Where are yucca from?

That was the "question" for our Thanksgiving get together,,,
"Where are You from?". Here, everyone is from everywhere, a melting pot like Hawaii.

I was over at my friends, Jack and Beth's beachhouse yesterday and her worker pulled out of the ground some yucca and she gave me one. I went home and cleaned and skinned it, then boiled it till tender in water with salt. Mashed it up and added butter and milk like I was making mashed potatoes. I thought I had never had yucca before but come to find out, I've had it many times in restaurants. I just thought it was weird potatoes. Beth boiled and then fried her yucca and said it tasted like french fries. Yucca may grow where you live. Check out this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yucca

I've been here long enough that I should know all the veggies by now but I'm still on that learning curve, discovering new things all the time.
It's a wonderful life!!

Thanks Oprah!!

Today's show was all about the Holidays and Cristina Ferrare was cooking with Oprah her great recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner. If you click on this link, it will take you to www.Oprah.com where Cristina's recipes are listed with the links to preparing them. She makes it easy cooking. I am changing my traditional stuffing and adding carrots this year. I never actually 'stuff' the turkey with the stuffing.

Also, Oprah has for a gift on her site Holiday Hits 2008, a free music download, for the next 48 hours of Christmas songs.

Thanks Oprah.

Giving Thanks at Thanksgiving

Sometimes I feel like I live in a country that is 50 years behind the times. Especially when I get a newsletter from a friend back home and she is featuring her new V-Bot that is a little robot which vacuums. That is The Jetsons type stuff and a little gadget I could really use with four dogs. She bought it at Amazon for $70! I did bring my Rainbow vacuum cleaner with me and even though it needs me to push it around, I feel very grateful to have it here with me. If you've never owned a Rainbow, you don't know what I am talking about. I love my Rainbow (link-http://yo-yoinparadise.blogspot.com/2006/08/pushing-daisies-in-costa-rica.html).

I remember coming back from a visit to Costa Rica back in the year 2000 and looking in my over-packed garage (no room for a car with all the stuff) and thinking, how on earth could I be grateful for what I have since I haven't a clue what all I have stuffed in my house. I used to shop out of boredom. Just pull out the credit cards and go to town. Buying on a whim. Returning clothes that I would buy off the rack, try them on at home, didn't fit, take them back, buy more, try on, wouldn't fit, take them back, buy more. It was a vicious cycle. The shopping, the rotating credit card balances, the whole consumption thing. No More! I don't have one credit card balance and probably have lost all my "credit" by now. (good)

Eight years later, I can hardly recognize my shopping habits. I shop for clothes at the grocery store or anywhere I can get them (most clothes here are skin tight and made of Lycra). A couple of ladies (Angela and Sandy) made a few tops for me out of men's Hawaiian print shirts I picked up at the Ropas Americana in Parrita. For those of you that don't know, these are clothes that come in HUGE bags from the Goodwill in the States. $1.50 for a BEAUTIFUL shirt made in Hawaii (I bought them all). I have great plans to cut them up for beach bags, more tops, little skirts or whatever. I'm a crafter.

Back to the point of the post, I have never been so grateful for the things I have in my life. Here, it is all about survival. Those that don't know how to get by on "not much to nothing" don't last here. I have everything I have ever wanted. Well, all the important stuff (sin mate). I absolutely love my house and it's close proximity to the beach. I never thought I would ever live so near the beach. It's rough on appliances, electronics and computers with corrosion killing everything but It's Worth IT! The beach is my lifeline.

Costa Rica has a rich bounty of nature, fruits and vegetables. I have never eaten so wisely in my life. I actually cook great meals for myself, very healthy. I'm stockpiling recipes right now for local dishes and trying to identify the items I see at the market for sale. Like, I just learned how to prepare Chayote.

I could go on for pages about how much my life has improved living here where things are not as accessible and learning how to get by and improvise. I am so grateful I had the courage to move here when I did.
It has been the life for me.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Here's a recipe for those that want to make turkey dressing:
Southern Cornbread Stuffing:
Serves/Makes: 8 | Ready In: 30-60 minutes

1 baked pan (8 or 9 inch) of cornbread, cooled and broken into chunks
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 green onions-white and green, chopped
2 red or green peppers, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped - chop some celery leaves
3 tablespoons butter
6 pieces toasted white bread, tear into pieces and/or seasoned croutons
1 teaspoon dried or fresh sage
4 boiled eggs, chopped
16 ounces of either canned chicken broth or homemade, to moisten OR
broth from boiling turkey parts and turkey drippings OR
chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in water, poultry seasoning to season
chopped turkey parts (or chicken)
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika

Directions:
Boil the onions, peppers and celery in the broth until tender.
In a large bowl, crumble the cornbread and toast/croutons,
add the onion mixture and sage/poultry seasoning broth, a
little at a time, mixing until moist but not soupy.
Add the eggs and mix well. Turn into a baking dish and smooth top with a
spoon. Top with Paprika or pimentos for color.
Bake at 350 F until golden brown (about 20 minutes).

This can be made the night before and kept in the refrigerator
until ready to bake.
Wanna make it Costarrican? Just add cilantro (culantro)
and cooked chayote squares. And maybe that "Achiote" red stuff that comes in a tub or ground (molida) in a bag. Instant Pura Vida.

The REAL TRICK here is the cornbread. I finally figured out how to make it here
using "their" cornmeal. Let me know if you want the recipe for that!
I was so tickled my sister called me for Mom's dressing recipe. It reminded me of when I lived in Hawaii (1980-82) and I called home for Momma to explain how to make Hush Puppies.
You can take the Southerner out of the South,
but you can never take the South out of a Southerner.
Actually, I'm more south here being 9 degrees from the Equator.

Photo: My frig - Thanksgiving in Costa Rica 2007

42nd CMA Awards

I just love this night of country music t.v. from TENNESSEE.
In fact, this year I get to record it on DVD. Yippee!!

http://www.cmaawards.com/2008/

Entertainer of the Year: KENNY CHESNEY
Guess country folks like that island sound!

Reba joined in with Brooks and Dunn singing "Cowgirls Don't Cry".
(I put the version available on Playlist, without Reba, on the "Teri Tunes" song list -
temporarily--- so 'turn it up')
What a tear jerker that one is! Reba always comes through.
I saw her perform in Ft. Myers and it was one of the best concerts I've been to.
She changed outfits nearly every song in about 10 seconds flat. That was back when Reba had the back-up singer that was almost as good as her. They sang a duet that was totally awesome. (the song - Does she love you,,,)

I missed a few people at the awards, like Dolly. Like a lot of them. Country is changing. It sounded at little bit rock and a little bit raggae at times.
It's still country when it's sang with a twang from the heart.
I'm so tickled I have some country music now to watch, again.
WE DON'T HAVE COUNTRY MUSIC HERE. I do really miss that part.

Little House on the Prairie

This horse used to come visit me all the time before I put up my fence. At night, I'd look out and there he'd be, looking in my windows or standing at the front or back door. I do believe, he would have come right on inside had I let him. I don't think he knew he was a horse. He acted more like a dog. I've watched him look both ways, twice, before crossing the main highway. He liked my grass and would come visit me regularly. I'd also give him carrots and apples for treats. I called him Ed. That was before all the dogs I have now.
Ed was like a pet.
He's gone now, someone stole him.
This is my first attempt at watermarking my photos. I can't figure out how to do a batch operation on many photos but 'poco por poco', I'll get it figured out.

Surfer Evan

Now, I have to get to 'work' on my photos editing them. Enough play with Slide.
This format almost gives you the feeling of action.

Surf Sequence unedited

Still playing with it.

Slide test - something new

This is just a test.
Not sure if I like this format for displaying photos. What do you think?
Hit "View All Images" to go to the site. It might work well for sequence surf shots.

Loving Your Work

I've always admired people that earn a living doing what they love. I want to be one of those people. It may be hard to imagine for some but surfing is hard work. To be a surf pro takes drive and determination, not to mention tenacity and pure grit! Although I have better surf photos of Gilbert Brown, this is one of my favorite. Why, because he looks like he loves his work, even the falls.

I met Gilbert yesterday, shook his hand. He had on really dark sunglasses and he looked like a rock star. He was really nice. I was starstruck and tongue-tied. I didn't tell him his photo hangs on my fridge to remind me of what it takes to succeed. It was my pleasure to finally meet him.

I am working on a project so if I post, it will probably be surfing photos for awhile.

Side note:
WELCOME BACK TO YOUR CR HOME Jack and Beth !!

SURF Sunday

Surf champ Gilbert Brown ROCKS!!
It's always exciting taking photographs when he shows up.

Sunset Sunday

Those of you that know me, know I had this on my "calling card" for YEARS. Well, not exactly this photo, but one from that series. I was a little upset when I saw my photo posted on a local real estate site without my permission. Your "good" photos are funny little creatures, they are like your pets. If you let them go, you want to know where they end up and you still want some control over the matter.
I enjoy sharing my photos with all of you. It makes them come to life when I post them on my blog. Especially when people comment on them and I get feedback.
I know, it's just a picture but when you take photography seriously, it's becomes more than just pics and you become protective of "your babies".

This photo was not "Photoshopped" except to insert my name.

Photo taken March 2003 with a crap camera (I consider it "crap", since then I've bought a Canon SLR camera, digital, of course).

"Nothing Runs Like A Chevy"

This truck was in front of the Jaco post office for a long, long while.
I've always wanted to do something with this image like make it sepia toned.
Now I can with Photoshop! AND make it look like it was shot in B & W with a red filter on and "sepiad". HOW COOL is THAT!
Ahhh. I remember the 'darkroom days' back in the 70's when I would be in another world processing black and white film and printing for hours. Technology, it has really gotten away from me living here.
Photo taken Feb 2006.