Belgian Waffles

Belgian waffles have large squares and a light crunchy texture and American waffles are more like an Eggo.

Tick Repellant

Repellent for your pets:

For pets, add 1 cup of water to a spray bottle, followed by 2 cups of distilled white vinegar. Ticks hate the smell and taste of vinegar, and will be easily be repelled by this ingredient alone. Then, add two spoonfuls of vegetable or almond oil, which both contain sulfur (another natural tick repellent).

To make a repellent that will also deter fleas, mix in a few spoonfuls of lemon juice, citrus oil, or peppermint oil, any of which will repel ticks and fleas while also creating a nicely scented repellent. Spray onto the pet's dry coat, staying away from sensitive areas including eyes, nose, mouth, and genitals. When outdoors for an extended period, spray this solution on two to three times per day.

For you and your family:

In a spray bottle, mix 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and 1 cup of water. To make a scented solution so you do not smell like bitter vinegar all day, add 20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

Eucalyptus oil is a calm, soothing scent that also works as a tick repellent, while peppermint and citrus oils give off a strong crisp scent that also repel ticks.

After mixing the solution, spray onto clothing, skin, and hair before going outdoors. Reapply every four hours to keep ticks at bay, and examine your skin and hair when back inside to make sure no ticks are on the body.

Of course if you want to be 100% sure that the ticks leave you alone, use permetherin.

That's not my name

Are you calling me darling? That's not my name.

Pork udon

Basic miso soup
8 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dashi granules (or sometimes chicken stock)
1/4 cup miso paste

I added a package of cooked udon noodles, 1/2 C. frozen spinach, 1 cooked sweet potato, peeled and sliced, leftover pork tenderloin brushed with BBQ sauce.

Spanakopita

2 small Yukon gold potatoes (about 8 ounces); boiled and peeled
Kosher salt
1 bunch spinach (about 12 ounces), tough stems removed
1 bunch Swiss chard (about 1 pound), stems and leaves separated in two bowls, stems chopped
1/4 tsp. Hungarian paprika
Freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated kefalotyri cheese (about 4 ounces) I used dry ricotta cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed

Recipe

Enchanted walk

I took this photo at the Rocky Reservation Park. It is the closest place near us that you can watch birds. The weather has been wonderful, but the only exotic thing we've seen lately are goose nests. Maybe in another week or two! The most notable thing about this park was the discovery of a dunkleosteus fossil found in the lime stone cliff face of the Rocky River.

Angraecum Distichium

I got a tiny trellis for my tiny orchid. Oh look! A mushroom bird has come to investigate.