Readers, Welcome to my blog (formerly Birds, Blooms, Books, etc). I'm entering a new decade taking on the challenge of moving from Maryland after living there 46 years and learning about my new home here in New England in the Live Free or Die state - New Hampshire. Join me as a write this new chapter of my life.

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Blogger Frustrations


A screen shot of just three of the blogs I like to read showing they haven't had any new posts for several days.  Except that isn't true if I click on the blog title.

Why can't Blogger correct this problem?

 

Friday, September 11, 2026

Americans of Conscience

I haven't posted this one in sometime, but with mid terms happening soon here are actions to take.  I've done the first three already this morning. 

Americans of Conscience Checklist

September 11, 2026

 

Open this week’s Checklist to join us in taking action for democracy, justice, and kindness, then pause to recharge with our latest list of Good News. In this week’s message from Jen Hofmann, get a mental reset about what it takes to create meaningful change. We’ve also got details below about our upcoming class, Living Justice. Read on!

 

Take Action with Americans of Conscience Checklist

  • Action 1: Urge your senators to support legislation restoring TPS for Haiti.
  • Action 2: Celebrate National Voter Registration Day September 15.
  • Action 3: Resist the administration’s attempts to remove the “Roadless Rule.”

Open the full Checklist for more ways to use your voice.

 

Pause for Good News

Here's a sneak peek at our long list of good news items.

  • A federal court blocks the U.S. Postal Service from advancing new mail voting restrictions that would have disenfranchised Americans who cast a mail-in ballot.
  • A U.S. District Court rules that the administration's attempt to cut farm workers’ wages is unlawful.
  • A federal court for the Northern District of California rules that deporting U.S. residents for political speech the administration disagrees with is unconstitutional under the First and Fifth Amendments.

Read all the Good News in this week's Checklist.

Thursday, September 10, 2026

Letter or Call Needed

 Subject: Send a letter 👉 Tell Congress: Stop Trump’s Yosemite Giveaway


Blogging Friends in the USA,

Yosemite is public land. It does not belong to a developer.

The Trump regime is working on a deal that would transfer a strip of Yosemite National Park to Kingsbarn Realty Capital, a private firm that wants to cut a road through parkland to reach an 83-acre project just outside the boundary.

They are calling it a “land exchange.” It is a giveaway. Once that road is in, the pressure for more private development at the edge of Yosemite only grows.

Yosemite is already under strain from Park Service staffing cuts. Search and rescue, trash, trails, and visitor safety are stretched. Handing parkland to a developer on top of that is the opposite of protecting it.

Congress has been notified. They can stop this.

Tell your Representative and Senators to block any transfer, exchange, or easement that gives Yosemite land to a private developer—and to restore the Park Service staff this park actually needs.

Will you write a letter?

Click here: 
https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-congress-stop-trumps-yosemite-giveaway?source=email&

Thanks!

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Big Baking Blunder

 Have you ever had one?

Sunday for a family dinner I made a Huguenot Torte from Stephen Colbert's cookbook, "Does This Taste Funny?"  I had made this once before after having it at the Cookbook Club dinner in the spring.

The recipe calls for one large granny smith apple but I had three small pears just ripe that I decided to substitute for the apple.  I sliced them up and placed them in a large but not my extra large pie plate.  Now the recipe says to use a 9" x 12" casserole. Somehow in my head I figured the torte was going to be smaller with the pears.  First mistake.

I beat the 4 eggs, added the sugar, chopped almonds, almond extract, the the flour, salt and the baking powder.  Quite a bit of the latter is called for.  I think you can see where this is going.

I poured the mixture over the pears and it immediately it started going over the sides of the pie plate.  I attempted to scoop some off but my second mistake was not dumping the whole thing into a bigger casserole. Instead I placed my larger pie plate under it so it nested.

Into the oven it went.  I placed sheets of foil on the shelf under the torte and could hear it plunking there as it heated up.

Close to the time to pull it out, I pulled out the foil because I didn't want the mounds of overflow to burn. I put another sheet of foil under it.  More came off.  I tasted one of the mounds and it was delicious. Dan thought so too.

When the torte was done the overflow ran down the outside of the pie plate.

I served it with whipped cream and all agreed it was delicious. Next time I'll use my large casserole dish!




What was your baking blunder?