Heard it Through the Grapevine

I just wanted to take a moment to be proud. I am a Google Local Guide and I have reached over 1,000,000 views on my photos on Google Maps. I remember when I had only just begun.  I look forward to bringing more photos of places travelled and useful content.  I have much more to come, so stay tuned.
The above photo is of a bunch of grapes on my vines. I planted her 5 years ago. This is her biggest harvest yet! I have a red one too! I remember when she was just a pup lol. Just like this vine, I started off very tiny with my website and grainy photos, working with what I had. I look back over my articles past and can see my progression and growth, just like my vines.
I feel truly blessed to be able to share these moments with you and I hope to continue on for as long as life let's me. Thanks for sharing this moment with me. See you again soon. :) 

Grilling: Fire and Blood

Tackle pesky flare ups and flavor your food at the same time by using this simple and easy hack.
Tie a bunch of fresh herbs by the stems and place them in a vessel with water.  When grilling, place nearby to douse flare ups and flames without compromising integrity of grill heat, especially charcoal.
 While battling the flames, you can flavor the proteins and veggies, with an aromatic bouquet of fresh herbs, namely parsley, basil, oregano, cilantro and rosemary.  You can use just one or a combination, depending on your personal tastes and what you are grilling.  You can even throw a splash of Vermouth in there to really set it off, not too much of course, safety first!

Cheers!

I just wanted to take a moment to say Happy Holiday and please be safe if you are going to travel.  Be careful in these oceans, lakes and streams.  Be mindful of your guests if you are entertaining.  If you are drinking, don't drive and don't let your friends and family drink and drive.  On behalf of the Smith Family, we wish you the happiest and safest holiday, from our Family to yours. Happy Independence Day, be thankful for those liberties we have, still denied for some.  Eat, drink and be merry!
My daughter Bronwyn insisted on this drink when we were in Morrisville, NC, so I decided to live a little and get one too.  I normally stay away from sugary drinks and make them follow the same suit.  This particular day was our departure day from a fantastic BLACKGIRLSCODE workshop weekend, hosted by LENOVO, so I made me a kamikaze of flavors and it was alright.  "Frazil" it's called.  I think the name sold me.

The beautiful Lenovo campus where BLACKGIRLSCODE workshop was held.

Mexican Pasta Salad

Put the Fiesta in your festivities with this simple and delicious recipe, perfect for your upcoming cookouts and any time you want to go BOLD Southwestern with an Italian and Southern American Twist. Taco Tuesday or any day just got better!

Recipe:
1 lb. mezze penne
1 can fire roasted tomatoes, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small yellow squash, halved and sliced thinly, about 3/4 cup
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped red or yellow onion
3/4 to 1 c. mayonnaise
4 oz. shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 banana pepper, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. pure cane sugar, optional
1/2  tsp. celery seeds
2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
juice of one lime
SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit Taste)
Instructions:
Cook pasta according to instructions on package, in salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes.
Shock pasta in cold water to retain texture and shape and drain.
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise with 1/2 of cheese and all remaining ingredients, mixing well.
Fold veggies into dressing, then fold in pasta.
SPST.
Transfer to serving dish and garnish with remaining cheese.
Refrigerate until time to serve for flavors to marry, at least an hour recommended.
May be made a day ahead.

Complementary Beverages: National Independent Beer Run Day

In moderation, a nice IPA can be just what you need to beat the heat.  This spectacular brew featured above, goes will with fun in the sun and food, especially grub on the grill.   A dear friend of mine picked this up for me to see if I would approve.  He was applauded for a job well done.  It complimented our seafood fare perfectly too.  It is filled with citrusy notes with great body, fragrant and potent, a couple will do nicely.  There are even hint of grapefruit, very bright and complex, yet smooth.  I got these before we went on vacation, I still have one left.  This is all I've caught since fishing season kicked off, a good catch though might I add. I'll keep trying. Remember, the 3rd of July is National Independent Beer Run Day, so keep the craft beer brewers and small batch businesses in mind and celebrate responsibly!

Fourth of July: Decadent Frozen Desserts

A great way to celebrate Independence Day is with thanks, fellowship,  good food, grilling, booze  fireworks and fantastic desserts. With summer in full swing, any attempt to stay cool is welcome.  Nothing like frozen pie on a stick to round out a magnificent evening.  What's better, this pie is a Roasted Pumpkin Cream Pie, recipe by yours truly.  If you can't get into pumpkin, freeze your favorite pie and cut into serving slices. I used corn on the cob sticks to hold my pie in place, placing the stick in the pie after about 1 hour into freezing process.  Dip the slice of pie into dipping chocolate and place in freezer again, until nice and set.  To add festive and wonderful flair, place in individual sleeve and add colorful and relevant ribbon to tie it all off.  You can give them out for dessert or as a parting gift from the fantastic blowout of a cookout you had.  Your friends will remember it for years to come. 

Coffee and Painting, Painting and Coffee

I made some time for myself and took to painting as a special treat with my spare time.  My girls painted too and had completed their masterpieces early on in our trip.  I was determined to not be the one left behind, considering it was my idea as one of our family activities while out of town. This picture is inspired by 5 o'clock in the morning and my 'constant companion", coffee.  Usually when I buy coffee out, it's always a bit too strong, I prefer a weaker version to sip on throughout the day with less of a caffeine imprint. The coffee for sale is designed to be a one stop shop, strong enough to do the trick in one cup.  I enjoy coffee, hot or cold, day or night, kinda weak, I probably need to work on that, but that's something for another day!
 My painting is inspired also by impressionism and the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets of our vacation.  I hadn't painted since high school and was rather nervous and apprehensive about actually producing a finished product.  Uneasy at first, but as I stayed vigilant and decided it was a judgement free zone, then my painting started to come together.  With the absence of some of the colors, unfortunately forgotten at home, I did my best.  After about roughly 1 hour, I felt my project was complete.  I like it! 
Genesis completed her painting at the Cabin, it's title is "Ladybug Madness" and I think it's awesome. She is an aspiring artist and wants to continue in the Art field.  She certainly is creative enough and brimming with ideas.  Bronwyn completed a painting too, I may add her photo later, she is at a tweenage impasse right now, and I didn't want to upset her applecart, so depending on her mood, we'll see if I can share.  Tweens and Teens, they are so like whatever!