“Whenever I hear the sparrow chirping, watch the woodpecker chirp, catch a chirping trout, or listen to the sad howl of the chirp rat, I think: Oh boy! I'm going insane again.” Jack Handy

 

I loved this quote, it is a great fit for this week’s blog theme.

What you are looking at is a Red-Bellied Woodpecker, I think.

I have a strange way of birding.  I will hear a bird, go grab my camera and then try and find him by following his call until I see him and can get a shot.  I had been trying to catch this fellow for two weeks when I finally got my chance at him the other day.  He was surprisingly cooperative.  Usually they flit and flutter and don’t sit still very long.  This guy was posing for me!

This week was my friend Debra’s birthday.  We went out to lunch at the Boston Beanery.

She got a slice of Boston Cream Pie to celebrate.

Our server, Harlan, was so sweet.  He put the candle on her pie and did the decorating with the chocolate.

We have had so much snow this winter, but I don’t mind.  I love snow.

 

 

Doesn’t this look delicious?   This is a coconut pie. Looks good enough to eat.  Too bad that I forgot to bake the pie shell before I put the filling in!  See, even a good cook can make stupid mistakes.

This a great recipe for Coconut Pie from Christy’s blog, Southern Plate.

Coconut Meringue Pie

Bake the Pie shell first! (I added this)

• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 stick margarine, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1 heaping cup coconut, sweetened flaked
• 9 inch pie shell, baked (Or my Mix In The Pan Pie crust)

Mix flour, sugar, salt, margarine, milk, and egg yolks in large saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla and coconut. Pour into baked pie shell.  Top with meringue.

Meringue

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 C sugar

Whip egg whites until foamy.  Add sugar.  Continue beating on high speed until soft peaks form.  Pour onto top of pie and spread to edges to seal well.  Sprinkle additional coconut on top.  Bake at 325 for ten minutes or until top is golden.  Refrigerate until completely cold before serving.

I won two things this week.  I won these beautiful Rainbow Roses from Any Lucky Day and had them sent to Mama Ann.

I wanted them to be a surprise, but as of this writing they still hadn’t arrived.  So, Mama Ann, if you are reading this:

SURPRISE!

These special roses are made by inserting dye into the stem of the roses while they are growing, which results in the color being absorbed by the petals of the flower.

They were designed by Peter Van de Werken, who owns a flower company close to Den Bosch in southern Holland.

I also won this One Trip Tote from Leslie Loves Vegetables

I found this poem this week and love it.

“Ten thousand flowers in spring

the moon in autumn,

a cool breeze in summer,

snow in winter.

If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,

this is the best season of your life.” Wu-men