Nice footage of plankton, too. The giant eagle rays weigh more than a ton.

Topics at our house:
-----The Punic Wars ... there were 2. This was Hannibal and the elephants, if you don't rememember.
We are moving on to talking about unconventional animals in the history of warfare. Next we will talk about bats ... bats of war.

-----The changing image of what dinosaurs looked like. Science over the years, as seen through art and illustration.

The painting was called "The Country of Iguanadon." By John Martin(1837)

Games we are playing:
-----Playing Reversi/Othello. (free online)

Marge: You... you speak English?
Kang: I am actually speaking Rigelian. By an astonishing coincidence, both of our languages are exactly the same.
— The Simpsons

"What David Bowie Knows"

by Standard Butterfly Wings(me)

Dragged through tunnel of illusions.

Vibrancy ceased.

A hand extended rough and false.

A hand extended rough and false.

Needs to ignore.

Oh, the places we will go.

Needs to ignore.

Needs to ignore. Tears postpone, hide, store.

And I will have more labyrinth survival skills than Bowie.

Photo- 2009. Unknown use for the labyrinth.
Poem- 2013
David Bowie passed away in 2016.

-----Getting a tattoo on a cruise ship ... that's kind of a cool adventure.
-----Dwayne Johnson’s Biggest Tattoo Is Also the Most Meaningful
-----Adam Levine shows off striking butterfly neck tattoo: 'When Instagram goes down ... tattoo your throat'

-----Crispy Smashed Brussels Sprouts. Those are different.
-----Luciano Monosilio’s Carbonara - Carbonara By Rome’s Carbonara King

-----A Chinese Pot Roast for the oven that I want to get around to making. And a slow cooker Chinese Pot Roast (which I will probably get to sooner).
-----Apple and Onion Beef Pot Roast. This includes an apple gravy.

Husband made this little guy that lights up. For a friend who likes the movie Critters.
From Critters 2 ... he doesn't have the same teeth as the original.

Husband: He's so cute. You can style his hair. He's adorable.
Another friend's response: He and I have a different definition of adorable. LOL!!!

-----Mushroom and Garlic Chicken Chow Mein. A few ingredients I needed for an adaptation will arrive soon ... so this one is on our menus. :-)

Misc. on my mind
-----Mexican Cabbage Roll Soup. Taste of Home. This has a freeze option. I might play with spices and the order of the recipe.
-----Chipotle Chicken and Vegetable Soup
-----Authentic Thai Fried Rice. Street Food-style!
-----Saucy Mushroom Salmon with Spinach and Tomato Orzo. That looks colorfully yummy. I might try it with vegetarian modifications.



This is a Salmon Baked In Cream with Sweet Bay, Thyme and Savory that I made for husband as part of late Valentine's (2016). He said it was the best fish I'd ever made him. Husband liked rice side to be plain at the time.
I looked up the recipe used ... dill is the standard vs. savory. :-)

We've also liked:
~~~ Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce from Swanson. One skillet dish that utilizes white wine. It was the first time we used fish stock.

And we liked:
~~~ Roasted Curry Salmon with Tomatoes from Real Simple. Pardon the lighting on this one.

SPOOPATHON

"...you are trapped in a haunted house. The only way out of the haunted house is through reading prompts."

I decided to be on this TEAM because I might want to make my journey more suited to me ... I'm like that sometimes. :-)
"The team with the most points at the end of the readathon become haunted house royalty."
Now on to the starting prompts ...

I picked a book with a black cover. This novella was the inspiration for the movie The Shawshank Redemption. This standalone is just 144 pages ... it made for an interesting and quick start to the month-long readathon that I found late. :-)

And then I find that I have read the actual book (but loved the reread). I've read a lot and this happens a lot. I really do need to start a database. What are your reading pet peeves??
This novella has awesome last few lines. :-) They just make me happy.
FINISHED

This loosely goes along with the book plot. I love the song!



____________________________________



And the next prompt ...

This is also a re-read but I am much fuzzier on the details to this one. Nazi-occupied Holland, crime and a doppelgänger.
This book is compared to Camus! I am on page 13 of 421. Thus far, several characters are disturbed/dysfunctional/messed up.

Sunday Stealing meme

THIS SIDE OF THE POND

1. What's something you've recently accomplished solo?
Well, I attempted to get my long unused calligraphy pens working. I found, after inking up four pens, that I most of them take a non-standard ink tube. Then everyone started giving me advice as I got a bamboo pen to actually take the ink ... I didn't mind that but did get a bit peeved when I started getting advice on how to operate the pen. I was all like "I KNOW how to do calligraphy!' Then I found that I am slightly and/or actually allergic to this particular ink. I did get a couple of lines of text out after all that.
An in-progress is learning the lyre harp. :-) It's not easy to find quality instructionals for.

2. What's one product you use that never ever fails?
My shampoo and conditioner costs a combined $99. That seems like a lot to me. Nanoworks Gold Shampoo and Conditioner Duo. I was given it by a review company. Very, very sensitive to dry skin, allergies, etc. Very, very natural. The shampoo seems like it is purely clarifying at first but then the conditoner makes the day. No buildup. Hardly any sensitivity if in eye but some. People sell the unopened bottles for ridiculous amounts.

3. Have you found your place in the world? Where is it?
Well, yes. But it is complex and private (and yet so simple). Good luck on your journey!

4. Worst movie you ever saw? ever?
Spice Girls or the Miami Vice movie.
Oh, and we walked out of the second Legally Blonde movie.

5. What's the last fun thing you did?
Reorganizing a desk drawer and my fave book shelf ... hey, you have your fun and I have mine. MY fave bookcase has 18 shelves.
Playing sock football indoors with my husband. Tossing a military-style rolled sock ball and running around. I have a thing for football back before it got to be such a contact sport ... like the kind kids used to play in any empty lot.

6. What's your favorite Italian dish?
I make a lot of Bolognese here. I keep jars of capers on hand for Spaghetti alla Puttanesca ... and sometimes add the anchovies like they do in Lazio. If ordering pasta, De Cecco is one of my fave brands. Anything from the Roland Foods catalog (imported from many countries,founded in France) is usually a good compliment ... pesto, olives whatever.
For dream dining out stateside, I'd sup at Sinatra in Las Vegas ... followed by some show of epic proportions. I definitely try the homemade meatballs and polenta fries as a antipasti. :-)
I love learning about the foods made in the countryside of Italy and all the tomato stuff from Calabria in Southern Italy.

7. Have you ever been to France? Any desire to visit there, and if so what would site or city would you most want to see?
I have not been there but have a loved one who really, really wants to go. We'd see as much of the workings of the Eiffel Tower as could be viewed and I would want to see anything to do with literature, movies, poets. Jim Morrison's grave. The place where Voltaire drank so many cups of coffee. Quasi-related, I would LOVE to make my way to St. Helena, in the South Atlantic, where Napoleon was exiled to.

8. Have you ever been to Disney, any of the parks at all? Are you a Disney superfan or something less than that? They're open right now so tell us, would you go if you had the time/money/a free trip?
I have been. I'd like to run/visit during Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend ... "the most magical running weekend ever."

9. Your favorite place to go when you want to be quiet as a church mouse? Would those who know you well describe you as more church mouse or perhaps more like mighty mouse?
Generally, I am pretty energetic. I dance A LOT. When I want to be quiet, that is reading or listening to music(which could include lots of LOUD music, depending on mood). Along the quiet side, I am reading a book about a year in the life of a Shinto shrine. 

10. Do you bake your own bread? Last time you had hot out-of-the-oven homemade bread? What's your favorite kind of bread?
I've been known to make various quick breads in my mother's bread pans from when I was growing up. I do a lot of old-fashioned desert bread stuff. I have bits and pieces of bread-making knowledge and one day that will be the whole puzzle.

11. What's something you might say is 'the greatest thing since sliced bread'?
I've known plenty of people who were born BEFORE sliced bread. :-) Those people!
Besides, that ...
~~~ Simple equipment for Astrophotography!
~~~ The invention of digital cameras and computers.
~~~ Things that help you slice, not mutilate, cake layers. Husband's response to me reading my answers: "Sliced cake. Hey??! That's better than sliced bread, you're right."

12. Share with us five little things you're grateful for today. Small blessings. One catch-they all must start with the letter T.
Taste of Home magazine, tea kettles that whistle, tapes from long ago (okay, so New Kids on the block just came out of storage), tieback tassels for drapes, tomatoes with peppers(Ro-Tel and others).


13. Tell us where you were and something about what life was like when you were 20- 21.
I walked so many places on little adventures that I cherished. I had a simple glass of wine to commemorate the 21 milestone.

14. What's on the menu at your house this week?
Continuing to sample the Halloween treats (includes healthy snacks). I've cases of beans for Fall soups and I'm making a bunch of curries sometime or other this next month. Maybe experimenting with the dehydrator. Comfort foods from an old Taste of Home issue. Dutch Split Pea Soup. Using up a bunch of onions ... roast in my early Christmas present crockpot (the one from when we first got married, couldn't stand one more repair).

15. Something you recently purchased where a coupon was involved? Do you regularly shop with coupons?
A lot of companies choose not to be "participating locations" around here. Off the top of my head, I used a coupon code for some pantry cabinets.

You can participate in this meme HERE. :-)

Topics At Our House Today

-----What if Saturn 5 had exploded?



-----Why did the space shuttle program end? (Newsweek article from May 2020 when there was about to be historic SpaceX launch)

Predatory Fins has sturgeons for sale on their website. Albino and diamonds.
The question here was:
Are they related to sharks?
Answer:
Apparently not, though a lot of people wonder that. They have cartilage. Sturgeon migrate back and forth between salt and fresh water.
Further question:
Are they ancient like sharks?

Topics at our house today:
-----What if Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbor?
----Why some humans developed a taste for milk and some didn't?
----What if Deadpool became a vampire?

FrightFall!!!

And so it begins. This is my first read for the readathon that I joined this morning.
Actually, I've read this before but it was recently taken out of storage. I think there is at least one point where I was truly concerned if the characters were going to make it out in the original read ... who knows, maybe they don't-it was that long ago that I read this. The book came out in 2001.
Stephen King spoke highly of several of the author's previous works. I have also seen Dean Koontz refer to another of this author's books, The Walking, as unusually clever.

I am on page 32 of 438.

You can sign up for the readathon HERE. It is one that has an opportunity to win prizes.

Mmm. A selection of "best" taco recipes for me to browse.

-----Apple Butter Pie. It's in the running for Thanksgiving.
-----Upside Down Apple Dumpling Pie. I am a fan of "upside-down" desserts!
-----This comes under the category of Things I Did Not Know ... Campbell's has a Cream of Shrimp soup.
-----Garlic Cheese Ball {with Parmesan and Italian Herbs}

Adam Sandler - Werewolves of London (Live on The Late Show)

This pretty-much-entirely-serious performance was done in tribute to Warren Zevon. Good job, Mr. Sandler! :-)

Lake Street Dive - 'Lola (The Kinks Cover)' | The Bridge 909 in Studio

TV Studio A at KCPT in Kansas City, Missouri
Thing I want to do: Get a copy of The Kinks rendition on 45.

From headlines ... a man who still used his turn signal while fleeing the police.

I very much would like the U.S. to have something bigger like the Classic Cravings Meal for six! I like to have leftovers and/or challenges where I revamp ingredients. :-)
I do have to say that the pile of grease and paper is not very aesthetically-pleasing though!
-----We loved the "Taco Bar" that we could get at the beginning of COVID ... so many things that could be done with the stuff not eaten at first sitting.
-----And what is a Volcano Burrito? Apparently, there are also Volcano Chalupas.

The history of the Quesadilla.

-----Heineken Sweet Potato Stew. We made this in the crockpot. Husband is not fond of Heineken so we used a different German beer ... Warsteiner Dunkel.

On the still to try list:
-----Taco Bell Chalupa copycat recipe
-----Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup with Cheese Sticks

Listening To ...

#SoundtrackOfMyDay

A few things to try ...

Mmm ... breakfast!


-----Crumpets with Caramel Butterscotch Syrup
-----Japanese Souffle Pancakes
____________________________________________

-----Hungarian egg drop soup – Savanyú tojásleves
-----Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad.Easy to make, inspired by the BLT. I am so looking foward to this one! I love playing with the classic taste of BLT!
-----No Churn Blueberry Lemon Ice Cream. I do have a fancy ice cream maker, but love making no churn!

The "Off the Grid" Readathon is done!

Today was the last day. I am currently 116 pages in ... that is 22 percent of the book and I am satisfied with my progress, given the responsibilities of Life. :-)
I am starting to get more hints of the "romance" part of the story that was  pointed out in the plot blurbs. Odds are the love story will be two characters that will have to go through unrest and/or tragedy to get to being a romance ... sigh. Anyway, this book was written in 2012 but the impeachment, partially on overstepping presidential powers, is a timely topic (given recent events).

The simple "assignment" of this readathon was to read a book by a black author. I restarted this one and didn't notice the stipulation of eschewing media ... so, I have been enjoying research on real-life people and making a list of portrayals that I want to see.

Ironically, this ended up next to a series that has Lincoln in it. John Jakes is also the author of The North and The South trilogy (remember the miniseries of each book had Patrick Swayze). Yes, the title of the first book, in the pile that is The Kent Chronicles, is "The Bastard."

From the best-selling author of The Emperor of Ocean Park and New England White, a daring reimagining of one of the most tumultuous moments in our nation’s past

Stephen L. Carter’s thrilling new novel takes as its starting point an alternate history: President Abraham Lincoln survives the assassination attempt at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865. Two years later he is charged with overstepping his constitutional authority, both during and after the Civil War, and faces an impeachment trial . . .

Twenty-one-year-old Abigail Canner is a young black woman with a degree from Oberlin, a letter of employment from the law firm that has undertaken Lincoln’s defense, and the iron-strong conviction, learned from her late mother, that “whatever limitations society might place on ordinary negroes, they would never apply to her.” And so Abigail embarks on a life that defies the norms of every stratum of Washington society: working side by side with a white clerk, meeting the great and powerful of the nation, including the president himself. But when Lincoln’s lead counsel is found brutally murdered on the eve of the trial, Abigail is plunged into a treacherous web of intrigue and conspiracy reaching the highest levels of the divided government.

Here is a vividly imagined work of historical fiction that captures the emotional tenor of post–Civil War America, a brilliantly realized courtroom drama that explores the always contentious question of the nature of presidential authority, and a galvanizing story of political suspense."

HERE is an interview about the book and Carter's writing.


On ambition ...

There is a bit of punchline after this. :-)

Some Music and Some Viewing

The above video is making me want to revisit the movie (Working Girl, 1988). #BigBigHair #RomanticComedy


What I listened to this song in recently was the Netflix series "Castle Rock" which I have started watching from the second season ... the entrance of Annie from Misery. Tim Robbins is doing a good job in this series based on Stephen King's characters. Lizzy Kaplan's portrayal of Annie is mesmerizing (now I will be disappointed if the origin of all the quirky philosophies and mannerisms of Annie aren't explored more or made a movie). #PsychologicalHorror #Anthology #WednesdaysOnNetflix
(Look closely ... you may recognize Lizzy Caplan as the Goth sidekick in Mean Girls.)

-----Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon Sherry Cream

G is for...

Gardens

The kids are each seeing if they can get six rows of seeds to start growing. We did not pay much attention to recommended start times but are just doing it (with older seed packages).

They are both growing two kinds of peas, pumpkins and Moon and Star Melons.
Preschool Girl is growing Baby's Breath and helping First-Grader with cucumbers.

Geography

Clickable map quizzes that test geography knowledge. I wish schools taught SO much more geography (we homeschool and do teach so much more geography and the history that goes along with it).

Glazed

-----Susi's Kochen Ynd Backen Adventures: Glazed Corn Beef...what we were originally going to do with our St. Patrick's Day brisket this year but it proved too time-consuming for the the time I had. (Instead we had New England Boiled Dinner for breakfast at Easter. LOL.)
-----Glazed Carrots with Irish Whiskey and Ginger. Not the most appetizing photo...but probably pretty yummy. I will make this the next time I have more than just the remainders of Husband's whiskey. You know, maybe I will make it sooner...the recipe only calls for 2 tablespoons of Irish Whiskey.
-----Popcorn With Sesame-Glazed Pistachios. We love a Sesame Popcorn from Food Network Magazine. I pop the popcorn stovetop, in Ziyad Extra Virgin Sesame Oil.)
-----Asian Swai Fish. Vietnamese catfish...a favorite of mine for light fish dishes. Preschooler picked out this particular recipe which we will try.
-----Carmelized Banana Bread with Browned Butter Glaze. When Little One, now First-Grader, first saw the recipe photo, he declared, "Burnt toast. That's burnt toast. Don't like burnt toast."
By the way, National Banana Bread Day is February 23rd. :-) You need to know for next year and could have a belated celebration now. :-)
-----Bourbon Maple Glazed Chicken Wings. I can eat a ton of chicken wings.
-----Sliders with Beer-Glazed Onions and Brie
-----Double Chocolate Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze
-----Vanilla Buttermilk Pound Cake with Lemon Glaze
-----Hummingbird Bundt Cake With Cream Cheese Glaze. A one bowl recipe for a Southern classic.
-----This is an unusual one...Cantaloupe Bread with Praline Glaze. "This excellent bread is very moist and has the texture of pumpkin or zucchini bread. Can puree and freeze extra cantaloupe to make bread in the off season."




Trial run of doing glitter nails still holding up/cleaning up. I am the guinea pig for Preschool Girl's nails.
[My hands aren't that wrinkly yet...just cold from Raynaud's Phenomenon.]
The Youtube tutorial is HERE. :-)

A Blue Apron recipe. Romantic dinner with Husband. Cauliflower Steaks With Spinach Gratin & Green Beans

Gratin recipe from my Mother's recipe box.
Tip: Doll's are great to photograph a recipe at a good angle.

Gratin

-----Broccoli Cheese Casserole. "Broccoli Cheese Casserole gets a bad rap because generations of moms have resorted to canned soup, frozen broccoli, and mayo. This version is closer to a French gratin, with everything (easily!) made from scratch."
-----Brussels Sprouts Gratin. Provided this is not greasy, it sounds YUMMY. Stores around here are just starting to get pancetta.(Several years ago, we enjoyed this Creamy Brussels Sprouts Bake. Thank you A to Z Challenge for helping me finally find the recipe...in my Pinterest "We Liked This" board that goes. We will have to try this again sometime soon to see if our palates have changed since having this last.)
-----Cheesy Leek Gratin. The preferred cheese is goat's milk cheddar. (As an aside...we recently read in several books that the Mongols mainly drank MARE's milk.)
-----Rich and Creamy Salsify Gratin.Recipe from Gabriel Kreuther, Food and Wine 2004. Salsify is a root vegetable that's shaped like a skinny parsnip and has blackish skin with white flesh. It tastes a little like artichoke hearts. It's available from June through February.



Guinness Soup...an easy recipe that I found last year and haven't gotten around to doing yet.

Homemade Mashed Russet Potatoes with Skillet Barbecue Gravy

Gravy

-----Bacon-Shallot Gravy. Dana Cowin, Food & Wine, 2014. (How Dana Cowin Helped Shape the Modern Celebrity Chef)
-----Cider Pork Roast with Apple-Thyme Gravy. Stephanie Spencer, Sunset Magazine, December 2012
-----Bourbon Gravy. The recipe is from Le Creuset. I wouldn't mind having their gravy boat in the "Marseilles" blue color. :-)


I am using the A to Z Challenge to organize and motivate myself. :-)
I sure collect(and do) a LOT of projects!