Just Waitin on a Hurricane

No, this is not Hurricane Irene....thank goodness!

But Long Island is such a small sliver of land that I wonder 

how it survives hurricanes at all

 My house is just a few miles inland of that arrow....Yikes!  I am just short of the mandatory evacuation area so we are staying put.  They are saying it may downgrade to a low end category 1 or a tropical storm by the time it reaches us.  Lets hope so.

Right now it's just a waiting game 

 Wondering which trees will fall.....what will be damaged.....

how long will the electricity be out...you know...stuff like that.

 But we are ready!!!

 Candles assembled....actually this is my Fairy Lamp Collection.....

which I LOVE

Thermous & cooler collection so we can have coffee in the morning....

 AN ABSOLUTE MUST!

 and....cooking all day because with an electric stove....

I don't know when I will next get the chance. 

Roast chicken stuffed with veggies and eggplant parm.... 

so we shall eat while the eatin is good!

Just look at this Cactus Garden

My friend Kathy has this fabulous Prickly Pear Cactus garden in her front yard

I am in love with it.  It is easy to take care of and blooms in mid summer....I was dying to start one of my own.

So she gave me some cuttings and a pair of heavy gloves

 Apparently, all you have to do is take some cuttings and let them calcify at the ends....then stick them in the ground and you have a cactus garden....we'll see....

I was surprised that you could even grow a 

cactus garden in New York but she has a great sunny spot right next to her cobblestone walk way.  She has surrounded the cactus with stones that keep the warmth in.

 It fills up with so many buds and is so 

beautiful when it blooms

 

 She started this garden about 6 or 7 years ago 

with one tiny little cactus

I am hoping to be at least half as successful!

Long Island Farm Stands = Summer Roasted Vegetables

One of my favorite things to do in summer is visit some of our fabulous Long Island Farm Stands

Click Here for a Tour of Long Islands Farm Stands

Summer Roasted Vegetables on the Bar-B-Q are a real treat

 I always try to have some on hand to put on sandwiches or have with dinner

 There are several kinds and shapes of pans you can use. I prefer the kind with the holes over the mesh type.  There is more of a heat surface for good caramelization and browning

The varieties and combination's  are endless....Asparagus, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Eggplant, Green Beans, Mushrooms, Onions, Peppers, Scallions, Sweet Potatoes, Yellow Squash and Zucchini are some of my favorites

The Salad Shooter works great for many of the veggies.  It slices them nice and thin so they cook through evenly but any slicer or mandolin will work well.

 A quick toss with some extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper and you are ready to go!

Place them on the Bar-B-Q and close the lid.  

This pan is what I use for 2 people but I had company this day so the pan is overflowing. 

 They will cook down and caramelize in about an hour

DELICIOUS & Ready to be served! 
You can add balsamic vinegar, grated cheese etc. for added flavor, but I love them plain.

Visit to The Cloisters in Manhattan

The Cloisters, the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, was assembled from architectural elements, both domestic and religious, that date from the ninth through the sixteenth century.

The building and its cloistered gardens—located in Fort Tryon Park in Northern Manhattan—are treasures in themselves, effectively part of the collection housed there. 

 The grounds leading to the Cloisters are spectacular.... literally carved out of rock with cobblestoned walk ways and walls.

I love these trees....although I would never have the nerve to carve anything in them.

As you get closer there are QUIET signs posted everywhere.

The architecture is quite beautiful and the feeling of reverence and peace is everywhere.

I tried to take photos of some of the plaques so you can see what each place and piece is about.  These are some of the Chapels.  The huge stone walls keep everything cool.

The carvings were beautiful

 I'm not sure if you can read this but this is a wood carving of the Virgin & Child carved in the late 1100's in France........I mean.....the late 1100's...amazing in itself!

I could go on and on....everything was so interesting...I mean this Pieta was made in 1435

and the amazing collection of Unicorn and other tapestries

 The altars and the stained glass windows

 This is a huge fireplace flanked by more Unicorn tapestries

 The Mausoleum

And then of course....the inevitable snack bar and gift shop

Where I was sucked in and purchased this for a mere $60.00

...but I do love it!  I will put it with my other miniature nudes.

By the way...my daughter got married this past weekend...She was a fairy tale princess and is frolicking in Hawaii at this very minute

Love you both!!