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. 

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.