This recipe comes from my daughter, Miranda. She made these for us as a late snack last night.

Makes: 12 biscuits
Overall time: 20 minutes

What you'll need:
4 peach fruit cups (drained)
2 cans mini biscuits
1/3 cup sugar
1 muffin pan



This recipe is very short and sweet.

1. Preheat the oven to somewhere between 375° and 400°F (depending on how hot your oven cooks).

2. Bring the peaches and sugar to a boil in medium sauce pan. Remove from heat.

3. In a medium size bowl, lightly mash the peaches. Try to keep some big chunks in there.

4. Grease your muffin pan and place one mini biscuit in the bottom of each.



5. Add a layer of the peaches on top of the biscuit.



6. Top the peaches with another biscuit layer.





7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.



8. Remove from oven, sprinkle the top with a little extra sugar (brown) and serve with your favorite ice cream. Yum! You can even serve with nuts or cinnamon.

The above title was taken from my daughter, Mira's Flickr site. By now everyone should know she wears her camera around her neck 24/7. So it didn't surprise me when I found my pasta on the internet.


Now don't get too excited. The recipe is so easy my dog could make it..... well, close.

Since the garden has been booming this past month, we have been eating a lot of dishes based on these wonderfully colored veggies. I have had a sore throat and the sniffles all day......due in part to the fact that I rode my 4-wheeler in the rain Saturday night, but...... life goes on. So, I opted for a short cut dinner.

Italian Herb, Zucchini, Squash, and Tomato Pasta

* 2 medium garden sized squash
* 1 large garden zucchini
* 1 medium garden red tomato
* 1 medium garden banana pepper
* 1/2 bottle Zesty Italian Dressing
* Black pepper to taste
* Fettuccini noodles (serving for 4)
* Dash of olive oil

Set water to boil for the pasta with a dash of olive oil.

Rinse and slice up the garden veggies to your liking and place in sauce pan heated to medium. Pour 1/2 bottle of Italian Dressing onto veggies and cover. Reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove cover and add black pepper to taste. Fettuccini noodles should be ready for the colander. Combine and commence eating. Yum!

Oh. We did add garlic bread to the menu as an afterthought. Super Yum!

I just took two Tylenol and I'm heading to bed. Tomorrow is always a better day.

G'night!

Although my blog is entitled "Writing in the Mountains", I have been asked by so many people about my life in the Arctic that I think I will take this opportunity to write about some of my wonderful adventures during the eight years that I lived at the "Top of the World."

It is difficult to know where to begin. I moved to the Arctic on July 1, 1997. Actually, a permanent move was not in my thoughts that day. I was having a difficult time with a separation and my friends decided I needed a break from my tears and heartache. So, I packed a couple of bags and flew myself and my daughter to Barrow, Alaska to get away from it all. This was going to be a new and wonderful adventure! And it was...

I was immediately introduced to the Native Culture and the children. It didn't take long for me to fall in love with those children. I had been teaching dance to children already for about 15 years, so it was just a natural thought that I should offer my talents here in Barrow. Now keep in mind that they still had their own cultural dances, but they also had very little outside influence in their culture; i.e., ballet, classical music, and the arts; except what little they were exposed to in school.

I opened "The Academy of Performing Arts" school of dance in September of 1997 in Barrow, Alaska to fulfill a dream to teach these children along with the desire to become a big part of their lives along with the community. I taught Kinderdance to very young children ages 3-5 to socialize them and teach them about ballet, tap, and tumbling. I also offered regular ballet classes to varied age groups along with tap, jazz, hip-hop, and gymnastics.

For the next eight years, I had the time of my life!

During these years, I had the wonderful distinction of becoming the Director of the Boys & Girls Club of the Arctic Slope. I not only planned, organized, managed, and directed the overall Unit/Branch programs, but I also helped to develop a cooperative relationship between our members and the public, through their involvement with civic groups, social agencies, and entertaining at community functions. They created and printed their own monthly newsletter and took pride in helping the elderly.

The City of Barrow was kind enough to provide us with a building; however, it was quite old and in heavy need of repairs. The water was either freezing or pipes were bursting which would shut us down quite often. Through my recent visits over the past two years, I have come to understand that the building is currently shut down for repairs and no one seems to know when it will be suitable to house the Boys & Girls Club again. It's a shame. These kids really enjoyed having somewhere to go every afternoon after school. Upon my visit again this coming Fall, I hope to find a much repaired building or maybe even a new one. I will be sure to update on that.

Note: the house pictured here on the left is not the Boys & Girls Club. (ha ha) This house is actually not that old and also the house I lived in while I was in Barrow. All houses are built up on pilings because of the constant freezing and thawing of the tundra.




Of course my personal life was filled with wonderful friends and weekly get-togethers. Due to the harsh climate and many months of darkness, we created our own fun to disuade the boredom. Most of my friends were either school teachers or research scientists. We broke up the week by spending Wednesday evenings having dinner together and then playing board games or cards for several hours. Then weekends, of course, were spent similarly. The host location might change, but we still tried to get together at least twice a week. Barrow, statistically, has the highest suicide rate in the US due to so many months of darkness; along with the fact that it is so far from the 'real' world. Socializing on a regular basis, laughing, joking, playing games, and having fun kept us all sane in such a harsh and difficult environment. I made some wonderful friends. Lifetime friends.


Since the Alaskan Arctic is also teeming with wildlife and beautiful scenery, I also took the opportunity to take thousands of photos over the course of those years. I can't possibly share all of them with you, but I do want to share some of my favorites.


Keep in mind that the Inupiaq Eskimos still believe in subsistence living, and I, for one, have a great respect for their way of life. They do not abuse or neglect it. They not only eat the meat, but use every inch of each animal for their very existence, just as their ancestors did before them.








It was a very surreal experience. It may not be for everyone, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. If you get the chance to visit Barrow, I doubt you will regret it.


Footnote:

The Barrow Whaler's Football Team is now the most northern US High School football team in the world. It is also the most expensive piece of turf @ $1 million dollar price tag. They have no fancy scoreboard or seating for fans. This is just the cost of the field itself. It was a difficult project due to the fact that there is 'no' grass in Barrow and the weight of the turf made for a very spendy flight. This was built on dirt and sand.......not even tundra. But according to Barrow fans and ESPN, this was a fabulous and historic feat! (yes, that is me sitting on the 50 yard line........GO WHALERS!)

After a long day running errands, picking up around the yard, taking care of pups, weeding the garden, watering plants and the garden, etc. You get the picture. Our usual stuff. We got a little hungry. After a show of hands, grilled chicken won the vote.

As much as I love to eat, sometimes the preparation and cook times can be a little long on Southern foods, so I opted for a quick and easy method for grilling this evening. This is my quick and easy recipe for:







Italian Chicken and Veggie Kabobs

* 2 lbs. chicken tenders or breasts cut into strips
* 2 -8 oz. packages of portobello mushrooms
* 2 medium sized yellow squash
* 1 large zucchini
* 2 bell peppers (We chose orange and yellow to add color)
* 1 bottle of Zesty Italian dressing
* 1 dozen wooden skewers soaked in water (or metal if you have them)
* Basting brush

Pre-heat grill to medium heat.

Rinse the chicken and place in shallow dish. Add half bottle Italian dressing and let marinate in fridge for 15 minutes while cutting the veggies.

Rinse all veggies. Slice squash and zucchini into round, bite-sized pieces. Core and discard seeds of bell peppers and slice into nice sized pieces. Mushrooms remain whole with stems. Place veggies in any order on skewers for a beautiful colorful display or how you like. Baste each veggie skewer with the Italian dressing.

Place skewers and chicken on the pre-heated grill. You may also place the basted zucchini directly on grill as we did. Cook time about 8 minutes on each side of chicken while continuing to roll the skewers. Continue to baste the veggies and the chicken while it is on the grill for a perfect juicy taste.



After dinner, the evening air temp was around 65 degrees. Not too warm or too cool, so we decided to use our fire pit. I enjoyed the fire with a nice glass of wine. My husband, of course, with his cold brew. And my daughter played with her camera....... nothing new there.


The ghost is coming to get Kent.

Waiting for the fire to calm down a bit before getting comfy.

We love Friday Night "fire pit" night!

I snuggled pups, worked in the garden, and cleaned the pool this afternoon. And after a short nap this evening, I crept into my office to work.

I am up in the wee hours of the morn struggling with some character flaws in a novel I have been working on for some time. It's not a common practice to share my writing with others, but for the first time, I thought I would.

I enjoy so much making new friends on the the internet through MySpace and my new blog site. I often get asked, "what do I do, exactly." And I giggle a little bit because my life is somewhat that of a chameleon. I have written so much about the farm and how it benefits my family and that I also teach dance in the Arctic, but I am also a writer. I am especially inclined to write in the political and espionage genres.

Below you will find an excerpt from my current novel.

Chapter Twelve

Al, Big Mike, and Hugh go to play blackjack, but I spy Johnny heading to the men's room. This is when I make my move. I am wearing a figure hugging black silk dress. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was being watched closely.

I rush for the ladies room stall and sit delicately on the toilet. I can hear someone enter the room and I slip open my purse to make sure the gun is inside.

I hear the distinct sound of a knife leaving its sheath. I know this sound well. When I used to go hunting with my Grandfather, the other hunters always wore them on their belts. I knew then that Johnny was inside.

A single gunshot. No screams, no struggle, no lingering stares. I gingerly tiptoe over the body and emerge from the restroom with not a hair out of place. I comb my shoulder length hair back into one hand and calmly walk around the corner and straight into Agent Beard.

"Nice job Mrs. Silva.”

"Please... call me Allie."

The guys that had been with Johnny knew what just went down. No one was going to wait for Johnny or the police to see what went on in the ladies room. The three men dashed out of the hotel.

Johnny lies mortally wounded on the floor. Blood covers his dark Pendleton-type long sleeve shirt. His once spit-shined Italian loafers are splattered red. His dying hand clasps the gold cross hanging from his neck. Two cops enter the bathroom along with two more security guards.

Once I am alone, outside of the building, the adrenaline and assuredness wear off and my hands start to shake uncontrollably. I cannot believe what has just taken place. It won't be long 'til it gets back to Nicky that his 'boy Johnny' has been hit. And not long after that 'til he figures out my involvement. I know now that I have to get the hell away from Nicky Shaff.

But I am thankful that I carried the gun. And even more grateful that my Grandfather taught me how to use it.

Keep in mind it is only temporary. Not exactly a grand engineering feat, but please don't tell my husband I said that. (Hi, honey. I love you!)

I have waited for several days to write blog...... and I am lost. I have no photos and no story.

Well, that is not entirely true. There is a lot to write about here on this farm, and there a lot of photos that have been taken. I just haven't been privy to them.


I have been hoping to add the puppy pen blog for a few days now, but since Mira has her own agenda, I guess I have to wait. I understand that she doesn't wait around for me and that is ok. She has a lot to do on her own. But since I don't have a camera, I was hoping for some help, I guess.

She is totally enveloped in another huge adventure at the moment and I will wait for that to subside, so I can get a photo for my blog. My little girl, altho' 24, is a very talented photographer. She does family photo sessions, kids, adults, and is also involved in a CD cover for a band at the moment. I am very proud of her accomplishments. So, please, don't take me wrong. I joke when I say I wait on her photos...... I'm proud that she does them for me.

Until then..........

Miranda is now selling her own line of greeting cards on CafePress that she has designed herself. You can find them by going to her CafePress store here.

Some examples of cards she is selling:

We are building a large dog pen for our nine pups and their momma. This is taking more time than we originally thought, so in the meantime, I'm going to tell you all about my dance school in the Arctic.

I lived and taught dance in Barrow, Alaska, a.k.a. "Top of the World"........the Arctic..... for 8 years before I moved back home to my farm in Virginia. I loved every minute of it. I started dancing at age three, took dance lessons for many years, and went on to attend Virginia Intermont College in Bristol, Virginia; home of the Bristol Ballet.

I taught at several schools in the Virginia area and North Carolina before moving to Alaska. And then those children stole my heart. They had not ever had the opportunity to dance, but they were thrilled with the new adventure. They were starved for anything new and exciting; and they became a big part of my life.



From age 2, 3, 4, and 5, I took them under my wing and not only taught them to dance, but also listened to their stories, and helped shape their lives. I think about them and miss them everyday.

After moving back to Virginia, I originally thought I might not make it back to the Arctic, but after many emails and phone calls, I could not resist. I now fly back to Alaska twice a year to teach for 6-8 weeks at a time and it feeds my soul. I am so glad that I can continue to be a part of their lives.

I'm going to take a step back in time tonight and share one of my better moments with all of you. I haven't shared this online with anyone yet, and I think it's about time.

I was divorced for many years, but after raising my little girl all by myself for over 20 years, I finally found the man I would marry again. And I knew this time it would last. He's my best friend and has been since we were little kids.

James Kent Gilley, Jr. and I married on Oct. 7, 2006 in my front yard here at the farm. It was a little chilly, but the wedding was gorgeous. We had a 60 foot tent with a 25 foot ceiling that fed 350 people. Too many commented that it looked like a circus tent. Ha! And it was probably true. But also very elegant and so nice. I loved having all of our families and our friends here all at the same time. It was a great time!

Another best friend catered the wedding, Greg Clisso. He brought his best bbq with all of the accoutrements. Great food, wonderful bartender, fully stocked bar, and dancing until the wee hours of the morn. It might not have been the Waldorf, but it was spectacular!!!




Even though I am much older, I chose my dad to give me away. He really wanted to do that, and since it meant so much to both of us, we thought it was a wondefull asset to my wedding.


This is my baby, and my maid of honor, Miranda. She is not only my daughter, but my best friend.


This is the wedding party. Kent's Uncle was best man, Ralph Gilley. Then Kent, Me, Mira, and my Dad.

Second row: Brendon is my best friend Kristy's son and Olivia is my Half-Sister, Julie's daughter.












My daughter created this wedding storyboard for me. It's gorgeous! I could not have wished for anything more perfect. She is the ultimate photographer and she captured our hearts on this day!

My extended family now includes wonderful in-laws and it makes for happier times here on the farm.