Upside Ann

Once upon a time - like when I was still in high school - my father built a section of fence.  The tall boardy kind of fence.  About 6 feet high.  It extended east from the edge of the garage and ran parallel to the fence row.  I do not know WHY he built this fence.  One day I'll dig through old photos and show you what it looked like.  If I'm successful, I'll add it to this post, as well.   But that isn't the story.  That fence is long gone. Growing against that fence was a plant that was brought over from my grandparents' farm.  We called it Loevy's Lace Vine.  (I have NO IDEA how to spell Loevy.  The name is pronounced Low - vee.  If I spell it Lovy, you will likely think it is Love- ee.  A search of Google is no help.  There are people with the surname Loevy, however.)  It grew immense and bloomed like crazy in late summer and early fall.  My best guess was that it was a   "Sweet Autumn Cl...

  So, for like a week - maybe more- maybe a lot more - I had the feeling, whenever I opened the drawer which holds my placemats and napkins or the cupboard below where the pots and pans and housed, that I was smelling something dead.  I couldn't see anything and on Sunday I took EVERYTHING out of both places and found NOTHING.  Weird.   Since it was not Monday and Kevin was visiting, I thought I would try once again to use the dishwasher.  My cousin Steve and I had loaded it up on Poultry Days in June to find that soon after the cycle commences the dishwasher displayed an error message, started flashing blue lights, and dinging quietly but persistently.  As suggested in the guide, we cleaned the filters (which - for the record - I had cleaned thoroughly at a time approximate to my last use of the dishwasher months previously.  Turning off the light and bell - which with enough time starts to make you feel like you are living in a Poe story - requi...

 My morning glories are volunteers this summer.  Last year I planted them.  The year before, too.  They never amounted to much - but this year.  OMG.  They flourish! They trail over all the trellises, the forgotten day lily flower stalks, the weeds, the ground.  And, of course, into the fence row.  Most are dark, dark purple - called something like Grandpa Ott.  I should look that up*.  But, also, some of these light blue beauties. *I did.  That's it!

 Thanks to Alexa - which is playing this for me this afternoon....."to die by your side, is such a heavenly way to die..."

1 can drianed and rinsed black beans 2 T strong brewed coffee 1/2 c canola oil or grapeseed oil 2 eggs 2 t pure vanilla extract 3/4 c cocoa powder (I like dark chocolate) 3/4 c brown sugar 1/2 t baking soda 1/4 t kosher salt 3 oz chocolate chiops (I, again, like dark chocolate) Blend the beans, coffee, oil, eggs and vanilla Add to the dry ingredients including 1/2 of the chips.   Pour into an 8x8inch greased pan, top with the second half of the chocolate chips and bake for 25 minutes at 325F. The brownie should bounce back from the touch of your finger.  It should not scream or poke back.

  Wisconsin Dells originally made my list thanks to the Duck Tours of the dells - WW2 amphibious vehicles that would drive a while then drive into the water and boat a while.  I thought Zupe would REALLY like that.  Unfortunately, the Canadian smoke was really bad and we thought it prudent to spend less time breathing it.  The good news - there was still the Museum of Root Beer! As you might expect, displays about the history of root beer - it is VERY old - as they say - "Older than Coke".  Root Beers were made by the founders of our country.  Mr. Hires and Mr. Barq.  OK.  Not them. The other ones. Lots of root beer cans. Recipes for root beer. Root beer ads.  Root beer as it appears in popular culture.  Remember, it was a favorite of the flying ace fighting the Red Baron.  At the end you get a (one, 1!!, only 1!!!!) small 5oz sample of one of the flavors they have on tap.  Kevin tried something a bit exotic - I think it was mi...