Chicken Blueberry Salad | small house/BIG GARDEN

This past week has been so much fun! 🙂 Jack (second son) arrived after Easter for a 6 day mini-vacation, and we’ve been alternately at the beach or binging on word games. 🙂 A few years ago we discovered Bananagrams–and shortly after that, Appletters–so whenever we’re together it’s game ON! However even hardcore “gamers” need a break, so on Saturday we joined several thousand other people for the Hibiscus Festival!

Jack and Maggie at the Hibiscus Festival, 2012

“Click the pictures to see us full size!”

Do you play video/computer games? Which one(s) or most recent?

No, I don’t play any video games and neither does my daughter…but my boys do! However, I do play Words with Friends (on Facebook) with Jack. 🙂

When writing by hand do you prefer to use a pencil or pen?

Pencil! But since I only have a rinky-dink, dollar store, half-a$$ed sharpener, I typically end up with a pen in my hand, instead! 🙄

What has surprised you about blogging?

I knew I’d enjoy documenting the day to day minutiae of my life, but I didn’t think anyone else would ➡ I’ve been most surprised by “followers” and readers leaving comments!

If you had a shelf for your three most special possessions (not including people or animals), what would you put on it?

This one is very difficult, but three things I’d hate to lose are (in no particular order): a Police Tour T-shirt purchased for me by my kids in 2007 at Bonnaroo; a tray Maggie made for me featuring her High School Senior Portrait; my C. Crane am/fm shortwave pocket radio on which I’ve listened to Coast to Coast AM (my all time, favorite, overnight radio show) for the past ten years. In fact, one night Jack called the show and got on!!! If you click this link ➡ Jack calls Coast to Coast radio, you’ll not only see the radio, you’ll hear the VERY cool on-air conversation!

Moving on to the next set of questions: Week 19, Share Your World!

Do you believe in ghosts?

Bigtime!!!! When we lived up north in our 1898 Queen Anne Victorian we DEFINITELY had a ghost living with us! The old Queen Annes have double width staircases and broad landings that allow for people to pass each other, climbing up and down. Many a time we (and our friends/guests) would feel a presence in this area, or catch a glimpse of fleeting shadows on the stairs…..Eerie!!! As I said in a previous blog post about “Hatman” we may not know where, but the “truth is out there,” and I firmly believe in shadow people and ghosts!

What is your best recipe?

My chicken salad with fresh blueberries, chopped onions, chopped celery and feta cheese! There’s no actual recipe, though. Based on how many I’m feeding, I poach an appropriate quantity of chicken breast to cube after cooling. Then I throw the chicken cubes in a mixing bowl with the celery and onion I’ve pre-chopped as the chicken boiled; stir in the fresh blueberries, followed by 3/4 of the feta. The dressing is a mix of sour cream and mayonnaise in a one-to-one ratio that I’ve stirred REALLY well in a seperate mixing bowl. I scoop the dressing into the chicken/ingredient bowl, mixing thoroughly as I add. When it “looks right” I’m done! Then I sprinkle the remaining feta on top and chill it until either serving as is, or using as a sandwich filling. If I have leftover “dressing,” I scoop the remainder into a bowl to use later as a base for crudite/chip dip. (It stays “good” for approx 5 days, if refrigerated)

What is your most favorite smell/scent?

Origins Ginger Essence! I’ve been wearing it exclusively since learning about it on Oprah’s talk show in 2006!

What subject was your favorite in all of your schooling? Why?

Don’t laugh….6th grade world history, the chapter on the Greeks and their architecture! I remember the EXACT page numbers (72-73) and the details of the pictures showing the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns. I’ve done numerous web searches over the years to track down the name of the textbook, but have come up empty. I’d love to see the entire book again and will buy it–regardless of price–when I locate the right edition!

Well that’s it for now, and as always, huge thanks go out to Cee, of Cee’s Life Photography for bringing us all together via Share Your World!

As a final note, Jack flies back home tomorrow but my other son arrives for a 10 day stay on Saturday!!! Typically they travel here together, but their work schedules didn’t allow it this time around!

Until next time……