What makes a great model stand out from glued together pieces of plastic?  Detail.  But not just detail of the model.  Oh sure, recessed panel lines, a bit of rust and dirt wash, paint that’s neat and clean all add detail to a basic model.  But there’s more a modeler can do to bring life and realism to a model. When I build, I always build to a theme.  When I built my 1:48 scale F-102 Delta Dagger, I modeled it after the aircraft stationed at the Air Force bases in Alaska where I spent a couple of years as a kid.  My father was stationed with the Nike Missile sites around Fairbanks, protecting these air bases.  I can remember seeing the orange triangles of the vertical stabilizers off in the distance as we drove to the PX on occasion.  So when I built that model, I painted it in...

Beltane is right around the corner.  It is celebrated on May 1st.  It is a feast day that celebrates life.  Honors the Goddess and the Green Man.  Fire plays a big role in this celebration.  The fire celebrates the return of life and abundance of the earth.  Those with daring would (will) leap over the fires to cleanse, purify and gain protection and healing.  My family does build a small fire.  I have yet to leap over it.   The feast part: Fried Honey Cakes These cakes were left in the garden to please Faery visitors. If you plan to leave an offering to the Faery, double the recipe to keep some for the family.  1/2 C sweet white wine (reisling, etc.) 2 TBS. of sugar 1 egg 1 C honey 2/3 C flour 1/8 tsp. nutmeg 1/8 tsp. cinnamon oil for frying (lite oil like canola)...

I was hoping to spend more time here - writing. I find that and cooking to be very cathartic.  However, life catches up and makes life overwhelming.  Have I missed anything?   So work has been very busy, new hospital data system has gone live and I may or may not have a job in the upcoming months.  I am getting too old to be looking for another job.  The good thing is I can come home and be wrapped in the loving arms of my family in my home.  I look forward to that every day.   Blessings abound:  my daughter is better (not cured, but managing),  my son is dealing with his agoraphobia as best as possible,  hubby working hard as always, kitties are home to snuggle with.

Taken with my phone, with maximum "zoom" (which is just digital zoom, so lost quality...  ) I don't know one bird from another, but a Google search tells me it is probably a Grey Hawk . And on the road, on the way home: It had already been run over... but it was still moving so I stayed a safe distance away!

I really do not enjoy cooking with canned soups, so I located and modified a recipe for condensed cream of chicken soup:  I use this in any recipe that calls for condensed cream of anything soup. 1   cup   cold milk 2   Tbsp   cornstarch 1 1/2   Tbsp   butter 1   tsp   chicken bouillon 1/2   tsp   salt ⅛   black pepper ¼   tsp   onion powder ¼   tsp   garlic powder ⅛   tsp   dried parsley Instructions: In a small saucepan whisk together milk and cornstarch. Add butter, bouillon, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and parsley. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Once boiling, simmer for 30 more seconds to...

There are many paths that can be followed when it comes to Wicca.  A person can be a solitary or join a coven.  I am a solitary.  This means that I perform my rituals alone.   There are many different ways to perform rituals or magick.  I use candle magick.   Rituals can be performed whenever.  I do them when the mood strikes me, when asked to perform one by a family member or a friend and at the different phases of the moon. Wiccans follow Gods/Goddesses that they choose.  The Morrigan chose me.  I do not "worship" the Morrigan, I look to them (they are a trinity) for guidance, strength and wisdom. If I do "worship" anything it would be Mother Earth and the Forces of Nature.   The best thing I have found with this path is that there is no right way or wrong way to...

I am Wiccan and I follow the path of the Morrigan.  This is a triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother and Crone).  You do not choose the Morrigan - She chooses you.   I am hoping over the coming days to add Tarot Readings, Pendulum Readings and other "witchy" stuff. 

Food Porn: American Chop Suey By  T. Fargo Original post from Newsvine published Fri Apr 18, 2014 8:21 AM     What is chop suey? In Chinese, the two characters for chop suey are pronounced "tsa sui" in Mandarin or in Cantonese "shap sui," meaning "mixed small bits" or "odds and ends." As a culinary term, shap sui refers to a kind of stew made of many different ingredients mixed together.  In New England there is a regional comfort food version of the Chinese original and aside from the name, there is really nothing Chinese about it.  It is a simple dish, hearty and tasty.   The list of ingredients is pretty simple and readily available and should be shared with any prospective collage student, it could save their life.  Okay, maybe not, but this dish can be easily warmed...

  Cocktail sauce was popularized in the U.S. in the 1920.  While cold sauces were popular, the unusual ingredient of horseradish (Which was brought to the U.S. via southern Europe and western Asia) made a sauce that some thought was born out of a dare.  Nostril cleaning, citrusy chili sauce with the sweetness of tomatoes?  It just sounds like a dare that happened to be delicious.   I place a pound of shrimp into a pot of boiling water seasoned with some pickling spices.  I cook for one minute then turn off the heat and allow them to poach until done, or about another 2 1/2 minutes.  I strain them and cool them by tossing with ice and place in the refrigerator.  However, it's the sauce that's the boss of this appetizer. Cocktail Sauce 1 cup Heinz chili sauce 2 Tbsp...

I'm a history buff, so I've dragged my wife along to visit any number of ghost towns here in the Southwest. The best, by far, is only a forty-five minute drive from Yuma... but mostly over unfinished roads. So Castle Dome has all three of the ideal characteristics for a tourist spot: intrinsic interest, photogenic, ... and very few tourists! It's a great place for "impressionist photography" - studies in form and color - with lots of old machinery... and a half-dozen bars.