Girly-Bits

I’ve posted pictures of the adorable yellow and black caterpillars that are eating all the dill and parsley in my garden. This morning, I saw this beautiful black swallowtail butterfly sitting on some herbs. It was barely moving, and let us take pictures for several minutes. Apparently, it was a black swallowtail butterfly just out of it’s cocoon. So gorgeous. Apparently we are running a swallowtail butterfly breeding facility because we currently see 15 or 20 of those little caterpillars guys happily munching away. Hope the butterflies stick around!

Black Swallowtail Butterflies

More pics.

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One of my friends usually celebrates her birthday for a month. This year, because she’s turning 50, she’s celebrating all year. She said if someone could make up a holiday like Kwanzaa, she could make up a holiday for her birthday: Amza. So her and her family are spending all their spare time this year visiting all 50 states as part of her celebration. She is also having numerous parties. Last night was “Amza Goes Asian”.

Eight catered courses and all the sake you could drink. I seriously was ready to stop after four courses. And the eight didn’t even include dessert!!

I’ve got five years to figure out how to top this! All the Amza Goes Asian pictures are here.

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Many creatures around the garden this morning. About 16 of the fellows seen above. They only like the dill plants, and they’re eating them completely. But the caterpillars are so pretty that I can’t begrudge them. It’s not like I was using the dill.

There were also several large butterflies and this guy. He has a little pal that lives in the herbs with him. What a nice life. Hanging out in the sun and munching on bugs.

Okay, now I’m off to a birthday celebration. It’s an Asian theme dinner at the biggest house I’ve ever seen. They have a game room and a movie theater. And a giant gazebo in the middle of the house. Each course of the dinner will be served in a different room. Yes, I will be sneaking photographs…

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Dinner with friends of Les’ visiting from Milwaukee. So nice and down-to-earth. Too bad they live so far away. But a lovely time, nonetheless.

Need a vacation to rest up from the weekend!

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We haven’t seen Philip and Craig much lately. They sold their house and moved out of the neighborhood. But we miss them! They came over tonight and we served a delicious meal: manchego cheese and figs, arugula and strawberry salad, grilled chicken, and creme brulee. Mmmmmm…. So good to catch up. Les has known Philip and Craig for about 25 years. He has such a gift for keeping friends.

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The kickoff to a busy weekend: a yummy meal at Bolsa. A “Miss Behavin” – a mimosa-like drink, soft shell crab with potato salad for me, Jimmy’s sausage pizza for Les and a shared banana/white chocolate tart. Mmmmmmm. Tomorrow night we’re cooking dinner for Philip and Craig, Sunday, we’re heading to Waxahachie for lunch and to pick up our Gordon Carver drawings, and Sunday night we’re having dinner at Hattie’s with some old friends. Monday, my boss returns from two weeks in Sweden. Nose back to the proverbial grindstone….

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Actually, a spider spent the better part of today crawling around my office window. The weather forecast is nothing if not soothingly consistent. 98 and sunny for the next ten days. We have an unusual amount of social plans for the next six weeks. This weekend we have Friday date night, cooking dinner for Philip and Craig Saturday night, and dinner Sunday night with pals of Mr. Hall.

My boss is in Sweden so work is just sunny afternoons filled with the lull of office chat in the background. I’m enjoying it while it lasts. I have four more weeks of no traveling… and then I’ll hit the friendly skies again!

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Things to see around our house today on this fine 105 degree day: Rose of Sharon, Hydrangea, Palms, Banana Plants, and baby green Tomatoes.

It’s been a beautiful, relaxing and HOT weekend. We had date night at Zen Sushi, followed by a viewing of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans. How they got so many otherwise dignified Brits to act like total scenery chewing queens, I have no idea. Saturday night, we went to a surprise birthday party at the cool warehouse that David and Janet live in. Yummy lasagna! I was too busy talking to take any pictures. Today we’ve mostly done chores. I’ve closed all the plantation shutters and turned on all the ceiling fans, so there is a cool, dark stillness in the house. Might be time for a nap!

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It was too dark to take a picture of anything but the bar, but trust me, the food at Neighborhood Services was unbelievable. We had the tiny asparagus, mussels and chop salad for starters. I had the scallops, Howard had the halibut, Lisa the pasta of the night, and Les the steak frite. Every bite was superb. And a beautiful space. They don’t take reservations, so get there early.

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