Buttons with Texture

Even when I'm not working in clay I'm thinking of working in clay. The other day I ordered some shank buttons with texture to use on clay. Julie from AJStuff on Etsy put together a group of these buttons for me to use. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Each one has a different texture on it's face. I plan to glue a cork to the back of each button to make it easier to press into clay. What do you think? Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Winter Promise

cold dead winter

dormant garden

leafless branch

gray sky curtain

cheek wind biting

gloved hand caress

brown leaf layer

crunching step

tree bark mushroom

smoke filled air

north facing moss

long shadows

bulbs cresting soil

buds swelling limbs

nests now empty

promise soon filled.

Check Your Receipts

Today I went to the grocery store and among other items I purchased two cuts of meat. Like many grocery stores, I have a card which gives me a discount on certain items. One cut of meat was regularly $7.22 but with the savings it was $4.98. The other cut of meat was $9.27 but with the savings it should have been $5.91. I did not receive the discount on the second cut of meat even though they scanned my card into their register. On the way home I was thinking my grocery bill seemed higher than I expected. I checked the receipt when I got home and noticed the error. I called the grocery manager who said to bring in my receipt next time I go there and they'll make the correction.

I always try to purchase items on sale. But if I'm not getting the sale price on each item, then I'm not saving. Registers now automatically calculate the amount due back if you pay cash. Store clerks don't even bother to count change back. They just hand back a wad of cash. I doubt if younger clerks even know how to count cash back. If my grocery bill is $51.31 and I give the clerk a $100 bill plus two $1 bills, they look at me strangely and say the bill is only $51.31. I tell them to just input the amount I gave them and see what happens. They are always surprised how the change is always in larger bills, as if it's magic. I also always count my cash back to be sure it is accurate. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Sunny Days Ahead

This winter has been one of the rainiest on record here in Georgia. We missed the record of 71.46 inches in 1949 by two inches of rain. Consequently we've had few sunny days. By talking with old timers wherever we've lived in this country, I've learned the weather goes in cycles, but actual records verify that hypothesis.

Starting today, there are sunny days ahead, which is very welcome. The fog and clouds were starting to really get us down. WE haven't even had much solar gain this winter from our solarium which faces South.

I had a hankering for my honey lime cilantro marinated shrimp which I made for a neighborhood party when we lived in Florida. I referred to my own recipe to remember how I made them. Gary can't eat onions any more, so I divided the recipe in half, one without and one with onions. Gary noticed the deviled eggs in this photo, so of course I made some to go along with the shrimp. The shrimp have been marinating overnight; we'll have them today for lunch. We have our main meal in the middle of the day. What about you, do you have any favorite recipes? Thanks for reading and for all your comments.