§ The Week that Was...

1 Around here, Spring Migration is becoming a reality again for the season. It's only just begun, but so many of the wintering birds of the warmer climes south of our borders are returning north. And they're stopping by on their way!! The cattle egrets [seen below] are nearly as abundant in the fields as the Texas Bluebonnets!! I've seen the first arriving Black and White Warblers, and one Black Throated Green Warbler! Both warblers are favorites. Tho, difficult to get good photos of since they flit around so quickly!! Altho the migration has begun, you wouldn't know it in our yard yet...so far the same ol' same ol' year 'round residents: doves, sparrows, mockingbirds and grackles! I'm waiting.....

2] I finished reading a pretty good mystery this week!! The Lincoln Deception. John Wilkes Booth has always been a fascinating character in America's history for me ever since I toured the Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. Well, actually before I visited...he is one of the reasons I made sure I perused the theater in the first place. But, I must tell you, while at Barnes and Nobel a few months ago, as Bud was checking out the newly published books in the history section, I was over at the recent novels, and spotted this book...grabbed it off the shelf, and went into Starbucks with an iced tea and sat down and read it while waiting for Bud to get through. Granted, while there, I only read a couple of chapters. But, the story line had me fixated...and I thought of it over and over again after we left. I did NOT buy the book. The more I thought of it, the more I wished I HAD bought it. Then, a couple weeks afterward, I went back since we were near the bookstore again. There wasn't one to be found. I waited for weeks for it to show up at the used book store. Nothing. Nada. No book showing up on the recently published half price shelves. Finally, I ordered one through Half Price Books and had it home delivered. Here is a blurb from an online reference:

A deathbed confession and a long hidden conspiracy are at the heart of a riveting historical mystery centered on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. In March 1900, as former Congressman John Bingham of Ohio lies dying, he begins to tell a strange tale to his physician, Dr. Jamie Fraser. Bingham famously prosecuted eight members of John Wilkes Booth's plot to kill Lincoln. But during the 1865 trial, conspirator Mary Surratt divulged a secret so explosive it could shatter the republic.

Altho it didn't hold true of my perception of how it would turn out or how the story line would go from reading the first few pages at the coffee shop...I wasn't all that disappointed! It's still a good book. If you are into American History of the Civil War Era, I would say it's a fun adventure with a lot of twists and turns into the annals of the Lincoln Conspiracy. The author is a renowned non-fiction writer of our past. With books published such as: "Impeached", "American Emperor", and "The Summer of 1787"... I'm sure there was a lot of research done on his part before attempting to compose and publish a fictionalized caricature of those involved in the assassination. Tho, novelized, it really makes you stop and think how possible his scenario could've been. NOT the two main characters [which by the way are based on two real individuals], but of the historical value within the pages.  The what ifs.

3] Have you ever heard of the Russian dish, Pelmeni?  I hadn't....'til Olga made them for us over the past weekend.  She had no recipe. She made them from scratch.  They're a lot like ravioli...stuffed dough [but not a pasta dough]; filled with ground beef, onion, salt and pepper.  The dough is simply flour, water, and one egg.  It took her most of the afternoon this past Saturday.  We snacked on some as she and Erik prepared them ---and froze about 60 of the uncooked ones for safe keeping when I don't want to cook anything.  All I have to do is plop them into boiling water for about 15 minutes and presto!! They're very good...

Olga & Erik preparing Pelmeni in our kitchen
4] I can't believe I missed my own grandson's birthday this month!! I will blame it on age! I did realize I had forgotten to send him something along with a card as I was talking to Irene on the phone...so, Monday, I quickly made amends and shipped off something first thing that day. Geez.

5] Lastly this week for my list of five is the gift I received from my sister on Sister's Day. A beautiful black lacquered music/jewelry box she had purchased in Cedaredge Colorado. And what I really like about it? Ironically the duo/twin bracelets that I purchased for each of us, fits perfectly within the jewel section!! Oh and the music is a favorite of mine also...Fur Elise by Beethoven - of which I played on the piano over and over so many times Bud plugged his ears or left the room. lol

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[photo of pelmeni, prepared, is courtesy of Google image search/wikipedia]