Parker Checks His Blackberry for Emails

Have Your People Call My People!

Babies with Blackberries! This brilliant child is 20 months old, and has mastered email and voice mail on his blackberry.

Peach Season

By Patricia Uchello

What better food than a ripe, juicy peach? I love them chilled, and fresh from the farmer's market.

One of life's simple pleasures!

So lovely to look at are they, that I have painted peaches several times. 

The above painting is sold.

Gotta run, am suddenly hungry.

Charlize T'Heron

Yes, eager observers, that is definitely the famous heron Charlize T'Heron on the left on Assateague Island.

What Makes Chincoteague So Special?

Actual descendants of the famous foal Misty

Dear Imaginary Friends and Horse Lovers of the World,


Chincoteague is famous for its annual round-up of wild ponies who live on the salt marshes of Assateague, a national preserve.
At least one hundred ponies wander free eating salt oats and wondering why they look so bloated. (Stay away from the all-salt diet!)


Every late July, they are herded along the beach and forced into a gallop, right into the lowest tide time on the Chinctoeague channel. They swim across, foals, mares and stallions. Some of the herd is sold off at the annual auction. Who buys the ponies? Farmers, horse lovers, fathers of horse-obsessed little girls, the Amish and the Mennonites.


By the way, we saw some Mennonites driving around Assateague in their SUV and were ready to write them a religious "Ticket." How dare they flaunt modern technology! Don't they know they are supposed to be oppressed? Humph.


During the auction at the pony-penning, there are traditionally buy-backs, in which the philanthropists of the town buy ponies, and then donate them back to the island to roam free and have fun. All profits go to the Chicoteague firemen. It might be more efficient to just train the ponies to serve as firemen. No salary, no benefits, except for the aforementioned salty oats.

After that, perhaps the ponies could be trained to harvest the clams and oyster beds that are so abundant here.


A book was written about Misty of Chincoteague, a beautiful foal, who could not be captured for many years. Who buys this book? Mostly young fillies, I mean little girls.


Horses just wanna be free. And they are not much up for swimming.

Ponies eating on Assateague

Your Imaginary Friend,
Patsie

Smith Island Cake



Needs seven more layers, at least!

 Dear Imaginary Friends,

Why do the people on Smith Island, Virginia,  bake ten layer cakes?
Why not nine or eleven? Today, I purchased my first slice of Smith Island cake, as there is important research to do! I need to get to the bottom of this!
MY civic duty: to research each and every layer.

Sincerely,
Selfless researcher

Our New Old Home in Old Town

We all love it!

Commander's Palace in New Orleans

Beth, Patsie and Susan dine in the Garden Room at Commander's Palace in New Orleans

Bread Pudding Souffle'

No trip to New Orleans is complete without a trip to Commander's Palace! MY favorite.

Do You Know What It Means , To Miss New Orleans?

Dear Imaginary Friends,

I am visiting my home town of New Orleans! Happily, I have been eating my way through town. SO far, I have busted my diet by eating:

Crab Ravigote
Crawfish Etoufee'
Shrimp Po Boy
Crab Fingers
Stuffed Crab
Wedding Cake
Spumoni
Snowballs
Shrimp and Mushrooms
Chicken salad
Salsa containging mango, avocado and shrimp
Salad
Red wine
Manhattan
Martini
Pina Colada daiquiri
Champagne punch


Tomorrow, there are new frontiers to tackle, including turtle soup and shrimp remoulade. Hey, and what about gumbo and a Cosmo? And what about a mint julep?
So many great tastes here and plenty of iced tea to wash them down with.

I am in heaven. And did I mention that I have only been here for 24 hours so far?

Your Imaginary Diner,
Patsie

Ikebana Show at the Art League, This Weekend Only

If you, fair maiden and kind gentleman, have not yet seen the Art League's pairing of art with flowers, you must run now!!

theartleague.org 

Head to Old Town, Alexandria, forthwith. Entrance is free. 

Below is a taste!