Galeria El Visir

My friend, Miguel, who lives on a farm (finca) in southern Spain has opened a new art galery and restaurant.

The above photgraph shows an indoor dining patio.

Miguel has long admired a 600 year old house built by Arabs, and dreamed of converting it into a restaurant. His dream has come true He recently converted the 600 year old building into an art gallery and restaurant. The house has interior stone walls and two indoor patios. Miguel is especially proud of the interior original water springs.

Original indoor water springs

The restaurant of 320 square meters currently seats 60 and Miguel plans to expand it.



Miguel will showcase local art, music, food products and wine.

A local musician

the bar area

The Galeria el Visir is located near Ronda halfway between Genalqucil , Ronda, and Estepona.

If you should be in the south of Spain stop by and tell them Miguel's American friend Vernon sent you.

Family Day at the Pool

We have had 90 degree weather here for a few days so Mary and Ed's extended family spent the day at the pool on Sunday.
Mary has 2 grandsons; Ed has a granddaughter and a grandson; and Don, Mary's brother, has 7 grandsons. With the exception of Josh, who is a preteen, all of these children are under five years of age. All were in the pool except Thomas who is 7 weeks old!

Maine Trip Part Five

When I was a youngster, my best friend was Richard Cowperthwaite. We were inseparable.
I was very happy to have two visits with him while in Maine. He will be 75 this year, still works full time, and look at that black hair (not a hint of gray). I spent one evening at his home. He still has woodworking as a hobby, as he did when he was a teenager. He graciously gave me two samples of his work.

I was very pleased to visit my cousin Leona. She and my mother had a very close relationship so we had a grand time swapping stories. She is 81. Doesn't she look great!

Our mother always used yellow eye beans in her Boston Baked Beans recipe. I have not been able to find these beans. David and I decided to conduct a search and sure enough we had success. We were able to find 2 pound bags of the yellow eye beans of the type my mother used.

Beth bought a bag of the yellow eye beans, soaked them overnight, and cooked them in her 3-quart electric oven. It might look like a slow crockpot, but it is in fact a fast cooker. I want one to use for my chicken cacciatore.

Beth made ployes to accompany the beans. Ployes, are flat breads cooked on a griddle, made from French Acadian Buckwheat flour. Ployes are a favorite of Beth's native Canada. They were very good.

Beth made another delicious pie, this time a nicely tart lemon meringue.

On our last full day in Maine we drove down to Houlton, county seat of Aroostook County and the town where I attended high school at Ricker Classical Institute.

We visited York Book store where we hoped to find a Ricker sweatshirt left over from a Ricker reunion. Sure enough they did, but the store owner had to go down into the basement to retrieve it. David and I each bought one.

When the shop owner discovered that we were Ricker brothers and assumed we were descendants of the founder of Ricker Classical Institute, he began to treat us like celebrities.

He insisted that we come down to the basement to see something special that he was sure we had never seen before.

We followed him down a very steep and narrow stairwell and then down a ramp to a room filled with circus memorabilia. He brought out folding chairs and told us to sit facing him. He then uncovered a beautiful old green music organ. He told us he had purchased it in Germany for $12,000. He treated us to the music. Thus ends our trip to Maine (later David remarked that we never disabused him of the idea that we were descendants of the Ricker founder).

Before you listen to the music, I want to acknowledge what generous and fun hosts David and Beth were to Jim and I. We appreciate their taking us into their home and entertaining us. We had a wonderful time.

Maine Trip Part Four

Rain has sent us indoors.

David and I were talking about a dish our mother made this time of year when the potatoes were not yet at their maturity and fresh green beans and peas were available.

David said he tried to reproduce it but was unsuccessful.

I said I thought I knew the secret so it was off to a local farmstand.

The lady at the farmstand knew the dish and agreed with me that the secret was sweet cream and plenty of butter, or as she put it "Lots and lots of butter"

These new potatoes were in the ground this morning

Newly picked green beans

Fresh peas in their pods

Cook the potaoes until nearly done

Add the green beans and cook several minutes

Add the peas and cook for a few minutes

Drain well and return to the pot

Add a couple of cups of sweet cream

Add generous amounts of butter

Allow the cream to heat up and the butter to melt

Both David and I agree. It is as we remembered

It must of been good!

In the meantime Beth bakes a cherry pie

David whips some cream

Jim awaits dinner reading Maine's favorite author

Trip to Maine Part Three

We drove even further north to Cross Lake

to spend a couple of days

at Dave and Beth's camp.

The camp entrance

Jet ski and party boat

The screen house

The front lawn

The cottage as seen from the lake

Looking out at the lake from inside.

A very comfortable and spacious cottage.

Behind that wall is the master bedroom and a bath.

Bed in the sleeping loft

Two more beds in the sleeping loft.

Beth prepares cheeseburgers and serves them in the screenhouse.

We spent the afternoon cruising on their party boat.

Is that an eagle at the top of that tree?

I believe the word is majestic.

Brothers