A Rock Star & Artist

Our new favorite

The beginning of a very fine weekend.

Ada's attempt to butter her own bread, unsupervised of course.


Here is a yummy, hearty, and delicious soup to add to your meal rotation. It's our new favorite, and very, very Southern. It calls for butter beans, baby.

Succotash, the healthier version:

1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup of water
2 cups butter beans (canned or fresh cooked)
2 cups corn (fresh, canned or frozen)
2 tbs. butter

Combine all ingredients, cover and simmer at least 20 minutes. Delicious with a pan of corn bread. I add a dollop of hot sauce and 1 bay leaf to this as well, borrowing from the recipe below.

Stacking vegetables. We're not sure what to think about this trait - everything must be "in order".

Succotash, the sinful version...but so, so good!

4 strips of bacon, fried, crispy and crumbled - reserve 2 tbs bacon dripping in the pan
Add to pan:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
Cook until tender
Stir in 3 tbs flour, blend thoroughly
Slowly whisk in 3 cups of chicken broth, bring to boil while stirring.
Add bacon, 2 cups fresh/canned corn, 1 1/2 cups canned butter beans, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp. pepper. 1/2 tsp hot sauce optional (it really adds flavor, though).
Simmer 15 minutes on reduced heat.
Remove bay leaves and stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream.
Salt to taste.

Getting ready to help Dad plant seeds this morning, in preparation for our Summer garden.

Conversations with Ada

Yesterday:

Dad: What did you do today, Ada?
Ada: Grocery shopping
Mom: Did we go to the park, too?
Ada: Dad, very dirty
Mom, to Dad: The park was dirty and wet from the rain
Ada: Yeah, dirty
Mom: Did we go grocery shopping and get ketchup?
Ada: Yeah, tetchup
Mom: Did we get yogurt and cheese
Ada: Yeah, yogurt and cheese
(it goes on like this for a while, with lots of grocery items)
Mom: Did we stop and have tacos
Ada: Yeah, tacos
Mom: Did we go to the Latin Market for treats?
Ada: Yeah, Atin market
Mom: Was it called El Paraiso?
Ada: Yeah, Aiso (with other jumbled sounds)
Dad: Wow, you can speak Spanish
Ada: Yeah, Panish

Second conversation at 4:45 am this morning - Ada in our bed ready to chat (Dad made Gingersnap cookies before bed, by the way)

Ada: Mom, yuv you (translate, love you)
Mom: I love you too, bud
Ada: Dad, too-ties, very hot! (whispered and emphatic)
Mom: Yep, Dad made cookies and they are very hot. OK, it's time to go back to sleep
Ada: Thurston come over
Mom: Thurston will be here Friday
Ada: Otay (translate, OK)

Silent moment

Ada: Mom, tozy (translate, cozy - as she nestles down under the covers a bit further)
...and, back to sleep