Things That Go Bump in the Day

Hey all,

Sorry I missed the blog last week.  I was just so darn busy with getting packed and doing the last minute stuff before moving, I just didn't have a chance to even think about writing one.  Hopefully this week's will make up for it.

I probably should wait til Halloween to do this topic, but I can't.  It's too weird and creepy to put in mothballs for five months.  And when I find something I think is cool, I want to share it with all of you.  And so I shall.

The last week I was in Cordoba, I went to their biggest cemetery.  I wasn't expecting much--the ones we'd seen on the road were basic condos or crosses.  But I was curious, and since I'd finished a chore a little early, I decided to walk over to the Cementerio San Jerónimo.  And I was so glad I did.

The cemetery itself was very different from others I'd seen.  It did have the usual mausoleums like I've seen in other graveyards, some quite beautiful and ornate.  Here are a few pics of some streets of the dead of Cordoba.

But they had two things I'd never seen anywhere else.

First off, they had buildings scattered through the cemetery that were ENORMOUS.  I mean as big as apartment buildings.  I thought at first they were crematoriums, but I couldn't imagine them needing six different crematoriums.  But once I translated the different plaques I realized each building belonged to a certain group.  So, for example, if you were a person that belonged to a specific club or organization, and they had a building, you could be buried there.  Or, if you were a particular ethnic or social class, they had buildings for them too.  Most were just buildings--nothing special, but this one picture is quite lovely.

Yet that wasn't the thing that made this cemetery unique.  Since it's the only Argentine one I've seen, I don't know if it's specific to this country or just Cordoba.  But, let's just say there were parts of this graveyard that hit an infinity and beyond on the creepy scale.

I'll need to set the stage before I go on.  I'd just walked into the cemetery.  It was the first row of mausoleums I'd walked down, and so far, it wasn't anything different.  But then I noticed that the windows on one of the sepulcher's doors was broken.  So, curious, I peeked in.

I think they heard my scream in Bogota!

Just joking, but I've certainly seen this scene in horror movies.  OH MY GOD.  Talk about creepy.  Check what this crypt looked like!!!!!

I was a bit freaked out.  I've seen decrepit and broken mausoleums before, but never like this.  I felt so bad for the occupants.  Was their family gone?  No one left to care for the graves?  Or was it even worse and there was family, but they just didn't care about the graves?  That's even sadder.

And for the coffins to be in plain sight was NOT something I've ever seen before.  In no other country I've visited do they just lay them out that way.  Everywhere else they hide the coffins in stone, marble or dirt.  The only time you see a coffin is at the funeral, right?

But I realized as I walked around more, that this was the way Argentines bury their dead. They don't bury them.  They stack the coffins neatly in the sepulchers.  Some are covered by beautiful lace as you see here.  

Others, as you see above, have absolutely lovely coffins--works of art themselves.  So, after a couple of hours of wandering, I was getting used to seeing all the coffins set so neatly in their places.  And then I turned down a row and came across this sight.  

And THAT scream I know they heard in China!  LOL

No, but seriously.  This one was even worse.  I could hear my inner child screaming, "Escapee, Escapee!!!" And you could tell they'd been like that for a while.  So not only the family didn't do anything about it, neither did the workers.  So the coffins just spilled out into the row.  Horribly creepy.

And just so you know...the coffins were NOT empty.  Yes.  You could see bits and pieces of dead people.  And so that whole creep factor just skyrocketed into outer space.  *shudder*   At least it was bones and not flesh.  Thank God for small mercies...

So, you can see why this post is worthy of Halloween.  Cemeteries, broken coffins, and the smell of death?  Oh yeah.  Those are the things nightmares are made of.  Or horror movies.  Or nightmares in a horror movie.  

Yeah.  That'll work!!!

Until next week!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

 

On the Wings of a Condor

Hey all,

I hope you've had a great week since we were last together.  Ours has been busy, and we've enjoyed it thoroughly.  But this last Tuesday we did something even more amazing than usual.  And we were able to check a major "to do" off our bucket list.

Jonathon and I went hiking and saw the beautiful, amazing, wild Andean Condor in it's natural habitat.

AWESOME!!!!!

We'd heard about this park where the majestic birds and their nests were protected, so knowing this may be the only chance to see one, we headed out early to the Quebrada del Condorito National Park.

We hiked in, which took several hours.  The park is huge, and quite beautiful in a wild and empty way.

The first condor we saw was right by the road, just sitting there on a rock.  It was a male, as you can see from the picture above.  And they are HUGE.  He didn't have his wings spread, but he didn't need to...he was already big.

He was beautiful.  And we were delighted.  If we never saw another bird--especially one flying--we could at least say we'd seen a condor.  But, we didn't have to use our first bird for our bucket list check off.  Oh, no.  We did MUCH better than that.

The hike to the gorge where the condors nest took us about three hours, but we could have walked even longer, the scenery was so beautiful.  Barren at times, rocky at others, while not our favorite landscape, it was beautiful, quiet and serene.  Here are some pics...

Beautiful, right?  And that was just the walk in.  Once we got to the gorge, it was even better.  It is...as the name states...a gorge.  High and narrow, with a pretty little waterfall on one side and an opening to the valley on the other.  There were crags and crevices, sheer rock walls and huge boulders all along the floor of the gorge.  Lovely.

But of course the highlight of the area are the birds.  The Andean Condor.

Wow!  Amazing.  This bird's wingspan is ENORMOUS!!!!  You just don't understand it until you see it first hand as they soar over your head.  

We saw males and females...adults and juveniles of all ages.  At first we were disappointed, thinking they were all already roosting for the night, but we soon discovered they had a pattern they followed.  They'd rest for a while, then several would rise into the air to take to the wind.  More would follow until there were dozens soaring beautifully through the clear air.

We loved it.  We'd packed a lunch, so we sat on a rock and ate while we watched the birds fly in the gorge before us.  We got some great pictures and videos, and I loved the peace and serenity of the place.  See what I mean?

And of course, some pictures of the birds themselves.  These are just a few of what we managed to get while we were there.

 

I would love to go back a second time. 

And the trip back to the car was just as lovely.  A misty fog was coming in and wisping over the mountain and pampas grass.  It was like wandering through a scene in a syfy movie.  We kept wondering what type of creature would loom out of the fog and attack us!  LOL  Here's a few pictures of the return journey.

I love new adventures and adore checking off my bucket list.  And seeing the Andean Condor fly in it's natural habitat was a huge wish of mine.  I hope these few pics can give you a little taste of what we were so privileged to see.

Until next time...

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

And the Winner is...Delicious!!!!

Hey all,

It's been a while since I shared some recipes with you all.  But now that we're here in Argentina, I thought I'd share some of our favorite foods as well as a bit of disappointment.

As most of you know who are following my blog, I love to try new foods and traveling around as we do, we find some beyond awesome recipes.  We haven't been in Argentina long, but we've already discovered an awesome new taste treat.  In fact, it's so good I wanted to share it with you.  So check out this main dish / snack.  Ready?

 Empanadas

Making Homemade Empanada Dough:

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 oz unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), chilled and cut into 12 pieces
• 1 egg
• 4-5 tbs water
• 
  

Instructions

1. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor.
2. Add the butter, egg and water until a clumpy dough forms.
3. To make the empanada dough by hand, follow the same instruction but use your hands to mix the ingredients together. To make it easier to incorporate the butter you can freeze it and then grate it into the flour mix.
4. Form a ball, flatten slightly, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
5. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round disc shapes for empanadas (use round molds or a small plate).
6. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator/freezer to use later.

 Or you can use a pre-made frozen dough if you don't want to go traditional.

One Kind of Delicious Filling -- I chose chicken because I love it.  There are many more at the website link below...

Ingredients

• 12-15 medium sized empanadas discs, using homemade dough or store-bought empanada discs
• 2 tbs butter
• ½ white onion, sliced thinly
• ½ bell pepper, sliced thinly
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• ½ tsp ground achiote or annatto
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cups shredded turkey or chicken
• 2 tbs turkey gravy – you can replace this with a combination of broth and butter
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• ½ tbs fresh oregano – can be replaced with 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt to taste
• 1 egg, yolk and white separated
Suggested dipping sauces:
• Spicy cranberry mango sauce, tree tomato aji or a quick chimichurri sauce
• 
  

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium size frying pan.
2. Add the onions, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, achiote, and cumin. Cook for 10 minutes over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix in the shredded turkey and stir well.
4. Add the turkey gravy and balsamic vinegar; continue cooking over low heat for another 5 minutes.
5. Let the turkey filling cool down, and then add in the chopped oregano.
6. To assemble the empanadas spoon the turkey mixture on to the center of the each empanada disc.
7. Brush the edges of the empanada discs with the egg whites, you can also use water but the egg white acts as a natural “glue” that helps seal the empanada.
8. Fold the empanada disc and seal the edges gently with your fingers, twist and fold the edges of the empanadas with your fingers. To seal the edges further you can use a fork to press down and finish sealing the empanadas.
9. Let the empanadas rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until ready to bake, this will help them seal better and prevent leaks.
10. Lightly brush the top of the empanadas with the egg yolk; this will give them a nice golden glow when they bake.
11. Pre-heat the oven to 400 F and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden, exact time will depend on the size of the empanadas and your oven.
12. Serve warm.

And this website gives you all kinds of cool info and other recipes!!!

Let me know if you try this recipe.  I know if the homemade version is half as good as what I've eaten here in Cordoba, it will be a winner.

Back next week with part two of food in Argentina.  The disappointment.  LOL

Until next time...

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's--SQUIRREL!!!!!

Hey all,

So I took a trip down memory lane the other day.  Not sure how it happened, but I was writing, then had to go online to do some research.  Then, somehow (and I honestly don't know HOW it happened) I was on youtube.

Now I know that sounds a bit crazy, but it really happened.  Sometimes when I do research it's like that puppy in the movie, UP! by Disney.  You know what happens.  I'm researching along and suddenly I'm distracted by...

Squirrel!!!!!!

Except my squirrels can be anything from a music video (in yesterday's case) to the names of angels, to the weather report in Xishuangbanna, China (where Jonathon was offered a job), to FB where Willy Nelson jokes about Lance Armstrong's winning the Tour de France.  It's crazy.  Research for me is like chasing not just one squirrel, but dozens.  LOL

But you can find some pretty interesting things.  The music video I watched was called "We Are The World" and was made back in 1985 to bring awareness to the world about the famine in Ethiopia.  I'd seen it before of course, but it's a beautiful video and always worth a repeat... 

 If it won't play on my blog, you can see it here...  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoDY8ce_3zk

But what I didn't know was this video was remade in 2010 to help Haiti after the earthquake.  And I have to say, I didn't expect to like it. (I rarely like remakes)  But this one was pretty awesome.  Check it out here...

If it won't play on my blog, you can see it here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glny4jSciVI

It was just the same, yet totally different.  The different artist and styles of music made it absolutely wonderful.  I'm not a rap fan, but I really liked how they inserted rap in between the regular singing.  And the bits of electronic music added in gave it a perfect updating.  I really enjoyed it.

It really is amazing what you can find when you aren't looking for it.  And there has been more than one time that I went looking for one thing and found something else entirely.  In fact, my upcoming historical romance series is an idea that came about when I read this quote by Williams Shakespeare...

A lion among ladies is a most dreadful thing.

Can you guess what the series is about?  *grin*

So, as you can see, sometimes getting distracted during my research forays IS a good thing.  LOL. And if it happens today when I'm online, I promise you it will be worth it.  Who knows what good may--

SQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Until next time...

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

Scoop it Up! It's Your Doody!!!!

Hey all,

We're here in Cordoba, Argentina and so far it's been a great place to visit.  Cordoba has a beautiful downtown square where you can sit and listen to music and sip a drink.  Lots of shopping, museums and parks.  We are looking forward to checking them all out.

We spent the first few days here driving around outside the city checking out the smaller villages.  Got some beautiful pictures and already are planning to go back to one area we want to visit again.  We've discovered a park where you can watch the Andean condors soar, and a German town where you can celebrate Oktoberfest all year long.  

I'm researching the area to decide what I want my Argentina book to be about.  So far I can write about Gauchos,  the awesome wildlife or landscapes that are some of the most beautiful in the world.  Or maybe all three.  LOL  Choices, choices...

Anyway, today's blog is about something of a pet peeve.  Now you know that we've lived in many different countries.  And all have their good and bad about them.  But when I was online this morning checking things out, I discovered something that Argentinos here in Cordoba could really learn from.

April 24th through 30th is National SCOOP UP THE POOP month!!!!!!

Like I said...a pet peeve.  People NOT picking up after their dogs.  Some countries are pristine, not a dog doody anywhere.  But other places, not so much and unfortunately, Cordoba is one of them.

When we walked yesterday, it was like going through a bloody minefield.  Some places were worst than others, but the sidewalks were dotted with piles of poop.

We even saw it happening.  People walking their puppies, letting them poop and then walking away as if nothing had happened. *grrrr*.  How hard is it to bend and scoop?  It may be your shoe that gets crapped next time!!!!

I guess I just don't understand.  The downtown area, justice square and parks are really beautiful and well kept, yet just outside of them the streets are filthy.  You can't walk a block without doing the hop and skip over the dog poop.  

And they love their dogs here.  It is easy to see.  There are a lot of them, both domestic and stray.  In fact, the stray dogs are everywhere---dozens and dozens of them and may be the ones responsible for most of the doody around the city.  It actually reminded Jonathon and I of being in Nepal where the cows are sacred and wander around free.  And they had a manure problem as well.  Hmmm.... Are dogs sacred in Argentina?  Is that why there are so many trotting around and leaving "gifts" for the faithful to step in?

I wonder?????

Of course, there is an upside to all the dogs.  If this article I found is true, maybe a few piles of doody is worth it.  Check it out and let me know what you think... STRAY DOG HEROES

Have a great week!

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/

Reality Leaves A Lot To The Imagination

Hey all,

As you read this I will be in the process of moving from Brazil to Argentina.  Getting all our stuff together to go from one country to the next is a PITA job, but necessary.  *smile*  After all, the adventure is such a blast.  We've seen so many marvelous things.  No more armchair exploring for us.

Of course that's the way our adventures started out.  I read about so many wonderful places and cultures it became my dream to visit as many as I could.

That's why I love books and being an author.  I can not only read about the world and what is out there, as an author I can create worlds and what make the people in them do what they do.  In fact one of my favorite things to do is read other people's works and see how that author gets things done.

I try to read a bit every day, just before I head off to bed.  Sometimes more, sometimes less, if we're busy.  If I don't, I feel seriously deprived.  LOL

But when you read as much as I do, you begin to notice things.  Really good things and really weird things.  So, I thought I'd share some examples of a few of my pet peeves as well as my all time favorite delights.

Pet Peeve One

Let's talk sex.  Well, not really sex, but what leads up to it.  Now I don't know about you guys, but when I wake up in the morning, if Jonathon wants to get his jig on, I don't immediately go all hot and bothered and thrown myself into his arms.  I mean I want to...ALWAYS, but there are some things that get in the way in reality that RARELY seem to be addressed in a romance novel.

I mean how many of you wake up with sweet minty breath and an empty bladder?  How many of you have perfectly coiffured hair and smooth shaven legs?

Yet, how many books have you read where sex is perfect and immediate in the morning.  No one has to pee, and morning breath is just bad dream.  There is no bed hair and the ladies are smooth and sexy all over.

Really?  On what planet does that really happen?

Though some contemporary books now DO mention these problems.  Albeit in a humorous way.  Most of the time I like that, though sometimes it does pull me out of the moment.  So I guess I do understand why some authors (myself included) ignore the everyday uglies that come with the new day.

Pet Peeve 2

The Cinderella Complex.  A classic plot for a romance novel, one I actually really like.  IF and I do mean IF it doesn't go too far.  That prince (or princess) who comes and sweeps their mate off their feet is all well and good, yet should we really expect someone else to come in and take care of all our problems for us?  I like the story only if the sweepee can give something just as precious and lovely back to the sweeper.  Not in a quid pro quo way, but rather because of love and respect.  You know what I mean?

Besides, how often does this happen in the real world?  There are very few Pretty Women standing on balconies watching millionaires climb up their fire escapes.  Hmmm...I'd actually like to see that.  Richard Gere on my balcony.  Yum!!!

Pet Peeve 3

Forced Seduction.  This one is REALLY more than a pet peeve.  I hate it.  Really hate it.  I'm not talking about role playing or even giving your partner a little extra push when it's warranted.  I'm referring to those stories where the hero forces a lady to feel arousal when she's already said that two letter word.  NO!!!!

I know I may be in the minority here, but I've come to totally dislike this plot device.  To me it's too close to rape.  If not of the body, of the mind.  And IMHO, forcing someone's body to do what their mind doesn't want to do IS the same as rape.  I grew up on those "bodice ripper" type of romances, and when I look back on some of the ones I read, I want to cringe.  A man who uses force to make a woman have sex (or make love if it comes to that) isn't a hero to me.  Not any longer.

And if you tried to find this same "plot" in the real world, I don't believe the heroine would be as starry-eyed about the guy who forced her to give up her virginity.

So, there you have it.  A few ways reality doesn't find it's way into romance novels.  Luckily, most authors know when a plot device is over the top and they've learned to keep things real in the books they write.  Because even though most of us read romance to "escape" from reality, we'd prefer to be able to believe what we're reading!!!!

Do you have a personal pet peeve you think is so far out of reality you only shake your head when you read it?  Let me know in the comments below.

Until next week,

Hugs,

CJ England

Follow Your Dreams
http://cjengland.com/luckbealady/luckbealady.htm

http://cjengland.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CJsaysFollowYourDreams/