Junie Moon

Friday, July 24, 2009

Summer Treats: Give-away Winner and Cuban Mojitos

National Parks Give-away Winner

Congratulations, Sassy-Priscilla, your name was plucked out of my magic hat as the winner of my give-away. Please email your snail mail address; your package is gift-wrapped with a park systems map and ready to go. I hope Aidan enjoys it, too.

Bodeguita del Medio Cuban Mojito

Now the drawing is done, let’s relax. Just the aroma of a freshly-crushed mint leaf invokes a sense of cool comfort during summer’s sultry days and nights. I’ve been thinking about mojitos lately—Hemingway’s favorite drink. Invented at La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba, mint is a prime ingredient.

After searching online, I chose Taste of Cuba’s recipe to try last evening. Using a tall mojito glass and a wood muddler, I did my best to emulate Hemingway’s beloved drink but without the end result the hard-drinking author sought. I prefer awareness as opposed to oblivion.

Hemingway would be appalled about my adding a paper umbrella, but it looks festive. Ah, my mojito tastes deliciously refreshing.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Bring the Ocean to Us

We are inveterate collectors of shells found on beaches or via dives my husband has made—always being careful not to collect anything living or harboring a little resident.

Since we’ve not ventured to a beach yet this year, my clever sister brought the ocean to us in the form of this beautiful glass panel she created depicting an underwater scene.

Connie used a few of our ocean treasures, adding a tiny baby sea turtle (not real) to represent a family outing we made to a sea turtle sanctuary a couple of years ago at Topsail Island, N.C.

Brilliant, isn’t she?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Craft:along July 2009 Project: Summer Shimmer Scarf

My project for July’s Craft:along 2009 hosted by Africankelli and Finnyknits is done. I chose the Summer Shimmer Scarf knitting project using Jen’s Purl Bee pattern as featured on Craftzine.

The yarn used in Jen’s project is a beautiful silk/bamboo called Lorna’s Laces found here ($43.50/skein). I substituted the much-less costly Naturally Caron.com’s Spa silky soft bamboo-blend yarn ($3.74/skein) in the color Ocean Spray found at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics.

From comments left on Finny’s blog, I realized care would be needed with the pattern although it is pretty straightforward. A quick test showed what the problem is—at least for me.

Instructions for the left leaning bias call for: Row 1: K1, * ssk, yo; rep from * to last stitch, end k1.

My count kept being off, so I switched the pattern instruction to this: Row 1: K1, *yo, ssk, rep from * to last stitch, end k1.

The minor revision worked and the scarf knitted up like a dream.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

My new scarf is 7-feet long. The zig-zag lace trellis pattern echoes fishnet which makes this summer scarf perfect for a mermaid.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

National Parks Celebration Give-Away

Yesterday I took my camera and water on a trek to Saguaro National Park, a little over 4 miles from my house.

I love the way this Saguaro seems to be clapping its hands for the Ocotillo (the cactus with all the skinny arms). I’m not sure what the Ocotillo did that was so marvelous, but I’m pleased the Saguaro is so happy.

Century Plants grow so tall (up to 25 feet) I had to look way up to photograph this specimen’s blooms as evidenced by the clouds in the bottom of the picture.

Flowers on the Fishhook Barrel cactus will soon turn into a small yellow pineapple-shaped fruit.

This Prickly Pear has already bloomed and its fruits are just about ripe enough to pick. The fruit looks almost like a crown on this particular Prickly Pear pad so I stopped, bowed suitably to its regality, and then acted like a paparazzo in taking a quick photo.

Isn’t it amazing that the desert, even in summer’s deadly heat, still has much to offer?

Since our National Parks have given me many years of enjoyment, I want to celebrate these amazing resources by offering a give-away opportunity. On my way out of the park, I stopped in the Visitor’s Center and did a bit of shopping for you. What’s inside this bag?

A Park Ranger doll
Passport to Your National Parks book for collecting stamp cancellations on your visits
Kids’ Passport to Your National Parks Companion
A sticker representing Saguaro National Park
Box of Prickly Pear Cactus Candy as a little tasty treat from my neck of the world

The Rules

Simply post a comment on any post beginning today until Thursday at midnight. I'll announce the winning name Friday morning.

If your name is Anonymous, you won’t be entered in the drawing—fair warning on that as the postal service dislikes packages addressed to Anonymous.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Man’s Day/Night Out

What kind of a gift would a man really enjoy receiving? I figure time out for just doing guy things. So that’s what I gave my husband and a bunch of his buddies on Saturday—golf in the morning and poker that night in honor of my husband’s birthday which is actually today.

After stealthy covert ops for the last couple of weeks, I actually managed to surprise him with all this. Surreptitious planning is hard to do when the honoree lives with you.

Surprise Golf Outing

Getting my husband to the golf course without his knowing where we were going was fairly easy with a bit of convoluted subterfuge on my part. Hiding the golf clubs and goodie bags were more problematic, but I managed.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

The invitation sent out along with directions to the golf course attached on the back with a golf tee.

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Each player’s goodie bag (seen in the photo held by my husband): a homemade blueberry muffin (I was baking at 5 a.m.), carton of Goldfish crackers, and the following....

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… a golf ball sleeve made out of cardstock using an idea from Vale Designs. I used her template to trace out the boxes on heavy-weight cardstock. Coolers with ice and bottled water were loaded on the carts (with the golf club’s permission)—survival tools for Arizona’s heat. After their game, Jim (one of my husband's golf buddies) kindly treated the group to lunch which bought me some more prep time for the poker event.

Surprise Poker Night

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The front and back of the poker party invitation I made using cardstock and then laminating. The end result looks like a real playing card, just oversized (each is 4½-by-6½ inches).

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Cardstock sleeves held the invitation. On the outside is a poker chip label I made identifying the guest.

My oblivious husband played on his computer upstairs while I started “his” dinner: grilled rib-eye steaks, baked potatoes, giant Portobello mushrooms with onions, salad, and lobsters. The guys showed up promptly at 6—surprise! Let’s eat.

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I had the guys eat outside by the pool, so I could get the poker stuff ready. Until they came inside, my husband still didn’t know about the poker game. Here’s my recipe for the Portobello mushrooms, I just made it up on the fly, so to speak:

Portobello Mushrooms and Onions

Pre-heat oven to 350°

6 whole Portobello mushrooms, rinsed and gently patted dry with a towel.
1 large Vidalia onion, sliced thin
6 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
Olive oil
1 minced garlic

In a sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the sliced onions, and the garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent and just about to get golden brown in color.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with olive oil and then do the same with each side of the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms gill-side up on the baking sheet.

Top each mushroom with the onion mixture. Bake at 350° for approximately 20 minutes.

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The cake I made while everyone was on the golf course in the morning came out of hiding after dinner before I escaped for the evening. It was meant to look like two stacked poker chips but merely looked strange. Ah well, it was delicious. The filling between the two layers is a mixture of blueberries (my husband’s favorite) and whipped cream.

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Guys don’t care about things like take-home favor bags, but my final offering was left by the front door for each of them when leaving at the end of the night. I used glassine bags with a card thank-you label I made, and sealed with a paper poker chip personalized with each player’s name.

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Inside is a laminated cheat sheet made using a free printable poker hand rankings from here and a dice poker game bought at the game store at Park Mall.

It’s amazing that all the guys involved, their wives, and I managed to keep all the preparations and arrangements secret from my husband. My husband was thrilled with his day and that’s what it’s all about.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Blessings Friday: Park Patty

We’ve all seen gnomes, stuffed rabbits, Flat Stanley, and other assorted interesting characters in photos documenting their adventures all over the world.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved. Park Patty

I have Park Patty, a National Parks Ranger doll purchased last year at one of the national parks. Park Patty is not really her official name; she was named by my husband. She visits every national park we explore and poses for photos in front of park entrance signs and inside visitor centers where we get our National Parks Passport booklet stamped.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved. Park Patty at the Grand Canyon

Here she’s being held by two rangers at the Grand Canyon National Park. The dolls are not available in every park’s gift shop and I was surprised by the enthusiastic interest of rangers at the Grand Canyon and some other large parks. They all wanted to hold her, even the men, and examine her little ranger badge and binoculars. It’s a lot of fun.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved. Park Patty at Zion

Here she is at Zion National Park, resting after an exhaustive hike. There are more pictures of this tiny traveling ranger, but I won’t bore you with them all. I may, however, have to start a photo album just for Park Patty’s adventures.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Summer Walking Program

All the cooking, partying, and vacationing going on this summer are not helping me meet my health goal set at the beginning of the year. It’s my own fault. More active movement is needed in my life, plain and simple.

Since I’m not young and am definitely out of any semblance of shape, walking is a good activity with which to start. Following advice from Active.com, I’m trying their beginner Summer Walking Program.

Summer is deadly here in Tucson, so I’ll have to go out very early in the morning. That’s a good idea anyway as there’s something motivating about a fresh new day ahead.

While picking up a prescription at Albertson’s recently, I saw a walking program card on their counter as a giveaway which contains a number of helpful tips. Click on each picture to enlarge and print if you’d like to use their program.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

Here’s another great tool recently featured on One Pretty Thing, a free printable Healthy Living Goals List created by Baca Creative.

I’ve got to figure out how to keep this stuff on my computer to avoid actually handling paper considering my allergy issue. Some things can’t be avoided, I guess.

© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

An active person is supposed to be able to walk 10,000 steps per day. Doesn’t that sound daunting? Sitting here writing about it isn’t going to get me anywhere, so I’m clipping on my little pedometer and heading out the door.

Resources

Healthy Living Goals List from Baca Creative
HP Creative Studio printable fitness calendar
Summer Walking Program from Active.com
“Your Anti-Aging Checklist” from Oprah
Zen Habits blog offers health tips on Fridays