Sunday, August 9, 2026

Butter Beans or Lima Beans


Butter Beans or Lima Beans

Before you discount these beans,
they're completely different when cooked from fresh.
I bought a full pint of them at the farmers market.

1 pint of butter beans
1 large yellow onion chopped medium
4 garlic cloves minced
1 scant tablespoon olive oil
5 hot pork sausages, skins removed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 small can diced tomatoes
1 large can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water if needed
4 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
4 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine pink salt


In a large stock pot, saute chopped onion, add sausage and when slightly browned add garlic. Cook for one minute longer. Add butter beans and tomatoes. Cook bean mixture till soft, adding water if it becomes too dry. So delicious and good for you too.

Saturday, August 8, 2026

Homeless at 70


Homeless at 70

Worth a listen, a bit over one hour.
Topic hit home with our property taxes assessment
 up 40 K this year alone, which we have appealed.
We know folks whose tax assessment didn't increase at all,
 and others with one million dollar plus lake homes
and theirs didn't increase either.
There's much inequity in who had increases and who did not
in this county. We have a homestead exemption but
not much help with the huge increase this year,
and every year since we moved here.
Tax on unrealized gains is what it is.
Folks all over this country are up in arms about this topic.
Stocks and bonds, there is no unrealized gain taxation with those.

Then we get the bill for house and vehicle insurances
which also continue to go up. No accidents or tickets
and driving old cars. As we age our vehicle insurance goes up
according to the insurance company to pay for all the
old folks who supposedly contribute to the overall accident rate.
Then there are medical bills, the golden years, where are they?

Friday, August 7, 2026

Rain


Rain

Rain, midnight rain, nothing but the wild rain
On this bleak hut, and solitude, and me
Remembering again that I shall die
And neither hear the rain nor give it thanks
For washing me cleaner than I have been
Since I was born into this solitude.
Blessed are the dead that the rain rains upon:
But here I pray that none whom once I loved
Is dying tonight or lying still awake
Solitary, listening to the rain,
Either in pain or thus in sympathy
Helpless among the living and the dead,
Like a cold water among broken reeds,
Myriads of broken reeds all still and stiff,
Like me who have no love which this wild rain
Has not dissolved except the love of death,
If love it be towards what is perfect and
Cannot, the tempest tells me, disappoint.

Edward Thomas 1916

Thursday, August 6, 2026

Block Eyed Susan

Black Eyed Susan

The black eyed susan has reseeded itself in my garden
and they are now filling in all the bare spots.