Hey Tammy, is there a "sign in" icon at the right top side of the blog for you? If so, click on that and you will be able to comment."

You mean it might work the 127th time I try it?????!!!!

Believe me, I have tried everything. Logged out and back in under various email addresses and screen names, etc. Blogger refuses to acknowledge me in the comment section. It's truly bizarre.

Yet another edit!! Bella, that's interesting. Apparently there are a number of ways for this to not work. In my case, I don't get any warnings, it's just that when I hit "post" the entire text disappears into the ether and cannot be brought back. I get the pull-down menu of which account I'd like to use to comment, but when I pick "google account" I don't get any follow-up, like which account, password, etc.

Sears/Willis Tower photos

To add to the previous post, here are some recent photos from the new glass ledges at the top of the tower (yes, I can start new posts, I just can't comment on other people's posts):

Today on MSN.com: 8 Sights Every American Should See

This reminds me of our recent discussion. I'm posting a link (don't want to get in trouble with the law) and a list of the places in the article.

http://guides.travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1089335&icid=msn1089335&GT1=41000

Sears Tower (Willis Tower)
Gettysburg
Yellowstone
New York Harbor
Monticello
Graceland
Pearl Harbor
Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church

Artichoke Nibbles

Artichoke Nibbles

2 (12 ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 lbs grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons parsley, chopped
4 eggs
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)


Directions
Remove artichoke hearts from jars, reserving liquid from one jar. Chop up artichoke hearts and place in large saucepan. Add reserved liquid, chopped onion and garlic. Sautee until tender.


Beat eggs and mix together with artichoke mixture and remaining ingredients.
Place in greased shallow baking dish, 8 1/2 X 11.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Cut in squares and serve with toothpicks if it's for a party.

Why I Love Pineapples

I love pineapples because they are symbols of welcome and hospitality at my two favorite vacation spots - Maui, HI and the Historic Triangle in Virginia (Williamsburg, Jamestown & Yorktown).

Maui

Virginia

Chocolate Cream and Berries Cake

One of my friends and I kind of engineered this cake off a recipe for a Strawberry and Cream Cake

Chocolate Cream and Berries Cake.

Bake a three layer chocolate cake from scratch or the Betty Crocker mix. Set it aside to cool. When cool, cut a circle out of two of the three layers and reserve one circle (the top one).

Filling: Ingredients: 2 teas unflavored gelatin
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1.5 cups of chocolate chips (melted) or chocolate syrup (to taste).


1. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler if you have one. If desperate, use the microwave in a microwave safe bowl.

2. Once the cakes are cooled and prepped, combine gelatin and 2 tablespoons of cool water in a cup. Allow to stand for about 3 minutes. Microwave on high for 15 seconds or until melted ( may take less if you have a really powerful microwave). Stir until it is smooth. Do not let it begin to gel Move quickly to the next step.
3. Combine cream cheese, chocolate and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer until smooth. Add cream and continue to beat until mixture is very foamy. Once foamy, continue to beat while slowly adding the gelatin in a very thin stream from the cup. Once gelatin is in, keep beating until stiff peaks form. Use this immediately to fill the cake.

I put the filling in between the layers and then into the hole. Once I fill the hole, I put the cut piece back in and frost the cake top with the remaining filling. On top I put strawberries, but my friend uses cherries. If you do not serve it immediately, put this cake in the refrigerator. The leftover cake and filling mix goes on parfait glasses with whipped cream for my kids.

Serves the birthday boy, 2 small children and if she's lucky, the cook. For normal people, it would serve 6. Probably about 800 calories a slice. I have not tried to lighten it up, but if I needed to I could. Substituting angelfood cake, light cream cheese, light chocolate syrup, and sugar substitute would probably cut the calories in half.

I have no picture because the cake has never survived long enough to get one. We jury rigged it from the Strawberry and Cream cake recipe in the June 2007 issue of Family Circle magazine.

September is here

As usual, September sneaked up on us. Is Sprout's birthday August 31 or Sept. 1?

Anyway, I'm always reminded of this poem:


September First

This morning, sensing someone at my door
And curious who might be waiting for me there,
I turned the knob as many times before--
To face the fresh and early morning air.

And unannounced, and suddenly as I stood,
Tender and young, and cool and moist her skin.
Smelling of misty meadow, field and wood,
September gently passed me and walked in.

W. Weir