Sweet Fresh Corn and Tender Baby Green Lima Beans Drenched With Cream

I can't find any recipes of of corn and lima beans together except for succotash. So here are two recipes that have lima beans with cream and creamed corn.

Stewed Lima Beans
Put the beans into boiling water, and cook until tender, but not till they fall to pieces. Fresh beans should cook an hour or more, and dry ones require from two to three hours, unless previously soaked. They are much better to simmer slowly than to boil hard. They should be cooked nearly dry. Season with salt, and a cup of thin cream or rich milk to each pint of beans. Simmer for a few minutes after the cream is turned in. Should it happen that the beans become tender before the water is sufficiently evaporated, do not drain off the water, but thicken with a little flour. A little flour stirred in with the cream, even when the water is nearly evaporated, may be preferred by some, or the cream may be omitted entirely.

~Every-day Dishes and Every-day Work by Ella Ervilla Kellogg, copyright 1897

Creamed Corn

Husk and clean silk from the corn. To cream 6 large ears of corn, which is 6 to 8 servings, you will need the following ingredients:

3 tbsp of butter or margarine 1/4 cup minced onion 1 tsp. sugar Half and half or cream Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the kernels off the cob into a deep sided bowl. This will help catch some of the corn as it splatters when trimming it off.

Stand the cob on end, holding on to the stem end. Using a sharp knife, slice down the side of the cob, cutting the kernels off.

Rotate the cob after each slice and make another cut down the side of the cob. Repeat this procedure until all the kernels are cut off the cob.

Then scrape down the sides of the cob with the back of the knife to remove any remaining pulp and milk from the cob. When all the ears are cleaned, set the bowl of corn aside.

In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium high heat and then add the onions. Sauté the onions in the butter until they are soft and translucent.

Add the corn and sugar. Stir to combine evenly. Cook over medium heat until hot and then allow the corn to cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the corn often as it is cooking.

After the corn has cooked for 3 to 5 minutes, turn the heat to low and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of half and half to the corn. If the corn is still too dry, add 1 or 2 more tablespoons of half and half but be careful not to add too much. You do not want the corn to get soupy.

Add salt and pepper to desired taste and then bring the corn back to a simmer, cover, and allow it to cook another 5 to 6 minutes. Stir once or twice during this time. The corn should be tender when done.

Serve immediately while hot or cover and turn the heat down to very low to keep it warm until ready to serve.

~All About Sweet Corn (Check these guys out. Every way to cook corn imaginable! I can't wait to try some of them. Especially the grilled corn... next summer)

Also, I discovered on Polyvore.com that someone is doing essentially what I'm doing here, but she's doing it with clothes! So I'm going to add her posting for Sweet Fresh Corn and Tender Baby Green Lima Beans, Drenched in Cream here! And if you are interested, then you can look at her other clothing ideas across the top of the Polyvore page.

The Feel of a Rug Under Bare Feet

Sorry, I tried to link the website so you could order these, but apparently they have been hacked. 

This rug is cool. It even comes with those 3 wooden cars pictured for kids to play. You can order them from this design firm.

Now for my nerdy side!

You can order them through this Etsy page. They also have Zelda Tri-force rugs. And PS3 controller rugs.

 For more nerdy:

You can find her instructions here!

A funny rug:

Bear Rugs!

Making your own rugs. My grandma used to do this. It's called latch-hook.

And finally, just a cute puppy on a rug!

Seeing the Moon Rise

I remember the very first time I watched the moon rise. I was 14 years old and a Counselor in Training (C.I.T.) at Girl Scout Camp Okitayakani outside of Cuthbert, Georgia. I went down to the dock on the lake one night just to sit there and watch it.

I can't remember watching the moon rise since then, but I do notice the moon almost every night. I don't think most people even realize that the moon does in fact rise, just like the sun. Regardless, here are 2 time lapse photos showing the moon rising, one from the northern hemisphere and one from the southern hemisphere.

Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Masterton, New Zealand

Kind of cool. I never thought about it but it does make sense that the moon would appear to rise differently in either hemisphere.

Reed Fringed Lagoons

Langebaan Lagoon, Cape West Coast, South Africa great picture by Colin-Paterson James but copyrighted so go look at it on his web page.

La Janda, Spain Golden Plover Field. La Janda is a comarca (similar to a county) in the Cádiz province of southern Spain. This was once Spain's largest lake. It was at one point a haven for millions of birds, both resident and migratory. Sadly, the lagoon and its fresh-water wetlands were destroyed. Their water was diverted to support local rice growing efforts and the area almost completely dried up. The lake basin floods in the winter still however and many hope that it will one day be returned to its original status. It is now a part of the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. But that did not come soon enough to save Spain's last reproductive population of the Eurasian Crane.

Blue Lagoon, Queensland, Australia (Yes, it's real boys and girls!) This lagoon is the home of the world's southern most coral reef and was listed as a World Heritage site in 1982. There is surprisingly little on this lagoon to be found online. I suggest this travel site.

Bool Lagoon, Australia This lagoon is situated in southern Australia as well in the Limestone Coast region. It is officially a game reserve. Up to 150 species of birds can be found here. UNESCO also designated it as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. The lagoon is not usually open for hunting but when it is, only steel pellets may be used as the lead pellets used in the past are another ecological issue.

Cuyutlan Lagoon reed workers. The Cuyutlan Lagoon is the largest in Mexico stretching over 31 miles. Its waters are a mix of fresh and salt waters. Its flora and fauna are protected but the reeds are still used today to weave hats and mats for floors. The mangrove trees nearby are the heart of the thriving eco-system and are the home to Canadian geese, eagles, hawks, cormorants, egrets, herons, pelicans, and others.

Oasis De Maspalomas, Spain While this is a tourist destination town in the Canary Islands, there are actually a lagoon and dunes here. The dunes are known as the Natural Reserve of the Dunes of Maspalomas. It was declared a Natural Protected Area of National Interest in 1987 and a Special Natural Reserve in 1994.

El Blanquito Lagoon, Venezuela. This small reed-fringed lagoon is in the Yacambu National Park which is on the southern slope of the Portuguesa Range. Yacambu has a lot of rainforest (and that is putting it mildly).The lagoon supports a variety of birds (like most of these lagoons) including the Rusty-flanked Crake, the Least Grebe, the Caribbean Coot, the Striated Heron, and the Green-backed Heron.

San Elijo, California Lagoon Ecological Reserve protects nearly 1,000 acres of habitat and 700 species of flora and fauna, including, you guessed it, lots and lots of birds. Snowy Egrets, the Great Blue Heron, Osprey, Anna's Hummingbird, and Cliff Swallows all are found in this beautiful lagoon in San Diego county. There are multiple trails and there are guided walks also offered.

Camargue, France Nature Reserve Lagoon is located south of Arles, between the Mediterranean Sea and the two arms of the Rhone River delta. Camargue was also named a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 1986 (see links under Bool Lagoon up above). Camargue is home to more than 400 species of birds including the Greater Flamingo. Also, apparently the mosquitos there are ridiculous so if you decide to visit, buy bug spray. There's also a roadside museum that provides history info as well as flora and fauna info.

Kwara Camp, Nigeria is on a lagoon in the open flood plains of the Okavango Delta.It is part of the private Kwara Concession and shares a boundary with the Moremi Game Reserve. Kwara Camp is owned and operated by Kwando Safaris. They appear to be a part of the Wilderness Wildlife Trust and the African Wildlife Foundation. 

I know there are a LOT of mentions of birds in these various locations around the world but that's kind of the way it goes. They are precious wetlands that provide a safe place for endangered species. And Birders are really good at making webpages saying where certain birds can be found. :-)

Pajamas at Breakfast

This one is a bit trickier. I don't want pictures of me having breakfast in my pajamas on the internet. And I would feel really creepy if I randomly google searched and put pictures of complete strangers having breakfast in their pajamas on my blog. So, I went vintage.

There are pictures of vintage pajamas and vintage breakfasts. (Since people from the past didn't seem to keen on having their pictures taken while eating breakfast in their pajamas either.) But there are a couple that combine them.

She's calmly reading the news while sipping her coffee/tea. Also, seems very well put together for early in the morning.

This one is interesting. Did some research. Mornidine was an early drug for morning sickness.

Random guy in a really frilly bed.

And this one is just wrong on so many levels. Why is she kneeling like a slave? Why did he wear a starched white shirt and tie to bed? And why on earth would yo put tobacco on your eggs? Feel free to guess along with me.

I want to title this one Making Use of Every Second. Or Please-tell-me-she-didn't-leave-the-baby-on-the-table-while-she-was-cooking

Corn Flakes!

I could do without the stewed prunes...

More Corn Flakes! But look!!! TANG!

And even the Australians liked Corn Flakes I guess.

I can't tell if these are a 2 piece set or a 1 piece, but they're kinda cute. 

Ah, Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable!

No idea who this lady is but she has some elaborate pajamas.

And these are just indescribable. So elegant and gorgeous. But why she's wearing shoes instead of some form of house slipper is beyond me.

And last but not least, Sophia Loren. In pajamas. The epitome of sexy, even though she's wearing what appear to be mens' pajamas.

Stream of Consciousness Lists

If you look up "stream of consciousness" the definition that I found most often was "a literary technique that presents the thoughts and feelings of a character as they occur."

Many books are written in this format. Some notable ones being: Ulysses by James Joyce, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

I have also found many blogs that have stream of consciousness list(s).
Some of my favorites are: Diva in Demand, Augmented Identity, and Amateur Gourmet.

These have prompted me to add my own stream of consciousness list here.

1) These new Geico commercials are hilarious. My favorites are "happier than an antelope with night-vision goggles" and "happier than a witch in a broom factory."

2) My left shoulder muscle has started to ache again. I know it's stress. Of course, it could be from submitting 30 online job applications today. But maybe that's stress too. You know, not having a job.

3) I am going to miss the TV show, No Reservations.

4) I need to get my Etsy shop up and running. I have a bunch of vintage and antique items to post that were my great-grandmothers' and grandmothers'.

5) I wonder why my 5 year old daughter has gotten so grumpy and contrary lately. Starting school doesn't seem to have been a good thing for her. She might be emulating what she sees from other kids at school.

6) Three of my kids (all of the younger ones) seem to be wanting me to have another baby. I'm not opposed (I love kids) but kinda curious that all 3 of them have suddenly started mentioning it.

7) I need to buy more orange juice.

8) Infamous Road of Death in Bolivia... can you tell I'm watching the Travel Channel?

9) I love the Travel Channel. And Moscato.

10) I want to try that pink and red Moscato that I saw at the grocery earlier this week. Maybe I'll buy some for Thanksgiving if my in-laws do actually come out.

11) Also, I love the Capital One Bank commercials with the cute little girl.

12) And I have already started to get rejection emails from those 30 applications. Seriously, I have 2 degrees. I'm applying for retail positions, something I've done since I was 16. How can I not be qualified?

14,000 Things to Be Happy About

So, if you've never heard of this book, look it up. Buy a copy. It's a great book (actually, there are 2 editions).

I've decided I'm going to start at the beginning and write a blog post about each and every one of the suggestions in the book. It could be recipes. It could be historical. It could be the lyrics to a song. Who knows? Stay tuned. First up: Stream of consciousness lists.