The Garden is on vacation until August 2nd

It's that time of year again, the National Romance Writers of America Conference. So the Garden will be on vacation while I'm gone.

However, I hope you bookmark or follow the Garden because I have some fun things planned. I'm taking suggestions also.

What would you like? More recipes? More interviews about wine? More recommendations for restaurants?

Let me know and I'll do my best to try a little bit of everything.

I've ventured into a new realm of writing. I write health and fitness articles for Salt Lake City Examiner .com

Come on over and check out the articles. I've only done two so far, but I'm going to write two or three a week.

Everyone take care while I'm gone and I'll chat with you all when I return.

Don't forget to give me suggestions!

Cory Vicens from Allrecipes is in the Garden!

Welcome, Cory Vicens, culinary director for Allrecipes.com. Thank you for joining us in the garden. Pull up a chair, have a glass of wine and make yourself at home. Cory, here at the garden we chat a bit about wine, wineries, parings, food, restaurants, travel and everything in between.

Mary: Before we begin, can you tell us about you? What your hobbies are and where you grew up.

Cory: Thank you for inviting me Mary. I have a culinary degree from The Cordon Bleu, and consider myself pretty lucky in that I was raised in Hawaii and though I reside in Seattle, WA I’m able to call both states home. A sports nut, I love to play golf, travel, discover/try new foods and explore where and what the locals are eating when I visit a new city.

Mary: Nice, two of my favorite places. Cory, tell us a bit about Allrecipes .com and what you do there, what you love about your job.

Cory: Allrecipes was founded 14 years ago in Seattle, WA and is the #1 food site visited by over a million busy home cooks daily. The site is unique because all of the content and recipes come from the members of our community.

As for me this September will mark 5 years that I have been at Allrecipes and I’ve been privileged to have worked on many cool initiatives for the company (recipe contest, tutorial videos, special events). I’m currently a part of the Brand Marketing and Communications team where I wear many hats! I respond to media inquiries, our communities’ food questions from Facebook/Twitter/Allrecipes.tv and am currently working on our new “Allrecicpes.com What’s Cooking?” webisode series. This is such a fun project, we’re headed across the country to film short video segments from the kitchens of our community members. They are the stars of the show, sharing the tips, tricks, secrets and stories behind some of our most loved, regional and seasonal recipes.

Mary: I can say that I love the daily recipes. The other day there was one for Pesto Chicken, I will be serving that at our next wine tasting/party. When there is an article on a recipe, how do you determine what wine pairs best with the dish? In my mind, I have this image of you and some of your co-workers sitting around tasting an assortment of wines with the dish. Am I close?

Cory: Well there is never a shortage of food or wine pairings happening at Allrecipes so you are close. We do have a team of qualified food editors and specifically one, Carl Hanson, as our wine editor whose job is to review recipes and determine what wine is best paired with that dish based on the ingredients.

Mary: Your job sounds great! Almost as good as what I do. Stay home and write. I’ve been checking out the web site, all kinds of good recipes and fun stuff to check out. You can join free and sign up for the newsletter. Just go to http://allrecipes.com/ Cory, have another glass of wine or some cheese and crackers. What goes into your decision about the ‘cook of the week’?

Cory: Yes, membership is free and you can choose to receive 1 or all of our 8 newsletters with 2 additional holiday newsletters, Novembers NEW Pie Countdown and our annual December Cookie Countdown Newsletter, there is something for everyone. We do have some criteria based around being selected as our “cook of the week” featured on our homepage. Primarily it is based on a member’s level of site participation or engagement and this ranges from how many rate/reviews they have posted, number of photo submittals and if they have a published recipe. We have over 3.8 million members Mary so it is a tough job and we’d love to feature all!

Mary: Do you travel much in your job; if so, what types of places do you visit? What have been your favorites so far?

Cory: I do not travel for my job. Although most recently I do feel like I have been on the road because of my involvement with our new “Allrecipes.com What’s Cooking?” webisodes. The show premieres July 29th on Allreicpes.tv. I manage the identification, selection and state coordination of our featured home cooks for the videos, so I feel like I have been crisscrossing the country to cities and states I have not been to recently and learning more about our communities’ hometowns, their regional foods/dishes and what they themselves are preparing for the families because of this project. It’s been so great to connect with our members as they have allowed us to learn more about them and graciously (with tons of excitement) have let us into their homes.

Mary: I'm going to set a reminder for July 29th! Cory, do you have a favorite winery? Tell us how you discovered it and why it’s your favorite. We love stories here—the longer to relax with friends.

Cory: WOW this is tough one to narrow down as I do love, appreciate and collect different wines and varietals from many regions of the world. The Northwest has some wonderful vineyards and wine makers but I will have to go with a local favorite of mine DeLille Cellars. They make some special wines none of which has yet to disappoint and we came about it while dining at one of Seattle’s iconic restaurants, Canlis, in celebration of my parents 50th anniversary a few years ago. So great wine, family, and an excellent meal made for a memorable evening all the way around.

Mary: Next time I'm at the wine story, I'll be checking DeLille Cellars. Thanks! Cory please tells us what varietal you prefer when it’s time to relax in the evening with a nice glass of wine?

Cory: Well right now with it being summer and temperatures a bit warmer I am enjoying a nice glass of rose after a day of work. Refreshing and pairs well with most summer dishes.

Mary: Can you share with us a fun recipe, and which wine would pair well with it? If so, thank you very much!

Cory: Well it is the Northwest and the salmon is at its best so I am going with a favorite, Alaska Salmon Bake http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Alaska-Salmon-Bake-with-Pecan-Crunch-Coating/Detail.aspx
This recipe pairs very well with a Pinot Noir, it’s a very versatile varietal and you can find some great values as well as many recipes at Allrecipes.com to pair it with, http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Everyday-Cooking/Food-and-Wine-Pairing/Wine-Types-N-Z/Pinot-Noir/Top.aspx

Mary: Okay, now I'm hungry. I love Salmon. Maybe I should try this for my wine tasting/party! One last thing before we let you get back to work, at the end of a long week, what restaurant do you visit to relax and get away from it all?

Cory: Well Mary if I could at the end of a long week I’d jump on a plane and head to Maui to Mama’s Fish House! My favorite! It is hard to beat fresh caught fish, fresh organic vegetables, the view is spectacular, service perfection and of course it’s always sunny and warm. But since that’s not a weekly option I’m going to have to say Chez Cory’s. I love entertaining friends and find cooking a meal relaxing, now couple that with sitting out in the garden sipping tasty wine and enjoying good conversation and it’s the absolute best way to relax and end a busy week.

You and I think a like! Thank you so much for visiting with us at Mary’s Garden, Cory.

Cheers Mary and thank you for having me!

Tribute to a friend

I was asked to give a speech for the Luminaria Ceremony at WJ Relay for life. I sat down to write something about my friend and realized that what I'd said a few weeks ago said it best so I didn't change anything.

Barbara Jacobs asked me to say a few words, fifteen to twenty minutes worth, about being a caregiver. Here it is almost midnight the day before the Relay and I’m just sitting down to think of something to say. What is a caregiver? I Googled the word—remember the day when we’d look things up in the dictionary? Anyway, Wikipedia has a bucket load of information. I copied and pasted it to my word doc, and then read it over. No one wants to hear the formal terms. Besides, I think we all know what a care giver is. So I deleted it.

I’ll tell you what it means to me.

First, let me tell you a bit about me and how I originally joined Relay for Life. I’d already lost my father-in-law to cancer, and my husband had lost one of his dearest friends to the wicked disease, yet still I had not heard of this amazing organization.  Then a few years later, I believe it’s been five or six years ago now.  I reconnected with someone who went to the same high school. We hadn’t been friends in school, I was a year older and knew her brother. But when we met at a mutual friends Halloween party we got to chatting and we became friends. Then one day I received an email. She had been diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer.

I was very upset, so I asked what we could do to help.

That’s when I was introduced to Relay for Life. She asked me to join her team. And we’ve tried to participate since. It’s such a wonderful organization. Many research dollars have been raised through caring and loving friends and families who have loved ones or have lost loved ones to cancer. However, you are all here tonight to help in the worthwhile cause, but you all know about Relay.

So let me continue on my journey of what I believe a caregiver is.  I’ll probably ramble a bit. So bear with me—remember I’m supposed to stretch this 15 to 20 minutes. I’ll do my best Barbara!

As my friend slowly slipped away from us, her family and friends gathered and gave her strength and also to each other. It reminded me a lot of the time when my father in law was sick and we set up a schedule so my mother-in-law had help at all times. Hospice came in to instruct us on medication, and feeding, etc.

It pulled the family together.

Is a caregiver someone who comes from Home Health Care or Hospice? Yes. They are considered a caregiver. But do any of you really want to hear about them? I didn’t think so.

Let me tell you a story.

I have a friend, a very dear friend whom I’ve kept in touch with since 7th grade, yes the year of the dinosaur. (Don’t let her hear me say that, she’ll kill me) Anyway growing up, Denise and I had many adventures. I’ll share a couple. We’d take the car and tool around in it—Sorry, I forgot to mention, not only were we not sixteen, I was supposed to be tending my niece. We put my niece in the back seat, where she’d stand on that hump cars used to have and hang over the front and off we went. I lost count of how many times we did this on my parents bowling night. Mom never caught on, she found out after I had my first child. Remember this, when you’re caught doing something you’re not supposed to and your mom says, “There will be pay back when you have children of your own.” She’s right, you will!

As the years passed, if I was doing something I shouldn’t I was usually with Denise. Don’t think too poorly of us, we were good kids. I remember one time though when I left her stranded. She talked me into a blind date, with a friend of a guy who’d asked her out. Neither one of us could go out unless it was a ‘double’ date. The boys pulled up in a topless jeep and took us to an R rated movie, Boxcar Bertha. Well Denise may have liked her date, but the guy she pawned off on me, left a lot to be desired. Luckily, I had my trusty penny loafers on with my supply of dimes.

I told you it was a long time ago. Anyway, I told her I had to go to the ladies room, but instead went to the snack bar and called mom. “Mom, you need to have dad come get me. They brought me to a drive in.” I wasn’t allowed to go to drive ins. “And it’s an R rated movie.” I don’t think I need to tell you I wasn’t allowed to go to those either. Double wammy.

And my dad came to fetch me. Man, my parents thought I was such a good girl. I never went back to the jeep to tell them. For years, I stressed about how Denise must have worried. And when I’d think about it I could never remember—and still don’t what she said to me the next day. I don’t remember any big fight or anything. Anyway a few years ago I told her how bad I’ve always felt about not letting her know I’d left. She didn’t even remember. All that energy wasted.

I think you get a picture of our friendship. Denise is that one friend. You know the one who you can never picture your life without. That one person who will always be there. Even though there may be a few years here and there, where life gets in the way and you lose touch. You know she’s just a phone call away.  

It’s been a long time since we went through one of those ‘life gets in the way’ times.

Anyway, Denise had been having a few problems off and on the past couple of years and finally last summer the doctors decided it was time to do a bit more testing and concluded she would need to have a hysterectomy to get rid of her fibroids.

September 29th 2009 she had her surgery. I gave her a day to rest and then went to see her. Picked up a couple of fun things to give her, walked in her room and stopped. This was not the simple laparoscopic surgery patient I’d expected to see. After all, I’d had the same surgery a few years earlier and was up running—okay maybe walking—around the next day.

But her parents told me she’d been in surgery over seven hours. I knew without being told this was not good. She was too tired to talk to me that day, so I gave her a hug and left.

October 4th, it was a Sunday and I’d made a big breakfast like I do sometimes and was in the process of cleaning up when the phone rang. It was Denise. She said, “Mary, I have ovarian cancer.”

That’s the moment my life changed.

She was optimistic, they’d told her they had found it all. She had eight chemo sessions to go through and with luck she’d be back to work before the holiday’s. Since then I’ve been her chemo buddy. I’ve taken her to many a doctor appointment, sat with her at the hospital, and the list goes on. And she’s still not back at work.

I don’t need to tell any of you what the process is for a cancer patient. Unfortunately, if you’re here at Relay for Life, then you’ve already been taught those lessons.

Maybe what some of you don’t know though is how important a caregiver is. I’m not talking about a person who cleans someone’s home when they’re too ill to do it themselves. Or pick up prescriptions. Although, they would be considered as one, and both of those tasks need to be done, and are appreciated.

I’m talking about the stranger in the waiting room at Huntsman who sees another patient check in at the desk. She overhears this new patient is on the same treatment. She stands up and introduces herself and says “Hey your on the same diet as I am.” And after a minute, she realizes the new patient is having a hard day and then holds out her arms. “Here, you need a hug.”

Or the person who stops in the middle of Costco when they see a person who has lost their hair because of Chemo and gives them encouragement because they are a survivor themselves.

These people care. To me that makes them caregivers. Everyone who has an opportunity to help in any small way with a loved one, a friend and acquaintance; is a caregiver. The small things add up and eventually they become a mountain of love and support.

A caregiver is the person who rushes to a friend’s side when their fever tops 104 and takes them to clinic. A person who is there with a handy shoulder for her friend to cry on, when the news is overwhelming.

When Barbara emailed me to ask if I would be willing to speak about my experiences as a caretaker. I said sure. But I really didn’t know what to say, because I’ve never consider myself in that capacity. Especially when it comes to Denise.

She’s just my friend. I’m just doing what anyone does for their friend. And I’m doing what she’d do for me. Sure, she gets mad at me, sometimes she even tells me to ‘shut up’ when she’s listening to the doctor and I interrupt with a question of my own. I just shrug, that’s the kind of friends we are. We’ve known each other forever. I bully her and tell her she’s being unreasonable. She hangs up on me. Relationships are messy, and those that mean the most usually hurt the most.

Sometimes I get so frustrated with her because she wants to keep everything private. Good grief the woman has a gazillion friends who all love and care about her. She can’t protect them. Then they all bombard me with emails. So I complain to my poor husband. But she’s Denise and as much as she makes me angry she’s my friend. I’m sure it shocks you to hear me say that about someone struggling as my dear friend is, but don’t you laugh, cry and argue with the ones you love?

If Denise were to call at 3:00 am to say I need to go to the hospital, I’d hop in the car and take her. Because at the end of the day, I want to have spent every minute I can with her.

Does that sound like a caregiver to you?

Well it is. Because no matter what Wikipedia or Webster’s has to say; my definition of caregiver is—Friend.

For the past month Denise's health has deteriorated, then last Friday evening she took a tumble when she decided to climb the stairs. She had a compression fracture of the spine. Since then it's been a rapid decline until yesterday at approx. 10:30 am 7/21/10 I lost my dear friend. She is out of pain and I will miss her greatly.

I love you, Denise.

Today I welcome Lindsay Downs to the garden. He’s a fellow author, but we’re not going to discuss books. Well unless they’re cook books! LOL.

Mary: Pull up a seat and relax, have a little Pinot and some cheese if you’d like. So tell us all a bit about you. Where you live, what you like to do for entertainment.

Lindsay: Mary, thank you for inviting me to visit your garden. Looking around the garden is about the same size as the small town I call home. I call a small town south of Hartford, Connecticut home. Being an introvert, when not at my evening job, most of my free time is spent either reading or watching TV shows. I usually have to fight Kebi, my collie, for the remote especially when there’s a Lassie marathon on.

Mary: What is your favorite time of year? Why? And what foods and/or beverage do you associate with that time of year?

Lindsay: I don’t know if I have a favorite time of year. Each has an appeal along with a favorite food. Winter-pot roast or beef stew with a bold red. Spring-chicken in its many different and varied forms served with a Chablis. Summer-has to be hot dogs and hamburgers. For special occasions lobster-steamed. Beer, good beer, with any of the aforementioned. Fall is the one season I’m not particularly fond of.

Mary: I’ve noticed a trend with some of our friends… The food network! Just last week we went to an afternoon party—yes I blogged about it—to try a dish Braylon had found on the food network and wanted to try it for tailgating. Do you watch the food network? And if so what is your favorite show?

Lindsay: I don’t watch the channel much anymore. I use too years ago but now that I’m cooking only for myself and working second shift I’ve sort of lost interest in the shows.

Mary: Do you travel? Where do you like to go? What are your favorite wines and/or food in your favorite Country?

Lindsay: Right now my traveling is limited to writers conferences. I average three conferences a year and this year will be my first time at the SinC Crime Bake. This will also be the first time since 2006 I haven’t gone to the RWA National conference. Saving my money as I’m in the planning stages for a trip to England next year which will be part vacation and part research for the next in my Target Series.

Mary: Lindsay pour yourself another glass of wine. I have some more crackers if you’d like some also. Are you a small town or a big city type of guy? Why?

Lindsay: Small town type of guy. Hate the big cities. To many people rushing around.

Mary: Tell us who Kebi is. And do you take him, I assume it’s a him LOL, when you travel? What places to you find friendly to take your Kebi?

Lindsay: He’s almost an interview by himself but the short on him- he’s a rescue collie my late wife and I saved eight years ago. Unfortunately, he stays home when I travel because he is shy, like me, and gets nervous. and we all know what dogs so when they get nervous. I’ve got several friends how house sit him when I go away.

Mary: What interesting things happened while you were photographer at the Smithsonian? Also, what is your favorite place in D.C.?

Lindsay: the two weeks I spent with the Smithsonian internship program were interesting. I was able to have access to areas not normally available to the general public. Especially at the Tomb of the Unknowns. It’s not my favorite place but a place I visit, to say hi to a friend, The Wall. Also the Vietnam Womens Memorial statue located near The Wall.

Mary: If someone wants to know all about Lindsay Downs, where can they find you? Are you on Facebook or Twitter? Let us know all the details.

Lindsay: People can find me at my website- www.lindsaydowns.com or on Facebook and Twitter, when I remember to Tweet. You can also find me every Tuesday blogging at Nights of Passion- http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/

Thank you for joining me in the Garden today, Lindsay. Before you go have another glass of wine and relax a bit.

Tuesday in the Garden

It's hot in the garden. This is going to be pretty short and hopefully pretty sweet.

First a few announcements, tomorrow I'll have Lindsay Downs in the garden for an interview. Not sure what's up for Thursday yet. But Friday--I'm excited for you too Lindsay--but Friday I have the culinary director for Allrecipes .com in the garden. So make sure to drop by.

To ward of the summer heat I'll give you a refreshing dessert recipe.

Cut up the follow (and you can always add else) and mix together:
Strawberries
Red Grapes (Whole)
pineapple
mango
Apples

Mix vanilla bean ice cream and mix it with rum liquor and cinnamon.

Dish up your fruit and put one or two scoops of ice cream mix on top. Delightful.

There all kinds of things you can do with mixed fruit in the summer. I'm not the only one who's ever experimented with a fruit dessert. What have you done?

Summer in the Garden

Good morning, in some places Good Afternoon. I'm sorry I'm running late today. It's been one of those years.

Here in Utah the temps are reaching normal for this time of year, three digits. So simple is the key. I am going to share something very simple, not even a recipe really. Shredded BBQ chicken sandwiches.

Every week, usually Monday, we have Papa and Nana day when all the kids and grandkids come over for dinner. It's mostly potluck, but Nana always does the meat or main course.

My chicken is already cooking. All I do is throw some boneless breasts in the Crockpot with BBQ sauce on high for about an hour, then turn it to low let it slowly cook all day. About 2pm I'll take a fork and shred it and let it simmer until dinner. I serve it on bakery buns, hoagie or smaller hard rolls. I'm sure you can use hamburger buns also.

That's it! Do I make home made sauce? Nope I use Kroger KC style Hickory smoked BBQ sauce from a bottle. If you have a good recipe to use it would probably be awesome. But I'm just too lazy.

Then the kids bring the sides and we have a fun time with the family.

Wine? Yes tonight I'm having a nice crisp white:

Guenoc (is now Langtry Estate & Vineyards)
2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Lake County Sauvignon Blanc has notes of pineapple, guava, and honeysuckle, with lush fruit flavors followed by a bright, crisp finish. (Yeah I got that straight from the bottle. LOL)

Enjoy!

Tell me what your favorite easy summer recipe is...

Friday in the Garden

It's late for us, but it's concert time. We are the ultimate concert whores and would go to one every night if we could afford to.

Tuesday we saw Paul McCartney, wonderful. I grew up on the Beatles, it brought back so many memories such as February 9, 1964 the Ed Sullivan show, my Mom, hands on hips, sternly saying,  "No Mary you cannot watch those long haired hippies on television. Your sisters are older, but I'm going to make sure they don't see anything they shouldn't." Later after I'm supposed to be in my bed, my sister's are glued to the grainy black and white image, and Mom's complaining about the noise.

I'm on my tummy in the hall peeking around the door frame to catch a glimpse. Oh my gosh... Paul... my heart drummed against the sage green carpet and good thing I wasn't standing because my legs wouldn't have held me up. I was in love!

The concert was in the REAL Soccer stadium so no outside food or drink were allowed inside. And yes we were in the nosebleed section, but it was still awesome.

Since we were going to another concert on Wednesday where we could take food, I planned for two meals when I made dinner before we left for the stadium on Tuesday.

On Wednesday we saw Lyle Lovett and his large band. They were great!

I thought I'd tell you what I did with my two meal plan. It's something I like to do for a picnic when the outdoor venue allows you to take your own food and beverage. This is how Red Butte Gardens concerts are. (If you look up at the template on my blog in front of that waterfall is a bridge and down the path and on the other side is this concert venue.)

In this economy I'm always cutting corners, what I wanted for our concert picnic was Chicken Wraps but I didn't need as much chicken as I usually use for a dinner. Tuesday I thawed two large boneless chicken breasts. One I cut into 1/2 inch pieces and the other I left whole. The large one I put in the pan first. I used a little olive oil, coarse ground pepper and 3 chopped cloves of Garlic (you can never have too much garlic) and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. When it was about half done, I put in the chicken pieces. When the large piece was done, I removed and saved in the fridge for the next day.

I let the small pieces continue to simmer, I added some crushed chili pepper and some more olive oil. I served over angel haired pasta. I had some Garlic cheese toast, the kind you take straight from the freezer and bake, to serve on the side. Then it was off to see Paul.

Wednesday afternoon it was time to prepare our picnic:
I sliced the following:
Chicken Breast from the day before
Cucumber
Lettuce
Onion

I poured 1 tbsp of South West Ranch dressing (it's good with any type of dressing) onto a flour tortilla, added some cold sliced chicken. Then layered the cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce. Sprinkle julienne carrots over the top and added another tbsp of dressing. Rolled the wrap up in Saran wrap and placed in something to protect it from the melting ice.

We took chips and red grapes to have on the side. We also had Voigneir wine that I had bought because Caroline had suggested it the other day, it complimented the chicken wraps to perfection. We added some cheese and crackers to the cooler--last minute thought!

And there you have your perfect picnic for an outdoor concert.

Liz Lipperman is in the Garden

Welcome, Liz Lipperman, to Mary’s Garden. Today we’re going to have a south of the border feel. So please have a margarita, or whatever beverage you’d prefer and settle in and relax. Liz is one of my blogging partners on Mysteries and Margaritas, if you’d like to find out more about her you can check our 10 things to know about us: http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com/2010/07/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-m.html

Mary: Today we’re not discussing writing a book. We may discuss a few related things. Mostly we’re going to get to know Liz as a person, not as an author. Tell us a little bit about you, Liz.

Liz: I married my HS sweetheart, have two grown children and three adorable grandchildren. I love to do anything that involves sports, love the NFL, and I’m a rabid Cowboys’ fan. I even run an NFL betting game through Yahoo.

Mary: I know you live in Texas, and this is why we’re talking something other than wine. Liz, have you lived there all of your life?

Liz: I was born and raised in Ohio and moved to Texas after hubby got out of the Air Force. I’ve been here over thirty years and now consider myself a Texan without an accent.

Mary: Another reason we’re not discussing wine’s or wineries is because, Liz, is not a wine drinker. She prefers a good margarita instead. Liz, what do you like? On the rocks? Frozen? Do you salt the rim? Are you all for the traditional or will you try other flavors, like strawberry margaritas?

Liz: I like any kind of margarita, but I always ask for a “sissy” one. That’s one with not too much tequila. My absolute favorite is a Margarita Swirl. That’s a frozen one with sangria swirled around in it. OMG! I make them at home using the bucket of frozen margaritas and my homemade sangria and a 10 cc syringe used to flavor a ham.

Mary: Everyone have some chips and salsa while we’re visiting with Liz. Back to the grilling, I mean interview. So Liz, what type of food do you like with your margarita?

Liz: Mexican is probably my all-time favorite. I usually get either a taco salad or chicken fajitas.

Mary: Which do you prefer, traditional Mexican or Tex Mex? And do you have a favorite restaurant?

Liz: Hands down Tex-Mex. I find the real stuff is too bland for me.

Mary: What? The real stuff is too bland? Obviously they don't use a lot of habanero chili's in Texas. Now if you asked me that question--my last name being Martinez (Married into the name) I'd say the real stuff because it's more spicy and Tex-Mex is the bland stuff! LOL

Liz: I would say you eat Utah-Mex. We use a lot of habaneros and jalapenos in Texas so that when it is served, it really doesn't need any more hot stuff. I would love some of your recipes!!

Mary: Do you like to travel? And if you’re in a new town do you search for a good Mexican or southwest restaurant? If not what kind?

Liz: Hubby and I travel a lot. Just last month we spent a week on an Alaskan cruise and a week with kids and grandkids on Lake Conroe near Houston. Usually, I avoid Mexican restaurants like the plague since they have a hard time competing with my Tex-Mex at home. Houston was a whole other story.

Mary: Is there one place who you believe have the best margarita around?

Liz: We have a restaurant chain here in the Dallas area called Uncle Julio’s. OMG,  they make a swirl to die for.

Mary:  When you’re relaxing, do you listen to music? If so what kind? And who are your favorite artists?

Liz: I am an Oldies freak, although I do love some of the stuff my kids used to listen to. I love Marc Anthony, Boyz2Men, N’Sync, Everly Brothers, Santana…I could go on and on. I have an eclectic taste. My friend always says I am audio (as opposed to visual.) I even have a soundtrack for one of my manuscripts for when they make the movie. (How many margaritas have I had tonight????)

Man, and I thought I had eclectic tastes! Loving margaritas I can't believe there isn't a little Jimmy Buffett in there! Thank you, Liz, for visiting me at Mary’s Garden I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself.

Thanks, Mary. This was a kick.

Okay here is a recipe of mine, the kids love it. You can make it as hot or as mild as you'd like. It's not from scratch, this is one of those when you just want to throw it in a Crockpot and forget about it until dinner.
Chili Verde: (It's actually my son Dave's recipe)

I pull/shred with my fingers the 16 oz pulled pork into the crock pot.
Then I add the following:
3 – 28 oz. cans Las Palmas Green chili enchilada sauce
1 ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 ¾ cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped jalapeños
¾ cup chopped red hot peppers
1 ¾ cup chopped onion
½ tsp chili powder or to taste

I cook on low for about 3 hours
I usually want to thicken it so I scoop out liquid into a bowl and mix it with flour (optional). I use a fork to stir until creamy and not lumpy. Then I add it to the pot of Verde and cook for another hour on low.

I serve with rice and refried beans and tortilla’s and shredded cheese.

Caroline Fyffe is in the Garden

Welcome, Caroline Fyffe photographer and author, to my home. Everyone grab a beverage of your choice and settle in. Caroline is a long distance member of the RWA chapter I belong to, Utah RWA. She’s doing a blog tour to promote her new book coming out. If you’d like to read about her and her writing success there will be an interview on Mysteries and Margarita’s blog August 5th.

Mary: Caroline, usually the interview topics here at Mary’s Garden covers things, like wine, wineries, restaurants, and travel and anything else casual. To keep in theme I’m going to ask you a couple of questions about that to begin. I know you lived in Lodi, California. (I know you moved, but can’t remember where too. So if you moved to Lodi, I’ll change it to ‘live’. And of course remove this LOL) where  some great Zinfandels are located. (check out the link to Lodi I added) Do you enjoy a good glass of wine, if so what do you like? What do you recommend?

Caroline: Hi Mary, I’m so happy to be here today.  Thank you for having me.  And to answer your question, of course!  I typically have a nice glass of chardonnay in my hand when it’s dinner time and I’m through for the day.  I have several favorites—Woodbridge and Van Ruiten Family Winery, both local to the Lodi area, and Kendall Jackson.

Mary: Do you have any fun wine or winery trip stories you can share with us?

Caroline: A couple of years ago my girlfriend and I agreed to meet for lunch in the historic gold-mining town of Sutter Creek, in the foothills of California.  After lunch, and just for fun, we ventured over to a little place on Main Street called Sutter Creek Wine Tasting.  Being the only ones there, we took our time and sipped our way through the whites and then started with the reds, finishing with the dessert selections.  Needless to say, we were having a very good time.  I tasted my first Viognier there, and liked it well enough to bring a bottle home. (I still love a good Viognier, but they’re hard to find in restaurants.) Now, after all this tasting, we visited a boutique a few doors down, where I needed little encouragement to purchase an expensive jacket for Christmas--a piece of clothing I’d never have picked out normally, a little item that resembled something the Jack of Hearts might wear. (I’m sure you can picture this! Ha! Outrageous!)

Mary: Thanks for indulging me. Oh yes, I've had my share of purchase during a delicious wine haze. Would you tell us a bit about your life? What the motivating force was that drove you to photography. Why horses? Do you take pictures of other things also? Take pictures, it sounds so mundane because your work is truly art.

Caroline: I fell into photography---really.  I’m a horse lover born and raised.  I was working in advertising at a magazine, California Horse Review, when a display advertisement was contracted for a local seminar on equine photography.  I went, and the die was cast.  After that, I started looking around and found a well-known equine photographer in Texas who offered a week long course once a year, for just six students.  That was about 20 years ago.  Since then I’ve photographed horse shows in many states, and worked for national magazines.  The job also entails going to farms and taking advertising photographs of stallions standing at stud and sometimes foals for sale. Last year, weary of travel and the hard work (did I mention it’s really hard work?  If I didn’t I should have!) I gave up shooting horse shows to have more time for writing.  Now I mostly freelance for publications like Horse & Rider magazine.  I can say I’ve enjoyed more early sunrises (the best shots come in that early light so I get to my farms early).  It’s been wonderful.

Mary: When you travel for enjoyment, where do you visit?

Caroline: I love Europe.  We've been to Italy and France and England.  But, I also love traveling in the United States too.  My husband and I have a Honda Goldwing touring bike and have gone on several three to seven day trips.  It's amazing fun to be whizzing down the road. I like to take video and then make movies.  We've gone from Lodi to Portland over to Hermiston the up to Leavenworth, Washington,  a little German town that's totally too cute.  We went and saw Sound of Music at the open theater there.  Then we shot  over to Astoria and back into California. One thing about riding a motorcycle it makes going out to dinner and that nice glass of wine so much better!  LOLO

Mary: Oh I love Astoria, one of my favorites, and it is so beautiful. Where is the one place you would visit if you could?

Caroline: Austria.  Salzburg and Innsbruck.  They're both on the top of my bucket list.

Mary: I understand you have a new book out in August, which is the reason for your blog tour. As I advised in the beginning, everyone can check the Mysteries and Margaritas on August 5th for more detail about your writing life. However, please tell us a bit about your book Montana Dawn.

Caroline: MONTANA DAWN, which was a Golden Heart Finalist in 2007, takes place in the little town of Y Knot, Montana in the late 1800s.  The McCutcheons, a cattle ranching family, have carved a dynasty from the wilderness by the sweat of their brow and honorable values.  Luke McCutcheon, the third brother and the hero of this story, is the only one who was sired by an American Indian, when his mother was taken captive.  He’s the trail boss for the once-a-year cattle drive the McCutcheons make.  When he comes upon Faith Brown giving birth in her wagon, he’s shocked to learn her little son is Faith’s only help.  He agrees to stay and deliver her child.  That’s when all the fun begins….

I love stories about big families.  I wanted to give Luke as much unconditional love as he needed to battle his own ghosts about his heritage.  John McCutcheon, the youngest brother, is introduced in MONTANA DAWN, but you don’t actually meet him until my next book, ONCE UPON A TEXAS TWILIGHT, planned for next year.

Today, in celebration of the release of MONTANA DAWN I’m offering a copy to a commenter.  Also, if you go to my website and sign up for my News Letter  www.carolinefyffe.com you’ll be entered for a basket filled with candies, chocolates, muffin mix,  a handsome coffee mug (filled with more chocolate!) and a jar of scrumptious jam, all made from the Big Sky State’s coveted Huckleberry.  Also included is an autographed copy of both MONTANA DAWN and WHERE THE WIND BLOWS.  It’s as easy as pie.   Winner will be drawn just in time for Christmas on December 10th, 2010.

Thank you for joining me today in the garden, Caroline. I have learned a lot. I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I did.

I’ve had a marvelous time!  Thank you so much.  I look forward to spending time with you in Orlando at the RWA National Convention at Disney World.  It’s coming up quick.
A quick question to your followers;  If you were stranded on an island and could only have three things…What wine would you want to have along?  What snack would keep you fed?  And, what book couldn’t you live without?

Cheers!

Staying healthy in the Garden

If you want to enjoy wine, good food and other fun things then it's very important you stay healthy. What I like to do is during the week do my best to eat as healthy as possible. I watch my portions and keep track of calories. Then on the weekends I'm free to enjoy a little more wine, or dessert. I still try to watch my portions, even when I'm allowing myself a little treat.

Resolutions at the beginning of each year are usually what motivate a person to become healthy. How many people actually continue year round? If you live in Utah then you have snow, wet roads, and cold and much more that keep you indoors.  

If you have money, you can join a gym, or the community recreation center. How many other people do the same? Then you have to wait for the machine you want or use something that doesn't work the muscles you were hoping to tone.

What to do? Sit down and wait for summer. That is one solution, however not very healthy. Here are a few tips to get you through until the weather clears and you can burn calories with a good old-fashioned walk. And it’s free.

Most of you have probably heard these tips before. How do I know? Because they are good and everyone should follow them.

1.    Drink lots of water. Keeping hydrated is very important for your organs.
2.    Park your car as far away from the building as possible.
3.    If weather permits, ride your bike to work or walk if it’s close enough.
4.    Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
5.    If you sit all day, get up and walk around ever 20 to 30 minutes. If you’re at a job where you cannot leave your desk, then stand and walk in place.
6.    Eat healthy. Watch your portions. Look on the label, if it says 1 cup serving, eat only one cup.
7.    If you’re craving sweets have a bowl of strawberries instead of a handful of cinnamon bears.

All of these tips are common sense and if you do them year round, they’ll become a habit. You’ll be surprised at how good you will feel.

Here's a good healthy summer salad:
Green chopped salad (Amounts depends on how many people)
Mixed greens--your choice. Spinach, red leaf, or combination all chopped.
1 chopped tomato - Remove seeds
1/4 chopped red onion
1 chopped cucumber
1 chopped zucchini
4-5 chopped radishes
8-10 chopped Italian olives
1/2 chopped green bell pepper
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
1/2 chopped yellow bell pepper
Mix together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Dressing
1/4 cup organic virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red balsamic vinegar
Or your favorite 'lite' dressing.
This pair well with a Beringer Chenin Blanc

If you have a minute check out the Nights Of Passions Blog, my friend Lindsay is posting today.

Monday at the Garden

Weekend BBQ's. How many of you had one or went to one? What did you have? We went to a fun pool party. Our friend tried out a recipe from the Food Network. I'll try to tell you how to make it. Very delicious.

Flank Steak Roll (Braylon's Steak)
Take a flank steak roll it out and tenderize it with a meat hammer. Once it's flat--about 1/2 inch thick, sprinkle sliced veggies--onions, peppers etc into the middle. Sprinkle with Hot wing sauce. Roll and wrap with strips of bacon. Use string or toothpicks to anchor in its roll. Then grill on the BBQ for about 20 minutes or until done to your taste.

Serve with pasta or green salad and rolls. Very good for Tailgating at your favorite game.

It also goes well with a Pinot Noir.

Have I made you wait long enough for the winner of the Mug and $10 Starbucks GC?

Drum roll please... And the winner is...
Mom1248

I put all the names of my followers and everyone who has left a comment between 6/28 and 7/9 in a hat and my husband picked the winner.

Congratulations!

Sunday in the Garden

I'm going to recommend a writing conference. Have you ever been to Park City? Home of the Sundance Film Festival, not to mention many movie stars. It's nestled in the mountains above Salt Lake City. A beautiful backdrop for the conference.

If you can save your pennies it's worth it. (Not to mention they have great places to find a nice glass of wine!)


2010 Heart of the West Writers Conference:
Out, Out Damned Plot, A Conference in five acts.
October 8 & 9, 2010

PARK CITY, UT - Writers Conference and Book Signing, The Grand Summit at The Canyons, Park City, Utah.
Special Guest Author: Christine Feehan: #1 New York Times bestselling author, has over 40 novels published, including four series. Each of her four series has hit #1 on the NY Times. Her debut novel Dark Prince received 3 of the 9 Paranormal Excellence Awards in Romantic Literature for 1999. Since then she has been published by Leisure Books, Pocket Books, and currently is writing for Berkley/Jove.   She has received numerous honors throughout her career including being a nominee for the RWA’s RITA. She has received a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times and the Borders 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award

Featured Keynote: Sue Grimshaw: has been the romance book buyer for Borders and Waldenbooks stores for the past eight years. A highly sought after expert in her field, Grimshaw is frequently consulted by publishers, and over the years has been honored to speak to thousands of romance writers and readers at conferences and workshops. She is the host of the “Borders True Romance” program on Borders Media, where she interviews the world’s most accomplished Romance writers. She also keeps Romance book lovers engaged and entertained with her Borders blog – the “True Romance” blog. 

Special Editor: Heather Osborn, TOR/MacMillan
Editor: Candace Salima, Valor Publishing
Guest Agent:     Laurie McLean, Larsen-Pomada Literary Agency
YA Authors:     Bree Despain author of The Dark Divine
Jessica Day George, author of Princess of Glass

Conference Features: Author Workshops, Editor/Agent Panels, Pitch Appointments, Heart of the West Contest Awards, Special Surprise Guests for YA Fae Soiree and the Kiss It and Send It Ceremony.

BOOKSIGNING: October 8, 7:00 – 9:00 pm featuring *Christine Feehan* and works by the YA authors and many more! Opened to the public with a cash bar featuring traditional and non-alcoholic drinks.

Conference fee is $159 for URWA members and $175 for all others. ($10 Late fee after 9/6/09) Limited space reserve early. For more information on the conference and lodging visit http://www.utahrwa.com or email Lesli Lytle lmuirl@yahoo.com

Weekends at the Garden

The contest to win this mug and $10 Starbucks GC ended last night at midnight. I'm in the process of checking all the names of people who commented and all of you who decided to 'follow' my blog.

But I'm going to make you wait in anticipation until Monday! I'll announce it then.

Just a little FYI to keep you coming back. I have some fun guests lined up. There will be recipes, wine parings and much more!

I hope you are enjoying the garden and hope you try some of the recommended wines.

Have a great weekend.

Friday at the Garden

It's been a very long week for me and I'm unprepared for anything special.

However, there is still time to comment and/or follow my Garden blog in order to have your name in the drawing for this Mug and $10 Starbucks Gift card.

For today, tell me what your favorite summer drink is, what you find refreshing on a hot July day. I love Mijoto's!

Thursday in the Garden

It's Thursday which means--MOVIE day. I've actually picked on on wine. Sideways. How many of you have seen this flick? What did you think? Come on, I really do want to hear what you thought.

For those who have not seen it, you'll love it if you're into wine. And you'll never look at Merlot the same again!

Sideways
Genre--Comedy, drama, romance
Cast:
Paul Giamatti
Thomas Haden Church
Virginia Madsen
Sandra Oh -- I love her, I'm a huge Grey's Anatomy fan!

Blurb:

Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California's wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.

Miles is a failed writer living a meager existence in San Diego as an English teacher. With his career seemingly fading and the fate of a book hinging on a publisher's decision, Miles is depressed with himself and what he hasn't achieved. Jack is a television actor whom some recognize but not many do, as if he were a minor actor who got a taste of success. With his best friend Miles, the two embark on a road trip through California's wine country. Miles wants to give his friend a nice sendoff before married life, while Jack simply wants to have a fling beforehand. As they're both nearing middle age with not much to show for it, the two will explore the vineyards while ultimately searching for their identities.

Don't be shy, please tell me what you think!

Don't forget the drawing for a Mug and $10 Starbucks GC. All you have to do is comment and/or follow the blog to get your name thrown into the hat.

Wednesday at the Garden

In today's economy I think everyone is being more frugal. I suggest you explore your back yard. Not literally. Google things in your own city. Check things out you've never done before.

I know this has nothing to do with wine. But it does have to do with food and relaxing--which are all good in my garden.

Pull up a chair and let me tell you a bit about my day. I hope you are motivated to try something different in your neck of the woods. You'd be amazed at what you find.

A few years ago we went to Circle Pottery and purchased some dishes. And today we went there for lunch. No we didn't eat clay. LOL. They've branched out and now they are Moochies Meatballs and Circle Pottery. They were even featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri for their Philly Steak and cheese subs. And that is what my husband and I had this afternoon. We're still stuffed. Very good!

After that Ron took me to a place I never even knew existed. The Gilgal Sculpture Garden. Beautiful and very unique. It is small and we were only there a little while. But talk about interesting.

You just never know what you're going to find close to home.

After that Ron went golfing and I drove the cart. No I do not golf. It's not safe for other people.

My recommendation today is--Get out there and explore your city.

Don't forget the drawing for a Mug and $10 Starbucks GC. All you have to do is comment and/or follow the blog to get your name thrown into the hat.

Cassy Pickard visiting with Mary in the Garden

Welcome, Cassy Pickard, to Mary’s Garden. Please have a glass of wine, or whatever beverage you’d prefer and settle in and relax. Cassy is one of my blogging partners on Mysteries and Margaritas, if you’d like to find out more about her you can check our 10 things to know about us: http://www.mysteriesandmargaritasblogspot.com/2010/07/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-m.html

Mary: Today we’re not discussing writing a book. We may discuss a few related things. Mostly we’re going to get to know Cassy as a person, not as an author. Tell us a little bit about you, Cassy.

Cassy: Gracious, where does one begin? I am the mother of two daughters, both of whom are leading wonderful independent lives. My older one works in Washington, DC and my younger one is finishing up medical school. My darling husband of almost 30 years is an architect with an international practice. What this adds up to is my having a household that should be quiet but never is. My two Golden Retrievers always have a say in what goes on.

In my former life I was the associate dean at the Yale School of Nursing. I hold two Master's degrees and a  PhD in research methodology. Are you asleep yet?

Mary: I hear you have a house in Italy, is this correct? Can you tell us where it is located? Is there a story behind how you found it?

Cassy: Yes, we own a portion of a house. It's in Tuscany about 25 minutes from Siena and 45 minutes from Florence. It's located within a wild life preserve of 4200 acres. There are about 14 houses scattered throughout the property. It's very beautiful and very quiet.

As for a story in finding the house, well, I've been going to Italy since I was 17 and was an exchange student. My husband and I spent a month in Cortona for our 25 wedding anniversary (first time we'd every vacationed for more than a week or two). We were exploring and found Castello di Casole, the property where we now own. It was love at first sight for both of us.

Mary: Sounds like a dream. How often do you visit? Do you find you are inspired in your writing while you stay there?

Cassy: In terms of getting to Italy, I usually go four to five times a year and have been doing that since I was a teen. I love joining my husband when he's on a stone buying trip to Forte dei Marmi or other spots. Now that we have the house, I will have been there a total of about 8-10 weeks this year, spread out over many trips. We had a grand Christmas this last year with a full house of family.

Yes, I love to write when I'm there. I go often by myself to have the private time. As you know, my mystery stories take place in Italy. So, I use time to do research as well as write. A few years ago I was in Rome putting together my last book. I literally ran the streets where a scene took place, timing how long it would take to get from one point to another. You can't imagine the looks I received- women don't run in Rome, they stroll.

In March I was at the house and we had an unprecedented snow storm--18 inches. I was stranded, alone, without power, heat, or water. I did have wine! But, was running out of  food. That's not the real part of the story. My husband and I were back a few weeks ago and we were talking with one of the gamekeepers on the property. He told us that there had been a huge storm in March and would we believe? There was this woman, all by herself writing a novel, really alone in that (he points towards a hill) house over there. Jon and I laughed that evening multiple times about that crazy lady.

Mary: I remember when that happened. I was actually a little jealous you got to experience that! LOL. Italian wines are some of my favorite. Tell us about the area your house is in. Are their wineries? Have you ever visited them? Do they have tastings as they do in the states?

Cassy: Mary, there is more wine in Italy than water in the lake outside my door here in Connecticut. We joke that the definition of breakfast is the one meal without wine. There is a full vineyard on the property where our house is. It's a private vineyard, so the wine is only available to the owners and to lucky guests. I admit we have fully enjoyed it. In Italy the soil conditions and weather are such that olive trees grow alongside the grape vines. You don't see that here in the United States. So, I confess we also have wonderful olive oil to dip our bread in, of course with that glass of wine.

There are many many many vineyards in our area. Almost all offer wine tastings. You could have an entire vacation of going from one to another. And, given how the Italians drive, even if you had just a tad too much tasting, no one would probably notice.

Mary: If I lived there, I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven! What wine do you prefer? Or does it depend on the food being served? Is there any you’d like to recommend? Speaking of Wine, before you give us your answer, why don’t you pour yourself another glass.

Cassy: There are so many people who worry about what the pairings should be between food and wine. Truthfully we don't worry about that too much. When I was an exchange student, back at age 17 as I mentioned, I asked my "family" about that. The answer has lived with me. "Drink the best you can afford and don't worry after that."

Mary: Other than Italy, where do you like to travel? And how often?

Cassy: Italy has really been my prime destination. But I do travel other spots. Jon is the big traveler in our family, due to his business. One favorite trip was when I joined him in Malaysia for the opening of one his buildings. It was grand fun. We've been in multiple European cities. And, there is of course, our own wonderful country. In the last two months I've been in Des Moines, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Minneapolis, Miami, New York City, Houston, and Fort Worth. My dogs now hide when they see my roller board suitcase come out.

Mary: I envy you, your travels, if I had money I'd be somewhere all the time. I'd only come home to visit the grandkids! Oh and the kids. I love to keep my blog to themes along the lines of wine, obviously, wineries, travel and music. We’ve touched base on most of these. Except Music, so what about Music?

Cassy: Mary, you have me making a huge confession here. I really don't listen to much music. My husband has a huge collection of CDs, so I end up listening to whatever he puts on. I do enjoy Sara Bareilles, Jane Monheit, Steve Tyrell, and others of similar style. My younger daughter came home for visit and was shocked. The same CD was in the car's player that she had put there two months earlier. I fear I must disappoint a music expert such as you!

Mary:  I can't even imagine, music is such a huge part of my life. I'm shaking my head! Is there anything I missed you want to tell us, something that might define you as a person?

Cassy: I'm actually a very private person, so a question about self definition is hard. Maybe there are only two aspects I can share. First, I care. The list is long about what I care about, but I care. Second, I like change. I've changed my career, I've changed houses, I've changed my garden, I've changed a long list of things over the years. But, not my family--that's back to the root of love and care.

Thank you Cassy for visiting me at Mary’s Garden I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself.

Mary, It's been my pleasure.

Monday in the Garden

The past couple of weeks have been full of changes. Along with those changes, I've changed the theme of my blog to discussions on wine, wineries, restaurants, music and other fun stuff. I'd like it to seem like my friends can drop by anytime, pull up a chair, sit across from me and chat about whatever.

Mary's Garden seemed more appropriate

Yesterday was the 4th of July  so we had a BBQ and guess what I forgot to do? Go to the wine store last week. I only had one bottle of wine. A 2005 Beringer Cabernet. Though it went well with the Burgers, it was only okay with the chicken. I know there are some of you who wonder why I didn't just run to the store. I did... For ice and a few other things. In Utah wine and liquor is only sold in state run stores and they are not opened on Sunday or holidays of course.

I do suggest you try it though, it's inexpensive and full bodied great to have on hand.

I do have a little 4th of July scenario for you. (remember these scenario's I do, are rough drafts.)

Jodee gazed in awe at the sky as it lit up in dozens of colors. A fraction of a second later, before the last glow had faded, a resounding boom rattled the ground followed by a small echo of the bang. Before she could wonder at the cause, another burst filled the sky with sparkles and she lost herself in the moment.

What better way could she spend the 4th? Good food, relaxed in the park watching the display and she was spending the evening with the love of her life. She reached over to pat Cade's knee. He must have spilled his wine, his jeans were damp.

The next firework explosion swallowed her scream when she looked over and found the wetness was blood.

Mary's Ramblings - Welcome Guest Blogger Lindsay Downs

Welcome, Lindsay Downs, thanks for dropping by to give us an excellent scenario! I hope all of you enjoy it as much as I did.

Before we start, I’d like to thank Mary for inviting me to be her first guest scenario blogger. She asked me on Monday, so the same codicil applies here as with hers.
The wine I chose to accompany the scene is from Fetzer Vineyards, California.
Valley Oaks Merlot 2007 Vintage. The bottle retails for $8.99 in Connecticut. According to the back label it has an ‘aroma of ripe plums and flavors of blackberry and cherry’. It does.

Scene-
Lillie worried her bottom lip in the hope of distracting her mind from the pain of the cramped calf muscle. Then again, she wasn’t surprised the cramping had taken so long.
She’d been lying in the same position for several hours now. Nestled against a fresh tree fall, the pine needle covered branches helping to disguise her. The ground, when she’d reached her vantage point, had been sun warmed. That had been one blessing. Now, with the sky turning the reddish-purple as the sun set, the ground started to chill. As did her body.
She felt the slight weight on her calf as a snake slithered over one leg. Lillie shallowed her breathing while mentally getting her body to relax. She didn’t want to make any sudden moves. Slowly the rattlesnake slid over her other leg and disappeared. For the first time in what seemed like hours but only seconds Lillie drew in a deep breath.
Now free of the distraction, Lillie refocused her attention on the cave mouth in time to see the deputy sheriff come fully into view. A long knife, gleaning from reflected sun, resting comfortable in one hand. The other hidden but from the arm’s angle she suspected the hand wasn’t empty.

Through the scope nestled on her M4 she followed the deputy as he approached his latest victim, tied spread-eagled over a boulder.

From behind his back the Deputy brought out a wine bottle straight to his lips. He paused. An menacing grin formed on his lips. He tilted the bottle, letting a few drops trickle out onto the hapless captive. Simultaneously he lifted the knife, to strike the man in the chest.

The sound of a single shot echoed down the valley.

Thanks again Lindsay! I'm not a big fan of Merlot, but I will try it.

Don't forget the drawing for a Mug and $10 Starbucks GC. All you have to do is comment and/or follow the blog to get your name thrown into the hat.

Mary's Rambles for Thursday

Thursday is sort of movie day. Last week I recommended one with Russel Crowe. Tonight I recommend, Must Love Dogs. Okay so it's not about wine. They drink one in the movie and in my book that counts.

2005 Must Love Dogs
John Cusack
Diane Lane
Elizabeth Perkins
Christoper Plummer
Blurb:
Sarah Nolan, a preschool teacher in her thirties, is recently divorced. Her family's new pet project is to find her a boyfriend. After a series of disastrous, but hilarious, dates she decides to swear off dating for good. Her well-meaning family and friends are not going to let her give-up quite so easily though. Her sister enrolls her in on-line dating and includes the description of "must love dogs." She loves dogs but doesn't own one of her own, so she borrows her brother's dog to meet Jake Anderson at the dog park; he, too, had to borrow a dog. Could true love wag its tail for these two? 

If you need to watch a fun movie, check this out. It will go well with a sparkling wine or a Riesling.

Don't forget the drawing for a Mug and $10 Starbucks GC. All you have to do is comment and/or follow the blog to get your name thrown into the hat.