Eating Out of the Yard

The beef is from our neighbor's grass fed pasture and is as close to organic as you can get without paying for the certification. Lot's of farmers can't go that far but raise great tasting beef that isn't blasted with hormones and antibiotics on a routine basis. I admit that the lettuce is store bought but the tomatoes, okra, and other veggies grow right outside in our yard. We buy olive oil and Parmesan cheese, black pepper and salt.

Good Eatin'!

And if yo Momma didn't feed you fried green tomatoes about this time every Summer, she didn't raise you right.

I know you wish you were here having supper with us. Yeah you do!

The Resurrection

On this afternoon's hike we ran up on this ferocious character...

This is a Heterodon platirhinos, sometimes called a hognose snake, because of the armored nose scales which help it dig up toads in the mud. It is a totally fearsome beast...Rumored to be so venomous that if it accidentally bites itself it will die immediately.

And then a miracle happens...The Resurrection!

These snakes have specialized rear fang teeth that they will absolutely not use to bite a human with, but which some think can puncture toads when they puff up to avoid being swallowed by a snake. Although they are completely harmless to humans and are absolutely not venomous as we normally think of it, hognose snakes use coloration and a vicious attitude to scare people, which usually gets them done in unless you know what they are. This one has a near perfect copperhead/rattlesnake mimicry. Last time we saw him he was headed for safety in the leaves.

A Little Head

You dirty minded people! It's the first cabbages from the garden. I know you're jealous. Coleslaw to go with the steaks tonight. My recipe uses balsamic vinegar and your Mamma called and said you can't have any.

Mist Monsters

Friday Bird Blogging

There's too many kids in this tub!

Feel Good Friday

Billy and Drew play a tune.





Billy Redden was cast in a Tim Burton film "Big Fish" in 2003. For appearing in the film, Burton gave Billy a banjo and an instructional tape on learning how to play it. 

Time Travel

We kayaked the Chattooga River yesterday and, though we didn't see any of these people, this trailer for Deliverance brings back memories. 

Those who know them can pick out our friends who were the stunt men in certain clips but the actors did a good bit of their own paddling. Watch closely and see that, once again, the Old Town wood canvas canoe breaks apart in a perfectly sawn straight line even before the Grumman aluminum canoe touches it. That scene was on the Tallulah River. 

Except for the big names, most of the bits were played by local folks. Yes, I know Billy, and No, he can't play banjo. Rent the movie.

Feel Good Friday

Garden

The English cukes are looking well. We also have Armenian yard long cukes out there somewhere. We'll let you know how they do.

I love yellow squash at every step of the way. I think I would plant them as an ornamental even if they didn't make killer stir fry ingredients.

Sweet banana peppers have already made it to salads and stir fries. Salsa and chili  peppers are almost ready to start picking.