Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Hiatus
My nine year old computer is essentially dead, the fan is broken and the video card is none to happy either. Since it is a very geriatric system that long ago topped out with XP (a soon to be orphaned operating system), it is time for a new computer. n the mean time I'll only rarely post as it is awkward to do it on my phone. My children will happily let me commandeer their laptops, but then I feel pressured. So until then enjoy your summer!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Worrisome
Dell had a very tough start to the week. Monday morning I got the dogs ready for their big walk around the neighborhood. As always they wee raring to go and dashed ahead of me as we went through the garage to the side door. While I was getting a poopy bag from our collection of plastic shopping bags we keep in the garage for such purposes, the red boys whipped around the van to wait at the door. I wasn't very far behind them and soon I was at the back of the van only to be shocked at the sight be for me.
A two foot long copperhead snake was coiled directly behind my van, pressed tightly against the closed overhead garage door.
Dell was nowhere to be seen and snake was pacing about om the other side of the snake. He was clearly interested, but oddly silent and wary. After repeatedly telling John to "Leave It" I got him to stand down. Now I had a puzzle, how to get the dog away without either or us getting bit or losing track of the snake. As I surveyed the assorted tools and brick-a-back available I settled on our garden spade, it was just the right size to cover up the snake enabling me to call over John.
Once I had John in hand I put him back in the house. I had to off the snake and there was no way I could safely do that with a loose dog such as John. He would pretty quickly figure out my intentions and would rush in and "help." Once the dog was secure I had to decided on my instrument of doom. I settled on the spade, again, due to it's relatively sharp edge and long handle. The first whack was a failure, but with the second I nailed it right behind the head and thus I had an exsnake. I scooped its mortal remains into a bag and gingerly tied it up and put it on top of the trash can.
At this point I saw a very frightened Dell. He refused to go around the back of the van, I had to coax him around the front amongst the bikes. The poor boy was limping, this front left leg being held awkwardly out from his body. He clearly had been hit by the snake in the leg.
Dang.
I called the vet and told them what was happening and I would be coming in. Having gone through this with Crunch (he got nailed in the ear) I knew it was life threatening, but he would still need treatment. At the last minute I tossed the dead snake in the back of the van. I was 95% sure, but it would be could to get confirmation.
A two foot long copperhead snake was coiled directly behind my van, pressed tightly against the closed overhead garage door.
Dell was nowhere to be seen and snake was pacing about om the other side of the snake. He was clearly interested, but oddly silent and wary. After repeatedly telling John to "Leave It" I got him to stand down. Now I had a puzzle, how to get the dog away without either or us getting bit or losing track of the snake. As I surveyed the assorted tools and brick-a-back available I settled on our garden spade, it was just the right size to cover up the snake enabling me to call over John.
Once I had John in hand I put him back in the house. I had to off the snake and there was no way I could safely do that with a loose dog such as John. He would pretty quickly figure out my intentions and would rush in and "help." Once the dog was secure I had to decided on my instrument of doom. I settled on the spade, again, due to it's relatively sharp edge and long handle. The first whack was a failure, but with the second I nailed it right behind the head and thus I had an exsnake. I scooped its mortal remains into a bag and gingerly tied it up and put it on top of the trash can.
At this point I saw a very frightened Dell. He refused to go around the back of the van, I had to coax him around the front amongst the bikes. The poor boy was limping, this front left leg being held awkwardly out from his body. He clearly had been hit by the snake in the leg.
Dang.
I called the vet and told them what was happening and I would be coming in. Having gone through this with Crunch (he got nailed in the ear) I knew it was life threatening, but he would still need treatment. At the last minute I tossed the dead snake in the back of the van. I was 95% sure, but it would be could to get confirmation.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Artist of the Week: Piñata
This week's artist is a rather valiant Jacob.
I took this photo of him near the end of the school year, The sword he is wielding is in actuality a piñata. It was an extra credit project for his Spanish class and he really knocked it out of the park. His teacher liked it and asked if she could keep it as an example for future classes. Jacob was happy to gift it to her and I was even happier to not have it add to the mess in our house.
Jacob did, however, bring it home to show off and have a few pictures taken. He was justifiably proud of his work and wanted us to see his creation. Then it was packed off back to school a couple of days later.
He had told me in advance he was going to bring home his piñata, but never told me what it looked like. I had a mental image of the type you find at parties, you know something like these seven pointed stars that are filled with candy. So you can imagine my surprise when he came out of the school with a sword. A really nice and sturdy short sword. I know they can be any shape, but I (wrongly) assumed it would be a traditional shape since it was made for Spanish. Ah well, live and learn.
I took this photo of him near the end of the school year, The sword he is wielding is in actuality a piñata. It was an extra credit project for his Spanish class and he really knocked it out of the park. His teacher liked it and asked if she could keep it as an example for future classes. Jacob was happy to gift it to her and I was even happier to not have it add to the mess in our house.
Jacob did, however, bring it home to show off and have a few pictures taken. He was justifiably proud of his work and wanted us to see his creation. Then it was packed off back to school a couple of days later.
He had told me in advance he was going to bring home his piñata, but never told me what it looked like. I had a mental image of the type you find at parties, you know something like these seven pointed stars that are filled with candy. So you can imagine my surprise when he came out of the school with a sword. A really nice and sturdy short sword. I know they can be any shape, but I (wrongly) assumed it would be a traditional shape since it was made for Spanish. Ah well, live and learn.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Baking With Julia- Summer Vegetable Tart
This week's baking challenge was a savory Summer Vegetable Tart. to see other Tarts head on over to Baking with Julia. Since there is no host I'll give a brief run down on the recipe.
For the crust I used half a package phyllo dough, each sheet brushed with clarified butter and seasoned with freshly ground pepper. The sheets wee draped on a 9 inch tart pan with the edges resembling the points of a handkerchief. The dough was then baked for a bit under 10 minutes in a 375 oven. It was then placed on a rack and allowed to cool.
About an hour before serving saute in olive oil a sliced onion and two cloves of garlic. Once the onion is translucent add two sliced peppers and a half a pound of sliced mushrooms. Once the peppers are soft remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste, fresh thyme, and half a cup of crumbled goat cheese. The objective to to warm the cheese, not melt it.
The dish is best slightly warm or at room temperature.
I was very pleased with how the phyllo dough worked out for me. Sometimes it can be a royal pain, shredding every time you handle a sheet. I got the corners all artfully draped and backed to a lovely golden color. The filling was delicious, at least to the older half of the family, those 14 and under really didn't care for it. My only complaint was how messy the dish is to serve, the phyllo dough would keep breaking off. Mess aside it is a recipe well worth repeating. I had it as a vegetable side dish for my chicken piccata and the light lemon flavors worked well with the tart.
For the crust I used half a package phyllo dough, each sheet brushed with clarified butter and seasoned with freshly ground pepper. The sheets wee draped on a 9 inch tart pan with the edges resembling the points of a handkerchief. The dough was then baked for a bit under 10 minutes in a 375 oven. It was then placed on a rack and allowed to cool.
About an hour before serving saute in olive oil a sliced onion and two cloves of garlic. Once the onion is translucent add two sliced peppers and a half a pound of sliced mushrooms. Once the peppers are soft remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste, fresh thyme, and half a cup of crumbled goat cheese. The objective to to warm the cheese, not melt it.
The dish is best slightly warm or at room temperature.
I was very pleased with how the phyllo dough worked out for me. Sometimes it can be a royal pain, shredding every time you handle a sheet. I got the corners all artfully draped and backed to a lovely golden color. The filling was delicious, at least to the older half of the family, those 14 and under really didn't care for it. My only complaint was how messy the dish is to serve, the phyllo dough would keep breaking off. Mess aside it is a recipe well worth repeating. I had it as a vegetable side dish for my chicken piccata and the light lemon flavors worked well with the tart.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Fear of Flying
A fun little movie about a bird with a fear of flying. Created by Conor Finnegan, the Dublin artist explores a narrative style beyond gags and develops both storyline and characters. For a full rundown on the film check out its page over at Short of the Week.
FEAR OF FLYING from conorfinnegan on Vimeo.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Cathedral of Trees
I can't believe it, we got an actual sunny day. An event that has been far too infrequent this summer.
I took this picture of Max up at my cousins on another of those rare dry days. We had climbed the hill behind the house and found a short track in the woods. It was at most 50 yards, but the effect was almost cathedral like.
The tall trees reaching up and arching overhead enclosed an open area within the woods. It was cool and inviting after the hot and open field. I would have lingered longer, but Max had other places to go off to.
I took this picture of Max up at my cousins on another of those rare dry days. We had climbed the hill behind the house and found a short track in the woods. It was at most 50 yards, but the effect was almost cathedral like.
The tall trees reaching up and arching overhead enclosed an open area within the woods. It was cool and inviting after the hot and open field. I would have lingered longer, but Max had other places to go off to.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Summer in Vermont
Since today was such a wet and dreary day I thought this would a nice bright and cheerful way to end the week.
I really like this picture, I took it last week in Vermont. It was a spur of the moment idea to put the dandelion in the foreground with the the mountains fading into background.
We were all tromping down the hill when I saw the dandelion towering over the other plants. I did a quick shot and immediately liked what I saw. All I did was straighten out the picture and crop it just a bit.
I really like this picture, I took it last week in Vermont. It was a spur of the moment idea to put the dandelion in the foreground with the the mountains fading into background.
We were all tromping down the hill when I saw the dandelion towering over the other plants. I did a quick shot and immediately liked what I saw. All I did was straighten out the picture and crop it just a bit.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Rain, Rain, Go Away
I am so sick of rain.
It has rained almost every day this summer with the added bonus of some sort of thunderstorm rolling in every couple of days. Last night's storm was particularly notable. The thunderclaps shook the house numerous times and at one point is was almost like the fourth of July.
It even rained during our grand tour of up north. The rivers were running high and fast with no hope of their going down in the near future. Once again we missed out on fireworks.
On the upside we have seen plenty of rainbows. I caught this one up at my cousin's house in VT. It stretched all across the sky and lingered for quite some time. The only other benefit is that I have yet to turn on our sprinkler system. With all the rain we are getting the lawn is just fine, thank you very much.
It has rained almost every day this summer with the added bonus of some sort of thunderstorm rolling in every couple of days. Last night's storm was particularly notable. The thunderclaps shook the house numerous times and at one point is was almost like the fourth of July.
It even rained during our grand tour of up north. The rivers were running high and fast with no hope of their going down in the near future. Once again we missed out on fireworks.
On the upside we have seen plenty of rainbows. I caught this one up at my cousin's house in VT. It stretched all across the sky and lingered for quite some time. The only other benefit is that I have yet to turn on our sprinkler system. With all the rain we are getting the lawn is just fine, thank you very much.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Artist of the Week: Portrait
Rebecca is this week's artist. I took this picture of her at my cousin's house in Vermont. Since my mom moved to her apartment we can no longer stay with her. Instead, my cousin has generously opened his vacation house to us. It is located about a half an hour away from where my mom lives and is in a sparsely populated area. That said, it is a wonderful retreat.
Surrounded by the beauty of New England and with no internet, we try to do things outside. Unfortunately it is the summer of rain and we were limited on what we could do. All my favorite swimming holes were closed and I was leery of going on a big hike and most likely getting rained on. However we did spend some time climbing the hill in back of the house, picking wildflowers along the way.
Anyhoodle, the art was an incidental find at the end of the school year.
Way back in June Max was AotW with a small castle he made in art class. The castle was put on display in the main administration building and a note was sent home informing me that Max had something on exhibit. It took a while, but I eventually went to go have a look-see.Much to my surprise, Jacob (who I had just picked up from school) found a picture by Rebecca.
It is a portrait of Rebecca's friend Anna. I'm not familiar with the
particular style of the drawing, but I am sure I will be duly informed when I ask. As for the drawing itself, Rebecca did a good job capturing the essence of her friend. Drawing on black paper is not easy and Rebecca was able to make it work.
The picture was a very nice surprise.
Surrounded by the beauty of New England and with no internet, we try to do things outside. Unfortunately it is the summer of rain and we were limited on what we could do. All my favorite swimming holes were closed and I was leery of going on a big hike and most likely getting rained on. However we did spend some time climbing the hill in back of the house, picking wildflowers along the way.
Anyhoodle, the art was an incidental find at the end of the school year.
Way back in June Max was AotW with a small castle he made in art class. The castle was put on display in the main administration building and a note was sent home informing me that Max had something on exhibit. It took a while, but I eventually went to go have a look-see.Much to my surprise, Jacob (who I had just picked up from school) found a picture by Rebecca.
It is a portrait of Rebecca's friend Anna. I'm not familiar with the
particular style of the drawing, but I am sure I will be duly informed when I ask. As for the drawing itself, Rebecca did a good job capturing the essence of her friend. Drawing on black paper is not easy and Rebecca was able to make it work.
The picture was a very nice surprise.
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
En Vacances
As my tiny handful of readers guessed, we were away last week. It was a whirlwind tour of two grandmothers and an old friend spanning four states,not counting the ones we drove through. It was exhausting, but quite fun.
We ate far too much good food, drank too much good beer, and didn't get enough exercise (stupid never ending rain). I think we all wished we could have stayed longer with each of our hosts, but it felt very good to finally come back home.
We ate far too much good food, drank too much good beer, and didn't get enough exercise (stupid never ending rain). I think we all wished we could have stayed longer with each of our hosts, but it felt very good to finally come back home.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Red Boys in Repose
The red boys certainly have the lazy days of summer down pat. We got this bed for them last year and it has proven to be a very good idea.
Years and years ago I got beds for the dogs and they were promptly ripped to shreds. I ended up getting a western style saddle pad and that lasted for many years, but it wasn't particularly comfy. This bed is far more comfortable and the red boys love it.
Years and years ago I got beds for the dogs and they were promptly ripped to shreds. I ended up getting a western style saddle pad and that lasted for many years, but it wasn't particularly comfy. This bed is far more comfortable and the red boys love it.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Artist of the Week: Battleship Box
This week's artist is Mr. Nate. This is one of those rare moments when he is in repose, the boy is the proverbial bundle of energy. If he spends too much time cooped up inside he will be fairly vibrating with energy, at that point all I can do is tell him to run laps around the house which he cheerfully does.
Silly boy.
Fortunately he is a very sweet kid and exhausting as he is, Nate is an easy person to live with. The key thing is to give him an outlet. Summer is easy since he can always bike down to the pool and burn off some energy.
Nate is also filled with a fair bit of creative energy and tries to have art as an elective whenever possible. This year he got to work in clay and brought home this battleship box. The objective was to create a pencil box and yes, this is just able to hold a pencil.
I have the lid twisted so you can see that it is a box. Normally the deck sits square and you wouldn't necessarily think it can be removed. I think it is very cunning creation.
Silly boy.
Fortunately he is a very sweet kid and exhausting as he is, Nate is an easy person to live with. The key thing is to give him an outlet. Summer is easy since he can always bike down to the pool and burn off some energy.
Nate is also filled with a fair bit of creative energy and tries to have art as an elective whenever possible. This year he got to work in clay and brought home this battleship box. The objective was to create a pencil box and yes, this is just able to hold a pencil.
I have the lid twisted so you can see that it is a box. Normally the deck sits square and you wouldn't necessarily think it can be removed. I think it is very cunning creation.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Baking With Julia- Cheese and Tomato Galette
Last week's baking challenge for Baking with Julia was Cheese and Tomato Galette. I could have tried making it last Tuesday, but considering I came home that day after a lovely weekend away with my husband, I decided against such foolishness. It was hard enough getting back into the groove cooking dinner and such, an optional treat such as this was too much.
Which brings us to today.
The recipe called for 1/2 a batch of galette dough, conveniently I had such a thing stashed in my freezer. The dough was a leftover from the Berry Galette I made way back in August of last year.
Oh, that was quite a while ago, however the dough was fine. I really should label things better in the freezer and keep better tabs on little odds and ends like this.
Anyhoodle, as the dough defrosted I combined the cheese and basil. The recipe called for 2 oz mozzarella and 2 oz Monterey Jack. I had the mozzarella, but not the Jack so I substituted Swiss and cheddar. As for the basil, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil was called for. I had only dried, my basil plant are quite big enough, though I did trim off a couple of small leaves for garnish. Once the dough was thawed I rolled it out and transferred to to my pizza pan. I tossed the cheese on top, sliced some tomato, and then layered on the slices on top of the cheese. The edges of the dough were folded up and then the whole thing was backed at 400 for about 40 minutes.
It smelt heavenly and I had a hard time waiting the proscribed 10 minutes for the galette to cool. But wait I diid and it was well worth the wait. I thought it was outstanding as did Larry.
Which brings us to today.
The recipe called for 1/2 a batch of galette dough, conveniently I had such a thing stashed in my freezer. The dough was a leftover from the Berry Galette I made way back in August of last year.
Oh, that was quite a while ago, however the dough was fine. I really should label things better in the freezer and keep better tabs on little odds and ends like this.
Anyhoodle, as the dough defrosted I combined the cheese and basil. The recipe called for 2 oz mozzarella and 2 oz Monterey Jack. I had the mozzarella, but not the Jack so I substituted Swiss and cheddar. As for the basil, 1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil was called for. I had only dried, my basil plant are quite big enough, though I did trim off a couple of small leaves for garnish. Once the dough was thawed I rolled it out and transferred to to my pizza pan. I tossed the cheese on top, sliced some tomato, and then layered on the slices on top of the cheese. The edges of the dough were folded up and then the whole thing was backed at 400 for about 40 minutes.
It smelt heavenly and I had a hard time waiting the proscribed 10 minutes for the galette to cool. But wait I diid and it was well worth the wait. I thought it was outstanding as did Larry.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Crabtree Falls, VA
Sixteen seconds of zen at Crabtree Falls. This is just one of five major cascades that comprise the 1,300 foot waterfall. It is the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi. The clip was filmed June 17, 2013.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Knackered
Today I drove to Blacksburg and back., which is no small feet considering to almost 4 hours away.
Jacob is attending a summer session at Virginia Tech. The course is an intensive week long exploration of architecture and design. He'll be there with other like minded high school students, living in a dorm and eating in a dining hall. It is a sort of mini preview of college living.
Meryl tagged along, she has never been to Virginia Tech and was curious to see what it like. I much appreciated the company for the long ride back. After Roanoke the roads are very empty. I got to see quite a bit more the Blue Ridge Mountains, but I forgot my camera so this picture from trip with Larry will have to suffice.
It wasn't a bad drive, but I'm happy to be home.
Jacob is attending a summer session at Virginia Tech. The course is an intensive week long exploration of architecture and design. He'll be there with other like minded high school students, living in a dorm and eating in a dining hall. It is a sort of mini preview of college living.
Meryl tagged along, she has never been to Virginia Tech and was curious to see what it like. I much appreciated the company for the long ride back. After Roanoke the roads are very empty. I got to see quite a bit more the Blue Ridge Mountains, but I forgot my camera so this picture from trip with Larry will have to suffice.
It wasn't a bad drive, but I'm happy to be home.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Happy Couple
Ah, here I am again after a lovely getaway with my husband of 21(!) years. We got back Tuesday, but I wasn't ready to get back here until today. The lone post I literally phoned in was on Sunday and it wasn't until now I saw the glaring typo, stupid tiny phone screen and clunky mobile interface.
Anyhoodle, we ran away Sunday, leaving the older boys home to care for the dogs and the younger two with their Aunt Meryl. Max has a semi-complicated medical routine and really needs adult help, otherwise I would have left all four home to shift for themselves. Apart from a few bulletions from Meryl via Facebook and email, we didn't hear a peep from them until Tuesday, about 20 minutes from home, when Nate called to see when we would be home. Not bad for a boy renowned for this check up calls when Larry and I go out for dinner.
As for the trip we stayed at the lovely Afton Mountain Bed and Breakfast. From there we visited two breweries, we highly recommend The Devils Backbone, George Washington National Forest, and a quick trip to Charlottesville for dinner. We ate too much, drank too much, did some hiking, read books, and had a lovely time, just the two of us. Now on to the pictures.
We got lucky with the weather on Monday when we went hiking. Larry had done some research before hand and picked out Crabtree Falls. From what I understand it is the tallest waterfall in the US east of the Mississippi. The height of the falls is just under 1,400 feet and it is quite a trek to the top. The first picture was taken about 3/4s of thew way up by a very nice fellow hiker with her two teenage children. There are numerous viewing areas along the falls which comprise of a series of falls.
The next picture of part of the falls midway up. It is an impressive torrent washing down the mountain. Throughout the hike there are numerous small signs warning of the dangers of straying off the path and clambering on the wet rocks. The first sign bluntly states 23 people have died since the mid 80's. A believable statistic when you see the sheer drop offs and the rushing waters. In fact the 28th victim was claimed just this past April (so yeah the sign was a little out of date).
The final picture is from near the top of the waterfalls. Larry though this was the most impressive part and I have to agree. What amazes me the most is just how much water is pouring down the mountain side. We didn't get to see the headwaters of the stream, which was located farther back on the mountain's top. However it must be like a fire-hose considering sheer volume of water.
Anyhoodle, we ran away Sunday, leaving the older boys home to care for the dogs and the younger two with their Aunt Meryl. Max has a semi-complicated medical routine and really needs adult help, otherwise I would have left all four home to shift for themselves. Apart from a few bulletions from Meryl via Facebook and email, we didn't hear a peep from them until Tuesday, about 20 minutes from home, when Nate called to see when we would be home. Not bad for a boy renowned for this check up calls when Larry and I go out for dinner.
As for the trip we stayed at the lovely Afton Mountain Bed and Breakfast. From there we visited two breweries, we highly recommend The Devils Backbone, George Washington National Forest, and a quick trip to Charlottesville for dinner. We ate too much, drank too much, did some hiking, read books, and had a lovely time, just the two of us. Now on to the pictures.
We got lucky with the weather on Monday when we went hiking. Larry had done some research before hand and picked out Crabtree Falls. From what I understand it is the tallest waterfall in the US east of the Mississippi. The height of the falls is just under 1,400 feet and it is quite a trek to the top. The first picture was taken about 3/4s of thew way up by a very nice fellow hiker with her two teenage children. There are numerous viewing areas along the falls which comprise of a series of falls.
The next picture of part of the falls midway up. It is an impressive torrent washing down the mountain. Throughout the hike there are numerous small signs warning of the dangers of straying off the path and clambering on the wet rocks. The first sign bluntly states 23 people have died since the mid 80's. A believable statistic when you see the sheer drop offs and the rushing waters. In fact the 28th victim was claimed just this past April (so yeah the sign was a little out of date).
The final picture is from near the top of the waterfalls. Larry though this was the most impressive part and I have to agree. What amazes me the most is just how much water is pouring down the mountain side. We didn't get to see the headwaters of the stream, which was located farther back on the mountain's top. However it must be like a fire-hose considering sheer volume of water.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Friday, June 14, 2013
Flag Day
I took this picture on Monday simply because I liked the sky and how the flags were snapping in the breeze. I completely forgot about flag day and it wasn't until after dinner and I was trying to decide what to post that i remembered.
Even if it wasn't Flag Day I would still post this picture. The lighting and composition are just right. I did nothing to this picture it is straight out of my cell phone. Cell cameras have come a long way.
Even if it wasn't Flag Day I would still post this picture. The lighting and composition are just right. I did nothing to this picture it is straight out of my cell phone. Cell cameras have come a long way.
Thursday, June 13, 2013
End of the Rainbow
Just one more day.
One more day of getting up early to prod children out of day and bustling them out the door to meet the bus.
One more day of packing school lunches that might be eaten.
I can't wait for that day to be over.
Conversely I can't wait for the first day of school in September.
One more day of getting up early to prod children out of day and bustling them out the door to meet the bus.
One more day of packing school lunches that might be eaten.
I can't wait for that day to be over.
Conversely I can't wait for the first day of school in September.
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