You know I just can't get over the fact that roses can, and do, bloom in the winter around here. I'm used to New England winters, after the first frost nothing blooms until spring.
I found these little beauties in the sheltered alley behind the Synagogue that holds our Sunday school. The picture is from last weekend when it was still mild. Since then the temperature has dropped and I seriously doubt the blooms are still around. It'll be interesting to see how they fair when I'm next up there. We car pool with another family so sometimes it can be quite a gap between my turn to drive. In all likelihood they will recover over the course of next week when the temperatures rebound to the sixties.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Friday, January 25, 2013
Snow Again!
So more snow today with the added bonus of a surprise two hour early dismissal from school. The school system was so concerned that parents needed to be contacted that they called every contact number listed in the students' files. As a result my mother in law in Connecticut and Meryl got called along with our home phone and my cell.
Wow.
Turns out it was a good call because the roads were vile right around when the elementary kids would be going home on a normal day.
Wow.
Turns out it was a good call because the roads were vile right around when the elementary kids would be going home on a normal day.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Soup Weather
Winter has finally arrived with a vengeance. The 60+ degree weather is over for now. It has been dipping well below freezing and we have had the snow flurries to prove it.
I made this soup Wednesday, Rebecca has pestered me for some time to make matzoh ball soup and I had a couple of picked over roasted chicken carcasses in the freezer. I knew that Wednesday was going to be crazy and dinner would be easy with soup. People could serve themselves at their convenience.
It turned out to be a very good call.
Rebeca's soccer practice was canceled but Jacob had a basketball game to attend with pep band. Meanwhile home network was giving me fits. We switched our phone over to voip and it turned out our router was not up to the job. I spent a long time on my cell phone with a technical specialist to find out why the phone did not work. The oddest part was when I did get the right person on the phone he started our conversation in French.
Huh!?
Somewhere along the line he was told I spoke French. Which I found to be extremely funny. I bagged French after my freshman year in high school and never looked back. I can read very basic French, but that's it. The spoken language is beyond me. Fortunately he spoke perfect English and was able to suss out the likely culprit.
One quick trip to Walmart later I had a brand new router that is able to play nicely with our new phone system.
As for the soup, it came out mighty tasty. I used leeks instead of onions and that turned out to be an excellent idea.
I made this soup Wednesday, Rebecca has pestered me for some time to make matzoh ball soup and I had a couple of picked over roasted chicken carcasses in the freezer. I knew that Wednesday was going to be crazy and dinner would be easy with soup. People could serve themselves at their convenience.
It turned out to be a very good call.
Rebeca's soccer practice was canceled but Jacob had a basketball game to attend with pep band. Meanwhile home network was giving me fits. We switched our phone over to voip and it turned out our router was not up to the job. I spent a long time on my cell phone with a technical specialist to find out why the phone did not work. The oddest part was when I did get the right person on the phone he started our conversation in French.
Huh!?
Somewhere along the line he was told I spoke French. Which I found to be extremely funny. I bagged French after my freshman year in high school and never looked back. I can read very basic French, but that's it. The spoken language is beyond me. Fortunately he spoke perfect English and was able to suss out the likely culprit.
One quick trip to Walmart later I had a brand new router that is able to play nicely with our new phone system.
As for the soup, it came out mighty tasty. I used leeks instead of onions and that turned out to be an excellent idea.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
French Apple Tart
This week's Baking with Julia challenge was a French Apple Tart, For the full recipe head on over to Laws of the Kitchen or, better yet, get the book (oh look, it's on sale now).
Now I already make a mean tarte tatin, so the whole apple tart thing was not that far off the beaten path for me. The big challenge was that this is a far more elegant dessert in presentation. I was a bit daunted by all the slicing I needed to do, but it turned out to fairly easy.
I really liked the whole thing, the crust was very delicate and the apples were nice and tart. The soft creamy filling contrasted nicely with the slices on top. I think the only thing I'll do differently next time, and there will be a next time, is to cook it a bit longer.
Now I already make a mean tarte tatin, so the whole apple tart thing was not that far off the beaten path for me. The big challenge was that this is a far more elegant dessert in presentation. I was a bit daunted by all the slicing I needed to do, but it turned out to fairly easy.
I really liked the whole thing, the crust was very delicate and the apples were nice and tart. The soft creamy filling contrasted nicely with the slices on top. I think the only thing I'll do differently next time, and there will be a next time, is to cook it a bit longer.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Tilt Shift Madness
I am very enamored of the miniaturization setting on my camera. It is such a fun setting and I really like the results. I know at some point I will tire of it, but for now it's the best thing ever.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Of Snowmen and Castles
Two and a half inches was all we got, but that was enough to make a snowman. It was very wet and heavy snow, perfect for making snowballs and snowmen.
Rebecca was up and out early to enjoy the snow. She has learned that the snow never lasts and this no snow was no different. By the end of the day most of the snow was gone and her snowman collapsed. Mind you having to male dogs did not help the snowman one whit.
Max made much smaller snowmen that he had hidden under the bushes. He figured they might last longer if he kept them out of the sun, he even went as far as to a make a wall around them. I'll have to take a look tomorrow to see how well that idea works.
Meanwhile I discovered the neatest feature on my camera. My beloved Finepix bit the dust when I dropped it with the lens out. I ended up finding a cheap replacement on Amazon with the pre-Christmas sales.It's a A1300HD. The camera isn't nearly as sophisticated as my old one and I have been a little bit disappointed as I learn its limitations, but it is a good point and shoot plus it does a miniature effect ie tilt shift.
I have been enamored of the tilt shift technique and I am so very happy that I can do it. I think it is one of the most fun photographic manipulations out there. I think the castle truly looks like a miniature scale model. I'll try not to overload on this gimmick, but don't hold me to this. It is just plain fun and it makes me smile.
Rebecca was up and out early to enjoy the snow. She has learned that the snow never lasts and this no snow was no different. By the end of the day most of the snow was gone and her snowman collapsed. Mind you having to male dogs did not help the snowman one whit.
Max made much smaller snowmen that he had hidden under the bushes. He figured they might last longer if he kept them out of the sun, he even went as far as to a make a wall around them. I'll have to take a look tomorrow to see how well that idea works.
Meanwhile I discovered the neatest feature on my camera. My beloved Finepix bit the dust when I dropped it with the lens out. I ended up finding a cheap replacement on Amazon with the pre-Christmas sales.It's a A1300HD. The camera isn't nearly as sophisticated as my old one and I have been a little bit disappointed as I learn its limitations, but it is a good point and shoot plus it does a miniature effect ie tilt shift.
I have been enamored of the tilt shift technique and I am so very happy that I can do it. I think it is one of the most fun photographic manipulations out there. I think the castle truly looks like a miniature scale model. I'll try not to overload on this gimmick, but don't hold me to this. It is just plain fun and it makes me smile.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
First Snow
For once all of the breathless anticipation on the weather forecast panned out. The original forecast called for a transition at around 6 pm to snow and lo and behold we had snow before 6:30.
The kids are besides themselves with excitement and keep asking if school has been cancelled. The county hasn't called it, but I predict at least a two hour delay. I kept checking the school board's website (along with every other parent in the area) and get greeted by a stripped down website apologizing for the lack of content due to the exceptionally high demand on the servers.
I just hope they make the call soon and thus avoid the 6 am phone blast to announce any delay or closing.
Ha! The school board just called it- no school tomorrow! I posted this and not 10 minutes later I got the phone call.
The kids are besides themselves with excitement and keep asking if school has been cancelled. The county hasn't called it, but I predict at least a two hour delay. I kept checking the school board's website (along with every other parent in the area) and get greeted by a stripped down website apologizing for the lack of content due to the exceptionally high demand on the servers.
I just hope they make the call soon and thus avoid the 6 am phone blast to announce any delay or closing.
Ha! The school board just called it- no school tomorrow! I posted this and not 10 minutes later I got the phone call.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Artist of the Week: Gingerbread Houses
Last year I featured a picture of Max making a gingerbread house at school for the tradition" challenge. I always meant to show the finished products, but then I got side tracked. To rectify that oversight Max and Rebecca are this week's artists for gingerbread houses.
Technically they did not make gingerbread houses, instead of gingerbread, graham crackers glued onto milk cartons were the base. You can see what the blank houses look like in the portraits I took of Max and Rebecca. I almost didn't take any pictures that day, I had left my camera at home and it took me a moment to remember that my cell phone could work in a pinch as a very basic point and shoot camera.
As you can see each child was issued a house, an ice cream cone, and a snowman marshmallow Peep all on a small foam tray. A cup of icing with a plastic knife and a boatload of candy rounded out the decorating supplies. The kids were left to their own devices, the parents were there to keep them supplied with candy and hunt down any special requests like green sprinkles.
The kids took it pretty seriously. Oh there was plenty of snacking on the supplies and chatting, but they all worked hard on their houses.Houses that were as individualistic as the kids that made them.
Rebecca's house was very neatly done. She is experienced in working with frosting and was not afraid to pile it on. She kept her design very clean and simple. It's hard to see, but there is a very thick layer of frosting on the tray. She wanted a snowy yard for her ice cream cone tree and snowman. Necco wafers were used as roof tiles and to give the snowman a rounder top hat.
She was very happy with her house and as a result Rebecca has had a hard time nibbling on any of the candy. Ultimately we'll have to toss the mess, but for now her house is relatively intact.
Max, on the other hand, had a far more splash-dash approach. He didn't care for the frosting and tried to use as little as possible.I think it is a combination of not liking the taste and not wanting his hands to get all sticky. The candy was fairly easy to knock off. The original plan by the organizers was to have the students carefully bag their houses in plastic for the bus ride home. I tried to slip it in the bag, but it was pretty obvious that the candy would get knocked off while squeezing in the house. So I told Max to skip the bag, I would just bring his house home in the car.
I think Max was only mildly interested in the project. However, he did enjoy picking off some of the candy once he was home and using the tree as an ice cream cone for his after school snack.
It was a fun project and a nice activity for the last day of school before winter break.
Technically they did not make gingerbread houses, instead of gingerbread, graham crackers glued onto milk cartons were the base. You can see what the blank houses look like in the portraits I took of Max and Rebecca. I almost didn't take any pictures that day, I had left my camera at home and it took me a moment to remember that my cell phone could work in a pinch as a very basic point and shoot camera.
As you can see each child was issued a house, an ice cream cone, and a snowman marshmallow Peep all on a small foam tray. A cup of icing with a plastic knife and a boatload of candy rounded out the decorating supplies. The kids were left to their own devices, the parents were there to keep them supplied with candy and hunt down any special requests like green sprinkles.
The kids took it pretty seriously. Oh there was plenty of snacking on the supplies and chatting, but they all worked hard on their houses.Houses that were as individualistic as the kids that made them.
Rebecca's house was very neatly done. She is experienced in working with frosting and was not afraid to pile it on. She kept her design very clean and simple. It's hard to see, but there is a very thick layer of frosting on the tray. She wanted a snowy yard for her ice cream cone tree and snowman. Necco wafers were used as roof tiles and to give the snowman a rounder top hat.
She was very happy with her house and as a result Rebecca has had a hard time nibbling on any of the candy. Ultimately we'll have to toss the mess, but for now her house is relatively intact.
Max, on the other hand, had a far more splash-dash approach. He didn't care for the frosting and tried to use as little as possible.I think it is a combination of not liking the taste and not wanting his hands to get all sticky. The candy was fairly easy to knock off. The original plan by the organizers was to have the students carefully bag their houses in plastic for the bus ride home. I tried to slip it in the bag, but it was pretty obvious that the candy would get knocked off while squeezing in the house. So I told Max to skip the bag, I would just bring his house home in the car.
I think Max was only mildly interested in the project. However, he did enjoy picking off some of the candy once he was home and using the tree as an ice cream cone for his after school snack.
It was a fun project and a nice activity for the last day of school before winter break.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Wishful Thinking
For the past few it has been nothing but rain, rain, rain.
I'm sick of the never ending gloomy weather and the complete lack of sunshine. It was fine when I was sick with the flu last week, I retreated to bed and didn't give a flying fig about the weather. But due to the miracle of modern medicine, aka Tamiflu (the best drug EVER), I'm fine now. I want sunshine to go with the warm weather of the past few days, not buckets of rain.
The sad thing is I just can't help thinking about how much snow we could have if the temperature dipped south of freezing, at least 7 inches of the white stuff. But noooo, it has been at least mid-forties with forays into the 60s. Larry says the latest forecasts predict a few inches of snow later this week.I'm hoping it is not just wishful thinking.
I'm sick of the never ending gloomy weather and the complete lack of sunshine. It was fine when I was sick with the flu last week, I retreated to bed and didn't give a flying fig about the weather. But due to the miracle of modern medicine, aka Tamiflu (the best drug EVER), I'm fine now. I want sunshine to go with the warm weather of the past few days, not buckets of rain.
The sad thing is I just can't help thinking about how much snow we could have if the temperature dipped south of freezing, at least 7 inches of the white stuff. But noooo, it has been at least mid-forties with forays into the 60s. Larry says the latest forecasts predict a few inches of snow later this week.I'm hoping it is not just wishful thinking.
Monday, January 14, 2013
The Legend of the Scarecrow
Written and directed by Marco Besas and animated by Carlos Lascano, this Spanish language short film details the moving and rather sad legend of a scarecrow. It is an interesting mix of animation styles and well worth watching. Nate got drawn in as I was watching and agreed that it is an excellent little film.
I do have to warn that the subtitles are less than perfect.
I do have to warn that the subtitles are less than perfect.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Shoot Me: MCP Window Light
New year, new photo group.
It's basically the same group, but now it has migrated over to Facebook. I like the weekly challenge format and hopefully it will be kept up.
The challenge this week was "Window Light," a commodity that is pretty hard to come by with all the gloomy weather we have had this week. Luckily I learned of the challenge early on the one sunny day we had this week. I looked up and saw my daughter in a strip of early morning sunshine and asked to take her picture. Half an hour later the sunlight was gone.
It's basically the same group, but now it has migrated over to Facebook. I like the weekly challenge format and hopefully it will be kept up.
The challenge this week was "Window Light," a commodity that is pretty hard to come by with all the gloomy weather we have had this week. Luckily I learned of the challenge early on the one sunny day we had this week. I looked up and saw my daughter in a strip of early morning sunshine and asked to take her picture. Half an hour later the sunlight was gone.
Wednesday, January 09, 2013
Artist of the Week: Crafty Greetings
I love sending out and receiving holiday cards. I put a fair amount of effort in getting the right style of card and taking the annual picture. I think my favorite part is taking the big stack of cards and mailing them off at the post office. I get a big kick out of the handful of international addresses I send to each year. Two are friends I made while working at a lab in Wisconsin.
One family is from Australia and for years they told me not to bother. They do enjoy the card, but they think it is absurd to send a card halfway around the world. I, on the other hand, can think of no better reason.
The other family was originally from Switzerland and now they live in Wales. Pascale is getting the shout out this week because every year she sends out her own handmade cards. They are always lovely to look at and I feel very special when it arrives in the mail.
This year she really knocked herself out with an embroidered card. It took me a moment to realize she had sew the design on the card. Then I noticed that the design was composed of six pointed stars, the Star of David.
Normally her cards have a sort of Victorian Christmas theme. She knows we are Jewish and I'm very touched that she choose to recognize this in the card she sent this year. Her cards are always beautiful, but this one is very special.
Thank you Pascale, my your new year be merry and bright!
One family is from Australia and for years they told me not to bother. They do enjoy the card, but they think it is absurd to send a card halfway around the world. I, on the other hand, can think of no better reason.
The other family was originally from Switzerland and now they live in Wales. Pascale is getting the shout out this week because every year she sends out her own handmade cards. They are always lovely to look at and I feel very special when it arrives in the mail.
This year she really knocked herself out with an embroidered card. It took me a moment to realize she had sew the design on the card. Then I noticed that the design was composed of six pointed stars, the Star of David.
Normally her cards have a sort of Victorian Christmas theme. She knows we are Jewish and I'm very touched that she choose to recognize this in the card she sent this year. Her cards are always beautiful, but this one is very special.
Thank you Pascale, my your new year be merry and bright!
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Baking With Julia- Pizza with Onion Confit
This week's assignment from Baking with Julia was a twofer, Pizza and Onion Confit. For a full rundown on the recipes, go check out The Boy Can Bake.
I'll start with the pizza dough first. The ingredients are pretty much the same as my normal dough, recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour. However there is a major difference, with King Arthur there is only one rise with BWJ there are two separate rises. The resulting crusts were different with BWJ having a smidgen more taste and a bit more chew. This falls in line with the extra rise, flavors have a longer time to develop and the enzymes get to work their magic on the structure of the dough. The new dough is worth repeating, but only if I have the time.
Now for the confit.
I was happily tossing onions into the pan, letting them soften, and rounding up ingredients when I realized I was missing Thyme. I seriously thought I had some, but I was very wrong. I was then stuck with having to improvise. After rummaging around my spices for a good ten minutes I found a container of Greek Olive Spice Larry had brought home from Canada. Since I was planning on using Feta cheese I decided to toss it in. It smelt good, so how bad could it be? Turns out that was a very good idea.
The resulting confit was delicious, I kept sampling forkfuls as it cooled down. Just for the confit alone this recipe was a success. I heaped the onions on the pizza dough, added some thinly sliced tomato, and topped it all with crumbled Feta cheese. The finished pizza was amazing. The kids avoided the onions on their pizzas, though Jacob did try a bite of my pizza and was immediately won over. I loved the confit with the other toppings and didn't miss the red sauce one bit. I will absolutely be making this again.
I'll start with the pizza dough first. The ingredients are pretty much the same as my normal dough, recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour. However there is a major difference, with King Arthur there is only one rise with BWJ there are two separate rises. The resulting crusts were different with BWJ having a smidgen more taste and a bit more chew. This falls in line with the extra rise, flavors have a longer time to develop and the enzymes get to work their magic on the structure of the dough. The new dough is worth repeating, but only if I have the time.
Now for the confit.
I was happily tossing onions into the pan, letting them soften, and rounding up ingredients when I realized I was missing Thyme. I seriously thought I had some, but I was very wrong. I was then stuck with having to improvise. After rummaging around my spices for a good ten minutes I found a container of Greek Olive Spice Larry had brought home from Canada. Since I was planning on using Feta cheese I decided to toss it in. It smelt good, so how bad could it be? Turns out that was a very good idea.
The resulting confit was delicious, I kept sampling forkfuls as it cooled down. Just for the confit alone this recipe was a success. I heaped the onions on the pizza dough, added some thinly sliced tomato, and topped it all with crumbled Feta cheese. The finished pizza was amazing. The kids avoided the onions on their pizzas, though Jacob did try a bite of my pizza and was immediately won over. I loved the confit with the other toppings and didn't miss the red sauce one bit. I will absolutely be making this again.
Monday, January 07, 2013
Suburban Graffiti
Or when middle class kids go crazy.
Yesterday while heading out on some errand or other I noticed a large amount of plastic-ware jammed in the ground by the entrance to my subdivisions pool and tennis courts.Intriguing as it was, I didn't have time to stop and take a good look. That would have to wait until thge next day.
This morning on the dog walk I did have time to stop and try to suss it all out. After a few moments it hit me, only forks were used. Ah, it spells out FoRK. Admittedly the F looks a bit more like a P and the O is tiny with all of the forks placed tine end into the ground. My guess is that it was done hurriedly in the night by more than one teen. The end result I find to be very funny. The only way to improve it would be to have the forks spell out spoon.
It'll be interesting to see how long it lasts.
Yesterday while heading out on some errand or other I noticed a large amount of plastic-ware jammed in the ground by the entrance to my subdivisions pool and tennis courts.Intriguing as it was, I didn't have time to stop and take a good look. That would have to wait until thge next day.
This morning on the dog walk I did have time to stop and try to suss it all out. After a few moments it hit me, only forks were used. Ah, it spells out FoRK. Admittedly the F looks a bit more like a P and the O is tiny with all of the forks placed tine end into the ground. My guess is that it was done hurriedly in the night by more than one teen. The end result I find to be very funny. The only way to improve it would be to have the forks spell out spoon.
It'll be interesting to see how long it lasts.
Sunday, January 06, 2013
Chocolate Cheesecake
At this rate I'm seriously at risk turning my blog into a food blog, but... I had to share this picture.
It's from New Year's Eve and is the dessert I made for us to enjoy. I have posted about this before, way back in 2007. It was just as good now as it was then. This time I was a bit more successful in drizzling the chocolate on top. There was only one other difference and that was in the crust.
Last time I made an Oreo cookie crumb crust. Alas I can no longer get Oreo cookie crumbs, curse you Nabisco for no longer selling them to the general public. So I used an almond flavored Italian waffle cookie, pizelles, instead. There is something magical about the combination of almonds and chocolate and these cookies did not disappoint.Nate and Max did not care for it, but the rest of us thought it was fantastic. It didn't last very long and there were sad faces after it was all eaten up.
It's from New Year's Eve and is the dessert I made for us to enjoy. I have posted about this before, way back in 2007. It was just as good now as it was then. This time I was a bit more successful in drizzling the chocolate on top. There was only one other difference and that was in the crust.
Last time I made an Oreo cookie crumb crust. Alas I can no longer get Oreo cookie crumbs, curse you Nabisco for no longer selling them to the general public. So I used an almond flavored Italian waffle cookie, pizelles, instead. There is something magical about the combination of almonds and chocolate and these cookies did not disappoint.Nate and Max did not care for it, but the rest of us thought it was fantastic. It didn't last very long and there were sad faces after it was all eaten up.
Thursday, January 03, 2013
Important Stuff
Today was a day spent writing letters.
Discussing said letters with my husband.
Hand delivering the same letters, and having a long chat with the recipient of the letters.
A cake was baked to ease the whole process along, because, as my mother said, "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I was told that the cake really wasn't necessary, but I could see it was very much appreciated.
Much later I was told that the letters were personally delivered to the next person in the chain.
I won't know until next month what the outcome will be, but I got the ball rolling in the right direction and I know I have a whole office on my side. Plus, I write excellent letters and I can bake some seriously good cake.
Discussing said letters with my husband.
Hand delivering the same letters, and having a long chat with the recipient of the letters.
A cake was baked to ease the whole process along, because, as my mother said, "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar." I was told that the cake really wasn't necessary, but I could see it was very much appreciated.
Much later I was told that the letters were personally delivered to the next person in the chain.
I won't know until next month what the outcome will be, but I got the ball rolling in the right direction and I know I have a whole office on my side. Plus, I write excellent letters and I can bake some seriously good cake.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
Artist of the Week: Skeleton
This week it is Max's turn to be the featured artist.
I got this picture of Max last year as he was enjoying his very first waffle from his waffle maker. Since then he has had waffles more often than not, though usually it is just a half waffle. His siblings have been very much enjoying the bounty on the days Max decides to have waffles. This was clearly one of the best presents ever.
Anyway, let's move onto the reason Max is being featured.
Before winter break Max came home with a variety of school papers. Most of it was junk, various work sheets that were destined for the recycle bin. Amongst all the dross were a few bright bits that I set aside. One of which was a writing project that he did around Halloween.
An articulated cut out of a skeleton is attached to the following story:
I copied it word for word, rocky spelling and punctuation intact. I think it is a good story for someone who regularly announces that they hate writing, it is fun and inventive. I'm particularly proud of the fact that he used its and it's correctly. No mean feat in this modern age.
I got this picture of Max last year as he was enjoying his very first waffle from his waffle maker. Since then he has had waffles more often than not, though usually it is just a half waffle. His siblings have been very much enjoying the bounty on the days Max decides to have waffles. This was clearly one of the best presents ever.
Anyway, let's move onto the reason Max is being featured.
Before winter break Max came home with a variety of school papers. Most of it was junk, various work sheets that were destined for the recycle bin. Amongst all the dross were a few bright bits that I set aside. One of which was a writing project that he did around Halloween.
An articulated cut out of a skeleton is attached to the following story:
Click I woke up,I felt different. When I moved I heard clicks. So when I got up I noticed my hand was just bones. Soon I realised I was a skeleton! Aaahh I screamed. I remembered that I died fighting a monster in the forest. Well. I would of won if it wasn't for its tail it felt like being hit by a horse.
It would of been a terible life as a skeleton. A smart thing to do is to jump into a lava pit. Fortunately I found my sword and shield, also the monster lives near a lava pit. Conviently I died near where the monster lives. Also I could see the cave it sleeps in.
Raaaa I heard a roar, thth there was rustling, I prepared. 12 deer jump out. Bang the monster jumped out and hit my shield. Shing I cut its tail off. I hit with my shield. Chomp it bit my arm off that was holding my shield.! Owww I screamed, it felt like hot lava burning my arm! Hu I tackled the monster into the lava pit.
In the last few seconds I thought it was good I came back to life. Quickly I jumped to cling on a root, so I can think was that all I came back for? It's not worth finding out I thought. Snap I, well I might as well join my friends.
I copied it word for word, rocky spelling and punctuation intact. I think it is a good story for someone who regularly announces that they hate writing, it is fun and inventive. I'm particularly proud of the fact that he used its and it's correctly. No mean feat in this modern age.
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Baking With Julia- Cranberry-Pecan Pumpkin Loaves
Friday I made Cranberry-Pecan Pumpkin bread to bring to services the next morning. I've been meaning to make this bread for months, it was the October 1st Baking with Julia challenge, but I had a hard time finding time to make it. It requires an overnight rise and I kept forgetting about how much time it would take when I found a good event to bring the bread.
Technically it should be walnut and not pecans in the bread, but pecans are what I had on hand. Oh and I blew off the raisins because I don't like them and refuse to use them if I'm going to eat the finished product, I just bumped up the cranberries to a full cup. For the full recipe head over to This Bountiful Backyard, she made a proper Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Loaves.
It was a fairly easy bread to make, it just is time consuming. I started early in the morning and I was just able to finish it before bed. The bread smelled lovely as it was baking and was quite tasty the next day. Next time I think I'll add a bit more spice to the dough, it was just a bit on the bland side. I think a little candied ginger would do wonders for this bread.
Technically it should be walnut and not pecans in the bread, but pecans are what I had on hand. Oh and I blew off the raisins because I don't like them and refuse to use them if I'm going to eat the finished product, I just bumped up the cranberries to a full cup. For the full recipe head over to This Bountiful Backyard, she made a proper Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Loaves.
It was a fairly easy bread to make, it just is time consuming. I started early in the morning and I was just able to finish it before bed. The bread smelled lovely as it was baking and was quite tasty the next day. Next time I think I'll add a bit more spice to the dough, it was just a bit on the bland side. I think a little candied ginger would do wonders for this bread.
Monday, December 31, 2012
Project MCP: 13
The final challenge for project MCP was 13, "Take a photo representing the number “13″."
While going on a walk today I was pondering how to show thirteen when I got an idea, I could use shoes. With six people we have a plethora of shoes and I could easily dig up thirteen pairs. To show the new year I could have one pair be an outrageous pair of high heels surrounded by the various shoes of my family. Everybody is represented from sneakers, to cleats, and boots.
A nice way to round out the year.
While going on a walk today I was pondering how to show thirteen when I got an idea, I could use shoes. With six people we have a plethora of shoes and I could easily dig up thirteen pairs. To show the new year I could have one pair be an outrageous pair of high heels surrounded by the various shoes of my family. Everybody is represented from sneakers, to cleats, and boots.
A nice way to round out the year.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Trapped
Every time I sit on the floor this is what happens, the red boys immediately pile onto my legs. And there they will stay until I shove them off. With the red boys having a combined weight of well over fifty pounds, I don't sit on the floor very often. I am very much trapped in place. I get very sad looks whenever I attempt to reposition. It is nice to be loved, but this is a bit much.
This winter break we have been watching the extended versions of the The Lord of the Rings. Which is a whole lot of movie watching and as a result I have ended up on the floor a few times. So I think it is safe to say that the dogs have become indirectly big fans of the LOTR movies.
This winter break we have been watching the extended versions of the The Lord of the Rings. Which is a whole lot of movie watching and as a result I have ended up on the floor a few times. So I think it is safe to say that the dogs have become indirectly big fans of the LOTR movies.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Waffle Crab
The waffle maker we got Max has proven to be a great success, he loves having fresh, homemade waffles (almost) anytime he wants. The rest of us have been enjoying waffles as well since since Max can only eat so much waffle at one sitting and it would be a shame to waste the batter. Nate and Rebecca have been the main beneficiaries and once in a while I get to eek out one for myself.
This rather crabby looking waffle was the result of my having just enough batter to make half a waffle. As I pulled it out of the maker I noticed that some of the excess batter had spilled onto the other half and they looked a bit like claws. A generous dollop of whip cream and two blueberries later, waffle crab was born.
I think it's the funniest thing I have ever inadvertently created and it will probably never be recreated.
This rather crabby looking waffle was the result of my having just enough batter to make half a waffle. As I pulled it out of the maker I noticed that some of the excess batter had spilled onto the other half and they looked a bit like claws. A generous dollop of whip cream and two blueberries later, waffle crab was born.
I think it's the funniest thing I have ever inadvertently created and it will probably never be recreated.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Yorkshire Pudding
This week I made a glorious yorkie pudding. They always tasted great, but were sadly lacking in the puff factor. This time, however, I completely nailed it. Instead of all flat and sad looking this one had all the wonderful hills and valleys of a true Yorkshire pudding.
I think I finally got it figured out between the batter, temperature, drippings (with just a bit of butter to pad it out), and rack placement. It was a delicious accompaniment to a lovely bit of beef that Meryl picked up for our midwinter feast (we have a deal that she picks out the meat and I cook it with all the trimmings).
All and all a lovely meal was had by all.
I think I finally got it figured out between the batter, temperature, drippings (with just a bit of butter to pad it out), and rack placement. It was a delicious accompaniment to a lovely bit of beef that Meryl picked up for our midwinter feast (we have a deal that she picks out the meat and I cook it with all the trimmings).
All and all a lovely meal was had by all.
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Artist of the Week: Cake Pops
This week's artist is the cutest baker ever.
One of Rebecca's presents for Hanukkah was a cake pop pan, a tiny little tray with a silicon top that snaps over the whole thing that produces golf ball sized cake balls. Very cute and not something I would want, but completely up Rebecca's alley.
She was delighted and on our first free afternoon we made a whole mess of cake balls. About half got tossed into the freezer and the rest were stuck on lollypop sticks I had leftover from an earlier rock candy making venture. For the frosting I melted some dipping chocolate (later on moving onto chocolate chips) and broke out our large selection of quints, colored sugars, jimmies (sprinkles), and nonpareils.
Rebecca had a a wonderful time helping me make the batter and decorating her creations. She was all set to do them all, but I pointed out I had only so much storage space for the finished cake pops. We could decorate more at a future date once the current ones were eaten up. The finish product was very tasty to behold and to eat. I would say it was a successful present that lets my girl do her own thing.
So guess what she'll be making in the next few days.
One of Rebecca's presents for Hanukkah was a cake pop pan, a tiny little tray with a silicon top that snaps over the whole thing that produces golf ball sized cake balls. Very cute and not something I would want, but completely up Rebecca's alley.
She was delighted and on our first free afternoon we made a whole mess of cake balls. About half got tossed into the freezer and the rest were stuck on lollypop sticks I had leftover from an earlier rock candy making venture. For the frosting I melted some dipping chocolate (later on moving onto chocolate chips) and broke out our large selection of quints, colored sugars, jimmies (sprinkles), and nonpareils.
Rebecca had a a wonderful time helping me make the batter and decorating her creations. She was all set to do them all, but I pointed out I had only so much storage space for the finished cake pops. We could decorate more at a future date once the current ones were eaten up. The finish product was very tasty to behold and to eat. I would say it was a successful present that lets my girl do her own thing.
So guess what she'll be making in the next few days.
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Christmas Drop
A merry Christmas to all my friends that celebrate. Here's a movie to put you in the right frame of mind, courtesy of Laura over at Fetch My Flying Monkeys.
Monday, December 24, 2012
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"
This is not your normal Christmas tune, it was arranged by Brad Gordon for a movie in 1967. Here is what he has to say about the song:
I love it.
In 1967 I went to Italy to score a Christmas Western starring Lee Van Cleef. It was called "Death Rides a Sleigh". Here's what played over the main credits. The film itself has tragically been lost. The version of this music with Lee Van Cleef singing has also-- but not so tragically been lost.
I love it.
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Project MCP: December Challenges
I had a very hard time with most of December's Challenges, the lone exception being the fifth and final- take a photo representing the number “13″. Of course I haven't done it yet, but I feel far more optimistic about it than the other four challenges.
So what is my issue you may ask. Well the other four are all about Christmas and I kind of chaffed at the emphasis on all things Christmas. Now I admit that we do go to my mom's at Christmas time and enjoy her tree and exchange presents, but it's her holiday, not ours. Instead of the official challenges I did my own spin on each one.
The first challenge was "Capture a photo of a favorite piece of Christmas decor." I substituted Hanukkah for Christmas and took a picture of my favorite menorah. Way back in 2006 I did a whole post on this particular menorah, go over to here to get the whole story.
The second challenge was "Christmas is full of traditions – Take a photo representing the word “tradition.”" This one is pretty much on target for the challenge. I decided to submit two pictures for this particular challenge. The first of the two is the picture of Nate I featured back on the 12th. Latkes are the traditional food during Hanukkah and we traditionally attend our synagogues Hanukkah party and pitch in the latke making. It's a fun picture of Nate in action with far less blur than normal. Nate is normally camera shy and so active that a good number of his pictures are a study in motion blur.
The second photo for challenge number two, Tradition, is of Max making his gingerbread house during the last day of school before winter break. It has been a tradition for a number of years that the fifth grade class makes gingerbread house to take back home.
The preparation for the party starts earlier in the week when the parents came to school to glue graham crackers to empty milk cartons. On the big day each child is given a foam tray with a house, an ice cream cone, and a peep snowman. Frosting and a boat load of candy is spread across the tables. The kids have great time decorating their houses and sneaking in a few bites of candy.
The third challenge was "The Christmas spirit – Capture a photo of the Christmas spirit." Again it's all about Christmas. I decided to go the route of "Festival of Lights" as the stand in for the Hanukkah spirit. I love this picture I posted of one of our other menorahs on the seventh night. The tiny candles together shine brightly and, for me at least, symbolize the hope that is Hanukkah. That we will survive and at times triumph against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Keeping the faith is the true light and spirit of Hanukkah.
Which brings us to the penultimate challenge of December, Twas 2 days before Christmas, and all through the house…Snap a photo of your Christmas wish.
Well I don't have any Christmas wishes per say, so I'll just go with my wish that my children continue to love and support each other. I took this picture with my cell phone on December 14th, the penultimate day of Hanukkah (it's kind of neat the way that worked out). There was no squabbling as Nate helped Max with the menorah. The picture is horribly grainy, but the composition and lighting are wonderful.
Hopefully next year, if there is a next year for the Project MCP, will be a little less focused on Christmas. I did have fun with pictures, but I would like the challenges to a bit broader.
So what is my issue you may ask. Well the other four are all about Christmas and I kind of chaffed at the emphasis on all things Christmas. Now I admit that we do go to my mom's at Christmas time and enjoy her tree and exchange presents, but it's her holiday, not ours. Instead of the official challenges I did my own spin on each one.
The first challenge was "Capture a photo of a favorite piece of Christmas decor." I substituted Hanukkah for Christmas and took a picture of my favorite menorah. Way back in 2006 I did a whole post on this particular menorah, go over to here to get the whole story.
The second challenge was "Christmas is full of traditions – Take a photo representing the word “tradition.”" This one is pretty much on target for the challenge. I decided to submit two pictures for this particular challenge. The first of the two is the picture of Nate I featured back on the 12th. Latkes are the traditional food during Hanukkah and we traditionally attend our synagogues Hanukkah party and pitch in the latke making. It's a fun picture of Nate in action with far less blur than normal. Nate is normally camera shy and so active that a good number of his pictures are a study in motion blur.
The second photo for challenge number two, Tradition, is of Max making his gingerbread house during the last day of school before winter break. It has been a tradition for a number of years that the fifth grade class makes gingerbread house to take back home.
The preparation for the party starts earlier in the week when the parents came to school to glue graham crackers to empty milk cartons. On the big day each child is given a foam tray with a house, an ice cream cone, and a peep snowman. Frosting and a boat load of candy is spread across the tables. The kids have great time decorating their houses and sneaking in a few bites of candy.
The third challenge was "The Christmas spirit – Capture a photo of the Christmas spirit." Again it's all about Christmas. I decided to go the route of "Festival of Lights" as the stand in for the Hanukkah spirit. I love this picture I posted of one of our other menorahs on the seventh night. The tiny candles together shine brightly and, for me at least, symbolize the hope that is Hanukkah. That we will survive and at times triumph against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Keeping the faith is the true light and spirit of Hanukkah.
Which brings us to the penultimate challenge of December, Twas 2 days before Christmas, and all through the house…Snap a photo of your Christmas wish.
Well I don't have any Christmas wishes per say, so I'll just go with my wish that my children continue to love and support each other. I took this picture with my cell phone on December 14th, the penultimate day of Hanukkah (it's kind of neat the way that worked out). There was no squabbling as Nate helped Max with the menorah. The picture is horribly grainy, but the composition and lighting are wonderful.
Hopefully next year, if there is a next year for the Project MCP, will be a little less focused on Christmas. I did have fun with pictures, but I would like the challenges to a bit broader.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
A Boy and his Waffle Maker
This is possibly the best present ever.
On the last night of Hanukkah we gave Max his very own waffle maker. He has been wanting us to get one for years, but I just wasn't interested in getting a single use kitchen appliance. Then a few months ago a friend got her son a waffle maker for his birthday and that got me thinking.
So it was on my mind as I cruised the aisles of Kroger getting odds and ends. When I saw the waffle makers on display I realized that would be the perfect present. A little different, but it would be the right thing to get. I called Larry and he agreed, so into the cart the waffle maker went.
I admit I was feeling a little trepidation before Max unwrapped his present, but I think that smile says that we were right.
On the last night of Hanukkah we gave Max his very own waffle maker. He has been wanting us to get one for years, but I just wasn't interested in getting a single use kitchen appliance. Then a few months ago a friend got her son a waffle maker for his birthday and that got me thinking.
So it was on my mind as I cruised the aisles of Kroger getting odds and ends. When I saw the waffle makers on display I realized that would be the perfect present. A little different, but it would be the right thing to get. I called Larry and he agreed, so into the cart the waffle maker went.
I admit I was feeling a little trepidation before Max unwrapped his present, but I think that smile says that we were right.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Artist of the Week: The Eighth Candle
This week's artist is Jacob and his high school"s band.
Last week was their winter concert and amongst the various holiday songs was "The Eighth Candle." This not the first time I have seen it in the program, but it was the first time the band was deemed to be ready to preform. I like that the director chooses a range of songs, from relatively easy to those that require the students to stretch. This year the band was up to the task.
Clocking in at just under eight minutes, the song is a long and difficult piece. The performance wasn't perfect, but the kids did a solid job. The level of play is ever so much higher than middle school and as a result the concerts are a treat to attend.
Hopefully the video will finish being processed and y'all will be able to enjoy The Eighth Candle.
Hooray, it's ready! Enjoy.
Last week was their winter concert and amongst the various holiday songs was "The Eighth Candle." This not the first time I have seen it in the program, but it was the first time the band was deemed to be ready to preform. I like that the director chooses a range of songs, from relatively easy to those that require the students to stretch. This year the band was up to the task.
Clocking in at just under eight minutes, the song is a long and difficult piece. The performance wasn't perfect, but the kids did a solid job. The level of play is ever so much higher than middle school and as a result the concerts are a treat to attend.
Hopefully the video will finish being processed and y'all will be able to enjoy The Eighth Candle.
Hooray, it's ready! Enjoy.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Baking With Julia- Finnish Pulla
Ha! I did it! I'm back on schedule, at least for now.
This week's baked good for Baking with Julia was Finnish Pulla and the host is The Daily Morsel.
The bread is absolutely outstanding, it is a slightly sweet bread with a wonderfully fluffy texture. The cardamon adds a wonderful flavor to the bread and made the kitchen smell amazing while it baked. My loaf isn't as pretty as the others, I couldn't be bothered to roll out the dough to the full 36 inches. Two feet was enough for me and I ended up with a chunkier loaf.
Looks aside, Jacob and Nate loved it and I almost had to beat them off with a stick. Half of the loaf is gone and I expect the rest will disappear tomorrow. I will certainly make this bread again, the boys said they want it every week. I see it at most a monthly thing, cardamon is just too expensive to bake with on a weekly basis. Either way this recipe gets a big thumbs up from me.
This week's baked good for Baking with Julia was Finnish Pulla and the host is The Daily Morsel.
The bread is absolutely outstanding, it is a slightly sweet bread with a wonderfully fluffy texture. The cardamon adds a wonderful flavor to the bread and made the kitchen smell amazing while it baked. My loaf isn't as pretty as the others, I couldn't be bothered to roll out the dough to the full 36 inches. Two feet was enough for me and I ended up with a chunkier loaf.
Looks aside, Jacob and Nate loved it and I almost had to beat them off with a stick. Half of the loaf is gone and I expect the rest will disappear tomorrow. I will certainly make this bread again, the boys said they want it every week. I see it at most a monthly thing, cardamon is just too expensive to bake with on a weekly basis. Either way this recipe gets a big thumbs up from me.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Highlights from Antarctica
Just a neat video of a tourist's perspective of Antarctica. Very nicely done video of an amazing trip, one I would like to take sometime.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Eighth Night
The eighth and final night of Hanukkah.
You can see in the background Nate lighting the other menorah. It worked out fairly well with the two menorahs with different teams lighting each night. The only moment of strife was the night Rebecca realized since she started on the first night she wasn't going to get to light them on the eighth night. Luckily at age 11 she got over the disappointment rather quickly and it did not mar the rest of the week.
I think this has been the nicest Hanukkah we have ever had.
You can see in the background Nate lighting the other menorah. It worked out fairly well with the two menorahs with different teams lighting each night. The only moment of strife was the night Rebecca realized since she started on the first night she wasn't going to get to light them on the eighth night. Luckily at age 11 she got over the disappointment rather quickly and it did not mar the rest of the week.
I think this has been the nicest Hanukkah we have ever had.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Sixth Night
Tonight Nate gets to light the menorah.
Meanwhile I'm happy to report that I starting to see the light at the end of the holiday baking marathon. I'm working on my last double batch of chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow the kids will drop them off at their respective teachers and I will be done with the schools. Then it's just odds and ends ranging from the kennel to the recycle guys.
Meanwhile I'm happy to report that I starting to see the light at the end of the holiday baking marathon. I'm working on my last double batch of chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow the kids will drop them off at their respective teachers and I will be done with the schools. Then it's just odds and ends ranging from the kennel to the recycle guys.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Artist of the Week: Latkes!
This week's artist is Nate, not the goofball behind him.
Nate has decided that he no longer wants to be photographed, he turns his head, throws his hands up, and sometimes flings himself onto the ground. It has become a sort of game between us. He'll see me with my camera in hand and instantly goes on the defensive while I try to sneak in a shot when his attention is elsewhere. The result is that I get a lot of random shots of arms and legs with an occasional gem like this with an endearingly goofy Jacob in the background.
Fortunately he is not completely impossible, if I stamp my foot Nate will allow me to take a few pictures of him. So I was able to capture him in the act of making latkes.
Our congregation had it's Hanukkah last Sunday and Nate wandered into the kitchen whilst Meryl and I were cooking up the last of the latkes. He wanted to help out so we showed him the ropes. The oven is an ancient behemoth and was a bit intimidating with the pans of sizzling oil, but he was soon pitching in and making latkes.
Freed from the stove I was able to scrub down counters and clean up the bevy of food processors that had been pressed into service. It was nice having an eager extra pair of hands.
Nate has decided that he no longer wants to be photographed, he turns his head, throws his hands up, and sometimes flings himself onto the ground. It has become a sort of game between us. He'll see me with my camera in hand and instantly goes on the defensive while I try to sneak in a shot when his attention is elsewhere. The result is that I get a lot of random shots of arms and legs with an occasional gem like this with an endearingly goofy Jacob in the background.
Fortunately he is not completely impossible, if I stamp my foot Nate will allow me to take a few pictures of him. So I was able to capture him in the act of making latkes.
Our congregation had it's Hanukkah last Sunday and Nate wandered into the kitchen whilst Meryl and I were cooking up the last of the latkes. He wanted to help out so we showed him the ropes. The oven is an ancient behemoth and was a bit intimidating with the pans of sizzling oil, but he was soon pitching in and making latkes.
Freed from the stove I was able to scrub down counters and clean up the bevy of food processors that had been pressed into service. It was nice having an eager extra pair of hands.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Baking With Julia- Gingerbread Baby Cakes
Or in my case, one week late gingerbread cake.
I have no excuses about this one, I simply spaced making it. Which is a shame, it would have been a good dessert to bring to our congregation's Chanukah party last Sunday. I did fairly well with keeping up with the deadlines until a fe months ago and then the wheels came off.
Anyhoodle, the host for Baking with Julia's Gingerbread Baby Cakes was Karen's Kitchen Stories. The recipe is a snap to make and I was very happy to see both ground black pepper and minced fresh going into the batter. The best gingerbread, at least in my opinion has a nice peppery edge. The only problem I had was a brief moment of panic when I realized how much molasses was called for. Two whole cups! Luckily my pantry is well stocked and I had another bottle stashed in the back.
As for the eating, well I will update this post in the morning. I thought this would make a good breakfast treat.
Update:
And the verdict is in, it is scrumptious. There is a great depth in flavor and the cake is very moist. Max didn't care for it, nor did Rebecca(considering she dislike gingerbread in general that was to be expected). Jacob, Larry, and I thought it was excellent and well worth repeating.
I have no excuses about this one, I simply spaced making it. Which is a shame, it would have been a good dessert to bring to our congregation's Chanukah party last Sunday. I did fairly well with keeping up with the deadlines until a fe months ago and then the wheels came off.
Anyhoodle, the host for Baking with Julia's Gingerbread Baby Cakes was Karen's Kitchen Stories. The recipe is a snap to make and I was very happy to see both ground black pepper and minced fresh going into the batter. The best gingerbread, at least in my opinion has a nice peppery edge. The only problem I had was a brief moment of panic when I realized how much molasses was called for. Two whole cups! Luckily my pantry is well stocked and I had another bottle stashed in the back.
As for the eating, well I will update this post in the morning. I thought this would make a good breakfast treat.
Update:
And the verdict is in, it is scrumptious. There is a great depth in flavor and the cake is very moist. Max didn't care for it, nor did Rebecca(considering she dislike gingerbread in general that was to be expected). Jacob, Larry, and I thought it was excellent and well worth repeating.
Monday, December 10, 2012
The Maccabeats - Candlelight
A fun reworking of Mike Tompkins' a cappella version of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" by the Maccabeats. A big hit with my crowd.
Sunday, December 09, 2012
First and Second Nights
And thus marks the start of Chanukah.
Saturday was the first night and it got off to a late start. First of all we had to wait about an hour after sunset so that we would be truly done with Shabbat, then I wanted to wait until Larry was back with Max and Rebecca from their respective futsal (aka indoor soccer) games, and finally then was the whole issue of Jacob being away with band. Luckily boy was back home by 9:30 and we were able to squeeze in the candle lighting before the dynamic duo got shuffled off to bed.
.
Tonight, the second night of Chanukah, was a bit easier to pull off. Today we had our congregation's annual Chanukah party from about 6 to 8 pm and were able to get back home at a decent hour to light the candles. As you can see by the two pictures we are working off of two menorahs. While digging out menorahs I found two unused boxes of candles.
So yay, I don't have to find more candles. It is not always easy to find Chanukah candles in the Richmond metro area, so I tend to stock up when I find them. By having the two menorahs in action the kids will have plenty of opportunities to light the candles.
Happy Chanukah!
Saturday was the first night and it got off to a late start. First of all we had to wait about an hour after sunset so that we would be truly done with Shabbat, then I wanted to wait until Larry was back with Max and Rebecca from their respective futsal (aka indoor soccer) games, and finally then was the whole issue of Jacob being away with band. Luckily boy was back home by 9:30 and we were able to squeeze in the candle lighting before the dynamic duo got shuffled off to bed.
.
Tonight, the second night of Chanukah, was a bit easier to pull off. Today we had our congregation's annual Chanukah party from about 6 to 8 pm and were able to get back home at a decent hour to light the candles. As you can see by the two pictures we are working off of two menorahs. While digging out menorahs I found two unused boxes of candles.
So yay, I don't have to find more candles. It is not always easy to find Chanukah candles in the Richmond metro area, so I tend to stock up when I find them. By having the two menorahs in action the kids will have plenty of opportunities to light the candles.
Happy Chanukah!
Thursday, December 06, 2012
Birthday Week
There are a whole lot of birthdays going on around here this week. Monday was Larry's and tomorrow, Friday, is mine. Add in another family member in between and you have a busy week.
The key limes I'm featuring here where used to make Larry his birthday cheesecake. He liked the key lime cheesecake a few weeks so much he requested that to be his birthday treat. Juicing the 20 odd limes was a bore, but the juicer made it go quite a bit faster. Plus the rinds look very pretty with the inner membranes having a sort of swirled effect.
I'm not sure what we will be doing for my birthday since we'll be busy carting kids around to soccer and lacrosse on the actual day. It looks like I'll be going to Five Guys with a rather smelly Nate after his lacrosse practice.
I think at some point this weekend or next Larry and I will duck out for a proper birthday dinner for the two of us.
The key limes I'm featuring here where used to make Larry his birthday cheesecake. He liked the key lime cheesecake a few weeks so much he requested that to be his birthday treat. Juicing the 20 odd limes was a bore, but the juicer made it go quite a bit faster. Plus the rinds look very pretty with the inner membranes having a sort of swirled effect.
I'm not sure what we will be doing for my birthday since we'll be busy carting kids around to soccer and lacrosse on the actual day. It looks like I'll be going to Five Guys with a rather smelly Nate after his lacrosse practice.
I think at some point this weekend or next Larry and I will duck out for a proper birthday dinner for the two of us.
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
Artist of the Week: Annual Challenge
I successfully completed my annual challenge of the holiday card photo last week. It's not an easy crowd to wrangle and this year was no exception.
Max was bound and determined to hold a dog this year and it took a fair amount of positioning to get John balanced on his lap. John and Max kept sliding off the deck box. Max refused any help from Nate, he said he could do it and by gum he did.
The rest of the crowd just wanted to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. As a result the shenanigans were kept to a minimum. They have finally learned that the more cooperative they are the faster the photo shoot.
I wasn't thrilled with the location, on top of one of our deck boxes, but it did work out. Jacob picked it by strolling out the door and hopping on top and pretty much saying this would be the spot. The rest of them piled on and that was it. Case closed.
Next year it'll be of my choosing.
Max was bound and determined to hold a dog this year and it took a fair amount of positioning to get John balanced on his lap. John and Max kept sliding off the deck box. Max refused any help from Nate, he said he could do it and by gum he did.
The rest of the crowd just wanted to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. As a result the shenanigans were kept to a minimum. They have finally learned that the more cooperative they are the faster the photo shoot.
I wasn't thrilled with the location, on top of one of our deck boxes, but it did work out. Jacob picked it by strolling out the door and hopping on top and pretty much saying this would be the spot. The rest of them piled on and that was it. Case closed.
Next year it'll be of my choosing.
Tuesday, December 04, 2012
Say What
This is one of John's classic expressions, I have never had a dog that could look so beleaguered.
He certainly has no good reason to look so put upon. Yes there is a boy flailing about on the floor behind him, but that is what passes for normal around here. I think the worst thing that has happened to John, at least in his opinion, was the time I bodily dragged him away from a dying raccoon.
Silly dog.
He certainly has no good reason to look so put upon. Yes there is a boy flailing about on the floor behind him, but that is what passes for normal around here. I think the worst thing that has happened to John, at least in his opinion, was the time I bodily dragged him away from a dying raccoon.
Silly dog.
Monday, December 03, 2012
Sunday, December 02, 2012
Morning Sun and Frost
It looks like my new camera will be arriving Tuesday. In the meantime I've taken apart the old one and had no luck getting to the heart of the matter.
He's dead Jim.
At least I was able to assemble it and have it functioning at the same level, ie the LCD screen lights up and promptly announces "zoom error" and doesn't focus one whit. I did have one screw leftover, but my engineering son observed that I had improved the camera and made it more efficient since it now uses less materials. Either way I felt good about at least giving a last ditch effort before chucking the whole mess.
On the photography front I have been learning the limitation's of my cell phone's camera. It take decent photos for what it is. The focus isn't quite up to snuff, I had to establish the minimum distance when taking this particular set of pictures. The details of the frost on the berries was very hard to capture. I had to keep pulling back to get the crystals in focus and even then it was a rather soft focus.
I like the camera feature, but I'll be much happier then my camera arrives.
He's dead Jim.
At least I was able to assemble it and have it functioning at the same level, ie the LCD screen lights up and promptly announces "zoom error" and doesn't focus one whit. I did have one screw leftover, but my engineering son observed that I had improved the camera and made it more efficient since it now uses less materials. Either way I felt good about at least giving a last ditch effort before chucking the whole mess.
On the photography front I have been learning the limitation's of my cell phone's camera. It take decent photos for what it is. The focus isn't quite up to snuff, I had to establish the minimum distance when taking this particular set of pictures. The details of the frost on the berries was very hard to capture. I had to keep pulling back to get the crystals in focus and even then it was a rather soft focus.
I like the camera feature, but I'll be much happier then my camera arrives.
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