Friday's Favorites Fare

READING:  A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz  This is a strange little book Mark got as a Christmas gift from his sister Nan.  Horwitz, of course, is a well-known, respected, and awarded writer.  I was expecting something different when I started it, am not sure I really like it all that well, and for some reason can't put it down.  It's a sort of story in a story.  The premise being that Horwitz sets out to "discover" the lands that were discovered by the famous explorers back in their day.  You get the original story of discovery and then you get today's version of the same areas of discovery.  I'll see it through...it has large print, and maps, and I love anything that has maps!  A strange little book. 

LISTENING TO:  Big Band Music from various artists

COOKING THROUGH:  Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking), this week's assignment is Velouté Du Barry (Cream of Cauliflower Soup), pages 419-420; Baking:  From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan), this week's recipe is Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies on pages 96-97; The Bread Baker's Apprentice (Peter Reinhart), this week's recipe is Casatiello.  You can cook/bake along, too!

FAV NEW FIND:  The new stoplight at 131st and Gray Road in Carmel. We now have a left turn arrow.  I am pretty sure this is going to catapult us even higher in the rankings for the Top Ten Cities in the United States for Raising a Family.  I know it just made my life a whole lot easier.

FAV THING TODAY:  Okay, let's say yesterday instead of today as I loved going to the Symphony on the Prairie last night at Conner Prairie.  Yes, it was a bit chilly, can't remember for instance when one needed a sweater or jacket on the 2nd of July!  It was all patriotic music and then a tribute to the Big Band Era during the time of WWII, so that was very enjoyable.  Fireworks at the end accompanied by the symphony.  Very nice evening.

GOING TO:  Let's see:  Some are going to Cincinnati to the Reds game, some are not; some are going to Elwood on Saturday, some are not; Some are celebrating clear into Sunday, some are not.  You are on your own to figure out who is doing what when.  Hope you are having a great 4th of July holiday!

PRAYING FOR:  Peter's family as Peter lost his three year battle with cancer last weekend, a braver child, I cannot think, a more faith-filled family, I do not know.  Please join me.