The Phelps Family: July 2011

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Fun little project that has some potential! I foresee a trip to the bead store :)

Cathleen

www.phelpslore.wordpress.com
www.givingfullcircle.org
www.arlingtonchildrenschorus.org

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Cathleen Phelps

No better reason to run early than this!

Cathleen

www.phelpslore.wordpress.com
www.givingfullcircle.org
www.arlingtonchildrenschorus.org

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Cathleen Phelps

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Can't wait to try this Strawberry Ice Box Cake! http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/summer-recipe-nobake-strawberry-icebox-cake-117900

All kinds of good looking recipes this week from The Kitchn and I could not resist this one! It's about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the full recipe but that will be more than plenty for Lyra and me. There should be leftovers for Bill when he gets home tomorrow. I hope hope hope this is a "make again" because it was really easy and it looks like it would be a good pot luck dish.

Cathleen

www.givingfullcircle.org

www.phelpslore.wordpress.com
www.arlingtonchildrenschorus.org

Posted via email from Cathleen Phelps

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Beals Icecream, Portland Maine

Maine should never be 102 degrees like it was on 7/22. If it has to be that hot, my preference would be to stay in an air-conditioned venue with a crisp cocktail. Since that does not work well with a five year old, Lyra and I went to Beals for Icecream instead. It was what I would describe as local chain quality. Very good but produced in volume, not Pitango Gelato level (for Washingtonians). It was soothing, and the service was good. Lyra was very happy to get out of the heat.

Via iPad

Lyra's View on Rural Burial Practices

(Driving in rural Maine)

Lyra: Daddy, why do they have cemeteries out in the middle of nowhere?

Me: Because when people here die, they need somewhere to be buried. Lyra: Why don't they just bury them in their garden?

Via iPad

Lyra Mocking My Omnipresent Camera Being Pointed at Her

Lyra has a great sense of humor.

Via iPad

Friday, July 22, 2011

Hot, but this is a typical summer day from what I remember growing up.

Cathleen

www.phelpslore.wordpress.com
www.givingfullcircle.org
www.arlingtonchildrenschorus.org

Sent from my iPhone

Posted via email from Cathleen Phelps

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What do you think is under here?

Perhaps due to the humidity, we've found a few very creepy crawlies recently. Am I crazy for posting in public that I found a bug in my house? I think in this weather that everyone has something! Under the green cup is a house centipede and supposedly they are beneficial for eating other insects (EEK? Does that mean we have other insects here? I've not seen any but maybe this is why...) and supposedly house cats are good for keeping the centipedes at bay. Our cats CLEARLY are falling down on the job. Noelle is only interested in things that fly and KC is only interested in his food bowl.

It is getting expensive to pay Lyra her $1 "finder's fee" to spot these and Will his $5 fee to execute the hit. Fortunately for my pocketbook, I found this one myself. I called Bill at work but he did not come home so I resorted to the age-old housewive's solution to "save" the bug for him. Bill did come home eventually and dispatch it (we were thinking catfish might eat it but no way was I going to be the server). To my eyes, this this thing was gigantic but Bill said it wasn't really.

Here is the most hilarious and, I believe, accurate description of these creepy crawlies....don't you agree? I found it on Wikipedia

In 1902, C.L. Marlatt, an entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture wrote a brief description of the house centipede:

It may often be seen darting across floors with very great speed, occasionally stopping suddenly and remaining absolutely motionless, presently to resume its rapid movements, often darting directly at inmates of the house, particularly women, evidently with a desire to conceal itself beneath their dresses, and thus creating much consternation.^[2]

Now I am going to take a shower....

Posted via email from Cathleen Phelps

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Return of the Catfish

We bought this catfish when he was teeny. His disappeared for years and we assumed he was dead, but really he was just down in the bottom of the pond GROWING. He is now the largest thing in the pond by far.
This fish generated all kinds of amusing discussion on our neighborhood listserv when I posted an inquiry about what catfish eat (we have no more tadpoles) and whether anyone wanted to adopt him. The crazy "Jaws Cat" photo and "catfish platter" are from that listserv discussion. I made this video to show off the fish and didn't think it would be complete without those photos. Thank you, Wayne!
So can anyone tell what kind of catfish this is? I don't want to release him into the wild unless he's a native species. Anyone want to adopt him? Please? I know catfish can be yummy but I don't want to eat him. I mean, look at him! EEEEEWWW! I don't even want my cat to eat him.

Posted via email from Cathleen Phelps

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Tasting Notes: 2004 Greenock Creek Alices Shiraz

This is another of the premium Australian wines we picked up from Circle Wines Aussie liquidation sales earlier this spring. It is hard to understand why there was any challenge selling this wine. Hardcore Francophiles would probably think this wine is too fruit driven, but for people who enjoy California or Australian wines, it is amazing. There are layers and layers of taste - in the nose, on the palate and in the finish. The fruit is rich, but it is structured and balanced. The fruit is balanced by a degree of earthiness that allows the wine to go as well with food as it does for standalone drinking nirvana. On my personal five point scale, this is a five point wine. Drinking it is like admiring a great painting that keeps revealing more the longer you look at it. I love drinking wines like this because they help define the spectrum of great wine, and the experience of drinking stunning wine.