Today is Sunday, 6/14, and I am back more or less. Let’s pretend it is Monday. Things have been too busy for words. I am moved, just found the single shoes that got separated from their mates, and am finding my way in the new kitchen. I saw the vanilla in passing. There is a fly in my office who will meet its end SOON; I don’t do indoor flies. Lots to talk about. have you been paying attention to sports, like the NBA finals, the World Cup, and the WNBA? Good escapism. Check out the Pew Research Center. Sometimes it is too easy to be concerned about the possible consequences of free speech, particularly when it does not favor vindictive, childish, thin-skinned people in power.   Don’t forget to support NPR and PBS.  We need them more than ever.  949 more days; check out the Presidential Term Countdown Clock. 

Wild Cooking Woman  6/15/26

I have ants in my yard. Lots and lots of ants. They are everywhere, those little hills of strange dirt with holes in the top that look like they are moving when I don’t have my glasses on.  I seriously dislike ants. What to do, what to do? A few suggestions. I really like the cinnamon and coffee ideas because I have both. I know Diacomacious earth also works. As soon as it stops raining, I’ll get busy.

Another problem is that the house I bought has a mature peach tree, which I never noticed until later. It is loaded with peaches. Loaded. Too high for me to reach without a tall ladder. And I love, love, love fresh peach cobbler in the summer. The peaches are also attracting all of the neighborhood wildlife, like geese (which are only good for roasting), possums (also for roasting with sweet potatoes, apples, and onions), turtles (soup), frogs  (cooked legs the French way), snakes, and who knows what else.  This recipe was one of my southern country dad’s favorites. I, on the other hand, prefer a good beef steak.

This traditional Southern recipe for roasted opossum features sweet and savory flavors. The opossum is parboiled to tenderize the meat and draw out excess fat, then roasted with apples and onions until caramelized. 

Ingredients

• 1 dressed opossum (fully skinned, cleaned, and musk glands removed)
• 2-3 apples (peeled, cored, and quartered)
• 2 large onions (thickly sliced or quartered)
• 2 cups water (for roasting)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Flour (lightly dusted)
• 2 tbsp butter or bacon drippings 

Directions

1. Prep & Soak: Wash the opossum inside and out. To draw out excess gamey flavor, soak it overnight in a brine of cold salted water (about 1/2 cup salt per gallon). Rinse thoroughly in the morning. 
2. Parboil: Place the opossum in a large kettle and cover with water. Add salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until fork-tender. Drain the water. 
3. Season: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Rub the opossum generously with salt, pepper, and a light dusting of flour. 
4. Roast with Onions & Apples: Lay the opossum (back down) on a wire rack in a deep roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of water into the bottom of the pan to keep it moist. Scatter the quartered apples and sliced onions around and underneath the meat. 
5. Bake: Cover and roast for about 1.5 hours, basting the meat and stirring the apples and onions every 15 to 20 minutes. 
6. Crisp: Uncover the pan for the last 15-20 minutes to let the skin, onions, and apples brown and caramelize. The meat is ready when it is tender and easily flakes off the bone. 

Sources:   Group Recipes 2  and an out of print cookbook: Soul Food Classic Cuisine from the South by Sheila Ferguson, published by Grove Press in 1989.  erve with cornbread made with Jiffy Mix, follow the instructions but use melted butter instead of oil, with half the required liquid, and add a can of creamed corn. Bake in a blazing hot cast iron skillet or corn stick pan that you melted a half stick of butter in. Pour the melted butter into the cornbread batter, pour into the pan and bake. I can get with some cornbread.

The Pew Research Center just published its ninth political typology, the latest portrait of the groups that make up America’s political landscape. The typology reveals nine distinct groups, each defined by its own mix of values, beliefs, and experiences. Take the quiz and see where you are. (This is an old video, but it is useful for understanding the thinking behind the quiz.) Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank. As a neutral source of data and analysis, Pew Research Center does not take policy positions.

With their first championship in 53 years, the Knicks gave New York City joy. Joy. 

Father’s Day is next Sunday. We all have them, even if we don’t know them (sperm donors), dislike them, love them, are afraid of them, share them with step families, whatever. Give the father person (whoever that is) in your life a great gift: one hour of your time, uninterrupted, non-judgmental, funny, not shared with social media, just you.  You both will be winners.

From coffee grounds to household cleaners, here are nine things plumbers say you shouldn’t pour down the drain. Pay attention. Do you know how much plumbers cost these days?! For a standard plumbing house call, you can expect to pay a diagnostic service fee between $75 and $150, which covers the plumber’s time to drive to your home, assess the issue, and provide an estimate. Some companies waive the fee if you get them to do the repairs immediately.

I love to ride the train. Look at Amtrak rides in the Gulf Coast area.

Banana Snacking Cake

Ingredients 

For the Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons fresh baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted (1 stick)
• ½ cup buttermilk or yogurt
• 2 large or extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup toasted, chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

For the Topping

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter (½ stick)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare your pan with baking spray or line it with parchment paper with about 1.5 inches overlapping the sides of the pan, so you have enough paper to lift the cake out. 
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add nuts if using.
• Blend in the melted butter, mixing until just barely combined.
• Add 1/4 cup of the buttermilk or yogurt and completely combine.
• In a separate bowl, combine the remaining buttermilk or yogurt with the eggs, then blend it into the flour mixture.
• Add the vanilla and mashed bananas. Beat for 1 minute. Place the batter in a prepared 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan.
• To make the topping, squeeze the flour, brown sugar, and butter together with your hands. Crumble the topping evenly over the batter.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

Go here for the original recipe and a video.

I need a new passport. I don’t want to travel and find myself sent home because I have less than 6 months left before it expires. So…I need a new passport. I saw these tips about taking acceptable photos.  I also saw a link for renewing my passport online. Watch out for companies that promise to do it all for you, and fast, too! Here are the criteria:

• Age: You are 25 or older.
• Passport Validity: Your current passport was issued for 10 years.
• Expiration Date: It is either expiring within 1 year or expired less than 5 years ago.
• Possession: The physical passport is in your possession, undamaged, and has never been reported lost or stolen.
• No Changes: You are not changing your name, sex, date of birth, or place of birth.
• Location: You are physically located in a U.S. state or territory.
• Travel Timeline: You are not traveling internationally for at least 6 weeks

BTW, given our current international political and economic relationships, don’t forget to check for visa requirements immediately!

What Is Castile Soap?  My mother used to make it. Out of coconut oil. In a shoe box. Lined with waxed paper. Using lye. Without a slow cooker.  Anyway…

• Safety goggles (to protect against lye splashes)
• Chemical-resistant rubber gloves
• Long sleeves and pants
• Digital kitchen scale (essential for precise weight measurements)
• Immersion (stick) blender
• Slow cooker (Crock-Pot) 

• 16 oz Pure olive oil
• 3.5 oz Potassium Hydroxide (KOH) flakes (90% purity)
• 10.5 oz Distilled water (for the initial lye solution)
• 40 oz Distilled water (warmed, for the final dilution phase) 

• Place your slow cooker outdoors or in a highly ventilated area.
• Put on your safety goggles, gloves, and long sleeves.
• Weigh 10.5 oz of distilled water into a heat-safe glass or heavy plastic container.
• Weigh 3.5 oz of KOH flakes into a separate dry container.
• Slowly pour the KOH into the water (never pour water into lye, or it can volcano). Stir gently with a stainless steel spoon until fully dissolved. The liquid will get very hot and release strong fumes. Do not breathe in the fumes. Let it sit and cool slightly. 

• Pour 16 oz of olive oil into your slow cooker.
• Turn the slow cooker on High and let the oil warm up to roughly 140°F–160°F. 

• Carefully pour the hot lye solution into the warm olive oil inside the slow cooker.
• Use your immersion blender to mix the liquid. No blender? Stir fast enough to mix it but not fast enough to make a mess.
• Blend in short bursts for 15 to 20 minutes. The mixture will slowly separate, look creamy, and eventually thicken into a pudding-like consistency known as “trace.” Keep blending until it holds its shape and cannot be easily stirred. 

• Put the lid on the slow cooker. Reduce the heat setting to Low.
• Cook the paste for 3 to 4 hours, checking and stirring it with a heavy spoon every 30 minutes.
• As it cooks, the paste will transform from an opaque, milky cream into a translucent, shiny, amber-colored gel that looks like thick petroleum jelly. 

• Boil a small amount of distilled water.
• Mix 1 tablespoon of your soap paste into 2 tablespoons of hot water until dissolved.
• If the liquid is clear or only faintly cloudy, your paste is fully cooked. If it looks milky, cook the paste in the slow cooker for another 30 minutes and test again. 

• Turn the slow cooker to Warm or turn it off entirely.
• Pour the 40 oz of warm distilled water directly over the hot soap paste.
• Stir gently to break up the chunks, then put the lid on.
• Let it sit for several hours or overnight. The paste will completely dissolve into the water on its own. 

• Once fully dissolved and completely cooled, skim any thin foam off the top surface.
• Pour your clear, amber liquid castile soap into glass jars or plastic pump bottles. 

A Class Act

We are both back, mostly. Things have been in an uproar. Still are. Living in the Brown Box Forest.  I am here this week, then WCW will be back next week.  Sometimes I think some adults are more like petulent children.  What do you think about the Scott Palley kerfluffle?  Don’t forget to support NPR and PBS.  We need them more than ever.  956 more days; check out the Presidential Term Countdown Clock. 

Kintsugi  6/8/26

My reading list for June 2026

(is blank because I don’t have time to read and can’t find the books anyway! I’ve never said this before in my life…) If I had time, I would be reading American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington by H. W. Brands, also A Murder for Miss Hortense by Mel Pennant. And Kin by Tayari Jones  (which I started and had to stop). 

James Cone and the Invention of Black Liberation Theology. Watch here.