Here we have the wild boys worshipping at the Pot of Chicken which will soon, under the grandmother alchemy which I practice, become chicken and dumplings. I have NO doubt at all that when I have been dead and buried for years, my grandchildren will remember Mermer's chicken and dumplings.
Those boys aren't really wild at all. I did ask them a little while ago if they still get crazy after their baths and they said not so much anymore. I guess my days of having little squeaky clean, naked children running about the house are either very soon to be over or are already. We shall see tonight.
I've spent the entire day at home. Glen, as I said, was out fishing and he is just now on his way to Lloyd.
The boys asked me again to read them books earlier (be still my heart) and we read an old favorite, "No Hugs Until Saturday" and a Babar book about that rascal, Cousin Arthur. I could not have been happier if Wes Anderson had asked me to be a lead in one of his movies. Now they are watching some TV while I write this and then I'll make the dumplings and set them to simmer away with the vegetables and chicken and broth in the pot. I always use the widest pot I have so that I can fit as many dumplings in as I can.
Before the kiddos got here I covered up the plants again. It may freeze tonight and it will almost certainly freeze for the next few nights. I took the trash, went to the post office, did the smallest amount of yard tidying, mostly cutting a few dead things and piling them up with fallen branches I gathered.
I have no idea what's going on but my camellias are not blooming at all. By this time of year I am usually in the midst of enjoying their beauty. Is it because of the drought we had? Last year's freeze? I can't really pin it on those things because I see other camellias blooming away. I did a very thorough check of the bushes this afternoon and all I found was this one very small sasanqua camellia blossom.
Generally the sasanqua varieties are blooming their pretty little heads off by Thanksgiving.
It is depressing and sad and worrisome.
I posted this picture a year ago yesterday.
your flowers look like fondant or marzipan . I want to bite them. Those little boys are like grown ups, very nearly. Time is a trickster. And where di that shock of white hair go on August's head? I am wondering how your ear aids are doing with the children's voices and sounds.
ReplyDeleteThey are growing up so quickly and so well. Levon really is the little man he was born being. August is funny and so sweet. They both are.
DeleteAugust's white hair went wherever it is that all blonde babies' hair goes, I guess, when it's done being blonde.
I'm going okay with the aids. Nothing very dramatic yet but I figure after I go in on Friday and get them readjusted, things may change.
I hope the camellia buds survive the freeze. How can the boys have bare feet in such cold weather? I also have chicken for dinner, but mine wil be roasted with potatoes and other veg and served with brown gravy.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't that chilly last night and it hasn't been today but as we speak, the temperature is going down. Freeze tonight.
DeleteYour chicken sounds great. I love chicken roasted.
Have you ever read them The Kissing Hand?
ReplyDeleteNo! But I just looked it up and it looks so sweet.
DeleteThere is a book about babysitting a grandma... and the napping house ...I love to read to my kiddos. The dumplings sound divine.
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling my grandkids ARE going to be babysitting me before it's all over. The napping house? It looks really good.
DeleteLast year’s camellias were stunning. I have the same problem (always) with Christmas cactus. Lots of buds. No blossoms. Those boys!
ReplyDeleteRemember the beautiful christmas cactus I bought? Every bloom fell off. Why do I even try?
DeleteThe one our neighbor gave me is in bud. I hold out no hope.
DeleteHow strange about the camellias. If there are buds I imagine they'll be open soon enough. They may just be slower because of the cold or some other environmental factor.
ReplyDeleteChicken & dumplings! I wish I was there to partake!
I'm really thinking it could be the long periods of time with no rain.
DeleteI wish you'd been here too! There was plenty of food for you and always a place at the table.
It's supposed to get down to 34 here tonight but just the one night and then it warms up again so I'm taking a chance and not covering anything or bringing anything in.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the drought. We didn't get any rain for months and my fall blooming orange cosmos didn't bloom all that well this year and neither did the pink trumpet vine/bush.
I wouldn't cover things up with that forecast either. We're supposed to get a freeze tonight and then down to 29 or something tomorrow. So- better safe and sorry, I guess.
DeleteSame here with the rain.
The boys are growing up quickly but they still love all of the sweet things you do for them. Yesterday we celebrated my grandson's birthday - he turned 9 this week. He got lots of LEGOs and I know he will get a lot more for Christmas too. He is still my sweet boy inside as he cries when people sing Happy Birthday! He can't explain why but the song just always makes him cry and I think it is so dear. I think we may have to think of a different song to sing for birthdays! ;)
ReplyDeleteOh, that's the sweetest thing, Ellen! Bless that little boy!
DeleteHappy birthday to your grandson. And the more Legos, the better!
I loved my Mom's chicken and dumplings when I was a kid too. Especially the dumplings! I don't know how to make them and wish I did. I'd love to have some again.
ReplyDeleteThe ones I make are so easy! But what kind of dumplings did your mom make? Were they flatter and more like thick noodles or fluffy? I make the fluffy kind and all they have in them is self-rising flour, a little bit of baking soda, and buttermilk.
DeleteI haven't had chicken and dumplings since my grandma last cooked them for me...it had to be at least 35 years ago. I would love to taste yours. Nobody cooks like grandmas!
ReplyDeleteAnd everyone's own grandma was the very best grandma cook!
DeleteI've never had chicken and dumplings. What is the secret to a great dumpling? I heard they are hard to make.
ReplyDeleteThe boys are growing up quickly, but they'll never tire of a great meal with you.
Something is definitely impacting bushes and shrubs.
Last Spring my rhododendrons had brown shriveled leaves and no flowers. They looked terrible. I was tempted to cut them back but decided against it and live with the ugliness. The brown leaves dropped, and new green leaves appeared. Still no buds and flowers.
It could be drought and unusually hot summer weather. The stream on my property has been dry for two years.
I hope our bushes/shrubs recover but there are no guarantees.
The dumplings I make are easy, easy. See my reply above to Debra She Who Seeks. They truly are not hard to make.
DeleteIt is so sad to hear about your plants and the stream on your property. Damn. I, too, hope things recover but honestly- we may have fucked it all up too much. God, I hope not.