WordWench

A Cookbook in Celebration of Cornbread-Fed, Down Home Family Stories and Cuisine

by Janis Owens

Book Tour Dates:

Granted, I’ve only driven from Liberia to Samara, but the beauty of the drive is unparalleled. It’s a “get out your thesaurus, Leroy” day when grasping for adjectives. Phenomenal comes to mind.

And our hotel in Liberia? The El Punto Hotel — and there’s a great story in that which I’ll tell soon… I promise. Some great photos of the hotel and the town of Liberia on Rob’s computer — gotta’ grab ‘em tomorrow.

Some foals are just born bad. Like Ned– he’s a trouble maker. He roams the beach in search of innocent surfer dude horsepals and convinces them to party with him. All the horseparents warn their foals about the Evils of Ned. Unfortunately, Vinnie didn’t listen and his mom is gonna’ kick his ass for hanging out at Shake Joe’s in Samara with Ned.

Whoa doggies, we’s home! Many photos, word after word of pithy commentary, and songs of love and joy coming soon to Mental Kudzu. For now, I’m trying to catch up on emails and remember how to use the microwave… back tomorrow with more…

Didn’t blog while in Central America because…

Hell, I was on vacation in the rainforest. Blogging was not a priority — but I took copious notes.

C4 called last night to tell me not to worry about the storm. Hell, who knew there was a tropical storm bouncing into the Costa Rican coast? Now it’s heading toward Nicaragua. Alma. I’ve always loved that name. Alma, Arkansas — a great place to drive through on your way to somewhere else.

It’s not as if our local WITN hands out Central American weather forecasts. The electricity went out as we spoke on the phone but C4 and Jamie are Carolina kids, tropical storms, lots of rain, and high winds tend to be more interesting than frightening. Yes, we’ve been flooded here, I’m not making light of such events. I just mean we don’t panic when storms are predicted. We know how to pack our Get The Hell Out Of Here Now suitcases in advance.

Have ya’ll heard about Operation Baghdad Pups project, sponsored by SPCA Inernational? Wow… as I was trimming the daisies (literally) in my front yard a few minutes ago, a neighbor-friend walked by with her just-rescued yesterday Golden Retriever named Lilly. Sweetest dog ever… just a doll baby. Came in to cook dinner, sat down to check my email, and followed a link to the SPCA effort to bring soldier’s dogs home from the war…. kinda’ weird timing.

Click here for donation information. There’s also a wish list available for items most needed.

And success stories with photos are just a click away.

Yes, Mr. and Mrs. MacEwan. I am waiting for you. Those ear plugs you recently purchased will not help you. I will serenade you throughout the night… I will meet you under the Matapalo tree.

I met your daughter two days ago. She and her husband enjoyed my singing very mucho. Please bring some SweetTarts for my wife, she is lonely for American candy…

Detail of a piece I made a while back. There’s a US Marine coming out of the neck…

Women pay for war.