Italian something.................

I tried a new dish this evening and I liked it. I am not sure it has a name but based on Italian food. I didn't think till after I was done eating, there is no meat in it so it will become a tried and true because I loved it.
Here is what I did.
I cooked up some egg noodles.
In a 9 X 13 glass pan sprayed with Pam I put the cooked noodles. So I guess you can guess the amount by how many you want to serve. Mind you I ate a double dose.

While the noodles were cooking I prepared the veggies. I had bought fresh mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and on hand I had zucchini, green peppers and a few bits from my garden. I only had about half dozen fresh green beans and some mild Jalapeno peppers, very mild but tasty. I cut up an onion and began to fry in butter along with the mushrooms, adding the rest as I cut them up. I suppose you could use any veggies you have on hand or want to use up. Be sure to have the cherry tomatoes though as they gave it a nice pop and I did not cook them first.
So when that was all done I spread them over the cooked noodles. I sprinkled on some salt and pepper and some dried basil as well as some fresh from my garden that smelled divine. Don't forget the cherry tomatoes.

I am really enjoying the fresh Basil and Parsley from the garden. Those are things I will grow next year and try to keep some in the house.
Anyway...........I had a jar of Basil, garlic and onion spaghetti sauce that went with the theme. Spread that over the vegetables and topped with Mozzarella grated cheese.

I put it in a 350 oven, it was in for maybe 45 mins because I wanted the cheese crunchy. OMGoodness it was awesome. So as all the veggies were partly cooked and fresh in any case you can cook to the doneness you enjoy.


So here is what I used. No measurements really required.
1 jar of spagghetti sause, basil, garlic and onion. 24 oz
1 large onion.
fresh sliced mushrooms.
fresh tiny cherry tomatoes.
small chunks (not slices) of Zucchini.
sliced green peppers.
(maybe corn or any other leftover veggies)
A few leaves of fresh basil.
sprig of fresh parsley.
1/2 teaspoon of dried basil.
salt and pepper.
1 bag of shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Enough cooked noodles to 1/2 fill a 9 x 13 oven dish.

Cook noodles and drain then line your (sprayed)baking dish.
Cook the veggies in butter (gives a better taste than oil but cook how you like them, but don't overcook) then spread evenly over the noodles
Open a jar of sauce and spread over the veggies and top with a bag of shredded Mozzarella cheese.
Cook 350 till nice and brown and if you like it crunchy it takes about 45 mins.

Blueberry the raccoon.....................

On our way home from a day out we saw a young Raccoon by the side of the road. He seemed hurt. We stopped and Gerry went to check him out. I didn't want to look in case it was, you know, yucky. I am very squeamish. It didn't seem to be but he was definitely hurt. He walked up to Gerry like he was it's mum. So I got a blanket and picked him up. We had no idea what we were going to do, but could not leave him there. He may be a she, we never checked.

He chattered all the way home, sort of plaintiff crying, but not really crying. Just chatter. He was content to sit with me and I petted his head and cooed to him. When we got home we got our dogs carry case and put him in there.

We gave him some grapes and blueberries and he tucked in content.
Meanwhile I called a wildlife rescue. They only took baby deer but gave me the name of a local woman who took raccoons. Well that was a complete disappointment. She told me to take him to the vet and get it put down. I said I can't do that. So I got a lecture on the dangers of keeping a Raccoon. The round worm that is dangerous to people and pets. Yes I know that, but if I can get a vet to give him something to fix that. She said no, vets around here are not wildlife vets. The DNR would put it down too. So the next thing she mentioned was distemper. Yes I knew about that too. I would get him shots for that, my dogs are vaccinated.

She said she only took healthy raccoons and as this one was not growling and snapping and snarling at me it had to be sick. Well even so, I want to help him. He can still live a good life. It turned out his foot./ankle seemed to be broken, He could not put weight on it. I think he must have gotten swiped by a car. Gerry made a bigger cage for him as we expected to have him awhile.

So all this while I am making phone calls. I told him what she had said. We didn't want to have him put down. His eyes were bright and nose not running, no drool, he was eating well and took a quick nap. I gave him corn on the cob and more grapes.
Look at that face.

So it was beginning to get dark, well the sun was going down. I went to check him out and his little face was poking out like the dogs do when they watch us through the trellis. I called Gerry because I just knew he was trying to get out.
He sure was, in fact he did get out. So as he was getting along quite well despite his injury we decided to take him back where we found him. I figured that at least that way he had a chance. I was not taking him to a vet and being made to get him put down. He deserved better. I am disgusted at the wildlife rescue people who would not help, or give advice. Well yes she did give me advice, get him put down and when I tried to ask other questions as to how I could help she just said "you are not listening, put him down" ...........so

We put him back in the carrier (that we must now detox) and took him not far from where we found him but back further away from the road.
No chance of a dog encounter or the road. Left him happily munching on grapes and wished him a long and happy life. It was all we could do for Blueberry as Reina named him.

They are nocturnal so he should do better in his own territory, maybe hook back up with family? I know it's a harsh world out there with Coyote and so on but say a prayer for little Blueberry and hope he makes it. At least he has a chance now he is no longer stunned. He will hurt for a time for sure but maybe it will heal in time. Just give him some time Lord.

Garden stuff.......................

I am busy working on garden stuff. I am enjoying using up things that have been set aside for a very long time. I figure it's actually time to use some of the things I have collected over the years. That means a lot of beads...........I have a lot of beads. I made a wind chime today from beads. I had fun drilling holes in a piece of driftwood. Thought it was going to erupt in flames when it started to smoke. I have a Dremel and just learning how to use it. I can NOT imagine drilling rocks. That was what I bought it for. Anyway, last night I drilled the holes and today I threaded the beads. This is what came out.


So refurbishing things.........I have these wings from a long gone fairy.

I am thinking Butterfly?

I need to figure out what else I can add to it to make it look pretty.
I am not sure if I showed this on my last post but here it is again just in case. A Christmas ornament to replace the one that broke.

So next I went through my box of wood and came up with enough to make another one or maybe two wooden wind chimes.


Gonna be busy with the Dremel again. Some are drilled from last time but one pile is not. I also have a lot of bigger pieces to make the tops so I hope I am on a roll and actually get these done. I have not even started on the stones yet........I finished this one today

That one has a nice sound with the cow bell......and I added a heart crystal to my tea pot

It needs a few more and I do have some so will continue that theme but its too humid out there today. Phew....I am done for today.