Weekend Cooking... Banana Cream Pie And Banana Pudding

 

"We must have pie, stress cannot exist in the presence of pie."

~David Mamet

Boston Marriage

One Banana

Yes, I'm back from the dead. Lordy have I been sick the last several days, but I am so much better now, and ready to seek out new recipes that make my mouth water! And in that this is a three day weekend, it's Memorial Day wouldn't this Banana Cream Pie, be great for a BBQ, potluck or just a day to yourself? I have taken certain days, settled down with the cats, and eaten a whole pie. There is no shame in that, so don't judge me! LOL! Anyhoo... I'm going to try this pie, if you do, let me know what you think about the recipe. 

Two Banana

Okay, I get it, eating a whole pie is a lot to take on, so maybe instead a creamy, dreamy serving of Banana pudding is more reasonable, and just as fun. When I went looking for more recipes featuring bananas, I found this one for, Banana Pudding, from the Magnolia Bakery, which was also featured in, The New York Times Cooking section. Perfect! What better recipe to try than this one? I have always dreamed of visiting there, ever since I saw it on, Sex In The City. I am a big fan of cupcakes, and theirs look fabulous, but their pudding is supposed to be equally fabulous! It's all about having a full New York City adventure, like visiting the Statue of Liberty, having lunch at Katz's Deli, and leaf peeping in Central Park. Well, that's my idea of an adventure anyway. I don't think that adventure is in my future, but having a little taste of New York definitely is! 

Happy Eating 

Enjoy your long weekend!

By the way, the Magnolia Bakery has nationwide shipping!    ;)

Cats, Easter Bunnies And A Peep

 

"Life is short... buy those shoes, have a sense of humor and take a break when you want."

~Unknow

Yesterday was Easter, and we had a good time. We enjoyed the boys having fun picking toys out of their Peep's Easter basket. Tyler immediately put his catnip toy mouse into his water bowl. He has a bug up his ass about that. He puts all his toys in his water bowl. Strange. It's like he's seen fish in a pond. I know he hasn't, but odd habit remains. Simon chose a little blue bunny to bat around. So sweet. Later they will get some nom noms and big snuggles. I am really in love with my little stress buster cats. I don't know where I would be without them! Mom and dad are made a special dinner of, roast chicken, stuffing and green bean bake! Delicious. Despite the awful things happening right now, history will tell the tale, we are had a good day. The way it should be!

My Smooth Jazz Black Cat With Pink Ears

 

"It's difficult to catch a black cat in a dark room especially, if it isn't there."

~Chinese Proverb

Black cats are sometimes considered bad luck. Sometimes they are thought to be witches in disguise. And incantations of evil. No. That's just wrong on so many levels, but humans being humans, just have to have something blame their failures on. Superstitions like that, endanger these amazing animals, every year around Halloween. Cosplay dipshits like to capture black cats, and harm them as a sacrifice to appease whoever or whatever "god" they worship. I know it to be true, because my veterinarian's nurse described what has been seen. One day, last summer, she found a litter of kittens in her yard, so she brought them to the doctor's office, to hopefully find them good homes. She loved my Tyler in particular, and gave him as much attention as possible. She worried he wouldn't find a loving home, before Halloween, but I took one look at this funny, gorgeous, very loving little cat, and it was all over, I loved him. He had me at hello. So, we took 24 hours to consider it, and by the time we got home, we knew we had a new son.

He has pink ears. How funny is that? PINK EARS! In certain lighting they appear almost opalescent! Tyler has a lot of the same qualities of my last black cat, Hendrix. Tyler loves music, especially smooth jazz. He loves deeply, and when he wants a hug, he pushes his whole body into mine with all the weight in his body! He grooms my hubby, he checks on his brothers if anything is wrong. He loves stuffed animals and he can make a toy out of anything. Now what can be wrong with that! He has white ears in the front, and two bald spots over his eyes. He's also wily. He is quite the magpie. He steals things. LOL. But he also finds things that I thought I had lost forever! He is unique, and I am so lucky that he chose to love me. Cat's don't have to love you, and they will remind you of that from time to time! I think of my sweet Hendrix a lot, but Tyler was never meant to take his place, which is good, because I love getting to know Tyler for who he is, while remember the love I had with Hendrix.

So that's my Tyler. We have owned him since late August of 2025,

 and the future with him seems like the brightest of light, in all the worldly darkness.

Ellipsis Christmas Movie Countdown #23

 

"Isn't that always the way? Whenever you have a body you don't want found, everyone falls all over it."

~Jules (Peter Ustinov)

We're No Angels

Three escaped convicts learn the meaning of friendship at Christmas. That's it in a nutshell! But a lot of great stuff happens along the way too. It's not like any other Christmas movie I've ever seen. I just love the old movies, and the values they bring. I don't want to say much about the plot, because if you haven't seen it before you should just jump in and enjoy the movie! That's all. I'm watching it again tonight because I just need some holiday spirit, and to get lost in the plot of this nearly perfect holiday film!

Christmas Past... December 18th - 24th 1971

 

"I've been and kid and I've been an adult, And believe me, adultery isn't what it's cracked up to be!'

~Danny Partridge (Danny Bonaduce) 

The Partridge Family

This was the cover of TV Guide, the week of Christmas, 1971. I was 9 years old, and usually glued to the TV set, even on Christmas! During this week, The Odd Couple aired their Scrooge episode, Scrooge Gets An Oscar, and Christmas at the Whitehouse, is described as, the First Family prepares for the holiday season. LOL. Can you imagine that today? LOL! Family? What family? Trump's children? From which marriage? Oh my, the political zeitgeist from those days, would have reeled at a president ogling the Rockettes, or young female elves, passing out holiday cheer! It didn't take much back then, to end a political career. I wonder what it would take today? Perhaps it would actually take Donald Trump shooting someone on 5th avenue... but now, when I think about it, I am not so sure.

Visit Ultimate70s.com for more information about the TV listings

 from the week of Dec 18th -24th 1971 

Ellipsis Christmas Movie Countdown #20

 

"King Moonracer (to Rudolph) 

When someday you return to Christmastown, would you tell Santa about our little homeless toys? I'm sure he will find little boys and girls who will take them in. A toy is never truly happy until it is loved by a child."

~Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Who didn't love, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, growing up? It's first airing on TV was in 1964. I was 2, my sister was 12, and my brother would have been 16. I can't remember the original broadcast, but I am sure me and my siblings were siting around our old black and white TV watching it! Years later, I was growing up alone, as my siblings moved on their way, but every Christmas I had great old gems to enjoy, even if on my own, year after year, and even now! So, I will be making the hot chocolate and cuddling up with hubby to watch this old lovely holiday classic.

And as a second feature

 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Ellipsis Christmas Movie Countdown #13

 

"Christmas is the season where we give tokens of love. In that house we received not tokens but love itself. I became the writer I promise my father I would be, and my destiny led me far from Walton's Mountain. My mother lives there still, Alone now, for we lost my father in 1969. My brothers and sisters, grown with children of their own, live not far away. We are still a close family and see each other when we can. And like Miss Mamie Baldwin's fourth cousins, we're apt to sample the recipe and then gather around the piano and hug each other while we sing the old songs. For no matter the time or the distance, we are united in the memory of that Christmas Eve. More than 30 years and 3,000 miles away, I can still hear those sweet voices."

~John-Boy Walton

(Richard Thomas)

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story

By Earl Hamner

Here is another favorite from my childhood, The Homecoming: A Christmas Story, which aired on December 19th, 1971. I was nine years old, and I remember watching it that night because my mother had made a roll of Pillsbury Sugar Cookies. YUMMY cookies, while watching a movie! My family was the exact opposite of the Waltons, so the series kept me captivated when I was a child, and now, even as an old lady of 63, I still watch this movie, and wonder what it would have been like to have a family like theirs, close in love. I wonder if era's make a difference? The Waltons was set during the Depression, in the 1930's. Folks took care of one another and looked out for family. The 1960's and 70's was quite different. Oh well, anyway, the point it that There aren't a lot of tv movies from my childhood, that still live in my heart, but this one does. It's all about family!

Christmas Movie Countdown #9

"Christmas magic is silent,

 you don't hear it... you feel it... you know it... you believe it."

~Kevin Alan Milne
The Paper Bag Christmas

It Happened One Christmas

Here I go again, referencing an ABC Movie of The Week movie, but what can I say, ABC had wonderful movies, and I looked forward to every one of them. This was, as you might expect, one of my favorites, despite that it's pretty much simply a retelling of, It's A Wonderful Life. Or is it? It Happened One Christmas, is a woman's perspective of the tale, which really does make for a different story. Mary Baily yearns to experience life beyond the small time she grew up in, but when tragedy strikes she finds she must sacrifice her own needs, for the needs of her family, and her town. Thank goodness love endures throughout Mary's life, especially during the darkest of times. Finally, by fighting through the things we all take for granted, she receives redemption as a gift from all who love her. As always, it seems that we really learn how much we are loved until we are at our lowest, and offer to lift us up, without agenda or judgement. If you haven't seen it, watch it. Trust me on this, it demonstrates what is really right about Christmas, and teaches the lesson of not giving up, on ourselves and each other! As of the composing of this post, you can find it, for free, on YouTube. I hope it's still there when you click through the link!

The Elves On The Autumn Shelves

"We do not need to merely see beauty... we want something else which can be hardly be put into words... to be untied with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it. That is why we have peopled air and earth and water with gods and goddesses and nymphs and elves."

~C.S. Lewis

Okay, I get it, some folks find the Elf on the Shelf a bit odd... maybe even off putting, but look at those adorable little faces, and they are distinctly mid-century, which makes them wonderful in my Christmassy mind. I miss all the decorations and ornaments I grew up with, and yes, even the big bulky lights our parents used to put on our Christmas trees. You know, the ones who occasionally set the trees ablaze? Happily these little elves have been very well behaved, watching over our trees, since 1990, when my mother-in-law gifted them to me, from the set she bought in 1962, for each her three sons and one day, daughter-in-laws. I melted when I saw them. My mother-in-law passed away earlier this year from Alzheimer's disease, just like my own mother did in 2005, so I feel even more sentimental then ever about them. The new Elf on the Shelf looks completely different now, much more updated, less like an elf and more like a child in an elf costume. Sigh. I guess folks find the new ones less off putting, but give me old school! These guys are 63 years old, and I love them, so there! Elf on the Shelf dates back to the 1940's, but this version came along in the early 60's, just like hubby and I did.

Ellipsis Christmas Countdown Movie #2

"This is Christmas. The season of perpetual hope. I don't care that I have to get out on your runway and hitchhike, it costs me everything I own, I have to sell my soul to the devil himself. I am going to get home to my son!"

~Kate, Kevin's mother,

Home Alone

I haven't always been a fan of holiday movies, with the exception of anything Peanuts related, but Home Alone changed my mind about the whole genre. But I must confess, how does a film go wrong with with a story written by John Hughes, and Chris Columbus as it's director? It can't! I enjoyed Home Alone2 however due to Trump's 29 second seen, I can't deal with watching it. This year, however, I plan to watch, I'll just fix myself a Pepto-bismo martini first. I imagine I am not completely alone in my aversion to Trump in films, be it his brand, or the man himself, but that's what happens when a film gets too gimmicky for it's own good!  

                                                                        

Ellipsis Christmas Movie Countdown... #25

 

Lucy... 

"Peter once asked me when I fell in love with Jack,

 and I told him, it was while you were sleeping."

From the film, While You Were Sleeping

Do you believe in love at first sight? How about love at second sight? I think I believe in both. I was once in love with someone I had only know as we passed each other daily, walking into different jobs, on different sides of the same parking lot. Is it lust that makes us feel those warm and dizzying feelings, you know, the ones where we are so dazzled by someone's eyes, that you instantly forget what they look like when the walk away! 

Shrug.

I had known my husband since the late 1970's, eventually we became best friends, but it wasn't until the late 80's that we began to realize there had been something extraordinary going on. We didn't even know when it began, it was just there. Two years later, we were married, and because we started out as best friends, we had more than a little going for us!

While You Were Sleeping is a movie about the confusion of loneliness, and how it can turn it into the miracle of love, suddenly happening all around you. And learning about what love really is. Watch it. It's a terrific Christmas movie that isn't too Christmassy, and yet its all about the best of Christmas.

Love Love Is The Best Time Of Day

 

My kitty was pure love. I will speak more about Hendrix soon, but right now, I just can't. His passing came quite suddenly last Monday morning, and I just need to catch my breath. I was incredibly lucky to know him, and be his mother. He always let me know. I was loved.

 

I miss you, Love Love.

 

 

 

 

 

Working My Way Through It

 

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are

 deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” 

~Laurell K. Hamilton,

  Mistral's Kiss

 

I am just going to jump right in here... I am moving along with my grieving just fine. I think I have experienced all 5 stages of grief. Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and finally, Acceptance. My niece, my nephew and my sister died last year, as did a very nice man, Treat Williams, who I considered a Twitter friend. He was a man who cared deeply about the well being of others, and that is extremely rare in the times we are living in. It all happened last year, but well under a year ago, so while I have dealt and moved on with four of the five stages, I am still dealing with one, the sadness or depression, or whatever label you want to assign to it. I still have sudden thoughts, or memories of those I lost, including Treat. I miss them all. I miss Treat for his compassion and ability to see the glass half-full and my family for a lot of complicated reasons, but mostly the good times we shared.

 

 I have been spending a lot more time by myself, watching old movies, reading, and I like some computer games. The meeting at the democratic club in Lodi went very well, in fact we plan on becoming members, so I think that was a healthy move, more on that later. Like I said, life is moving on, but the depression remains. But I am not completely lost. I have my photography and I have my birds. Some of my beautiful beautiful Sandhill crane remain along Woodbridge road, and they are great for erasing sadness from my heart and mind. I am going to need my photography more than ever as we move throughout this year because of the upcoming election. Trump will only get more and more irritating, scary and embarrassing as we move closer to November. I am truly going to need my birds and my photography, just to keep my sanity.

 

My photography is beginning to reflect my moods, although I guess it always did to a degree. Anyway, I hope to heal in a steady manner, but one thing you cannot do, when it comes to depression, is will it to go away. You have to try your best to not let it consume you, and you have to remind yourself of what you are grateful for. Embrace what you love and don't let go. When the Sandhill crane finally move on, I will search out the Bonaparte's gull or the Caspian tern, and look forward to the crane's return next September. I will be on Woodbridge road, around the 15th of September, with a packed lunch, a pair of binoculars and my ears listening for the sound of a quaint old rocking chair, creaking across the sky. You can hear it from a mile away!

 

Donald Trump? Donald Trump who? 

 

 “That's the thing about depression: A human being can survive almost anything, as long as she sees the end in sight.

 But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it's impossible to ever see the end.” 

~Elizabeth Wurtzel

  Prozac Nation

 

My nephew committed suicide last July. Please, if you are contemplating ending your life, or even if you are not thinking about suicide but are depressed, there are resources available. Please contact the National Suicide And Crisis Helpline. Call or Text 988 to reach someone 24/7. Please reach out.

 

Yuletide Aliens: Earth Verses The Flying Saucers

 

 

 “We’re socially distanced over here,” her mom had called to tell her.

“You put the leaf in the dining room table,” Reagan replied. “That’s not social distancing.”

 
― Rainbow Rowell,

  If the Fates Allow

 

We always watched black and white monster/ghost/aliens/ghoul/vampire/invisible man/ type movies on Christmas Eve when I was a kid. We loved that kind of thing! When I was growing up there was 4 channels, and those networks and local affiliates didn't put non-stop holiday specials on, so when there was a spooky movie to be had, we watched it, otherwise it was whatever show happened to be showing when we turned the TV on. But I remember watching this movie one Christmas when I was a kid. Which one, I couldn't tell you, but I remember it. So, if you are on overload with the yuletide business, sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy this fine SCFI movie from a bygone era, where gas cost 30 cents per gallon.

 

 Those were the days!

 

Enjoy!

 

Comeback a little later for a special video featuring my kitties!

 

Open Your Eyes And Dream

 “It was the golden time of year. Every day the leaves grew brighter, the air sharper, the grass more brilliant. The sunsets seemed to expand and melt and stretch for hours, and the brick facades glowed pink, and everything got bluer. How many perfect autumns did a person get?” 

 
― Elif Batuman,

  Either/Or

 

Yesterday, Thanksgiving, was perfect! Hubby and I shared the delicious chore of preparing dinner. A feast actually, of turkey, cranberry sauce, peas and carrots, yams, and of course, pumpkin pie for dessert! Swoon! Later, we watched two of our favorite holiday movies, The Lemon Drop Kid, with Bob Hope, and Miracle on 34th Street, with Sebastian Cabot. It's my favorite version of the story. I know, I know, I am mostly a purest when it comes to movies. Rarely does a remake of a masterpiece turn out as good as the original, but this version did! It was a 1973 TV movie, and I loved it! Every single minute of it. It didn't really stray from the original, but the actors in the movie were folks I had seen in other projects, so it made the whole thing more relatable. David Hartman, Roddy McDowell, and Jane Alexander were brought it all together perfectly. Plus the incidental music, Miracles and Open Your Eyes And Dream, are 1970s background gems. Thanksgiving can be a hectic holiday, so go put your feet up, grab something soothing, like hot chocolate, and watch Miracle On 34th Street. It doesn't really matter which version, but if you have never seen the one this post is about, just press play, and ENJOY! And Happy Day After Thanksgiving! Can you believe has fast this year has gone?

And Christmas Eve is exactly one month away!

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving 2019

"Thankfulness creates gratitude, 

which generates contentment, that causes peace."

~Todd Stocker 

 #67 Leaf Of The Day

November 28th 2019

Nevada City, California

Nikon

~Mood: Happy

~Me   :)

Autumn, Alan, October, Pumpkins, Sunflowers, Roses, And Pizza

"This is October for me: Withdrawing into my own world, blocking out everything except the beauty of the season, my reflections and my relationship with God, I find that this is enough to sustain me through the long, cold, winter... and beyond... ."

~Peggy Toney Horton

Somewhere In Heave My Mother Is Smiling

Half Moon Bay, California, is beautiful every single day of every year, but it is especially beautiful in October of any year! The town's claim to fame is being the, "World's Pumpkin Capitol!" Which I have to admit there may be one or two other towns in the world who also claim that title, or at least "Pumpkin Capitol Of The World." It doesn't matter to me, I love the town so much, that I simply call it Heaven on the San Mateo peninsula! 

But I have to admit, I love coming down the steep hill, of Highway 92, turning a slight corner, and suddenly seeing, on my left, pumpkin patches as far as the eye can see! There are also a few patches that have roses, and sunflowers! My favorite stop in Pastorino's Pumpkin Patch!

Beautiful pumpkins, a petting zoo, sunflowers, a gift shop, and a bake shop, definitely puts a person in, not only an autumn euphoria, but in the mood for the upcoming holidays of, Halloween, and Thanksgiving! It's an enchanting autumn world, and Alan and I have been enjoying our Half Moon Bay visits, since we first visited Pastorino's, while we were on our honeymoon! I still remember the date, October 23rd, 1990!  

We had such a good time that day, that we named the day, Family Day, so that if we started a family, and wanted to spend our anniversary alone, which is October 13th, we could give the kids a special day for all of us, just ten days later! We chose that, because 49ner's quarterback, Joe Montana, and his family, were visiting Pastorino's that day in 1990 also! It was the first time, that year, they had a chance, to take a day off to be together for choosing their pumpkin! They seemed to be having so much fun together, that it sparked the idea for Alan and I to create the tradition!

As it turned out we never had children. We just didn't, but it didn't stop us from celebrating that special day anyway! We still have a ball, visiting Pastorino's! After we choose our pumpkin, we always head up the coast highway, to San Francisco, and enjoy the best of the city, and after that, it's onto Marin County, for dinner at Gaspare's Italian restaurant! A pizza, and two orders of their heavenly Cannoli! Life is good! Love is good! Autumn makes it all magical! 

We had to celebrate our Family Day, a bit later than usual this year, because I was a little under the weather on October 23rd, but it was okay, October 25th was a glorious day! Warm. Beautiful. And best of all, it was a completely happy, fun filled day! No stress. No politics. Just Alan and I! I only wish our kitties could have come with us. They are our children, and I just know it would have been fun having them choose the official pumpkins of Halloween 2018! Believe me, as silly as that sounds, my Dylan has very definite ideas about pumpkins! Each year we bring several home, and he always chooses one he likes to chew on the most! LOL! 

Alan and I have the life we wanted!

And our life is good!

#39 Leaf Of The Day

October 29th 2018

Photographed October 25th, 2018

Cull Canyon

 

~Mood: Happy

~Me

 

Falling In Love In October

"May you fall in love in October

and all the beauty it brings,

May your life be as colorful as

the turning of the leaves,

On each blessed autumn day!"

~Charmaine J. Forde

As of today, Alan and I will have been married 28 years! We began dating in late august, of 1988, but we knew it was really love in October! Alan proposed to me, the following year, on October 8th, 1989, and we were married one year later, on October 13th, 1990! Everything went wrong with the wedding, it was a true comedy of errors, from uncooperative, insane relatives, to the wrong cake being delivered, that, by the way, tasted like Certs breath mints, to someone stealing the pew decorations, before we could do our wedding photos... lol... everything went wrong, but the only thing Alan and I concentrated on was he and I, because that was all that mattered! Which is not to say there wasn't a few shit fits thrown about it later, there were, by both of us, but our love for each other, had nothing to do with it! As it was then, so it is now, it's just he and me.

AND

HE AND ME
ARE FOREVER
WE!

 #22 Leaf Of The Day

October 13th, 2018

Little Farm

Tilden Park

Berkeley, California

~Mood Happy

~Me :)

 

Merry Christmas And Happy Hanukkah

"Today, may you be filled with an immense sense

 of inner peace, unity, joy and happiness."

~Eleesha

The Soulful Pathway To Christmas:

Soulfully Inspiring You In The Days Leading Up To

 Christmas And Beyond!

From Our House To Yours...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

And

Mood: HAPPY/GRATEFUL

~Me :)