MrsB Goes Walk-About!

It's been a while since we did an update on MrsB's recovery from a broken hip back in May 2010. Since then she's been making excellent progress. She has resumed many of her regular activities although marathon running isn't on the list at the moment.

Here's a recent video of her going walk-about near her home and sending hi-fives to all!

The Recipe Box: Angel Macaroons

Angel Macaroons

From the recipe box of Esther
Original recipe by Betty Crocker

This recipe makes both regular and chocolate macaroons.

1 box Betty Crocker’s white angel food cake mix
½ cup water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 package (7 oz) flaked coconut (2 cups)
1 tablespoon unsweetened baking cocoa
4 teaspoon butter or margarine
4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
4 teaspoons water
⅔ cup powdered sugar


Macaroon Cookies

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cover cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
3. In large (4 quart) glass or metal bowl, beat cake mix, ½ cup water and the almond extract with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds.
4. On medium speed, beat one minute, scraping bowl occasionally.
5. Fold in coconut.
6. Drop half the mixture by teaspoonfuls about 4 inched apart onto the lined cookie sheets.
7. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or till light golden brown around edges.
8. Cool macaroons completely before removing from parchment paper.
9. Meanwhile, stir 1 tablespoon cocoa into remaining mixture.
10. Bake and cool the chocolate macaroons. (repeat as above)

Cookie Glaze

1. In quart sauce pan, heat butter, 4 teaspoons cocoa and 4 teaspoons of water over low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted.
2. Stir in powdered sugar.
3. Drizzle small amounts of glaze over each cookie.

Angel Macaroons

Tribal Travels, Musings, and Jawbone Canyon Chapter 1 by R. Cane

My sister and I grew up in California, but we traveled extensively back and forth to Arizona. Many, many trips back and forth forged our travel itinerary as teens. Palo Alto to Tucson … back again … LA to SF and back, or vice-verse. We did a lot of traveling.

Growing up, I was endlessly fascinated by, and enjoyed listening to, my nomadic family discuss travel. It held my interest to listen to various uncles, friends, shirt-tail kin, parents and grandparents outline a travel trip by rattling off series of highway numbers that - to my young ears - were like secret codes... this was an adult thing I had better pay attention to, and learn, so I would be able to make my own suggestions for trekking and travels when my time came. I can recall pouring over road maps to find these exotic highways and byways, all the better to learn the roads and best ways to get around this beautiful country. I simply loved and embraced travel!

In our tribe, if anyone was planning a trip, it was not uncommon for intense discussions to erupt about the latest and best - or better- routes, hazards to watch for, construction to be mindful of and such, not to mention which combinations of highways were best in various weather conditions, and which were most dangerous.

I would be in awe of the dueling equations … one uncle would swear by one route … another by another, and the folks had their own sets of road combinations to get places they preferred . These were always slung together by a string of all the various connecting highway numbers needed to make time and get from point A to B. Everyone had a dog in the fight and would suggest their 'best' routes and mildly chastise others for their woeful lack of understanding why their series of roads would be better.

This competition was a high art form in our tribe!

[Editor's note: This story was written by R. Cane and is the first in a series of 10 stories.]



Route 66



Star Light

Star Light

Twinkling in the starry night
Granting wishes with your light
Sleeping by day, Shining by night
So all can glory at the sight.

Beaming joy to those below
Who gaze the splendor of the show
Silent colors of music glow
And magic spells en-rapt the soul

Marion Bigelow September 15, 2011

The Recipe Box: Poached Pears à la Chef P

Poached Pears à la Chef P

from the recipe box of A. Nonymous

As I have mentioned previously, my good friend and Executive Chef - 'Chef P' - often brings me wonderful goodies and so called 'leftovers' from his fancy gala events - and thus I get to delight in marvelous 5 star cooking that I would usually never experience!

One of my all time favorites is a side dish - almost a dessert - that he makes frequently for these events. I swear they are just about the tastiest food experience you can have. I am smitten with these morsels of culinary delight... so how ever did I discover these gems of flavor you ask?

Some time ago, Chef P brought me a huge pan of 'leftover' roasted duck, with special exotic veggies, and really the most sensational garlic-turnip mashed potatoes ever. Also in the pan however - were several small- almost tiny and purplish items - that I initially mistook for small beets. They were about the size of small limes, but I wasn't sure what they were.

I am terribly allergic to beets, so I called Chef to asked about them, and to my pleasant surprise he laughed and told me they were 'Poached Pears'. I had never heard of Poached Pears before. This was new culinary territory, but since they were safe to try, I dug right in. WOW !!

They were really flavorful, rich with that classic 'pear' flavor naturally, but infused with complex 'other' flavors. I was smitten with the delightful yet mysterious flavors, and even the lovely color. I puzzled over what the ingredients might be, but finally I called him, and just had to learn how he prepared and cooked them because they were over the moon DELICIOUS. Chef P has always been very generous with cooking info, so of course he gladly shared the following recipe, which is exactly as I it got from him.

If you make these Poached Pears exactly like this, I promise you are definitely in for a real taste treat!!!

Poached Pears à la Chef P

1. " In a sauce pan, fill approximately 1/3 of the way with red wine. Add sugar until the tartness of the wine is almost gone, then add water to achieve 1/2 on the pan.

2. Then add: Star Anise, Cinnamon Stick, Whole Clove, and a Bay leaf.

3. Brew for 20 min.

4. While brewing, peel and seed the small pears from the flower end - using a melon baller.

5. Be sure the pears will submerge fully, and poach until tender, using the tip of a paring knife.

6. Chill pan over ice - while pears are still in the cooking liquid."

7. Serve chilled.

Warning! -- Be prepared for a flavor explosion, and many compliments from your guests!

On another occasion, Chef brought some that had been cooked in Champagne... which were especially delicate in flavor and had a lovely hint of the sweet Champagne flavor throughout - Really really tasty!

The recipe is really simple, so I decided to try and make some myself for the holidays, with great success . To keep alcohol to a minimum, I substituted a bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider for Champagne, and used a lesser amount of the red wine [which gives the lovely color]. This was a very very nice version also. I don't think you can go wrong making these any way you go. A wonderful treat for a fancy dinner, or just delicious snack-dessert for anytime.

For a wonderful change of pace, try making or experimenting with Poached Pears yourself, and tell us what you think. You only risk having a new favorite !? Enjoy!!

Poached Pears à la Chef P

A Wee Bit Tipsy by KimB

My immediate family are teetotalers or just about. Alcohol was not often on the menu or not consumed in large amounts. Of course other members of the family drank various alcoholic beverages and we have our share of causal and heavy drinkers like any other family, but for the most part, alcohol was not a common item in our house.

On special occasions, Mom would buy a bottle of Cold Duck and everyone would get a “splash” in a glass. When I say “splash”, I mean, just enough to wet the bottom of the glass. First, the bottle had to serve everyone who was in attendance, and second, no one was supposed to get drunk.

Now, my Grandfather being from the south, did like a bit of “southern comfort” from time to time but Grandmother rarely touched anything stronger than milk. That being said, she did have a fondness for champagne and if champagne was mentioned, Grandmother was sure to put out her glass for a taste.

At one family dinner hosted by my mother, she forgot to get the Cold Duck. It was the last minute and there was no way to get any, as the guests, including Grandmother and Grandfather, were arriving. It was “What to do, Percy?”

Mom had a brilliant idea! There was ample 7-Up in the fridge and she would pour the 7-Up and tell Grandmother and the others that it was champagne. The kitchen was completely separate from the living room and no one would know about the substitution.

Soon, the serving glasses had their “splash” as usual and these were handed around to the guests chatting in the living room and there were various comments about how good the champagne tasted! Grandmother sipped hers and she was delighted at how good it was and soon her “splash” was gone.

Mom, offered her another “splash” if she wanted it, saying that there was still some extra in the bottle. And Grandmother readily accepted. This time, we made it “a bit bigger” splash and with a flourish handed it to her. Grandmother was delighted and sipped her champagne happily as we all waited for dinner to be served. As everyone happily chatted about the upcoming dinner, Grandmother suddenly announced,

“Oh, this champagne is so good! I think I'm a wee bit tipsy!”

[Editor's note: This story was written by KimB]

Champagne Glasses

Saguaro Cactus

When one thinks of desert cactus, Saguaro comes to mind. They are majestic in size and strangely shaped. They are only found in the Sonora Desert, part of which is in California and Arizona. Most of Baja California and the state of Sonora in Mexico is included. Saguaro do not tolerate frost so are found only below the elevation of 3500 feet.

Saguaro in Bloom

The arms of a Saguaro only grow after the cactus is 15 feet tall and has reached around 75 years of age. They can have many arms and average about 30 feet tall. The tallest are around 200 years old with more than 50 arms. They can grow to over 50 feet tall, but there are 50 varieties of tree like cacti in Mexico and So. America that are taller than Saguaro.

The skin of a Saguaro is smooth but inside are 2 inch spines that give a pleated look. As the cactus absorbs and stores water the pleats expand to store as much as a ton of water.
The many holes Gila Woodpeckers make digging for water are sealed by the plant to prevent water loss. The root system of a Saguaro is very shallow, radiating and wrapping around rocks for stability. The tap root is only about 3 feet long.

They bloom every year in May and June. Over a period of a month a few of the flowers open at night, secreting a sweet nectar. Bats, birds and insects help in pollination since Saguaro are only fertilized by another cactus. By noon the following day, the flower closes forever and if pollination has taken place a fruit will grow at the base of the flower. A ripe fruit will split when its 3 inches in size, scattering thousands of seeds.

The Recipe Box: Basmati Rice

Basmati Rice

From the recipe box of KimB

Growing up, rice was more often on the table than potatoes but for a long long time I never realized that there were other ways of cooking it besides The Standard Recipe. Over the years, I've learned about other recipes, like Risotto which uses Arborio rice, but until recently I didn't know how to cook Basmati rice so that it would come out the same way it does in an Indian Restaurant. It is extremely simple and easy to master.

There are a few secrets to cooking Basmati rice:

1. Rinse thoroughly until the water is clear
2. Soak the rice before cooking (15 min or more)
3. Use less water to cook (1½ cups of water)
4. Cook 11 minutes on low heat and let it sit 11-15 minutes OFF the burner.

Details:

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, especially if the rice comes from outside the USA. The cloudy color comes from the milling and will make the rice "clump".

2. Soak the rice in clear water. 15 minutes or more. Basmati rice absorbs a great deal of water and the longer you soak it the more it absorbs.

3. If you pre-soak the rice, you will need less water to cook it with: about 1½ cups on average.

4. Only cook the rice for 11 minutes on low, then take it OFF the burner and let it sit for 11-15 minutes more. The rice will continue to cook and absorb all the water.

Standard Rice

2 cups water
1 cup rice
salt

Boil the water. Add salt.
Add the rice. Bring back to a boil. Cover the pan.
Turn down the heat to lowest setting.
Cook 20 minutes.

Basmati Rice

1½ cups water
1 cup rice
salt
optional:
2 tbsp olive oil

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice in clear water. 15 minutes or more.

Boil the water. Add salt and olive oil.
Add the rice. Bring back to a boil. Cover the pan.
Turn down the heat to lowest setting.
Cook 11 minutes then remove from the burner and let sit 11-15 minutes.



Basmati Rice



Google Translator by KimB

[Note: Editor's Post]

We have added the Google Translator Widget to MrsB's site!

This is a great utility and will allow many more people to read the stories and memoirs! Just select the language you want from the drop down list.

We hope you will all have fun reading in every language!

Brushes with Greatness Series: Steve Jobs by R. Cane

Steve Jobs was my term project.

Back in the 70's I decided to go back to College on the GI Bill. I was about 30-ish years old and it was a fun experience, even though I felt like the 'old man' of the school, This was softened by my life experiences, which were interesting fodder for my classmates, and I became a sort of 'go to' guy for many of life's mysterious questions.

I was taking a lot of 'elective' type courses to ease myself back into the hectic schedule and discipline of tackling college, and I must say I am proud of how well I did adjust to the fast paced and demanding routines of furthering my education.

After one semester, I needed a certain type of class to move to the next level, and the choices were not so great, as they mostly consisted of complex science or mathematics or other rigorous disciplines, but I noticed a class that would give me the proper credit I needed, and after meeting with the instructor to get a feel for how complex the material was, I found that it would an interesting and not overly taxing course.

It was called 'Future Studies', and was designed for us to explore all the myriad new technologies coming out in the mid 70's - and explore how they might affect our future. This was a broad enough topic, and with so many new and wondrous developments in so many fields coming out, this was a fascinating opportunity – interesting, challenging, and memorable too as I was to find out. I signed right up.

We covered many interesting topics in our weekly meetings, but early on we were assigned a term project – which was about 70% of our final grade. I explored many possibilities, but all the good topics had been taken, so I met with the instructor to see what else I might be able to cook up.

The instructor told me about a friend of hers, that was building a computer, and would I be interested in doing something about how computers might affect our life in the coming years? There were no personal computers in those days, and I was picturing a pipe smoking guy at IBM who was piecing together old military surplus at home to make a 'brainiac' type main frame. It seemed interesting and curious, so I accepted when she asked if I wanted her to make an introduction to her friend, and then explore what he was doing.

Now to recap the technology of the 70's, computers did not exist outside of IBM mainframes the size of living rooms themselves, or some geeky science clubs that built radio shack devices for who knows what reason. Vinyl records were the main form or music media, although small portable cassette tape units were just becoming popular. If you wanted to make a phone call, you 1) used your home phone, or 2) used a Pay Phone Booth. The concept of mobile phones was still science fiction of the sort -found in comics like Dick Tracey's 2-way wrist radio.... or Sci-Fi TV – like Star Trek 'communicators'. Stereo shops – to play the vinyl - were all the rage, where you could go buy monster home sound and speaker systems. Digital watches were expensive and new, and people worried about kids not knowing what 'clockwise' meant. There were no digital calculators. Mechanical 'adding machines' were the best you could do. Word processing was a typewriter. The world of the1970's was a far different landscape than what we know today – technologically speaking.

It was arranged that I would meet the guy making the computer, so I got his name and number. I called and he was very gracious, liked the idea of helping me on my term project and assured me that none of the other students would be able to out do his presentation. So I was invited to his home – a houseboat in Sausalito.

When I arrived for the appointment, I had to walk the dock and pier to get to the right houseboat, which had a kind of covered porch all around the outside. This porch area was loaded with many boxes of – yep – army surplus electronic wire harnesses, bits and parts of card readers, and tons of mystery electronical stuff... enough to make the most hard core techie feel like he had found the pot of gold by the rainbow. I thought – well here we go!

Steve came out to meet me, and when he saw I was interested in all the surplus electronic stuff, he laughed and explained that was just stuff he had been collecting and using for a long time for parts in his prototype and experiments. He was younger than me, and had a lanky frame with a bushy head of hair, mustache, and chin whiskers bordering on a beard. He was quite hairy then. He was smiling, and immediately warm and engaging.

He was very nice, and extremely patient with me. I told him that the idea of a 'home-computer' was a mystery to me, and quizzed him on what he was actually doing. He explained that he and his partner were devising a personal use 'micro-computer' and that would be what he would present to the class.

I was fascinated, but still did not have a good grasp of what he was making. I still had visions of a room full of mainframes.

He explained to me, that he did not have the working version or model to actually show me there at that moment, but he insisted over and over that I would immediately grasp what he was making when I could actually see it... but the only one available was the prototype which was still down by Stanford University. When I told him I was born at Stanford, and that my dad was a grad, that seemed to seal the connection and any doubts about me or my project. He was in.

He was patient and careful with his words, but he could see that I was struggling to grasp exactly what he was making. It definitely was not the main-frame thing, but I was unable to fully imagine what it was. He talked with his hands a lot ... showing me the shape of the unit and such.

He told me about all the possibilities the home computer would create for the world, and even in our first meeting, he was quite visionary about what his 'computers' would do for 'everyday folks'. He clearly was not designing for industry, but for the private home user. I asked him about who would buy or use them, and was curious how he was funding the production. He explained that he and his partner had borrowed some money from their folks and friends for the initial production run. He said 'everyone would be using a 'micro-computer' in the near future. This was the subject of my class. I was in!

As he walked me back to my car, he explained that he was writing the 'operating system' ... and I had to ask if that was like an instruction manual, and he grinned and had to explain that it was kinda what actually ran the machine. I had a vague image form of him at an IBM Selectric typewriter, banging off written instructions. I left with more knowledge than I had arrived with, but more confused and less sure about what he was creating.

We met and talked several more times to follow up - over the run of the semester, as I had to give progress reports about the status of my Term Project from time to time. Steve was very open and free with information, and answered any and all questions to explain as much as needed or I what I could absorb. By now the first machines were in production, and the first form fit molded plastic cases were being mass produced by a manufacturer. I was assured that the assembled unit was going to blow my mind, and be as beautiful and useful as promised. Up to this point he did not have any drawings, sketches of photos of the unit, so was left to my own imagination and the waving of his hands to make a picture of what was coming.

Well the first batch of cases and assembled guts did not fit together – the case was too small for the 'mother-board'. Steve was fit to be tied. There was nothing to do but get new cases made, since the hardware was all done. Back to square one on the cases, and a delay for the class presentation.

At this point though, I was running out of time to make the presentation. I called Steve several times pointing out my time crunch, and ever the trooper, he promised he would make the presentation – one way or another, but he REALLY wanted to show off the finished and complete first Apple Computer...in the case as promised. [First glimpse of the perfectionist?]

Alas, the semester was almost over, and finally I HAD to make the presentation. I told Steve that we just 'had' to do it... this was the last week of class and my semester grade was riding on this. He reluctantly agreed. He was expecting delivery of the new cases any day, but we were out of waiting time.

I went to pick him up, and we gathered up the proto-type Apple – at this point miscellaneous bits, bobs, n wires and lunked it all into two card board boxes. Everything was all just jumbled in ; wires, monitor, the keyboard and primitive mouse -- all jumbled into the open cardboard boxes. He was severely disappointed not to have the case – they were due any day. Oh well, and off we went to my class.

I vividly recall helping him carry the 2 boxes up the steps to the second floor class. Curiously, one of the other student presenters was arriving – riding on a recumbent bicycle – the kind where you literally lay down to ride - and Steve was just fascinated by it, and held the door so the guy could ride it in, and then he just continued up the stairs in front of us. I could tell Steven was clearly impressed, but he whispered to me that his presentation would still be a whole lot better than the bike!

We got to the class room , and he started to set up the gear ... monitor and keyboard, mouse and all the wires. Whilst he was doing all that, we heard all about the recumbent bicycle – built buy the student himself – and how it would become the next 'hot' cycling craze. He explained all the healthful and ergonomic reasons behind its design. He got a nice round of applause, and then it was time for Steve.

I made the introduction, and – typically he was wearing jeans and a tee shirt – he began explaining how he came up with the idea, what the general idea was, and how he saw computers in our future. He described how it would revolutionize home finance and budgets, accounting, planning and design – like CAD – he had lofty ideas that I suspect just kind of went over everyone’s head that day, but it was quite clear that he understood how these wires in the cardboard boxes were going to change the future! He was magnetic in his enthusiasm.

Needless to say – he was quite chagrined and frustrated to have had to schlepp it all into the class via two cardboard boxes. When it was set up, it looked like the open back of an old tube TV set – wires all helter-skelter, the keyboard and mouse – still everyone was rapt and fascinated.

He described the molded cases and how all that stuff would fit into a single unit, and this unit would then be able to sit in the kitchen, or home office, help with homework, games, writing and endless other ways our life would be eased by using it.

Remember there was no internet or email or texting yet, but he saw all of that somehow, and shared his vision of the computer driven future, and the vast interconnection it would bring. I think that day it was lost on the majority of us, and none of us thought - I'm sure – that we had just seen the tip of our future.

He ultimately was responsible for creating major chunks of that future, and that these exposed wires and chips we were looking at were the actual seed of all that coming change. It was not elegant or easy to follow. Sounded a lot like Sci-Fi stuff to most folks, and I think there was a feeling that it – at best – might be a fancy toy for the home. I recall the sense that no one –– really saw what Steve saw, and that it was hard to embrace it as more than a gimmick by and for geeks. I had discussed enough with Steve in the build up to the presentation, to have a better sense of what was coming, and how computers could be a wonderful tool – although it was clear these would be stand alone units in everyone’s home. I'm sure even Steven, was surprised when they all got connected by the internet. That's when the vision all came together. But I digress.

If you recall the original Apple computers when they came out – were sleek one unit design, akin to an electric typewriter... those were the missing cases still being re-made. He must've apologized a dozen times, about the roughness of the presentation prototype. Oddly enough, his presentation was remarkably quite similar to the ones we see on the news, where he gets a twinkle in his eye when he explains and displays the new gizmo. He was just like that. But Bushy haired and bearded.

He demonstrated 'Pong' and some other similar games – he predicted that games would be a mainstay of the 'home mini-computer', he fired up a calculator function and demonstrated that. He showed us some simple word processing and a few other things. Remember this was 1976. There were not yet pocket electronic calculators. We used slide rules then. Word processing was still a typewriter!

He took some questions, and it was clear that folks were intrigued and fascinated, but they were not fully grasping the potential, and were lost in the mechanics of how it worked, all the wires, the keyboard and mouse and the physical system, but Steve kept redirecting the conversation away from the 'wires' and mechanical stuff, to what it could potentially do, and all the unknown things that would yet come from it becoming an everyday 'home' tool.

He got a nice round of applause and we gathered up the first Apple back into the boxes, chatted a few folks who lingered with more questions. He was really pleased about how it went and the reaction, and it was clearly one of his first – if not the actual first – demo to strangers -- of the first Apple computer!

I drove him back to the houseboat, and thanked him profusely – I chatted him once or twice after that by phone, to tell him that 'we' got an A. He was quite pleased for me, and he invited me to come by and see the – finally arrived – new computer in the correct case. It was quite nice and very compact... well lets face it, it was beautiful. I was duly impressed, thanked him again. We made plans to meet again later, as I was interested greatly in the project for myself, but alas, as fate would have it we never met again. That was the last time I saw him in person.

Whenever I tell folks today that I knew Steve Jobs a little – 'back in the early days', I think they shine me on ... like, "yeah, right ... you knew Steve Jobs.. sure you did" ... but I really did.

This has always been a very cherished memory, and certainly one of my most important brushes with greatness. He was 'our generations' Leonardo da Vinci, and true visionary. I have often reflected on his 'predictions' that day, and how many have actually been realized.

When I look back on my many achievements and experiences in life, I have always been amazed at this encounter with Steve Jobs. I have had many brushes with the famous. This was an interaction with a visionary genius.

I saw on the news that people were using a new phrase... I join in... iSad.


[Editor's note: This story was written by R. Cane]

Steven Paul "Steve" Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)

First Apple Computer Ad

First Apple Computer





First Apple Motherboard





Theater: Spring Awakening by Richard

Frances and I recently went to the San Jose Rep Theater for another theater outing.

We enjoyed the play Spring Awakening a musical. The play is about school children entering puberty and as they struggled with their sexuality.  The music,the songs,the dancing and the acting was wonderful.

[Editor's note: This story was written by Richard]



Spring Awakening Musical



The Recipe Box: Asparagus

Asparagus

From the recipe box of ElGato

The trick to cooking really tasty asparagus is not to over cook it. It should be fork tender but still "al dente" (firm) for the best texture and great flavor. Asparagus can be served hot or cold.

1. Buy 1 lb of thin asparagus spears
2. Snap off the lower end and discard
3. Wash thoroughly
4. Boil water in a pot that has a steamer top section

or one that will take a steamer gadget.

5. Place asparagus in the steamer and steam over the

boiling water about 2 min.
Do not over cook. Check frequently until it is fork tender.
It should be al dente (firm) not soft or mushy.

6. Serve while hot.

It can also be refrigerated and served cold too (e.g. as a salad topping).

I prefer to eat it plain but if you like, you can add seasoning to your taste.

Asparagus in steamer

So How Does YOUR Garden Grow?

KimB

Well, the last of the summer veggies plants have hit the compost recycle bin and looking at 6 empty tubs just made my Work Ethic itch. So, I've planted a winter garden.

Winter might not be the best description though as the winters where I live are still short-sleeves and shorts weather – even in December you see people wearing short-sleeves, shorts and sandals. The mountains around us are the Sierra Nevadas and it looks like Switzerland up there with snow and skiing, but down in the valley, it'll be shorts and short-sleeves for many. So I figured, I'd give it a go and see what happens.

All the buckets are now planted and I have hopes for the following:

• Turnips
• Garlic
• Carrots – 2 pots, one with Nantes regular orange carrots and the other a multicolored set of white, yellow, red and purple.
• Beets – Dutch Baby Ball Beets and a multicolored set of candy striped, red and gold.
• Potatoes – red and white (from our great harvest) and some dutch yellow ones.

So far, the carrots and turnips have sprouted and the garlic is just starting to come up too!

Turnips

Carrots

Plan D

I finally decided on the Log Cabin Star design, which was Plan D, for the knitted queen size blanket, and purchased Super Saver yarn, choosing colors in that category’s limited palette.

Because each of the 16 squares will be large, I chose three colors of dark and 3 colors of light to surround the red center. The colors are 'no dye lot', which means any additional skeins needed will match the color I'm using.

Of course I had to get started knitting once I had the yarn, and without qualms or hesitation I picked up my knitting needles and the red yarn. Blessed are beginners with their confidence, their lack of experience not withstanding.

After knitting the first log color, I was off to a good start. It wasn't until I was almost finished with the first square of the blanket that I discovered an error made soon after beginning the work. EGADS!

I didn't want to rip out those hours of knitting, but neither did I want the error to extrapolate. I fudged a few stitches here and there until the error wasn't too noticeable and finished the square.

One down and 15 more to go.

Plan D Log Cabin Knit Square

Plan D Log Cabin Knit Square



The Recipe Box: Mangosteen

Mangosteen

From the recipe box of A. Nonymus

I have always had a fascination with food. I used to be adventurous in trying exotic or unusual food items in my youthful and carefree days, but I find as I get older I prefer the old 'tried and true' foods that are less likely to tax the body or have unpleasant reactions – still, as I reflect on the past, I find that I have had quite a few adventures of the palette...

I have a good friend who is an Executive Chef of the highest order... and he often brings me wonderful leftovers from galas and events that he caters...

About 2 years ago, 'Chef' brought by an interesting fruit called a 'Mangosteen' which had been ordered for a very high class event... no expense spared for some rich 'foodies' ... There were a few 'leftovers' so he shared with me.

I'd never heard of a 'Mangosteen', so I was quite fascinated. Apparently these have been super rare and were even prohibited from being imported for many years -- only recently being allowed to enter the US food chain. Chef told me how to eat it, and WOW... no wonder it's known as the 'Queen of Fruits'! As a side note, the history of the Mangosteen is itself as fascinating as the fruit, and it tastes as beautiful as it looks!

I can tell you it was a remarkable experience! Try one if you ever get the chance. Truly a wonderful, and very special flavor.

How to eat:

Open the fruits' pod-like hull, and inside there are nice white segments - much like an orange. You eat those fleshy segments.

The harder outer hull is usually discarded, but is also super high in anti-oxidants. Because of this 'medicinal' property, there is a long folk medicine tradition associated with the Mangosteen fruit, with no part going to waste.

Mangosteen

Pepper, Saguaro, Paint, Troy and Misty by KimB

My grandparents had a house with some acreage in Tucson, Arizona near the Saguaro National Monument. The house was far from town on the Old Spanish Trail, which in those days was a dirt road that ran along the foothills. The washboard road rolled up and down as it followed the hills, rills and gullies along the edge of the Rincon Mountains towards the Colossal Cave, a popular tourist venue. They ran a cafe: Saguaro Corners, which was some miles from the house and located across from the National Park. They also had 5 horses.

The horses lived in paddocks behind the house and when visitors came, the horses were saddled up by Grandfather and off they would go for a look at the desert scenery. Grandfather and Grandmother were careful to match the horses with the abilities of the riders or lack there of. Some horses were more gentle than others and as really no one in the family knew much about horses, it was a good thing that overall they were kind horses but not without a bit of mischief if they could get by with it.

There was Pepper and her foal Saguaro. Pepper was Grandmother's horse and she was very particular about who rode her. Pepper could be a handful if you were not paying attention and Saguaro was a very insistent colt. When he got hungry and wanted to nurse, he would nip at the toes of the rider to get them to stop so he could have a snack. There was a LOT of nibbling if the ride took too long.

There was Paint. A beautiful Tobiano paint horse. Unfortunately no one could ride Paint. Grandfather had told me that when he bought Paint she had been abused. She was used as a pack horse and the pack had not been properly set and had made terrible sores on her back. He and Grandmother had nursed her back to health but she could not tolerate anything on her back, like a saddle or rider. When, on occasion someone did try to ride her, she would sit down and that would end the attempt. Of course, now a days there are ways to relieve pain and more rehab that can be done, but way back then there wasn't much available. So Paint lived a pleasant life with her horse friends in the paddock with brushings, baths and treats.

There was Troy a retired race horse. Troy was a favorite with the men because he could run fast. And fast he was! When the men would have races Troy was always the winner. I never got to ride Troy, as I as a little kid, but I remember seeing him out distancing all the other horses. There was just one problem with Troy and the other horses – the homeward part of any ride. The horses all knew where “home” was and each would try to get there first. Whenever the riding party headed home, Troy would be the first one to bolt and then one by one the others would follow. It was a “fast” trip home and Troy would be the first one at the barn.

When the homeward bolt was “on”, all the riders were told to “zig and zag with the horse” as they went around all the cactus, 'cause a “zag” at the wrong moment would land you in a pile of thorns. Grandfather was adept at removing cactus thorns from those unfortunates who “zagged” when they should have “zigged”.

Then there was Misty. Misty. Misty. Misty. A horse forever in my heart. She was first horse that I rode and one that I owned later on. She was sooo very special. Grandfather taught me to ride her when I was 3 years old. She was that kind of horse. She was a fea-bitten grey horse and was without any behavior faults. Grandfather used to put me on her and let me ride around the house by myself. After a bit he would come and collect me for lunch and then later he would boost me back up and I would spend hours just walking around or standing under a Palo Verde tree lying on her neck asleep.

Once when I when we were walking under a Palo Verde, a branch got snagged on my shirt. As Misty continued to walk forward I was lifted off the saddle by the branch. Misty stopped in mid-stride and did not move an inch. I would have fallen off had she done so. I screamed bloody murder for help and out came Grandmother and Grandfather to see what the commotion was about. There I was half dangling from a tree and Misty standing absolutely still to prevent my fall. The branch was soon dislodged and Misty got extra treats that night from everyone.

I have had many horses since Misty and I have a personal theory about how each horse is remembered, I call it the Every Other Horse Theory. The odd numbered horses (1,3,5) are “good” horses and even numbered ones (2,4,6) are “not so good”. This is because, you decide the current horse (1) is not suitable for whatever you are doing and you get another horse (2) as a replacement. But the new horse (2 or even numbered) does not live up to its predecessor, so you get another horse which is superior (another odd numbered horse). The chain goes on as you replace each horse for a new and better version.

There is one horse that can never be replaced: EVER. And that is the FIRST horse. The Number 1 horse in the list. Every horse after that, will never match the first horse that you love. Misty was my first horse and no horse can duplicate her. I have had great horses like "Thunder" who stole my heart the first time I saw him, but Misty is irreplaceable and the memories of her and riding the desert are like Golden Showers of Happiness.

[Editor's note: This story was written by KimB]

Horse Brushes

Whale Watching

Last night I watched a delightful Nova documentary about a baby whale. It was fascinating to see it learning to mimic its mother making the various crashing and slapping movements on the surface of the water. I didn't know baby whales stayed close to their mothers for such a long time after birth. I had assumed they just went swimming away after being born, but such is not the case. Whale mothers are very protective of their young and only abandon them when they are ready to fend for themselves.

The only opportunity I have these days to watch whales is on television. I watch episodes of Whale Wars on Animal Planet. The attempts to stop and prevent the Japanese ships from catching and processing whale meat for sale in Japan is a real battle being waged between the Japanese factory ship, its fleet of ships that catch the whales and the ships of protestors fighting with non lethal weapons. The protestors have experienced some hazardous moments and have escaped serious injury to date.

Many years ago when I lived in the Los Angeles area, there were radio announcements saying whales migrating south could be seen from an area near the Long Beach Pier. I drove my Corvair van to Long Beach and picked up Grandmother A, who was in her mid 90s, and told her we would go whale watching. We sat in the car, facing the ocean and scanned the water for signs of whales while we chatted. We sat there for a long time but nary a whale did we see, so we decided to leave.

On the way back to Grandmother's, the wind suddenly blew a huge tumbleweed down the street toward my van. It was massive! It took a moment for me to realize it was a tumbleweed. As I braked the Corvair van, which had its engine in the rear of the vehicle with only the windshield separating the driver's bench seat from the highway, both Grandmother and I gasped as it hit the windshield. Being a tumbleweed, it didn't cause any damage and the wind swept it away from the car and on down the street. Both Grandmother and I sat stunned for a moment as we realized we had been hit by a tumbleweed. We had a good laugh about it, but it had been a frightening moment.

I was greatly relieved not to have endangered Grandmother and after I delivered her home safely, I did not make any more attempts to watch whales.

Baby Whale Gets Friendly With Visitors

The Recipe Box: Creamy Pasta Sauce

Creamy Pasta Sauce

From the recipe box of Esther

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup of small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 can petite diced tomatoes with liquid
Add seasoning to your taste: Parsley, Italian seasoning etc

Your choice of pasta

Add everythihg to a sauce pot and gently heat up while stirring to keep it smooth.
Serve over hot cooked pasta and enjoy.

You can improve on this by adding chicken or shrimp, they will add another flavor level.

Creamy Pasta Sauce

Meetin' At The Cafe

Mom and Dad enjoyed desert living when they operated Saguaro Corners. The cafe bordered the grounds of the National Park and was far enough away from the city of Tucson, that the tentacles of civilization had not yet reached the area. The 'locals' were ranch owners, cowboys, and the few tourists that came to the park.

Adeline and her husband,Larry, with their children, Michael, Virginia, Mark and David lived in Tucson, but prior to their work at Hughes Aircraft, neither family had any experience living in the desert.

The desert is fascinating and beautiful, but laws of nature hold sway here like no other place on the planet. There are seasons, each with its own characteristic, but they meld, and if familiar with them one can appreciate the desert. The Saguaro and Occatillo cacti are only two of the many types of cacti in the area but they are the ones tourists think of when they think 'desert'.

On the occasions when my siblings and I met at the cafe we pitched in and helped Mom and Dad with their plans for expansion. They first created a large cement patio which later was turned into a glass enclosed room where patrons could watch the varied wild life come to a rock garden and drink from a shallow pool.

The original 6 stools where customers sat to eat burgers was turned into a small bar separate from the main dining room. It wasn't long before they added a small gift section offering turquoise jewelry and other mementos and souvenirs.

During their stay in Arizona, the folks acquired several horses and when we came to visit, riding was always at the top of our list of things to do. The cowboys helped Mom and Dad choose gentle horses so grandchildren could ride without worry, but there was one horse that only Mom and Dad could ride. It was a beautiful brown and white paint horse named Paint. If anyone attempted to ride, it just sat down. I had never seen a horse sit before but it actually sat on its haunches and wouldn't move. Uncle Pat thought he could ride it but as soon as he was in the saddle, the horse sat down. Our laughter didn't deter Pat from trying several times though. Misty was the gentlest of horses and everyone's favorite. Misty, aptly named because she was gray and slightly dappled had been used on roundups and was neck reigned.

It was always a pleasure to see a road runner and glimpse quail. One was always on the look out for snakes, especially rattlers. Coyotes were active at night. The hot sunny days took ones breath away and mare's tail clouds in the sky only hinted at something called 'rain'. When it did rain, water flowed down shallow ravines called 'washes' and could dangerously catch one unaware in a flash flood. I had heard stories of how dangerous those incidents could be but I only understood the power of those sudden rains when I saw the Pantano running. The force of the water was so great nothing would have stopped it. It was frightening just to watch and I understood how one could be drowned in seconds when the washes were running.

Flash Flood July 30, 2006 in Tucson, AZ
West of the Sabino Canyon Road bridge.

The Recipe Box: Smokey Corn Salad

Smokey Corn Salad

From the recipe box of KimB

½ of a 1 lb bag of frozen roasted corn kernels
10-20 leaves of fresh mint
10-20 leaves of fresh cilantro
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fire roasted Anaheim chilies
2 green onions
2 tbsp maple syrup
pinch of salt if needed

Trader Joe's carries the frozen roasted corn kernels. You can use regular frozen sweet corn kernels if you cannot find the roasted kind.

Dressing

Finely chop the fresh mint and cilantro and place in a bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the herbs to prevent them from turning color.
Chop the green onions and add to the bowl
Add in the roasted green chilies.
Add the maple syrup

Stir everything and taste. It should have a pleasant sweet and minty taste. Adjust quantities as needed.

Dish Preparation

Mix the frozen roasted corn kernels with the dressing. Make sure the kernels are well coated.
Cover and place in the fridge.

By the time the corn has thawed it will have adsorbed all the dressing and is ready to serve.




Smokey Corn Salad