Cat Fights and Tornados

I didn't know whether to call this blog post "Planning for Everything" or "Cat Fights and Tornados."I thought that Cat Fights might catch your attention.It is summer time, so you might open the house to the welcome cool breezes at night. That's why it's easy to hear the cat fight outside your window at 3 am. But this time it sounds like it's inside the house, and it is! The intruder cat leaves quickly when confronted by a skinny naked husband armed with aluminum shelving. In the morning there is an odor of the unfortunate kind on couch cushions. I'm guessing this was the epicenter of tangled conflict yowling bits of fur. So, even though I've been cleaning like crazy to welcome house guests, I have not planned for this! Today there is an extra important thing added to the very top of the to-do-list. Buy and use Nature's Miracle Enzymatic Formula.Cousins, brothers and myself have been planning a big extended family 100th birthday party for my Dad, as well as pre-party and post party visits. As we all know, having a deadline can be useful. The party is conceived and nurtured with care, repairs and weeding given months of attention (outside and inside). Many hours of conversation begin and continue and continue, in order to figure out: sleeping arrangements, menu to please a wide range of ages and allergies, airport transportation, parking and potties, plenty of entertainments that are specific to a hot farm setting in Mantecca CA.Pre-party choices are airplane rides and horseback rides. Party activities include reciting poetry, singing, drawing, and children washing the feet of elders. After-party round robbin activities will include brushing donkeys, climbing hay bales to drive remote control monster truck, guessing games in the oak grove, and tractor rides followed by popsicles.A lot of the work has been done, the party is days away, and everyone is both nervous and excited. We have planned for everything. Will mother nature be kind? The large impact of an earthquake, erruption, or destructive hurricane make a skunk encounter or cat fight pale in comparison. We cross fingers that unplanned events are small and of the delightful sort. (For example, my youngest grandchild recently enjoyed the lovely combination of sitting in a warm puddle and eating a popsicle.)Does planning relate to creating artwork? Yes. Does planning relate to marketing artwork? Yes. One must plan to succeed. One has to show up and do the work. And, just like the planning for a big party, the ideas are conceived and nurtured, the setting repaired and weeded. And there will be happy accidents, as well as breathing in and out and dialogue. Order and Chaos. Planning and letting go..... What if .... I put this and this together? What if .... I substitute hazelnut meal for almond meal in the recipe?Granola -  You will need 1/4 c. warm honey. I usually heat this first,  for a little bit in the microwave, so that it can pour easily. (Or place honey jar in hot water).  In a large glass bowl mix together: 4 cups oats, 1/4 c. whole flax seed, 1/2 c. sunflower seeds (can be raw or roasted salted), and 3/4 c. hazelnut meal. Microwave for 6 minutes. While you are waiting, put 1/4 c. oil (I use peanut) and 1/4 c. honey and 1 t. maple extract in a 2 c. glass measuring cup. When the oat mixture comes out of the microwave, put the honey oil mix in for 1 minute. Pour bubbling oil over oats and stir well.  Allow to cool completely before storing in glass jars in refrigerator or freezer. Granola is versatile. Use with any fruit or yogurt. It's good mixed with peanut butter and jelly! (ooey gooey yummy chewey). It is nice on top of grapefruit and avacado.