Johnson's Pasture

Lucky me!  I got to hike with both kids today.

Photos of the people,

 by the people,

and for the people (or at least for the relatives).

Home-cooked Meal

I cashed in one of my gifts and R. made dinner last night.

I heard an NPR story about someone who didn't like kale until she found this recipe, which our family now enjoys.

The Spanish potato tortilla recipe was in the New York Times and attracted R. because it called for good olive oil.  Our generous neighbor was given several bottles and passed a couple to us so it seemed to be a good use for it.

Bon appetit!

Ms. Nostalgia Cleans Up

The art studio has become the rec room and it needed some sorting and thinning out.  That's a challenge for me.  I had no problem getting rid of dried out paint, but wasn't ready to let go of the finger paint paper yet.

I feel comfortable passing on the car seat gallery.

I threw out (!) tapes made from cds, 
but kept the ones I like to listen to in the car.

Isn't the magnetic foam still useful?

These were in a bag we kept in the car.
I tucked them away with other toys I pull out when kids visit.

Not useful, but it still made the cut this round.

Since I didn't take a before picture I am not going to show the after picture!

Winter Camp

 The road leading to and from Camp Alonim creates an amazing
transition from the freeway to the freedom of camp.

Here is home, sweet home for a few days.

And here is the view from the cabin (with the handsome car soon to depart).

just past the horses (and imagine a huge field with hills and goats on the left)

on the way out

The hardest part of leaving A. behind was not being able to go to camp myself.  I would love to play outside with my friends, have someone cook my meals, and have enforced quiet time every day.  Youth is wasted on the young!

Unexpected Company

You might remember our dog guest, Eli, from an earlier post.

She is with us again.  She had been a guest at other friends' house, but she got in a fight with their dog and needs some time to recuperate.

It is hard to get comfortable with a cone.

Trying another place.

Finally settling down.

But not looking too happy.

I hope we can help her with healing of body and spirit.

Old Stuff

Almost everything in our kitchen was received as a gift or we purchased after we together.  We do have a few things that pre-date our marriage, all D.'s.

ladle

mixing bowl

woodboard

hand mixer (only mixer we have)

You would think after all these years I wouldn't take it so hard, but I was sad that the reusable zip tie that held the cord of the mixer broke.  I can still use it, but it no longer stays attached to the cord.

 Life goes on.

Winter Flowers

 This is the first time any of our aloe vera plants have blossomed.

 It is right in the way of the sidewalk, but I can't bear to cut it.

 The jade plants are starting to blossom, too.

Our first camellia of the year is a beauty!

Everything's Bigger in California

Growing up I thought poinsettias were plants you had at Christmas time and you couldn't let any pets eat it.  Around here people put them out like pumpkins on the doorstep.

What is amazing is that someone must have planted one years ago because look what is growing in the alley!

This is about as tall as I am!

I am also in awe of the rosemary that grows like hedges.  Some people even trim them to have straight edges like a formal hedge.

 Those little jade plants you have in a pot in your house back east?  They grow like hedges here.

 Look carefully and you can see that they are growing on both side of the sidewalk.

This house has lavender in front for the entire length of the fence.

It is amazing what happens when it doesn't snow.

Trial and Error

An American friend in Denmark has a Danish friend in America who is putting together a cookbook and I volunteered to try a few recipes.

kærnemælk koldskaal

Today the weather was like summer in Denmark (25ºC) and this is a traditional summer dessert.  A. and I ate it this summer while sitting outside by the fire.  So hyggelig!  It is made with buttermilk (kærnemælk), sometimes egg yolks and sometimes yogurt, lemon juice, and just a bit of sugar.  It could be topped with fruit, but usually it is served with toasted oats (cooked with butter and sugar) or kammerjunker, which are a bit like vanilla wafers.  It was definitely not very sweet, but it tasted very authentic.

most of the ingredients
(sharp eyes notice nisser spinning in the background)

final product

Rødkål, or red cabbage, is easy to find in the winter in Denmark and is prepared with apples and served at Christmas with pork and potatoes.  Another popular way to serve it is on bread as part of an open-faced sandwich, which is what we did.  I made it yesterday because the recipe recommended letting it sit for a day or so, but having sampled it I could tell the difference.  It was a little sweeter than I would have chosen, so maybe I should have had it with potatoes and pork!

The first two recipes were easy to follow and I was happy with the results.  The third was challenging and disappointing.

It was supposed to be remoulade, which every Danish kitchen has in the fridge, almost like people in the US have ketchup.  It is used on open-faced sandwiches and is like mayonnaise or tartar sauce.  This recipe called for lots of cut up root vegetables, pickling liquid, and lots of spices.  I was unclear whether I was supposed to add the vegetables, toss them, or maybe dip them?  Maybe it can still be rescued.

Two out of three isn't bad, plus it was fun trying new things.

Sunday's Fish Wrap

One version of the quote is, "Today's news, tomorrow's fish wrap."  Because my dad's opinion 
piece won't be in the Cleveland Plain Dealer (which is no longer delivered daily) until Saturday the fish will have to wait.

What does it take to change opinions?  How are movements started?  Does it start with having something published in the paper?  Or maybe having enough comments online?  Even though there is some support for keeping the name, it is unclear if it will be enough.

Thanks for taking action, Dad.

Sundial

While waiting for friends I had a chance to examine the sundial at Larkin Park, including the plaque in memory of Dr. Ralph B. Larkin.  Unfortunately it reads the correct time less than half the year because it is set for standard time, but of course you can add an hour during daylights savings time.

Some of these symbols are no surprise (Taurus, Sagittarius, Aquarius), but I had no idea how the other symbols came to be (Virgo's is a sheaf of barley??  Pisces is two fish tied together?).  I guess I have never been good at seeing constellations, either.

You can tell this picture was taken in a different season than the photo above 

because of the location of the (almost) noon shadow).

After the walk I tried to learn more about Dr. Larkin, but was distracted by information about this sundial and lots of information about sundials in general.  I love learning new words like gnomon the thing that casts the shadow) and analemma (the figure-eight shape of the shadow over the course of the year).  Maybe I'll become a gnomonist (amateur sundial enthusiast).