Happiness is the old Majestic 36BDVR gas fireplace fixed over Christmas by your son for less than ten bucks

Happiness is November 1982's TV movie The Scarlet Pimpernel starring Jane Seymour and Anthony Andrews

They seek him here.

They seek him there.

Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.

Is he in Heaven?

Or is he in Hell?

That damned, elusive, pimpernel.

Happiness is Eight O'Clock Coffee

Eight O'Clock Coffee,

     Five O'Clock Gin,

Start the day early,

     End it with a grin.

Happiness is stents, which save lives if your widowmaker is blocked, and improve quality of life, despite recent study

The findings do not apply to all heart patients, including those with blockages in the left main coronary artery, Hochman said. And, she added, “if you’re having a heart attack, stents save lives.”

Story.

Today is the second anniversary of my stent procedure, and I'm happy to tell you I'm happy to be here, because I did it.

If you have pain in your chest or arms on exertion, or quickly reduced function due to fatigue on exertion, see your doctor. A simple stress test and echo-cardiogram can save your life, and improve it.

Pet Peeve: When the really nice looking white-skinned chicken thighs have just as much skin hidden underneath them by the butcher

Happiness is white teeth

We simple toasters take delight

To see our women's teeth look white;

And ev'ry saucy ill-bred fellow

Sneers at a mouth profoundly yellow.

-- Matthew Prior

Happiness is the Victor Tin Cat mouse trap: Holds up to 30!

It works as advertised. We put in some sunflower seeds as bait and set it in the garage overnight and caught four, after which they went for a nice little swim.

Next!

Happiness is replacing the traditional charcoal grate with the Old Smokey charcoal grate

Traditional charcoal grates burn hotter than the Old Smokey type grate because the coals are exposed to air both top and bottom.

But with the Old Smokey the bottoms are not directly exposed to air, and consequently you get a longer, less intense burn.

For me the Old Smokey type, meant for smoking obviously, just works better for things like hamburgers and pork chops because you can grill directly over the coals but the heat is just less intense and you get a more tender, flavorful outcome.

Happiness is a used Karcher G2000QT gas engine pressure washer for ten bucks

For an additional six or seven bucks in parts, my very talented son had this model up and running in a couple of days after taking it apart and regreasing it.

So far we've cleaned some long overdue dirty house siding, the driveway, an old lawnmower, all the first floor cottage blinds (out on the clean driveway), and the Generac, all in the first week, and I'm probably forgetting something!

Works with a garden hose, and we didn't even use any soap, just plain water. Worked like a charm. It takes up very little space in the garage, too.

What a money saver this thing has been already.

Happiness is the 1870 counting rhyme "Over in the Meadow"

Over in the meadow,

In the sand, in the sun,

Lived an old mother toad

And her little toadie, one;

"Wink!" said the mother,

"I wink," said the one,

So she winked and she blinked

In the sand, in the sun.

Over in the meadow

Where the stream runs blue,

Lived an old mother fish

And her little fishes, two;

"Swim!" said the mother,

"We swim," said the two,

So they swam and they leapt

Where the stream runs blue.

Over in the meadow

In a hole in a tree,

Lived a mother bluebird

And her little birdies, three;

"Sing!" said the mother,

"We sing," said the three,

So they sang and were glad

In the hole in the tree.

Over in the meadow

In the reeds on the shore,

Lived a mother muskrat

And her little ratties, four;

"Dive!" said the mother,

"We dive," said the four,

So they dived and they burrowed

In the reeds on the shore.

Over in the meadow

In a snug bee-hive,

Lived a mother honey-bee

And her little honeys, five;

"Buzz!" said the mother,

"We buzz," said the five,

So they buzzed and they hummed

In the snug bee-hive.

Over in the meadow

In a nest built of sticks,

Lived a black mother crow

And her little crows, six;

"Caw!" said the mother,

"We caw," said the six,

So they cawed and they called

In their nest built of sticks.

Over in the meadow

Where the grass is so even,

Lived a gay mother cricket

And her little crickets, seven;

"Chirp!" said the mother,

"We chirp," said the seven,

So they chirped cheery notes

In the grass green and even.

Over in the meadow

By the old mossy gate,

Lived a brown mother lizard

And her little lizards, eight;

"Bask!" said the mother

"We bask," said the eight,

So they basked in the sun

On the old mossy gate.

Over in the meadow

Where the clear pools shine,

Lived a green mother frog

And her little froggies, nine;

"Croak!" said the mother,

"We croak," said the nine,

So they croaked and they splashed

Where the clear pools shine.

Over in the meadow

In a sly little den,

Lived a gray mother spider

And her little spiders, ten;

"Spin!" said the mother,

"We spin," said the ten,

So they spun lace webs

In their sly little den.

Over in the meadow

In the soft summer even,

Lived a mother fire-fly

And her little flies, eleven;

"Shine!" said the mother,

"We shine," said th' eleven,

So they shone like stars

In the soft summer even.

Over in the meadow

Where the men dig and delve,

Lived a wise mother ant,

And her little anties, twelve;

"Toil!" said the mother,

"We toil," said the twelve,

So they toiled and were wise,

Where the men dig and delve.

-- Katherine Floyd-Dana, aka Olive A. Wadsworth (1835-1886)

Happiness is the Lodge 12 inch, 6 quart camp oven, for when the shtf or anytime

There's your regular one, and your deep one. I bought the regular one on deep discount this summer, heh heh, for when the shtf, since I plan to shelter in place. The thing comes ready to go right out of the box, pre-seasoned in the factory. I'm breaking it in inside first, with a few recipes for breads, beans, and roasts before I use it outside on charcoal. For a hoot give a look at the Backwoods Gourmet YouTube Channel to see what using this type of equipment is all about. That Florida boy knows his stuff.

Happiness is homegrown organic San Marzano tomatoes

We are recently harvesting these organic San Marzano tomatoes grown from seeds we bought in March from Johnny's Selected Seeds. These are perfect sliced on the Saturday night pizza, on the BLTs at lunch, and of course for sauce. Wonderfully petite and sweet.

Happiness is a grilled Boar's Head veal and pork brat and some late summer, local farmer's sweet corn for a sunny, Saturday lunch

The pre-cooked brat browns up quickly over a charcoal fire, five minutes a side or so. Available at D&W Fresh Markets in Michigan, they are pricey at $2.00 per sausage, but they are worth it. Delicious served with some Dijon mustard.

Happiness is the era of the Palindrome Weeks

Happiness is a cat 3 hurricane

Happiness is George Thorogood's 1992 hit Get a Haircut (and Get a Real Job)

George Thorogood And The Destroyers - Get A Haircut

Happiness is a breezy summer day in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Happiness is getting your tires at Sam's Club

Ye olde TPMS indicator light came on yesterday (that's the Tire Pressure Monitoring System indicator light for you folks way out there in Whack Jack, Pakistan), and a rear tire was found to be down to 15 lbs. of air pressure. Refilled, it was down again overnight, 2 lbs.

So it was Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Off To Sam's I Go this morning.  They found a little bitty nail in the tire and repaired the hole it made. For FREE. Because I bought the tires there.

Just one more reason to make Sam's Club your tire center of choice. 

Happiness is red beans and rice, even if you don't have any red beans, just use whatever beans you have

Red Beans and Rice (h/t Rosso & Lukins)

1 pound navy beans, soaked overnight in the frig
2 cups chicken broth or made from bouillon cube
2.5 cups San Marzano tomato puree
2 bay leaves
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t Tabasco sauce
4 andouille sausages
1/2 t salt
1 t granulated onion
1/4 t garlic powder
1 cup white rice, boiled, drained and buttered


1) Drain beans and parboil covered in fresh water in a covered 3 quart dutch oven: Bring to a boil and shut off the heat for an hour, boil it again and shut off the heat for an hour, then bring to a boil for a third time and let simmer for an hour or two on low until the beans are tender.

2) Drain the beans and return to the dutch oven; add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and Tabasco, sausages, salt, onion and garlic; bring to a boil, cover, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for an hour.

3) Boil the rice in 6 cups or so of salted water 15-20 minutes, just like pasta, stirring frequently but gently; drain and reserve rice in a buttered bowl covered in the warm oven (h/t James Peterson).

4) Add more Worcestershire and/or Tabasco to taste, if desired. Serves 3-4 over rice with plenty of beans left over for the morning toast.

Happiness is the new British prime minister recognizing International Cat Day yesterday

Number 10 Downing Street's "Larry" bears a striking resemblance to yours truly's Buddy, who by the way is also the picture of health today. We found a worm on her behind after all and wormed her. And now she's like a new cat! Sometimes veterinarians know NOTHING, except how to take our money.

Happiness is a sammich

The MLT, mutton lettuce and tomato, is notably missing.

Happiness is the humbler joys of homefelt quiet

Happy next him who to these shades retires,

Whom nature charms, and whom the muse inspires,

Whom humbler joys of homefelt quiet please,

Successive study, exercise, and ease.

-- Alexander Pope

Happiness is getting your favorite thing for your birthday

Happiness is a cat with heart disease who wants to live

Here she is, all sick like, trying to catch some rays before judgment day.

Well, it's judgment day, and wouldn't you know it, she bestirred herself, rose up from the sick bed at 06:00, ate some dry food and trotted upstairs. Then she jumped to her happy place on the coffee table for a little rubdown, and then to the fountain for a good long drink like she hadn't drunk in two days. Well, she hadn't drunk in two days, nor eaten. And then she turns up in the kitchen at her feeding spot, looking at me like what's for breakfast, tender tuna or chicken? 

She's definitely turned a corner. Judgment day, postponed.

Happiness is Steve Earle's 1986 hit Guitar Town

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From Lost Highway:  History of Country Music III

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Official video.

Happiness is the ice cream sundae, invented in Two Rivers, WI in 1881

Happiness is a room somewhere

"My Fair Lady", Wouldn't It Be Loverly? - Audrey Hepburn

Happiness is spinach because it contains a natural steroid which really does build stronger muscles

Study: Spinach Is Pretty Much a Steroid, Maybe We Should Ban It

Happiness is Kirk Douglas and Silvana Mangano as Ulysses and Penelope in 1954's "Ulysses"

Mangano manages to get her share of screen time in the episode where the lonely witch Circe disguises herself as Ulysses' seductive wife.

The camera work of the blinding of Polyphemus is noteworthy for the way it makes the viewer use his imagination.

And a relatively young Anthony Quinn (age 39) takes one in the shoulder in the end.

Happiness is a good auto mechanic: Dutton Automotive

Happiness is the understanding of Pa in Little House on the Prairie

"There's nothing stricter than a reformed reprobate," says Pa reassuring Johnny Johnson's father about Mr. Edwards, in the episode "To See The World".

Happiness is make-ahead Italian lentil loaf

Italian lentil loaf                                                        

                                                       

2 cups lentils

1 bay leaf

1 cup fine bulgur wheat

1 egg

1 T tomato paste

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

1T extra virgin olive oil

4 oz rapini, blanched and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, pressed

1/4 t black pepper

1/2 t ground fennel seed

1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes, ground

1 t salt

1 t Hungarian paprika

2/3 cup grated Romano cheese

1 cup Panko bread crumbs

Ketchup or tomato sauce

1) Prepare the lentils by washing them. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, add the lentils and bay leaf, return to a boil and cover. Simmer on lowest setting for about 45 minutes. When tender, drain and reserve both the lentils and the cooking liquid to cool. Discard the bay leaf.

2) Prepare the bulgur. Boil two cups of liquid made from the reserved lentil broth in a saucepan, add the bulgur, stir, cover and turn off the heat and let bulgur cook 15 minutes. Then uncover to cool.

3) Whisk an egg in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the tomato paste, onion, olive oil, rapini, garlic, black pepper, fennel, red pepper, salt and paprika.

4) Using a large silicone spatula, stir in the cheese, bulgur and lentils, finishing with the bread crumbs.

5) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

6) Grease two glass bread pans with Crisco.

7) Press the lentil mixture into the bread pans and bake about 40 minutes. The loaves are done when a toothpick comes out clean.

8) At this point paint the loaves with some tomato sauce or ketchup and bake 5 minutes more.

9) Let the loaves cool on the stove top until cool to the touch. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for serving the next day with more ketchup or tomato sauce and a side salad. The loaves slice evenly and cleanly and servings can be easily reheated in the microwave on a plate and kept warm in the oven as you prepare the salad.

Serves at least six.     

Happiness is the ARGO Corn Maiden image, vintage 1992

And of course there's a blog for that.

The image at left is of my own box, now finally empty.

When I was 11 years old, this man's victory in the ICE BOWL of 1967 made every boy in Wisconsin want to be Bart Starr

Bryan Bartlett Starr, January 9, 1934 – May 26, 2019, RIP.

Happiness is "quick" rustic loaves in the Chicago Metallic French Bread Pan

2 t yeast

1.5 c lukewarm water

dash sugar

2 t salt, generously rounded

.25 c rye flour
.25 c white whole wheat flour

3 c unbleached all purpose flour

splash olive oil

1) whisk water yeast and sugar in mixer bowl and let stand five minutes

2) add flour a little at a time starting with the rye and whole wheat and mix, using a silicone spatula to incorporate if needed, and add the salt when you still have one cup left to go

3) when you have one half cup left to go, add a generous splash of olive oil 

4) use spatula to turn out onto a floured board and knead-in the flour (dough will be sticky to start, so flour your hands also)

5) divide into two equal parts and roll out lengths to fit your pan

6) place in pan covered loosely with a clean damp dish towel to rise in a warm spot, about one hour

7) bake at 450 degrees F for 25 minutes on the middle level
8) allow to cool thoroughly on a rack before slicing  

Happiness is when the birdie does a self portrait on the window of your car

Portrait of the Artist as a Young Birdie.

There's an artist in everyone, sometimes just bursting forth.

As quickly as the one hit wonder struck, it was gone, never to be heard from again.

Happiness is 1961's "Who put the bomp" by Barry Mann

Who Put The Bomp - Barry Mann

Happiness is Slim Whitman singing "Paloma Blanca"