frog naming contest

Okay, so there are actually TWO frogs, one in the mailbox and one on the upstairs porch. We are having trouble coming up with a name for the one in the mailbox. We're just assuming that the original, Sandy, is the one on the porch. Here's the deal, come up with a name for our mailbox frog and you win, ummmmmm, prize as yet to be determined...

No major news here, had a small dinner party outside last Saturday...neighbors and new friends Rochelle and Rick brought pork tenderloin, rice, and creamed spinach. We contributed some grilled sea bass, pasta salad, and bread. Rochelle's Mom made some chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. Everything was absolutely yummy. Found a great fish marinade:


ingredients:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons oriental sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 6-ounce sea bass fillets
Chopped green onions

preparation: Mix first 6 ingredients in 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Add fish; turn to coat. Chill 2 hours, turning fish occasionally.
Place steamer rack in large skillet. Arrange fish on rack. Pour marinade into skillet under rack and bring to boil. Cover skillet and steam fish until just opaque in center, about 8 minutes. Transfer fish to plates. Remove steamer rack from skillet. Boil marinade until reduced enough to coat spoon, about 6 minutes; spoon over fish. Top with green onions.


Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend. Share some stories and pics if you have any!!

Animal House

Memorial Day Weekend has been very easy-going here. The cats were sleeping - Sandy the frog was sleeping too. First, Sandy scared Susan as she put her hand in the mailbox to get the mail and found Sandy napping - after that he decided to return to his home on the balcony.

We are going to take a nap too. bon nuit.

The Subdudes at the Bamboo Room Blues Club

Susan introduced me to a band called the Subdudes. The Subdudes are a really cool New Orleans R&B band with a Zydeco edge. She took me to see them at the Bayou Boogaloo in Norfolk a few years ago. I just really loved that band! Then, last week, we heard that they were playing at a small blues club called the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth. We asked Karen and Eric to join us, and went to see them last night. Karen lives close by the club in the town of Lake Worth – about 10 miles up the Intercoastal from us. Susan and I hopped in the yellow jeep and headed up A1A and met Karen and Eric at Karen’s house in Lake Worth. They took us to a really cool restaurant a few blocks from the Bamboo Room. After a fun meal, we walked over to the club. The Bamboo Room was really cool – very intimate place to see a band – When you enter the club you are greeted with an antique Greyhound ticket booth salvaged from an old Sinclair gas station in Augusta, Georgia - the backbar houses an extensive collection of vintage Cocktail Shakers– everywhere you look are signed guitars from the great musicians of Blues adorning the walls – the interior walls are Bamboo as well as the lower portion of the Bar – a really great place to see and hear any group. We had a great night – but, was really hard to get up and go to work this morning.

Southern Florida Lifestyle

Last weekend we were invited to a cookout in Ft. Lauderdale. Karen and Eric are new friends that we met at the Blue Anchor Pub in Delray. Karen lives in Lake Worth and Eric lives in Ft Lauderdale. They have a date and meet half way each Wednesday at the Blue Anchor (this is where I met them). Karen is an Engineer - Construction Planner for Palm Beach County – PhD Eric is a Biologist (Mathematical Modeler) Associate Prof at FAU. The cook out was amazing Surf-n-Turf cookout – King Crab Legs, Steak, Potato Salad, Corn on the cob, and Jello shooters, all the food groups were represented. Eric’s neighbor Richard is a graphic artist for the National Enquirer in Boca Raton (He is a complete HOOT). He informed us that he is responsible for introducing Jello Shooters to Paris. After searching the left bank of Paris for weeks for Jello, he finally found a box for $3.00 at an American store. Viva la France!

Emma and Lili

Here's a picture of the kitties together on the new chaise we got them ; )

Indoors

.............................................. .........................

Ok, so the weather is shitty here and to find sun, I have to look at pictures... Anyways, posting this one I took in Las Vegas, inside one of the hotels since it got some good rating today on usefilm.

Have a great week-end!

~ Vickie ~

pix

Vickie wanted some pics of the kitties, so here's Lili looking out our bedroom window. Will have to get a good one of Emma this weekend.

Well, this is the biggest lizard I've seen here...Lili is amazed at the size. It looks a little like a zucchini with legs....Took it through the screen, didn't want to scare it away. Then it just plopped down and started sunning itself.

The Mets painting is the one I did for our nephew, HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY, BILLY!! We love you!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

For those who like Sushi

Susan and I have at least 20+ restaurants and bars within walking distance. Mary can attest to this! One of my favorite appetizers that I've experienced here has been a Tuna Tartare dish. I've had it at 2 different places and set out to discover the recipe, in order to make this wonderful dish myself. Well, Voila - I finally put it together with the help of a waitress at a restaurant called Dada's. I felt that it was my duty to post this on the blog in hopes that you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Tuna Tartar a la Wayne

Tuna Marinade: In a mixing bowl put 2/1 of Olive Oil (now that I look back I might try Sesame Oil next time) and Soy Sauce. Add a pinch of Black Sesame Seeds. Mix with a whisk. Dice up small (1/4 inch pieces ) of Sashimi grade Tuna. Marinade in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Chop and dice up Jicama sometimes called the Mexican Potato
– same amount as the Tuna. In another bowl mix the juice from 2 Key Limes and 2 ripe Avocados into a thick paste.
In another bowl, mix Wasabi powder, and water to make a Wasabi paste. Add Mayo to make a nice Moose consistency.

Put it all together:

In some type of tapered form, take the Jicama and swish it around in the same Marinade to give it a bonding – put this in the form as the first layer (top) – then take the tuna and make the next layer – then another layer of Jicama – then finish it off with Tuna. Turn upside down on plate and tap – remove the form.

With a spatula, smooth on a topping of the Avocado paste – top with the Wasabi using a pastry squirter thingy. (large decorative opening). Great with a glass of Chardonnay – or light beer (Susan discovered a "loaded Corona" on Cinco de Mayo - at a bar called "Falcon House" - "loaded Corona: put a shot of tequila in the top of a Corona and turn it upside down to mix it).
Bon appetit!

maybe a trip in July??

Hi again, forgot to mention that I submitted some artwork (photography/poetry) to a local gallery in Hampton hoping to get into a show opening at the end of July. If I get accepted, I'll let you know and we'll be coming up that weekend!!

pics

Hi there, finally got some pictures up. Happy belated Mothers' Day to everyone. As Carolyn said, Kathy, that was such an appropriate photo for Mom's Day!!

Our nephew's (Billy) 30th birthday is this Friday and I painted him something special, but I'm not sure if he looks at the blog or not, so I'll post the picture of his present later!!

The lizard is the one I did, the three martini glasses Wayne picked out yesterday at a local art gallery, and the tree with the people in the fields is the Haitian one we bought the other night.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms in the Friends of Jay Adventure Group! Wishing you a wonderful, relaxing day with a memorable time spent with your children! Enjoy!

Kathy

Shout out to Silver Don

Hi guys, Susan here, so glad you're getting into the blog, hope everyone else that's out there checking it out will consider posting. It's so much fun this way!! Should've thought of it long ago....way back in January!! Could you do us a favor, though, and let us know who's writing, either in the post or at the end?? That'd be great!!

So, it's been a couple weeks since my last post and I've been reading this book....

Our friend, Silver Don, a renowned author in our awesome neighbor to the North, Canada, just published this book you see here. The cover shot is by none other than your buddy Wayne, and if you turn to page 219, you'll find us both, eventually. However, the coolest part is that, Don sent us this book shortly before we left for Florida (autographed of course, thanks so much SDC).

After having read just the parts that were about us and our friends prior to packing up the Jeep and Trooper, I finally began it where it was intended. It is so funny, and poignant, with lovely "onomatopoeia, malignant synecdoche, and incurable meiosis" ( p. 7) ( yes, I'm a teacher), and did I mention we're in it?? And it's so cool to read about their voyage to the Bahamas, which are so close to us now. We hope they'll be buying a place here and moving down to escape those hard winters soon, just as we hope all our other friends will, too!! That includes you ; )

Anyway, had to plug it here, autographs are available, ours, not Don's....for now. http://www.amazon.com/Sailing-Away-Winter-Cruise-Florida/dp/077101841X

Since our initial scare at the hospital when I first returned, things are good. We went walking downtown tonight and to our lovely surprise, found a street festival going on, much unbeknownst to us. Music, dance, art...all down Atlantic Ave. We were, of course, looking for food, and everything had an hour plus wait, so we ended up at a Cuban place, which we've wanted to try but hadn't yet.

On the way back, we ran into a Haitian artist, and for those who know me, Haitian art is my weakness. We bought a painting from him for $40, and it's our first art purchase here! I tried to take a picture of it for you, but it didn't turn out. So maybe tomorrow.

I was also gonna show you my first painting that I did in my new art studio, but alas, it didn't turn out either. I mean the photo, not the painting. I'll see what I can do tomorrow. For now, it's time for me to join my honey in Dreamland.

Love to all.

HAPPY 23RD BIRTHDAY, JENNA RICE!

Today is Jenna's birthday! Wishing her a day of laughter, love and special moments to remember forever! Love You, Jenna!

Love,

Her Mom

Jeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Wayne! Waves aren't too bad in DB these days I see! I can't wait to come down... Well, got some very good news today! Mom is going home for the week-end!!!! I am driving Chantal and Rob to the airport tomorrow afternoon and they will be there Saturday night! The dining room is now set up with hospital bed and all. Wheelchair is also there to help but she made her first few steps yesterday! With some help obviously but still! We hope she's going to get stronger once they get the anemia under control. Speech is still very difficult but hey, after all the stuff she had to go through the past 6 weeks, that's quite alright in my book.

So I think that's all for now! Can't wait for the week-end, it's been a long week at work...

Take care!

~ Vickie ~

Surf's Up at Delray Beach

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse - 4th of July weekend 1969

With the Tropical Low off shore, it kicked up the surf to California style waves. It was the perfect day! I was really flashing back to 1969 - Me, Rusak, Walden, Kahoona, Twombly, Casey Cash, Davis & Rayfield - I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The Surf was incredible! Susan and I stood on the beach watching and photographing the new generation of surfers - short boards, with leashes - every once in a while a Long board would pass by - I was stoked! My surfer knots were rising - i could smell the surf wax - and for a moment . . . I was there.

Kowabunga -

New Spring with Old Friends!

We had a blast at the Exley's farm again! Good food, good spirits, and good times!
I think the potential for rain scared some off but the small rainstorm could not dampen the roaring laughter of Linny and the brave "Friends of Jay" that peaked their hibernating heads out to spend time laughing, eating and remembering good times. Sunday morning was even more exciting than the night before. Everyone awoke to a beautiful Spring morning. We had a wonderful breakfast and headed out to explore the Exley estate with our cameras and to look for Jeep!. We began by clearing a space around "Pete's Beech tree" that was showing new signs of life and Carolyn carefully placed cedar bows(sp?) over the sapling to help shade out the open sun from the field. Within seconds down the trail we came across a patch of lady slippers-incredible! Then iris, then my favorite... Old beat up cars!!!!! Everyone explored the jungle gym of our industrial past and shared memories of our family cars, recent cars and the posiblities of one day fixing something up? Shutterbug heaven! It was an interesting mix of film cameras AND digital cameras (or both!)

I spent the day driving back down the beautiful backroads to my home in Goochland with a smile and a sense of sadness that I always carry after our adventures- thinking..."how am I so lucky and when is our next adventure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Williamsburg pics

..................................... Just a pic taken in Williamsburg last Sunday! Cheers!
~ Vickie ~

Ready to go

Hi gang! Thanks to the Exley's for the great party! The shitty weather never affected our good mood and we drank and ate just the same! Sending a pic taken from the ship "Tonnerre" we got to tour on Sunday and it was just awesome. They are specialized in disaster rescue and have on board a 69-bed hospital. Impressive 2 y.o ship with very modern equipment. We drove the French navy guys to Williamsburg and my sis hosted a nice dinner. They seemed very happy to spend time with people other than the crew.
L8tr,
~ Vickie ~

What’s a music festival without rain?!!

Last weekend Jim and I met Nick LaFone at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. MerleFest is an annual Americana Music Festival in honor of Merle Watson, Doc’s son and best friend who died in a tractor accident. This was the 20th MerleFest. Nick arrived earlier from Ashville and got us a good shady campsite. Thursday night we watched (in the rain) The Cherryholms and then a jam with Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, and others. In the middle of the jam they started playing a Led Zeplin song and John Paul Jones came out with guitar and continued playing and singing. It was so cool - everyone was yelling and clapping.

The weather improved over the next 3 days and we looked like stock market brokers circling and highlighting our paper schedules, trying to see everyone of interest to us - There were 9 stages.

We saw another amazing jam session: 4 of our favorite groups on stage playing together: Crooked Still, Uncle Earl, The Duhks, and The Infamous Stringdusters. These talented musicians are all probably under 30 years old and are not afraid to try new stuff. The energy level was through the roof!

We caught up with Debbe and Steve Peck and Emma and her friend Emily. Debbe told me some interesting trivia about Donna The Buffalo group, which we saw (they’re fantastic and fun too.) Their original name was Dawn Of The Buffalo, but people kept saying it real fast so it turned into Donna The Buffalo.

The major concerts were Elvis Costello Friday night and Allison Krause Saturday night. Tony Rice joined Allison’s show and she did a tribute to him. We also saw Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson. What an adventure!!! Jim, Nick, and I are talking about attending a major music festival per year (aside from the Folk Festival in Richmond.) Anyone interested in joining us?

Carolyn

Another cool bird

......................................

Yet another cool looking bird, but this one was either having an attitude or a bad feather day...

Still pic taken in Vegas, in the habitat of the hotel.

:)

~ Vickie ~

What kind of bird is that?

..............................................How do you like my new feather cut?.....Any idea what kind of bird this is? Still from Vegas. This guy was hanging out, begging for food...

~ Vickie ~

More pics...

Just an aerial photo takJust an aerial photo taken from the plane on my way to NV.

~ Vickie ~