Ingredients:

* 42 2/3 ounces ground beef
* 1 1/3 onions, chopped
* 1 1/3 bell peppers, chopped
* 1 1/3 (7 ounce) cans diced green chilies
* 1 1/3 (14 1/2 ounce) cans ranch style texas beans
* 1 1/3 (16 ounce) packages frozen corn
* 5 1/3 cups water
* 5 1/3 bouillon cubes, dissolved in the water
* 1/3 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/3 teaspoon cumin
* 2/3 teaspoon cilantro
* 1 1/3 packages taco seasoning mix
* 1 1/3 packages ranch dressing

Directions

1.Brown ground beef with onion and bell pepper.

2. Drain.

3. Add remaining ingredients.

4. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 40-50 minutes.

Done! Yummy soup that’s great for cold days, or for when you’re sick.
Mexican Soup

Lady Slipper

pink lady’s slipper.

Background:

Our three native lady’s slippers are part of the large family of orchids that can be found on Prince Edward Island. The pink lady’s slipper has officially been our provincial flower since 1965, though from 1947 on it was simply a generic lady’s slipper (represented by what looked suspiciously like a showy lady’s slipper). In the past, the showy lady’s slipper was used as a cut flower to decorate the Provincial Legislature. The showy, along with the yellow lady’s slipper, are both uncommon in the province.

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–>Identification:

The name “lady’s slipper” comes from the distinctive flower shape, which is remini-scent of a slipper or moccasin. Pink lady’s slippers are unique in that they have only two leaves at the base of the upright stem and a single flower. One source of confusion for beginning botanists is the fact that pink lady’s slippers are not always pink – there is a less common white form. Yellow lady’s slippers, like the showy, have leaves along the stem. The multiple yellow flowers are unforgettable, a brilliant yellow with maroon spots. Showy lady’s slippers are truly a regal flower. The sepals and petals are pure white, overtopping the pink and white “slipper”.

Habitat:

While their ranges can overlap, all three lady’s slippers have preferred habitats. Of the three, pink lady’s slippers seem to tolerate the broadest range of habitats. They can be found in the moss carpet under stands of old field white spruce, as well as in rich upland hardwoods. Yellow lady’s slippers can be found in a few open, almost boggy areas, as well as along stream banks that never get flooded. Showy lady’s slippers prefer open, wet areas. One excellent site in eastern Prince Edward Island is in a ditch along an old railway line.

Both varieties have scented flowers with purple lips, although the petals are predominantly white on the Grand Cayman variety, while the Sister Islands’ has slightly smaller flowers, with pale yellow petals. The flowers appear at the top of a long curved spike at the bottom of which cluster banana-like pseudo-bulbs that give this orchid its name.

The Wild Banana Orchid

Banana Orchid

The woods provide shelter for several varieties of flowering plants, including orchids. Probably the best known of Cayman’s 26 species of orchids is the wild banana orchid, of which there are two varieties: Schomburgkia thomsoniana var. thomsoniana, which originated on Grand Cayman, and Schomburgkia thomsoniana var. minor, which came from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the wold and meet the sky;
And through the field the road run by
To many-tower’d Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four grey walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.

By the margin, willow veil’d,
Slide the heavy barges trail’d
By slow horses; and unhail’d
The shallop flitteth silken-sail’d
Skimming down to Camelot:
But who hath seen her wave her hand?
Or at the casement seen her stand?
Or is she known in all the land,
The Lady of Shalott?

Only reapers, reaping early,
In among the bearded barley
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly;
Down to tower’d Camelot;
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers, ” ‘Tis the fairy
The Lady of Shalott.”

There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.

And moving through a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down to Camelot;
There the river eddy whirls,
And there the surly village churls,
And the red cloaks of market girls
Pass onward from Shalott.

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,
An abbot on an ambling pad,
Sometimes a curly shepherd lad,
Or long-hair’d page in crimson clad
Goes by to tower’d Camelot;
And sometimes through the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two.
She hath no loyal Knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott.

But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror’s magic sights,
For often through the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot;
Or when the Moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed.
“I am half sick of shadows,” said
The Lady of Shalott.

A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro’ the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight for ever kneel’d
To a lady in his shield,
That sparkled on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.

The gemmy bridle glitter’d free,
Like to some branch of stars we see
Hung in the golden Galaxy.
The bridle bells rang merrily
As he rode down to Camelot:
And from his blazon’d baldric slung
A mighty silver bugle hung,
And as he rode his armor rung
Beside remote Shalott.

All in the blue unclouded weather
Thick-jewell’d shone the saddle-leather,
The helmet and the helmet-feather
Burn’d like one burning flame together,
As he rode down to Camelot.
As often thro’ the purple night,
Below the starry clusters bright,
Some bearded meteor, burning bright,
Moves over still Shalott.

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow’d;
On burnish’d hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow’d
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
He flashed into the crystal mirror,
“Tirra lirra,” by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.

She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces through the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look’d down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack’d from side to side;
“The curse is come upon me,” cried
The Lady of Shalott.

In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining.
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower’d Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And around about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.

And down the river’s dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance –
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.

Lying, robed in snowy white
That loosely flew to left and right –
The leaves upon her falling light –
Thro’ the noises of the night,
She floated down to Camelot:
And as the boat-head wound along
The willowy hills and fields among,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott.

Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darkened wholly,
Turn’d to tower’d Camelot.
For ere she reach’d upon the tide
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.

Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming shape she floated by,
Dead-pale between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs they came,
Knight and Burgher, Lord and Dame,
And around the prow they read her name,
The Lady of Shalott.

Who is this? And what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they crossed themselves for fear,
All the Knights at Camelot;
But Lancelot mused a little space
He said, “She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott.”

Remember my son, (started Father)
You can change the world with one smile.
Son : Really?
Father: no… but it makes life more enjoyable.

The End .. .. God loves you!

By: Kathleen Westin.

Sesame Street:

Wierd Al: (note: not Wierd Al’s video.)

yummy, inspirational

smelling, seeing, tasting

excitedly imagining my happiness

sustenance.

By; ~Kathleen Westin~

]]> http://westin4.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/my-cinquain-food/feed/ 0 westin4 http://westin4.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/my-familys-spaghetti/ http://westin4.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/my-familys-spaghetti/#comments Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:42:09 +0000 westin4 http://westin4.wordpress.com/?p=116 ]]> (feeds 8-10 people)

• 10 oz. can sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 green pepper
• 1/2 red pepper
• 2 stalks celery
• med. onion
• 2 cloves garlic

1.  Saute together with a little Olive Oil and a pinch of Salt, and a sprinkle of Italian Seasoning.

• 6 cups tomato sauce
• 2 pounds hamburger meat
• sprinkle some curry
• (for heat) sprinkle some chili pepper flakes

2. Cook meat, then drain grease ( we put our grease in jars). Add meat, sauce, and veggies and simmer until hot. (the longer you simmer, the more tasty it will be!)

• 2 pounds spaghetti
• a little salt

3. Bring to boil, then drain pasta and rinse in cold water. Put a little olive oil on pasta and toss.

You’re Done!!  [ Stinky Cheese (parmesan cheese) is great on your pasta!]

• National Day of Payer & Thanksgiving
• Cayman Island’s 17th Annual National Day of prayer
• Wednesday 12th, November 2008
• 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM
• All are welcome!!
• being held at: The Legislative Assembly Building
  
• Sponsored By: The Cayman Ministers Association.

Please come and Join us in prayer to keep our Islands safe from all evils.