Slaving is hard work!  But the end is in sight.  I went all out and made enough food for the two seder nights, so tomorrow I can just add to the leftovers.  Here is the menu:

Middle Eastern lamb with fresh mint and parsley:

Herbed turkey with red potatoes, carrots, and fresh rosemary:

Middle Eastern eggplant with peppers and fresh cilantro:

Steamed asparagus with fresh dill (eventually):

…and of course my world-famous charoset, and all the other symbolic seder components.  I think I’ve earned my keep.

I think I’ll be going offline for a little while, probably under the table, so I just want to wish y’all (you know who you are) a very happy, peaceful, and meaningful Pesach, however you choose to observe it.  Next year in TN!  L’chaim!

Here are just some random shots of preps ongoing chez nous.  There is even the rare sighting of YT, don’t get used to it.  I don’t do selfies for obvious reasons.  Erev cheers!  Back to slaving, more later.

In anticipation of Pesach, we’ve done our solemn duty of consuming the sacrificial last beer and chocolate bunny (not shown because consumed).  The last rites of burning chametz [insert evil spirits/trump/ white trash/ etc.] have been performed. [FIUH!]  No animals were harmed…

Here are Pesach flowers, some from my garden:

The Skullies are supervising my Pesach preps:

Next up: the Seder plate.  My superior charoset is getting good and schnockered, as will I soon.  Well, back into Egypt with me…

MY charoset reigns supreme.  My work here is done.  Well, actually, not even close.  But my superior charoset is beginning its spirituous process, leaving all contenders in the dust of envy.  Robert, eat your heart out.

Yesterday, with friend Rex standing guard outside, I discovered flowers blooming in my garden, most notably these checkered lilies (Fritillaria meleagris) up for the first time!  I was happy to see them.  Also back were peony, hyacinth, violas, tulips, and lots of perennials like bleeding heart, coral bells, columbine, coneflowers, etc., which will find a new home at Rex’s when we’re gone, for which I’m grateful.

Pesach is taking shape, always a good excuse for spring cleaning.  It will of necessity be simple and modest, but I prefer it that way.  So much more affordable.  After revisiting the film “Schindler’s List” last night, I’m reminded of how fortunate we are–for now.  That beast is never far from the door, especially right now.  May those vicious fiends self-destruct soon.

Here’s a picture I drew for the occasion.

Here is my attempt at a BBQ chicken dinner, with savory cornbread, roasted potatoes, carrots and peas, a salad (not shown), and this funny little homemade rum/frangelico cake with chocolate hazelnut icing, posing as a mushroom.  The Skullies say erev cheers.

It’s not quite a white tornado, more of a grayish one, with all the dust and smoke swirling around.  I’m busily dusting and cleaning, while E is in the kitchen making chapatis.  Fans (a recurring theme lately) are circulating cool rainy air through the dense smog, with an overpowering bouquet of bleach.  Spring purge is in the air.

We’re going “native” for Pesach, in the sense that we’re being frugal and resourceful with what’s available to us, and making the most of it, like any respectable peasant, or escaping slave.  Even the Skullies have been liberated to another room, safe from the purge-machine.  Also, moving preps have begun.  It’s beginning to look a lot like Exodus!

We have added incentive to clean, because our friend Rex is coming over tomorrow for Shabbat dinner. To help me finish off some more chametz, I’ll be making BBQ moonshine chicken and fixin’s in his honor.  Meanwhile, doing my part for chametz-purging, I’m drinking up the last of my Guinness and other food groups.  It’s as close as I come to religion.

Here’s a wistful nose-to-window view of spring happening outside, and my attempts to surround myself with greenery, until such time as we can safely go out in a yard of our own.  It won’t be long now.

In case you were wondering, I’m trying to avoid the insanity that is world news these days whenever I can, and keep it real and down-to-earth.  If I think too hard, I sink into a funk of despair.  I’ll let the trumpsters of the world destroy themselves, as they seem to be doing a fine job of it without me.  I still retain a tiny shred of hope that the rule of law and justice can still triumph over chaos and evil.

Accordingly, the aroma of spicy chametz chili is wafting my way, calling unto me.  Later…

I’ve been delinquent in posting, because yesterday we had a productive afternoon taking our friend Rex shopping for a ceiling fan, and then E installed it, fixed another on his porch, and did other electrical/hardware installations for him.  She’s an expert on such things, while Rex and I just passed tools and parts, and marveled at the miracle.  Just the amazement on his face was reward enough!  (Plus pizza and other refreshments.)

On the way to Lowes, we passed what used to be E’s massive GM plant.  It seemed to go on for miles.  Here are a few glimpses.  It looked scary to me, but she has fond memories of the one place that treated her well.

Rex gave us a tour of his garden, with all the flowers coming up.

Of course I got my plant-and-kitty-fix.  Cally and Sissy jumped right into the empty fan box immediately, and pretty much stayed there, when they weren’t lazing on the bed.

Rex’s is full of still-life photo opps, of which these are just a few.

Lots of fannage going on there.  We’re like a mutual fan society.

It’s gotten to where almost everything I read on my news and media feeds is so unbelievably disturbing, it’s demoralizing.

Trump is trying to revoke the last remaining housing assistance available to the working poor, old and young people alike, who worked hard but just couldn’t quite make ends meet due to catastrophic events beyond their control.  These are simple folk who voted for that deceitful thug, but are just now having second thoughts?!  We didn’t, but it affects all of us.  Meanwhile, more billions are being diverted to the military, and to persecuting anyone who isn’t rich and white.

I can’t even follow a friend’s thread without seeing some stupid trumpster spewing vulgar, disgusting, homophobic slurs.  And these are apparently people within the LGBT community, who should know better, and it’s not an isolated occurrence.  This is our country now.  It’s frightening, discouraging, and hard to shake off.

So I stop reading and return to gazing out the window, wishing it wasn’t so risky just going out in our yard.  Normally I’d be out there puttering around for sanity’s sake, but now we’re surrounded by deranged white trash with guns.  I will never take simple things like a secure home of our own for granted in the future!  Evidently nothing is an assured right, whether it’s housing, healthcare, or dignity.  It’s like back to wild frontier days, when guns and thugs determine whether you survive.

I didn’t intend for this to be another rant, but sometimes it’s all just too much, and I have few outlets to diffuse it right now.  I promise it will get better, once we’re out of here and in a more stable situation.  Not that it will be utopia, just more sane, with diversions to shut me up.  That is, if trump doesn’t pull the few remaining buffers we have left out from under us.  Is simply existing too much to ask?  I’m living for the moment when it all comes crashing down on him, and we can get back to making America sane again.

OK, rant over for now.  Here are some local amphibians, courtesy of a herping group.

A young adult Midland Mud Salamander, and a Kentucky Spring Salamander:

Eastern Spadefoot Toad, a rare sighting:

Spring Peepers:

I’m looking forward to personal sightings of my own, in Tennessee.

I found my Passover horseradish root at Kroger today, yippee!  It wasn’t too huge, just right!  Yeah, I’m a little strange.  But when you live in Goyland, every little find is a victory.  They barely know what Jews are around here, other than Fox propaganda.  Needless to say, the Easter candy and junk  take up two whole aisles.

Downstairs, the rednecks-from-hell are apparently arming themselves with an arsenal of serious extreme guns for the apocalypse.  It’s scary just bringing the groceries upstairs.  Please, does anyone know an effective spell for security, protection, and banishing evil rednecks (including the redneck-in-chief)?  I’d be much obliged.  I’d like to be able to just go outside and garden.

Here is some white ranunculus, safely indoors.

I know this blahg tends to be the boring ramblings and rantings of an old hippie.  I realize you, my occasional 2.5 readership, have more consequential things to think about.  Mostly it’s just my therapeutic writing practice, but I think it has a subliminal message: the world sucks, but we sputter on, attempting to live a “normal” consistent life where possible.  I don’t have any inspiring kickass things to share, but maybe just defying and surviving all the challenges is something, to somebody.  That asshole in the WH will not defeat us.  We will resist!

Here is a defiant sheep.  (Appearances are deceiving.)  She’s our newest family member.

Here is a country-style meal E made: breaded sautéed chicken, baked potato wedges, and steamed fresh broccoli.  It was yum.

Obviously this is one of those rambly days.  We live a simple life, and dream of our future home, where we can garden and raise animals, armed militia-free.

I saw a meme about how current events (i.e. Trump etc.) are more unbelievable than any April Fool’s joke.  What a bunch of stupid fools!  And the folks that enable and believe them are even stupider.  But I state the obvious.  Let’s vote these idiots out starting ASAP.

But on to more cheery topics.  I hereby declare myself to be officially in solidarity with my Sephardic “cousins”  (i.e. the poorer black sheep) for Pesach from here on out.  Ashkenazic background be damned, I’m all about the po’ folks keeping it simple and to the spirit, not the letter.   Y’all.  To tell the truth, I prefer middle eastern food!

I mean, try telling a persecuted Yemenite refugee they have to run right out and buy all the latest expensive rabbinically-approved trendy items for affluent Jewish hipsters.  Not to mention the additional two complete sets of cookware and tableware (Pesach dairy and meat), and even, in some cases, two completely separate kitchens!  Right.  It just doesn’t work that way in reality.

Keeping it simple and affordable seems much more in the spirit of poor slaves escaping with just necessities, and making emergency flatbread rations in the wilderness.  I doubt they had an upscale kosher market to run out to for last minute luxuries that some dusty old rabbi approved.  Much of the developing world still doesn’t, nor would it make sense, when you’re struggling to survive and make ends meet.  Out here in the real world, we’re fortunate just to have food, period.

But I meander.  Cheerier topics, yeah.  Lest you think me a buzzkill, here is some cute local wildlife.

Haha, fooled you!