It's Memorial Day!

Disclaimer: The majority of these photos were not

taken during 5 o'clock local time

My sister is marching in the parade!

Sitting with Grandpop - we've got in made in the shade!
Today had to be one of the hottest Memorial Days here in Central Jersey in a long time.

Nana snaps a few shots!

For those of you who once upon a time marched in the parade, we are just across the street from what used to be Thrify's Drugstore (now a Walgreens) on the corner of 7th and Washington Ave.

Here comes the parade!
Unfortunately, it took me several shots to coordinate my photo taking skills of the paraders. Therefore I missed good shots of the VFW at the start of the parade.

I got it together in time to get the high school band - the Superchiefs!
Hey, I think I know that girl holding the banner on the left!

Lorraine and Sarah with the Daisy GS troop march on by!

More than a dozen troops marched right behind the Latina dancing girls from Lady of Fatima. The Boy Scouts followed and concluded the youth civic groups. I would have taken a picture of the Sequinettes if they were there - but I don't think they are a group any longer.

New Market Fire Dept. paraded all its 9 vehicles -
even the historic firetruck

This truck was bought in 1940s when
my grandfather was chief of the dept.

The Arbor Rescue Squad car is historic too -
it's been around since I was a little girl.
I

The segues are not so historic -
I still think it is funny that there are two in town.

I always giggle when I see the Rescue Squad's boat. There's actually a 2nd one behind this one that my dad once commandeered to catch a fugitive on the run hiding in New Market Pond.
I also get a kick out of all the candy the paraders throw out to the kids along the curbside. Luke stuffed my pocketbook with all the booty he collected as the parade passed on by. The parade was impressive with River Road, Holmes Marshall, Possumtown, and North Stelton there with all their trucks, ladders, pumpers, hummers, and Incident Command Vehicles.

It was so hot that it was time to break out the slip and slide after the picnic goodies. At least they didn't have to wait an hour after eating!

Hammock Haven

Resting up for the parade and picnicking tomorrow.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

It's Strawberry Time in Orange, New Jersey.

It's strawberry time in Orange, New Jersey
And you'll have a peach of a pair
Oh, you cantelope in a banana wagon
Or you'll mango your toes - squash!

Camp Song

So, it wasn't necessarily on the agenda, but the strawberries are ripe and I managed to pick 15 pounds in about an hour and a half this morning. That meant there was more than enough for the planned fresh shortcakes, homemade strawberry yogurt, and a few to freeze up for the year to go ahead to make some jam. Finished a batch just as 5:00 rolled around, so it was like this blog entry was also ripe for the picking!

They gave the last full measure of devotion

Memorial Day Weekend 2010 is upon us. It is with a grateful heart and spirit that we take time to pause this weekend to thankful for and remember the men and women who sacrificed all in service to our country for our freedoms. While many of us might know the beginning of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by heart from school days, it is the rest of the text that speaks to the meaning of this weekend of remembrance:

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate...we can not consecrate...we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Abraham Lincoln

best acoustics anywhere

So, today is my long day in Princeton tutoring students. This afternoon, as I sat in the lobby between appointments I realized there was an inordinate amount of activity occurring. It didn't take long to realize by the instruments and sound equipment being lugged around that a concert was planned for the evening. I guessed by the number of teens all wearing the same t-shirt in a variety of colors that it was a civic group of some sort. (Unfortunately, I never found out exactly what group it was)
While I was sitting there, distracted from my own book by the activity, I took the liberty of doing some people watching. I noticed a few boys come in, recognize one another and 'clump together' before I thought I heard some humming coming from their 'man clump'. I also couldn't help but notice a few girls walk in wearing their little black dresses, a few even wearing high heels that I would kick off my own feet long before any dancing at a wedding reception even started. While I did think these girls in particular were a little over dressed for an outdoor concert, I didn't give it too much thought; styles come and go and the girls were behaving well within the norms of teen-agers - checking out the boys and flocking in and out of the ladies' rest room.

I finally decided to get a picture of the gathering crowd and realized the boys were a part of an acapella group and waiting to be cued before their performance. Unfortunately, I couldn't hang around to hear them sing as I needed to use the ladies' before meeting my next student....

....and that's when I discovered that the girls in their little black dresses were part of a female acapella group warming up in the rest room. They were in the middle of a piece when I walked in, and even though they parted to let me move past them, I retrieved my camera out of my bag and they obliged me to squeeze together and pose for a quick picture - all without missing a single note of the number they were practicing. Talk about talent! I don't know when I last enjoyed a public restroom experience so melodious!

tea, hot and iced, sans sweetner

Two weeks without sugar or splenda in my tea is going better than I anticipated. I've gone a few days at a time, maybe a week - but this is a new record. And despite my love of Southern style "sweet tea", I am managing my iced tea without sweetner. I know I don't need the ice tea spoon but I still kind of like it to stir the glass if the ice melts too much.

The elusive purple cow

I never saw a purple cow
I hope to never see one
But I can tell you anyhow
I'd rather see than be one

Gelett Burgess

Nope, still haven't seen one.

A perky patch of pink

At first I thought they were some sort of party favors just stuck in a rock circle.

But they are really cosmos that blossomed before growing
so tall they bend over from the weight of the flower on a long spindly stem.

They were just too happy for me to pass on by.

Grandpop's Birthday Party

Some of the best parties, if you are a Grandpop, is a fishing party.
After the important guests arrive its time to go get the worms.

Make sure you get the best worms

Tie on the hooks and get them baited.

We practice catch and release of the bluegills and
sunnies here at the Homestead puddle.
Auntie needs more practice taking pictures after the catch
but before the release.

Is that a blue gill or a sunny?

Now that's a fish cake!

The best catch of them all.
Happy Birthday, Grandpop!

Cause that's the way we roll....

This morning I stated in my facebook status that I was a "Holy Spirit loving Methodist kinda girl" and I intend to give myself a red mani/pedi today in preparation for Pentecost tomorrow. I received enjoyable and fun responses as well as noticed that several friends in congregational leadership are urging their parishioners to wear red to church tomorrow. My day has been too crammed packed with an opportunity to pamper myself yet, but I have assembled the necessary accouterments to spend a little down time this evening relaxing.
Though the red color selection is liturgically matched for the celebration of Pentecost, I must confess the polish is NOT named "Ruach Red". Ruach is the Hebrew word used to describe the Breath of God, similar to the wind or tongues of flame and fire which descended upon the apostles gathered in Jerusalem as described in Acts 2:1-4 as the Holy Spirit was poured out on the people of God. Regardless of the Christian denominational house you may worship in tomorrow, wearing red tomorrow is witness to the fact that you've got a bit of the Holy Spirit!

Rinsed off and Ready for Summer

Among the several nice features of The Homestead is the porch. After a stormy winter and spring it needed cleaning to be ready for the warm days and pleasant evenings ahead. So this afternoon, I cleared off the wood pile, swept up the accumulated twigs, bark, and debris that comes with a wood pile, and made a few spiders homeless before rinsing the whole kit and kaboodle down with the hose. I also got the stained glass panels I made for my parents once upon a time in North Carolina hung up for the season. It felt good to use the hose on a hot afternoon like today that after I snapped this shot I went over to the drive and washed my car. Now, I am ready to relax and enjoy the porch. If only the other weekend warriors in the surrounding area would turn off their lawn mowers, chain saws and, other motorized machines I might be able to enjoy the evening and hear the peepers in the pond above. But I can't blame them for wanting to get a jump on their weekend chores so they can be done and over to enjoy their leisure time, can I?

Those March and April showers

did their job very well this year, because the flowers during May are beyond gorgeous. These homeowners in P'ton made their yard look like a country garden magazine spread. With the little table cloth and bowl, I wondered if I might be offered a glass of iced tea of lemonade.

But I was not interrupted as I did my own photo shoot.

This picture of irises is for Amie in Scotland.

Pretty Iris Arrangement

Plant flowers however you like and enjoy them.
Just know if I see a clump of irises, that is my preference.
(and these aren't bearded, which is another factor in their favor)

How UM are you?

If you are United Methodist, it's likely
you recognize the book I'll be reading this evening.

Yes, I'll be reading the Discipline.
I want my dissertation to not only meet academic standards, but also
be a contribution to the church and how we proclaim we do discipleship.
Yeah, you're jealous - or at least Chuck is....!

Violas in the baskets

I should have gone for a closeup on a flower
but I went for the whole post.
I've had it since Kentucky and am slightly partial to it.

Hanging with the nephew

Ahhh, thanks to my bro, I had some hammock time to myself

And then the sneak attack occurred

How could I be upset with one so adorable as this?

Foil Wrapped Trout

One of the things I like to best eat in all the world is fresh trout. I mean fresh, like caught that day fresh. Well, tonight's dinner was caught on Thursday which means it was never acquainted with Mrs. Paul. (Please don't ask me or my brother to eat frozen fish. After three years during our adolescent development of eating flounder for dinner 5 nights a week we just won't eat it) But since I know that it was caught within a three day window of its consumption, I will consider not just eating it but taking charge of its preparation. Well, technically, I suppose my dad already did help get the fish ready for kitchen prep - but that would involve another photo essay I am not sure you care to be witness to.

I prefer my fresh trout with other fresh ingredients. I think one reason I like foil wrapped trout so much is that I can pretty much guarantee the freshness of the other ingredients. Though I don't know the date the mushrooms and the lemons were harvested, it is well before their expiration date. Cutting the herbs from the kitchen garden to stuff the trout also secures the fact that this is a fresh tasting springtime meal. As for the wine - well, I'll just leave you to be the judge on what you choose to use!
Since my dad knows just the right place to go fishing, I've adapted this basic recipe. It still does the same thing, but instead of 4 rainbow trout to divide up the goodies, I stuff into one since this will feed three persons at dinnertime.

Foil Wrapped Trout

4 whole rainbow trout
salt to clean
2 T shallots
1/2 C peeled/chopped mushrooms
2 T chopped parsley
1 T dry white wine
salt and pepper
slices of lemon
4 T lemon juice

Catch trout. Gut, scale, and remove heads. Rinse fish and sprinkle inside with salt. Mix wine and chopped ingredients in bowl. Fill fish lying on aluminum foil. Brush with more lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place sliced lemon on each fish. Wrap fish in foil and seal edges.

Place under hot grill. Turn for even cooking OR bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Typically I bake in HOT oven (425) for 20 minutes or till done. Tonight serving with new red potatoes, salad, and something else yet to be determined.

Glamming it up - cakewise, that is

My niece requested the tween sensation Hannah Montana cake for her birthday party with her friends. Auntie obliged. I got creative with the border and the sides of the cake - but otherwise I stuck with the formula Wilton provided with their Disney licensed cake. She is happy with the results - and that is all that matters.

Rest stop

Taking my late afternoon break in a park today and
avoiding the traffic of downtown Princeton.
Ahhhh.