Thrift Stores....Where We All End Up When We die

I think I bought a dead persons owl collection. I walked into a thrift store yesterday and found an entire collection of owls.


I also found this bag marked $3.95.



This was inside the bag.


As was this weird little shell owl.


This little gray guy.....


hides your house keys.


How did this interloper get in here? An owl in duck's clothing!


A slag glass owl....


which is a bell.


This guy was also in the bag.


And this mother owl as well.


This guy is a real cutie! That makes 7 owls and a duck for 3.95.


I don't really want an owl collection.



But the most expensive of all of these was $4.95.


Most of them were priced at $1.95.


So I decided it was time to take all of the summer things out of the potting table birdcage...


And turn it into an owl cage for Fall. (click to enlarge)


This group went into the new bird feeder.


The others found perches in the cage.


They joined the two I found last week.


Even the toads came off of the 'toad stool'. Now the owls are perching there.


A new Fall appropriate look. And considering they are from a dead person....PERFECT!!!!! I know I will someday end up in a thrift store. It seems right considering the time I spend at them. If I can end up being someones Fall/Halloween decoration, then my life has been worth while!

For anyone on a diet, make sure to check out the next post!

Baked Ziti

I did it again. I forgot to take photos of the first steps. But if you want to make it this is how it is done. Take your favorite sauce, I used a sausage based sauce and spread a bit in the bottom of your dish. Boil ziti until al dente. Mix the pasta with some of the sauce and a cup of Parmesan. Put a layer of pasta in the bottom of the dish.


In a bowl mix a large container of ricotta cheese with 3 eggs, fresh chopped basil, s&p and another cup of Parmesan.


Put a layer of the ricotta mixture over the pasta.


Spread it to the edges to cover the pasta.


Add some diced mozzarella and provolone cheese.


Mix the remaining pasta with more diced mozzarella and provolone cheese. I added some fresh cubed mozzarella as well. Spread another layer over the ricotta layer.




Spread it out to the edge.


Cover with extra sauce.


Sprinkle with grated cheese and sprinkle Parmesan on top.


Place in a 350 degree oven. I place foil underneath to catch the inevitable runoff. Bake until cheese is golden and sauce is bubbling on the edges.


Mangia!