Bits and Pieces

We live in a beautiful area of Florida. We locals call it The River City. Here are a few random snapshots. The riverwalk shots we're taken this morning.  A cold front moved in last evening and the weather this morning was just too nice not to take a walk. We are fortunate in that our home is located on the river and a short walk to the boardwalk.

Our home is just to the left of my Sweet Wife's head.

A view down river.

Nana and her Little Bit.

Little Bit steps off to play in the river sand.

The marsh meets a feeder creek. Excellent fishing area.

This was taken yesterday.

This was taken in a local park. Sweet Wife hired a professional photographer to take a few pictures of Little Bit. Sweet Wife wants a portrait to hang above the fireplace....oh well. It's just money.

I know these shots look professional, but they were taken with my Blackberry. Yes, I hire out.

Canal view towards the main river.

Striking a pose. Folks, I'm sorry to bore you with all these pictures of my granddaughter, but please remember, I write this blog for her. My simple chronicle of her young life from my point of view for the day when Papa will be a nothing more than a shadow in her memory.

Have a nice Sunday.

Stephen

Inflation & PB&J's

Give me a frigging break. I make three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a day. Two for me and one for Sweet Wife. Stock up my friends.

Say it ain't so: One of the cheapest sandwiches you can make at home soon won't cost so little.

By Karen Datko on Mon, Sep 26, 2011 4:57 PM

The cost of one of the cheapest sandwiches in the brown-bagger's repertoire is about to go up -- in a very big way.

J.M. Smucker Co., owner of popular brand Jif, announced a 30% price hike for November -- just in time for National Peanut Butter Lovers Month -- and it won't be the only peanut butter maker to raise prices.

Smucker says it will increase the price of the "J" part of PB&J by 4% too.

"So as consumers we're buying peanut butter for a little more than $3 a jar (and) we're going to be paying over $4 a jar when that price increase hits," Shelly Nutt, the exquisitely named executive director of the Texas Peanut Producers, told the Fox TV station in Lubbock, Texas. "And I think we're going to see it for all the peanut butter companies, not just Jif."

H/T Survivalblog

Stephen

Thank You & Welcome

Thanks and welcome to Denise from NittinFool for hitting my follower button. I'm very happy to have you.

As I promise all followers on this humble little blog, if you comment, I will reply as soon as possible. It might take a few hours and in some rare cases, days, but I shall reply individually to all comments good or bad.

Again, Denise, thank you.

Stephen

M16A1

Isn't this a beauty. She's a Vietnam ear M16A1.

Granted it will not function as well as any current AR15 system we have today, but still, the grace of it. She's clean, uncluttered, no mall ninja junk or silly tactical after market crap strapped to her frame. A rifle, a relic of our past. I love it.

Stephen

Rawles New Novel

Don't forget. Writing Page.

This is part two of Patriots set in a different local with all new and a few returning characters. James has requested you wait until October 4th to order the book.

Stephen

A Gift of Fruit & Herbs

He walked in early this morning bearing a gift, a potted plant held close to his chest. Short little fella, perhaps seventy, wore a fedora.

Without preamble, "You'a help'a my'a grandson, Sir.." Accent is thick. My Italian is none existent. It takes me a moment to understand what in the heck he means. Then, oh yeah, the kid with the rusty pistol, an old Brazilian Panther. A copy of a Smith, made for their fighter pilots chambered in .38. Nothing special. It took three days of soaking to open the cylinder

I refocus on the old man as he continues, "For this'a help I gives you this'a peach tree and 'da basil I plant'a in the soil, 'cause you'a good man."

Shucks.

He explained the peach tree alone wasn't worthy so he'd seeded basil at its base. His son, he explained, had told him I loved to cook using fresh vegetables (true, cans are for emergencies) and herbs.

We talked, with a bit of difficulty due to his thick accent, for about an hour. We spoke of capers, what makes an excellent tomato for sauces, the best of olive oils, pasta and the use of pasta water as a thickening agent for pan dishes. He explained how his wife used a blender to mix fresh basil and olive oil and froze the mixture in ice trays to later thaw for a fresh infusion in her preparations.

We spoke of spring gardens, slugs and bugs. He gave instructions on the planting of the peach tree; not before spring. My peach tree, I understand, will produce small but plentiful extremely sweet peaches in three years.

In the above blurry picture I'm pointing out the basil...he told me to transplant it when it sprouted three 'leaf'as.'

I have a new friend.

Jeff Dunham

Will open his show, 'Controlled Chaos' here in the River City February 10th. The guy cracks me up.

Here's a classic from a couple of years back....

Tickets are on sale in about an hour...I'll bet you a case of .223 it sells out in ten seconds.

Stephen