The Clydesdales are in town…

The Clydesdales come to town every June for the ShrinerFest and even though hubby isn't a horse lover, he good naturedly takes me for a visit every year. It was a cloudy, cool morning when we wandered over to their tent, and I had a hard time getting a picture of their faces, they were too busy eating hay. The dalmation was there, too, and he was totally interested in sniffing me out, no doubt smelling the M&M's on my pant legs. I'm always in awe of them, they are so magestic, and as I watched them, just for a brief minute, I was a kid again...

goodreads, it’s a good thing…

I don’t think there is anything better than summertime reading, a love of mine that started in childhood.  There was a steady supply of books at our house, due to mother working in the drugstore, because every month the book vendors would come in, rip off the front covers of all the paperbacks and leave the books to be tossed.  Mother would bring home stacks of them, and those books instilled a love of reading that has been a lifelong adventure.  I’ve spent many, many  hours in the summertime under a shade tree absorbed in a good book, with a glass of iced tea, and usually a dog or cat in my lap.  Oh, what wonderful memories I have…

I recently stumbled across goodreads – it’s a total awesome site. After you register your account, you can add friends, browse what they are reading, show what you’ve read, what you’re currently reading and what’s on your wish list.  There are reading groups, lists of bestsellers and about to be released books.  It’s a reader’s dream.  And I’m not even going to get started on how much I enjoy the ibooks app on my iPad, that’s for another day.  But I have to tell you that the iPad is so much better than my Sony Bookreader, it’s absolutely wonderful!

I’ve added 62 books so far, a ton of Robyn Carr, because I enjoyed her Virgin River Series so much.  One of the best series of easy reading that I’ve ever found. I’ll be adding more as time permits, it’s such a good way to organize what you’ve read and want to read.

When you go to this link, remember, I’m a total lightweight, easy breezy romance novels, that’s what I like, no men authors either, just women.  And what am I reading right now?  Actually four books, Flowers on Main, The Help, 44 Charles Street and Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen.  And at the top of my wish list is Betty White’s, If you Ask Me.  Wow, a bit of nonfiction, that’s a stretch for me. ;o)

You can join my friends list, then we can share book ideas.  It’s so much fun.  Here’s the link to get you started

~ jan

Click Here to sign up and see what it’s all about…

Loretta’s Pralines from N’awlins….

Twenty years ago, hubby and I went to New Orleans and discovered Loretta’s Authentic Pralines in the French Market.  At that time Miss Loretta herself stirred the candy in the big copper pot, today she is much more business savvy than that, but the recipe is the same.

I adored the pralines, brought them home to the boys, John went crazy for them, Ryan, who never was a sweet eater, didn’t know what all the fuss was about.  John started making them with a recipe I brought home from some ladies in a little restaurant in Louisiana, they told me the secret is to make them using Pet Evaporated Milk, and he’s made them ever since.

He and Deanna were in New Orleans over Memorial Day, and what arrived in the mail yesterday – this box of pralines from Loretta’s.

Law-dee, that boy sure is good to his mama….  You’re the BEST, Johnno, I’ll think of you with every bite I take…