Times Like These

Chocolate & Black Bean Muffins

2011-09-18T21:34:00.002-05:00

Recipes are merely guidelines - whether mine or someone else's. Today's victim was this recipe for Long-Run Cake from Runner's World. I rarely purchase a new ingredient for a recipe unless I decide that I'll be using it on a regular basis. Instead, I look for substitutes or will just alter the recipe to ingredients I already have.

In this case it was a switch-out for the agave syrup (molasses, honey, milk, sugar) and half whole-wheat and half white flour for the oat flour. I also don't have 12 mini-loaf pans and so made them as muffins/cup cakes.

It is rich and chocolatey - in spite of my initial hesitation that the molasses might be too overpowering. Turns out it mellowed a bit after baking. I might still alter the amount of molasses next time, but here's today's version. However, before I alter the sweetness I'll adjust all the ingredients to make only 12 muffins.

Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Makes 15 muffins in greased pan (no liners)

1 c. applesauce
1 15-oz. can black beans

3/4 c. whole wheat flour
3/4 c. white flour
1 c. cocoa
1/4 c. white sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt

1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. molasses
3/8 c. milk
2 eggs

1/4 c. coffee
1 t. vanilla

Heat oven to 350 and grease pan for 15 muffins.
Puree, then set aside, the applesauce and black beans.
Mix together the dry ingredients.
In another mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to blend the honey, molasses, milk, and eggs until foamy. Then add the coffee and vanilla.
To this, add the pureed ingredients.
Finally, add the dry ingredients and mix slowly, then increase the speed to medium and mix 30 seconds.
Fill muffin cups to a little more the 3/4 full.
Bake 20 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

2011-08-24T19:07:00.005-05:00

We gave Joe a cookbook for his birthday and this is the fourth recipe we've made. We ate 1/8 size pieces and found them quite filling so we'll likely serve smaller pieces if we eat some with ice cream.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
adapted from this cookbook
9" pan, 350 degrees (metal pan), 50 minutes
Serves 8-12

Ingredients:
1 9" pie crust, unbaked
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 c. flour
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter and sugar then add eggs and mix until light and fluffy.
Stir in the flour then stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Place pie crust in pan then pour and spread filling.
Bake 50 minutes and cover lightly with foil if pie becomes too brown.
Cool pie for at least 15 minutes before serving.

More Vacation Pics

2011-08-16T16:49:00.005-05:00

New Castle Beach Lighthouse

Sarah and Daniel not eating sand.

Sandcastle construction

Libby telling us how it should be done.

Kirk of the high seas!

Captain Bob teaching us about lobster.

Captain Katie teaching us about patience.

Murderess

Isaac examining dinner.

In Maryland, on our way home.

Vacation Pics

2011-08-16T14:50:00.012-05:00

Mississippi River in the background

John Deere "Museum"

Niagara Falls

This is directly behind Katie's back yard!

Tree frog.

Portsmouth, NH

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center

What a difference!

2011-05-26T18:38:00.003-05:00

The first decade:

Exterior update in 2008:

The latest version, 2011: The downspout on the right side of the house shows where the original house ended.

For a good, easy breakfast...

2011-03-06T19:56:00.002-06:00

... if you have time enough till it's finished baking.

Bread Pudding

9x9 pan, greased
Loosely cover with foil and bake at 325 degrees, 60-75 minutes

bread, cubed enough to fill pan, not packed (about 1/2 loaf)

Mix in bowl:
4 Eggs
3 c. Milk

Add:
1/4 t. Salt
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1/4 t. Nutmeg
1/4 t. Salt
3/4 c. Brown Sugar
1/2 c. Raisins, optional, separated if sticky

Pour liquid over bread then press down to soak all the bread.
Make sure raisins are evenly distributed, more or less.
Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out dry.
Enjoy.

The Witch Hazel Blooms!

2011-02-19T14:04:00.002-06:00

It probably opened yesterday, but I wasn't home to see.

Any time's a good time for gumbo

2011-02-09T08:54:00.003-06:00

This makes a large batch so reduce the amounts unless you're feeding about a dozen people. It also freezes well if you're so inclined. As always, amend to your tastes. Serve over rice and with cornbread.

GUMBO
Butter 1 lb.
White Flour 1 3/4 c.
Sausage, cubed 12 oz.
Green Peppers, 1/2” pieces 7 oz.
Onions, 1/2” pieces 13 oz.
Green Onions, chopped 4-5 stalks
Celery, 1/2” pieces 1/2 bunch
Garlic, minced 3-4 cloves
Water and/or broth 1 gal.
Tomato Cutlets 1/2 can (6 c.)
Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 c.
Beef Base 1 1/2 oz.
Chicken Base 2.6 oz.
Cumin 2 T.
Oregano 2 T.
Thyme 1 1/2 T.
Cayenne 1 T.
Chicken, shredded or cubed 1/2 lb.
Gumbo File 1/2 T.

Melt butter on medium heat

Using whisk, stir in flour completely.

Stir frequently or the roux will burn.

The solution will be thick and bubbly at first, gradually becoming very thin with tiny bubbles

Keep stirring until roux is a dark caramel color.

Now add the prepared vegetables, garlic, and sausage to the roux.

Stir frequently (every 10-15 sec.) for approximately 5 minutes.

Combine the water and/or broth with the soup bases.

Add the base solution to the pot and stir thoroughly.

Add the cutlets, cumin, oregano, thyme, and cayenne & Worcestershire sauce.

Bring to slow boil and maintain until vegetables are cooked.

Reduce to low heat and stir in the chicken and filé.

Happy Birthday, Sam!

2011-02-01T14:31:00.002-06:00

Penguin Birthday Party

2011-01-31T21:34:00.002-06:00

Pingu the Penguin's 9th birthday (according to Isaac). So we had ourselves a little party. Fun was had by all.

Looking for eagles

2011-01-29T16:49:00.003-06:00

When for a short hike below Tuttle Creek dam and only saw about a thousand geese, a pelican, and 2 bluebirds. (Crows & gulls are a given). Didn't know that dogs are allowed so next time we'll bring Lucy. A beautiful day to be out, then came home to bake chocolate crinkle cookies with dough from the TR fundraiser.

Yet still more to do.

2011-01-28T21:35:00.002-06:00

One more room to completely finish. Along with installing lights & smoke detectors, carpeting in the bedrooms & a lot of trim work. A bonus with the smoke detectors is that now they will all be hard-wired throughout the house and so if one goes off, they all go off. Plus, there's a CO/smoke detector next to the furnace in the basement.

Did I mention the backyard is now basically one huge mud hole - and I just had it back to "normal" from when we replaced the sewer line 2 years ago! (Guess I have to have something to do to keep me out of trouble.)

An offering for the masses

2011-01-28T21:24:00.009-06:00

Kitchen - nearly put back in order. The dryer is on the left in the picture, but the washer is still in the pantry - waiting to be moved until the floor is installed in the mudroom.

Mudroom is ready for many more hooks & shelves.

From our bedroom looking into the original house.

The wonderful new bathroom.

Tooth Fairy Alert!

2011-01-06T17:22:00.000-06:00

Our turn for a while.

2010-12-25T08:53:00.003-06:00

Isaac and Lucy love the new space!

Break On Through To The Other Side

2010-12-15T19:17:00.003-06:00

A momentous day! It's starting to feel like home.

More Inside Views

2010-12-11T11:23:00.002-06:00

View into the bathroom. The toilet and vanity will be on this wall. You might also note that the guys were able to use some scrap wood. Thanks for saving us money!

View towards the shower.

View from the bathroom to the outside door.

View into the old house towards my wonderful husband that just made me some biscuits and gravy. The opening between the old house and the addition will start at the window on the right. We might put shelves in the old window space.

Inside

2010-12-11T11:07:00.002-06:00

View from the outside door. The kitchen is to the left, the new bedrooms to the right, the bathroom is in front of you where you see the window, and the washer and dryer will be in front of you where the purple drywall is.

Also from the outside door, shifted a bit to the right.

Standing in the mud room, facing the bedrooms.

The boys' bedroom.

Our bedroom.

One Step at a time

2010-12-10T09:30:00.003-06:00

Things are moving right along! We have interior walls now and I'll post those pics later today. The walls and ceiling are in and insulated, so it is a much warmer work environment for Dean and Bill. We are ever so happy with how it has turned out!

The north side of the house.

The east side.

Making our house warm.

Dean getting "help" from the boys.

Inside before walls. This pic is facing towards the old part of the house.

now for a lot of inside work

2010-11-20T09:38:00.002-06:00

The new backyard entrance to the mudroom.

From Summer 2008 to Fall 2010

2010-11-02T18:17:00.005-06:00

A Little Halloween Fun And Progress On The Addition

2010-10-29T17:30:00.003-05:00

We Have Walls!

2010-10-19T17:48:00.002-05:00

Fun in the country

2010-10-16T21:24:00.006-05:00

Great day for an evening potluck with friends.

the continuing saga...

2010-10-06T11:20:00.002-05:00

Hoping for a floor next week!!

Hopefully for the last time

2010-09-19T19:13:00.004-05:00

So two years ago I was digging a trench for a new sewer.

I had to dig again to re-route part of it, because, (who knew at the time) we'd be adding on to the house! We were hoping it would be outside of new foundation walls, but no such luck.

Spent about an hour digging the adjusted main line (below, on right of photo) as well as most of the hole for the new clean-out (filled in, where the white dot is at the top-right).

After about 2 hours this afternoon, all the trenches, except for where the new bathroom will be (bottom left), are filled and soak-in.

The next step...

2010-09-17T20:18:00.002-05:00

Progress today, after a few unexpected delays.
It'll get done, just have to be sure and relax.

Let the fun begin!

2010-09-13T20:45:00.004-05:00

(at least that's what I'll keep telling myself)

Greetings to California!

2010-09-01T22:37:00.002-05:00

Happy First Birthday, Emma!

2010-08-04T08:07:00.003-05:00

Catching the rain

2010-05-10T16:30:00.002-05:00

After it's first test this morning, it looks like the rain barrel is working. A little over a half-inch of rain in a 45-minute storm filled the barrel in less than 30 minutes. Now I just have to be sure to keep the gutters clean which means getting on the ladder about 5 times each year. Maybe get one for each downspout? Time will tell...

Spring Hiking on the Konza

2010-04-11T20:54:00.007-05:00

There was a lot of burning today so the air was very smoky, but we had fun comparing the burned and unburned areas. It's been a great season for the flowering trees - especially the Redbuds. We walked the short - 2.5 mile - loop and Isaac only had to be carried for about 1/4 mile. I was glad we did the "normal" route. That is, climbing the big hill at the beginning so the rest of the trail was flat or downhill.

Taking a break at the top of the big hill.

Isaac is a great hiker who knows when to rest.

Joe was a gentle leader who kept us going.

Field Trip #1

2010-03-15T17:39:00.008-06:00

Went to the Milford Nature Center today and had a great time. Highly recommended for anyone in the area or even if only passing by Junction City and in need of a slightly-off-the-path break from I-70. Very kid-friendly with a fun playground, short nature trails, and lots of great indoors hands-on activities.

Sausage & Kraut

2010-02-18T14:21:00.001-06:00

This is more or less the recipe, improvise as you like.

Kielbasa sausage 1.5 lbs, cut into 2" lengths
Sauerkraut 2 15 oz. cans
Gala apples 2 or 3, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Brown Sugar 3 - 4 Tbsp.

Optional:
Potatoes 2 - 3, peeled and cut into large chunks (approx 1" - 2")

Place sausage in bottom of a medium to large casserole dish.
Place potatoes in with sausage.
Spread sauerkraut over sausage and potatoes
Mix half the brown sugar into the sauerkraut.
Place apple rings (slices) on top.
Spread the remaining brown sugar on the apples.
Cover & bake at 350 (325 if in glass or Pyrex) 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

African Peanut Soup

2009-12-04T14:36:00.006-06:00

After leaving the kitchen as a baker I went around the corner and started making soup. This was one that surprised me with it's popularity.

AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP (adapted from the More-With-Less Cookbook)

The MWL version is called West African Groundnut Stew and I've taken a few liberties with it. Chicken instead of beef, diced tomatoes instead of paste; adding cumin & oregano; chopped peanuts and peanut butter instead of just crunchy peanut butter. ...just a few liberties

Here's my scaled-down version, but make it as you like. Of course, it's better when made with chicken broth so you have to adjust the salt if you do.

Butter: 1 oz.
Onions, diced: about 1 1/2
Garlic, minced: about 1 T.
Diced Tomatoes: 1 28 oz. can
Water or broth: 1/2 gal.
Nutmeg: 3/4 t.
Chili Powder: 3 1/2 t.
Cumin: 1/4 t.
Oregano: 1/4 t.
Cayenne: to taste
Salt: 1 1/8 t.
Peanuts, chopped: 3/4 c.
Peanut Butter (I used smooth): 1/2 c.
Rice (I used long-grain brown): 1 c.
Cooked chicken, cubed or shredded: about 2 cups

Sauté onions and garlic in butter.
Add tomatoes, water (broth), and spices.
Bring to slow boil.
While soup is heating prepare peanuts.
Add peanuts, peanut butter, rice, chicken and cook until rice is done.
Stir occasionally to keep rice from burning on the bottom of the pot and to break up clumps of peanut butter. Reduce heat once the rice is cooked.

Marie's Scones (as requested)

2009-12-04T13:57:00.005-06:00

I never thought I'd actually forget this recipe since I made these 5 days a week for nearly 5 years. At work at 5 am, sometimes 4:30, working alone in the quiet kitchen. Usually all of the scones were gone by 8 am so if you weren't in line when the doors opened, well, you could wait until tomorrow. Or, if it was Friday, you might have been lucky and found an orange-chocolate muffin instead.

With the understanding that all recipes are made for tinkering, here's the original (or at least my best recollection to-date):

Flour 2 c.
Sugar 1/2 c.
Baking Powder 1 T.
Salt 1 t.

Butter 4 oz. (1 stick)

Egg 1
Milk 3/4 c.
Raisins 1/4 c

Lightly grease baking sheet or use baking parchment paper.
Heat oven to 400°.

In one container, whisk egg(s) then add milk & raisins.
(for plump raisins, make this ahead and soak overnight)

In another mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
Cut in butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal.

Add wet to dry and stir/fold together.
Turn out on floured surface and knead just until dough forms smooth ball.

Make a round approximately 1/2" thick, then cut into 8 pieces.
Brush pieces w/ water (or egg) and gently sprinkle w/ sugar.
Place scones on pan and bake for about 13 1/2 minutes until lightly golden.

Eat immediately. If there are any remaining a day later, reheating in a toaster oven works best.

As for the tinkering, I suggest dried cherries, apricots, or a diced apple are all good substitutes for raisins. Maybe a little cinnamon or nutmeg or cloves. Chocolate chips, chopped almonds or walnuts. Endless options, really...

Sweet Potatoes with Cranberries

2009-11-21T11:12:00.003-06:00

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES W/ CRANBERRIES

Preheat oven to 400°.
Prepare:
5-6 Fist-sized sweet potatoes, cut into large chunks
½ - ¾ c. chopped red onion

Spread vegetables on large baking pan (big enough so the vegetables aren't piled up)
Drizzle about ½ c. oil over the vegetables. (I used peanut oil)
Sprinkle, to taste, with salt & pepper.
Roast veggies until lightly browned/blackened, stirring about every 15 minutes.

When sweet potatoes are done, add 1 – 1 ½ c. fresh cranberries to pan and return to oven for about 5 minutes. Long enough to let some of the berries burst, but without burning the sweet potatoes or cranberries. Remove pan from oven and finish glaze, if you're not already done with it.

While roasting sweet potatoes, prepare applesauce glaze.

In small sauce pan, combine:
1 c. applesauce
1 c. apple juice or cider
½ c. brown sugar
3 T. flour
¼ t. ground cloves
¼ – ½ t. ground cinnamon

Heat on medium-high, stirring continuously, until glaze is thickened.
Removed from heat and save.
When sweet potatoes are finished, place them in a serving dish.
Stir glaze over sweet potatoes and serve warm.

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T15:37:00.001-06:00

Friendly dragon and a brave knight

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

2009-10-04T15:15:00.008-05:00

My mom has been making this cake for nearly her whole life. And I believe my grandma was making it before then. Needless to say, it's a family favorite and when we're together it rarely stays in the pan more than 2 days. Even when we're not all together! Call us weird, but we like to have a piece in a bowl with milk. Personally, I only do that with this cake. Why? Good question. Habit? Genetics? Of course, in the interest of graciousness, I will still eat it if there is no milk available. Vanilla ice cream is always a good substitute.

Lest I bore you further...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
(if you're not using a metal pan, reduce 25 degrees)
My experience is to bake 30 minutes in metal pan, 40 in glass.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan

Combine in mixing bowl:
2 c. flour
2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. cocoa powder
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Combine the wet ingredients:
1 c. sour cream (light sour cream works too)
2 eggs
2 t. vanilla

Measure and reserve:
1 c. hot water

Make a "well" in the dry ingredients then add wet ingredients and the hot water. Mix with an electric hand mixer just until completely blended. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, depending on pan. Spread on the frosting when the cake is completely cooled. Serve, devour, and try to share.

I've also made this cake in two 8" round pans. You'll have to adjust the baking times accordingly.

Icing/Frosting for whole cake: (or buy ready made)
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar (sift out any lumps)
1/4 c. cocoa powder
3 T. butter, very soft, almost melted
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. milk

Combine the first 4 ingredients, then pour in some of the milk and continue stirring the icing. If needed, add more milk, but just enough to keep the icing firm, but still spreadable.

Spaghetti Squash Recipe

2009-10-03T19:58:00.003-05:00

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
from Vegetables by James Peterson, p. 197
Makes 6 side-dish servings

1 2 1/2 lb. spaghetti squash
9 fresh sage leaves
1 garlic clove, minced/crushed
2 1/2 c. grated Swiss gruyere cheese (about 8 ounces)
3/4 c. heavy cream
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Cut the squash lengthwise and place halves, flesh side down, in a baking dish with enough hot water to come 1/4" up the sides of the squash. The water prevents burning and helps steam the squash so it cooks more evenly. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the squash is soft when poked with a knife - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Spoon out and discard the seeds. Scrape along pulp with a fork and pull out and reserve the shreds. Leave the oven on at this point unless you're baking the squash in advance.)

With butter, rub the bottom of a medium (8 cup or slightly larger) gratin or baking dish.

Finely chop 6 of the sage leaves and toss the "spaghetti" with the chopped sage, garlic, 2 cups of the cheese, the heavy cream, and salt to taste. Spread this mixture in the bottom of the dish -- the squash layer should be about 1 inch thick -- and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Arrange the remaining 3 sage leaves on top of the gratin. Bake approximately 45 minutes. If the top of the gratin doesn't turn golden brown in the oven, slide it under the broiler for about 1 minute to brown it. Remove from oven, grind fresh pepper over it and serve immediately.

I've adapted the above recipe in a few ways. Since gruyere is, here at least, nearly $16/pound, I've been known - or maybe unknown - to substitute asiago for half the gruyere. Sometimes I've even completely replaced the gruyere with half asiago and half romano. Do what you like. Also, being that I like garlic - as do most of my friends - I use at least 2 cloves, depending on their size.

Bon appetit!

Bike Train

2009-09-13T19:13:00.008-05:00

I'd been considering it for a while and today I hooked everything together for the first time. I'd been hesitant to try it, but then saw the same setup used quite successfully by a Roosevelt parent. So this afternoon we set out for the first bike ride in a long while. An hour and a half later we arrived home - about 4 miles in all. Not very far, but a good trial run for the train. Looks like we'll need to get a least one new tire and a possibly a few tubes. That, or bring the pump along. Joe was a champion pedaler which made my job a little easier. My tire has a slow leak, but when I'm pulling an extra hundred pounds (and that's just the boys) it makes a difference to have fully inflated tires!

Pizza Night

2009-09-05T22:53:00.004-05:00

Enjoyed dinner with friends this evening. Bob fired up the brick oven to about 1000 degrees and we had home-made pizza, roasted veggies, fresh bread, and chocolate chip cookie bars. The pizza was done in about 5 minutes and this was a first for cookies in the oven, but it's hard to go wrong with chocolate chip cookies. Elaine made a platter of garden vegetables with feta cheese. Perfect. Joe even helped get the coals in place inside the oven. (don't tell mom!)

A new addition

2009-09-03T17:20:00.008-05:00

This week my typewriter collection entered the late 20th century with the addition of an IBM Correcting Selectric III (thanks Chris & Marci).

With the IBM, I now have 10 in all and only 3 are electric. This "hobby" is one of no effort as the typewriters just seem to find me - and I only remember the origins of 5 of them. The oldest is, dare I say, the original laptop. A gift from my father-in-law, it's a folding Corona with a wood & leather case. It was made in Groton, NY and has a recent patent date of February 8, 1910.

Camping Fun

2009-07-18T08:45:00.002-05:00

Homemade Granola

2009-06-12T21:53:00.015-05:00

Ten years ago when I worked at a cafe, I made a very similar recipe. Mine adds ground flax and omits the chopped, dried apricots. Add/delete as you wish. I use parchment paper on the baking pan, but I suppose it would work to bake on a greased pan. It may seem expensive, but one bowl of this keeps me full till lunchtime.
Enjoy.

Mix together:
4 1/3 c. Rolled Oats
1/2 c. Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 c. Sunflower Seeds
1/2 c. Shredded Coconut, Unsweetened
1 1/4 c. Wheat Germ, Toasted
1 c. Sliced Almonds, Toasted
3/8 c Ground Flax Seed
3/4 t. Ground Cinnamon

In different bowl, combine:
5/8 c. Honey
5/8 c. Oil
1/2 t. vanilla

Warm liquids until honey and oil are no longer separated.
This takes 10-15 seconds in the microwave.

Add wet to dry and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Evenly spread granola onto parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake at 325 F for 30-35 minutes stirring every 7-10 minutes
Granola is done when it is golden brown.
Let cool completely on pan then store in air-tight container.
Makes about 12 cups.

Macaroni & Cheese

2009-06-06T15:16:00.004-05:00

Here's a recipe for some good mac & cheese. The recipe makes enough for 4-6 adults so adjust as needed.

From scratch and all in one pot.

Boil until done, but don't drain any water:

16 oz. Elbow macaroni

4.5 c. water

1 1/4 t. salt

Measure and prepare:

4 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

1 oz. parmesan or romano cheese, finely grated

4 oz. cream cheese (neufchatel works), softened & in small pieces

When pasta is done, stirring constantly, slowly add the cheeses.

Choose and add a quantity/mixture/choice of cooked meat and or cooked vegetable.

Suggestions:

Diced, baked chicken breast

Ground Beef

Bacon

Hot dogs/sausage

Broccoli

Corn

Peas

Cauliflower

Salsa

Diced canned or fresh tomatoes

Summer begins....

2009-05-31T18:56:00.002-05:00

End of school picnic in the park

And a little fun before bathtime.
Trucks & dirt, a nice chair & book. What more do we need?

Elementary School Field Day

2009-05-12T22:11:00.004-05:00

What I do while Isaac's napping

2009-05-12T18:18:00.006-05:00

With some friendly encouragement from the city, I get to replace the cracked part of our sidewalk. Note the nice tree roots in the foreground. About 10 years overdue, this should be completed in the coming weeks. A good thing really, since a few weeks ago Joe fell off his scooter while trying to manage the cracks and other hazards.

Baby Birds Growing Up

2009-05-09T11:47:00.002-05:00

Joe's Quilt

2009-04-10T09:59:00.002-05:00

Bird on a(n electrical) wire

2009-04-03T07:48:00.005-06:00

Spring visitors have returned. Hope it's not too disruptive being right next to the back door.

Spring Break Camp-out

2009-03-17T07:44:00.004-06:00

The first camp of the year. We all had fun trying out our new tent and the boys' new bags.

Even Lucy slept in the tent with us and she was amazingly quiet all night. The only noise was from the freight trains and the neighbors arriving home from Aggieville.

More seeds to plant

2009-03-09T09:33:00.006-06:00

Started more seeds - petunias, statice, monarda, among others - and discovered that a petunia seed is about half the size of a pin head so I hope they germinate.

Meanwhile the peppers, tomatoes, are doing just fine.

So are the broccoli and cabbage.

Still need to work on the garden outside - relocating the compost bins and planting spinach and potatoes.

Backyard Visitor

2009-02-28T11:55:00.002-06:00

Rhonna noticed our guest this morning. It flew into the pine tree when I went out to get a picture so I didn't get a very good shot. A hawk, I think.

Walk on the Konza

2009-02-21T17:16:00.003-06:00

Yesterday we took the boys out for their first walk on the Konza. A beautiful 65 degree afternoon with just enough time for a short trek. On the drive out there, a flock (?) of turkeys flew over our van and was quite a site. Then at the start of the trail I was able to identify a turkey footprint and the boys soon had fun hunting for more. Later, we heard an owl "hoo-hoot" in the woods. About a half a mile in and Joe decided he'd had enough. Fortunately, before turning around, we stopped long enough to hear and see a woodpecker.

This is the first of many seasonal trips we plan to make because with 4 seasons and walking the trail in both directions, we have at least 8 chances to see something new. We only walked a half mile of the two mile loop so the possibilities are really many more.

The Garden Begins

2009-02-14T21:24:00.006-06:00

Started seeds last night - Packman Broccoli, Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage, California Wonder Sweet Pepper, and Early Jalepeno. Using my handy garden planner (bottom center, in white) I can keep track of what I'm doing instead of trying to remember it all.

Pulled out my seedling trays that haven't seen any action in several years. The pots will be for some flowers and herbs.

Ready for sprouting. Once I locate the timer for the lights the seeds will have a regular day and night. I won't have room for all the plants, but I can always give some away.
Next in line - tomatoes, flowers, herbs, lettuce, and the mystery plant: strawberry spinach.

Now to begin working on expanding the garden, renovating the compost bins, cleaning up last year's plants, etc...

Time to start planning...

2009-01-26T15:11:00.007-06:00

Seeds arrived last Saturday and the potatoes will follow soon.

I found a free garden planner to help keep me organized.

Now I need to clean up the growing table, buy new lights & potting soil and wait for the right time to plant.

Seeds on the way....

2009-01-16T11:55:00.002-06:00

For the first time in several years, I've actually ordered seeds in time to have some plants ready for spring.  They should arrive next week and I can begin planting!  I'm not sure where all of these will go, but I'll find room somewhere.  Since half the backyard is still mud from the sewer project this is a good time to rearrange the gardens.

For the first time, I'm giving up on Brandywine tomatoes and am trying Prudens Purple instead.  Brandywines crack so easily it's hard to get them picked at the right time.

With all this seed I may have some extra seedlings so if you're in the area and are interested just let me know which plant(s) you might want to try.


Vegetables
Strawberry Spinach
Easter Egg Radish
Carola Potatoes
Super Sugar Snap Pea
Chioggia Beet
Stowells Evergreen Corn
Packman Broccoli
Early Jersey Wakefield Cabbage

Lettuce
Oakleaf 
Red Sails 
Black-Seeded Simpson

Herbs
Chervil
Bush Basil
Arugula

Peppers
California Wonder 
Early Jalapeno 

Tomatoes
Yellow Currant 
Prudens Purple 

Perennial Flowers
Panorama Mix Monarda
Lizzy Mixture Eustoma

Annual Flowers
Sea Shell Mix Cosmos
Cactus Flower Mix Zinnia
Bella Apricot Shades Flowering Maple (Abutilon)
Red & Rose Pirouette Petunia
Statice Mixture
Zebrina Malba

Sunflowers
Sole D'Oro
Jolly Joker
Moulin Rouge

No-Knead Bread

2009-01-11T16:55:00.004-06:00

Tried making it with 1/3 white flour and 1/8 c. more water.

All went well until turning the dough into the baking dish.

Not enough flour on the towel and the dough stuck.

The dough had nearly deflated by the time I managed to get it off the towel.

Not a bad result, though.

Next time, a little more flour on the towel and a little less baking time.

A Very Hargett Christmas

2009-01-07T21:49:00.002-06:00

Joe's Letter to Santa

2008-12-20T21:03:00.002-06:00

Joe: Dad, we need to write a letter to Santa. I don't want that big guy around. I just want the elves to come.

Dear Santa,
I know... a lot of people ... like you, but some people don't. I'm one of those people. We pray that ... you will go to the houses of people who like you and... stay away from those who don't. Amen.

That's a lot of words.

Where have we been?

2008-12-07T21:39:00.002-06:00

I know it's been over a month. I will tell our story and welcome suggestions for improving the situation. Kirk has been dealing with the sewer. We had to put an entirely new line in. This involved many obstacles that required many phone calls. Now it is all done, including a move of our washer and dryer up into our kitchen, and maybe Kirk will be back blogging soon.

I have been sick since before the last post. Never anything serious, but just there, underlying all that I do. The last two weeks especially have been a struggle between not being able to sleep at night because I'm tense about the 15 page paper that is due and not concentrating well during the day because I'm tired and sick. I now officially have a sinus infection and I'm on my second round of antibiotics.

That paper is due tomorrow at midnight. I have an outline, a bibliograpy, and six pages of text written. The task ahead seems impossible, but I also live for the fact that I only have to make it through 14 more hours before I can collapse on my bed and sleep peacefully (for a few hours before the boys jump up on the bed.) In the midst of my stress/sick conundrum, I have tried to think about how to prevent this from happening every semester.

I'll admit that this was partially to blame on my election anxiety which was relieved with regular watching of Rachel Maddow, the Daily Show, and the Colbert Report. This will not happen again while I am still in grad school, so that should help. I was also thinking about doing yoga. I don't have time for a class, but I thought if I worked with a DVD for 20 minutes 3-4 times a week, it couldn't hurt. I would have to get up slightly earlier to do this, but I think it might be worth it in terms of relieving stress and just generally feeling better.

I'm also going to try switching my post-lunch diet soda to black or green tea. I'll still get my caffiene hit, but with the added benefit of anti-oxidants and no fake sugar.

Any other suggestions for surviving times of stress? I'm all ears!

Our Little Tricksters

2008-11-01T09:43:00.000-06:00

Isaac's First Song

2008-10-24T08:15:00.002-05:00

I'm not Joe

2008-10-22T19:40:00.004-05:00

but I can pretend to be a plumber if I try. I spent the better part of Monday digging around the sewer line in preparation for the real plumber to fix the deteriorated 60 year-old ceramic pipes. I took the pictures while standing on the sidewalk (now bridge). All was going well until we discovered that the city's records don't seem to match with the reality of the backyard. Notice the not-90-degree angle of the pipe in the top picture. It appears to head for our neighbors backyard. Suspicion has it that our line might be connected to the neighbors - after all our houses alike and we share a garage that straddles the property line!

Continuing in the backyard & driveway, after a few hours digging and three large holes later, we decided to quit the excavation and wait until the public works department can come. With their wonderful expertise, they send the mini-cam into the main sewer line. I flush some fluorescent dye, or some such thing, down the toilet while the camera waits in the sludge pipe and then lets the workers know where our line meets the main line in the alley. Hopefully, it is then just a straight line from the that point to where it enters the house. Oh the suspense....

Why I am voting for Barack Obama

2008-10-20T09:32:00.006-05:00

I know there are some among my readers that just can not understand why I would vote for THAT ONE, so I'm going to tell you.

Foreign Relations - Barack Obama will reestablish our positive relations throughout the world. Positive diplomacy is necessary for preventing conflict and having support when conflict is necessary.

Iraq & Afghanistan - Obama knew from the beginning that we had no business invading Iraq. He has agreed that we will have to have some troop presence there for a long time, but that we need to end the occupation. It is immoral for us to be in Iraq. There were no WMDs and there was no connection between Sadam Hussein and Al Queda. Bush's pet war has killed thousands of U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens.

Abortion - Obama is not pro-abortion and neither am I. I think abortion is horrible. But I am the child of a man who had funerals for girls who died in botched illegal abortions and I think that will always affect me. Studies show that abortion rates are about the same whether abortion is legal or illegal, the difference is in the amount of young women who die because of the abortions. I would like for us to focus on reducing the numbers, which is exactly what Obama said in his acceptance speech. Cutting funds for homes for unwed mothers is not the way to do that.

Sarah Palin - Are you people serious? Sarah Palin would make a fine VP, as long as we could guarantee that McCain would stay alive for the next 4 years. But she is not in any way ready for the presidency. She has proven in her interviews that she has no clue about what is going on in the world or in the economy, for that matter. She's not dumb, but she can't even name a newspaper that she reads regularly. Now, let's talk about her ethics. The report from Alaska makes it clear that she used her position in an unethical manner. She also goes on and on about ending the earmarks, but she lobbied for that "bridge to nowhere" money and accepted it when it came.

The economy - It was clear that McCain had no idea what to do during the crisis. He blundered around looking lost. Meanwhile, Obama knew what had happened and how it happened. He was the calm in the storm. He has some ideas for how to fix the problem, including ideas for stimulating the economy and providing more regulation that will keep this from happening again. I know republicans hate that word, regulation, but this mess makes it clear that there have to be some checks and balances on our capitalistic system or businesses run amok.

I could go on, but the main point is that Barack Obama is a good man. He's intelligent and has common sense. He's looked at the issues closely in the senate and is ready to lead. The republicans have led us so far astray in the last 8 years that it will be difficult for anyone to lead us back, but I think Obama is the man to do it. McCain may change a few things, but he has shown that he believes George Bush's policies to be sound. The policies that led us to two wars, the largest financial crisis of the century, and numerous violations of personal freedoms. Let's get someone in office who respects the constitution, who is willing to listen as well as talk, and who believes that our weapons are the last resort after all efforts have been made in diplomacy.

Most importantly, I would hope that you would all join me in hopes for a fair and safe election.

Where the Buffalo (I mean Bison) Roam

2008-09-27T21:39:00.006-05:00

We went to the open house at Konza Prairie this morning. It is always delightful out there, but today the weather was beautiful and we were with good people, so it was even better. The only negative was that we didn't have time to do all the great things offered. We went on a hayrack ride where a biologist told us about all the cool research they're doing out there. Next time we want to do more of the crafts and activities. Joe did get to catch grasshoppers in a net, which he greatly enjoyed, as well as play with the trucks they use to put out fires during burnings.

Tom Friedman, Mary Poppins, Wall Street and Your World Today

2008-09-17T13:35:00.004-05:00

The first video I discovered here. The second was an unintentional find.

For your viewing pleasure:

The People Speak

2008-09-15T12:55:00.002-05:00

See the photos and video from the "Alaska Women Reject Palin" rally. Great stuff!

Voting is Fun!!!

2008-09-15T09:21:00.002-05:00

I would hope that everyone I know is registered to vote. If not, go to Rock the Vote and, easy breezy, you're ready to raise your voice on election day.

Rainy Day Fun

2008-09-13T10:49:00.002-05:00

You can say you knew him before he was famous

2008-09-12T19:21:00.003-05:00

School

2008-09-06T20:01:00.004-05:00

Two weeks into the school year and Joe loves it. He even, voluntarily, creates his own homework. He's really taken a liking to learning letters, words, & spelling. During the day Isaac and I putter about the house or go to appointments or run errands.

One thing about school I'm having trouble understanding is the food service. I can understand offering pancakes for breakfast or lunch, but when did a funnel cake become breakfast fare? The district implemented a "wellness policy" a few years back - I guess the food options were even scarier before! Now I'm all for healthy food and sweets in moderation, but I was at a loss when I tried to describe "chicken corn dog" and "chicken O's" to Joe - I at least knew what a corn dog is. Why not just have a baked chicken breast? I just have to remember that our family is the one that would skew the data and that for many kids the food offered at school is better, and maybe more, than what is offered in the home.

An exciting development is that Joe's school is one of several in the district that is part of grant to provide and staff a greenhouse for the students. I need to check into the options for parents interested in assisting with the project.

Train Ride

2008-09-01T14:49:00.003-05:00

Went to Abilene last Saturday for a birthday train ride. Fun was had by all. Word is, next year the renovated steam engine will be ready!

Isaac is 2!

2008-08-30T20:36:00.000-05:00

School Lunches & WIC

2008-08-24T20:35:00.004-05:00

Now is time to fight for better school food

“If you are what you eat, then I’m fast, cheap and easy.” When Alice Waters, of Chez Panisse fame, saw that line on a bumper sticker, she wondered, “Is this really what we want the destiny of our nation to be?”

Click here to read the full article, or click here to comment on the re-authorization of the Child Nutrition Programs and WIC. This includes the National School Lunch Programs.

Hangin' Out

2008-08-23T19:33:00.004-05:00

Every evening this spider builds a web - finishing about 9 o'clock. Then around 6 am, completely dismantles it and goes.....somewhere?? Only to return again that evening and start all over.

I don't recall the name of this spider, but I've seen this kind on tomato plants before.

Catching up

2008-08-19T14:38:00.007-05:00

August has been busy and haven't had much time until now. Rhonna went to Denver for a 3-day library conference then just after a couple days off to recover she worked the next weekend. A few more days at work and she left last Friday morning for the University of Alabama to attend grad-school orientation. With Rhonna gone and Joe in school all day, things have been pretty quiet around here. Rhonna comes home tonight and we are all looking forward to staying home for a while.

The remodeling is done and the house is ours again except we are now in the middle of having a new roof put on due to the June hailstorm. Next up is major work on the sewer line.

The math is quite easy:

add together:
One 90 year old house + 2 sewer clean-outs in past year
= we get to spend lots of money

All that's left after that is the water main! Yea!!!

Hopefully it can wait at least few years from now!

Now for pictures:

At the county fair

Playing with mom's birthday present from the boys

5 Years Old!

First day of Kindergarten!

This lawn is your lawn

2008-08-05T17:17:00.003-05:00

Much better than the advice from 7 years ago to just keep on shopping. Just watch the video.

Day out in K.C.

2008-07-29T07:25:00.005-05:00

We needed a day off before beginning the rush of August so we dropped of the boys with their aunt and uncle and headed out to Kansas City. We did some classic K.C. activities: we wallked the Plaza (ho-hum), and went to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which is great if you haven't watched the Ken Burns Baseball series he did for PBS. The true highlights of the day were Andre's and Architectural Salvage. Andre's is a Swiss restaurant south of the Plaza. It has a cozy atmosphere with a touch of class. The cost of your meal includes dessert, as our waitress said, "We force you to eat sweets." You've already paid for it, it would be a shame to let those luscious desserts go to waste. We had paprika pork with penne pasta for our main course and it was delightful. You must go to Andre's the next time you're in town.

Architectural Salvage is a huge warehouse of items saved from old houses: everything from chandelier crystals to doors and mantels. It was just fun to walk around and see all the beauty and quirkiness.

It was a good day out and we are now ready to face the challenges ahead (I think). We did decide that we need more little days out. There are nice museums here in town that we've never been to and that's just pathetic. We'll keep you updated.

Birthday Time

2008-07-25T15:38:00.003-05:00

Joe was very excited to give mom her present this year. Maybe even more excited than last year when he gave her a Bob the Builder playdoh set. Below they are playing with the fire-rescue-helicopter set. Who knows what she'll get next year!

Summertime Fun

2008-07-19T17:38:00.002-05:00

Budding Gardener

2008-07-17T21:08:00.006-05:00

We picked and ate the first harvest from Joe's first garden. Green beans and summer squash pan-steamed/sauteed in butter and garlic. A great side dish (and cold snack if there are leftovers).

There are more beans to pick and soon we will be eating fresh tomatoes!!!

Family Time in the Mountains

2008-07-10T22:20:00.017-05:00

We just returned from an amazing time at Kirk's family reunion at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado. Family came in from California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, and Florida. It was good to get to know his family better.

I was amazed to discover that, even upon closer inspection, Kirk has a family of really nice people. Some highlights for me:

Uncle Harold reminiscing about camping when they were kids. Orva brought Grandma's scrapbooks from the trips.
Aunt Elaine blowing bubbles, surrounded by happy children.
Boys spending hours playing in the dirt with trucks and tractors.
Eating Alaskan Halibut caught and prepared by Andy.
Hearing Nora and Uncle Merl's story of tipping their canoe!
Enjoying the beautiful Colorado scenery. The air smelled of pine and I swear I heard a Mountain Lion one night.

The only unfortunate things about our trip were that not everyone was able to come, the really cold nights, and the dead and dying trees. Apparently the area has been ravaged by the Pine Beetle, so parts of the campground were really barren. The mountainsides were covered with brown trees. But, all things considered, it was a good trip.

Homework: Almost Done

2008-07-04T19:13:00.007-05:00

Here are the (almost) final before and after pictures.

Everything is done except for a few touch-up items and the gutters! Those are on order and should be done next week. We are thrilled with our cute little back porch and the lovely crisp paint. Kirk will probably paint the trim bit by bit over time. I think we'll go back to the navy blue, although we've also tossed around orange (rust?). Any opinions? Overall, we are very pleased with what they've done with our cute little house. Now if we could only make the inside look that good! We're also enthused about finally having central air. No more loud, cold air blasting on us while we eat. No more nasty dirty window that we can't clean without hiring a crew to come over to help us move the AC. If you know anyone that needs a huge window unit that works quite well, let us know. We would be thrilled to get rid of it!

Homework: End of Week 3

2008-06-27T21:05:00.009-05:00

Well... it looks like we'll also have a new roof thanks to the 2 hail storms earlier this month. Not only that, but we found out that it's best not to have a window a/c unit sitting in our new windows. It could be done, but the windows aren't made for a/c and it will void the warranty on the window. So maybe as soon as a week from now we'll have central air. What next? (what's left!? dare I ask?)

As for the "original" project, about all that's left is to finish the back porch, some electrical work (note the wires below), and install the gutters. All but the gutters should be finished next week.

Funnies

2008-06-25T14:25:00.006-05:00

First the duck jokes (courtesy of Tom Morton and his fans):

When do ducks wake up? At the quack of dawn.

(adapted for American audiences)
A duck walks in the pharmacy and asks what they have for chapped lips. He's given the best they offer and told it'll be $4.50. To which the duck replies "just put it on my bill".

Listen again for the next seven days for more duck jokes and good music.

Now for the video (thanks, Craig, for the lead):

Lamppost in Time

2008-06-25T09:14:00.006-05:00

The title picture shows the lamp in the sideyard and on top of the lamp is this commemorative decoration.

Progress

2008-06-19T19:40:00.008-05:00

Big strides were made today. Our back porch is gone. It only took them about 45 minutes to rip it off. They've also scraped and primed the north and west sides of the house. It already looks much better! While digging up the porch, they found an old Pabst Blue Ribbon can, old enough that it didn't have a pull tab. How far back did you have to use a tool to open a can of beer?

Before:
After:

Cooking Videos

2008-06-18T07:32:00.002-05:00

The mini-minimalist makes chocolate ganache....

To see the original

Homework: Week 2

2008-06-17T14:19:00.004-05:00

No gutters, new doors and windows, scraped paint, and a deconstructed porch.

Camp Mahoney

2008-06-17T13:52:00.005-05:00

In-between storms (see post below), we returned Saturday night from the Williams family campout at Mahoney State Park in Nebraska. The plan was to stay until Sunday morning, but with thunderstorms in the forecast we decided to head home early. Packing in the rain and unpacking wet tents & luggage was not appealing. With three "siren calls" in a week we'd had enough. There weren't any tornadoes Sunday morning, but there was a lot of rain so it was a good call to pack up early.

Cool nights, warm days, and lots of sun - perfect.

Life is good...

Got it!

Gimme s'more!

Storm Info

2008-06-16T09:59:00.002-05:00

K-State has a great site on tornado information.

Yet Another Storm

2008-06-12T09:30:00.002-05:00

Third severe storm in a week so I just wanted to let everyone know that we're fine. A tornado did go through Manhattan last night and it was quite terrifying. Our house & neighborhood just had a lot of heavy rain. Around town there are about 30 houses and some businesses destroyed and KSU has a lot of damage. The best source for news is KMAN. We've been staying at my parents' house because of the work being done on ours and they don't have a basement. We spent about an hour with the boys asleep in the bathtub and us hovering over them, all of us under a crib mattress. I think I can safely say that it was the most terrifying hour I've ever experienced and I will never live in a house without a basement!

After the storm passed we got a pic of the boys sleeping in the tub, but we don't have the equipment to put it online so we'll post it later along with links to news pics. Apparently some people were more desperate than us to see the action. In the follow up news on KMAN after the storm, the repeated theme was "GO HOME!!!!". The emergency vehicles were having a hard time getting through because of everybody who came out to look at the damage. And there was some looting. I'm so proud of my fellow citizens.

Thinking about food

2008-06-11T09:37:00.003-05:00

Here are two good articles from the NYTimes about putting food on your plate. Definitely planning on expanding the garden in a few months.

Gardening

Cooking

I'm so lucky

2008-06-10T22:53:00.005-05:00

So last week Rhonna calls me to ask whether I'd be interested in a 21 videocassettes of Monty Python's Flying Circus. I hesitated for maybe 3 seconds. If you look closely you can see them above the computer (behind Joe's hanging arwork) in the picture in the post below. Something to watch when I have a few moments to myself! (When?)

Homework update

2008-06-10T22:33:00.004-05:00

Day 0 became day -8. One very bad hail storm last Monday morning - we were lucky with hail only slightly larger than golf balls. Sounded like we were surrounded by people using our house as practice for kickboxing. Two or three inches of rain that day. Then last Thursday night I had supper in the basement while we waited out more hail and funnel clouds. Rhonna enjoyed the time at the library basement since the sirens sounded 15 minutes before her shift ended. About three inches of rain in an hour and we couldn't see our street nor the curbs when it was all over. Needless to say the contractor for our house is well behind with his other projects and he hadn't even started with ours.

Rhonna and I spent Monday night (not the whole night, just until midnight) creating easy access to all the windows.

This much work and we're not even moving, although it feels like it. So today we now have a new front door and a few new windows with the remainder to be completed by week's end. The fun begins....

Homework: Day 0

2008-06-01T20:23:00.018-05:00

Starting with some pre-(re)construction photos. Imagine new windows, gutters, back porch and fresh paint. When finished, the house will look like the photo of the front porch. Until then, flowers can help only so much to distract the eye from the horrid gutters and sagging porches. The screened back porch will be replaced with an open and, if the roof is salvageable, covered porch.

(now if only I can I fit the word "porch" into the first sentence....)

What's blooming now

2008-06-01T20:11:00.005-05:00

I think I actually purchased the painted daisy (top right) and possibly the coreopsis (top left), but the evening primrose (bottom) was acquired through a plant exchange and I now have enough of it to give away if anyone's interested.