Power back but no Internet/phones

Thank god for cell phones! Good grief! Our power returned this morning, and although the fridge purge was kinda nasty, it was nice to jettison a lot of the really old, "what is in that Tupperware" kind of stuff. Goodbye!I just finished making the magnificent dough for the cinnamon rolls Jack wants for his birthday tomorrow. It's rising now, and then I'll fill and roll it and let is rise overnight. Tomorrow, a bake and them a cream cheese glaze applied when they're just out of the oven. This recipe takes a while but is totally worth it! A fine way to start a birthday. T was in Chicago today and his flight back was delayed. I have largely lost the will to cook the shrimp I bought so might just have a nice egg sandwich and call it a day. I've got a hell of a migraine and did put away the entire jar of pickled pattypan squash (those I made last week) while making the cinnamon rolls...

My different sons

Perfect example of my son's different personalities.Me: "oh boys, promise me you'll always come visit after you grow up and move into your own home!" Jack: "I'm not going to move out. I want to live here with you forever!" Oliver: "First I will drink some wine at my house, and then I will come see you." Hah!

Watermelon Rind Preserves- video, pie

The sour cherry pie was scrumptious! Wow! You might recall that when we were in Louisiana visiting my parents in late May, I made my mom vats of pickled watermelon rinds. She loved them, secreted them away, shared them grudgingly and just finished the final jar yesterday. Good as they were, they weren't quite what she remembered so fondly from her childhood; those were watermelon rind preserves. I knew I needed to try making some. Both make terrific use of the part of the watermelon usually tossed out with little to no regard, and as you know if you read Em-i-lis with any frequency, I love to avoid waste and go "head-to-tail" whenever I can. Last night, still feeling rather spunky and light despite the loss of power and resultant temp increase in our home, I realized that as my gas stovetop was still functional, I could finish up the rind preserve project I'd commenced earlier that day. My mom has some weird food allergies, and I love to make her things she can eat with abandon. And you know how I feel about canning. So... I can't wait to taste them and give my mom the big jar when I see her next.