This past weekend and Seth's face

So, just so's everyone knows...I made cheese. That's right- my first real cheese. It was super easy too; Ricotta. In South Philly they always pronounce it "Ra-gute". They also call spaghetti sauce "gravy". Back on subject though, my ricotta is creamy and delicious. It turned out just right. I have to say the best part was watching my thermometer and waiting for the point when I'd see curds. Then of course I felt like an old Italian lady, hanging up my cheese over the sink, wrapped in cheese cloth of course, letting the whey drip out of it. But you know, a sea slug could make ricotta if it had hands. I need more of a challenge now. On to Mozzarella! Since I still don't have a cheese mold, I'll have to settle for mozzarella since it doesn't require one. My next adventures in cheese making will definitely involve a camera so that you can see the process. I also learned that the whey produced from hard cheeses is used to make ricotta and the whey from the ricotta can be used as plant food or mixed with the girls homemade dog food.

Which brings me to this; I have yet to post pictures of our lovely girls.

this would be the lovely Uvy. AKA Black bean, stinkfest, purple potato, Uvy Goovy, etc. She can sit, shake, lay down, do your taxes and make you pancakes...all at the same time. Well, maybe not. But she will walk right next to you, wherever you go, without a leash on. She can also be pretty expressive too. You definitely know when she's pissed at you or if you hurt her feelings. She's 4 and part lab/pit.


This is Madi. I keep trying to talk her into getting a job but all she wants to do is paint her nails and hunt cats. Lazy. She is trouble, but she's also a super model and a huge lover. Most people take her the wrong way but she is all licks and no bite. She's 4 and a Catahoula Leopard Dog.

Alright, enough with the corny puppy loving stuff. I don't want anyone to think I'm a sap- Both those beasts up there are ferocious and drink at least 4 quarts of blood a day...easy.

On to the rest of the weekend. Besides taking the girls out for a nice jaunt yesterday I also happened to purchase what was needed to make homemade wine. So, pictures of that soon. Aaron has already started the process of making rice wine while I will begin the fruit (grape probably) when he finishes up.

And last but certainly not least, Seth's face. Seth is my neighbor, friend and surrogate younger brother, whom I adore picking on- oi...and hanging out with. Yes, I know, he's a sweet guy, I shouldn't pick on him, but hey, I have no one to call ass-knob. I need to let it out somewhere. Besides, Seth is a great sport and I think he's even starting to dish it out back at me. Coming from my family where most conversations are battles of drunken wit it certainly doesn't hurt to practice the sport sober. I think I'll have the upper hand at that next family reunion. Anyway...am I rambling?....Seth's face. For some reason or another, Seth inspired me. For weeks I ribbed him about his always coming over to my house and saying at some point that he was going to eat dinner. When I asked him what he would be eating that night, he always said " a sandwich". So, I made a collage for Seth. there are other things that are funny to me, or us but the sandwich one is the only thing I feel like explaining here. Some things are better left unsaid...in writing...you know? Enter Seth (aka Ass-Knob):









If you didn't notice, there are flying sandwiches in the sky. Crappy photo of this. It's 36x24 on canvas though. Also with some mixed media oil paint and pastels.

next collage project is Aaron. He will be a ringmaster at a circus. I just need to take a picture like the one below but with his whole body in it. I already have some awesome pics cut out...like a lady dancing with a dog...and men flying in the air with propellers strapped to their backs. Should be fun.