PRINCESS PINES AND A PRINCESS

Sunday afternoon hike with Andy and Iris to the Lost Forty.  This is a special place where what we call the Princess Pines grow.  This is the only place we have ever found them.  Tiny pine tree-like plants that cover the area densely.  

Taking a photo break with some attitude!!

A closer look at the Princess Pines.

...and a little less attitude...

Lunch break around a campfire...Phinn (their dog) just loved this hike, too.

Iris and I thought this tree trunk looked like a Gargoyle face, she tried to match it. 

Finally a tree we could really get into.

Me, too.

After about two hours we started our hike out of the woods.

Iris was stopped every few feet by something she saw that was utterly beautiful...I often saw it just as she did too, this is a girl after my own heart.  I did say to her, you know, you are just like me, and her reply, "I want to be just like you."  My heart is full.

ANNUAL FRIENDS OF THE KICKAPOO VALLEY RESERVE APPRECIATION DINNER

Once again the Appreciation Dinner

This year because we could not find a venue that would hold 100 people and also have a kitchen, it was decided that I would do an evening of appetizers and desserts.  None of us realized, especially me, that this was going to be way, way more difficult than making a sit down dinner for 100.  This was weeks in the making and research, but I believe, it was a success!!

Here is a not too great photo of the menu:

Helpers serving the four hot appetizers:  Organic beef tacos with toppings; meat sauce baked pasta; meatless sauce baked pasta; and Italian sausage bites.

This is a shot of the cold appetizer table...

and here from another angle.
(Tortilla wheels; several savory cheesecakes; garlic/feta dip and homemade naan; antipasto skewers, to name of few of these dishes.)

and the dessert table

It ended up to be about 75-80 people, with lots of left overs.  (All through the weeks prior to the 28th I would wonder if I had enough food and so, being the Sicilian that I am, I kept preparing more and more.)  Needless to say, there were plenty of leftovers.  We announced to the crowd that they should make plates to take home...and nary a crumb remained.

Despite this being more work than I had ever done for the Dinner, it was, as always a great experience, and I must say the cooking/baking/researching/planning, though daunting, was really fun!!