Early morning bird watcher....

Yep, it's my buddy, Hoot, here for a visit. Check out the duds, and the house shoes, and the "hat." Woman is as bat shit crazy as me..... If you look at this up close, don't look at the patio yet, it still looks pretty shabby...

It's going to be a sunny day in Heavensville, we'll be out there taking a hoard of photos. Update later....

Don't worry, I'm not getting political....

Well, maybe just a smidge of politics tonight, but don't worry It won't be ongoing, I have friends whose opinions I respect, and I don't want to turn them off reading my blog because of my views.

Okay, let's talk about this... Deep breath, Jan...

First of all, I support Hillary Clinton, and out of every single friend that I have, with the exception of Angi, I'm the only one that does. It's true, I like her because she is married to Bill Clinton, and I thought that despite his weak moral character, he was a good president. I'm also sure that the fact that I'm fifty-eight years old, and as far back as grade school I can remember my teachers talking about the possibility of there being a woman president in my lifetime factors in also. The thought of living long enough to see a woman in office is very exciting to me. Maybe I do support her for the wrong reasons, but I also happen to like the woman and believe she will work diligently to make a better life for women and children in this country. Okay, I said it and the sky didn't fall in...

So, when I read today online that Maya Angelou supports Hillary Clinton, I was just flabbergasted. Everytime you turn on the television, black people are singing the praises of Obama. I'm going to post what Ms. Angelou said because I think it is interesting, for us as women, to read what an educated black woman has to say. She has a voice, and I admire her for saying what she thinks, instead of backing a candidate because of color. Oprah, you could learn a lot from this woman!

And if the democratic party decides that Obama is their man, and it certainly appears that this will happen, I will support McCain in the fall. And that's all I'm going to say about this political brohau, the likes of which we've never seen in our lifetime. And now on to what Maya Angelou had to say...

"Dear Friend:

I am writing to tell you about my friend, Hillary Clinton, and why I am standing with her in her campaign for the presidency. I know the kind of president Hillary Clinton will be because I know the person she is.

I am inspired by her courage and her honesty. She is a reliable and trustworthy person. She is someone I not only admire but one for whom I have profound affection.

Hillary does not waver in standing up for those who need a champion. She has always been a passionate protector of families. As a child, she was taught that all God’s children are equal, and as a mother, she understood that her child wasn’t safe unless all children were safe. As I wrote about Hillary recently in a praise song: “She is the prayer of every woman, and every man who longs for fair play, healthy families, good schools and a balanced economy.”

It may be easy to view Hillary Clinton through the narrow lens of those who would write her off or grind her down. Hillary sees us as we are, black and brown and white and yellow and pink and relishes our differences knowing that fundamentally we are all more alike than we are unalike. She is able to look through complexion and see community.

She has endured great scrutiny, and still she dares greatly. Hillary Clinton will not give up on you, and all she asks is that you do not give up on her. She is a long-distance runner. I am honored to say I am with her for the long run.

I am supporting Hillary Clinton because I know that she will make the most positive difference in people’s lives and she will help our country become what it can be. Whether you are her supporter, leaning towards her, undecided, or supporting someone else, I believe Hillary Clinton will represent you – she will be a president for all Americans. It is no small thing that along the way we will make history together.

I just spend part of the afternoon reading Trisha Yearwood's new Cookbook, Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. Cousin Phyllis if you're reading this, buy this book, you will love it.

It's basic food, well done, well written, great photos. It's a goodie, ladies.

I posted her barbecued ribs recipe a few days ago, after I found it online, Ryan made them when we were in Lexington. They were really, really good. Not your typical ribs, but so easy and such a good flavor. He was really hesitant because you marinated them in 2 cups of soy sauce, and they smelled pretty vile, but once they baked, they were delicious. I think the marinade had to be that strong to give them such a good flavor.

Anyhoo, if you have any interest in this book, you can buy it on Amazon HERE...

Oh my. GOODNESS!!!

I'm a huge fan of Maxine, if you are a regular reader of this site, you know that, and I joke about actually turning into her in my own age.

Well, I was wrong, I'm not Maxine, but guess who is???? What in heaven's name is Elizabeth Taylor doing in a get-up like this??? You have to admit she has a kind of bizarre look about her that is similar to our favorite geratric cartoon.

It makes me want to rethink turning into Maxine. Well, I do have Mags for my lap, and it's quite possible that I will end up in a wheelchair, but somehow I don't see myself with red collagen infused lips, or that stupid hat. But if my hair keeps thinning at the rate it is now, I will be in some kind of hat.... who knows, maybe by the time I'm La Liz's age, I will be even crazier than I am now, and wear a getup like this one. I always did like a touch of animal prints... Heaven forbid...

I'm all about eggs this spring....

I don't get it, I was never much of an egg fan, but ever since I got on my poached egg kick, I'm eating them daily. Lindsay made Eggs Benedict this morning, they were soooooo good....

And then when I opened my weekly Splendid Table Newsletter, the following recipe just fascinated me. I should put this on Jan Can Cook, I'm lazy - posting it here - check this out, do you think it looks as good as I do?

~ jan

"Boring" will never again be paired with hard cooked eggs once you try this recipe. It's the best thing to happen to the deviled egg since the picnic. Talk about an ideal spring supper, this is it; and if you are feeling like a fancy dinner menu, serve this as a first course.

For even more tips and ideas, head to splendidtable.org and check out our brand new How to Eat Supper podcast, available for a limited time. You'll find much more practical hands-on advice to streamline your kitchen life, including basics like the easiest and foolproof way to boil an egg, the clues to look for when selecting salad greens and how to buy a pot, so don't miss out. Best of all it's free!

We're also excited about our new book, The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show, a book Publisher's Weekly says "... should grace the shelves of even the most infrequent of cooks." You can buy a copy of your very own at splendidtable.org. Your purchase goes to support public radio.

Pan-Crisped Deviled Eggs on French Lettuces
Excerpted from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories, and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift (Clarkson Potter, April 8, 2008). Copyright 2008 by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift

Serves 4 as a main dish; 6 as a first course

15 minutes prep time; 5 minutes stove time
The eggs could be stuffed a day ahead and refrigerated until you are ready to saute them.

Who would imagine browning deviled eggs to caramelize their edges and crisp their fillings: What a sensual turn with a hard-cooked egg.

We owe the idea to Jacques Pépin and his memoir, The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen (Houghton Mifflin, 2003). The inspiration comes from war-torn France and a recipe born of scarcity that Jacques' mother created during World War II, though you'd never know it when you pick up your fork.

This is the kind of double-edged story that we love to find in the things we eat.

Eggs:

• 8 large eggs, hard-cooked and peeled
• 1 scant teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 teaspoons minced onion
• 2-1/2 tight-packed tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarse chopped
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 2-1/2 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1-1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

Dressing:

• The leftover egg stuffing
• 3 tablespoons good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2-1/2 tablespoons milk
• 2-1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Salad:

4 generous handfuls mixed greens, such as Bibb lettuce, mache, and dandelion greens or frisee, washed and dried

1. Cut the hard-cooked eggs in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks (fingers work best), and place them in a medium bowl. Reserve the whites.

2. Add the mustard, garlic, onion, parsley, milk, mayonnaise, and vinegar to the yolks. With a fork, crush everything together into a thick paste. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. Pack the mixture back into the hollows of the egg whites, so the filling is even with the surface of the egg, not mounded. You will have leftover stuffing (this becomes the salad dressing).

4. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Gently place the eggs in the pan, stuffed side down. Cook until the eggs are beautifully browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper as they cook.

5. As the eggs saute, combine in a large bowl the leftover egg stuffing with all the dressing ingredients. Add the salad greens to the bowl, and toss. Heap them on a serving platter.

6. Gently lift the eggs from the pan, turn them filling side up, set them on the greens, and serve.

Yikes!!!!!!

We're in Lexington for a few days, visiting Lindsay and Ryan, and Hooterville emailed me to say that we had yet another earthquake in Heavensville last night. That's a total now of 19 this week. Most of them were in the 2.5 range, after the initial ones of 5.4 and 4.5, but last night it was another strong one, 4.5 again. The experts are saying this is unusual, that usually they don't gain strength again.

So, needless to say, it is a scary situation. I talked to Jean and V this morning, they are booth spooked. We''ll be here til' Wednesday, I hope it all settles down before we go home.

Keep our little corner of the world in your thoughts. Mother Nature is a force we can't control...