Grace's Mosaic Moments


Saturday, July 25, 2020

Isolation Break

Lake Apopka, north shore - 7/19/2020

Customarily, we celebrate my birthday by Susie and the grandgirls taking me out to lunch, almost inevitably at a restaurant where we can order Baked Brie. Alas, this year . . .

When Susie asked me what I wanted to do, it didn't take long to think of an alternative. I've been wanting to go on the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive ever since it was inaugurated back in 2015, and after being cooped up at home, staring at four walls since March, a scenic drive sounded really good. Despite summer being the poorest time to view wildlife, we saw a huge number of ducks, plus bunches of babies not more than 4" long. Also, multiple heron, egret, anhinga; one hawk, a raccoon, two alligators, and countless concentric circles in the canals, where fish were jumping up to grab insects. 






A bit of background on the wildlife drive:  It seems that way back at the beginning of WWII, the north shore of Lake Apopka (Florida's second largest lake) was drained to create farm land to grow crops for the war effort. To do this, a criss-cross of levees was built, and it's along those levees that the Wildlife Drive now runs. The "farm land" has long since returned to swamp - except for a sod farm we saw just as we exited - and there is only a short section where part of the lake itself can be seen. But the canals and swamps teem with life, and I'd love to return in cooler weather when far more creatures should be out and about.


Our second gator sighting of the afternoon

Volunteers brave the heat to welcome visitors, hand out maps, and explain about the Audio Tour available via your cellphone. To me, the most surprising bit of information was that a million pounds of fish are taken from Lake Apopka each year. Warning:  if you're interested in this or any other wildlife tour, be sure to search for the website and check the hours. For example, the Lake Apopka drive is open only on weekends. (It's free, by the way.)

So . . . if, like so many of us, you're not taking that vacation, not eating out; you're attending church online, maybe ordering your groceries delivered, consider taking a scenic drive. So many people had that idea last Sunday afternoon that the Speed Limit of 10mph was frequently reduced to somewhere around 3mph! Seriously, it's safe, it's scenic, it's a break from four walls. If you don't know where your nearest scenic drive is, I bet Google can find it for you.

Below, a few more photos taken by Susie and Grace:







Selfie by Susie, wearing her mask on her head; Me, looking silly






The sod farm with rolling irrigation racks in the background

So, do it! Ease the stress by taking a scenic drive.


For those who would like to know about the 
Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, click here.

~ * ~

Coming soon - c. 8/6/20
~ * ~
 

 
For Blair's website, click here.
 
For a link to Shadows Over Greystoke Grange on Amazon, click here.

For a link to Shadows Over Greystoke Grange on Smashwords (20% free read), click here.


For a link to Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.
 

 
Thanks for stopping by,
Grace (aka Blair Bancroft)

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Covid Risk Chart




Cassidy's cousin Lionel made this cake for our would-be fighter pilot.

Grace note:  Cassidy took her first flight with her father when she was about seven. When I asked how she liked it, she thought about it a moment and said, "I liked lunch." (Obviously, flying has grown on her since then.)



My daughter took this photo 7/18/20 at a house appraisal



Grace note:  Not surprisingly, I'm a Cancer.
 
~ * ~


COVID RISK CHART


Below is a summary of an article by Iliana Limón Romero in the Orlando Sentinel, Sunday, July 12, 2020. Since the number of Covid cases in the U. S. is skyrocketing and this list of risky activities seems to make sense, I am postponing the blog I'd planned for today and posting the list in its place.

Attribution:  "The Texas Medical Association put together a chart to help people assess the risk of everyday activities based on survey responses from a group of physicians. Their recommendations assume anyone doing these activities is following coronavirus prevention best practices that include wearing masks or face coverings, washing hands frequently and practicing social distancing." 

Risks are listed from Low to High.

Lowest Risk:

1. Opening mail. (Wash hands afterward.)

2. Restaurant take-out, pumping gas, playing tennis, camping

3. Grocery shopping; going for a walk, run, or bike ride with others; playing golf

4.  Staying at a hotel for two nights, sitting in a doctor's waiting room, going to a library or museum, eating outside at a restaurant, walking in a busy downtown, spending an hour at a playground

Medium Risk:

5.  Having dinner in someone else's house, attending a backyard barbecue, going to the beach, shopping at a mall

6.  Sending kids to school, camp, or daycare; working a week in an office building; swimming in a public pool; visiting an elderly relative or friend in their home

Medium High Risk:

7.  Going to a hair salon or barbershop, eating inside in a restaurant, attending a wedding or funeral, traveling by plane, playing basketball, playing football, hugging or shaking hands when greeting a friend

8.  Eating at a buffet, working out at a gym, going to an amusement park, going to a movie theater

Highest Risk:

9.  Attending a large music concert, going to a sports stadium, attending a religious service with 500+ people, going to a bar

Grace note:  Personally, I would lower that 500+ to a LOT less! 

~ * ~
 
 Coming Soon: THE VICAR'S DAUGHTER
a Regency Gothic

 
For Blair's website, click here.
 
For a link to Shadows Over Greystoke Grange on Amazon, click here.

For a link to Shadows Over Greystoke Grange on Smashwords (20% free read), click here.


For a link to Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.
 

 
Thanks for stopping by,
Grace (aka Blair Bancroft)

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Diving, Recipes & Face Shields



About to dive 27' down in the Gulf of Mexico

She did it! Found a big shark's tooth on the first try.
And a remarkable amount of other stuff. Guess the diving lessons were worth it.


On the way to Suwanee
Off on mini vacation plus work trip - fixing up the Suwanee house for sale
 (To think, Kylo was a little pup just 7 months ago.)



COMFORT FOOD

 I suspect many of us have taken refuge in "comfort foods," old favorites we might have turned our backs on in the rush toward the Mediterranean, Keto, and other "healthy choices" of the moment. In my case, I developed a yen for Tapioca. No, not that stuff they sell in the dairy department but made-from-scratch Tapioca Pudding, which can be a real treat. 

But what did I discover? Oh no! Kraft was no longer making the Minute Tapioca I had known all my life. After considerable thought - and being shocked by the prices placed on the last boxes on Amazon - I decided that perhaps it was the classic recipe for Fluffy Tapioca that caused the Kraft Tapioca demise. For their Fluffy Tapioca recipe contains egg white meringue (uncooked), and Kraft likely had a whole host of lawyers advising against putting out a product that used raw egg white. Thus putting paid to one of the great taste treats of the world. Sigh. 

So I saved my last empty box and typed up both the "Tapioca Pudding" and the "Fluffy Tapioca Cream" recipes, and saved them to my Recipes file. I also recorded for posterity Kraft's classic Fruit Pie recipes, for how can you possibly make a good fruit pie with tapioca??? 

And then I was faced with What Next? I turned up my nose at the alleged tapioca granules now offered by Publix. (I mean, they were in a plastic bag!) After searching Amazon, I ordered a 5-pack (at least the tapioca was in proper cardboard). Giving the new supplier the benefit of the doubt, I followed the instructions to the letter. The tapioca had the texture of rubber, and tasted only slightly better.

So it was back to the Kraft recipes I had so carefully saved. I had always used the Fluffy Tapioca recipe, but this time - for a better comparison to the "rubber" recipe - I made the simpler recipe - plain old "Tapioca Pudding." And guess what, the new tapioca was suddenly palatable. More than palatable, it was maybe 75-80% as good as Fluffy Tapioca. Thank goodness! I was not to be deprived of my tapioca fix. (And in Kraft's "Tapioca Pudding" recipe, both egg yolk and egg white are cooked.)

Frankly, fear of Salmonella aside, when I have time to get out the electric beater and turn egg white into meringue, the Fluffy Tapioca is by far the tastiest recipe. It can compete with ice cream any day. I make sure I buy high quality eggs and have never had a problem.




Below are all three recipes from the now defunct Kraft Minute Tapioca Pudding box:  Regular, Fluffy, and Fruit Pie.

Tapioca Pudding

1 egg
2-3/4 cups milk*
1/3 cup sugar
3 TBsp Minute tapioca
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk egg & milk in medium saucepan until blended. Stir in sugar & tapioca. Let stand 5 minutes.

Bring to full boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred), on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

Cool 20 min. Stir. Serve warm or cold. Keep refrigerated. Makes 6 ½-cup servings.

*It's okay to use Lactaid.




Fluffy Tapioca Pudding

1 egg, separated
6 TBsp sugar, divided**
3 TBsp Minute tapioca
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Mix tapioca, milk, egg yolk & 3 TBspn sugar in medium sauce. Let stand 5 minutes.

Beat egg white on high speed in small bowl until foamy. Gradually add 3 TBsp sugar ** continue beating until soft peaks form. Set aside.

Bring tapioca mix to full boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add egg white mix; stir until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Cool 20 min. Stir. Serve warm or cold. Keep refrigerated. Makes 6 servings.

**I reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons in the tapioca mix, two in the egg white.

Grace note:   Taste can be varied by using ½ tsp. almond (or other) flavoring. By swirling jam or chocolate sauce into the still-warm tapioca. Or simply be creative.



 FRUIT PIE

Tapioca is an essential ingredient in any fruit pie, as it helps absorb the berry juices and keeps the pie from being a soggy mess.  Below are the suggestions from the Kraft Tapioca box, but they are adaptable to any variety of fruit.

6 cups sliced apples, 2 TBspns tapioca, 3/4 cup sugar. Flavor with ½ tspn ground cinnamon &/or ground nutmeg

4 cups blueberries, ¼ cup tapioca, 1 cup sugar. Flavor with 1 TBspn lemon juice, 1/8 tspn cinnamon

Grace note:  You can also use frozen berries. Just be sure they are well thawed & drained.



IMPORTANT ADDENDUM - FACE SHIELDS

Although I've made somewhere around 250 masks over the last few months, I find it difficult to wear one. (I do, of course, but I suffer.) Therefore, I was delighted to see an ad on Facebook for an inexpensive Face Shield. Even for a package of 5, the cost is reasonable (because the product attaches to a ball cap). So I'm recommending InstaShield, a product out of Missouri. For more information, click here.

~ * ~
 Coming Soon: THE VICAR'S DAUGHTER
a Regency Gothic

 
For Blair's website, click here.
 
For a link to Shadows Over Greystoke Grange on Amazon, click here.

For a link to Shadows Over Greystoke Grange on Smashwords (20% free read), click here.

For a link to Blair's Facebook Author Page, click here.
 

 
Thanks for stopping by,
Grace (aka Blair Bancroft)