Books I Am Reading in December, 2021

 

The Chancellor by Kati Marton - Interesting 

The Fifties by David Halberstam - Excellent 

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel - Just getting into it

Passage to Power by Robert Caro - The 4th in his serial biography of LBJ. Excellent.

Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Life Around OakMeadows in December, 2021

 

Sunrise

Birds

  Crow

  Cardinals 

  Bluejays 

  Mockingbird 

  Carolina Wren 

  Grackle

  Chickadee 

  Mourning Doves 

  Caracara

  Turkey Vulture

  Black Vulture

  White Egret

  White-winged Doves

  Red-tailed Hawk

Insects

  Honeybees 

  Monarchs

  Queens

  Gulf Fritillaries 

  Longtailed Skippers 

  Cloudless Sulphur 

  Little Sulphurs 

  White-checkered Skipper

  American Lady

  Common Buckeyes 

  Pearl Crescent 

Mammals

  Squirrels 

  Deer

  Raccoons 

2021 What a year!!!

 

2021. What a year!!

1. January 6. A National disgrace 

2. January 22. Oh what a relief it is. 

3. February 15. Freezepocalypse. 3 days of freezing temperatures with no water or electricity. Thank goodness for the Generac and the propane tank. 

4. April 7 The Never-ending Bathroom remodel contract signed. (Still not finished.)

5. The second year of the Covid-19 Pandemic mostly quarantined at home. 

6. Vaccinations #1, #2, and Booster #1

7. 800,000+ Covid deaths in U.S. 

8. Colonoscopies, Dental cleanings, New prescription for glasses, Annual physicals, new Prescriptions for BP meds

9. Only one trip - National Butterfly Center 

10. Aging but still functional 

Around OakMeadows

Tigger inspects the paper whites.

 Around OakMeadows 

This morning I went to Dr. Basu for a blood pressure check since it had been a month on the new dose. All is going very well. I had printed out my daily BP readings for the month so that she could see that I am staying in the 130s for my systolic pressure. So I don’t need to go back until March. Yea!! She did suggest some compression socks for my swollen ankles. So tomorrow I’ll check on Amazon. 

The remodel/redo is on hold until Statewide can find a tile installer. I don’t know how they stay in business. In the meantime, I have a working shower and the money stays in the bank earning interest for me. Joe plans to write a letter to the CEO of the company after the first of the year and see if that lights a fire under someone. We shall see. 

My paper whites are beginning to emerge. I haven’t forced paper white blooms in years. I have ordered 3 blue hyacinths to force but they won’t be here until after Christmas. I wonder if I can plant the bulbs in the garden after they have bloomed?? It seems a shame to throw them away. 

The Housecleaners came yesterday so my house is nice and clean with absolutely no effort on my part. I love my HouseCleaners; they have been cleaning my house every month for almost 20 years. Adrian’s mother speaks very little English so I practice my Spanish with her. We get along quite well as long as 1. she speaks very s l o w l y  and 2. I have access to Google Translate. 

Skillet Chicken with Orzo, Dill, and Feta

Since one of my goals for 2022 is to try one new recipe per month, I thought I’d get started in December  This recipe is my altered version of a NY Times Cooking recipe. It is relatively simple to make and absolutely scrumptious. 

Skillet Chicken with Orzo, Feta, & Dill

1 Large lemon

5 Tablespoons olive oil 

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (fat trimmed off)

1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped 

2 cups orzo

3 cups chicken broth

1 cucumber, peeled and chopped 

Cherry tomatoes, halved 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Dill

2 tablespoons capers

5 oz. Crumbled Feta cheese

1. Juice lemon and combine with 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add trimmed chicken thighs and marinate at least one hour and up to over night.

2. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Brown and cook chicken thighs thoroughly on both sides, about 14 minutes total. Remove chicken to a plate. 

3. Add onions to skillet and stir to coat with oil.  Cook onions until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in orzo and broth and cook for about 5 minutes. Add chicken, cover, and cook on medium heat about 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in dill. 

4. Serve topped with cucumber, tomato, capers, and feta cheese.

Plans for 2022

 

(Man plans, God laughs.)

1. Have LadyBuggy (golf cart) repaired.

2. Redecorate guest bedroom.

3. Replace cat flap.

4. Travel to 6 botanical gardens. 

5. Try 1 new recipe each month.

6. Read 52 books.

7. Quilting

    One new

    One repaired 

8. Charities 

     East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry (Food Pantry)

     Meals on Wheels

     Houston Public Media

     The Nature Conservancy 

     Katy Prairie Conservancy

     National Butterfly Center

     Bishop Maginn High School

9.  Power wash house and shed

10. Health maintenance 

     Annual physical

     Dental cleanings

Around OakMeadows

 

Around OakMeadows 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and this year was especially nice. JMM bought a pecan pie and we made the cornbread and sausage dressing. Daughter made the most delicious sweet potatoes and bought the sides. Son-in-law roasted the Turkey to perfection. We brought our dog, Angie, to play with their dog, Lucy. And a pleasant visit before a carbohydrate induced coma.

The Never-ending Bathroom Remodel project will be entering its 8th month.  After much texting and phone calling Oscar, the Project (Mis)manager, we actually have the correct tile. The redo start date was pushed forward to Monday, December 6. If I hadn’t had 8 months of experience with this company, I might have some degree of hope that they will actually show up on Monday and actually do the redo…..We shall see…

I’ve spent some time on my meal planning for 2022. Mostly I will do Seafood on Mondays, Chicken on Tuesdays, Beef or Pork on Wednesdays, Leftovers on Thursdays, and Out on Fridays. Leftovers, Schwan’s, and Meal Simples will fill in the blanks.  

We are still having many butterflies in the garden. Lots of Gulf Fritillaries, quite a few Monarchs and Longtailed Skippers, and today I saw a beautiful White-checkered Skipper. It’s been so pleasant that I spent the morning reading out under the oak trees. My favorite time of the year, not too hot, not too cold, just right. 

That’s about all the news from OakMeadows. Next time I’ll post my Plans for 2022.

My 10 Best Reads for 2021

 

10 Best Books that I read in 2021:

OK, I never have been able to keep it to 10. The * marks the really good fiction that I enjoyed this year; mostly I read nonfiction.

The Speckled Beauty by Rick Bragg

Master of the Senate by Robert Caro

The Mosquito by Timothy Winegard

Being the Change by Peter Kalmus

Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght

The Premonition by Michael Lewis

Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams

*What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty 

*The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

*The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear

*The Paris Library by Janet Charles

The Plague Cycle by Charles Kenny

Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough 

The Fifties by David Halberstam 

I Worried by Mary Oliver

 

I Worried by Mary Oliver

I worried a lot, will the garden grow, will the rivers

flow in the right direction, will the earth turn 

as it was taught, and if not, how shall

I correct it?

Was I right, was I wrong, will I be forgiven,

Can I do better?

Will I ever be able to sing, even the sparrows

can do it, and I am, well, 

hopeless.

Is my eyesight fading, or am I just imagining it,

am I going to get rheumatism,

lockjaw, dementia.

Finally I saw that worrying had come to nothing.

And it gave up. And took my old body

and went out into the morning

and sang.

December Menu

 

December Menu

1. HB Patties, GMP, GB

2. Leftover

3. Out

4. Bacon Sandwiches, Oven Fries 

5. Schwan’s 

6. Tuna Salad, Veggie Tray

7. Oven BBQ Chicken, Beans, Coleslaw 

8. HB Pie, Salad

9. Leftovers

10. Out

11.  Macaroni & Cheese, Corn, Salad

12. Slow Cooker Old Fashioned Beef and Noodle Soup

13. Baked Fish, Potatoes, GB

14. Schwan’s Chicken Pot Pie

15. Pizza

16. Leftovers

17. Out

18. Scrambled Eggs, Canadian Bacon, Toast 

19. Schwan’s

20. Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad

21. Schwan’s 

22. Ham, Sweet Potatoes, GB

23. Leftovers

24. Out

25. Ham, Sweet potatoes, Fruit Salad, Dressing 

27. Leftovers 

28. Schwan’s 

29. Burgers

30. Leftovers 

31. Out

 

Around OakMeadows

 

A beautiful sunrise

I am watching (again) Simon Schama’s History of Britain. What an excellent series!  We have it on a a set of DVDs. Tonight’s DVD starts with Skara Brae, on to Iron Age Britain, the Romans coming and going, Anglo Saxons, and the Vikings. So interesting.

Today I tracked down and actually talked to the manager of our Neverending Bathroom Remodel. I brooked no nonsense and pinned him down to starting the Redo December 6. They need to take out and replace the tile on the shower walls and floor, install the grab bar and towel racks, and paint. Now considering that it took them 4 months to get it wrong, I’m not optimistic as to how long getting it right will take. To be continued…

Gradually, I am adjusting to the time change. Like most everyone, I wish we could just stay on one time and not switch back and forth between Standard and Daylight Savings time. The cats are not pleased with any change in their morning feeding time. Such is life.

Still lots of butterflies in the garden. Lots of Gulf Fritillaries.

I’ve been ruminating on Goals for 2022. However, since 2020 and 2021 were so disrupted that much was put on hold, I think my Goals for 2022 will be mostly a combination of undone goals from 2020 and 2021. We shall see. 

That’s about all for today.

Butterfly List for November

 

Mexican Blue Wing

OakMeadows Butterfly List - October-November

These are not in any order but all have been seen in our butterfly beds. 

Monarchs

Queens

Gulf Fritillaries 

Longtailed Skippers 

Fiery Skippers

Common Buckeyes 

Funereal Duskywings 

Dusky-Blue Groundstreak 

American Snout

American Lady

Red Admiral

Gray Hairstreak

Great Purple Hairstreak 

Cloudless Sulphur 

Little Sulphurs 

Pearl Crescents 

Mexican Blue Wing (This was the first time I’d ever seen one. I was at the NBC in Mission, TX.)

Giant Swallowtail 

Hackberry Emperor 

White Peacock

Autumn Butterflies

 Autumn butterflies have been spectacular this year. We have had a couple of cold/cool fronts that have pushed the Monarchs our way. 

Not my photo because he was too small and too fast for me to get a photo.

Around OakMeadows

 

My sweet Angie

I think that my sweet Angie picked up an intestinal virus when we boarded her overnight at Camp Bow Wow while we went to the National Butterfly Center. Within 2 days she was throwing up and had diarrhea. So off to the vet we went for metronidazole, kaopectate, and an anti-nauseant.  JMM is the official animal medication administrator and with the help of Greenie Pill Pockets for pills and an oral syringe for liquids, he does an admirable job of it. And best of all Angie is recovering nicely, no diarrhea, no vomiting. I’ve put her on Hill’s Prescription I/D dog food and she loves it. 

My insomnia has gotten really bad. (Last night I was awake from 11pm until after 3am.) So I finally agreed to a sleep study. My Family Medicine doctor sent a referral and now I am waiting for clearance from my insurance. In the meantime, she has me taking trazodone at bedtime but I don’t see that it is helping at all.  I’m not looking forward to the overnight sleep study but I really need to be able to get more uninterrupted sleep. To be continued.

We went to our daughter’s house for burgers & fries (made by our son-in-law).  Then we settled in to watch Dune.  SciFi is not my favorite and I had trouble following the dialogue but I thought it was well done. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

We are so enjoying all the butterflies on the blooming crucita. We worried that the Freezepocalypse last February had killed all the crucita and milkweed. Fortunately, enough of the milkweed came back to attract the Monarchs and the crucita simply exploded, taking over the world if it could. Butterfly List and photos to follow.

That’s about all the news from OakMeadows.

For Those Who Would Govern ~ Joy Harjo

 For Those Who Would Govern ~ 

First question: Can you first govern yourself?

Second question: What is the state of your own household?

Third question: Do you have a proven record of community service and compassionate acts?

Fourth question: Do you know the history and laws of your principalities?

Fifth question: Do you follow sound principles? Look for fresh vision to lift all the inhabitants of the land including animals, plants, elements, all who share this earth?

Sixth question: Are you owned by lawyers, bankers, insurance agents, lobbyists, or other politicians, anyone else who would unfairly profit from your decisions?

Seventh question: Do you have the authority by the original keepers of the lands, those who obey natural law and are in thee service of the lands on which you stand?

To Be of Use ~ Marge Piercy

 

To Be of Use ~ Marge Piercy 

The people I love the best

jump into work head first

without dallying in the shallows

and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.

They seem to become natives of that element,

the black sleek heads of seals

bouncing like half-submerges balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,

who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,

who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,

who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge

in the task, who go into the fields to harvest

and work in a row and pass the bags along,

who are not parlor generals and field deserters 

but move in a common rhythm

when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.

Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust. 

But the thing worth doing well done

has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident,

Greek amphoras for wine or oil,

Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums

but you know they were made to be used.

The pitcher cries for water to carry

and a person for work that is real.

April Update on Plans for 2021

 

Plans for 2021

Items marked with 🌸 were completed in April.

1. Repair LadyBuggy (Electric Golf Cart)

2. Replace cat flap

3. New bed and dresser🍀

4. Freezer❤️

5. Back porch furniture

6. Paint Fence

7. Paint Back Door

8. Windows Cleaned❄️

9. 12 new recipes

     Black Bean Soup & Jalapeño Cornbread ❄️

     Primavera Stuffed Chicken Breasts 🌸

     Baked Fish en Papilotte 🌸

     Pork Chops with Snap Peas and Feta Cheese🌸

10. Read 24 books 

     A Promised Land by Barack Obama❄️

    The Guest List by Lisa Foley❄️

    Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough ❄️

    The Jane Austin Society by Natalie Jenner❤️

    Seeing Trees by Nancy Hugo❤️

    Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough ❤️

    The Plague Cycle by Charles Kenny🍀

    How to Avoid A Climate Disaster by Bill Gates 🍀

    Breath from Salt by Bijapur Trivedi🍀

    The Paris Library by Janet S. Charles🌸

    The Most Perfect Thing by Tim Birkhead🌸

    The Consequences of Fear by Jacqueline Winspear🌸

11. Houston Botanical Gardens

      Mercer Botanical Gardens

      National Butterfly Center

      Houston Arboretum 

      Memorial Park Eastern Glades

      MFAH🍀

March Update on Plans for 2021

 

Plans for 2021

(Items marked with 🍀 were done in March.)

1. Repair LadyBuggy (Electric Golf Cart)

2. Replace cat flap

3. New bed and dresser🍀

4. Freezer❤️

5. Back porch furniture

6. Paint Fence

7. Paint Back Door

8. Windows Cleaned❄️

9. 12 new recipes

     Black Bean Soup & Jalapeño Cornbread ❄️

10. Read 24 books 

     A Promised Land by Barack Obama❄️

    The Guest List by Lisa Foley❄️

    Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough ❄️

    The Jane Austin Society by Natalie Jenner❤️

    Seeing Trees by Nancy Hugo❤️

    Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough ❤️

    The Plague Cycle by Charles Kenny🍀

    How to Avoid A Climate Disaster by Bill Gates 🍀

    Breath from Salt by Bijapur Trivedi🍀

11. Houston Botanical Gardens

      Mercer Botanical Gardens

      National Butterfly Center

      Houston Arboretum 

      Memorial Park Eastern Glades

      MFAH🍀

February Update on 2021 Plans

 

February was mostly a bust as far as my plans were concerned. Granted for a week I was without power and/or water during a pandemic but still I ought to have gotten more done. So here we are. Things done in February are  marked with a ❤️

1. Repair LadyBuggy (Electric Golf Cart)

2. Replace cat flap

3. New bed and dresser

4. Freezer❤️Yea!! We got our freezer.

5. Back porch furniture

6. Paint Fence

7. Paint Back Door

8. Windows Cleaned❄️Done in January..

9. 12 new recipes

     Black Bean Soup & Jalapeño Cornbread ❄️

10. Read 24 books 

     A Promised Land by Barack Obama❄️

    The Guest List by Lisa Foley❄️

    Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough ❄️

    Seeing Trees by Nancy Ross Hughs❤️

    The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner❤️

11. Houston Botanical Gardens

      Mercer Botanical Gardens

      National Butterfly Center

      Houston Arboretum 

      Memorial Park Eastern Glades

      MFAH

Plans for 2021–January Update

 

Plans for 2021 - January Update

Books read in January

   A Promised Land by Barack Obama

   The Guest List by Lisa Foley

   Saving Freedom by Joe Scarborough 

Household projects

   Windows cleaned inside and out

Health preservation 

   Received second Moderna Covid-19 vaccination

   Annual physical

New Recipies

   Black Bean Soup

   Jalapeño Cornbread 

Here’s the whole list:

Plans for 2021

1. Repair LadyBuggy (Electric Golf Cart)

2. Replace cat flap

3. New bed and dresser

4. Freezer

5. Back porch furniture

6. Paint Fence

7. Paint Back Door

8. Windows Cleaned

9. 12 new recipes

10. Read 24 books 

11. Houston Botanical Gardens

      Mercer Botanical Gardens

      National Butterfly Center

      Houston Arboretum 

      Memorial Park Eastern Glades

      MFAH

February Menu

 

February Menu

1. Slow Cooker Farmhouse Chicken-Corn Chowder

2. Chicken-Sausage Casserole

3. Cutlets,GMP, Peas 

4. Leftovers 

5. Out

6. Bacon Sandwiches, Oven Fries

7. Beef Pot Pies

8. Baked Fish, Fire Roasted Vegetables 

9. More Casserole 

10. Stew

11. Leftovers 

12. Out

13. Macaroni and Cheese, Corn, Salad

14. Schwan’s 

15. Tuna Salad Sandwiches

16. Chicken Tenders, GMP, GB

17. Pizza 

18. Leftovers 

19. Out

20. Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Toast 

21. Chicken Pot Pies 

22. Shrimp Jambalaya 

23. KFC

24. Spaghetti and Meatsauce, Salad

25. Leftovers 

26. Out

27. CB Hash, CSC, Salad 

28. Schwan’s 

Around OakMeadows

 

My sweet Angie

Monday morning I received an email from my physician group telling me to call for an appointment for JMM and Me to get our Covid-19 vaccinations. I assumed that it would be weeks before we could come in but they said for us to come in at 12 noon that same day.  I have seldom been so surprised in my whole life. So we went in and got the Pfizer vaccine.  We go back on January 25 for the second injection. 

The pandemic goes on. 350,000+ Americans have died of Covid-19 and hospitals are overwhelmed. It just seems incredible that this is happening but it certainly is. January is looking like it will be worse than December when 78,000+ died. Hopefully, the vaccinations will lower the toll as more and more people are vaccinated. But with so many Americans out of their minds with conspiracy theories, who knows.

I sent $500 to the West Fort Bend Food Pantry because so many people are out of work because of the pandemic. The economic consequences of Covid-19 will be with us for a long, long time.

After we get the second injection, it will be so nice to be able to go out to eat, to get a manicure/pedicure, and go shopping.  I need to see the optometrist and get a mammogram. And I can finally go shopping for a new bed and dresser. 

Speaking of doctors, JMM and I will be seeing our new doctor, Dr. Basu, for the first time on January 11 for our annual physicals.

Still reading A Promised Land by Barack Obama. It is excellent!! I’ve set my reading goal for 26 books in 2021 so I need to finish one book every two weeks. At 700+ pages, I have a lot of reading to do. Fortunately, it is interesting and very well written.

Plans for 2021

 

Plans for 2021

1. Repair LadyBuggy (Electric Golf Cart)

2. Replace cat flap

3. New bed and dresser

4. Freezer

5. Back porch furniture

6. Paint Fence

7. Paint Back Door

8. Windows Cleaned

9. 12 new recipes

10. Read 24 books 

11. Houston Botanical Gardens

      Mercer Botanical Gardens

      National Butterfly Center

      Houston Arboretum 

      Memorial Park Eastern Glades

      MFAH

My personal self improvement plans;

1. Eat good food.

2. Read good books; watch good movies.

3. Look for the beautiful.

4. Share. (My word for the year.)