Don't Rain on My Parade

If the planet Jupiter could speak it might say Don't rain on my parade to the moon.
It seems Monday September 20th is a big day for the planet. Jupiter will be making its closest pass by earth since 1963. Jupiter will rise in the east as the sun sets. It will be directly overhead at midnight and will set in the west just before dawn. The solar system's largest planet will swing by Earth to within a mere 368 million miles for the rest of the month. It will be 4 % brighter than usual because one of its brown cloud belts has gone missing! But there could be trouble on the celestial scene since the full moon makes an appearance above Jupiter on September 23 and that may dim the planet's glow.
So keep a watchful eye on the night sky this week. If you happen to miss Jupiter's lighted display you will have to wait until 2022 when it is this close again.

I often think that
the night is more alive
and
more richly colored
than the day.
Vincent Van Gogh

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Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

• 4TB. butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup blanched finely chopped almonds
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 4 TB. flour
• 1 can chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped meat (chicken or ham)
• 2 cups half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 tsp. curry
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. marjoram
• 2 TB. parsley
• 2 TB. chives
  

Directions:

• Cook wild rice in boiling salted water and drain
• Saute mushrooms, celery, onion, carrots and almonds in butter
• Mix flour with chicken broth in a bowl and add to mushroom mixture
• On low heat add half and half, 2TB fresh parsley, 2 TB. fresh chives and rest of spices
• Add rice, and meat and cook on low heat till slightly thickened, do not boil
• Add 4 TB. sherry

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