the essential kit

Lent

February 13, 2013

Since, as my mother said, we couldn’t be in New Orleans last night, we had pancakes for dinner instead. Actually, Pancake Tuesday is a totally new-to-me concept since coming here. Or not *totally*, because when we lived in California with a British friend on hand, she would do pancakes on Fat Tuesday. But aside from that, totally new to me. Is it something people other places in America do or am I right in thinking of it is a European(British?) tradition? (I was making maple syrup for the pancakes, and…

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Kitsnaps: Guarding London

February 13, 2013

There’s an exceedingly long story that goes along with the lion and dragon guards of London and Westminster’s borders. I remember none of it, but if you get on the London city bus tour with a guide named Barry, you’ll hear it in magnificent detail. (I’m sure you hear it from other guides, too, but I can’t imagine they’re as GOOD as Barry! Barry and Dave, Dave the bus driver, who says he works with Barry every day and Barry still makes him laugh. :)) At any rate, lion! Fierce…

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Chicken Stewp

February 12, 2013

I had a chicken carcass, and I thought making a big pot of chicken stewp sounded like a good idea. I was right. :) The recipe as follows: 1 roast chicken carcass, steamed & stripped all attendant juices & fat from both roasting & steaming (or chicken stock), up to 4 cups 1/3 c flour 1 c onion, chopped 1-2 c carrots, chopped 2 (or whatever) c chicken 1 tsp each of: – sage – garlic – basil – parsley – salt 1 c sweetcorn 3 c chopped potatoes 1…

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Recent Reads: THE SOUL MIRROR

February 12, 2013

Carol Berg doesn’t write bad books, but the Collegia Magica is in the running for my favorite of her series. (I’d have to re-read BREATH & BONE to decide for sure.) There was a bit in this one that made me laugh out loud, when our unassuming heroine’s activities are related as viewed by an outside opinion. Not so unassuming after all, perhaps. A thing I expected came to pass within these pages, which was good (I really wanted it to happen), but considerably more I didn’t also happened, which…

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Kitsnaps: Snowy Owl

February 12, 2013

People might get the impression I like birds. I really have no particular fondness or interest in them that I’m aware of, except I really like taking pictures of them. No idea why, honestly. This is a good picture in color (I’ll post it if people want to see it), but I think it’s fantastic in black and white. It’s the eyes, so clear and sharp. The patterns in the feathers are also much more distinct in black and white, and the sunlight hitting its breast and casting its head…

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