Spring Tea...Our Birthday Getaway...61 is FUN...and This Week Updates

 

Realized this morning that I have become Wanda.

My former co-worker, Wanda...whose birthday was a month long celebration. When October arrived Wanda would always announce 

"Guess what today is??? It is my birthday!!!"

Her husband always played along giving her small gifts each day of the month.

It was a month long celebration...culminating in the breakroom cake on November 1st because 

"It is NO LONGER Wanda's birthday!!!"

All of this very tongue-in-cheek, of course.

 But this month has been very Wanda-like this year.

61 ROCKS!!!

From the Quiche Brunch earlier in the week with Brenda and Diane...very HOLLYWOOD in Houndstooth and shades...lol

And bearing gifts of a blooming cactus...fig jam...cards and dark chocolate.

To John and Our Getaway...a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses...a pink teddy bear...a Happy Birthday balloon and treats for Sofi. An overnight and steak dinner out...the first sit-down eat in almost a year...and French Silk for afters!!

It was wonderful!

 

Lennon and a gift card for more steak...baked sweet potato and asparagus...and a few luxury items I'm been coveting (including a few things for NPB).

 

Chris and Tina who stole me away yesterday to Opa's for everything Greek!!! Lamb, Tzaziki, Avegolemano Soup, Saganaki...

Saganaki

Retsina

and a huge birthday surprise with a piece of Baklava with a birthday candle stuck in it...and who knew they had the entire restaurant and all its patrons stop and sing Happy Birthday...and shatter a plate while yelling "OPA" afterward!

And it is STILL not over.

 

 

Birthday Morels arriving next week and waiting for Tuesday and the arrival of EVERYONE (...all the grands...James and Nicole...Chris and Tina...) for a Pizza Fest before they all leave for their vacations-

 

James and Nicole and the kids to Colorado.

Chris and Tina for Pennsylvania.

My middle grandson (Brenden)

Now 11 years old!!!

Hard to believe.

Something else hard to believe this week was the SNOW!

Going from 70 degrees and early gardening on Monday...

to THIS by Tuesday Evening.

Of course, it is gone now...and waiting to see if my white lilies made it. 

And we all held our breath collectively this week...until Chauvin was proclaimed 

GUILTY

GUILTY

GUILTY

 and led away in handcuff to await sentencing in jail.

And held our breath again when the helicopter, Ingenuity, flew for the first time on Mars.

SEE HERE:

https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2021/04/19/mars-helicopter-flight-video-ingenuity-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/business-spacex/

And on both accounts there was much rejoicing!

We lost our friend Gail, this week, sadly- to Heart Failure just after her 67th birthday.

She went peacefully in her sleep...which is all anyone could ask for, I guess.

We will miss her.

The Covid numbers are slowly improving, and they estimate over 50% of all adults have now been vaccinated.

Most of our friends have had both jabs.

Life is ever so slowly returning to normal.

Even the little things seem huge now that we have lived without them for over a year.

The Book this Week:

 Sarah Penner's debut novel.

I could easily see this being made into a first rate film!

Intrigue...mixed potions and murder.

Following the tale of Caroline and James, in current times, and Nella and Eliza (and the Apothecary Shoppe) in the late 1700's. 

Potions mixed to cure all a woman's ills.

Even betrayal.

Engaging read...

 This Week's Movie:

 With a young Sinese and Malkovich.

Old film (1992) but nothing new out interesting at this time...so here we are.

I had forgotten Malkovich's ability and range. The man can do almost anything credibly.

While on a Malkovich kick...I also unearthed this gem.

SNL: Malkovich reads "The Night Before Christmas" 2017.

https://youtu.be/Vj0wzAaqzss 

(...some of these children may be traumatized for life...)

And, lastly, a birthday llama from Angie...

 Have a Great Weekend.

 ...feeling very spoiled...

 

 

 

Virtual Africa: Kwanza Sul Angola and Coffee

 

Angola...best know for Kwanza Sul and it's coffee plantations.

"Honey...I'm home!!!"

 Angola is the third largest producer of coffee in the world...and the most common crop grown here.

Coffee Cherries

From Cherry to Cup:

The coffee bean that we are used to is actually a seed. If you were to plant one that was not processed or roasted...you would be able to grow your own coffee tress.

Trees are kept pruned down to manageable proportions on coffee plantations. When left to their own devices...coffee trees can exceed 30 feet tall.

If you were able to plant a green coffee bean you would be waiting and waiting and waiting for your first cup, though.   It takes about 4 years before the plant produces cherries.

The unripe cherries are green. The ripe turn red...then burgundy.

The cherry when ripe and opened usually contains 2 beans.

At this point they are green and alive...seeds to planted.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/719287863/100pcs-coffea-arabica-seeds-coffee-bean?

And, if you are so inclined, you can buy raw seeds here...and try growing your own.

The beans are then washed.

How the beans are washed and roasted (and the oils that are added) give us the many variations of coffee flavor.

Lightly washed with residual pulp will result in a naturally sweet cup of coffee.

Well washed and dry parchment beans tend to be more acidic.

Bean roast levels also determine the flavor.

How to Roast Your Own

https://youtu.be/x1wBsf6bCnw

(...okay...might have to try this...)

Then just grind and make your coffee...

 

If you don't have a conventional or electric coffee grinder, a blender can be used as a serviceable replacement.

Coffee Production in Angola

https://youtu.be/YHlEZxQMtyo

(...sorry for the Portuguese...)

And for those who want to try the Kwanza Sul Coffee...but don't want to wait four years for your first cup...

The African Coffee Club

https://www.africancoffeeclub.com/shop/kwanza-sul

Delivered right to your door.

The best Angola has to offer!

Enjoy...

                                                        The Life of Coffee

 

Onward to Zambia.

Radioactive spider bite...Update...Cinnamon Rolls...and The Big Monkey Movie

 Yeah...finally fully vaccinated!!!

So, why does it look like I was attacked by a radioactive spider???

Above is a stock-photo of Covid Arm.

Mine has lasted all week although significantly smaller...about the size of a quarter...red and raised about 1/8 of an inch...and itches like mad!!!

Didn't even know it was a thing until it happened to me and I googled it...because it wasn't going away.

More commonly occurs with Moderna...and is harmless.

Enjoyed catching up with the boys and Nicole this week...and planning everybody (Tina and all the grands, too) soon...in one huge squirmy pile. Going to get pizza and such and the boys are bringing their new guitars.

Can't wait!

(...not too long, anyway...James and Nicole and the Grands are off soon to see her grandmother and have a little mini-vacation in Colorado!)

Lennon has his first vaccine now...had to drive out to Longboat Key for the Pfizer...so he is half-way to safe. Called me on his way back.

Good week...lots of rain. Managed to get some Ostrich Ferns planted before it all blew in and already have spiral heads poking out of the soil!

What they look like now...

What they WILL look like when they are grown...

Doing the patio and borders in green and cream and white this year. 

Found an amazing David Austin white rose.

Pure white with a heavy old rose fragrance. Repeated blooms and does well containerized.

Also looking at some more Hostas...and can see last year's tipping already. They add so much to my borders.

My guy has been doing a lot of fishing already...

 and played Old Man and the Sea recently with a couple of sizable carp.

Not terribly edible...and released back to the pond...but they put up a good fight and are fun to catch!

He will be morel hunting in a week or so.

Since I can't enjoy the thrill of the chase, anymore...I've ordered mine already...and they will show up at my door soon!!!

Already organizing a Morel and Asparagus Spring Quiche brunch with Diane and Brenda, when they arrive.

Also got a (quick) new recipe for Cinnamon Rolls using Puff Pastry this week.

 

Can't wait to try it! Going to top them with cream cheese icing and chopped spiced pecans ala Cinnabon.

No new book this week...outdoors as much as possible with Sofi...between downpours.

An update...as my sister Tina, now has both shots...and Lisa has had her first. We are planning a Sister's Day on May 1st...

Lemon-Drop has not only survived but is thriving!

And one of the new Barred Hens is finally laying.

Her egg is the tiny new one.

This Week's Movie:

Okay...it's not War and Peace.

It is basically bubble-gum for your brain.

The Big Monkey vs The Radioactive Fire Breathing Giant Marine Iguana

(...no..I am NOT telling you who wins...)

But it is well cast...must have had a huge budget...great CGI and a lot of laughs.

Well worth the time.

You'll love it.

Finishing the laundry and dishes, here...then calling it a night.

Hoping to get back to Virtual Africa soon...completely recovered from Walking Pneumonia and slowly getting caught up.

Later...

 

April...Easter...and Recovering

 

Amazing how quickly everything has greened up and budded or bloomed!

May actually open NPB tomorrow and bask a bit.

"...Avoiding Covid?? No...just pollen."

Finishing the house today so I can have a totally ZEN Sunday.

Three days of antibiotics left, and finally feeling 100%. So glad I got checked out when I did. Walking Pneumonia is really insidious. Until I crashed and burned I felt fatigued...but not as sick as I obviously was. 

Hannah turned 14...and will be seeing her with the rest of my grands after my second shot.

James and Chris bought a Taylor and a Martin with part of their stimulus and have been jamming together...

 

 James' Taylor

Chris' Martin

No guitars for me...but getting a new Canon camera very soon!

John already fishing, and they have finally woke up..hungry!

Our Duck seems to have already made a new friend, and doesn't look so lonely out there on the lake by herself.

and it won't be long before the morels pop up.

                                                            So ready!!!

Not so sure what they are doing about car shows yet....maybe???

The vaccines are going well and bringing us one step closer to normal.

This Week's Book:

Really a novella...the most recent of his True-Crime...which includes The Colorado Kid and Joyland. 

King seems to get better and better.

Completely engaging...quick read...a ghost story, but so much more.

If you are a Constant Reader...you'll love this.

If you aren't...give it a try...and you might be.

Highly recommended!

This Week's Movie

An old film from 2007...that I somehow missed.

OMG.

Stumbled on a short clip of the coin-toss scene in the filling station, and had to find it.

https://youtu.be/opbi7d42s8E

CHILLING.

Tommy Lee Jones plays an aging sheriff who is beyond perplexed at the new breed of crime and criminals.

Josh Brolin plays a "...really tries to do the right thing...most of the time..." guy who just happens to find a satchel of cash at the scene of a drug deal gone very wrong.

Woody Harrelson is a bounty hunter...basically one of the good guys.

But the best role is that of Javier Bardem...

 

Bardem plays a psychopath (sociopath?), Anton, who is basically a killing machine. He doesn't kill for pleasure or anger...very little to no emotion throughout...just methodical a means to an end person. 

He makes a statement about the randomness of life and death by offering at least two of his victims a coin-toss.

"Call it."

The film offers no redemption or Hollywood ending.

The good guys rarely win, and the bad guys aren't always bad.

The good guys aren't always good.

It is a convoluted look at the randomness of life, and ending with Jones character trying to make some sense of it all after a dream.

Incredible film.

Watched it twice to catch things I missed the first time around!

A good bubble bath and getting things ready for a relaxing Easter Day tomorrow.

Happy Easter!

"That's right...I'm an Easter Seal..."