GrannyJ's Famous Trail Mix

I am definitely not a foodie, though I worked on a restaurant trade magazine for many years. Maybe that's the reason. It takes energy, imagination, and a palate more delicate than mine to focus so intently on the food one eats. Not to say I don't enjoy hearty ethnic foods but cooking for one day in and day out is close to being a chore. That's why I keep a supply of GrannyJ's Famous Trail Mix on hand at all times. Not for hiking, but for lunch. The recipe is simple: collect as many different kinds of dried fruits as possible (including sun dried tomatoes), dice the big ones and mix the lot into a nice jar. At serving time, add a generous topping of sunflower seeds plus larger mixed nuts if you have them on hand. If you're feeling extra energetic, dice a bit of celery or an apple quarter for added crunch. Best sources for variety in dried fruit: Costco and Fry's, since we have no Trader Joe's.

Note of the Day: I was never a rock-climber, but oh how tempting the granites over in the Dells. Our newcomer Rich, who posts at Gadget's Airstream Chronicles, is not only staying at the Point of Rocks campgrounds right in the Dells, but he has been climbing those huge rocks and taking awesome pictures. Go take a look -- scroll down to get to the first of the pictures and continue on. Two other on-line visits to make: 1960s Prescott at the Courier's site and OmegaMom's cogent comments on Virginia Tech.