Cookie’s Bliss « Plastic Farm Animals

Finding Freddies

By Camille, on March 18th, 2013

The irony of rediscovering real Italian pizza on St. Patty’s day in an Irish household is not lost on me.

As an Italian/Polish/Irish/Scotch/German-Catholic growing up in a West Long Branch, New Jersey neighborhood teeming with multi-cultural Catholic families, we all celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. We were expected to wear [...]

International Women’s Day

By Camille, on March 10th, 2013

Amy, Molly and Emily Armantrout in their wedding dresses

Four generations of chip eaters – Camille’s father’s mother, mother, Camille and her mother’s mother, all from New York

I knew it was going to be a good day when I got up and realized that both the lights (Ghanaian for electricity) AND the water were on. I heard the washing machine chugging away [...]

Our First Wild Elephant

By Camille, on February 27th, 2013

Last week, we made a short trip to Mole National Park to see elephants and were not disappointed. The elephants were AWESOME! No other word than that overused word will do. Awe inspiring. So big, gentle, affectionate, and at times comical. I watched and watched as they fed, bathed, played and just stood still.

We [...]

The Wave

By Camille, on February 7th, 2013

These serious faces are typical of the transformation giddy, playful Ghanaian children undergo when the camera points in their direction.

Every couple of weeks or so, we walk over to the pizza garden at Nik’s for Sunday “cook’s night out.” We usually take a short cut through what’s left of the Kumasi Forest Reserve [...]

African Music

By Camille, on December 4th, 2012

Last night, Bob was the catalyst that transformed an ordinary concert into an extraordinary experience by jumping onto the dance floor early into Vieux Farka Toure’s Kumasi appearance at the Golden Tulip. This was the excuse the small group of Ghanaians and mostly French ex-patriots needed to jump from observers to participants. A conga line [...]

When in Ghana

By Camille, on November 29th, 2012

I live in Ghana now I drink cocoa in the morning I wear a thick gold ring I sit on a wooden chair At a wooden table I eat plantain and turn little red tomatoes into sauce I wear a skirt and walk along dusty dirt roads riddled with ravines I step over plastic water [...]

Out of the Ashes, Saturday Morning Bliss Moment #1

By Camille, on November 10th, 2012

This morning I received my first bliss moment when Bob pointed out that investigations into the construction of the fated Ahimota Melcom were already being called for. He had come across an article exposing the building contractor as a “night builder” in which the President of the Ghana Institution of Architects, Osei Agyemang was demanding [...]

Music Class

By Camille, on October 5th, 2012

I’m pulling weeds on a cool grey-skied morning after a night of big rain. The weeds offer no resistance. I hear the elementary school children singing half a block away. The neighbor is cooking something pungent and a little sour, probably a porridge made of fermented corn.

I’m wondering if the children will sing something [...]

An Elusive Song

By Camille, on September 28th, 2012

This is the story of a mystery solved through team work by a pair of left-brained bird watchers. A tale about a common looking bird with an extraordinary song. And another example of our incessant search for truth.

Bob and I first heard the haunting duet of Vieillot’s Barbet a.k.a. Lybius vieilloti from our new [...]