Sharon Morden has a wonderful patio on the back of her house in Toccoa, and the birds love it. They flock to it where they hide in the well-trimmed bushes and trees. Then they hop out on bird feeders filled to overflowing with lots of bird food. Last Sunday, she and her husband Jim invited a group of us over for lunch, and I took this photo of a Tufted Titmouse that dropped in for a little lunch, too. Amazingly, I was shooting through a window while standing in her breakfast area.

Sharon and Pat grew up together in Japan, which I think is so totally neat. They always kept up with one another but only in the last three or so years have really reconnected on a deeper level. It is fun to hear them talk about all that they did in Japan as children. Pat always called Sharon’s Dad Uncle Ray, who is pictured here. They both know how to cook Sukiyaki. But on this day, we were at Sharon and Jim’s house and she was “working” the skillet.

This was so good. Thank you, Sharon! They told us that most Americans love this dish minus the raw egg! They kept that to themselves and Donna, who loved it, too.

Chopstick holders. Someone else made this, but Sharon is a master at this art.