The Ten Best Books I read in 2022

 

Ten Best Books I Read in 2022:

Nonfiction 

Passage of Power by Robert Caro

Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Cuba: An American History by Ada Ferrer

The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

Fiction 

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Apples Never Fall by Lianne Moriarty

The Displacements by Bruce Holsinger

The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough 

As always it was difficult to choose only 10 as there were several others that could easily have been included.  Usually I prefer Nonfiction over Fiction but this year I read some really good fiction. 

Poetry

My work is loving the world.

Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird —

equal seekers of sweetness.

Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.

Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?

Am I no longer young, and still half-perfect? Let me

keep my mind on what matters,

which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be

astonished.

The phoebe, the delphinium.

The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.

Which is mostly rejoicing, since all the ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a heart

and these body-clothes,

a mouth with which to give shouts of joy

to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy dug-up clam,

telling them all, over and over, how it is

that we live forever.”

~ Mary Oliver

 

Around OakMeadows

 

It is time for my twice yearly gripe about time change. Yes, it is time to turn the clocks back one hour. My complaint is the same as usual: Just pick one—> Regular time or Daylight Savings time. Either is fine with me but pick one and stay with it! The time change is not as bad now that I am retired but how I remember it was not so easy to deal with when I was working rotating shifts. I understand that the Senate has passed legislation to make Daylight Savings Time permanent but it seems to be hung up in the House. Arrgghh!!

The butterfly count is going down. We still have some Monarchs and Queens, a few Gulf Fritillaries, and lots of Sachems. We have a cold front coming Friday and I anticipate the end of the butterflies for this year. It was so beautiful this year with hundreds of butterflies on the blue mist right by the brick pathway so that you could watch them close up.  

I am putting the borders on my Blue & Brown quilt. I thought I would finish it today but it just didn’t happen. Tomorrow.  I found a couple of French General patterns that I really like. I plan to order them tomorrow. 

Tomorrow is the midterm Election Day.  JMM and I voted by mail weeks ago. Very convenient. I do my best to concentrate only on those things that are in my control. Voting is really the only thing I can control so once I’ve voted, I avoid the constant news barrage leading up to the election. I will find out what the outcome was the next day or the next. I doubt very much if anything changes here in Republican Texas but in any case, JMM and I will be just fine whatever happens. Then after Election Day on Tuesday, the campaign for 2024 begins Wednesday....blah!!

My first Tovala food delivery comes tomorrow. The oven came last week and TSMR came over Sunday and figured out the wifi set up and got it all ready to cook when the food arrives. I am really looking forward to this. I’m getting 4 meals a week. The menu selections look wonderful and I am happy that I will be getting one vegetarian meal a week. 

Around OakMeadows

 

I’ve been working my way down the IMDb list of 100 greatest movies on weekends. I watched #1 The Godfather and #2 The Shawshank Redemption on the first weekend. Both were excellent. The Godfather is probably my all time favorite movie, but I had never seen The Shawshank Redemption and what a truly outstanding movie it was. Then this past weekend I watched Schindler’s List and Raging Bull. Schindler’s List is a truly great movie but I cannot understand why Raging Bull would be on anyone’s best movies list. Next weekend will be Casablanca and Gone with the Wind. 

I finished one half of the twenty blocks for my Blue & Brown. I like the pattern and think I’m going to do another one in Red, Cream, and Blue. Maybe, we’ll see. Next I have to make the other half of the blocks for this one. I wish I knew what to do with my finished quilts. 

This evening I made a tray of roasted vegetables that turned out so tasty. I cut up carrots, baby red potatoes, red onion, and red bell pepper. Then I tossed them with olive oil, sea salt, and thyme and baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring them about half way through. Definitely, will be making this again and maybe adding sugar snap peas. 

Rain. We went all summer without a drop of rain. It was hot (with highs in the upper 90s) and not a drop of rain. Now for the past week we have been getting rain almost every day. I must say the grass and crepe myrtles are doing much better. 

This Mornng by Mary Oliver

 

This morning the redbirds' eggs

have hatched and already the chicks

are chirping for food. They don't

know where it's coming from, they

just keep shouting, "More! More!"

As to anything else, they haven't

had a single thought. Their eyes

haven't yet opened, they know nothing

about the sky that's waiting. Or

the thousands, the millions of trees.

They don't even know they have wings.

And just like that, like a simple

neighborhood event, a miracle

is taking place

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

 

This was my new recipe for August and it was absolutely delicious. I was looking for something that would be eaten cold but substantial enough for dinner.  This would also be good with ham instead of shrimp. I’ll definitely be making this again

Shrimp and Pasta Salad

Ingredients for the Salad

8 ounces (2 cups) small pasta

1 pound cooked shrimp (cut in half if shrimp are large)

1 heaping cup diced celery, about 1/2 inch

1/2 large or 1 small red bell pepper diced about 1/2 inch

1 cup frozen peas

1 bunch green onions chopped

For the dressing

2/3 cup Greek yogurt

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard 

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, about 9 minutes in boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt. Cook shrimp in boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt for about 7 minutes for large shrimp. Drain each. 

2. Mix all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. 

3. Mix all ingredients and dressing together in a large serving bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. 

Plans for August 2022

 

Plans for August 2022

1. Read 4 books.

2. Buy a new sunflower door wreath. 

3. Finish piecing Blue & Brown quilt top.

4. Sharing

    Coastal Prairie Conservancy 

    JK

    ND-BGHS

5. Try 1 new Recipe

6. Check on Smithsonian Transcription project. 

7. Sign up for this fall’s Project Feederwatch. 

8. Dental cleaning. 

9. Sprinkler installation for crepe myrtles. 

Around OakMeadows

 

Gulf Fritillary 

We went to see Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris. It was sweet and we both enjoyed it. We always get a hot dog, popcorn, and a drink which costs approximately twice what the tickets cost. Since we always go to the early feature on a weekday, the only people there are seniors like us. 

It has been very hot this past week. We had a few rain showers but not more than 1/2 inch total. JMM has been doing some watering early in the morning but by about 8:30, it’s getting hot and so it’s time to come inside. Sometimes I stay out a little longer reading or doing a Duolingo lesson but soon it is too hot especially if there is no cloud cover or breeze. Thank goodness for air conditioning!!

I am thinking about and looking into doing volunteer document transcription for the Smithsonian. I would do it at home online. I have the website and will check into it. More information later. 

My sweet Angie caught a mild case of Bordatella, kennel cough.  She had it once about 5 years ago when she first came to live with us and was very sick. We have since kept her vaccinations up to date but evidently dogs can get it even if they have been vaccinated but it doesn’t make them nearly as sick. She is now completely recovered and has had a bath so she is a happy (and clean smelling) dog. 

Since this is the end of the month, here’s the list of life at OakMeadows for July. It is short because it’s been too hot to spend much time outside. 

Birds

Barn Swallows 

Hummingbirds 

Cardinals 

Carolina Wrens

Blue Jays

Mockingbirds 

Tufted Titmouse 

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Black Vultures 

Killdeer 

Grackles

Collared Doves

Insects

Ants (I would really like to identify the types of ants that are around here.)

Wasps, black

Bumblebees 

Gulf Fritillaries 

Monarchs 

Giant Swallowtails

Unknown Skippers 

Eastern Pondhawks

Blue Darters

Mammals/Other

Raccoons 

Squirrels 

Armadillo 

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry

 

THE PEACE OF WILD THINGS

Wendell Berry

When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

Around OakMeadows

 

We are enjoying watching the antics of a Mama Raccoon and her 7 babies. Yes, 7. I had thought that raccoon litters were of 4 but this Mama has 7. Anyway, JMM puts a small pile of dog chow on the back porch and we watch as Mama and the babies cautiously come out of the bushes and feed and play. But the most darling thing was when he put out a shallow tub of water. Mama wasted no time in scurrying over and climbing in followed by all 7 littles. Soon Mama climbed out followed by 7 very wet and much cooler littles. 

Can’t have a post in summertime Texas without mentioning the HEAT! Temperatures are around the 95-100 degree mark daily and we very much need rain. No tropical developments so far but the water in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean are well above normal which doesn’t bode well for August and September. We shall see. 

I’ve been helping one of my nieces and it is teaching me so much about living in poverty and how incredibly difficult even little things are.  We live in Texas where public transportation is virtually nonexistent if you don’t live in a major metropolitan area. Add on to that the fact that she has a significant physical disability and a young child and you can see that having a reliable vehicle is not a luxury but a necessity. She has an old car for which she has not had the money to do the routine maintenance. Texas requires a safety inspection each year to get your license plate renewed. No safety inspection, no insurance—>no yearly license sticker—>big fine for driving such a vehicle. So I am helping her get the car in shape to pass the inspection which is due next month. Fortunately, we know a reliable mechanic.  Not being of a mechanical bent myself, I won’t even try to list what all needs to be done—>but it comes to over $700. We did the first part of the work yesterday and will space it out so that all the work will be finished before the end of July and she can get the safety inspection and the license sticker if she has insurance which I won’t even deal with.  Next time, I’ll tell you about her phone problems. Enough for now. Poverty is not for the faint of heart.

Creamy Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Spinach

 

One of my goals this year is to make one new dish each month. We made this dish this evening and it was delicious. It is one I will definitely make again. 

Creamy Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Spinach

Ingredients

4 boneless pork chops (thick cut)

Salt

pepper

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

8 oz. Baby Bella Mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 

3 cups packed baby spinach

Directions

1. Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add pork chops and cook until golden and cooked through. (About 6 minutes per side) Remove from skillet and place on a plate to keep warm. 
2. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until softened, 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. 
3. Add heavy cream, Parmesan, oregano, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted, 2 minutes more. 
4. Return pork chops to skillet and cook until warmed through, 5 minutes. 

Poetry for the Day

 

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 I gave it up. And I took my old body

and went out into the morning,

and sang. 

Around OakMeadows

 

My Dolly Madison Lilies are blooming.

We have been going out under the trees soon after breakfast each morning before the heat sets in. This morning we took the LadyBuggy for a ride around the property so that I could see how much all the trees had grown in the last 3 years. It was lovely to see them up close. Many of the trees have a base diameter of 12-18 inches. The big water oak is just magnificent. Then JMM did some more watering while I read. By 9 am, it was getting warm and time to go inside. 

The summer heat is setting in. We are supposed to go over 100 degrees this weekend. There are two unknowns always in the back of my mind in summer: 1.) Will the power grid hold and 2.) hurricanes. The Generac helps with the first and we are as prepared as possible for the second. 

The war in Ukraine goes on. While you can’t help but admire the Ukrainian resistance, the fact remains that Russia can strike anywhere in Ukraine at any time but the Ukrainians can’t strike back outside their own territory.  Which means that Russia can pound them into dust for as long as it wants to. I don’t see any way Ukraine can “win.” If I were a Ukrainian, I would be heading to Sweden to ask for asylum. 

I got some quilting books from the library to spur my creativity with what to do with my French General fabric that I bought last week. I had gone to Quilter’s Emporium to get a couple more blues to go into my blue and brown quilt top that I am about to start. I found and bought the blues but on my way out the door, I saw a collection of gorgeous French General fabric that stopped me cold in my tracks. So JMM sat back down while I gathered up 7 bolts of fabric and had them cut one yard of each. We paid for it and JMM threatened me with a blindfold and got out the door. Now I have to figure out what to do with the FG while I get going on the blue/brown. 

If you have Netflix, be sure to watch The Lincoln Lawyer. Interesting characters, good story. Not overly violent. Warning: Once you start, it is binge worthy.

 

March Menu

 

March Menu

1. Chicken-Sausage Casserole, Squash

2. Pork Roast

3. Leftovers 

4. Out

5. Bacon Sandwiches, Oven Fries

6. SC Farmhouse Chicken and Corn Soup

7. Shrimp Jambalaya 

8. Chicken Cacciatore 

9. HB Patties, Sweet Potato 

10. Leftovers 

11. Out

12. CB Hash

13. Burgers

14. Baked Fish, Fire Roasted Vegetables

15. SC Chicken Stew with White Beans and Sausage

16. Pizza

17. Corned Beef and Cabbage

18. Out

19. Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Toast

20. Burgers

21. Cod Chowder 

22. Chicken and Snow Peas

23. Pot Roast

24. Leftovers 

25. Out

26. Macaroni and Cheese, Corn, Salad

27. Chipotle 

28. Baked Fish, Fire Roasted Vegetables

29  Chicken and Spaghetti Casserole

30. Schwan’s 

31. Leftovers 

Slow Cooker Chicken, Tortellini, and Tomato Soup

 

This is my new recipe for the month of February.  It is adapted from a NYT Cooking recipe. It is delicious.

Slow Cooker Chicken, Tortellini, and Tomato Soup

Ingredients 

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Canned crushed tomatoes, 28 oz. 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

6 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

5 oz. spinach

8 oz. cheese tortellini 

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. In a 6-8 quart slow cooker, whisk together broth, tomato paste, and white wine until tomato paste is dissolved. Add tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and chicken thighs. Cook on low 6 hours until chicken is very tender. 

2. Shred the chicken. Add spinach and tortellini. Continue cooking on low for another 30 minutes. 

3. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. 

Plans for 2022 - January

 

Plans for 2022

1. Have LadyBuggy (golf cart) repaired.

2. Redecorate guest bedroom. — Bought new bedspread & pillow shams. 

3. Replace cat flap.

4. Travel to 6 botanical gardens. 

5. Try 1 new recipe each month.

     Shrimp, bacon, & Corn Chowder

6. Read 52 books.

      The Great Influenza by John Barry

      The Chancellor by Kati Marton

7. Quilting

    One new— I have 6 of 36 blocks completed 

    One repaired 

8. Charities 

     East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry (Food Pantry)—done.

     Meals on Wheels

     Houston Public Media

     The Nature Conservancy 

     Katy Prairie Conservancy

     National Butterfly Center

     Bishop Maginn High School—done.

9.  Power wash house and shed

10. Health maintenance 

     Annual physical

     Dental cleanings

Shrimp, Bacon, and Corn Chowder

 

One of my goals for 2022 is to try one new recipe each month.  This is my new recipe for January and it is definitely a keeper. So very good!!

Shrimp, Bacon, and Corn Chowder

Ingredients 

4 slices bacon, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound large shrimp, pealed and deveined

1 15 oz. canned corn, drained

1 cup sliced carrots 

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound baby red potatoes, chopped into 1 inch cubes

3 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

Add bacon to large pot and cook over medium-high heat 4-8 minutes until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. 

Add garlic and shrimp to pot and cook 4-6 minutes until garlic is fragrant ans begins to turn brown and shrimp turns opaque. 

Add corn, carrots, celery, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, potatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then pour in heavy cream. Simmer 10-12 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in bacon and cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Garnish with chopped parsley. 

Around OakMeadows

 

I had a really sleepless night last night. I don’t know what may  have caused it but after midnight, I slept a total of maybe 2 hours. Needless to say, today was not a productive day. 

JMM suggested going to Gringo’s for lunch and I readily agreed even though today was cold and windy. JMM had his perennial 3 cheese enchiladas and I had a La Bomba Burger. 

Came home and took a nap. Felt much better after the nap. 

I am really debating with myself about whether to finish Wolf Hall by Hillary Mantel. I find it stressful because 1.) It is hard to tell who is speaking. 2.) I have a hard time following the dialogue.3.) I find all the intrigue, plots, and counter plots incomprehensible. 

I finished the first block of the planned 36 blocks for my quilt. I hope to make 2 blocks a day but we shall see.  I already have plans for my next quilt.