This is my....

once a year day when I travel to a nearby wheat field and steal a handful of wheat.
When I was in high school, a friend's family had a ritual (not sure if it originated just with her family or if this is a "historical" ritual - I will have to check this out on the internet) that involved traveling to a wheat field and making off with a handful of wheat to hang over the front door.  This was done to ensure a prosperous year for the next year.
I have continued this ritual since that time.  While I'm nowhere near as prosperous $$-wise as Bill and Melinda Gates, I live a comfortable life and am prosperous in many other ways (good health, family, a job, etc).
I live in rural area, but the challenge these past few years has become actually finding a wheat field.  Lots of fields where farmers used to grow wheat and other crops are being sold and built into housing developments.  Luck was on my side when last week as I was lamenting the lack of wheat fields, Mr P and I happened upon one on a drive which was not to far away.
After breakfast this morning, we hopped into the car and headed out.  I had my kitchen shears in hand for the cutting.  Almost upon reaching the field, a police car passed us going in the opposite direction but once it rounded a bend in the road behind us, I jumped from the car, snipped two nice handfuls of wheat and jumped back in the car for the getaway.  
Once home, I trimmed the ends and tied the bunch with raffia.  It is now secured on the star ornament on the garage which holds the little American flags.  While it's actually supposed to be hung over the door used to enter and leave the house, previous attempts to do this resulted in scaring the birds that would peck at the sheaf leaving bits and pieces on the porch which were carried in the house on our shoes.  


My walking buddy, R, and I went out at 6AM this morning on our usual route.  On the way back, a flock of wild turkeys crossed the road headed from the corn field behind my home to the woods across the way.  The humidity is high again today and both of us were drenched when we got back.  After the trip to cut the wheat, Mr. P suggested a ride to The Puddle Pond since he too had heard the turkeys while we were out walking.
We didn't see anymore turkeys but did spy two red-tail hawks sitting on opposite electric towers.  I snapped a picture of the one closest and he was a long way off across the field.  We watched him for a while as he fluffed his feathers and settled down in search of prey.  

Because temperatures are to go up to around 95 degrees today and the humidity is to be high, we will do what is needed outside early in the day and spend the afternoon inside where it's cooler.
On Monday evening, I told Mr P I would bake either a white cake with white frosting or homemade Tandycakes.  Those in the northeast part of the states are probably familiar with Tastykake Bakery www.tastykake.com which is located in Philadelphia.  They make packaged cakes, one of which is the Tandycake.  The Tandycake consists of a spongelike yellow cake layer, topped with a peanut butter layer and then coated in chocolate.  They are in the shape of a hockey puck, come two to a packet and eight to a box.
The picture below is a homemade Tandycake and the recipe follows this picture.  Mr P had coffee in his grumpy mug and I had some green tea in my mug.  

Tandycake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together:
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar
Add:
2 tsps oil
2 cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
dash of salt
1 cup milk
Grease and flour a 10 X 13-inch baking pan.  Pour batter into pan.  Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, spread1 cup peanut butter on top.  Cool and refrigerate until hard.
Melt 11 1/2 ounces milk chocolate morsels with t tsp oil and spread over peanut butter.  Refrigerate until hard. 

The latest shot of the garden which is doing well.  The potatoes that the deer feasted on have rebounded, I am still picking peas (although with this heat they won't last much longer), small squash and cucumbers are started and the plants are loaded with flowers.

Since the 4th of July holiday falls midweek this year, I'm back to work tomorrow.  No big celebration plans today, just a quiet day at home.  Dinner will be grilled barbeque chicken, baked potatoes, corn salsa for me and corn on the cob for Mr. P and some grilled zucchini strips.  Of course, Tandycakes for dessert.

Hope you have a safe and happy 4th of July.