No, this is not a tick!
Upon close inspection via the GG’s microscope, we have definitely determined that. (This is actually a hi-res scan, not a photo via the microscope). And yes, the GG knows just enough about microscopes and ticks to be dangereuse! Actually I think he knows more about ticks than he wants to.
Moving on… Everyone agrees that the Ice Storm was largely a non-event here in Washtenaw County. This morning there was a thin layer of wet slushy stuff that required me to do my Skunk Walk in YakTrax, mainly because it was too dark to *see* exactly what I was walking on.
Picked away at small tasks all day, mostly cooking ahead, bits and pieces of shopping and cleaning. And surfing the net. Looking for Boat Books (don’t ask). Looking for the cutest mouse architect book ever. Why did I not know about this book when the beach urchins were young? I most certainly would’ve bought that book. $348? I am not quite that level of collector. ($100 maaaayyyybeeeee… eee… eee… On a good day. Not $348. Kee-reist!) I’ll keep watching… And I’ll start saving my pennies up in Trunky, who I believe is still around here somewhere, at least I didn’t get rid of him.
Italian Cucidata… I received a request for this cookie recipe late last night and, wallah voila! I was able to dredge the recipe up outta my hard drive in seconds or thereabouts and send it off! Italian Cucidata are xmas cookies that The Commander used to make. She ground up candied fruit in her grinder and wrapped little bits of that whole mess in dough, sprinkled them with little colored balls, and baked them.
The Commander had a whole series of Christmas cookies that she used to make and maybe I will try to wrap my brain around that and blahg about it one of these days. This exchange of emails got me wondering where the heck my mom’s old grinder ended up. In the months after her death I got rid of quite a bit of her stuff but that was mostly clothing or furniture that wasn’t useful to anyone in the fam and I didn’t have a personal connection to. (Aka, I am not a hoarder.) I know that I would not have gotten rid of that grinder, at least not right away. It probably either came from the farmhouse she grew up in over in Garden City or was given to her as a wedding present. I found grinders that looked a lot like hers on eBay (and a new one at Cabela’s), not that I would actually buy one. Maybe *she* got rid of it (but I don’t think so). If she did, it’s okay with me. Or maybe I just haven’t encountered it yet…
Pooh, if you do end up making Italian Cucidata and you have more than you need, send a few of them my way. If you have time and you don’t have to go out of your way too much. And only a few. Love you cuzzint.
December 22nd, 2013 at 8:09 pm
I don’t like candied fruit, so I won’t be making any. 🙂 However, I will be doing snowball cookies and frosted sugar cookies. So much mess and work! But it’s still fun.
December 23rd, 2013 at 9:46 am
Thank you again for the recipe! If I make them, I’ll definitely send you some.