Dianne's blog

What Inspires You?
That question seems to be the “buzz quest” of the moment. On TV and the movies, in food blogs and web sites, art blogs and publications, decorating blogs, and in emails I read the question, “What inspires you?” and I did! I asked myself “What does inspire me?”

The answer! Hmmmmmm

EVERYTHING! Everything inspires me!

BonJour!

The Tour de France begins on July 4th, 2009. The famous, 3200 kilometer grueling bicycle race goes on for 23 days through alps and ancient villages, along rivers and roadways touching into Spain, Switzerland and Italy. Take a quick peek at the course and F E E L the pain going through your quads, calves, hammies, abs, shoulders...

http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html

“Au Clair de la Lune”

I learned how to play the French folk song “Au Clair de la Lune” on the piano about 49 years ago! It was the traditional 'first ' song that one learns to play on the piano, (with the exception, of course, of “Chopsticks”).

That children’s folk song and its main character, Pierrot, have revisited me often in my life….before, I believe, I even knew I was a Francophile!

BonJour!

I could never understand people that could spend hours on the computer. or the internet. What are they doing? What can they be looking at? John is constantly surfing who know what, and Annie and Andrew are always on the internet..... WHAT COULD BE SO INTERESTING?

Hello?

...remember when your kids were in elementary school and they had to do an alphabet book using alliteration?
"Alice's alligator ate Aunt Annie's army of ants"
The pencils and crayons created colorful alligators and ants and Aunts and then it was time to move on to "B"!
"Barbara's beatnik Bobcat banged on the bongo"
and then "C"! and "D"! ..... We would talk in alliterations during dinner time and throughout the evening ...lots of fun!

Hello! Bonjour! Happy Greetings! Salutations!

It is almost the end of May....is time moving quicker that usual, or is it just me?

Anywho, I found this bit of paper with some words of wisdom that I had cut out some time ago and saved for purposeful review. This blog would is the perfect device for sharing as emails get deleted and little bits of paper get lost.

Hello again!

Have you seen the Jack in the Box TV commercial for the mini sirloin burgers and "cows that are the size of schnauzers"? So cute! John and I turn up the volume on the TV so we can sing along with the jingle...

May I start this blog with heartfelt congratulations to the parents and grandparents of recent or upcoming graduates! And to the college graduates themselves for having a goal of a college degree and meeting that goal, however long it took!

Petit Morning Glorious Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
...mix dry ingredients together and set aside

2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnutsor pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 banana, mashed
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
...mix wet ingredients and then add to dry mixture. Spoon into greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Ta-da….Finally! The wines for May!

The flowers are dancing with the raindrops from this warm spring rain. A joyous dance…it is really pretty out!

We have put away the wines from April and have some lovely wines for the May! I have some new recipes to pair with these wines - some are even healthy! I like mixing up the healthy and the rich and cheesy – kind of like “naughty and nice”!