statue, toys, granola ... the stuff of life

Finally, after several blah-grey days, the sun is shining. Whoot, whoot! I am susceptible to the cheer of sunburst, especially when it is combined with a deep blue sky.

My neighbor Tammy was off work today, so we headed out early this morning, with Agnes in tow, to walk to some parks and woods nearby. Then, she let me wander through her house taking pictures of stuff. She's thoughtful that way. She knows that rooting around in people's old junk is one of my favorite things to do. She knows that cause it's also one of her favorite things to do. 

Once, we spent five hours together in a single Goodwill store. It's safe to assume that we'd each touched every item by the time we left the store. That's how we roll. 

It is always so interesting to look at people's stuff and to see what they collect. I zeroed in on the tiny toys in an old shadowbox that she had from back in the day when everyone had shadowboxes. I think that fad peaked around 1988. These shots are all from this morning.

Also, here's my latest granola invention. I'm still deep into my granola-with-yogurt-for-breakfast obsession and this recipe is part of my ongoing quest to discover the most flavor and nutrition for the least calories. This stuff is good plain, on yogurt or with milk. Try it. 

Ginger Almond Granola

6 cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup wheat bran
1 & 1/2 cups chopped raw almonds
2 Tablespoons grated orange zest, dried

Combine all of the above in a large bowl. Set aside. Then, in a saucepan, combine the following:

3 Tablespoons coconut (or olive or vegetable) oil
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons honey
1/3 cup brown sugar

Heat to boiling, then simmer till sugar is dissolved. Combine with oat mixture. Spread onto 2 baking sheets, or 1 very large one. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or so, till golden, removing pans halfway through baking to stir granola. Cool, then add:


1 cup dried cranberries
2 Tablespoons finely chopped candied or crystallized ginger

Store in an airtight container.