Peachy Praline Pie ....recipe!

I got several requests for the recipe for the Duchess' Peachy-Praline pie. I added it to the picture I posted of said pie! By-the-way, both were gone in an instant once dessert was served at the family get-together!

You'll find the picture & recipe RIGHT HERE!

Duke

Tampa General Hospital Grows in Size and Recognition!

If you have not been near Davis Island in the past year you are missing the rapid growth of the Tampa Bay area's only Level 1 Trauma Center, TGH.

This is the front of the new more-than 260,000 sq. ft. hospital expansion. (bringing to more than 2 million the total square footage) The combination of different facades is to blend the entire new structure in with the existing TGH buildings which date back to the original building put up in 1926.
This is the end view of the new University of South Florida (USF) Building, across from the TGH main entrance. It will house many of the surgeons and physicians from USF. TGH is a teaching hospital affiliated with USF.













If you have visited the growing hospital you know the parking is tight. No more....The 3rd structure under construction, and possibly the 1st to be completed is a new 1,400 car parking garage.


A lot of folks don't know TGH is a major hospital on the national scene! It is currently ranked #4 in heart transplants in the nation. In addition TGH is ranked in the top 20 in volume for lung, kidney, pancreas, and liver transplants. The survival rate for Tampa General transplant patients is at to well above the national average. It is also the ONLY hospital in the United States which has been certified in 11 specialties by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO, the federal hospital certification body)! Quite a place to have available when you need a tuneup or major medical work! Sometimes we don't recognize what we have in our own back yard.

Duke

Thanksgiving!

The Most Joyous of Thanksgivings to each and every one of you!

This is the Duchess' Peach-Praline Pie.....my new favorite pie. She baked two for the family dinner in Bartow tomorrow. i can hardly wait......Turkey, ham, stuffing, Waldorf salad, etc.

Have a great day!
Duke

UPDATE: & Recipe!

Got several requests for the recipe, so here it is!

PEACHY PRALINE PIE

Pecans and brown sugar give this summer Dixie Pie superb flavor.

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Unbaked 9” pie shell
¾ cup granulated sugar (can use Splenda – They have a baking mix of mostly Splenda, part sugar!)
3 tblsp. Flour
4 cup sliced peaches (may use nectarines, etc. – Duchess’ choice! – FRESH is better than frozen!)
1 ½ tsp. Lemon juice
1/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed
¼ cup flour
½ cup chopped pecans
3 tblsp. Butter or margarine
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Combine granulated sugar and 3 tblsp flour in large bowl. Add peaches (nectarines, etc.) and the lemon juice.

Combine brown sugar, ¼ cup flour and pecans in small bowl. Mix in butter until mix is crumbly. Sprinkle 1/3 of pecan mixture over bottom of pie shell; cover with the peach mixture and sprinkle remaining pecan mixture over peaches.

Bake in hot oven (400 degrees F.) until peaches are tender, about 40 minutes.

YUM!!!! (added by Paul!)

Choo Choo - A New Addition

Tis almost the season.....& I'll begin a set of indoor pics which I'll post over the next few weeks as we head toward Christmas.

One of my enjoyments in life over the past few years (there have actually been quite a number) is purchasing and setup of a Christmas Village in our living room. Actually it is four villages....a Seaside village, A Ski Resort, A Farm, and one large village of 1900 type houses. All told there are 47 buildings and a lot of added small stuff.

My missing piece has been a train. Today I found a small one, and have it temporarily set up on a coffee table to test it. It is complete with sounds (whistle, choo-choo, train rolling along tracks, etc.) and lights in the engine and passenger car...all in Christmas colors....including the last car, a Christmas Tree car.

Now I have the bug so construction will begin this week. Two 3 X 6 foot tables, and one has a 2nd deck above.

More later.....Whoo-Whoo!

Duke

Final Beach Shots

Two final memories of our October beach time, 2006.....
The lovely sunset viewed across the volleyball net at the resort, with The Duchess and some friends watching.

"Morning Flight!" The gulls being chased into the sky by our friendly tractor guy whose job is to "rake" the beach to rid it of seagrass, etc.

Great memories to look back upon for the coming year!

Duke

CJ Adjusting!

Our cat, "CJ", is now back into his normal routine. He does not take well to our being gone to the beach for two weeks, even though we return several times, and our daughter and a friend take turns feeding/cleaning etc. He likes company. When we return home we get several long lectures about the deplorable situation! This is his morning pose when the bedroom door is opened. He comes to greet us (actually to greet The Duchess who is his "keeper").

He is becoming more adjusted, however, to the motorhome and traveling. It takes him about an hour to get back into the vibration/motion thing of traveling, and then he is off to sleep under the bucket chair...usually with his long striped orange and white tail sticking out so we know where to find him.

Duke

More Mad Beach Pics

More Madeira Beach pics from this week. How's this look for a cool place to sit down, open a wine, perhaps raise the umbrella and just kick back? It is the deck of our timeshare where we have spent at least one week in October (usually two) for the past 16 years! Most enjoyable place.


The birds line up. Obviously waiting for their seat for dinner. These fellows are not gulls, but much smaller. They are perhaps 4 inches tall, and have these incredibly spindly legs which move so fast you can hardly see them when they get in a hurry. We simply call them "skitter birds" in honor of the fast legs.

Life is always good at the beach!

Duke