Tilly Greene's Blog, page 48
December 31, 2010
First Foot Your Way Into a New Year
As midnight looms Auld Lang Syne, credited to Scottish poet Robert Burns, and is sung by all. The song, with its universal appeal, has been adopted by people around the world as a way to bid a fond farewell to the old and welcome the new with open arms. Kiss your friends, hug strangers, and shake the hand of your enemy, all while sharing toasts with whisky.
And now the real party begins with first-footing!
First-footing takes place in Scotland and by some in northern England - we do it where my cutie comes from. It's a custom that has been around for a long time. Roots to this tradition go as back as Viking invasions and have changed little. How it works is that the first person to enter a home after midnight has passed, should be male with dark hair and carrying tokens cementing good luck for the residents. A lump of coal, whisky and an oat cake are the most commons gift to offer and in return, uisge beatha, water of life (whisky), and food are shared, and then leave by the back door.
Sound fun? It is because throughout the night, as long as the chilled limbs can move, and one more dram can be shared, first-footing continues, house to house, party to party.
So, how about you?
Do you or your family have any traditions attached to New Years that have been going on for donkey's years?
Have a good and safe holiday!
And now the real party begins with first-footing! First-footing takes place in Scotland and by some in northern England - we do it where my cutie comes from. It's a custom that has been around for a long time. Roots to this tradition go as back as Viking invasions and have changed little. How it works is that the first person to enter a home after midnight has passed, should be male with dark hair and carrying tokens cementing good luck for the residents. A lump of coal, whisky and an oat cake are the most commons gift to offer and in return, uisge beatha, water of life (whisky), and food are shared, and then leave by the back door.
Sound fun? It is because throughout the night, as long as the chilled limbs can move, and one more dram can be shared, first-footing continues, house to house, party to party.
So, how about you?
Do you or your family have any traditions attached to New Years that have been going on for donkey's years?
Have a good and safe holiday!
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 30, 2010
Fun Facts and Figures to End the Year
I love writing down my thoughts on the Tilly Greene's Hot Thoughts Blog and you who visit make it worthwhile - big thank you's to each of you for taking the time in your busy day to stop by for a read.Well, 2010 is almost done, woohoo, and in celeberation, I thought I'd share a bit about you guys that I know and is fun. Who knows, maybe you'll see yourself in some of these ipso facto's. Okay, let's get started with where you guys are from.
People in 87 different countries visited this blog, with the most coming from the US, Canada and the UK - not really all that surprising - and after that it is Germany, Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, Philippines and Finland. Just for fun, I looked at the ten countries with the least visits and found them fascinating:
Nepal
Algeria
Chile
Hungary
Cayman Islands
Guyana
Macedonia
Botswana
Dominican Republic
Malta
The Naughty Thought for Monday's seems to be the most popular segment, followed by The Big Huge Reader Contest [which was a blast] and Hump Day Reflections. The favorite single blog, of which was written in 2007, and also the most used search term [outside of various ways to spell Tilly Greene and Hot Thoughts] was about the Real Dolls [Real Male Doll is what's used the most often] - yup, call me surprised. As for writing the blog, that was all BBC America's fault, but also rather interesting.Now, when it comes to Search Engines, Google is top and after that is Yahoo and Bing. Browsers weren't that much of a surprise either with I.E., Firefox, Safari, and Chrome at the top.
Okay, one more, that's it - promise :-)
It's devices - kind of. Our Operating System can sometimes give a hint of what inanimate object we spend so much of our time with. Well, here you go:Windows
Macintosh
Other Unix
iPod
iPhone
BlackBerry
iPad
Linux
PlayStation Portable
LG
See what I mean about devices? 6 of those listed above are portables. Hmmm, interesting, yes, but don't start talking about the demise of the computer. Windows was almost 6x larger than all the other OS's together.
The computer is still king!
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 29, 2010
It's That Time
Because I don't cook, my cutie and I made a deal when we first got married: Every year I would learn and master one dish.While it hasn't been easy, I've done it, and this year it's a Roasted Chicken. There were others I tried and would have added, but they were really just very slightly different [as in chicken taco vs beef taco and the cutie did bbq the chicken] from something I already knew how to do. The chicken thing has been all right to do and I can usually make a fried rice and chicken korma with the left overs - three meals, done! I like those numbers.
The recipe I followed was found on eHow.com and is called 'How to Cook a Whole Chicken: Best and Simplest Way Ever'.
Love the internet.
Here's the basic instructions:
* Preheat over to 400/F
* Clean out and dry off your chicken
* Spread about 2-3 tablespoons of butter [or olive oil] all over with you hands
* Salt and Pepper the outside and some on the inside as well
* Rosemary and/or other herbs can also be added
* Place chicken breast up on a rack, resting inside a roasting pan, and cook
Timing is 65 minutes for a 3.5 lb chicken and 8-10 minutes for every pound over that.
What I did was cook for the 65 minutes, then turned the chicken so breast was down, and cooked for another 10 minutes. Moist and delicious.
So go forth and cook a chicken, make multiple meals from it, and relax with a book while it's all going on. Enjoy!
Thank you to The Broke-Ass Bride for the cute pic!
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 26, 2010
It's Not Too Late...
You can still enter the 13 Days of Bloody Kiss'mas Extravaganza 2010!
My prize is being drawn on the 28th of December and here's a small hint of what you're playing for:
Paperbackdolls.com is playing host along with Wick'd Reads. You can enter as often as you want and better your odds by sharing the news around various social networks - nice!
Quick, go get your name into the mix, you might end up with some stuff from England if you win my bag :-)
My prize is being drawn on the 28th of December and here's a small hint of what you're playing for:
Paperbackdolls.com is playing host along with Wick'd Reads. You can enter as often as you want and better your odds by sharing the news around various social networks - nice!
Quick, go get your name into the mix, you might end up with some stuff from England if you win my bag :-)
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 25, 2010
Enjoy your holidays, however or wherever you celebrate th...
Enjoy your holidays, however or wherever you celebrate them.
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 24, 2010
Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #12
Well, hopefully all the shopping is done, but in case you're a last minute 30 minute dash person, here are some fiction treats to check out for those left on your list. These are interesting and could be filed under the "take me away" reads.
An Object of Desire by Steve Martin
I like him. I have through all of his various stages in his career and this one, the author who enjoys art, is particularly interesting. He claims to know a little about that world, but isn't an expert, and yet has quite a personal collection. None of that matters, what does for this recently released novel is that you'll be taken on a trip into NYC's art world.
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
by David Sedaris and illustrated by Ian Falconer [of Olivia fame]
Think Aesops, fables, lessons that make you laugh and maybe learn something while you're doing it. We bought this for our niece and, of course, I took a peek - and wanted more!
The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise: A Novel by Jill Stuart
A bit of England via the select group who reside in Tower of London. I can't tell you how many times we've been to the tower bridge and saw a glimpse of those who live there, or a beefeater mentions they live on sight. It is intriguing to think of all that happened there and they have their milk delivered like everyone else. Well, not quite, but close :-)
The Case of the Missing Servant: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator and The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator by Tarquin Hall
A window overlooking India through an elder man who wears custom safari suits and flat caps. I read the first one and can't wait to read the second.
Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian author that is actually rather difficult to find in the US, but hopefully not for long. There are two series, but I heard first about the Harry Hole ones, so why not start there.
The Redbreast
is the first one translated and available [although in limited numbers]. Think WWII in Norway.
The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousins' War) by Philippa Gregory takes you back even further in time, back to the War of the Roses and Allison Weir even further with Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine . Both authors write fantastic fictional accounts of what happened way back then. I missed The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novel by C W Gortner and am intrigued.
Isn't that how it, finding a new author or new to me subject matter, sometimes starts?
And finally there's the recently released
Cleopatra: A Life
by Stacy Schiff. There's been lots of chatter about this book and I'm looking forward to reading an account that allows the truth to rise above the rest, be it good or bad.
Now it's time to sit back, put your feet up, and relax into a good read - tomorrow is going to be crazy!
Enjoy!
An Object of Desire by Steve Martin
I like him. I have through all of his various stages in his career and this one, the author who enjoys art, is particularly interesting. He claims to know a little about that world, but isn't an expert, and yet has quite a personal collection. None of that matters, what does for this recently released novel is that you'll be taken on a trip into NYC's art world.
Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary
by David Sedaris and illustrated by Ian Falconer [of Olivia fame]Think Aesops, fables, lessons that make you laugh and maybe learn something while you're doing it. We bought this for our niece and, of course, I took a peek - and wanted more!
The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise: A Novel by Jill Stuart
A bit of England via the select group who reside in Tower of London. I can't tell you how many times we've been to the tower bridge and saw a glimpse of those who live there, or a beefeater mentions they live on sight. It is intriguing to think of all that happened there and they have their milk delivered like everyone else. Well, not quite, but close :-)
The Case of the Missing Servant: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator and The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing: From the Files of Vish Puri, Most Private Investigator by Tarquin Hall
A window overlooking India through an elder man who wears custom safari suits and flat caps. I read the first one and can't wait to read the second.
Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian author that is actually rather difficult to find in the US, but hopefully not for long. There are two series, but I heard first about the Harry Hole ones, so why not start there.
The Redbreast
is the first one translated and available [although in limited numbers]. Think WWII in Norway.The Red Queen: A Novel (The Cousins' War) by Philippa Gregory takes you back even further in time, back to the War of the Roses and Allison Weir even further with Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine . Both authors write fantastic fictional accounts of what happened way back then. I missed The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novel by C W Gortner and am intrigued.
Isn't that how it, finding a new author or new to me subject matter, sometimes starts?
And finally there's the recently released
Cleopatra: A Life
by Stacy Schiff. There's been lots of chatter about this book and I'm looking forward to reading an account that allows the truth to rise above the rest, be it good or bad.Now it's time to sit back, put your feet up, and relax into a good read - tomorrow is going to be crazy!
Enjoy!
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 23, 2010
Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #11
The cookbook aficianado is never ignored for the holidays. Remember, they're the ones supplying everyone with fabulous fare, in fact, they're probably busy in the kitchen right now! So here's a few gems just for them.
The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal
by Mark Kulansky actually came out last year, but it's still sitting on my list to give to the perfect person. You see, the cutie and I were driving through a horrendous rain storm, and we were listening to NPR until it was lost. I can't remember what the show was, but they were talking about this book, and it sparked both our interest - enough that it's been sitting in it's own note on my iTouch since we landed in a hotel. Anyway, think of it as your grandma's cookbook - all those recipes that were often verbally handed down for generations. It's a great addition to any kitchen.
Next up is kind of along the same lines. It's called
One Big Table: 600 recipes from the nation's best home cooks, farmers, fishermen, pit-masters, and chefs
by Molly O'Neill. The product description from Amazon describes it better than I ever could: "an informative and heartwarming refutation of the demise of American home cooking. Ten years and many miles in the making, this collection celebrates the nation's culinary diversity, both ethnically and agriculturally, and offers a uniquely intimate look at what home cooking in America is truly like today. O'Neill crossed the country, interviewing home cooks and spending time in the kitchens of recent immigrants. The results are enticing recipes that intertwine family stories, personal histories, and food. From stuffed Danish pancakes in Utah to tamales in Santa Fe and Vietnamese shrimp pancakes in Mississippi, this eclectic collection showcases the best this country has to offer. O'Neill also includes old-style American fare, including black-eyed pea and mustard greens soup, corn chowder, campfire trout, and bluegrass bass with Kentucky caviar. Sidebars abound on everything from black sea bass to Johnny Appleseed, Elvis to shrimp. As engaging in the armchair as it is in the kitchen, this book is an enduring testament to our historic traditions and the new culinary forays being made by American home cooks."
Simply divine.
Now, I saved the best for last, best as in it's the cookbook for those new to the kitchen.
The How Not to Cookbook: Lessons Learned the Hard Way
by Aleksandra Mir. Everyone needs to start someplace and this one sounded like a good jumping off point.
The Food of a Younger Land: A Portrait of American Food--Before the National Highway System, Before Chain Restaurants, and Before Frozen Food, When the Nation's Food Was Seasonal
by Mark Kulansky actually came out last year, but it's still sitting on my list to give to the perfect person. You see, the cutie and I were driving through a horrendous rain storm, and we were listening to NPR until it was lost. I can't remember what the show was, but they were talking about this book, and it sparked both our interest - enough that it's been sitting in it's own note on my iTouch since we landed in a hotel. Anyway, think of it as your grandma's cookbook - all those recipes that were often verbally handed down for generations. It's a great addition to any kitchen.
Next up is kind of along the same lines. It's called
One Big Table: 600 recipes from the nation's best home cooks, farmers, fishermen, pit-masters, and chefs
by Molly O'Neill. The product description from Amazon describes it better than I ever could: "an informative and heartwarming refutation of the demise of American home cooking. Ten years and many miles in the making, this collection celebrates the nation's culinary diversity, both ethnically and agriculturally, and offers a uniquely intimate look at what home cooking in America is truly like today. O'Neill crossed the country, interviewing home cooks and spending time in the kitchens of recent immigrants. The results are enticing recipes that intertwine family stories, personal histories, and food. From stuffed Danish pancakes in Utah to tamales in Santa Fe and Vietnamese shrimp pancakes in Mississippi, this eclectic collection showcases the best this country has to offer. O'Neill also includes old-style American fare, including black-eyed pea and mustard greens soup, corn chowder, campfire trout, and bluegrass bass with Kentucky caviar. Sidebars abound on everything from black sea bass to Johnny Appleseed, Elvis to shrimp. As engaging in the armchair as it is in the kitchen, this book is an enduring testament to our historic traditions and the new culinary forays being made by American home cooks."Simply divine.
Now, I saved the best for last, best as in it's the cookbook for those new to the kitchen.
The How Not to Cookbook: Lessons Learned the Hard Way
by Aleksandra Mir. Everyone needs to start someplace and this one sounded like a good jumping off point.Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 22, 2010
Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #10
Do you have a budding fashionista at home? Intrigued by fashion yourself or know someone who is and need a little guidance?The Fashion File by Janie Bryant with Monica Corcoran Harel has recently released and would fit the bill. Bryant opens the closets on Mad Men, and takes the lessons learned into a place the modern woman can utilize.
Another fun and interesting fashion read is Fifty Dresses That Changed the World from the Design Museum. There's also a shoe one and for anyone interested in fashion and how important it actually is will like reading these books.
How about some advice from a designer. One I recently quoted in regards to writing and possibly covers [although I can't remember where] as well is Coco Chanel. A book that came out last year, The Gospel According to Coco Chanel: Life Lessons from the World's Most Elegant Woman , could be the best choice of all.
Oh, the quote went something like: Before you leave, look in the mirror, and take one thing off. Makes sense to me.
Maybe the good life is what the fashionista is interested in, discovering snippets of chicness past and often forgotten. If that's the case then the recently released
Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights
by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins is the perfect match.Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 21, 2010
Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #9
Ooo, it's a few days until Christmas, are you ready with a copy of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore?
There are loads of them, but let me point in the direction of a few I like to read, reread, and send out as gifts.
Being a fan of creative paper construction, I enjoy both Niroot Puttapipatt's [above] and Robert Sabuda's [below]. They are very different and yet both are full of character and delight. Each turn of the page is a new surprise and builds the excitment that is, especially for kids, the 24th.
And yet another different look at 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is from Will Moses. I wish he'd do more books because I enjoy them all and love giving them to others.
I don't know about you, but I am so ready for The Night Before Christmas and yes, Christmas!
Just a few more days to go and plenty more books to suggest :-)
There are loads of them, but let me point in the direction of a few I like to read, reread, and send out as gifts.
Being a fan of creative paper construction, I enjoy both Niroot Puttapipatt's [above] and Robert Sabuda's [below]. They are very different and yet both are full of character and delight. Each turn of the page is a new surprise and builds the excitment that is, especially for kids, the 24th.
And yet another different look at 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is from Will Moses. I wish he'd do more books because I enjoy them all and love giving them to others.
I don't know about you, but I am so ready for The Night Before Christmas and yes, Christmas!
Just a few more days to go and plenty more books to suggest :-)
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
December 20, 2010
Christmas Wishlist Book Talk #8
What to get a reader is a mystery...wait, mysteries, everyone loves a good mystery!
Here's one for you: What writer recently released a book with the son of his first character as the hero?
Tom Clancy!
Dead or Alive takes off from where Teeth of the Tiger [2003] ended, both with Jack Ryan, Jr as the lead.
Actually, it looks like Clancy has brought other Ryan family members into his Jack Ryan/John Clark books before. Jack's dad, Emmett is in Without Remorse. Very interesting.
A couple other good adreniline rush reads are Warlord by Ted Bell, it came out in September, and is part of the Alex Hawke series. Another is Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane, which was released in November.
I haven't forgetten about the Science Fiction crowd.
Surface Details
by Iain M Banks was recently released and is a space opera sure to please the most discerning reader.
Earlier this year Stephen Baxter had Ark , a follow on from Flood , released and is a good read - duet if your Sci Fi reader hasn't read the first.
A third choice from the recent release shelf is the hard core Sci Fi Hull Three Zero by Greg Bear.
Told you I didn't forget this group :-)
Here's one for you: What writer recently released a book with the son of his first character as the hero?Tom Clancy!
Dead or Alive takes off from where Teeth of the Tiger [2003] ended, both with Jack Ryan, Jr as the lead.
Actually, it looks like Clancy has brought other Ryan family members into his Jack Ryan/John Clark books before. Jack's dad, Emmett is in Without Remorse. Very interesting.
A couple other good adreniline rush reads are Warlord by Ted Bell, it came out in September, and is part of the Alex Hawke series. Another is Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane, which was released in November.
I haven't forgetten about the Science Fiction crowd.
Surface Details
by Iain M Banks was recently released and is a space opera sure to please the most discerning reader.Earlier this year Stephen Baxter had Ark , a follow on from Flood , released and is a good read - duet if your Sci Fi reader hasn't read the first.
A third choice from the recent release shelf is the hard core Sci Fi Hull Three Zero by Greg Bear.
Told you I didn't forget this group :-)
Tilly Greene
WARNING! Red hot romances ahead!
