Christmas Doves

There was some snow, though more ice here in Edmond, America on Christmas day. Marilyn, as usual, fed everyone, including the birds. Here is a pic of a pair of Christmas doves that helped us celebrate the holidays.
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Mayan Doomsday 2012

Ceremonial Black Cup

Ancient Mayans seemed to think the world—at least as we know it—would end on December 21, 2012. The time for the predicted disaster has come and gone. The Mayans, like many of the ancients, were accomplished astronomers. Perhaps a slight adjustment in the universe occurred since the prediction. Maybe we’ll never know.

A similar civilization existed in the Midwestern part of the United States, from settlements near the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. These early Americans built large villages along the main rivers beginning around 800 A.D., though there were humans in the area as long as 8000 years ago. The Spiro Mounds in eastern Oklahoma is but one of these settlements.

Thousands of artifacts have been collected at the Spiro Mounds, including intricately engraved seashells. Anthropologists call the early Americans that populated these settlements Mississippians. One of the artifacts found at Spiro, and at other Mississippian settlements, was the black cup. During rituals, Mississippians would drink strong, highly caffeinated teas from the black cup until they vomited, ridding their bodies of evil and facilitating the ability to predict the future.

In my book,  Morning Mist of Blood, gumshoe detective Buck McDivit meets Esme, a mystic, healer, and possibly the last of the Mississippians. With her assistance, he takes a dream walk, visiting the Great Spirit in his cabin. Together, they puff a cloud blower and drink from the black cup until Buck gains insight into the mystery he is trying to solve.

It’s December 21, 2012, and the world hasn’t ended. It doesn’t mean the ancient Mayans, Incas and Mississippians didn’t have considerable knowledge about the world as we know it. It simply means the asteroids, or whatever celestial objects were supposed to collide with our planet became somehow shunted by a millisecond or so.

Many of the heavenly secrets discovered by the ancients are lost to us forever. I’m planning a trip to Spiro during the spring equinox to communicate with the spirits and try to solve a few mysteries. Meanwhile, I’ll take a puff from my cloud blower and slug another shot of strong coffee from my black cup. Maybe by midnight, I'll have a few predictions of my own, to make.

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Aunt Carmol's Southern Tomato Soup - a weekend recipe

I visited New Orleans for the first time in the fifties. My Aunt Carmol was a school teacher and gave brother Jack and me daily guided tours of the city while we were there. Aunt Carmol was also a wonderful cook, and especially liked preparing and serving authentic Creole dishes. Jack and I loved Aunt Carmol’s Southern Tomato Soup. Try it. I’ll bet you will too.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, peeled and cut small
• 1 onion, large, sliced
• 1 dozen okra, sliced
• 1 ham bone, large
• 1 Tbsp flour
• Salt to taste
• Cayenne to taste
• 3 pats butter

Directions

Cook tomatoes in three pints of water for 10 minutes. Drain and save the water. Press tomatoes through a sieve. Add cucumber, onion, okra, hambone, and the saved water to the tomatoes. Simmer for 3 hours. Combine flour with cold water to form a paste. Add to soup before serving, along with salt, cayenne, and butter.

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Free Ebook From Eric Wilder

Happy Holidays to Everyone!

During a late spring snowstorm in a sleepy Tulsa suburb, an old man runs away from his abusive son and meets a woman, perhaps by magic. Together they find adventure and fall in love. But there are unanswered questions. How old is too old to fall in love, and when should you give up on life? Take the journey with John and Attie and find out.

Here's my holiday present to all of my fans.

Thank you,

Eric

 Click here to Download

FREE at Smashwords.com   Eric'sWeb

Louisiana Tech Afraid to Play Old Rival

Louisiana Tech refused today to accept a bowl bid to play their old Gulf States Conference rival University of Louisiana at Monroe in the 2012 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. "They're not good enough to waste our time on," the athletic director says.

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Oscar and the Thanksgiving Rose

I took this pic today (Thanksgiving day -2012). Fallen leaves on the ground and a rose blooming on the vine. Oscar likes rolling in the leaves (and Thanksgiving leftovers.)

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Famous Fictional Detectives

If you like detective fiction (and who doesn't), here is an interesting and informative article from AbeBooks.

Famous Fictional Detectives

Eric Wilder Pens Third Novel in French Quarter Mystery Series

When hired by a movie producer, New Orleans detective Wyatt Thomas travels to a remote, south Louisiana monastery to investigate the death of a popular actor. Was the killing the result of a magic spell, a voodoo curse, or was the victim torn apart by a rougarou—a Cajun werewolf? As a major hurricane looms just offshore, Wyatt races to solve the mystery while trying to avoid the same fate as the actor. Primal Creatures is the third novel in the Wyatt Thomas French Quarter Mystery series that includes Big Easyand City of Spirits. Read it in December.

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Mushroom Kingdom - a pic

We travel to the earth's far corners to see sights highlighted in such publications as National Geographic and Conde Nast. Sometimes you only need to go as far as your front yard. I took this pic in my own front yard after a recent rain (a rarity in recent times here in drought-stricken Oklahoma.) The fallen blackjack tree still has nourishment for the colorful and interesting mushroom colony encircling it.

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Mama Mulate's Spicy Avocado Bisque - a weekend recipe

Mama likes avocados, cold soups, and an occasional nip of gin. It’s understandable why she likes this recipe. What’s not to like?

Ingredients

• 2 avocados
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup grapefruit juice
• 1 jigger gin
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 4 cups jellied chicken consommé
• Grapefruit slices for garnish

Directions

Peel and deseed avocados. Force pulp through a fine sieve. Add grapefruit juice and cream to avocado pulp, and then puree. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, and paprika. Combine gin, jellied chicken consommé, and pureed mixture. Blend until smooth. Chill soup in the refrigerator before serving, and then serve in chilled cups garnished with grapefruit slices.

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Pack of Wild Dogs Spotted in Edmond, Oklahoma

Oscar, Princess, and Scooter

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Butterfly Eyes and Gazing Ball




Backlit Gazing Ball



October Butterfly



The weather is strange this year in Edmond, Oklahoma. Last week the temp reached a high of 87d. Tomorrow morning it will drop to 29d. I took the pic of the butterfly with the strange markings that look like eyes, at least to me, today near my office. I took the pic of the gazing ball this week when I noticed how radiant it was when backlit by the sun.

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SOUP Calls for Poetry Submissions

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: The Society Of Urban Poets, Inc. is calling for submissions for an upcoming anthology of original poems. Whether you have been a supporter of the organization or simply wish to see your work in print you are encouraged to submit your original poems, no more than three, on any subject. The poems may be written in any style and have up to 25 lines.

SOUP, Inc. promotes poetry for all ages without the use of profanity. SOUP, Inc. retains the right to refuse the inclusion of any submission that does not meet criteria.

Submissions should be mailed no later than November 30, 2012 to P.O. Box 11351, Oklahoma City, OK 73136.

The Society Of Urban Poets hosts an open mic forum, Poetry Café, on the last Monday of every month at the Ralph Ellison Library, 2000 N.E. 23rd Street, Oklahoma City, Ok.

Interested persons should contact the project coordinator,

Alan Washington, at 405-820-5528.

website: http://urbanpoets.toogroagency.com

 

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Bobcat Attacks Woman in Edmond, Oklahoma

An interesting wildlife story. Bobcat Attacks Woman

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Free Creole Cookbook at Barnes & Noble

Front Cover

Download Mama Mulate's Little Creole Cookbook for free at Barnes & Noble.com.

Download Free Book

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Night pic of the OKC Bombing Memorial backdropped by the Devon Tower.

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Mavis' RC Soft Custard - a weekend recipe

Here’s a recipe my mom used to make for my brother Jack and me. We both loved RC’s. Growing up without air-conditioning in hot and humid Louisiana, the custard hit the spot on a hot summer’s day. The recipe came from a cookbook she had called Favorite Recipes, compiled by the Pilot Club of Shreveport. Many of the recipes were attributed to someone. This one was not.

Ingredients 

·         1 bottle Royal Crown cola

·         2 eggs

·         2 Tbsp. sugar

·         1/8 tsp. salt

Directions 

Add sugar and salt to eggs and beat. Add the bottle of Royal Crown cola and cook over hot water until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Pour into custard cups and chill in refrigerator until set. Serve and enjoy.

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Summer eBook Bargains at Smashwords

It's the July Summer sale going on at Smashwords.com. All my ebooks are marked down at least half and many are free, including Lily's Little Cajun Cookbook, and Mama Mulate's Little Creole Cookbook. My books aren't the only bargains as many authors have also discounted theirs. Please check out my Smashwords homepage, and I hope you find many bargains. Eric
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Fun Facts about Oklahoma

A friend emailed me this list. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Subject: Interesting trivia about Oklahoma 1. The bread twist tie was invented in Maysville. 2. The shopping cart was invented in Ardmore in 1936.

3. The nation's first parking meter was installed in Oklahoma City in 1935.
4. The first Girl Scout Cookie was sold in Muskogee in 1917.
5. Cimarron County, located in the Oklahoma Panhandle, is the only county in the U.S. bordered by 4 separate states ­ Texas, New Mexico, Colorado and Kansas .
6. The Oklahoma State Capital is the only capital in the U.S. with working oil wells on its grounds.
7. Boise City, Okla., was the only city in the United States to be bombed during World War II. On Monday, July 5, 1943, at 12:30am., a B-17 Bomber based at Dalhart Army Air Base, Texas, dropped six practice bombs on the sleeping town, mistaking the city lights as target lights. Incompetent America has been around for a long time.
8. WKY Radio in Oklahoma City was the first radio station transmitting west of the Mississippi River .
9. The nation's first "tornado warning" was issued March 25, 1948 in Oklahoma City minutes before a devastating tornado. Because of the warning, no lives were lost.
10. Oklahoma has the largest Native American population of any state in the U.S.
11. The name ' Oklahoma ' comes from two Choctaw words ­ okla meaning ""people" and humma meaning "red." So the name means, "Red People." The name was approved in 1890.
12. Oklahoma has produced more astronauts than any other state.
13. Oklahoma has more man-made lakes than any other state (including Caddo County's Fort Cobb Lake).
14. During the "Land Rush," Oklahoma City and Guthrie went from vast, open prairie to cities of over 10,000 in a single day.
15. The nation's first "Yield" traffic sign was erected in Tulsa on a trial basis.
16. The Pensacola Dam on Grand Lake is the longest multi-arched dam in the world at 6,565 feet.
17. The Port of Catoosa (just north of Tulsa) is the largest inland port in America .
18. The aerosol can was invented in Bartlesville .
19. Per square mile, Oklahoma has more tornadoes than any other place in the world.
20. The highest wind speed ever recorded on earth was in Moore, Okla., on May 3, 1999 during the Oklahoma City F-5 tornado. The Wind speed, clocked at 318 mph, came within a mile of the Johnson Home on Winding Creek.
21. The Will Rogers World Airport and the Wiley Post Airport are both named after two famous Oklahomans, both killed in the same airplane crash.
22. The first female college west of Mississippi was in Tahlequah

And Oklahoma Towns Offer It All ­

Love the Summer?
Poolville, Oklahoma
Sunray, Oklahoma

Want Something To Eat?
Cookietown, Oklahoma
Corn, Oklahoma
Grainola, Oklahoma
Hominy, Oklahoma
Olive, Oklahoma
South Coffeeville , Oklahoma
Sweetwater, Oklahoma

Why Travel To Other Cities? Oklahoma Has Them All!
Cleveland, Oklahoma
Orlando, Oklahoma
Miami, Oklahoma
Pittsburgh, Oklahoma
Santa Fe, Oklahoma
St. Louis, Oklahoma
Chattanooga, Oklahoma
Peoria, Oklahoma
Burbank, Oklahoma
Fargo, Oklahoma

Don't Forget The Wildlife!
Bison, Oklahoma
Buffalo, Oklahoma
Deer Creek, Oklahoma
Eagle, Oklahoma
Elk City, Oklahoma
Fox, Oklahoma
Wolfe, Oklahoma

There's A Town Named After A Number:
Forty-One, Oklahoma

And A Town Whose Letters Don't Spell Anything:
IXL, Oklahoma

For The Sportsman Who Wants To Get Away From It All...
Fisherman's Paradise, Oklahoma

We Even Have A City Named After Earth's Only Satellite!
Moon, Oklahoma

And A City Named After Our State!
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Feeling A Bit Chilly?
Cold Springs, Oklahoma
Snow, Oklahoma
Slick, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Is Full Of Love!
Bigheart , Oklahoma
Lovedale , Oklahoma
Loveland , Oklahoma
Lovell , Oklahoma
Loyal, Oklahoma

Like To Read About The Presidents?
Adams, Oklahoma
Carter, Oklahoma
Clinton, Oklahoma
Fillmore, Oklahoma
Grant, Oklahoma
Jefferson, Oklahoma
Johnson, Oklahoma
Lincoln, Oklahoma
Reagan, Oklahoma
Roosevelt, Oklahoma
Taft, Oklahoma
Taylor, Oklahoma
Washington, Oklahoma
Wilson, Oklahoma

Other City Names In Oklahoma To Make You Smile...
Bowlegs, Oklahoma
Bugtussle , Oklahoma
Bushyhead , Oklahoma
Frogville , Oklahoma
Hooker, Oklahoma
Loco, Oklahoma
Slapout , Oklahoma
Slaughterville , Oklahoma

And Regardless What Side Of The Fence You're On...
Gay , Oklahoma
Straight, Oklahoma


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95 Degrees in April

As I started my walk this evening, dark clouds floated overhead, humidity making it feel like a summer day. Late April, the temperature reached 95 degrees yesterday and almost as hot today. It didn’t matter because my mind and body were basking in the feeling of accomplishment.

My New Orleans thriller, City of Spirits went live last night on Amazon, leaving me happy and sad; happy the book is finally completed but sad to leave the fictional world and characters behind. ‘Writer’s depression’ has yet to set in as I pen these paragraphs. Doesn’t matter because I know it will. This time I’m ready for it.

As I walked this evening, I mentally outlined the first chapters of a new book. Will it ultimately end up as I envision it? Probably not. Stories have a life of their own, usually becoming something you least expect. Like 95 degrees in April.

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New Wyatt Thomas French Quarter Mystery

City of Spirits Cover

It's Mardi Gras in the Big Easy and two boats have sunk in the main channel of the Mississippi River, denying river passage both in and out of New Orleans. When detective Tony Nicosia's partner is stabbed during a Carnival parade, the Chief assigns him a new partner with the unlikely name of Marlon Bando.

To make matters worse, Tony's wife Lil is demanding he retire; a woman named Venus who is half his age is making a serious play for him; and a killer is on the loose. French Quarter sleuth Wyatt Thomas has problems of his own: his ex-wife's wake; a new client that wants proof that he isn't a passeblanc; beautiful twin sisters named Desire and Dauphine; and a voodoo curse likely cast by Marie Laveau herself. Get ready for a ride!

If you like New Orleans, check out the sequel to Big Easy, the original French Quarter murder mystery by Louisiana mystery writer Eric Wilder.

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