Today is cloudy, mild, and wet. It rained on and off yesterday, then stormed last night. Everything is still soaked.
I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds.
More crocuses are blooming -- lavender, purple, white, and pale yellow. :D The grass, which in recent years has retained bits of green through the winter, is suddenly much more green with growing tips visible.
The last several days my foot has been extra painful and I have been very grumpy about it. It’s really unpleasant and I would like to stop being grumpy already. But I have been reading things while trying to rest my foot and distract myself so have some thoughts:
Ghost Circus written by Adrienne Kress art by Jade Zhang— MG graphic novel about, what else: a ghost circus. The story here didn’t really grab me, but I loved the art, especially of the circus performances. (content note: ghost kids, child in peril)
Lumberjanes, Vol. 15-20 by Shannon Watters, et al.— I have now read all of the main series of these! There’s still some extra stories and graphic novels to check out, but the main thing feels complete. Vol 19 where the campers decide to do one last thing before the end of camp was especially charming. The ending was a bit rushed but narratively satisfying. This whole series was very good and fun and I’m glad I came back to it and read the second half.
Gotham Academy Second Semester— The second Gotham Academy series. This one is all one long arc where the first one was more episodic. I didn’t like this quite as much as the first series, which I adored. Its a little bit darker and less fun. But I still love Maps and Olive and their friendship. I’m sad there aren’t more of these, but at least there are a few more stories where these characters show up for me to read. (Maps reminds me of very early Tim and I think it would be fun if they hung out, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.)
Batman, Vol. 6: Abyss by Joshua Williamson et al— I read this because it contains a story featuring Maps from Gotham Academy. That story was great! (Well except for the fact that some of the art of Japanese characters was bordering on racist caricature– that was not good at all!) The rest of it wasn’t bad– a little confusing because so much of it referenced other story lines and I have no idea what’s going on in comics this decade.
Kindred Dragons by Sarah Mensinga— A very sweet MG graphic novel about a girl who really wants a dragon egg. She lives in a world where fairies bring some girls dragon eggs – but it mostly runs in families and she isn’t from a “kindred” family. It’s set in Canada which confused me at first, but works for the vibe. The book says “volume 1” very prominently so I was a little worried that it would end on a cliffhanger but it's a complete story.
I've learned what I can from the heavily modified slipover that I knitted and re-knitted all through the past two months. Because the recent absence of a subcutaneous pain-mesh layer has coincided with thermoregulation's partial return to service, I no longer want a personally sized blanket layer in sport-weight wool/alpaca. I've bound it off, both to keep as a measurement reference and because the yarn wouldn't survive further reuse.
Thinking through some incidents has been aided considerably by working with yarn bought when my skin first felt oddly cold. I've used it recently as a memory prop, then undone the deliberately false start and restarted the project with different yarn. As part of the process, I've finally recovered the skeins that were reused to become about half of a Little Wave cardigan, then abandoned when I realized that the pattern's proportions and mine would never agree. Instead, I'm meditating upon Capsa.
Thanks, long-ago clearance-discounted yarn, oddly too heavy for past me to crochet, for taking good care of me.
I've tried the first few rows of a swatch for New Terrain in Lavold Hempathy yarn---old, if not as old as the yarn meant first for the blanket I couldn't crochet. Perhaps my 2019 hands could've managed it, but my current hands will need a bit of wool in the yarn blend to keep those slipped stitches even. Hempathy is cotton/hemp/rayon, with no bounce/spring to it.
Yamagara's New Terrain interests me because its shoulder-yoke is constructed similarly to that of the Sundial tee, except that Yamagara is actually competent at designing patterns with carefully considered details---all the finishing touches that Sundial's designer (Wool and Pine) tends to skip. As a fallback, I could make a version of New Terrain without the terrain, plain across the torso, if the slipped stitches and my hands can't agree at all.
Fandom: The Protomen Pairings/Characters: Protoman & Megaman, Protoman & Dr. Thomas Light, Protoman & Dr. Albert Wily Rating: Unrated, estimated to be Teen and Up Length: 3,178 Creator Links:ricefu on Ao3 Theme: Siblings, Science Fiction, Apocalypse/Dystopia, Robots, Androids and AI, Trauma & Recovery, (Not Really) Character Death, Old Fandoms Summary: You have heard me tell this story many times before you sleep... This time listen carefully. Reccer's Notes: A beautiful and sad character study of Protoman, the older sibling of two tragic brothers in the Protomen universe. It connects his backstory and dives into psyche throughout the canon storyline, including his relationship with his younger brother, his father, and the main antagonist. Although I'm tagging the Not Really Character Death theme for a reason, this is a tragedy, so tread carefully.
fancake's theme for March is Siblings! Assigned, chosen, other, it doesn't matter what kind of siblings they are as long as they're wearing matching dinosaur sweaters. jk
If you have any questions about this theme, or the comm, come talk to me!
because anything relating to Autobots instantly gets attention and attention = money, like all conspiracy theories.
eventually Optimus Prime learns to tune that shit out 'cause they treat every denial like a confession, but every once in a while a TikTokker gets an angry quote from one of the younger/less even-keeled Autobots that they can turn into Content.
.........oh my god but the Decepticons though. Maybe a few of them start going "oh yeah, we built your pyramids" because they think it's funny, but at one point Megatron starts incorporating it into his propaganda because, hey, flesh creatures, we built all of your civilizations, obviously this means you can't do anything on your own and you should hand over your planet to us!!!! :DDDD (what do you mean you only believe that about the natives of Africa and the Americas, no you're all insignificant insects trust me)
--My mother tripped on her way to a concert (again) and fractured the bridge of her nose (again) and got up and went to the show anyway and enjoyed it while holding a plastic bag full of ice from the bar to her face (AGAIN). On the one hand I want to rage about her choice to just fucking carry on to the show, except on the other hand that's absolutely what I would do because I'm just as stubborn as she is, but back on the first hand she is seventy two years old and I am in the prime of my youth not. So I will just allow myself to be a little bit of a hypocrite about it, thanks.
--Melodifestivalen final is on Saturday. The lineup is mostly not terrible! I have no idea what the ultimate Eurovision pick will be, however, because I have given up on predicting the ~~mystery~~ that is the collective mind of Sweden (affectionate).
--I have been writing a deeply lemon-chicken fic for my new fandom but I'm fairly sure all the members of this fandom are too young to understand what it would mean if I tagged it lemon chicken. But I can glory in the tag in my mind. (Also I might not even finish it because there's no fun in writing an actual plot when I can just write my blorbo being hard done by.)
I think I’m just going to have to accept that updates are going to be sporadic for a while. I’m finding my home setup not especially conducive to sitting at the computer to write updates, because it either means putting my entire bed up, which is inconvenient, or else sitting on the edge of the bed to type, which is not super comfortable and puts pressure on my lower back. So I mostly get the opportunity to update when things are quiet at work, and things have not been quiet for a couple of weeks now. It wasn’t even quiet enough the last two nights to give me a chance to update. Oh well.
Anyway, this is a very long update, so I will put it behind a cut.
Tomato Dumplings are a classic comfort dish that turns simple pantry ingredients into a warm, satisfying meal or side dish, depending on appetites. Soft, fluffy dumplings simmer gently in a rich tomato sauce, loaded with vegetables, creating a cozy bowl of old‑fashioned flavor that feels like something straight from Grandma’s kitchen.
This easy, budget‑friendly recipe comes together quickly, uses everyday staples, and delivers hearty, home‑style comfort perfect for busy weeknights, meatless meals, or anyone craving a nostalgic taste of the past.
This recipe is one that I got from a Taste of Home Magazine back in the 1990's. It was something that my family really enjoyed. But then, who doesn't enjoy a dumpling!
With this you get a rich flavor and veggie filled tomato sauce, topped with light, fluffy and buttery dumplings. It became a family favorite from the get-go! Not only did it make for an economical main or side dish (depending on how many you want to serve) but it was delicious.
It goes particularly well with pan fried burger patties or meatballs if you wish to serve it as a side dish. Nobody will be complaining! You could also sprinkle some cheese over top of everything while it is still hot so that the cheese melts.
I had not made this in a very long time, but I knew Eileen would really enjoy it so I made the dish for her today as a surprise. She was really excited when I told her what was for dinner! This was always one of her favorites! I think it is destined to become one of yours as well!
Easy, economical and delicious! What's not to love! Enjoy!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE
TOMATO DUMPLINGS
There is nothing complicated here. I know I say that all the time, but it's true! I am at a stage in life where I don't do complicated!
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 of a small green pepper, seeded, trimmed and finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1/4 cup (60g) butter
1 small bay leaf
1 can (28 ounces/794g) tomatoes with liquid, cut up
1 TBS soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
For the dumplings:
1 cup (125g) plain all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS (15g) cold butter
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk
INGREDIENTS NOTES
Use a sharp knife and mince your onions, celery and peppers to about 1/4 inch in size. You don't want them to be in huge chunks.
You could use margarine to sauté your veggies, but I always use real butter. I just feel it is healthier. I do use salted butter as I can't afford to keep two kinds of butter in the house. You could also use ghee if you wish. I make my own ghee from scratch. Its a lot cheaper to do so.
I tend to buy my spices these days for the most part from the Indian grocery store across from our local mall. They are cheaper and every bit as fresh and good as the name brands. The bay leaves do tend to be quite large, so I usually use a half of one in place of a whole smaller one.
I used tomatoes canned in tomato juice. You can just crush them with your hands or mash them with a potato masher and they will be perfect. Don't drain them. You need the juice.
You can use dried parsley if you don't have fresh. Use roughly half the amount. I buy the freeze dried parsley which has nice sized flakes and a lovely green color.
HOW TO MAKE
TOMATO DUMPLINGS
This is a really simple and delicious dish to make if you follow the instructions succinctly! (To the letter.)
Heat butter over medium heat, in a medium, heavy bottomed skillet with a lid.
Once the butter begins to foam add the onions, green pepper and celery. Sauté, without browning, until they begin to soften. (You do not want the butter to overheat and brown/burn. You also don't want your vegetables to brown. You simply want them to be al dente as they will cook further in the sauce.)
Add the bay leaf, brown sugar, undrained tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. (This simmer time allows for the flavors to blend well and meld together into deliciousness.)
While the sauce is simmering make the dumpling batter.
Sift the flour, along with the salt and baking powder, into a bowl. Drop in the cold butter and cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the parsley. (I use a pastry blender, but you can also use two round bladed knives or even a couple forks. You want some pieces to be the size of small peas and some to be the size of bread crumbs.)
Add the milk. Stir just until blended without overmixing. Using two tablespoons, divide into six equal mounds and drop on top of the simmering tomato mixture. (Using two tablespoons/soup spoons helps to shape them nicely and evenly.)
Cover tightly and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes (without peeking) until the dumplings puff up and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (DO NOT PEEK! I cannot stress this enough. You will end up with tough dumplings. Seriously.)
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Serve the hot tomatoes and dumplings immediately.
HOW TO CUT DOWN
ON
GROCERY BILL COSTS
Every time I go to the grocery store, it seems my grocery bill goes up. They say food costs here in Canada where I live are going to rise by 4 to 6% in 2026. That is substantial when people are already struggling to pay for the necessities such as mortgages, rent, fuel, etc. For a family of four that could mean spending an additional $1000 a year on their food budget. We all need to be doing whatever we can to save as much as we can. Here are a few tips to help.
MENU PLANNING
The best way to approach menu planning is to plan for several days or even a week at a time. Gather together grocery store fliers and coupons, recipes etc. When planning consider nutrition, family preferences, foods on offer, and available storage space. Spending extra to get a multi-buy discount is not really a bargain in the long run if you have nowhere to store the excess and won't be able to use it up in time.
MAKE A SHOPPING LIST AND STICK TO IT
After you've planned your menus, make out a shopping list and stick to it. Try not to allow yourself to be distracted by fancy packaging and fake offers. Make your shopping list according to the menus and recipes planned. Put the advertised price and brand of sale items on your list.
USE COUPONS WITH COMMON SENSE
Buying things you don't need or unlikely to use simply because you have a coupon to use is not a bargain.
ORGANIZE YOUR SHOPPING LIST
Group items on your list according to how they appear in the grocery store. That way you won't be tempted a second time by back-tracking. You will also save time on your grocery shop.
KEEP AN EYE OUT
Keep an eye out for unadvertised store specials that are genuine bargains. Learn to identify a loss leader. That is an item with the store takes a loss on in the hopes that you will do more shopping for things that are not necessarily on sale.
SHOP SEASONALLY
Take advantage of low prices of seasonal items such as fruit or vegetables and items sold at lower prices during high periods of normal production cycles. Nasty tasting strawberries sold for a song in January are not a bargain if they don't taste good.
CHOOSE CANNED GOODS WITH A SENSE OF PURPOSE
Choose the grade and quality of canned goods that fit your use. When shape, uniformity of size and color are not important, use the thriftiest form. Using the thriftiest versions, you will get equally good flavor and nutritional values for use in recipes where the looks don't really matter. Often no-name products are just as good as the more expensive products.
DON'T SHOP WHEN YOU ARE HUNGRY
This is one of the number one rules when it comes to saving money when shopping. Food looks especially enticing and we are at our weakest when we have empty and grumbling stomachs.
HERE ARE A FEW MORE BUDGET FRIENDLY
OPTIONS FOR YOU TO ENJOY
With the costs of everything rising about the only thing we can try to save money on is our food budget and that can be very difficult to do as well as grocery costs keep going up, up and up. Here are a few other budget conscious meals that we enjoy that you might also enjoy!
HAMBURGER GRAVY - This is an old family standby that may not be the most attractive pencil in the box but it is one of the tastiest! Meant to be ladled over some mashed potatoes and rice, my children always enjoyed this with corn on the side. A rich, from-scratch, gravy makes this a very popular and delicious dish that is not only budget friendly but also very family friendly.
BREAD & CHEESE OMELET - This is quite simply one of my favorite suppers. Bread cubes are fried until toasty brown in some butter. Wipe the skillet out, add some beaten eggs for a simple omelet, fill with the butter browned bread cubes and some cheese, along with some spring onions for a real supper time treat! Eggs make for an affordable source of protein that is very adaptable.
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Yield: Makes 6 dumplings
Author: Marie Rayner
Tomato Dumplings
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 40 Min
A wonderfully light and fresh tasting tomato sauce, loaded with veggies, topped with light and savory butter dumplings. Delicious and simple. Makes a main dish for three or a side dish for six.
Ingredients
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 of a small green pepper, seeded, trimmed and finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1/4 cup (60g) butter
1 small bay leaf
1 can (28 ounces/794g) tomatoes with liquid, cut up
1 TBS soft light brown sugar
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
For the dumplings:
1 cup (125g) plain all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBS (15g) cold butter
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk
Instructions
Heat butter over medium heat, in a medium, heavy bottomed skillet with a lid.
Once the butter begins to foam add the onions, green pepper and celery. Sauté, without browning, until they begin to soften.
Add the bay leaf, brown sugar, undrained tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering make the dumpling batter.
Sift the flour, along with the salt and baking powder, into a bowl. Drop in the cold butter and cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the parsley.
Add the milk. Stir just until blended without overmixing. Using two tablespoons, divide into six equal mounds and drop on top of the simmering tomato mixture.
Cover tightly and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes (without peeking) until the dumplings puff up and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Serve the hot tomatoes and dumplings immediately.
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This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...
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busy
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curious
annoyed
stressed
