I’m eating lunch while searching for an idea for today’s topic: a sandwich and a banana that is past its prime. As I scroll, a yummy photo catches my eye, and so it is, National Banana Split Day. This delicious dessert was invented in 1904 by a pharmacist’s apprentice, David Evans Strickler, at Tassel Pharmacy in LaTrobe, Pennsylvania. In the soda fountain era, many counters shared locations with pharmacies. Banana splits were an immediate hit with the college crowd who eagerly paid 10 cents, double the rate of a regular sundae, for this tasty treat. The split became all the rage in ice cream parlors. The ideal banana split recipe includes a banana split in half, topped by 3 scoops of ice cream (vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry), fudge sauce, whipped cream, and chopped nuts; crowned with maraschino cherries. You don’t have to stick with the mundane, tried-and-true presentation: be creative. Change up the bananas by carmelizing them like Bananas Foster; dip them in chocolat...
I emerge from my convalescence, much as the Earth unfolds from its winter cloak, stretching towards the Sun. I submit some random observances of Spring. Last week a whippoorwill announced his return in evening gloam. The whir of a hummingbird reminds me to retrieve and fill the nectar feeders. BirdCast Migration tools will give you an overview of birds on the move over the US continent. You can also hone in on your local area to see what activity to expect. My neglected gardens called out to me today: lavender buried knee-deep in leaves held a hidden surprise. As I approached, the plant shuddered, and autumn leaves crackled. A poke in the pile unearthed an unhappy snake, slithering off, to curl under the dwarf cherry tree, its dark eyes squinting, tongue flickering warning. Nearby, a nuthatch hangs upside down, a cardinal tells me I’m “pretty”, and yellow finches flutter among chickadees, all vying for tasty morsels of suet, seeds, and fruit. A dove splashes in the bir...
I began the weekly Monday Musing blog as an extension of my Website and outreach for my writing. The first blog was published over three years ago, on July 12, 2021. It has appeared continuously, except for a few timeouts for illness or family issues. Since then, I have expanded my blog to other sites, the first of which was Medium. The content now appears on social media: X , LinkedIn , WordPress , Blogger , SubStack and Pinterest . It was on other minor sites for a brief period, but those have since been discontinued. The primary goal was to advertise my writing: poetry, fiction, and memoir, but I realized my audience would soon tire of promotions. I then revised my blog to contain various topics: gardening, travel, day/month events, miscellaneous items, and occasional writing updates. Long-time readers and new adherents, I would like your opinion on my blog content. Are you happy with the current themes, or would you prefer other ...
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