My peaceful world this week.....



(newly painted front door)

I am reading a "Hamish Macbeth" mystery by M.C. Beaton called "Death of a Cad".

We discovered Hamish Macbeth DVDs at our local library when our friend Cheryl was checking out the series. It only ran for 3 years in the mid 1990's, we have seen them all...so now I have to read in order to visit the imaginary village of "Lockdubh" (Gaelic for "black lake") in northern most Scotland. Hamish is the laid-back village constable. The series is imaginative and "campy" and always graced by the beautiful highland scenery!

Thanks to YOUtube, you can see a wonderful moment from the series here.

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When not escaping into the pages of a book, I am in the process of finding a job.One I am currently interviewing with is a local Montessori school. Today, Caroline of Caroline's Crayons posted about her new job! [If you haven't visited Caroline before, you are in for a treat! Her former blog was Potato Prints.]

I found it quite synchronistic (may not be a real word, but I like it) and encouraging to read her post! I will be making a decision soon....one thing, the school is less than a mile away so I won't waste too much salary on filling my tank, (as I would have with the quilt shop 30 miles away who want me to come and work/play for them!) and I won't be tempted to spend said paycheck on merchandise if I am with babies and toddlers all day!

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One last thing, I will show more garden photos eventually...things are growing nicely now. Only problem is an uninvited guest....Mr. (Ms.?) Mole now plowing tunnels. I'm afraid this means "war"...and Mr. Pear will surely win!

(the door downstairs going out of my studio, also newly painted!)

[BTW, I just realized this is my 400th post!....as if I am counting, hmmm.]

Tuscan Pork Chops

or "What's for dinner tonight?"

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
4 (1-inch-thick) boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced*
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup chicken broth
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced (or use sun dried tomatoes which have been soaked in the chicken broth and balsamic long enough to soften them)
2 tablespoons capers
Garnish: fresh parsley sprigs

Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish; dredge pork chops in flour mixture.
Cook pork chops in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove chops from skillet.
Add garlic to skillet, and sauté 1 minute. Add vinegar and broth, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet; stir in tomatoes and capers.
Return pork chops to skillet; bring sauce to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 4 to 5 minutes or until pork is done. Serve pork chops with tomato mixture. Garnish, if desired.
*1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic may be substituted.

Originally from Southern Living, with my idea in contrasting color! I have all of these ingredients as well as fresh spinach and artisan bread to accompany it, so making this recipe is my plan.

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I read wistfully about art "vacations" in Italy, remembering the fields of poppies which I saw there years ago. The experiences the author writes about in "Eat, Pray, Love", take my thoughts there, far from Arkansas.

Of course, making foods from various countries (even if the recipe comes through a southern American magazine, LOL!) is a wonderful way to "go without leaving home". For more of Italy, maybe I'll rent "Bread and Tulips" or Il Postino" (this is the hotel from the movie) and watch them again! And/or read some poetry by Pablo Neruda....(who was exiled to Italy.) [ I can reserve all of these things from our public library!!]

Back to "Eat, Pray, Love"....I may not be able to spend a year traveling to exotic locations, but I can support our local yoga teacher. Classes in her beautiful studio and garden are an escape and visual feast for the senses. I think this is part of "Bloom where you are planted!"

I could also get a used copy of "Eat, Pray, Love", make an "altered book", filling it with collages of my imaginary experiences. No reason to be limited by reality as we perceive it!

Note: The pork chops were wonderful!!!!! I highly recommend this recipe!