A GOOD BOOK: THE BOAT by Nam Le

I just finished a good book that I heard about from a review in the World Herald some weeks ago.   I got a copy from our Library and really enjoyed it.  Nam Le was born in Vietnam and raised in Australia.  He has received numerous awards and studied at the Iowa Writer's Workshop.  This book is a collection of short stories and really opened my eyes to the plight of the "Boat People" and visiting Tehran to the slums of Columbia.  I enjoyed each of the 6 short stories, each unique.  I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, short read.  

ANGEL FOOD CAKE DESERT

I found this great, little recipe in the July/August issue of Nebraska Life Magazine.  I made it this afternoon and it is really yummy.  Ingredients:  1 angel food cake, cut in half.  1 can of cherry pie filling.  One 8 oz. container of sour cream.  1 large package of instant vanilla pudding.  1 cup of milk.  Directions:  In the bottom of an 9x13-inch pan, crumble half of the cake.  Add the cherry pie filling on top of the crumbled cake.  Crumble the other half of the cake over the pie filling.  Mix together the sour cream, dry pudding mix and milk.  Pour on top of the cake.  Refrigerate for several hours before serving.  We only waited an hour, but that was long enough for us.  YUMMY!

TROOPER SLEEPS ON HIS BACK!

We caught Trooper asleep on his back.  Not having a dog around, we thought this was rather a strange and funny position to sleep in.  Only one more day and Trooper's family will be back.  I came home this afternoon and found he had gotten into the trash.  Not bad, but had gotten some kitchen trash out of the basket and on the floor.  He is bored with us, it seems.  He is a good dog, however and we have enjoyed having him with us for a week while his family was on vacation.  Roger told me Trooper is really comfortable when he sleeps on his back like this.  He really liked our couches/dog beds.

TROOPER STAYS WITH US

Trooper finds life is good, but boring at the Rogers home.   The Protzmans took a week vacation to a family reunion in Oklahoma and Trooper boarded with us.  Trooper is a good dog and very easy to care for.  Here is a picture of one of Trooper's favorite places to relax, on our couch.  Life is good!

CHERRY CLAFOUTI RECIPE

     Rose Ann's secretary's husband is a buyer for a food cooperative and sometimes brings samples.  We got some sweet, cherries from Oregon.  I looked for a recipe and found this one and it is easy and yummy.  Give it a try.  Ingredients:  3 eggs, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp. of vanilla, 2 cups of sweet cherries, and powdered sugar.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 8 or 9 inch baking dish.  Beat eggs, milk, flour, granulated sugar and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth.  Spread pitted cherries in dish.  Pour batter over cherries.  Bake 45-50 minutes until puffed and golden brown.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve warm.       This stuff is good warm or cold.  Kind of like a custard.  The batter is very thin.  Not to worry.  It cooks up great.  Enjoy.  Be careful pitting the cherries.  I cut my thumb.  Is there an easy way to pit cherries?  

SQUIRREL CAUGHT STEALING BIRD FEED!

Now, if I had a camera like Phyllis has, these would be better pictures.  The little stinker is pretty smart.  I first saw the squirrel on the ground under the feeder picking up seeds the birds picked out of the feeder.  He evidently looked up and figured where it was coming from.  Anyway, I thought you would enjoy these pictures.  

MORE NATURE PICTURES BY PHYLLIS!

My friend, Phyllis Williams, has been taking these wonderful nature pictures.  The pictures are amazing and I am happy to share them with you all.  

DOUG & MAGGIE IN "THE MUSIC MAN"

Rose Ann, Matthew and I drove up to Vermillion, SD, Saturday night to watch their production of the Music Man which Doug and Maggie were in.  They really put a lot into these community productions.  The set, costumes, acting and music was great.  Gray says he wants to be in a play sometime, too.  They put in countless hours on these productions and they are rewarded by good crowds.  

HAYDEN STRASBURGER WATER FUN!

Boy, these kids are growing up.  Proud Grandma Bertie sent this picture of Hayden playing in the pool and loving it.   I noticed that I misspelled Strasburger in the title and just got it corrected.  Sorry about that, Roberta.   

OUR FRIENDS MARTA & JEREMY

They went to a waterfall within 1-1/2 hours of their Nashville, TN area home.  This is our introduction to their new dog.  The waterfall is what I titled "WOW!"  As you can see, they could not resist and jumped in.  This waterfall looks like one of those best kept secretes we hear about.

ONE HAPPY BABY!

I am pretty sure this is Tyson.  Wow!  What a GREAT picture that Jess took recently.  Good enough picture to share on my blog.  

4 GENERATION GARRISON PICTURE

We thought this was a GREAT picture and wanted to share at on the Blog.  We got lots of fine pictures from Jess.  Looks like a fun summer for the Garrison clan except for a couple of stops at hospitals.  Let's pray there are no more stitches and hospital stays the rest of the summer, fall and winter.  

COUPLE OF GREAT NATURE PICTURES

My friend from Missouri, Phyllis Williams, send some great nature pictures that I wanted to share.  They are of a hummingbird and twin fawns.  

MORE PICTURES FROM THE ROGERS' FOURTH

I thought these two pictures were p0sting on the last posting.  

4TH OF JULY IN NEBRASKA AT THE ROGERS' HOME

Everyone was her for the week and we had lot of fun and good food and some fireworks, too.