

Sappy puppies
March 17, 2023
Happy Pi Day
March 14, 2023
A nod to Monopoly
March 7, 2023
That classic board game that I remember from childhood – for rainy afternoons during the summer – was invented or patented today (or some other day) by Elizabeth Magie as the Landlord’s Game, or by Charles Darrow, in 1904 or 1933, or some other time and by some other people. History here.
But it remains popular today and enjoys many variations.
All I know is, whenever it came time to clean up and put the game away, my younger brother always found that he had to be somewhere else urgently and left me to sort the money and cards – every single time.



My Girl
March 2, 2023
Vermeer’s Girl with a pearl earring is on loan to another museum, but the Mauritshuis, where the painting usually resides did not slap up a sign saying it was on loan. Instead they sponsored an event called “My girl with a pearl earring,” inviting everyone to contribute a facsimile of the painting to stand in for the original. It’s pretty clever.







There are many others. I learned about the show at This is Colossal
There are many more images at Mauritshuis

Happy St. David’s Day
March 1, 2023
St. David is recognized as the Patron Saint of Wales – the protector and symbol of that country. He was a well known priest and teacher during the 6th century and is a symbol of the culture of the Welsh people throughout history – first standing up to the Norman invaders and later to the diminishing of the Welsh language and culture in more modern times.
I, personally, like leeks – although I have no desire to eat a raw one, but I did make Potato-Leek Soup this weekend. It is one of my favorite soup recipes and is good for lunch, dinner, breakfast, snacks, hot, cold, lukewarm, etc.
The recipe:
4 leeks chopped mostly the white part
1 medium chopped
sautéed leeks and onion in 3 Tbs. of butter until soft
peel and chop 4-5 russet potatoes
add them to the leek and onion mixture
add 6-7 cups of chicken broth
add 1/4-1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
cover and cook 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are soft
Let the mixture cool for a bit, then buzz in a blender
Add fresh or dried dill – I used dried – about 1 1/2 tsp.
You can add 1 cup of half and half or cream before serving, but I don’t think it needs it.

It looks something like this. I cannot show you mine because I had it for lunch.