I must confess that I've been withholding some bad news from you, gentle blog-readers. You see this hole in the ground here? Well, this is where our beloved squirrel on a giant acorn stood. The poor squirrel has been decaying for some time, now. I've tried to hide it from you - photographing him from only certain angles, tying wire around his tail to hold it on there. But a couple of weeks ago, Bob just walked over and gave him a kick and that was all she wrote. We'll miss the squirrel, for sure, and hopefully, we'll get another someday. Let's take a walk down memory lane and revisit the squirrel in happier days:




Squirrel as patriot







Halloween Hi jinks!



Celebrating Rhubarb!






Spreading Christmas Cheer.




It was a gorgeous weekend in Kendallville. Have I mentioned how much I love it here in the Hickory Hill Hood? Well, I do. Hickory nuts, beechnuts, walnuts, and my personal favorite....the acorn. Sing along with me:



Acorns in my driveway
Big wind knocked them down.
Make the squirrels step lively,
They put them in the ground.
They stick them in my flowerpots
And in my flower beds.
We've got a bumper crop this year
So, watch out fur yur heads.









Recipe of the Week:

Recently I came across a cookbook entitled Perfect Pressure Cooking - nothing but pressure cooker recipes. I tried this one this weekend. Once again, I underestimated the power of the pressure cooker and overcooked the dish a tad. Still, it was pretty good. My next attempt will be Chicken Marsala.


Chicken Piccata (in the pressure cooker)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 shallot, minced
1 lemon, juice and zest
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 tablespoon green olives, chopped
1 envelope chicken gravy

Place all ingredients in pressure cooker; secure lid. Set pressure cooker to MEAT (I don't have this - could be part of the problem) Set timer to 10 minutes (don't have a timer either) When cooking is complete, transfer chicken to a platter, pour sauce over chicken and serve.

From the Old Farmer's Almanac: "Every man must climb out of his own hole." (ain't it the truth, ain't it the truth).