Christmas is just around the corner and Santa could always use more elves to help him out!
There are over 100 items on my eBay, 99% of them handmade, all with free shipping! Happy Shopping!
Here is the link to my eBay store where all can be found (the images are just a few of the items available!)
It’s cold outside, December is here but why not have a little south of the border flare to your meals?
The holidays are just around the corner and groceries are already costly–but this meal is very affordable-I bought all the ingredients for less than $6.50. It will feed a family or small crew a wonderful meal!
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you are hosting a gathering and it feeds many without breaking the bank.
Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey, browned (frozen is cheaper!)
1 medium yellow onion, pealed and chopped
1 small can diced Jalepenos
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1-32 oz can of pinto beans (don’t drain it) You can also used dried beans if you soak them before
1 packet of Taco seasoning (or 3 tablespoons if you use the bulk)
In a soup pot, brown the turkey, then add all the other ingredients and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Serve hot and can be topped with cheese or sour cream if you desire
The Chatham Food Pantry in Siler City could really use food items to help feed those in need! You can send items from their Amazon Wish List–many items under $3–every little bit helps–buy/send 1 item or many!
Meeting up with my grandfather is always a joy! We met in a town between both of our places
We chose a Mexican Food Restaurant Called “El Paso” on the main plaza–the service was great, food delicious and the company was superb–despite the generational difference, we had a blast together.
Papa had the classic burrito and taco combo. I enjoyed the sizzling hot shrimp fajitas with salad and a dash of habenero salsa. Sweetness had Caldo de Pollo and the California burrito–loaded with goodness-Yummy!
My favorite part was telling of old stories and sharing a flan together–a bit of a sweet treat for sweet stories.
It’s that time of year and the Siler City food bank/pantry is running low and needs assistance filling their shelves to feed others! A wish list is available on Amazon (click link) Many items under $3–easy to give with free Prime Shipping directly to the food bank- https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/1UJX66V7NGWFI
An evening out before heading back to the United States tomorrow–an essential event for me. I knew of MacCallums from travels before and it’s a great local hot spot that isn’t touristy and a true gem tucked in downtown/old town Inverness.
The live music is always awesome–and the barkeeps are always on spot–I walked in and the barkeep noticed I was “frozen” and made me a cup of coffee so I could warm up.
One aspect I enjoy about MacCallums is that it’s not touristy and it’s cozy, if a pub can be described as cozy, hahahaha!
A nice gentlemen, Hugh Frasier, had the band perform Caledonia for me and it started off the night of dancing and fun for me, such a joy and treat! The band played 90 and early 2000s covers–which was a throw back to my younger days (and yes, I am dating myself!) Shaking one’s tail feathers on the last night of a dreamy vacation is always a good way to go.
After leaving the pub, I stopped by Max’s, an essential if you are going to Inverness–it’s a takeaway place that offers amazing food and they are open late. Tonight was the second time I ate there on this trip–first go around I had the Doner Plate and tonight, freshly done fish and chips with extra malted vinegar and salt.
Who doesn’t love a day on the beach–a double hot beverage for myself, listening to the waves lap on the firth was a delight.
The person whom might not enjoy the scenery would be the Rosemarkie man, whom was murdered and left in the caves many a year ago and found. The history of what happened can be read on this link–I admit, he is quite handsome but then again, I am in the highlands of Scotland.
Enjoying reading about the local history on beach placards and watching families build sand castles on the beach, despite the cold wind, made for quite a day. The Rosemarkie Beach cafe not only offers tasty hot beverages but outside seating for ease and enjoyment–which is a delight, and offers a few local postcards as well.
While in Tain today, we ate more fish and chips (it’s so delicious, especially with malt vinegar and salt!) We stopped at the local chippy, to pickup lunch and a beverage, after doing some walking and touring. We went down to the Rose Garden to enjoy our meal, spectacular meal with quite a view!
Yes, this deserves its own blog post here, it was that delicious!
Kevin and I, while in Cromarty, on the Black Isle, had our very first Fish and Chips in Scotland-garden peas, salad, and a homemade cream sauce/tartar included–absolutely worth it! While I had eaten at this restaurant many years before, I knew how delightful the cuisine is at Sutor Creek-but for Kevin, it was a first, and he couldn’t get enough!
Located on Cromarty Firth in the Black Isle of Scotland, not far from Inverness, it is well worth the efforts and travels to get there, highly recommended. Make reservations beforehand, it’s that good!
It all started in the little town of Wiggins, Colorado…We started our grande adventure in Cromarty, Black Isle of Scotland!
We started off by getting coffee in downtown Inverness at Cafe Nero–and headed to the Farraline bus station to catch our bus (of course, we got the megarider, 4 zone bus card, from StageCoach!)
We dismounted the bus at Victoria Hall in Cromarty and walked down to the firth to watch the water lap up on the shore lines and made our way down High Street, to visit the Library (I needed to use the ladies room) and librarian gave us a local site seeing map.
We continued our walk and picked up another coffee to go at the local venue and we checked out the Gaelic chapel and the courthouse and Hugh Miller Cottage from the exterior as they were closed.
We walked further along the path and came to the East High Church and entered. It has always been one of my most favorite places on the planet. It’s a preserved and restored Medieval Churches, full of carvings and stone scrolled head stones and more.
There so many headstones carved and scrolled out by the Protestant Reformer Hugh Miller, his handywork and skills are seen in so many forms, not only in the graveyard but around Cromarth and Inverness as well. Stunning! As seen by the photos, Kevin can’t get enough of it either!
Our first day, officially, here in Inverness, the capital of the Highlands of Scotland! It’s Sunday so things are a bit slower and/or with limited hours so we are enjoying a leisurely day about town, drinking coffee, enjoying fish and chips and lovely cuisine, dining out at Johnny Foxes and navigating by the steeples in town–while checking out the historical cemetery at Old High Church.
The windy streets and cobble stoned corners, half streets that connect winding pathways and more are ever so intriguing. Having been here before myself, I can easily navigate my way around but for Kevin, we got him a folding Old Town map with some fun symbols!
The Castle on top of the Hill, Inverness Castle, was once truly a castle, recently a courthouse and holding jail and now is being converted into a museum, Kevin’s first view of a castle, at least from the outside.
His favorite part so far? Greig Street Bridge that bounces as you walk across the River Ness, that flows down the middle of town, right past Leakey’s bookshop!
A lovely fun filled day that started off by my sweetheart booking a special, day long tour for me with the concierge desk man, after viewing through some pamphlets and books, everthing was arranged by Thursday evening–so all I had to do was take my receipt and hop on the tour bus at 7 a.m this morning-with promises of a bilingual/multilingual tour guide (English featured.)
To start off, the tour bus stopped at several locations to pick up other adventure goers–and I was blessed to have a nice accountant from Argentian lady set next to me, as it was a very full tour. She only spoke spanish, with a very limited smattering of English and with the multilingual tour guide speaking in Spanish, German adn French and a few words of English, my day was started and finished in Spanish, the most common language of the tourists and German, the other language spoken on the bus-for a day filled with history and exicitement.
First stop was a the Tres Ojos Caves, so aptly named for the three caves, each bearing natural water pools with a different eye color in each. Cynthia, the lovely Argentian lady, and I became travl buddies for the day and enjoy walking up and down the 500+ stairs of the caving system and she assisted in simplifying the spanish for me to understand–reading spanish is easier but listening is a bit hectic when it’s fast!
The next few stops included the Christopher Columbus museuem and the Presidental house, neither which are view-able at present for various reasons but still a site to behold–and the seeds are from the palm trees and they are prevelant everywhere!
The group walked through the aldstatd, the older part of the city with the pantheon ruins, a museum that once was a fortress (see photos) and then the St. Marie De Menos Cathedral and then a free period of shopping and enjoying the plaza and live music!
My Argentianian companion described the day perfectly, lots of really informative venues, many cool sites and it’ was so hot outside, we were the butter on the stove (we were melting!)
And if any one has an opprotunity to try it. Mamanhuana is worth drinking! I also drank coffee and enjoyed the live music from an elderly musician on the Parque Colón, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
Parque Colón, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana
My Travels 