It's not that easy, eating greens

It’s not that easy, eating greens.
Seems they taste of nasty, bitter things...
When it seems we’d rather have sugary dreams...
Like Twinkies...or salted crunchies...
Or something much more tastier than that.


It’s not that easy, eating greens
Seems they lay there like limp ‘n’ ordinary things...
When we’d sooner something warm and bloody...
That yesterday...
Was eating greens itself on its own comfy-cozy patch.

I'm not a fan of greens. Never have been. Mustard, poke, turnip, spinach, doesn't matter the origin. The way into my heart does not pass through a plate of boiled-lifeless weeds drowning in pot liquor.

Hard times come to Texas, however. As in days gone by...the Great Depression of my parents and grandparents generations...the day is coming and now is when the true survivors will think again about what is food and how to make it delicious and nutritious. Consider, Children, the not-so-lowly wild lettuce.

Wild lettuce (Lactuca serriola), taller plant center,
surrounded by henbit. Lactuca easily mistaken
for dandelion.

Think you have dandelions running riot across your yard? Seems to me a trifle early, but then I'm the world's worst at keeping records from year to year. Besides, that pesky plant you think is a dandelion just might be wild or prickly lettuce.

Yes, I got fooled! Collected a tubful from the backyard, cleaned off the plants (leaves and roots) and let 'em soak in plain water over night. Did a simple (raw) taste test and later sauteed a mess of the greens with chopped onions in a couple tablespoons of bacon fat. Even AnniePie pronounced them "GOOD!"

In the course of continuing study, I discovered that what I had collected and believed to be dandelions were, in fact, prickly lettuce! And don't let that "prickly" part there put you off; we're not talking prickly pear class of prickly by any stretch.

Lactuca has a rap for tasting bitter, but I did not find it overly so in young, fresh leaves. Raw leaves taste something akin to lettuce. Mind, I did soak mine overnight in a bath of plain water. Same for the root, which is quite fibrous and chewy. The root tastes mildly astringent but not a lot of any flavor to my taste. I'll report further after I have enough of the roasted and ground root to play with.

Y'all come back now, hear?

OVERTURE! CURTAIN! LIGHTS!

I owe Mrs. Miller one pair of shorts. She let me talk her out of them, and all I can add is, Thank the Lord for small favors!

They are..were...a yellow, girlie, summery pair of shorts she made some years back, and neither one of us can recall the last time she wore them. So she gave them up for the sake of the arts here in River City. The show is The Fantasticks, opening tonight, 8pm, for the paying people on the Dinner Stage down at Backdoor.

And a HUGE THANK YOU to all who came out last night for our Press Release, Friends & Family opening. That first time in front of a breathing audience really points out the sweet and sour spots! Like in the second act when Socrates and Lodevigo manhandle Matt off stage while lustily singing a quick homage to West Side Story. Helluva place for a laugh break!

This is my fourth show at Backdoor? The first, I believe, that Mrs. Miller hasn't been up in the tech booth to run lights and sound. She's always been so good at lighting me up! Last night she got to see the show for the first time like any regular person, and I think she got a kick out of it. I know I did, but I surely miss not having her on my crew!

Fantasticks will run for a couple more weekends, at least, so get your reservations in now to see what became of AnniePie's britches!!

Save your work!

Save your work, Children. Save your work!

We just dumped nearly a page of monologue and stage directions for our entrance into The Fantasticks... right after the Fathers’ It Depends On What You Pay number.

Six days out from final Press Rehearsal, and I’m still stumbling over lines.

So, I thought, write out the entire scene, complete with lines, stage movements and timing in as much detail, and in as few words as possible. The exercise helps me set my scenes internally, like dropping into extreme slow motion ...

Anyway, I was a good half page or better into it when my steam-powered laptop burped and swallowed it all! What untold labors are farted off by old men because old machines ate their homework?

We will have the lines AND the blocking AND the timing down pat come 8 pm Friday, Jan. 27 when we open the show at Backdoor Theatre’s Dinner Stage. Come see us!

Save your work, Children! Early and often!

The Age of Dinosaurs Has Expired!

President of these United States, Barack Obama yesterday thumbed his nose at Big Oil on the Keystone XL deal.

You may recall the other day one of Big Oil’s biggest talking suits told President Obama that if he rejected the pipeline permit, there would be hell to pay politically; that the full shock and awe of Big Oil Bucks would be targeted against the President’s re-election.

Good Lord knows I’m no fan of Corporate Greed in general nor Big Oil in particular, but I am a huge fan of a President who stands up to the neighborhood bullies.

Paula Deen! Paula Deen! Paula DEEN!!!

ROAD-READY, TAGGED & STICKERED! 1995 Chevrolet Corsica, Asking $600. If interested, leave your contact info in the "Comments" box.

[Vehicle pictured is NOT the car offered]

Journey well, Miss James!

1-202-456-1111

That's the telephone number to leave a comment at the White House on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave in Washington, D.C. Somehow, it never dawned on me before today that I could call the President of the United States to tell him what's on my mind. Now, I carry his phone number in my cell phone's contacts list.

If you follow my Facebook page, you may have noticed yesterday that I publicly thanked President Obama for rejecting the permit to build the Keystone XL pipeline across the heartland of America. I did not merely agree with his decision, I stood up and cheered (1) for him doing the right thing for Americans and (2) for telling Big Oil to shove their political threats up their pipelines!

In the clear light of a new day...today...that somehow did not seem like enough, especially when you consider how much flak he is going to catch. So it seemed appropriate to look up the White House number and personally call to thank the President for his decision.

All things considered, I was surprised to be on hold for a mere 20 minutes or so...time enough to write up this posting and go to the White House website to fire off an email. The volunteer who took my call was very friendly, graciously taking down my 'Thank You' for action to stop Keystone XL.

"Let me be sure I've got this correctly," she said, soft laughter in her grandmotherly voice. "You want to thank him FOR rejecting the pipeline permit, right?"

I confirmed, laughing with her.

"Just wanted to be sure I got that in the appropriate column!" she added.

No doubt that other column is somewhat longer. So do me a favor, would you? If you, too, applaud the President for rejecting Keystone XL, call him up and say so!!