Flag of the Eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry.
Let us remember the sacrifices that were made and the hard work involved in forging America.
Happy Fourth of July!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy Fourth of July
Flag of the Eighth Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry.
Let us remember the sacrifices that were made and the hard work involved in forging America.
Happy Fourth of July!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Field Trip - Cherry Picking
It's time for another field trip. Once again we're going to stick close to home, just to prove that we can have some fun just around the corner.
Neighbor Joe extended an invitation for us to come down and pick some cherries. They're ripe and the tree is laden with fruit.
We're going down the road. Their place is just around the bend of evergreens.
Joe was inside the house doing some painting but was nice enough to bring a ladder outside and place it next to the tree. There were many diversions on the way to the back of the property.
They have a gorgeous garden but we'll tour that another day. I was trying hard not to fall down the rabbit hole of poppies. The cherries are getting riper by the minute and we must move along.
Joe's wife Susan gives me a tour of their small orchard. They have plum, apple, peach and cherry trees.
It's so beautiful to see the bright red popping out of the greenery.
This tree was loaded with fruit.
Cherries make me happy.
I brought a large plastic bowl to hold the fruit while I picked, transferring it to a large bag as I worked. Susan and I picked and talked and picked and talked. It was such a beautiful cool day, just perfect for cherry picking. Here's a tip to determine if the fruit is ripe for picking; if you give it a tug and it releases, it's ready. You shouldn't have to pull.
I kept dumping fruit into the bag and Susan finally said, "Are you sure you want to keep picking?" It was only then that I realized I had lots and lots of cherries and they all needed to be pitted!
After thanking Susan, I walked through their garden one more time before heading home. They were kind enough to lend me their cherry pitter. There was work to be done.
First I retrieved my favorite strainer from the cabinet. It's see it's better day, has a few chips, but I love it. The color scheme is perfect for this task, don't you think?
I had to rinse the cherries in batches. Yeah, that many.
Now it's time to start pitting. This is the gadget. The white sleeve is removed before you start working.
The cherry is placed in the pitter with the point that was attached to the stem pointing up. You push the handle down and it pushes the pit out the bottom side, leaving the cherry whole and intact.
DId I mention there were a lot of cherries to pit? This is halfway through the batch.
The house was quiet and I worked steadily. It was a pleasant task. Pits piled up and before long I was finished. Tomorrow I'll bake something wonderful.
I'm going to have a Cherry Picking Field Trip Giveaway! Everyone knows that my standard of measure/scale is a martini glass. To give you idea of the size of the bowl full of cherries, here it is compared to the martini glass.
Your task is to guess how many cherries I pitted. YES...... I kept track as I was working!
Here's a close-up of the bowl of pits. Start counting.
You have until Sunday evening (July 5th) at 6 p.m. to leave a comment with your guess. I'll be announcing the winner at our Monday Morning Staff Meeting.
What am I giving away? One of my Cherry Jam wallets, of course.
Good luck everyone. I hope you enjoyed our cherry picking field trip.
Neighbor Joe extended an invitation for us to come down and pick some cherries. They're ripe and the tree is laden with fruit.
We're going down the road. Their place is just around the bend of evergreens.
Joe was inside the house doing some painting but was nice enough to bring a ladder outside and place it next to the tree. There were many diversions on the way to the back of the property.
They have a gorgeous garden but we'll tour that another day. I was trying hard not to fall down the rabbit hole of poppies. The cherries are getting riper by the minute and we must move along.
Joe's wife Susan gives me a tour of their small orchard. They have plum, apple, peach and cherry trees.
It's so beautiful to see the bright red popping out of the greenery.
This tree was loaded with fruit.
Cherries make me happy.
I brought a large plastic bowl to hold the fruit while I picked, transferring it to a large bag as I worked. Susan and I picked and talked and picked and talked. It was such a beautiful cool day, just perfect for cherry picking. Here's a tip to determine if the fruit is ripe for picking; if you give it a tug and it releases, it's ready. You shouldn't have to pull.
I kept dumping fruit into the bag and Susan finally said, "Are you sure you want to keep picking?" It was only then that I realized I had lots and lots of cherries and they all needed to be pitted!
After thanking Susan, I walked through their garden one more time before heading home. They were kind enough to lend me their cherry pitter. There was work to be done.
First I retrieved my favorite strainer from the cabinet. It's see it's better day, has a few chips, but I love it. The color scheme is perfect for this task, don't you think?
I had to rinse the cherries in batches. Yeah, that many.
Now it's time to start pitting. This is the gadget. The white sleeve is removed before you start working.
The cherry is placed in the pitter with the point that was attached to the stem pointing up. You push the handle down and it pushes the pit out the bottom side, leaving the cherry whole and intact.
DId I mention there were a lot of cherries to pit? This is halfway through the batch.
The house was quiet and I worked steadily. It was a pleasant task. Pits piled up and before long I was finished. Tomorrow I'll bake something wonderful.
I'm going to have a Cherry Picking Field Trip Giveaway! Everyone knows that my standard of measure/scale is a martini glass. To give you idea of the size of the bowl full of cherries, here it is compared to the martini glass.
Your task is to guess how many cherries I pitted. YES...... I kept track as I was working!
Here's a close-up of the bowl of pits. Start counting.
You have until Sunday evening (July 5th) at 6 p.m. to leave a comment with your guess. I'll be announcing the winner at our Monday Morning Staff Meeting.
What am I giving away? One of my Cherry Jam wallets, of course.
Good luck everyone. I hope you enjoyed our cherry picking field trip.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Andy and Aunt Bee
Although I do make lots of food from scratch, including my own dry pancake mix, my pantry also includes store bought cake and biscuit mixes. Sometimes I'm looking to throw together a quick batch of biscuits or cornbread to serve with dinner.
On my last trip to the grocery store I came upon this mix.
What's not to love about a mix called Mayberry's Finest? I bought a package of buttermilk corn bread and garlic and herb biscuit mix. Immediately I thought of those delicious cheddar and herb biscuits that are served at the "Red Lobster" restaurants.
The mix calls for only 1/2 cup of milk. That's a good thing because I don't have any eggs in the fridge. I did grate up some cheddar cheese to add to the mix.
I tasted the dough. It was very garlicky and spicy. The directions call for a very hot oven. The cheese starts to melt and things are starting to look promising.
Directions called for 9-12 minutes in the oven. I left them in for 10 minutes and that proved to be too long. I have a goofy oven that gets things really, really dark on the bottom.
They looked really good.
I know herbs. I love herbs. Remember, the Farmer has managed a large fresh herb operation for a couple years. The dried herbs in this mix are overpowering. Half the dried herbs included in this mix would be plenty. The company could save some money.
Well, I say it's worth a try to buy something new. I'll give their buttermilk cornbread a shot and see if I like it.
I do love their packaging. On the back they include a synopsis of one of the Andy Griffith Show episodes.
Do you have a favorite packaged mix? I've tried the Martha White brand and the Jiffy mixes and both are OK in a pinch. Sometimes there's a local brand that is really wonderful.
P.S. Can't you just hear Andy saying, "Aunt Bee"?
On my last trip to the grocery store I came upon this mix.
What's not to love about a mix called Mayberry's Finest? I bought a package of buttermilk corn bread and garlic and herb biscuit mix. Immediately I thought of those delicious cheddar and herb biscuits that are served at the "Red Lobster" restaurants.
The mix calls for only 1/2 cup of milk. That's a good thing because I don't have any eggs in the fridge. I did grate up some cheddar cheese to add to the mix.
I tasted the dough. It was very garlicky and spicy. The directions call for a very hot oven. The cheese starts to melt and things are starting to look promising.
Directions called for 9-12 minutes in the oven. I left them in for 10 minutes and that proved to be too long. I have a goofy oven that gets things really, really dark on the bottom.
They looked really good.
I know herbs. I love herbs. Remember, the Farmer has managed a large fresh herb operation for a couple years. The dried herbs in this mix are overpowering. Half the dried herbs included in this mix would be plenty. The company could save some money.
Well, I say it's worth a try to buy something new. I'll give their buttermilk cornbread a shot and see if I like it.
I do love their packaging. On the back they include a synopsis of one of the Andy Griffith Show episodes.
Do you have a favorite packaged mix? I've tried the Martha White brand and the Jiffy mixes and both are OK in a pinch. Sometimes there's a local brand that is really wonderful.
P.S. Can't you just hear Andy saying, "Aunt Bee"?
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A Ramble and Public Bathrooms
Yesterday I spent a good part of the day at the DMV. It was boring. I crocheted dishcloths while waiting. One man commented, "You'll finish an entire sweater before this line goes down."
I'm going to ramble here and I trust you can connect the dots.
I consider myself a warrior on certain subjects; removing the mental health stigma and my new favorite battle, taking personal responsibility.
As we age our bodies and our minds change. This is the reality of living longer. The attitude that sheer will can (and should) push through anything is a dangerous fallacy. We all have limitations and we must acknowledge and respect those limitations.
Perhaps it's easier for me because I was hit with a major stumbling block at age 40 and another at the age of 50. I was forced to face limitations head on, acknowledge and respect them and learn to adjust my life accordingly. We must be respectful and prepared for the aging process otherwise we will find ourselves in a very unhappy place.
All the time I hear people saying, "Oh how sad, they'll lose their independence."
YES, they will. That's the price you pay for living a long time. Do you think for one moment that my father (dead at 65) wouldn't give up some independence for the chance to see his grandchildren grow up?
Will you need to make plans for when you cannot be as independent as you are today? Yes, you will.
Our friend Judy is the perfect example of someone who is fierce with the truth. At 85 her eyesight was failing and she voluntarily sold her truck and handed in her driver's license. She made arrangements, including a signed agreement, with some friends who would take her shopping and to doctor's appointments for a prearranged fee. She quickly made whatever mental adjustments needed to be made and she's happy as ever. She's one of those people who refuses to let the realities of her situation define her or affect her happiness.
Judy is an example of what we should strive for. If you don't take responsibility for your life and your situation, you will force your children to make decisions you should be making for yourself. At that point I will say, "Shame on you". Do not put your children in that position. It will cause them much pain.
Back to the DMV......... if you've been reading this blog long enough you'll know that I often review public bathrooms. Someone once asked, "Who carries a camera into the bathroom?" The answer - ME. I carry at least one camera with me everywhere. It's a habit I picked up when publishing my photoblog.
I made a trip to the bathroom before leaving the DMV. It was marginally clean and depressingly bland. Look what was under the sink.
What the heck is that? The only thing I could think of was a plumbing *jock strap*. Perhaps it's a contraption to absorb moisture on the pipe but seriously, who's going to take those off and launder them? EWWWWWWWW. That's a Dirty Jobs episode for sure.
I'm going to ramble here and I trust you can connect the dots.
I consider myself a warrior on certain subjects; removing the mental health stigma and my new favorite battle, taking personal responsibility.
As we age our bodies and our minds change. This is the reality of living longer. The attitude that sheer will can (and should) push through anything is a dangerous fallacy. We all have limitations and we must acknowledge and respect those limitations.
Perhaps it's easier for me because I was hit with a major stumbling block at age 40 and another at the age of 50. I was forced to face limitations head on, acknowledge and respect them and learn to adjust my life accordingly. We must be respectful and prepared for the aging process otherwise we will find ourselves in a very unhappy place.
All the time I hear people saying, "Oh how sad, they'll lose their independence."
YES, they will. That's the price you pay for living a long time. Do you think for one moment that my father (dead at 65) wouldn't give up some independence for the chance to see his grandchildren grow up?
Will you need to make plans for when you cannot be as independent as you are today? Yes, you will.
Our friend Judy is the perfect example of someone who is fierce with the truth. At 85 her eyesight was failing and she voluntarily sold her truck and handed in her driver's license. She made arrangements, including a signed agreement, with some friends who would take her shopping and to doctor's appointments for a prearranged fee. She quickly made whatever mental adjustments needed to be made and she's happy as ever. She's one of those people who refuses to let the realities of her situation define her or affect her happiness.
Judy is an example of what we should strive for. If you don't take responsibility for your life and your situation, you will force your children to make decisions you should be making for yourself. At that point I will say, "Shame on you". Do not put your children in that position. It will cause them much pain.
Back to the DMV......... if you've been reading this blog long enough you'll know that I often review public bathrooms. Someone once asked, "Who carries a camera into the bathroom?" The answer - ME. I carry at least one camera with me everywhere. It's a habit I picked up when publishing my photoblog.
I made a trip to the bathroom before leaving the DMV. It was marginally clean and depressingly bland. Look what was under the sink.
What the heck is that? The only thing I could think of was a plumbing *jock strap*. Perhaps it's a contraption to absorb moisture on the pipe but seriously, who's going to take those off and launder them? EWWWWWWWW. That's a Dirty Jobs episode for sure.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Outside my Front Door
There's something I must attend to today. I'll write about it tomorrow. Not to leave you hanging without anything to read, I'm going to republish something I wrote on my photoblog in November of 2005. It's a wonderful idea that the whole world lies just outside your front door.
Two seemingly unrelated events happened last Friday. First, our village newsletter was delivered in the mail and secondly a large backhoe was delivered at the edge of the woods across the street from my home.
The newsletter for our tiny village (population 750 including pets and livestock) announced that the Indian Creek drainage project was beginning. There's not much standing or flowing water of any kind in our area, although at one time there was a real Lily Lake. At the beginning of the century there were reported several cases of malaria, so residents drained the lake. I wasn't aware it was possible to drain a naturally occurring lake.
The only flowing water I was aware of would be Ferson Creek which runs north to south about 5,000 yards from my property line.
On Saturday morning the backhoe headed into the forest on its tank-like tracts, and began digging the narrow trench pictured above. It was at this point that I realized it was the drainage project and for 12 years I've been living across from Indian Creek. Well, better known as the "damp spot in the woods which was the silted over Indian Creek". The southwest corner of my property is actually the headwater of Indian Creek...also nothing more than a damp spot filled with cattails on the other side of the drainage pipe. But it's at this point the possibilities become exciting.
My intention is to head out one afternoon and discover whether Indian Creek/damp spots turn to meet up with Ferson Creek running parallel just a short distance away. If that is indeed the case then with shoeleather, canoe, boat and ship I can travel to any shore in the entire world, from my front door.
This is what comes from reading William Least Heat-Moon's, "River Horse". It piques a fascination for the vagueries of water - trickling, flowing, spitting, moving, roaring, joining.... traveling, having it's way, defying most attempts at taming, challenging the adventurous to travel along its sinuous and sometimes dangerous trail.
If tiny Indian Creek joins up with Ferson Creek, it can be followed to where it empties into the Fox River, just above Boy Scout Island. The Fox wends its way south and west to flow into the Illinois river at Ottawa. The Illinois travels to a point above St. Louis where it lends its strength to the mighty Mississippi. It should be enough that the Mississippi leads to the Gulf of Mexico, but from the Mississippi you can take the Ohio and snake your way through other waterways to the Atlantic Ocean, or take the more dangerous ride up the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean in the tradition of Lewis and Clark.
It's a journey that will be taken only in my imagination, but think of the possibilities - the Amazon River, the San Blas Islands, Iceland and beyond. Outside my front door.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Monday Morning Staff Meeting
Good morning everyone. How was your weekend? I hope it was fun.
Are you hungry? This morning we're going to have toast with buttter and strawberry jam. There's nothing like a good piece of toast. I've got a couple loaves of nice potato bread and a four slice toaster. Help yourself.
Here's my toast story. Five years ago the Farmer and I went to Belize to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We spent two glorious weeks living in a thatched roof casita on the beach of an island that had no roads. I was pretty happy because it meant I didn't have to cook but the food was pretty forgettable.
We arrived home tired and hungry after many hours of travel. I walked into the house, dropped my luggage and marched right into the kitchen and made a piece of toast. It tasted so wonderful.
There's nothing like a nice piece of toast.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Do remember the sock monkey field trip and giveaway? Steph was the winner of the Rockford Red Heeled socks and sock monkey directions. Guess what? She's made a monkey and he's having adventures on her farm.
His name is Henry. Check out his Monkey Adventures in Alabama.
Steph also tagged me with the Honest Scrap award. It calls for me to tell you ten things about myself that you may not already know.
I have actually played this one before, but I can't find the previous list. Here's ten.
1. At one point in my life I had a top secret government clearance. (That is a source of great amusement to my children.)
2. I've had some hot, hot cars. (1970 Chevelle SS396, 1967 Pontiac Firebird, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1975 Corvette, Baby Blue Karmann Ghia)
3. I rode a 750cc motorcycle.
4. We have lots and lots of books in our in-home library. (A thousand plus?)
5. I can lay floor tile.
6. I have climbed almost every major Mayan temple in North America.
7. I'm afraid of driving on bridges over water.
8. I'm not a morning person.
9. I have too many collections.
10. I talk too much.
Phew, I feel better.
You know the drill. If you'd like to play, consider yourself tagged.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I love Cake Wrecks. Some are good wrecks, some are bad. It's fun.
Our local food store has lots of cake wrecks. I saw one this evening. It was a hamburger cake! Sadly I didn't have my camera with me.
OOOPS....she does also feature nice cakes and that's what she's got up today. But check out this wreck:
MELTING CARROTS AND ASSORTED MEAT PRODUCT CAKES.
or, OOEY GOOEY WRECKS.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I'd like to introduce you to Sarah, who blogs from Hawaii. Her blog is called Aloha Spirit.
I'm sure you're thinking that living in Hawaii is paradise on earth. It's a beautiful location but since Sarah's family is a military family, they're on a budget. I have full sympathy of her situation, having been a military wife myself. Hawaii is a tremendously expensive place to visit or to live. Her and her family are waiting for base housing. In the meantime they're in a hotel. Again, it sounds great but honestly, could you live in a hotel? ........ with kids?
Follow along as she finds interesting and budget conscious things for her kids to do!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You should also check out the Stick Horse Cowgirls.
I love 'em.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I'm not crazy about Oprah but I'd bite my tongue and work for her if there's a chance for a free Mediterranean cruise worth $5,400. On second thought, maybe not.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And now I turn the meeting over to you.
Did you write something interesting yesterday?
What's new in your world?
EDIT - Early in the 1970's I worked for a company that was under government contract to produce technical manuals for Air Force jets. Since we were embroiled in the Vietnam War, all information related to jets and their maintenance was deemed top secret. I was living in Texas at the time and my mom (back in Illinois) was not amused when the FBI came calling asking questions about my background.
Are you hungry? This morning we're going to have toast with buttter and strawberry jam. There's nothing like a good piece of toast. I've got a couple loaves of nice potato bread and a four slice toaster. Help yourself.
Here's my toast story. Five years ago the Farmer and I went to Belize to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We spent two glorious weeks living in a thatched roof casita on the beach of an island that had no roads. I was pretty happy because it meant I didn't have to cook but the food was pretty forgettable.
We arrived home tired and hungry after many hours of travel. I walked into the house, dropped my luggage and marched right into the kitchen and made a piece of toast. It tasted so wonderful.
There's nothing like a nice piece of toast.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Do remember the sock monkey field trip and giveaway? Steph was the winner of the Rockford Red Heeled socks and sock monkey directions. Guess what? She's made a monkey and he's having adventures on her farm.
His name is Henry. Check out his Monkey Adventures in Alabama.
Steph also tagged me with the Honest Scrap award. It calls for me to tell you ten things about myself that you may not already know.
I have actually played this one before, but I can't find the previous list. Here's ten.
1. At one point in my life I had a top secret government clearance. (That is a source of great amusement to my children.)
2. I've had some hot, hot cars. (1970 Chevelle SS396, 1967 Pontiac Firebird, 1969 Chevy Camaro, 1975 Corvette, Baby Blue Karmann Ghia)
3. I rode a 750cc motorcycle.
4. We have lots and lots of books in our in-home library. (A thousand plus?)
5. I can lay floor tile.
6. I have climbed almost every major Mayan temple in North America.
7. I'm afraid of driving on bridges over water.
8. I'm not a morning person.
9. I have too many collections.
10. I talk too much.
Phew, I feel better.
You know the drill. If you'd like to play, consider yourself tagged.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I love Cake Wrecks. Some are good wrecks, some are bad. It's fun.
Our local food store has lots of cake wrecks. I saw one this evening. It was a hamburger cake! Sadly I didn't have my camera with me.
OOOPS....she does also feature nice cakes and that's what she's got up today. But check out this wreck:
MELTING CARROTS AND ASSORTED MEAT PRODUCT CAKES.
or, OOEY GOOEY WRECKS.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I'd like to introduce you to Sarah, who blogs from Hawaii. Her blog is called Aloha Spirit.
I'm sure you're thinking that living in Hawaii is paradise on earth. It's a beautiful location but since Sarah's family is a military family, they're on a budget. I have full sympathy of her situation, having been a military wife myself. Hawaii is a tremendously expensive place to visit or to live. Her and her family are waiting for base housing. In the meantime they're in a hotel. Again, it sounds great but honestly, could you live in a hotel? ........ with kids?
Follow along as she finds interesting and budget conscious things for her kids to do!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
You should also check out the Stick Horse Cowgirls.
I love 'em.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I'm not crazy about Oprah but I'd bite my tongue and work for her if there's a chance for a free Mediterranean cruise worth $5,400. On second thought, maybe not.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And now I turn the meeting over to you.
Did you write something interesting yesterday?
What's new in your world?
EDIT - Early in the 1970's I worked for a company that was under government contract to produce technical manuals for Air Force jets. Since we were embroiled in the Vietnam War, all information related to jets and their maintenance was deemed top secret. I was living in Texas at the time and my mom (back in Illinois) was not amused when the FBI came calling asking questions about my background.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Challenge
My challenge to you today - go write something interesting.
It would make your high school English teacher very happy.
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