Rebecca is feeling a bit under the weather today, but I got this picture of her two weeks ago with all her sparkle intact.
This weeks drawing, as you can gather from the post's title, is of some men in a boat. I like how they all have hats on. They seem like a very friendly bunch. The m's in the sky are birds, the smallest being far, far away. From what I have gathered the men are sailing away from the island with the blue flag.
Max thinks they are vikings or maybe pirates.
He is such a boy.
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Max and His Big T-ball Weekend
Max had a very big weekend with his t-ball team.
They had regularly scheduled games on Saturday and Monday plus a make up game on Sunday.
Saturday we had a conflicts between Jake's and Max's game so we all couldn't go to cheer the t-ball Yankees on. Mind you it's really funny that he is on the Yankees because Larry is a huge Mets fan and I've been reading "Now I can die in peace" a really good book about the BoSox and well, Yankees are pretty much evil in the book.
Anyway Larry could only stick around for half an inning, so Max only had Nate, Rebeca and me to root for him and his team. But that was fine, he was so pleased when Nate and Rebecca visited him at the dugout. It's hard to see, but he is beaming at his sister.
Sunday we all got to watch our favorite t-baller in action.He was again delighted to have us there, especially with his father keeping the official score. He would wave to us when ever he was in the dugout.
Monday daddy couldn't come, but Max still had a very good time.
He likes playing ball, even though he does get a bit bored out on the field. The funniest moment was when he was spinning around in the outfield with his glove balanced on his head. It was a classic t-ball moment.
They had regularly scheduled games on Saturday and Monday plus a make up game on Sunday.
Saturday we had a conflicts between Jake's and Max's game so we all couldn't go to cheer the t-ball Yankees on. Mind you it's really funny that he is on the Yankees because Larry is a huge Mets fan and I've been reading "Now I can die in peace" a really good book about the BoSox and well, Yankees are pretty much evil in the book.
Anyway Larry could only stick around for half an inning, so Max only had Nate, Rebeca and me to root for him and his team. But that was fine, he was so pleased when Nate and Rebecca visited him at the dugout. It's hard to see, but he is beaming at his sister.
Sunday we all got to watch our favorite t-baller in action.He was again delighted to have us there, especially with his father keeping the official score. He would wave to us when ever he was in the dugout.
Monday daddy couldn't come, but Max still had a very good time.
He likes playing ball, even though he does get a bit bored out on the field. The funniest moment was when he was spinning around in the outfield with his glove balanced on his head. It was a classic t-ball moment.
Monday, May 07, 2007
I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover
After the whole tadpole releasing excitement I took Jake and Nate over to the bus stop and sent the rest of the crowd back inside.
At our bus stop we noticed that our neighbor across the street had two very dense patches of clover alongside the road. So of course we had to look for four leaf clover.
Jake, when he so choses, has amazing focus and the ability to notice the smallest details. He immediately spotted a four leaf clover and picked it.
Nate, not to be out done found a five leaf clover. They both spent the next five minutes looking for more 4 leaf clovers in the two patches by the road.
In the end Jake found nine four leaf clovers, only the coming of the bus stopped him from finding more. Nate found the aforementioned 5 leaf and one four leaf. I told him that his 5 leaf definitely equals eight regular 4 leaf clovers. As for for me, I found three, which is easily the most I have ever found.
It was an extraordinary patch of clover. I have never seen anything like it before. I know it is possible to by 4-leaf clover seed, but our neighbors don't strike me as the type and it is an odd spot to plant special clover.
I guess it was our lucky day.
At our bus stop we noticed that our neighbor across the street had two very dense patches of clover alongside the road. So of course we had to look for four leaf clover.
Jake, when he so choses, has amazing focus and the ability to notice the smallest details. He immediately spotted a four leaf clover and picked it.
Nate, not to be out done found a five leaf clover. They both spent the next five minutes looking for more 4 leaf clovers in the two patches by the road.
In the end Jake found nine four leaf clovers, only the coming of the bus stopped him from finding more. Nate found the aforementioned 5 leaf and one four leaf. I told him that his 5 leaf definitely equals eight regular 4 leaf clovers. As for for me, I found three, which is easily the most I have ever found.
It was an extraordinary patch of clover. I have never seen anything like it before. I know it is possible to by 4-leaf clover seed, but our neighbors don't strike me as the type and it is an odd spot to plant special clover.
I guess it was our lucky day.
Weekly Tadpole Update: Another Six Gone
We released six more tadpoles/frogs today.
Right after we released the last batch of six on Friday, a froglette pulled itself out of the water and onto the turtle dock. On Saturday a few more followed suit over the course of the day.
I considered releasing them Saturday night, but I thought it would be quite a shock to the frogs' system to be dumped outside at dusk in 50 degree weather. Today was a much better choice.
If you look very carefully you can see a few of the frogs. Two are somewhat obvious and the third is a bit trickier to spot. If you click through the picture you can roll the mouse over the image to reveal the frogs.
Meanwhile back in the tank it is becoming obvious to me that we have two different species. There are the cute little ones that are quick to mature and are already being released. And then there are the much larger and slower developing tadpoles that are just starting to grow front legs. The big ones are easily twice the size of the little ones.
I can't wait to see how the big ones turn out.
Update: Another seven, that's right 7, were released Monday afternoon.
Update Part II: Another nine gone, some with a decidedly toady look about them.
Right after we released the last batch of six on Friday, a froglette pulled itself out of the water and onto the turtle dock. On Saturday a few more followed suit over the course of the day.
I considered releasing them Saturday night, but I thought it would be quite a shock to the frogs' system to be dumped outside at dusk in 50 degree weather. Today was a much better choice.
If you look very carefully you can see a few of the frogs. Two are somewhat obvious and the third is a bit trickier to spot. If you click through the picture you can roll the mouse over the image to reveal the frogs.
Meanwhile back in the tank it is becoming obvious to me that we have two different species. There are the cute little ones that are quick to mature and are already being released. And then there are the much larger and slower developing tadpoles that are just starting to grow front legs. The big ones are easily twice the size of the little ones.
I can't wait to see how the big ones turn out.
Update: Another seven, that's right 7, were released Monday afternoon.
Update Part II: Another nine gone, some with a decidedly toady look about them.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Freedom
On Tuesday Nate noticed that one of the froglettes was struggling in the tank. It kept falling backwards and landing upside down. Fearing that the little guy was drowning, I scooped him up and deposited him on the turtle dock.
The little guy stood there, probably a bit stunned by the experience, looked around and decided to stay put. I put a leaf in the tank to provide it a bit of cover and spent the rest of the day watching it.
He is so tiny, he would fit neatly on top of a dime. At first he had a bit of a tail, but amazingly as the day wore on he reabsorbed it. Thus we now officially have a frog.
As the days passed a few more froglettes joined our first frog on dry land (or rather Styrofoam). Most of them we rescued from the bottom of the tank, but a few figured it out on their own. Amusingly one or two upon rescuing would immediately plunge back into the water; they were not quite ready.
The biggest puzzle was what to feed them.
I tried a pile of fish flakes, but it was ignored.
I then went to the exotic pet store and asked for the smallest live food for frogs and ended up with a bag of baby crickets. The smallest ones were about half the size of the frogs and the largest... well, the biggest one actually threatened a frog. It drew itself up and waved its antenna at a frog and then stamped away. The frog, meanwhile, was completely nonplussed. It just sat there absorbing it's new environment.
This morning we had five little frogs arrayed on the dock. It was nice out and we had a little time before the bus so I decided it was time to release this first batch. At first there was a bit of protest from the kids, but when I pointed out that we couldn't feed them properly they agreed it was for the best.
At this point one more frog heaved itself out of the water and joined its compatriots. He still has quite a bit of tail as you can see in the photo, but he was deemed ready to go.
So six little frogs were loaded into Jake's orange bucket and taken down to the stream.
Jake and Nate grabbed their back packs and the rest trailed us, still clad in their pajamas including our house guests' two daughters.
A shallow stretch of the stream, not far from where they were originally caught was selected. We could see in the shallows a few tadpoles wriggling about. The wild ones were not nearly as far along as our crew. They firmly remained in the tadpole stage, nary a leg in the bunch.
With little ceremony I dumped our frogs back into the stream from whence they came.
And here you can see Rebecca, one of the girls and Max watching our frogs in their newly freed state.
I don't know how happy they are, but they certainly looked cold when they hit the water. The good news is that Jake and Nate spied a fair number of water bugs just the right size for our frogs to eat.
The little guy stood there, probably a bit stunned by the experience, looked around and decided to stay put. I put a leaf in the tank to provide it a bit of cover and spent the rest of the day watching it.
He is so tiny, he would fit neatly on top of a dime. At first he had a bit of a tail, but amazingly as the day wore on he reabsorbed it. Thus we now officially have a frog.
As the days passed a few more froglettes joined our first frog on dry land (or rather Styrofoam). Most of them we rescued from the bottom of the tank, but a few figured it out on their own. Amusingly one or two upon rescuing would immediately plunge back into the water; they were not quite ready.
The biggest puzzle was what to feed them.
I tried a pile of fish flakes, but it was ignored.
I then went to the exotic pet store and asked for the smallest live food for frogs and ended up with a bag of baby crickets. The smallest ones were about half the size of the frogs and the largest... well, the biggest one actually threatened a frog. It drew itself up and waved its antenna at a frog and then stamped away. The frog, meanwhile, was completely nonplussed. It just sat there absorbing it's new environment.
This morning we had five little frogs arrayed on the dock. It was nice out and we had a little time before the bus so I decided it was time to release this first batch. At first there was a bit of protest from the kids, but when I pointed out that we couldn't feed them properly they agreed it was for the best.
At this point one more frog heaved itself out of the water and joined its compatriots. He still has quite a bit of tail as you can see in the photo, but he was deemed ready to go.
So six little frogs were loaded into Jake's orange bucket and taken down to the stream.
Jake and Nate grabbed their back packs and the rest trailed us, still clad in their pajamas including our house guests' two daughters.
A shallow stretch of the stream, not far from where they were originally caught was selected. We could see in the shallows a few tadpoles wriggling about. The wild ones were not nearly as far along as our crew. They firmly remained in the tadpole stage, nary a leg in the bunch.
With little ceremony I dumped our frogs back into the stream from whence they came.
And here you can see Rebecca, one of the girls and Max watching our frogs in their newly freed state.
I don't know how happy they are, but they certainly looked cold when they hit the water. The good news is that Jake and Nate spied a fair number of water bugs just the right size for our frogs to eat.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Thursday Three: Pets!
Terry gets all cutesy this week and asks us all about our pets.
Pets, now this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. It was predicted in high school that I would have a record number of pets.
1) I guess Rally had the most unusual name for our pets. Rally was short for Floralia, the annual spring fair at Larry’s and mine college. It was at Floralia during our sophomore year when Larry asked me out on our first date and we have been together ever since.
2) As for pets themselves I have had the usual assortment of dogs, cats, assorted rodents, fish and the odd parakeet. At one point I had some retired lab mice, that’s a little unusual, but that is about it. At one point my family do duck sit a mallard. Her name was Tilly and she roosted in our rabbit hutch with my pet rabbit, Mrs. Peter.
Do tadpoles count? I’ve got a boat load of those in the house.
3) I’ve got to go with marmoset. Some of them are downright adorable and are high on the cuddly index, piranhas are sadly lacking in that aspect.
Now I have to check on the cricket we just dropped in the tadpole tank. Crickets are not pets, they’re food.
Awwwww! How CUUUUTE!!
Why, thank you! But enough about me--it’s Thursday, and that means it’s time once more for The World’s Greatest Waste of Resources, the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!
Today, we take a tip from Weevil Ambassador to Memphis Mike Hollihan, who suggested yesterday that it would be interesting to find out about the odd names people give their pets. A fine idea, indeed, given that until then I’d not figured out anything to ask.
SO, take a moment, grab your fluffy white Persian up into your lap and stroke her while pretending to be Blofeld, and answer the following three questions either by leaving your answers in the comments or a link to your bloghouse.
1) What is the most unusual name you ever gave one of your pets, and why?
2) Forget names--what’s the most unusual pet you’ve ever owned?
3) And last but not least, the age old question for all you dog and cat fanciers out there--which one is the better pet, a marmoset or a piranha?
Now scamper off and come up with your answers, and I’ll do the same.
Pets, now this is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. It was predicted in high school that I would have a record number of pets.
1) I guess Rally had the most unusual name for our pets. Rally was short for Floralia, the annual spring fair at Larry’s and mine college. It was at Floralia during our sophomore year when Larry asked me out on our first date and we have been together ever since.
2) As for pets themselves I have had the usual assortment of dogs, cats, assorted rodents, fish and the odd parakeet. At one point I had some retired lab mice, that’s a little unusual, but that is about it. At one point my family do duck sit a mallard. Her name was Tilly and she roosted in our rabbit hutch with my pet rabbit, Mrs. Peter.
Do tadpoles count? I’ve got a boat load of those in the house.
3) I’ve got to go with marmoset. Some of them are downright adorable and are high on the cuddly index, piranhas are sadly lacking in that aspect.
Now I have to check on the cricket we just dropped in the tadpole tank. Crickets are not pets, they’re food.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Artist of the Week: Book
This week’s artist is Jake. He is a good big brother and enjoys doing things like going down a slide with his youngest brother. Jake is hard to photograph, because most of the time he refuses to hold still. Instead I have to sneak up on him and catch him when his attention is elsewhere.
Yesterday Jake brought home a book; it’s a project his fifth grade class had been working on for quite some time. This is what the cover looks like.
Inside are stories with illustrations made by every member of Jake’s class. I love Jake’s picture, it is a classic example of his work. I had no problem picking it out.
On the page opposite is the story.
It is short, which again is in keeping with Jake’s style. I can imagine how excited he was to write and illustrate his story. It was one of the few times that he handed me a form from school and made sure I filled it out and sent the check. Normally I have to dig them out myself from that dark pit known as his back pack.
I think it was a very fun project for his class and it is definitely a keeper.
Yesterday Jake brought home a book; it’s a project his fifth grade class had been working on for quite some time. This is what the cover looks like.
Inside are stories with illustrations made by every member of Jake’s class. I love Jake’s picture, it is a classic example of his work. I had no problem picking it out.
On the page opposite is the story.
It is short, which again is in keeping with Jake’s style. I can imagine how excited he was to write and illustrate his story. It was one of the few times that he handed me a form from school and made sure I filled it out and sent the check. Normally I have to dig them out myself from that dark pit known as his back pack.
I think it was a very fun project for his class and it is definitely a keeper.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
My Life is Going to the Frogs
The most exciting thing I have going on is the tadpole tank.
Monday (yesterday) I noticed one of the tadpoles had some very pronounced front leg buds. After a bit of googling I found out the front legs emerge elbow first, which pretty much matches what I can see of this little one.
This afternoon the boys were watching the tadpoles and noticed that one had three legs! Well it turns out it actually had all four. Interestingly it was one of the smaller tadpoles in the tank. Now, with its new four legged status, the tadpole has now been granted the title of froglette.
So far we have only one froglette, but several others are sporting the telltale front leg buds. Mind you, at the same time there are still a few that are just starting to grow their hind legs.
From the front the froglette has a decidedly froggy appearance, no longer is it a little blobby tadpole. So far it remains underwater and hasn’t shown an indication that it will become an air breather, but I know that will come with time. I think we’ll be releasing a few back into the wild in the near future.
Monday (yesterday) I noticed one of the tadpoles had some very pronounced front leg buds. After a bit of googling I found out the front legs emerge elbow first, which pretty much matches what I can see of this little one.
This afternoon the boys were watching the tadpoles and noticed that one had three legs! Well it turns out it actually had all four. Interestingly it was one of the smaller tadpoles in the tank. Now, with its new four legged status, the tadpole has now been granted the title of froglette.
So far we have only one froglette, but several others are sporting the telltale front leg buds. Mind you, at the same time there are still a few that are just starting to grow their hind legs.
From the front the froglette has a decidedly froggy appearance, no longer is it a little blobby tadpole. So far it remains underwater and hasn’t shown an indication that it will become an air breather, but I know that will come with time. I think we’ll be releasing a few back into the wild in the near future.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Weekly Tadpole Update: Moving Day
Another week has passed and the tadpoles are thriving. They continue to grow and develop. In fact, their little leg buds from last week have blossomed into full blown legs, complete with little flippers and toes.
With the advent of actual legs I have been increasingly concerned about the tadpoles and their living quarters. At some point their gill flaps grow over and they begin to use their lungs, if I don’t provide a spot for them to rest out of the water the little hoppers-to-be could drown. It is not exactly clear when this momentous event occurs, so I decided it was time to do something. It would be horrible if I waited too long and ended up with a tank full of dead tadpoles.
So Friday I hauled the old 20 gallon tank out of the attic, cleaned it up and readied it for tadpoles. I let the tank settle overnight and Saturday was deemed to be “moving day.” The tadpoles moved from this:
To this:
The new tank is huge, easily five times larger. I also picked up a “turtle dock” which is a floating platform that features a sloping ramp that extends down into the water. It is a perfect place for little tadpoles to rest and learn how to breathe.
I know our human houseguests would have enjoyed the show, but I didn’t want to have to supervise two extra kids. As is, it was a complicated process. Everybody wanted to scoop up tadpoles with the fish net. I decided that each child would get to scoops, starting with Max than Rebecca. It was tempting just to dump the contents of the small tank into the big tank, but I didn’t want to crush the tadpoles when the rocks went tumbling in. Instead each tadpole was carefully scooped up and then transferred to the new tank. Once they were in I rinsed the old rocks and slowly dropped them in the new tank.
The tadpoles have adjusted to their new home and are still endlessly fascinating to watch. A few have even been spotted on the boat ramp. I can’t wait to see them get their front legs.
With the advent of actual legs I have been increasingly concerned about the tadpoles and their living quarters. At some point their gill flaps grow over and they begin to use their lungs, if I don’t provide a spot for them to rest out of the water the little hoppers-to-be could drown. It is not exactly clear when this momentous event occurs, so I decided it was time to do something. It would be horrible if I waited too long and ended up with a tank full of dead tadpoles.
So Friday I hauled the old 20 gallon tank out of the attic, cleaned it up and readied it for tadpoles. I let the tank settle overnight and Saturday was deemed to be “moving day.” The tadpoles moved from this:
To this:
The new tank is huge, easily five times larger. I also picked up a “turtle dock” which is a floating platform that features a sloping ramp that extends down into the water. It is a perfect place for little tadpoles to rest and learn how to breathe.
I know our human houseguests would have enjoyed the show, but I didn’t want to have to supervise two extra kids. As is, it was a complicated process. Everybody wanted to scoop up tadpoles with the fish net. I decided that each child would get to scoops, starting with Max than Rebecca. It was tempting just to dump the contents of the small tank into the big tank, but I didn’t want to crush the tadpoles when the rocks went tumbling in. Instead each tadpole was carefully scooped up and then transferred to the new tank. Once they were in I rinsed the old rocks and slowly dropped them in the new tank.
The tadpoles have adjusted to their new home and are still endlessly fascinating to watch. A few have even been spotted on the boat ramp. I can’t wait to see them get their front legs.
Friday, April 27, 2007
Garbage - Only Happy When It Rains
Starting tomorrow we will have houseguests all next week. They are a very fun family. The husband is the older brother of my husband’s oldest friend and has been become a good friend in his own right. The wife is a delightfully practical sort and she and I have some many similarities it can be frightening. Their two daughters mesh well with our brood and neatly bracket Jake in age. They are coming down for a wedding on Cinco de Mayo in the Richmond area and are staying with us.
Of course this means I have to clean this mess we call home. The worst areas are the bathrooms and I’ll be tackling those shortly. A big house cleaning also means I’ll be making a big dump run. I could pay for a garbage service to cart away my garbage once a week, but I’d rather get a dump sticker and do it myself. I hate having to drag stuff down the end of the driveway each week by an appointed hour. For me it is easier to stuff it in the back of the van and haul it to the dump when I want. This gives me greater flexibility and I can unload all sorts of large and awkward objects that the curbside service would refuse. And as an added bonus that warms my frugal Yankee heart, it is much cheaper to do it myself.
However there is one catch, it almost always seems to rain when I go to the dump. It has become a running joke between me and Meryl. Whenever we get an unexpected rain shower she’ll call me up and ask if I’m going to the dump.
Today it is supposed to rain so of course I’m going to dump.
While poking about on YouTube this morning, I remembered a video from our Madison days that is all too appropriate.
A little bit of Garbage to brighten a rainy Friday.
Of course this means I have to clean this mess we call home. The worst areas are the bathrooms and I’ll be tackling those shortly. A big house cleaning also means I’ll be making a big dump run. I could pay for a garbage service to cart away my garbage once a week, but I’d rather get a dump sticker and do it myself. I hate having to drag stuff down the end of the driveway each week by an appointed hour. For me it is easier to stuff it in the back of the van and haul it to the dump when I want. This gives me greater flexibility and I can unload all sorts of large and awkward objects that the curbside service would refuse. And as an added bonus that warms my frugal Yankee heart, it is much cheaper to do it myself.
However there is one catch, it almost always seems to rain when I go to the dump. It has become a running joke between me and Meryl. Whenever we get an unexpected rain shower she’ll call me up and ask if I’m going to the dump.
Today it is supposed to rain so of course I’m going to dump.
While poking about on YouTube this morning, I remembered a video from our Madison days that is all too appropriate.
A little bit of Garbage to brighten a rainy Friday.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Thursday Three: Guilty Pleasures
Admit it; we all have a few things that we are reluctant to admit we have, much less treasure. Terry wants to know all about them in this week’s Thursday Three.
Guilt pleasures, ahhh I love those bags of Halloween candy I have stashed in the closet just for me. However that is not the topic, instead I get to poke around my prized possessions (ie junk) and tell y’all about it.
1)Art was a bit tricky, we don’t have much in the way of embarrassing pieces of art work about the house. Well at least embarrassing to Larry and my self. In a few years the kids will be mortified by some of the stuff that they made and we treasure, but that is a parental prerogative. Then I remembered my albums. I have a big box of them out in the garage that we haven’t touched in years. After a few minutes of digging I realized that I have some pretty interesting stuff out there. Then I found it, my Haircut One Hundred album “Pelican West.” Here is a video of their big hit “Love Plus One.” It’s very odd, but lots of fun.
I love that album for all it poppy cheesy glory. At one point I dubbed a tape and it lived in my car’s stereo. It was hands down the best road trip album, all bouncy and happy. I’ll never give that album up, even if I pick up the cd.
2)Yay Science! We don’t have too many outmoded gagets around here. I generally use something until its irreparable, and then I replace it after I take it apart to check out the insides. One of the few exceptions is the old Gateway 486 we have up in the attic. I should toss it, but I view it as my spare parts machine. So far I have scrounged a bunch of itty bitty screws from it and the mouse. But really, I should just toss the whole thing.
3)I have never been a fashionista and the few things I would be embarrassed to have around now have long been tossed from the many, many moves we have made. I do have a good sized collection of t-shirts, but nothing really horrible. Maybe my ratty old jeans that I no longer wear in public would qualify, but they are not embarrassing in themselves, just the holes scattered about the seat and thighs. I’ve gotten to be pretty ruthless in purging my closet.
Most of my guilty pleasures are food oriented. I can make a good pasta sauce from scratch and I prefer my noodles al dente, but I love Chef Boyardee’s ravioli. It is far from authentic Italian and I just love it.
Oh, come on, now…
…the painting of Dogs Playing Poker that never fails to give you a chuckle, the stack of Slim Whitman LPs that you just can’t bear to part with, that pale turquoise polyester waffle-weave necktie with the square ends--YOU know you’ve got them.
That’s right…GUILTY PLEASURES!
This week, America’s Most Entertaining Blog Meme Thing, The Axis of Weevil Thursday Three, explores those nasty little secret proclivities that give us great pleasure in life, yet we still can’t quite admit it. The untoward, and awkward, and uncomely, and downright uncool things we all cling to, in spite of the snickers they evoke amongst the hip and trendy sorts who look down their noses (conveniently located beneath their high brows) at our favorite articles of unseemly pleasure.
S
O THEN, get out your keyboard--you know, the one with the WordPerfect 3.0 plastic template pasted over the keys so you can remember the shortcuts--and answer the following three questions.
1) Art! Name one (or more) pieces of highly unsophisticated artwork, literature, music, etc., that you have in your possession that you’re really sorta ashamed of, yet love too much to get rid off.
2) Science! What bit of embarrassingly faux high-tech machinery do you keep around your house simply out of some sort of geekly love affair you had with it in the past, even though there are better and more efficient alternatives around that you could replace it with?
3) Fashion! Okay, you know you’ve got something from a completely different fashion era that no one in good conscious would dare to wear today, except as some sort of postmodern mockingly ironic sort of way, yet it’s something you love and enjoy wearing, even though it causes small children and snotty po-mo pseudointellectuals (but I repeat myself) to laugh and point. So, what is it?
GO NOW AND ANSWER! Either leave a comment below, or a link to your very own “weblog” that are becoming so very popular amongst the youngsters these days!
Guilt pleasures, ahhh I love those bags of Halloween candy I have stashed in the closet just for me. However that is not the topic, instead I get to poke around my prized possessions (ie junk) and tell y’all about it.
1)Art was a bit tricky, we don’t have much in the way of embarrassing pieces of art work about the house. Well at least embarrassing to Larry and my self. In a few years the kids will be mortified by some of the stuff that they made and we treasure, but that is a parental prerogative. Then I remembered my albums. I have a big box of them out in the garage that we haven’t touched in years. After a few minutes of digging I realized that I have some pretty interesting stuff out there. Then I found it, my Haircut One Hundred album “Pelican West.” Here is a video of their big hit “Love Plus One.” It’s very odd, but lots of fun.
I love that album for all it poppy cheesy glory. At one point I dubbed a tape and it lived in my car’s stereo. It was hands down the best road trip album, all bouncy and happy. I’ll never give that album up, even if I pick up the cd.
2)Yay Science! We don’t have too many outmoded gagets around here. I generally use something until its irreparable, and then I replace it after I take it apart to check out the insides. One of the few exceptions is the old Gateway 486 we have up in the attic. I should toss it, but I view it as my spare parts machine. So far I have scrounged a bunch of itty bitty screws from it and the mouse. But really, I should just toss the whole thing.
3)I have never been a fashionista and the few things I would be embarrassed to have around now have long been tossed from the many, many moves we have made. I do have a good sized collection of t-shirts, but nothing really horrible. Maybe my ratty old jeans that I no longer wear in public would qualify, but they are not embarrassing in themselves, just the holes scattered about the seat and thighs. I’ve gotten to be pretty ruthless in purging my closet.
Most of my guilty pleasures are food oriented. I can make a good pasta sauce from scratch and I prefer my noodles al dente, but I love Chef Boyardee’s ravioli. It is far from authentic Italian and I just love it.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Artist of the Week: Reflections, Updated
This week's artist is Nate and this is an update of two previous posts about his Reflections entry. I first posted about it here on January 31st after we found out he won first in his school and in the county and again here after he won the district and brought home all sorts of swag from the school's reception.
Since then we have been waiting on the results from the competition on the state level.
A week or so ago I took a peek at the state of Virginia's PTA web site. After a bit of hunting about I found that the winners had been posted. Nate hadn't made the cut, but it had been an amazing ride.
Yesterday he brought home a certificate from the state level. Ironically it was his piano teacher that got to see it first. Tuesday is when Nate has his piano lesson and just as they were about to begin Nate remembered something went over to his backpack and pulled out a folder that had been sent home with him.
I had been told that we shouldn't expect anything from the state level if we didn't place, so this was a very pleasent surprise.
I think I need to get all his prizes framed.
Since then we have been waiting on the results from the competition on the state level.
A week or so ago I took a peek at the state of Virginia's PTA web site. After a bit of hunting about I found that the winners had been posted. Nate hadn't made the cut, but it had been an amazing ride.
Yesterday he brought home a certificate from the state level. Ironically it was his piano teacher that got to see it first. Tuesday is when Nate has his piano lesson and just as they were about to begin Nate remembered something went over to his backpack and pulled out a folder that had been sent home with him.
I had been told that we shouldn't expect anything from the state level if we didn't place, so this was a very pleasent surprise.
I think I need to get all his prizes framed.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Swimsuit Season
Yesterday we heralded the start of swimsuit season by breaking out the wading pool.
With a string of temperatures in the 80s I deemed it was time to haul out the wading pool. As usual it was a disgusting mess after overwintering upside down under the deck. Small people had filled it with muck along with the water and leaves that naturally filled the pockets on the underside. But with a little scrubbing with some lye soap and a good blasting from the hose, it was ready for action.
All four were delighted with the return of the wading pool. Now we only have to wait for the opening of our subdivision's pool at the end of May.
With a string of temperatures in the 80s I deemed it was time to haul out the wading pool. As usual it was a disgusting mess after overwintering upside down under the deck. Small people had filled it with muck along with the water and leaves that naturally filled the pockets on the underside. But with a little scrubbing with some lye soap and a good blasting from the hose, it was ready for action.
All four were delighted with the return of the wading pool. Now we only have to wait for the opening of our subdivision's pool at the end of May.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Weekly Tadpole Update
The tadpoles have survived a week under our care. If fact I would even venture to say they have thrived. They are plump and have almost doubled in size. Fish food, apparently, agrees with them.
They are turning out to be a fine, albeit, temporary addition to our household. According to the various websites dedicated to their care, it is better to frequently drop in small amounts of food throughout the day than one big wad all at once. This is great for the kids, because then everybody gets to feed them once a day. Of course all this eating means that they growing. I foresee in the near future they are going to outgrow their little tank. We’ll have to bring down the big tank up in the attic and set it up for the little hoppers to be. At some point the tadpoles lose their gills and will need a spot to rest and poke their heads out for a breath of air.
But for now the little tank suits them very well. I just want too know why does there seem to be a whole lot more tadpoles than what we started with a week ago. Oh and it’s a bear taking a decent picture of them.
They are turning out to be a fine, albeit, temporary addition to our household. According to the various websites dedicated to their care, it is better to frequently drop in small amounts of food throughout the day than one big wad all at once. This is great for the kids, because then everybody gets to feed them once a day. Of course all this eating means that they growing. I foresee in the near future they are going to outgrow their little tank. We’ll have to bring down the big tank up in the attic and set it up for the little hoppers to be. At some point the tadpoles lose their gills and will need a spot to rest and poke their heads out for a breath of air.
But for now the little tank suits them very well. I just want too know why does there seem to be a whole lot more tadpoles than what we started with a week ago. Oh and it’s a bear taking a decent picture of them.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Chowdery Goodness
On Monday when dinner time rolled around I had nothing planned. I opened the fridge and hoped I would be struck with some sort of inspiration as I peered at the contents therein. All I knew was I did not want to make chicken, again.
Half a roasted turkey breast caught my eye. It was delicious and it needed to be used up. Now I just had to figure out what to do with it. I make turkey pasta with cream sauce, but I was not in mood for it and we didn’t have any zucchini on hand. So I turned to my friend Google. The phrase “cooked turkey recipes” gave me a few ideas and I settled on creamy turkey chowder over at cdkitchen. As always things got modified to suit my tastes and what we have on hand. Parenthetical remarks are my additions to the recipe; other modifications are denoted by asterix.
Creamy Turkey Chowder
1 cup celery, finely chopped* (1/2 cup of frozen peas)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon margarine**
2 cups turkey broth or chicken broth
2 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper***
1 dash cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked turkey cut into half-inch cubes
2 cups cold milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
In five-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté celery and onions in margarine 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender crisp. Add broth, potatoes, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
Once mixture is at a simmer, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in turkey. **** (add peas) In medium bowl gradually add milk to cornstarch. Stir mixture into soup.
Increase heat to medium and cook six to eight minutes until mixture thickens.
*I don’t like celery, my husband can’t eat it and we don’t have any. So no celery.
**butter!
***I don’t have white pepper, regular black pepper worked just fine.
****At this point I added about half a cup of frozen peas. They add a nice bit of color and flavor plus hubby loves peas.
The end result was fantastic. The peas were a perfect addition. It is very easy to make and is even better the next day. Now we have turkey chowder to look forward to after thanksgiving.
Half a roasted turkey breast caught my eye. It was delicious and it needed to be used up. Now I just had to figure out what to do with it. I make turkey pasta with cream sauce, but I was not in mood for it and we didn’t have any zucchini on hand. So I turned to my friend Google. The phrase “cooked turkey recipes” gave me a few ideas and I settled on creamy turkey chowder over at cdkitchen. As always things got modified to suit my tastes and what we have on hand. Parenthetical remarks are my additions to the recipe; other modifications are denoted by asterix.
Creamy Turkey Chowder
1 cup celery, finely chopped* (1/2 cup of frozen peas)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon margarine**
2 cups turkey broth or chicken broth
2 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper***
1 dash cayenne pepper
2 cups cooked turkey cut into half-inch cubes
2 cups cold milk
1/4 cup cornstarch
In five-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté celery and onions in margarine 2 to 3 minutes until vegetables are tender crisp. Add broth, potatoes, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
Once mixture is at a simmer, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes until potatoes are tender. Stir in turkey. **** (add peas) In medium bowl gradually add milk to cornstarch. Stir mixture into soup.
Increase heat to medium and cook six to eight minutes until mixture thickens.
*I don’t like celery, my husband can’t eat it and we don’t have any. So no celery.
**butter!
***I don’t have white pepper, regular black pepper worked just fine.
****At this point I added about half a cup of frozen peas. They add a nice bit of color and flavor plus hubby loves peas.
The end result was fantastic. The peas were a perfect addition. It is very easy to make and is even better the next day. Now we have turkey chowder to look forward to after thanksgiving.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Thursday Three: Kid Stuff
This week Terry wants us to climb back into the way back machine and tell all about our childhoods.
But street hockey is only fun when you have traffic. Car!
1) There was one place we went to, Young’s I think, when we were living in Connecticut. It’s gone now and I don’t remember the food, but it was a very nice family friendly place. But I think our all time favorite is Woodman’s in Essex, Massachusetts. It is a funny place where you order your drinks at the bar and your food at the counter. When it’s ready the call you up and hand you a try brimming with food. Then you have to navigate to your table through the low, long dining room that has been added onto countless times over the years. The fried scallops are heavenly and so are the onion rings. It’s dining in the rough, so you have to bus your own table. They have great food at great prices and the freshest seafood around. The restaurant is right on the water and you get to see the fishing boats dock right out front.
2) I always loved to knock about in the woods and fields behind our various homes. In Connecticut my brother and I would chase the cows in the neighboring fields and poke about the old trash piles for interesting bottles. In Vermont we would play in the stream and make forts from young saplings we cut down and tried together with twine. I could spend hours doing stuff like that.
3) For places we spent money to go to, it would be the movies, the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Science, Boston. We would usually try to go either the museum or the aquarium once a year. It was almost always on a wet day in the summer, nice days were for the beach.
I am a child of New England, Yankee born and bred.
Kid Stuff!
This week we again delve into the places of our childhood for the “Halcyon Days of Yore Edition” of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!
Take a moment and journey back to your childhood and answer the following three questions (ably supplied by an actual college professor) by either leaving you answer in the comments below or a link to your blog.
Tell us about how it was when you were growing up—what was your--
1) Favorite restaurant.
2) Place to spend time, but not money.
and
3) Place to go that DID cost to get into.
There you are--scoot along now and don’t play in traffic!
But street hockey is only fun when you have traffic. Car!
1) There was one place we went to, Young’s I think, when we were living in Connecticut. It’s gone now and I don’t remember the food, but it was a very nice family friendly place. But I think our all time favorite is Woodman’s in Essex, Massachusetts. It is a funny place where you order your drinks at the bar and your food at the counter. When it’s ready the call you up and hand you a try brimming with food. Then you have to navigate to your table through the low, long dining room that has been added onto countless times over the years. The fried scallops are heavenly and so are the onion rings. It’s dining in the rough, so you have to bus your own table. They have great food at great prices and the freshest seafood around. The restaurant is right on the water and you get to see the fishing boats dock right out front.
2) I always loved to knock about in the woods and fields behind our various homes. In Connecticut my brother and I would chase the cows in the neighboring fields and poke about the old trash piles for interesting bottles. In Vermont we would play in the stream and make forts from young saplings we cut down and tried together with twine. I could spend hours doing stuff like that.
3) For places we spent money to go to, it would be the movies, the New England Aquarium and the Museum of Science, Boston. We would usually try to go either the museum or the aquarium once a year. It was almost always on a wet day in the summer, nice days were for the beach.
I am a child of New England, Yankee born and bred.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Hi Mom! Happy Birthday!
Today is my mother's birthday.
She's already been artist of the week, so I won't repeat myself and I've already told you all about her here and here.
When I called her up today to wish her well, I got to chat with my brother who just happened to be visiting from Colorado with his wife, a nice birthday present for our mother.
They spent a busy day clearing out the garage and enjoying the lemon squares I sent as a birthday treat.
Not the most exciting of birthdays, but she gets a clean garage in the end and that is a very good present.
She's already been artist of the week, so I won't repeat myself and I've already told you all about her here and here.
When I called her up today to wish her well, I got to chat with my brother who just happened to be visiting from Colorado with his wife, a nice birthday present for our mother.
They spent a busy day clearing out the garage and enjoying the lemon squares I sent as a birthday treat.
Not the most exciting of birthdays, but she gets a clean garage in the end and that is a very good present.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Heartache
10 years ago, when we were just a family of three, my husband taught at Virginia Tech.
10 years ago I enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the campus and the surrounding area.
10 years ago I took this picture of Jake on the edge of the duck pond that graces the central campus.
10 years ago we were Hokies.
Today we morn those lost yesterday and a part of our hearts goes out to all those touched by the horrors that marred such a lovely place.
10 years ago I enjoyed the beauty and tranquility of the campus and the surrounding area.
10 years ago I took this picture of Jake on the edge of the duck pond that graces the central campus.
10 years ago we were Hokies.
Today we morn those lost yesterday and a part of our hearts goes out to all those touched by the horrors that marred such a lovely place.
Monday, April 16, 2007
Unexpected Houseguests
Saturday I came home late with Max from his t-ball game. As I rushed about throwing together dinner I found out that we have been invaded.
Sitting on the table was a little plastic vial; tightly capped, full of water and about a half dozen tadpoles.
It wasn’t a complete shock, Jake asked me if he could catch some the other day and I put him off with the standard “I need to talk to your father” speech.
I am not opposed to the idea, it is fascinating to watch the little guys develop legs, but I first needed to get organized. I would have to dig out our old 1 1/5 gallon fish tank, treat some water and let the tank settle for a day or two. Also I have no idea what to feed them once we installed them in their new temporary home.
So of course I got mad. I wasn’t ready for them and I hate having animals foisted upon me, especially when there in inadequate housing. A little vial with maybe half a cup of water does not make a good home for multiple tadpoles. Poor Jake got very upset and in the end we decided that we would get a better home for them in the morning. Nate then chimed in “what about mine?” It turns out even more were stashed outside in a dump truck.
Argh!
Apparently they had badgered their father who is quite ill and just wanted to go back to bed. Larry liked the idea of their playing outside and that was what he had agreed to, not the acquisition of more pets. Anyway it’s water under the bridge and I got over it.
Sunday morning I dug out the tank, filled it with stream water and unceremoniously dumped all the tadpoles in. Not an ideal situation, but an improvement none the less.
There was much delight from the younger members of the family with our new pets. So far they are hanging in there. They like to burrow into the rocks and occasionally venture out into open tea colored water. As for feeding them, there are all sorts of helpful websites out there. One suggested boiled, then frozen lettuce leaves, but I’m going to use some left over fish flakes. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
Sitting on the table was a little plastic vial; tightly capped, full of water and about a half dozen tadpoles.
It wasn’t a complete shock, Jake asked me if he could catch some the other day and I put him off with the standard “I need to talk to your father” speech.
I am not opposed to the idea, it is fascinating to watch the little guys develop legs, but I first needed to get organized. I would have to dig out our old 1 1/5 gallon fish tank, treat some water and let the tank settle for a day or two. Also I have no idea what to feed them once we installed them in their new temporary home.
So of course I got mad. I wasn’t ready for them and I hate having animals foisted upon me, especially when there in inadequate housing. A little vial with maybe half a cup of water does not make a good home for multiple tadpoles. Poor Jake got very upset and in the end we decided that we would get a better home for them in the morning. Nate then chimed in “what about mine?” It turns out even more were stashed outside in a dump truck.
Argh!
Apparently they had badgered their father who is quite ill and just wanted to go back to bed. Larry liked the idea of their playing outside and that was what he had agreed to, not the acquisition of more pets. Anyway it’s water under the bridge and I got over it.
Sunday morning I dug out the tank, filled it with stream water and unceremoniously dumped all the tadpoles in. Not an ideal situation, but an improvement none the less.
There was much delight from the younger members of the family with our new pets. So far they are hanging in there. They like to burrow into the rocks and occasionally venture out into open tea colored water. As for feeding them, there are all sorts of helpful websites out there. One suggested boiled, then frozen lettuce leaves, but I’m going to use some left over fish flakes. It’ll be interesting to see what happens.
Opening Day
Max is playing t-ball this spring and Saturday was opening day for our local Little League. It’s a big deal with all 65 teams assembled together, much speechifying and team pictures. Players are requested to arrive at 8:15 am and meet up with their teams. Then at 9:00 am they are to all march out to their assigned spots in the outfield and wait for:
Poor Max, along with his team mates, had no clue about the hats and the coaches kept taking them off and putting them on. All the while there was a cold drizzle that really made you want to wear your hat.
Next up on our agenda was the team and individual photos. We had to cool our heels for about 20 minutes until it was our turn. Meanwhile the cold drizzle changed over to a nasty cold rain. Fortunately we found shelter under a large tent that was a stones throw away from the photographers’ area. The kids goofed about in the dirt or huddled on their parents’ laps. Next door was a small tent selling snow cones and cotton candy, we all joked about what a great day it was for those particular treats.
When it was our turn for pictures we found out much to our dismay that the kids had to stand outside the tent and, of course, be without a coat. It was a challenge to get a halfway decent expression out of the kids as cold water dripped off the tents, down their backs with rain lashing them as well. The hardest photo was the team picture. The tallest third of the team were the lucky ones, they got to remain standing. The rest had to kneel or sit on the very wet grass. One boy refused and was almost in tears, he was cold, wet and did not want to kneel on the grass in the rain. As a compromise he was allowed to sort of bend down in a half squat. It was possibly the most wretched photo session I have ever been to, but the kids were mostly real troopers and were able to put on a brave face. Once it was over we were free to go. Our game wasn’t until 5:00 pm and it was questionable if there was even going to be one. All of us headed home and the coach promised to keep us posted.
An hour later the skies cleared and it was a beautiful day.
The fields dried up and the game was on.
It was a hoot watching the kids play ball. Max did a good job providing back up when he was in the outfield and stopped the ball several times. When he was in the infield it was a little harder for Max to stay focused, the loose dirt was so much more interesting, but he only missed one play. His at bats were the best part.
Max is the smallest member of his team and the coach had to smash the tee all the way down when Max stepped up to bat, otherwise the ball would be almost at his shoulders. Once everything was set he would knock off a decent hit. Then he would stand there admiring his handy work while all the parents would wildly cheer him on to run. The coach at home plate would take the bat away and push Max down the first baseline.
Max got tagged out after his first at bat, was left at first during the second, and was able to make it home the third time.
Max had a great time.
The color guard from a local high school marched out (hats off).
The National anthem was sung (hats still off).
The color guard marched off (hats still off).
Many, many boring speeches by various board members (hats on, but at about halfway through some of the older kids started to whack at each other their hats).
Senator throws out the ceremonial first pitch (hats on).
Opening prayer (hats off).
More speeches (hats on).
Finally, the recitation of the Little League pledge (hats off).
Poor Max, along with his team mates, had no clue about the hats and the coaches kept taking them off and putting them on. All the while there was a cold drizzle that really made you want to wear your hat.
Next up on our agenda was the team and individual photos. We had to cool our heels for about 20 minutes until it was our turn. Meanwhile the cold drizzle changed over to a nasty cold rain. Fortunately we found shelter under a large tent that was a stones throw away from the photographers’ area. The kids goofed about in the dirt or huddled on their parents’ laps. Next door was a small tent selling snow cones and cotton candy, we all joked about what a great day it was for those particular treats.
When it was our turn for pictures we found out much to our dismay that the kids had to stand outside the tent and, of course, be without a coat. It was a challenge to get a halfway decent expression out of the kids as cold water dripped off the tents, down their backs with rain lashing them as well. The hardest photo was the team picture. The tallest third of the team were the lucky ones, they got to remain standing. The rest had to kneel or sit on the very wet grass. One boy refused and was almost in tears, he was cold, wet and did not want to kneel on the grass in the rain. As a compromise he was allowed to sort of bend down in a half squat. It was possibly the most wretched photo session I have ever been to, but the kids were mostly real troopers and were able to put on a brave face. Once it was over we were free to go. Our game wasn’t until 5:00 pm and it was questionable if there was even going to be one. All of us headed home and the coach promised to keep us posted.
An hour later the skies cleared and it was a beautiful day.
The fields dried up and the game was on.
It was a hoot watching the kids play ball. Max did a good job providing back up when he was in the outfield and stopped the ball several times. When he was in the infield it was a little harder for Max to stay focused, the loose dirt was so much more interesting, but he only missed one play. His at bats were the best part.
Max is the smallest member of his team and the coach had to smash the tee all the way down when Max stepped up to bat, otherwise the ball would be almost at his shoulders. Once everything was set he would knock off a decent hit. Then he would stand there admiring his handy work while all the parents would wildly cheer him on to run. The coach at home plate would take the bat away and push Max down the first baseline.
Max got tagged out after his first at bat, was left at first during the second, and was able to make it home the third time.
Max had a great time.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Spring Break Wrap-up
Because it is spring break this week, I have had all four kids home with me. Even Max and Rebecca’s preschool program shut down. So it has been a busy week.
Monday we didn’t do much, we mostly lazed around in our pajamas until lunchtime. I know I spent my day counting down the hours until we could eat bread again.
Tuesday was a bit more exciting. After a little tree vacuuming, Nate went to a friend’s house for a sleepover and the rest of us met up with Meryl to play a little mini-golf. A good time was had by all. The most amazing thing was that we all got a hole in one, even Max and Rebecca. At first they just wildly bashed the ball around, but as we moved along the course they both improved. At the very last hole they knocked the ball in with one shot. To celebrate our awesome achievements on the miniature links we went out for ice cream.
Wednesday was grey and damp, not at all good weather for tree vacuuming or anything else. The high point was a trip to Costco.
Thursday I had planned to take the crew to the National Zoo up in DC. But our late start in the day coupled with the very real possibility that the place would be the proverbial zoo since it was spring break, I bailed. Instead we went to our own local zoo. It too was mobbed and the whole parking lot was filled however, this did not stop me in the least. I have learned to always drive up to the front, I (almost) always end up snagging a space by the entrance and Thursday was not the exception.
Even with the crowds it was a good day at the zoo. We hit at feeding time and the animals were very active. The funniest moment was by the gibbons. Their enclosure is comprised of a climbing structure on an island in a small pond. Wild turtles abound and one good sized specimen hauled itself out of the water onto the island. A young gibbon spotted it and ambled on over to investigate this new addition to the island. The gibbon stroked the turtle’s shell and was clearly fascinated by the reptile. Meanwhile the turtle tired of the attention and turned towards the water. A larger gibbon suddenly appeared; it took one look at the turtle and then swatted it back into the pond. Unfortunately I had left my camera at home. It would have made a great short movie.
Today, Friday, has been another low key day. I haven’t planned anything. Tomorrow, if it doesn’t get rained out will be far busier. It’s opening day for Max’s t-ball league and we’ll be spending the bulk of the day at the park. I promise I’ll take pictures.
Monday we didn’t do much, we mostly lazed around in our pajamas until lunchtime. I know I spent my day counting down the hours until we could eat bread again.
Tuesday was a bit more exciting. After a little tree vacuuming, Nate went to a friend’s house for a sleepover and the rest of us met up with Meryl to play a little mini-golf. A good time was had by all. The most amazing thing was that we all got a hole in one, even Max and Rebecca. At first they just wildly bashed the ball around, but as we moved along the course they both improved. At the very last hole they knocked the ball in with one shot. To celebrate our awesome achievements on the miniature links we went out for ice cream.
Wednesday was grey and damp, not at all good weather for tree vacuuming or anything else. The high point was a trip to Costco.
Thursday I had planned to take the crew to the National Zoo up in DC. But our late start in the day coupled with the very real possibility that the place would be the proverbial zoo since it was spring break, I bailed. Instead we went to our own local zoo. It too was mobbed and the whole parking lot was filled however, this did not stop me in the least. I have learned to always drive up to the front, I (almost) always end up snagging a space by the entrance and Thursday was not the exception.
Even with the crowds it was a good day at the zoo. We hit at feeding time and the animals were very active. The funniest moment was by the gibbons. Their enclosure is comprised of a climbing structure on an island in a small pond. Wild turtles abound and one good sized specimen hauled itself out of the water onto the island. A young gibbon spotted it and ambled on over to investigate this new addition to the island. The gibbon stroked the turtle’s shell and was clearly fascinated by the reptile. Meanwhile the turtle tired of the attention and turned towards the water. A larger gibbon suddenly appeared; it took one look at the turtle and then swatted it back into the pond. Unfortunately I had left my camera at home. It would have made a great short movie.
Today, Friday, has been another low key day. I haven’t planned anything. Tomorrow, if it doesn’t get rained out will be far busier. It’s opening day for Max’s t-ball league and we’ll be spending the bulk of the day at the park. I promise I’ll take pictures.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Thursday Three: Guilt Trip
This week Terry is laying down a guilt trip on the Thursday Three.
Guilt, guilt, guilt. It is possibly the sneakiest form of coercion.
1) In my family it’s hard to say. Guilt doesn’t get you too far with hard core Yankees; it can often backfire into the recipient telling you to stuff it. I’m from plain spoken stock and it shows. We are much better at self inflicted guilt.
2) The last thing I felt guilty about is tough, I have a sort of free floating guilt about house keeping. I hate doing it and I come up with all sorts of ways to procrastinate (Hello Blog!). For a specific example it would be the big pile of junk in my bedroom. It came about when I empty the desk in our room so as to move it to Jake’s room. It’s not really a big deal, but it bugs me.
3) No one is completely immune to shame and guilt in my family. Rebecca has the most appalling table manners and has resisted all attempts to civilize her, but she shuts down when called out on other things. But guilt isn’t a major motivator in our family. We do things because it is the right thing to do, not because we feel guilty.
Anyhoo, I bushed and that’s that.
FAR BE IT FROM ME...
...to deny you all the intense joy presented by the unveiling of yet another Thursday diversion. I realize that I've not been very forthcoming in the past few days with entertainng matter for your reading pleasure, having instead to provide nutritious snacks (in the form of my furry haunches) to the variety of alligators that are firmly latched onto my buttocks.
BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME! It is about YOU and YOUR fun. So let me stop what I'm doing and do this. For you. Because I'm just here to serve you, like some kind of slave.
As you can guess, this is going to be the Guilt Trip Version of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!
SO, take a moment, if you can, and you're not too busy to participate, after I went to all the trouble to stop my work and come up with these questions, and answer these three questions:
1) Who is the best person in your family at inducing guilt in others?
2) What is the last thing you did or didn't do that you later felt guilty about?
3) Is there anyone in your family who is immune to shame and guilt?
There now--all done--JUST FOR YOU! Leave your answers in the comments below, or a link to your blog. If it's not too much trouble. Because Lord knows it was no trouble at ALL for me to do this, just because I'm covered up with paperwork. NOOOOoooo, I do this for you because I know at least a couple of you enjoy it. Not that I ever get to enjoy anything anymore, but at least SOMEone can. [Following maudlin 4,564 word statement redacted for lack of space. Ed.] OH SURE, the EDitor can come in here and just cut me right off. Figures. Just go answer the questions.
Guilt, guilt, guilt. It is possibly the sneakiest form of coercion.
1) In my family it’s hard to say. Guilt doesn’t get you too far with hard core Yankees; it can often backfire into the recipient telling you to stuff it. I’m from plain spoken stock and it shows. We are much better at self inflicted guilt.
2) The last thing I felt guilty about is tough, I have a sort of free floating guilt about house keeping. I hate doing it and I come up with all sorts of ways to procrastinate (Hello Blog!). For a specific example it would be the big pile of junk in my bedroom. It came about when I empty the desk in our room so as to move it to Jake’s room. It’s not really a big deal, but it bugs me.
3) No one is completely immune to shame and guilt in my family. Rebecca has the most appalling table manners and has resisted all attempts to civilize her, but she shuts down when called out on other things. But guilt isn’t a major motivator in our family. We do things because it is the right thing to do, not because we feel guilty.
Anyhoo, I bushed and that’s that.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Artist of the Week: Dragon
This week's artist is Nate.
I love this picture of him reading to Rebecca. It is just a delightful moment of two siblings together.
Anyway, dragons have been an ongoing theme around here and Nate made a wonderful series of them a week or so ago.
This is one of his drawings. Not only does it have a dragon, but it also features a moose and a squirrel. (Hee ! Moose and Squirrel, I've got to find some episodes of "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" for my kids.)
But surprise, surprise, I digress.
Nate has developed his own style right down to the trees. His trees always tower above all in his pictures. I watched a short performance his Sunday school class put on last Hanukkah. He had opted not to perform, but instead helped make the backdrop. I easily picked out his trees. His dragon has its own personality as well. It is different from the ones I have made and is entirely his creation.
I love watching my children's art evolve.
I love this picture of him reading to Rebecca. It is just a delightful moment of two siblings together.
Anyway, dragons have been an ongoing theme around here and Nate made a wonderful series of them a week or so ago.
This is one of his drawings. Not only does it have a dragon, but it also features a moose and a squirrel. (Hee ! Moose and Squirrel, I've got to find some episodes of "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show" for my kids.)
But surprise, surprise, I digress.
Nate has developed his own style right down to the trees. His trees always tower above all in his pictures. I watched a short performance his Sunday school class put on last Hanukkah. He had opted not to perform, but instead helped make the backdrop. I easily picked out his trees. His dragon has its own personality as well. It is different from the ones I have made and is entirely his creation.
I love watching my children's art evolve.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Spring Cleaning
Or how I have found another reason to love our Shop-vac.
I hate tent caterpillars. They are horrible, no good creepy crawlies that defoliate plants and drive me mad. Part of my extreme reaction is due to the fact that I lived in a very rural part of Connecticut during a truly horrific infestation in the early 1970’s. You had to use an umbrella whenever you stepped outside. Every time we drove the car it had to be hosed off once we got back home.
It was horrible.
As a result I try to eliminate any tents within reach on our trees.
Around here they seem to favor our crabapple tree next to the house. I’ll find a few tents, lop off the branches, bag them and send them off to the dump. It’s no big deal and the infestation is minor.
But this year is a different story.
The little horrors set up shop in inaccessible locations or at the base of the main branches. It was simple impossible for me to do my usual routine. I have been watching with great dismay as they defoliate my favorite tree. I hoped the two nights in the low 20’s would have killed them off, but no. Like a bad horror movie they would spastically twitch in the weak morning sun and then be back to normal in a few hours. I contemplated blasting them with water before those cold nights, but I didn’t want to ruin my hoses or spread them about. Insecticide really isn’t an option since the dogs love to nose about under the tree and the children play there.
And then I got an idea.
I could vacuum them up with our Shop-vac.
Yes folks, I spent several hours today vacuuming my tree and it was fun.
It was so satisfying sucking them up and their awful tents. In fact it was downright addictive. I so caught up in my tree vacuuming that I was late meeting Meryl. When I called her up she laughed at my explanation and then asked “You are going to blog it, right?” “I am so going to blog this” was my reply.
At one point the filtered clogged from a particularly large tent. With a little trepidation I opened the canister. I wasn’t sure what I would find. I was dreading the aftermath when I would have to rid the canister of its wriggly cargo. Instead I was delighted that they had all turned to goo.
Yes, I have hit upon a way to rid my tree of a pest in an ecologically sound manner. I just plug in my little shop-vac and “poof” they are gone. No nasty chemicals or smoke belching machines.
As an added bonus it even entertained the kids. They loved watching me vacuum the tree and in fact Jake even joined in the fun.
I bet none of their friends got to vacuum trees over spring break.
I can’t wait to do more tomorrow morning.
I hate tent caterpillars. They are horrible, no good creepy crawlies that defoliate plants and drive me mad. Part of my extreme reaction is due to the fact that I lived in a very rural part of Connecticut during a truly horrific infestation in the early 1970’s. You had to use an umbrella whenever you stepped outside. Every time we drove the car it had to be hosed off once we got back home.
It was horrible.
As a result I try to eliminate any tents within reach on our trees.
Around here they seem to favor our crabapple tree next to the house. I’ll find a few tents, lop off the branches, bag them and send them off to the dump. It’s no big deal and the infestation is minor.
But this year is a different story.
The little horrors set up shop in inaccessible locations or at the base of the main branches. It was simple impossible for me to do my usual routine. I have been watching with great dismay as they defoliate my favorite tree. I hoped the two nights in the low 20’s would have killed them off, but no. Like a bad horror movie they would spastically twitch in the weak morning sun and then be back to normal in a few hours. I contemplated blasting them with water before those cold nights, but I didn’t want to ruin my hoses or spread them about. Insecticide really isn’t an option since the dogs love to nose about under the tree and the children play there.
And then I got an idea.
I could vacuum them up with our Shop-vac.
Yes folks, I spent several hours today vacuuming my tree and it was fun.
It was so satisfying sucking them up and their awful tents. In fact it was downright addictive. I so caught up in my tree vacuuming that I was late meeting Meryl. When I called her up she laughed at my explanation and then asked “You are going to blog it, right?” “I am so going to blog this” was my reply.
At one point the filtered clogged from a particularly large tent. With a little trepidation I opened the canister. I wasn’t sure what I would find. I was dreading the aftermath when I would have to rid the canister of its wriggly cargo. Instead I was delighted that they had all turned to goo.
Yes, I have hit upon a way to rid my tree of a pest in an ecologically sound manner. I just plug in my little shop-vac and “poof” they are gone. No nasty chemicals or smoke belching machines.
As an added bonus it even entertained the kids. They loved watching me vacuum the tree and in fact Jake even joined in the fun.
I bet none of their friends got to vacuum trees over spring break.
I can’t wait to do more tomorrow morning.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Passover Baking
Saturday I decided to take a crack at a little Passover baking. I like to make special things on the weekend and my normal, non-Passover, options such as pancakes and muffins were not possible. Well, I could use a Passover approved pancake mix, but after many years of trying to doctor those up I’ve given up. I endlessly futz around with the ingredients and they always end up like very flat and heavy biscuits.
So I turned to my copy of “Something Different for Passover” by Zell Schulman. Over the years it has been a very useful book for me and I have no idea where I picked it up. Anyway, after pouring through it I settled on Apple Squares.
The cooling off period is critical; it allows the cake to set up. All sorts of lovely juices from the apples and sugar will spill out if the cake does not cool. Fortunately I realized this and did not try to remove it from the pan early.
*We skipped the raisins, I don’t like them and the kids won’t eat them.
**I used a round spring form pan. It made for a prettier cake.
***I also added a dash of ground ginger
****Since I used a round pan, I cut cake slices.
The cake was quite good considering it was made with matzah meal. It makes for a nice breakfast treat, snack or dessert. Max loves it in small slices and declared it delicious (there is nothing cuter than a 5 year old saying something is delicious). Jake liked it and Nate thought it was okay. Rebecca flat out refused to try it. She wants nothing to do with matzah and is actively avoiding it.
So I turned to my copy of “Something Different for Passover” by Zell Schulman. Over the years it has been a very useful book for me and I have no idea where I picked it up. Anyway, after pouring through it I settled on Apple Squares.
2 cups less 2 tablespoons matzah cake meal
2 tablespoons potato starch
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter or margarine
1 and ½ cup sugar (divided)
4 eggs
Juice and grated peel of one lemon
3 large cooking apples, peeled and cored
½ cup of white raisins*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a nine inch square cake pan.** Sift cake meal, potato starch and salt then set aside. Cream butter and 1 cup of sugar together. Add eggs, lemon rind and juice. Beat for 1 minute. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. With wet hands, press half the dough into the pan. Slice the apples and evenly place on top of the dough. Sprinkle with raisins.* Combine the remaining ½ cup of sugar with cinnamon and nutmeg.*** Then sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the raisins and apples. Crumble remaining dough over fruit. Bake 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 30 minutes and cut into 12 squares.****
The cooling off period is critical; it allows the cake to set up. All sorts of lovely juices from the apples and sugar will spill out if the cake does not cool. Fortunately I realized this and did not try to remove it from the pan early.
*We skipped the raisins, I don’t like them and the kids won’t eat them.
**I used a round spring form pan. It made for a prettier cake.
***I also added a dash of ground ginger
****Since I used a round pan, I cut cake slices.
The cake was quite good considering it was made with matzah meal. It makes for a nice breakfast treat, snack or dessert. Max loves it in small slices and declared it delicious (there is nothing cuter than a 5 year old saying something is delicious). Jake liked it and Nate thought it was okay. Rebecca flat out refused to try it. She wants nothing to do with matzah and is actively avoiding it.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Passover Peeps
For me Easter is all about the peeps.
Now there is a delightful Flickr photo set of the 10 plagues featuring Peeps.
Enjoy! Hat tip to Chef Tony.
Now there is a delightful Flickr photo set of the 10 plagues featuring Peeps.
Enjoy! Hat tip to Chef Tony.
Springtime Surprise
Saturday morning we got a little springtime surprise. The news had been going on and on about the possibility of snow Friday night, but I took it with a grain of salt. When I turned in that night it was to the drumming sound of rain drops on the skylights. I wasn't too concerned about my plans to go up to Fredericksburg for a dog show. It was all highway driving and a little foul weather won't stop me. My only concern was about how muddy the show rings would be, since it was an outdoor show.
Imagine my surprise would I woke up to the sound of excited children milling about. A veritable winter wonderland greeted my eyes.
I laughed and turned to my husband. "I get to show John outside in the snow!"
The rest of my morning was spent readying myself for the show. I dug out my winter dress boots and pulled on a pair of mud friendly black cords (when showing dachshunds there is a fair amount of your time is spent kneeling on the ground). I grabbed some breakfast, boosted John into his crate and I was on my way.
My first stop was my friends house on the west side of Richmond. She too has dachshunds and we like to car pool together. About halfway to her house my cell rang, it was my friend.
The show was canceled.
I was shocked. It was only a bit of snow, but the show committee decided that since they couldn't clear the rings it really wasn't the best conditions for the small breeds and any ancient owners.
So I sadly turned the car around and headed back home.
And this is what greeted my eyes when I turned down the driveway.
The kids had been very busy during the short time I had been away. Instead of a traditional snowman, they opted for an armchair. Yes, that's right. Jake, Nate and Rebecca made an armchair out of snow. As you can see it is just the right size for them to sit in.
I included another picture of just the chair so you can appreciate their efforts.
It certainly is the most unique snow sculpture that has ever graced our front lawn. All it needs is a snow side table and a snow TV.
The snow is gone now, except for the chair. I think it will grace our lawn for a few more days.
Update: Much to my surprise it's almost gone.
Imagine my surprise would I woke up to the sound of excited children milling about. A veritable winter wonderland greeted my eyes.
I laughed and turned to my husband. "I get to show John outside in the snow!"
The rest of my morning was spent readying myself for the show. I dug out my winter dress boots and pulled on a pair of mud friendly black cords (when showing dachshunds there is a fair amount of your time is spent kneeling on the ground). I grabbed some breakfast, boosted John into his crate and I was on my way.
My first stop was my friends house on the west side of Richmond. She too has dachshunds and we like to car pool together. About halfway to her house my cell rang, it was my friend.
The show was canceled.
I was shocked. It was only a bit of snow, but the show committee decided that since they couldn't clear the rings it really wasn't the best conditions for the small breeds and any ancient owners.
So I sadly turned the car around and headed back home.
And this is what greeted my eyes when I turned down the driveway.
The kids had been very busy during the short time I had been away. Instead of a traditional snowman, they opted for an armchair. Yes, that's right. Jake, Nate and Rebecca made an armchair out of snow. As you can see it is just the right size for them to sit in.
I included another picture of just the chair so you can appreciate their efforts.
It certainly is the most unique snow sculpture that has ever graced our front lawn. All it needs is a snow side table and a snow TV.
The snow is gone now, except for the chair. I think it will grace our lawn for a few more days.
Update: Much to my surprise it's almost gone.
Friday, April 06, 2007
So Guess Who I Am
| I am Betty Grable |
 The ultimate girl next door You're the perfect girl for most guys Pretty yet approachable. Beautiful yet real. |
It's been a long day and I thought I'd end the week with a little cheesecake. Sadly I can't make the real thing with an oreo crust, that'll have to wait until Wednesday.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Thursday Three: Can You Hear It
This week Terry wants us to all sit down and give it a listen.
Quietly? I think not! Nothing is ever done quietly around here. There is a reason that my blog is called what it is.
Anyway here is my take on the above 3 by 3 questions.
1) Well first off I do enjoy the sound of silence, particularly at night when everybody is tucked into bed. I also love the sound of my children’s laughter, each one is unique and I can’t pick out one in particular. Lastly I really enjoy the sound of a dachshund hot on the trail of a rabbit. Sadly my two dogs are closed mouthed on rabbit and will only open when they sight the bunny.
2) As any parent will tell you, sometimes silence is not a good thing. Silence is not good when it occurs after a noticeably loud crash. I also dislike the loud pointless squabbling that siblings are prone to do. The dogs too can be included in this category. I love to hear them bay while hunting, but I hate pointless barking. For example, Crunch now will sometimes stand by the dog sofa and bark at me. Occasionally it is to alert me to the fact that his way is blocked, but usually it is just to have me go up to him and tell him to haul his own butt up.
3) I will never forget the sound of the ocean, the slap of the waves on the beach and the retreating hiss as the water slides back to the sea. Then there is the sound of a small baby snuffling on its mother’s breast. It is such a small, but contented sound that warmed my heart every time my babies made it. The third most memorable sound is also the oddest. Rally had the peculiar habit of digging in the water bowl when it was empty. It was such a distinctive sound of her nails scrapping against the bottom of the bowl and it was very effective. Every time she did it we would immediately refill the bowl. The stainless steel bowl had a better tone, but the digging worked on plastic just as well. Now that she is gone the red dogs have to figure out a way to alert us to a lack of water. At first they just stand around by the bowl hoping we notice. When that doesn’t work we might get a few exasperated barks.
A Re-Sounding Success!
That’s what EVERYone says about the game that’s sweeping the globe, the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three! This week’s set of three questions is brought to us via Mr. Spud himself, Tarheel Marc, who has been quite attentive to the auditory manifestations of springtime.
Let’s allow him to explain:
Every year at about this time, we get to open up the windows in the house/car and enjoy the sounds of spring coming out again (birds chirping, lawnmowers buzzing, car beatboxes booming). So please share with the rest of the gang:
1. What 3 sounds do you like to hear at your household?
2. What 3 sounds do you not like to hear at your household?
3. What 3 sounds will you always remember?
So, there you are. Quietly (or loudly) scamper off and think about those and leave your answers in the comments below, or a link over to your own blog. Marc did say he was concerned that some in the readership might have some deafness that defies providing an easy answer to these questions. If so, feel free to modify the questions or answers to best suit you. Also, Southern Hemispherical readers should modify the season as they feel appropriate, or pretend that it’s Spring down there, too.
Quietly? I think not! Nothing is ever done quietly around here. There is a reason that my blog is called what it is.
Anyway here is my take on the above 3 by 3 questions.
1) Well first off I do enjoy the sound of silence, particularly at night when everybody is tucked into bed. I also love the sound of my children’s laughter, each one is unique and I can’t pick out one in particular. Lastly I really enjoy the sound of a dachshund hot on the trail of a rabbit. Sadly my two dogs are closed mouthed on rabbit and will only open when they sight the bunny.
2) As any parent will tell you, sometimes silence is not a good thing. Silence is not good when it occurs after a noticeably loud crash. I also dislike the loud pointless squabbling that siblings are prone to do. The dogs too can be included in this category. I love to hear them bay while hunting, but I hate pointless barking. For example, Crunch now will sometimes stand by the dog sofa and bark at me. Occasionally it is to alert me to the fact that his way is blocked, but usually it is just to have me go up to him and tell him to haul his own butt up.
3) I will never forget the sound of the ocean, the slap of the waves on the beach and the retreating hiss as the water slides back to the sea. Then there is the sound of a small baby snuffling on its mother’s breast. It is such a small, but contented sound that warmed my heart every time my babies made it. The third most memorable sound is also the oddest. Rally had the peculiar habit of digging in the water bowl when it was empty. It was such a distinctive sound of her nails scrapping against the bottom of the bowl and it was very effective. Every time she did it we would immediately refill the bowl. The stainless steel bowl had a better tone, but the digging worked on plastic just as well. Now that she is gone the red dogs have to figure out a way to alert us to a lack of water. At first they just stand around by the bowl hoping we notice. When that doesn’t work we might get a few exasperated barks.
Artist of the Week: Block Army Base
This week's artist is Max.
He wanted me to take this picture of him all curled up in bed. Isn't he adorable?
Any way that same day he built this army base out of the blocks in his room. Like his brothers' creations it is a fully realized building with multiple levels and rooms. He was very proud of his building and told me to come upstairs and take a picture.
Then the most amazing thing occurred, after he was done with the building he put away the blocks. Without any help/nagging from me. I was stunned. It turns out that he is satisfied if I take a picture of the end result, after which he will dismantle the creation.
What a kid.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Seders
Last night we had our our little Seder. It is fairly stripped down due to the limited attention span and increasing hunger of the younger members of our family.
Our official Seder plate is one Jake made a few years ago at Hebrew school. It has everything neatly spelled out in Hebrew with accompanying pictures.
Most plates doesn't have a spot for matzo, usually that is on its own plate. But there was a spot with a charming picture of matzo and I felt obligated to fill it.
Tonight's Seder was far more extensive and was held at our temple. Meryl and her mother joined us this year and get to enjoy the true community spirit of my congregation's Seder.
One of the funniest moments came near the end. Rebecca had a plate full of dessert and was very pleased to have found some cake. Meryl and I just happened to glance over when she crammed a piece of the aforementioned cake in her mouth.
It was a classic Rebecca moment. She promptly removed the cake from her mouth and looked at with supreme disgust. It was not at all what she expected. Up to now she has been spoiled with my home made cakes and had never really eaten a Passover "cake." Since no leavening or flour can used Passover confections are a bit of an acquired taste, they are rarely anything to write home about. Mind you I can make a terrific flour-less torte, but what she had was some sort of "fake" cake.
Meanwhile Meryl and I just could not help laughing, it was too funny.
Our official Seder plate is one Jake made a few years ago at Hebrew school. It has everything neatly spelled out in Hebrew with accompanying pictures.
Most plates doesn't have a spot for matzo, usually that is on its own plate. But there was a spot with a charming picture of matzo and I felt obligated to fill it.
Tonight's Seder was far more extensive and was held at our temple. Meryl and her mother joined us this year and get to enjoy the true community spirit of my congregation's Seder.
One of the funniest moments came near the end. Rebecca had a plate full of dessert and was very pleased to have found some cake. Meryl and I just happened to glance over when she crammed a piece of the aforementioned cake in her mouth.
It was a classic Rebecca moment. She promptly removed the cake from her mouth and looked at with supreme disgust. It was not at all what she expected. Up to now she has been spoiled with my home made cakes and had never really eaten a Passover "cake." Since no leavening or flour can used Passover confections are a bit of an acquired taste, they are rarely anything to write home about. Mind you I can make a terrific flour-less torte, but what she had was some sort of "fake" cake.
Meanwhile Meryl and I just could not help laughing, it was too funny.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Happy Passover
Tonight is the first night of Passover and we would like to wish you all a happy Passover.
Today I'm meeting Meryl and her mother at the good IHOP for lunch. We'll enjoy our last meal with leavened goodness until next week.
Tonight's Seder will be a simple one, but tomorrow will be the big community one over at out temple. Rebecca has been eying our Passover supplies for the past week., in particular the candy food slices. She is excited over tonight, as well she should be.
Today I'm meeting Meryl and her mother at the good IHOP for lunch. We'll enjoy our last meal with leavened goodness until next week.
Tonight's Seder will be a simple one, but tomorrow will be the big community one over at out temple. Rebecca has been eying our Passover supplies for the past week., in particular the candy food slices. She is excited over tonight, as well she should be.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Mud Pies and Wild Green Salads
You know you have been watching a little too much of the Food network when your kids make mud pies and want you to come out and critique their offerings.
Nate made a lovely array of salads and Jake made little mud loafs. They both had a nice bit of color, but Jake won out in presentation. The little sprinkling of wild onion on top was a brilliant idea and pushed it over the top.
I used to make mud pies, but I never plated them with such care.
Nate made a lovely array of salads and Jake made little mud loafs. They both had a nice bit of color, but Jake won out in presentation. The little sprinkling of wild onion on top was a brilliant idea and pushed it over the top.
I used to make mud pies, but I never plated them with such care.
Friday, March 30, 2007
In Praise of Macaroons
I love macaroons. It is my favorite cookie and I have yet to have made a decent one. So I am at the mercy of local bakeries when the craving strikes.
To me the ideal macaroon has a delicate golden crust on the outside and a moist chewy center. The addition of coconut is an abomination, but the marriage of chocolate and almonds is a wonderful thing. I love having a mixed assortment of chocolate and plain macaroons.
In high school I used to stop by a local bakeshop at least once a week and get a macaroon. They were large, about 2 ½ inches across and practically melted in your mouth. I didn’t realize until years later how fortunate I was having a local bakery that could produce such a good cookie. I can always spot a good one and I never hesitate to buy them when I find them.
Passover starts next Monday and I have been baking up all sorts of things to use up my flour before Monday (I hate tossing out foodstuffs). Meanwhile I have had a hankering for my beloved macaroons; it is one of the very few cookies that are kosher year round. They are made with eggs, almonds, sugar and NO flour. A delicacy that is perfect for Passover.
A few days ago I was bemoaning the lack of good bakeries and macaroons to Meryl. She pointed out that I could get some Manischewitz brand macaroons, but I told her they were completely unacceptable. They are small, hard and dry, not at all what I would view as a treat. Yesterday I decided to do something about it. I would find an acceptable macaroon in the Richmond metro area. I was going to use my precious child free time to hit as many small bakeries as I could before I had to pick up Max and Rebecca from preschool. The macaroons wouldn’t be kosher for Passover, but at least I would find a local source.
The first one was a bust, they only had coconut macaroons. The second one, Jean Jacque’s, had a delicious version; however the top was studded with almond slivers. I like my macaroons unadorned. They also had a chocolate filled and dipped version, but alas they were not available that day. The third bake shop was where I struck gold. The Westhampton Pastry Shop has a delectable and tiny little macaroon. They are about the size of a vanilla wafer and are full of almond chewy goodness. I got half a pound and I don’t think they will be around much longer. Last night I remembered a little container of chocolate frosting I had tucked away in the fridge. I spread a little bit on a cookie and found heaven. The pastry shop also makes their own donuts and those are a good find too. I think Ill be stopping by again after Passover. I have found my bakery.
To me the ideal macaroon has a delicate golden crust on the outside and a moist chewy center. The addition of coconut is an abomination, but the marriage of chocolate and almonds is a wonderful thing. I love having a mixed assortment of chocolate and plain macaroons.
In high school I used to stop by a local bakeshop at least once a week and get a macaroon. They were large, about 2 ½ inches across and practically melted in your mouth. I didn’t realize until years later how fortunate I was having a local bakery that could produce such a good cookie. I can always spot a good one and I never hesitate to buy them when I find them.
Passover starts next Monday and I have been baking up all sorts of things to use up my flour before Monday (I hate tossing out foodstuffs). Meanwhile I have had a hankering for my beloved macaroons; it is one of the very few cookies that are kosher year round. They are made with eggs, almonds, sugar and NO flour. A delicacy that is perfect for Passover.
A few days ago I was bemoaning the lack of good bakeries and macaroons to Meryl. She pointed out that I could get some Manischewitz brand macaroons, but I told her they were completely unacceptable. They are small, hard and dry, not at all what I would view as a treat. Yesterday I decided to do something about it. I would find an acceptable macaroon in the Richmond metro area. I was going to use my precious child free time to hit as many small bakeries as I could before I had to pick up Max and Rebecca from preschool. The macaroons wouldn’t be kosher for Passover, but at least I would find a local source.
The first one was a bust, they only had coconut macaroons. The second one, Jean Jacque’s, had a delicious version; however the top was studded with almond slivers. I like my macaroons unadorned. They also had a chocolate filled and dipped version, but alas they were not available that day. The third bake shop was where I struck gold. The Westhampton Pastry Shop has a delectable and tiny little macaroon. They are about the size of a vanilla wafer and are full of almond chewy goodness. I got half a pound and I don’t think they will be around much longer. Last night I remembered a little container of chocolate frosting I had tucked away in the fridge. I spread a little bit on a cookie and found heaven. The pastry shop also makes their own donuts and those are a good find too. I think Ill be stopping by again after Passover. I have found my bakery.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Thursday Three: My Home Town
This week it is all about our home towns. What can you tell the axis of weevil about your roots, or lack of.
Hey! Mr. Peabody is a favorite of mine and, ironically Peabody is a family name and I’ll touch upon that in a moment.
1)No, I do not live in either of the towns I grew up in. I was born in a small town in Litchfield Connecticut. There we lived on a dirt road surrounded by cow fields. Then, sadly, my father passed away in the summer of ’76 and we moved to Norwich, Vt. I consider Norwich to be more of my home town simply because I have more memories of growing up in Vermont than of Connecticut.
What I miss the most of my home town is winter and my mother. Norwich really hasn’t changed much. The elementary school has been renovated and expanded, but the overall flavor remains same. Dan & Whits is remains the hub of town and you can still make local calls for free from the store’s phone. As for New Milford, it has changed, but not a whole lot. Several years ago I took Larry back there and I was shocked that I could still find my way around. It had been 20 years and I had never driven there (I was only 10 and half when we moved), but it all came back. The town looked pretty much the same except my elementary school was gone.
2) My family does not own any of the houses that I grew up in, but... two of the houses my mother grew up in are still in the family. One is called the Big House or Burnside and here is a picture of it with my family. The people are from left to right: Daphne, Aunt Liz, Babette, Peter, Eliza, My Mother, My brother, Me with Max, Larry with Rebecca and Jake and Nate in front of Larry and me. Aunt Liz is my mother’s sister-in-law and she is the mother of Peter. Peter and Babette live in the house now and have three children: Peter (not pictured), Daphne and Eliza. We used to go there every summer and play on the beach. The house itself has remained pretty much the same, only having some minor remodeling and modernization. Oh and some Peabodys have lived in this house.
As for the houses I grew up in, it is a mixed story. The house in Connecticut is very different. Housing developments had sprung up in some of the surrounding cow fields and most of the plantings around the house had been replaced. I was particularly saddened by the removal of the gigantic forsythia that had flanked the entrance to the driveway. They were so large that my brother and I could actually climb about inside them. They made excellent forts. The house looked nice, but it was not the same.
The Vermont house, it has changed a little bit, but it is still recognizable. The biggest change is the new driveway running by it to the back field. The people who bought the house from my mother divided the land and a house was built in the back field, but the overall character of the house remains the same.
3) I now live in one of the fastest growing counties in Virginia. A new subdivision has been put in on the road leading to my subdivision. A Food Lion along with a couple of strip malls has been built nearby. And, finally, an extension was added to the local highway that makes it possible to go to the far west side of Richmond in no time flat. As a result of all this growth the schools are bursting at the seams and the local school board is in denial.
So yes, there has been a lot of change in my life.
“Whhhhhhy, back in MY day…”
Good morning all, it’s time for you to clamber into the Wayback Machine and participate in this week’s “The More Things Change” Edition of the Axis of Weevil Thursday Three!
Our inquiries this week were supplied by our favorite college professor and small-engine repairman, who claims he was inspired by my recent jaunt through the freshly-constructed suburbs south of town--suburbs that in my youth were full of free-roaming wooly mammoths and cave-dwellers. At least in the perception of my youngest child.
Anyway, as is the usual case, all of you are free to play along by either leaving your answers in the comments below or a link to your very own blog.
And away we go--
1. Do you still live in the town where you grew up? If not, what do you miss the most? If so, what has changed the most?
2. Does your family still own the house you grew up in? Either way, what was it like the last time you saw it?
3. What is the biggest change in the last 5 years where you live now?
Okay, now that Sherman has closed us in and set the dial, my answers look like this—
Hey! Mr. Peabody is a favorite of mine and, ironically Peabody is a family name and I’ll touch upon that in a moment.
1)No, I do not live in either of the towns I grew up in. I was born in a small town in Litchfield Connecticut. There we lived on a dirt road surrounded by cow fields. Then, sadly, my father passed away in the summer of ’76 and we moved to Norwich, Vt. I consider Norwich to be more of my home town simply because I have more memories of growing up in Vermont than of Connecticut.
What I miss the most of my home town is winter and my mother. Norwich really hasn’t changed much. The elementary school has been renovated and expanded, but the overall flavor remains same. Dan & Whits is remains the hub of town and you can still make local calls for free from the store’s phone. As for New Milford, it has changed, but not a whole lot. Several years ago I took Larry back there and I was shocked that I could still find my way around. It had been 20 years and I had never driven there (I was only 10 and half when we moved), but it all came back. The town looked pretty much the same except my elementary school was gone.
2) My family does not own any of the houses that I grew up in, but... two of the houses my mother grew up in are still in the family. One is called the Big House or Burnside and here is a picture of it with my family. The people are from left to right: Daphne, Aunt Liz, Babette, Peter, Eliza, My Mother, My brother, Me with Max, Larry with Rebecca and Jake and Nate in front of Larry and me. Aunt Liz is my mother’s sister-in-law and she is the mother of Peter. Peter and Babette live in the house now and have three children: Peter (not pictured), Daphne and Eliza. We used to go there every summer and play on the beach. The house itself has remained pretty much the same, only having some minor remodeling and modernization. Oh and some Peabodys have lived in this house.
As for the houses I grew up in, it is a mixed story. The house in Connecticut is very different. Housing developments had sprung up in some of the surrounding cow fields and most of the plantings around the house had been replaced. I was particularly saddened by the removal of the gigantic forsythia that had flanked the entrance to the driveway. They were so large that my brother and I could actually climb about inside them. They made excellent forts. The house looked nice, but it was not the same.
The Vermont house, it has changed a little bit, but it is still recognizable. The biggest change is the new driveway running by it to the back field. The people who bought the house from my mother divided the land and a house was built in the back field, but the overall character of the house remains the same.
3) I now live in one of the fastest growing counties in Virginia. A new subdivision has been put in on the road leading to my subdivision. A Food Lion along with a couple of strip malls has been built nearby. And, finally, an extension was added to the local highway that makes it possible to go to the far west side of Richmond in no time flat. As a result of all this growth the schools are bursting at the seams and the local school board is in denial.
So yes, there has been a lot of change in my life.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Artist of the week: Drawing
This week’s artist is Rebecca.
I’m astounded by how much here art changes from week to week. Just a few days ago she decided to make a dragon with a soccer ball, which was in no small part inspired by the logo I just made for Jake’s soccer team. It is also strongly derivative of Homestar’s very own Trogdor. (What can I say, I love Trogdor and I had a lot of fun sharing it with the kids.)
Anyway she came home from preschool with a very charming picture. It features a man with his two dogs, his house, his garden and a bird flying overhead on a cloudy day. The man is holding an orange and the little yellow thing above the house is a bee.
I love Rebecca’s use of color in the picture. She fills the page with her vision and is not afraid to run a bit off the edges. My little girl is bold in life and in her art.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
What Kind of Sports Car are You?
All the worm racing excitment made me wonder what kind of sports car am I.
It turns out that...
It turns out that...
I'm a Ford Mustang!
You're an American classic -- fast, strong, and bold. You're not snobby or pretentious, but you have what it takes to give anyone a run for their money.
"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.
Which is ironic since we currently have two Fords parked in the garage. My only quible is that I like the T-Bird more than the Rustang, too bad the retro-bird was discontinued.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)