December 31

See you next year, Santa! Putting Christmas decorations away. Wishing you a Happy New Year's Eve!

December 30

My Aunt Frances continues Grandma's tradition of baking fruitcakes for the Christmas holiday!

I found this recipe online last year, which is the same as the one my Grandma baked each Christmas.

December 29

dining room view Christmas holiday season 2021

December 28

White River Fish Market, Sheridan Road, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

December 27

A December 2021 living room view before all Christmas decorations are packed away until next year.

December 26

December 25

Merry Christmas!

December 22

Wylie Vizsla!

December 21

December 20

vintage Santa mug

December 19

Wylie Vizsla!

December 17

cream cheese roll-out cookies 

https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/cream-cheese-roll-out-cookies-recipe

December 16

I made a recipe of Ina Garten's French Chocolate Bark, and poured the melted chocolate into a holiday silicon mold.  The silicon mold is the same 9 x 10-inch measurement mentioned in the recipe.

1 cup whole salted, roasted cashews

• 6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 6 to 7 ounces very good bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dried crystallized ginger, ½-inch diced
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, ½-inch diced
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a pencil, draw a 9 x 10-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment paper placed on a sheet pan, then turn the parchment paper over.

Spread the cashews in one layer on another sheet pan and bake for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place the semisweet chocolate and half the bittersweet chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 20 to 30 seconds. (Don’t trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a rubber spatula. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Immediately add the remaining bittersweet chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it’s completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.

Pour the melted chocolate onto the parchment paper and spread it lightly into the drawn rectangle. Sprinkle the top evenly in the following order: first the ginger, then the cooled whole cashews, the cherries, apricots, and raisins. Set aside for 1 to 2 hours until firm. Cut the bark in 18 to 20 pieces and serve at room temperature.

https://barefootcontessa.com/recipes/french-chocolate-bark

December 15

Dear Aunt Jemima (Nancy Green), it's the re-branding of your familiar face. :(

December 14

...with every Christmas card I write. May your days be merry and bright!

December 11

Wylie Vizsla!

December 9

chalkware Santas, and a few Hallmark Santas From Around the World Christmas ornaments.

December 8

The tree in the dining room is decorated with Santa ornaments!

December 3

at the gardens of Philbrook Museum for Festival Night in the month of December

December 1

I like the illustrations in this 'The Night Before Christmas' book.

November 26

leaf mulching

November 25

Happy Thanksgiving!

creme brulee for dessert!

an appetizer of baked brie with apples and salted caramel:

November 23

It's a beautiful autumn day in northeast Oklahoma!

November 22

Memories of Gizmo. This is a photo of him from when he was staying with us this summer. He was a cute little bunny.

:(

November 20

old car, low mileage.

November 19

At the cell phone parking lot waiting for an arrival.

November 18

autumn color

November 17

A cold and windy day in northeast Oklahoma.

November 16

an overdue coffee visit with a friend 

:)

November 13

vintage glass cake stand

November 12

at the Aquarium.

November 11

The weather last night ~ severe thunderstorm, tornado sirens going off and weather alert on my phone. Spending a few minutes in the storm shelter.

November 10

November 7

Our Friendsgiving menu: 

assorted pizzas, zuppa toscana soup and caesar salad for dinner; caramelitas, pumpkin pie and cupcakes for dessert. So nice to celebrate with dear friends!

November 5

Cowabunga, dude!

November 4

good coffee

October 31

Happy Halloween!

October 30

October 24

wheel bug

This large insect is well-noted for its incredibly painful bite when disturbed or nonchalantly handled. A member of the Assassin Bug family, the Wheel Bug attacks other insects using a series of vicious stabbing motions with the 'fang' at the front of its head. This is the same fang that painfully stabs people who handle it or disturb it. The Wheel Bug is best identified by the ridged, or spiny, wheel on its pronotum (back). Adults are a dusty gray color that may be pale enough to look white. The narrow head has two large black eyes on either side. The long, dark fang tucks in under the face. Antennae are red-orange. Females lay eggs on twigs and branches in clusters that almost resemble a honeycomb shape. Tiny larvae hatch and look completely different from their adult form. These small red and black larvae molt many times before growing to adult size and developing the 'wheel' on their backs. The fang is present even at this early stage of life. The Wheel Bug operates primarily from summer into fall and feeds on other insects including slow-moving caterpillars. Its diet forces the Wheel Bug to reside primarily in leafy areas like forests, parks, or shrubbery. Look for them hiding among the dense foliage of plants.

October 23

creepy clown 6' animated LED jack-in-the-box Halloween decoration

October 22

Wylie Vizsla!