WEEKEND ART By Nina

"StINkY dAmN pOsSuM" this is post #100!

OK, I have had way too many critters under my house this summer. I have lattice around the base of the house and about a 12-16" crawl space in certain areas... so many living things can break through the lattice and LURK.

My friend Truvey lent me a TRAP the other day. I set it 2 nights ago and trapped what turned out to be a very pissed off local stray cat.

Last night I trapped a POSSUM! This is one of the weirdest creatures I've seen. Its rather like a hybrid of all rodents rolled into one grinning, gnashing, gruesome, and forboding little beast.

This morning I had to rush to work so I put the possum in my hutch so that he could have water for the day, and tonight I am releasing him to the wild. If only I knew someone who cooked "coon ass" food. I have heard possum meat is OK, kinda greasy.

So this evening I e mailed Lynn about my experience and she emailed me this recipe. I am hungry as I write this but not too-too hungry :)

Life is never dull at 109.

By the way, the possum doesn't have a mustache. On his nose you see what is actually a chicken feather.

Uncle daddy's southern possum stew

Yield: 1 servings
Possum
Dumplings
Sweet potatoes
Onions
Salt
After hunting with a lantern in your hand all night, take the possum you have bagged and break his neck by putting your foot on the possum's head and pulling up on his tail. Use boiling water to scald Brother Possum. In a large pan, dress the animal by pulling out those hairs on him. When all is well done, cut Brother Possum into four parts. Add salt and boil the meat until tender. Make your dumplings and add them slowly to the boiling meat. After the possum has boiled about an hour, put the parts into a baking dish. Peel sweet potatoes and slice them thick. Place the slices in the pan around the pieces of possum. Add onions if desired. Bake for 1 hour. This is a Sunday dinner for 12 people with the dumplings.

happiness is...

An armload of buff orphies.... Today I bought 4 buff orphingtons for my coop. They are my favorite kind of chicken - big, buff and fluffy! Of course, Diamond dog is totally neurotic over the new arrivals. She always does this. I think I need to call Cesar Milan, the dog whisperer. Diamond screeches and howls over new chickens for about 3 weeks. I have to keep her in the house a lot. Soon, this annoying attitude will get out of her system. I hope.

heidi and I

FINALLY I look like an actress. Or rather I looked like Heidi Hills more than 20 years ago when I was 25. This is Heidi.

THIS IS ME at 25