Not Spicy Meatballs

Well, because I was snowed in last week, I was sitting around watching a lot of TV.
On one program they featured a chef, who was explaining his fave recipe for meatballs.   Since I had a pen and paper handy, I quickly scribbled down his recipe and directions, which he demonstrated.

Although his recipe called for 2 lbs. of ground beef,  I did make mine with 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground turkey.  I've never used the turkey meat, and I think that gave it a slightly different flavor.
After mixing all the ingredients, I browned the meatballs in a pan on top of the stove, then added them to the tomato sauce.

They were good, and my husband said he liked them; but to me that needed a little more pizazz.  I thought they could use a little more spiciness.
I think I will try the recipe again, but add something a little more spicy to the meatballs.  Still, they were a good option for a cold, snowy day.  Did I say "day"?  Around here in New England, it's been weeks and months of snowstorms.
Keeping my eyes peeled for Spring of 2011!

Lucky the cat

We first met Lucky about 7 1/2 years ago.  He was so tiny and we saw him following around our female cat, Angel.

He seemed so little and lost that we thought maybe he was looking for his mother.  He spent years with Angel and he seemed to get along with other neighborhood cats.
But he could not be touched by humans.  I guess he was born in the woods and never adjusted to people.
We could see that he looked small and malnourished and so we decided to at least feed him.
Angel has passed on, but Lucky still comes to see us every day.  Well, actually I think he comes to find out if we are offering any food.
Yes we are.  I guess we've fed him about twice a day these past 7+ years.
He takes up residence in a double cat shelter that I put together out in the back yard.  One shelter is a dog tent and the other one is a molded plastic dog igloo.  Both are filled with fresh hay each Fall and I made sure that no drafts are coming up from the bottom, as they are sitting on a plastic tabletop from an old picnic table.  I also have plenty of plastic and a tarp covering the shelters, which are together.  I made sure the tarp hangs down in front to block snow and rain from coming in to the little houses too much.
Lucky always spends the winters in the shelter.  Most of the time, he chooses the one on the right, but with others visiting and trying to get out of the harsh weather, sometimes he takes up residence in the little house on the left.
Just before these pictures were taken, birds were partaking of Lucky's food, so I threw bread out for them, as it was snowing and they were trying to get a bite to eat before it got any worse. That's why you see the bread next to Lucky.

Here he is looking at Ty, who was also a stray.  Ty stepped inside my house as I was getting the food bowls ready a couple of months ago, and he stayed.
Unfortunately, Lucky will never allow us to touch him.  The closest thing to that is when I put the bowls out and he occasionally sniffs my hand.  We can only watch over him and feed him.
And we have to accept that he will always be a feral cat.

My junior year in high school, 1963

Well, I was looking at posts on Facebook tonight, and what should appear?
Bob McKeon from North Attleboro High School, class of 1964, my friend from school, had dug out some old pictures.

                                                             He posted this one of me:

An interesting video regarding our current government and the Constitution

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7286685n

My Crafty Friend

This is a great candle sent to me by my high school friend, Sheila.  She lives in Florida now and has this great wooden candle business.  She does all of the designing and the work herself.  Mine looks like my cat, Ty and I love it!  She can make all different themes, including holiday or specialty designs.  The really cool thing is that the candle glows in the dark! 

An update on Ava the avocado plant

Here's Ava, still growing and prospering even though we're hit with one snowstorm after another.  She has really surprised me that she has done so well in New England.
Go Ava!
After she spent the summer outdoors, I brought her in, not knowing if she would survive.  But she gets that all-afternoon sun, and seems to be relishing it. (She sits next to the sliding glass doors, which are opened frequently during these cold temps.)

Winter Wonderland in Massachusetts

 

Here's what we woke up to a few days ago.  The bird houses seem to look desolate during a blizzard, don't they?  Branches were down in the back yard and our trees out in the front yard, next to the driveway also had some breakage.  Nature's doing some tree trimming, I guess!

We'll get to do the clean-up when the weather is more passable. 

My husband used his snowblower to do the driveway and in front of the mailbox.  The mail carrier can't deliver anything to our box next to the street, unless it's cleared for her.

These icicles are hanging all over from our rooftop.  I have declared them to be Massachusetts ice sculptures!  With a little daily melting and more snow added, I've noticed that they have now doubled in length, some straining to get near the ground.