Challenge to my brother Carvin.

Since I've been writing more, this children's book keeps nagging at me.  Are you up for providing some illustrations?

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The bug was alone.  Not really lonely, he had friends everywhere and anywhen.  But as far as he knew, he was the only one of his kind.  He wasn't a god, don't think that for a second.  But he had some qualities that none of his friends had.  Like detailed memories of things that were going to happen tomorrow.  Or next year, or even thousands of years ago.  And if he thought about it he could go there and, like television only better, he could touch and smell and taste along with watching and hearing.

He thought of himself as a bug because when he relaxed and just emptied his brain of being anything or anyone else he became what looked like a crab-like insect about the size of a dinner plate with 12 legs extending all around.  He had eye stalks protruding from the center of his body that could look in any direction and a mouth centered under his armored body that could eat, smell and even drink with a long proboscis, although he didn't need to breathe.  He didn't need to eat or drink either, for that matter, but he did enjoy doing so.  And he could fly and hover without wings or any visible propulsion.  He didn't know where he came from, but he could go anywhere, really.  When he was relaxing and pondering his own existence, he thought maybe he had evolved over a long, long time and that his abilities were survival mechanisms.  Like atomic powered camouflage or something.

Other creatures seemed to find the bug's natural appearance off-putting, so he could take on any appearance he wanted.  It didn't seem to matter what size relative to his natural bug shape.  He could be microscopic or gigantic as the need arose.  And language had never been a problem because once connected with those around him his mind just sort of absorbed the necessary lingo and all its rules and funny quirks.  Oh yes, and so far nothing seemed to be able to kill him.  But he did make mistakes and also learned from them.

So not all powerful, or all knowing, the bug still had impressive abilities.  But he wasn't a god and he knew it with a deep knowledge that was almost bone-deep instinct.

German Chocolate Brownies

We like to take old reliable recipes and fiddle with them.  This is an idea Mitch and I worked up together after I made butterscotch brownies on Friday, with the thought that you could combine the best of the pecan and coconut frosting from a German chocolate cake and add chocolate chips to live up to its name.  I finally made them this afternoon with delicious results.

German Chocolate Brownies

½ cup coconut flakes
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup chocolate chips
½ cup butter or stick margarine
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°.  Spread coconut flakes and pecans on a 9" x 12" baking pan, toast in oven for 10 minutes.  Remove, allow to cool and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan on medium heat.  When melted, add brown sugar and beat until there are no lumps and the mixture is a thick consistency.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.  Add cooled butter/brown sugar mixture and beat smooth.  Add dry ingredients and stir until all dry ingredients are incorporated.  Mix in coconut and pecans.  Last, add chocolate chips.  Pour into 9" x 12" baking pan and bake at 350° for 25 minutes.  Allow to cool, cut into squares and enjoy.