My Kind of Blackberry

Every summer I can remember is punctuated by blackberries- first the anticipation, then collection, then...my most favorite food ever, blackberry pie.
I am not a religious or particularly spiritual person but while I'm picking blackberries I feel as if the earth is blessing me with a glorious gift, thorns, spider webs and all.

Since U Been Scone

Sigh. I think I have been home alone a little too long! Now I know why little old ladies bring baskets of muffins to the local banks, etc. They are filling up the empty nest with baking!

But I do love my scones. This is a good basic dependable recipe.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 3 T. sugar, 1 T baking powder and a half teaspoon salt. Cut in 5 T butter and stir in about a half cup raisins. Beat together a half cup light cream and one egg. Add some vanilla if you like and stir the liquid quickly into the dry ingredients. Knead lightly, turn onto board and cut into 8 scones. Bake about 17 minutes. Check at 15 if your oven runs hot. I love these with blueberry jam!

Pie Princess

Man, I make a lot of pies in the summertime. Lyle dubbed me Pie Princess a quarter century ago so in this season I try to live up to my royal responsibilites.

This here is a plain ol' blueberry pie, four and a half cups fresh berries, three quarters cup sugar, half teaspoon cinnamon, quarter cup flour, juice of half a lemon.Let that mixture stand while preparing your favorite pastry. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes, then 350 for 35 minutes.

Today's listening pleasure, Nina Simone, The Blues, five stars...I LOVE this music!

Disblurbia

There is nothing I enjoy more than a good thriller. There is nothing I enjoy less than a poor one.

I was looking forward to a pleasant evening watching "Disturbia", newly out on DVD. I guess I should have known better. Thrillers used to be made for grownups. Now they have replaced beach movies
as the mindless and boring teen flick genre of choice.

"Disturbia" employs the gimmick of Hitchcock's classic "Rear Window". Too bad it completely misses the mark as far as style, production and charisma of its actors. Electronics are the stars of this movie. Sigh. Yawn.

No wonder I'm glued to the Turner Classic Movie channel.

Today's listening pleasure, "The Essential Billie Holiday", four and a half stars.