tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22043748637523088982024-03-18T19:44:25.479-04:00ComptoniaSweetfern, Comptonia peregrina, is neither sweet nor a fern. It looks like something the dinosaurs would have walked through, releasing the warmest, spiciest aromas of imagination.Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.comBlogger898125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-73744377653965816872024-03-17T09:13:00.000-04:002024-03-17T09:13:52.089-04:00satisfactory<p style="text-align: center;">Do you try to take the maximum possible satisfaction from even the simplest or tiniest improvements? This is my latest:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnBYO5RilwTfCFSx4MA20YXnaIKOs2y4CTFHFlKgKLN2AaYbeD9AvEPSLx9Ut__vZmKOMdt_-AQ-20-2gHFom6pXtmA44UXIAD4Fl_fU9XnUm0YOZi8uJROLORqMydbA7ZPWvZBw6mhMIuZfMHqog9omhfp7arUf7kQfnr5y9JrKq3ofYyhtKzYVEvQc/s2048/IMG_2041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1793" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDnBYO5RilwTfCFSx4MA20YXnaIKOs2y4CTFHFlKgKLN2AaYbeD9AvEPSLx9Ut__vZmKOMdt_-AQ-20-2gHFom6pXtmA44UXIAD4Fl_fU9XnUm0YOZi8uJROLORqMydbA7ZPWvZBw6mhMIuZfMHqog9omhfp7arUf7kQfnr5y9JrKq3ofYyhtKzYVEvQc/s320/IMG_2041.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">D<span style="text-align: left;">ecanting a hoof treatment from the big, messy, hard to control containers it comes in, to these:</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFymnPC2g7BEiDvI_XP9eJ7YPbdysByvgs_0ZoPP4Xc-smKc8icuIpfriNw6z1R9vCPO0-mAG-wIkkwVZP13LfHth_HNmWE8iYb8NiYc7dreLmFC9h28zphtY7LpN1vjcy8ZQfKh1t1LIBn6FQArcY_6ZqOvaZKZ0q0E_OTV_MRXtIdjpBLWJrhwygRQ/s2048/IMG_2048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1770" data-original-width="2048" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFymnPC2g7BEiDvI_XP9eJ7YPbdysByvgs_0ZoPP4Xc-smKc8icuIpfriNw6z1R9vCPO0-mAG-wIkkwVZP13LfHth_HNmWE8iYb8NiYc7dreLmFC9h28zphtY7LpN1vjcy8ZQfKh1t1LIBn6FQArcY_6ZqOvaZKZ0q0E_OTV_MRXtIdjpBLWJrhwygRQ/s320/IMG_2048.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">25 ml plastic bottles that will fit in a pocket and administer the small amount needed to the exact spot where it's meant to go.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Ten minutes well spent.</p><p style="text-align: center;">What little changes have made you hugely happy?</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>~~~~~</b></span></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-68900263241117099702024-03-10T15:22:00.000-04:002024-03-10T15:22:05.944-04:00quick tip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZKMT8XnGJi__6JzfPwm99J392wl-kN3njKMKJTMPoPeco0orQiegRg1ptSNI1u2US8ttFytWyq2xA3T_up3llRNDcMKs8dsxYtjPtv6gVAvoE1B93OZEIludK2g4z_quNCuQghu_c3Zp7hQiEYerlyKWMewzO7bra2jj4DqPYL8ov_36G52niy-KT48/s2048/IMG_1926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1335" data-original-width="2048" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZKMT8XnGJi__6JzfPwm99J392wl-kN3njKMKJTMPoPeco0orQiegRg1ptSNI1u2US8ttFytWyq2xA3T_up3llRNDcMKs8dsxYtjPtv6gVAvoE1B93OZEIludK2g4z_quNCuQghu_c3Zp7hQiEYerlyKWMewzO7bra2jj4DqPYL8ov_36G52niy-KT48/w400-h261/IMG_1926.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>I haven't been doing anything adventurous in the kitchen (or anywhere else) lately, but this handy trick for making easy-to-spread butter is something I've been doing for months and have been meaning to share.</p><p>For years I assumed the pricey "spreadable butter" on the market is blended with oils in some sort of fancy industrial process. And it probably is. It never occurred to me to try to make it myself.</p><p>This simple and effective method comes from <a href="https://www.nancybirtwhistle.co.uk/category/recipes" target="_blank">Nancy Birtwhistle</a>, a Great British Bake Off champion and author of four books on "green living." She generously shares loads of recipes and tips online, including this one, so I think it's okay to describe it here.</p><p>Nancy recommends using a handheld "electric whisk" - not sure what that is but I have a handheld mixer and use that - to cream butter for a couple of minutes. Then gradually add an oil (in a bit more than 1/3 the weight/volume of the butter), whisking constantly to emulsify. So far I've used grapeseed oil, canola oil, and olive oil. So far they have all been delicious.</p><p>The whole process takes just a few minutes, including transferring the mixture into containers for refrigeration or use. The clean-up actually takes longer for me, in part because I make a pot of bulgur at the same time and when the spreadable butter is done I "pre-wash" the buttery beaters by sinking them briefly in the hot bulgur so not a bit of the butter will be wasted.</p><p>I love butter but I don't love trying to scrape hard butter across a piece of bread. This has been a very helpful tip for me. Maybe for you, too?</p><p>p.s. Just found an Instagram post from Nancy last year, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/nancy.birtwhistle/reel/CwVOW4iKmT9" target="_blank">demonstrating her technique</a>. Fingers crossed the link works - I don't know much about IG. </p><p>p.p.s. Turns out I <i>do</i> have an "electric whisk" - every day's a school day!</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>~~~~~</b></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-54594174189758649932024-02-28T10:17:00.006-05:002024-02-28T10:21:02.385-05:00blue-sky day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCHjhjE5BlglGlNdWu3jIkyfO3t9VfJ-CXM1wKagYKHzoBGFg8FwE1ioLQwcOEPwjfSzHj8oU4aAQPYWWI6zNrnNESydNpc2gv1cjhzSdPuaNPGiTnKD7x4WClSHDZ4-7cwy6zkTfzbbY7Ro3w_G-_1dvwe-SKHiykZbryfPf6sQTfwRlPzWz4E39RzQ/s4608/IMG_1899.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCHjhjE5BlglGlNdWu3jIkyfO3t9VfJ-CXM1wKagYKHzoBGFg8FwE1ioLQwcOEPwjfSzHj8oU4aAQPYWWI6zNrnNESydNpc2gv1cjhzSdPuaNPGiTnKD7x4WClSHDZ4-7cwy6zkTfzbbY7Ro3w_G-_1dvwe-SKHiykZbryfPf6sQTfwRlPzWz4E39RzQ/w300-h400/IMG_1899.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">It rained all last night and this morning, with a forecast of "continuing" and a warning about high winds. But yesterday was a blue-sky day, and so warm that I was able to do something I've been wanting to do for weeks:</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaNn8vOxmW3Ax7lIxhISXkDkrYoqal4SaOHDyOdgUbAib3r9ZAXFBUXEMprnpK7MYuNktNyBhDFhWJZtir04tV9caoD20kDPJ2SfxIphp-R4DNYxGTbJjdxgqE29d8tkC7M1DhDBM5QPyofgbIJHObIdaGcERIJmgRmwS8IGyCM-NeETYCnGN2CbU6_k/s4608/IMG_1908.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiaNn8vOxmW3Ax7lIxhISXkDkrYoqal4SaOHDyOdgUbAib3r9ZAXFBUXEMprnpK7MYuNktNyBhDFhWJZtir04tV9caoD20kDPJ2SfxIphp-R4DNYxGTbJjdxgqE29d8tkC7M1DhDBM5QPyofgbIJHObIdaGcERIJmgRmwS8IGyCM-NeETYCnGN2CbU6_k/w400-h300/IMG_1908.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">gather up the feed pans and give them a scrub.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEY7ILGXTNdGtMxnVDhjzxswntNTnVfz4xyTCX0V_ZzdCs-eN5VsnBE0h9rRb0FlgDUyAw0cegKQfrk6X_hw5cVRV77CqyJKXE5HIHWJ2KeZEpVJkCy3tW8h7sM0JruNxvt9pWr3K3kQpuRNU0hHt8JsB_I7vK9YYmbO-7z4r-a5aKVMjo8E7hR9ewnk/s4608/IMG_1913.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAEY7ILGXTNdGtMxnVDhjzxswntNTnVfz4xyTCX0V_ZzdCs-eN5VsnBE0h9rRb0FlgDUyAw0cegKQfrk6X_hw5cVRV77CqyJKXE5HIHWJ2KeZEpVJkCy3tW8h7sM0JruNxvt9pWr3K3kQpuRNU0hHt8JsB_I7vK9YYmbO-7z4r-a5aKVMjo8E7hR9ewnk/s320/IMG_1913.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Very satisfying result.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And because it was so warm and sunny and the forecast was for this 24-hour rain we are currently in the middle of, I dragged the chaise out and spent an hour or so just enjoying the day. The deep blue sky, the tiny downy woodpecker bold enough to visit the suet feeder even while Moxie and I were lounging only a few feet away. Such a perfectly pleasant day - a warm clear day <i>with no biting insects</i> - is a rarity in my neck of the woods. Very much a "seize the day" event.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I did the Daily Markmaking, with this water-soluble graphite sketch:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-DAHciFBIHZfBJ1Xml4wvWJ5qgsmjD4qx6SHPmL1tO0tSmEr7jZXFCH7WIwZ6IjIigjTmZttIHG3KvTlEFxsynLxhyPN32YNHD9utveX3zRaAyyHc-bMWnOc5ZSJ0olsFG-isWEYdAwI-2aGkX5QDOPlDR-K0fLUTDfNMJezMpibEHJQgtG_Yt0IweY/s1828/IMG_20240227_154005%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1828" data-original-width="1371" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-DAHciFBIHZfBJ1Xml4wvWJ5qgsmjD4qx6SHPmL1tO0tSmEr7jZXFCH7WIwZ6IjIigjTmZttIHG3KvTlEFxsynLxhyPN32YNHD9utveX3zRaAyyHc-bMWnOc5ZSJ0olsFG-isWEYdAwI-2aGkX5QDOPlDR-K0fLUTDfNMJezMpibEHJQgtG_Yt0IweY/w300-h400/IMG_20240227_154005%5B1%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This sketchbook snap is from a cell phone. It's an experiment, because I suspect my actual camera is signalling it's pending retirement with various mysterious behaviors. I know many cell cams take excellent snaps, but my phone is very basic, the images are not high res, and I'm not sure about their blog-ability. Please feel free to comment/advise.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And to bring us back to today, here is a barncam snap taken a few minutes ago: Violet and Sambucus in the barn, waiting out the rain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyo98Ro85BMX0U6GpyvNpY13fkIn9_qutqQjfU0SeooUtFgJw2h8-X3uxCsMKuGG7ye_ffo7adhjTlT1Sw2ch29Z3qUm9qLUA5IorWO-SG-kZbhEvBUQFVhf_5zTCQeAyyl7WuCxkGB42gtLDkA0rWw8pGvNAB9Ezj2Rr31m-b65lXaabwpKkhl3JJ-8/s2048/20240228_095600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1668" data-original-width="2048" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUyo98Ro85BMX0U6GpyvNpY13fkIn9_qutqQjfU0SeooUtFgJw2h8-X3uxCsMKuGG7ye_ffo7adhjTlT1Sw2ch29Z3qUm9qLUA5IorWO-SG-kZbhEvBUQFVhf_5zTCQeAyyl7WuCxkGB42gtLDkA0rWw8pGvNAB9Ezj2Rr31m-b65lXaabwpKkhl3JJ-8/w400-h326/20240228_095600.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Very wise, goats.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You know Room Service will always come to you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #990000;">~~~~~</span></b></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-26284362974189906652024-02-20T17:17:00.000-05:002024-02-20T17:17:19.278-05:00zipping right along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRslF-ImZJyR54CzHfgdnDR75so90osVoqWS96Hi-VyfHyP4org7gZ8_ULs_1fpq04eGOjjP1AIcX2__h4P83B3OCM4LyDfIDKVBedJSuLtHU-aFxE5bUOGzcRwNVJl2MqdCmdh-bpAWTSrG1r57tNHBwkqLMuJuhXPJppT1Sdau9W18OOyEfvPsEsFE/s2048/IMG_1856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRslF-ImZJyR54CzHfgdnDR75so90osVoqWS96Hi-VyfHyP4org7gZ8_ULs_1fpq04eGOjjP1AIcX2__h4P83B3OCM4LyDfIDKVBedJSuLtHU-aFxE5bUOGzcRwNVJl2MqdCmdh-bpAWTSrG1r57tNHBwkqLMuJuhXPJppT1Sdau9W18OOyEfvPsEsFE/w400-h300/IMG_1856.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHCZTC40owqGEZhsYsfjUAeDz3aBlZfnWGrwmD0cARTG5T8OQNH5Ne2C9tgpAomfUKzceJAikWsSY9_qJnuXvnE1f0mSfgfB-RRp0KbLNZEaUt6ndlyfXFnneLrDRc0m1nX_mhC8IvITmM5HUG6CRbW9DCluhQJfcS8Oc4TOligy50efF7A9NBKoyZs4/s2048/IMG_1857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcHCZTC40owqGEZhsYsfjUAeDz3aBlZfnWGrwmD0cARTG5T8OQNH5Ne2C9tgpAomfUKzceJAikWsSY9_qJnuXvnE1f0mSfgfB-RRp0KbLNZEaUt6ndlyfXFnneLrDRc0m1nX_mhC8IvITmM5HUG6CRbW9DCluhQJfcS8Oc4TOligy50efF7A9NBKoyZs4/w400-h300/IMG_1857.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>February is zipping right along, that is. Not me.</p><p>But I'm keeping up. Just.</p><p>We've been having some cold days, but clear, mostly. Cold but not windy, mostly. Cold but sunny, mostly. It's been, in other words, an exceptionally fine February so far.</p><p>Which is great, because regardless of the weather, or how I happen to be feeling physically, I'm outside and in motion for a minimum of two hours every morning and every evening. The goats provide the core of my personal healthcare system, and I'm grateful for the incentive.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kMhZxxlAy2HPkXxd3w5adc2Hyrzfvft7FaLAJvoP_jZ_hJyF2bpuwJKWFpd1DxxveXdB2pGFg8BRh4gFCiasi_XmGUW5GCKxAVXN0mQXOPCt1x3he8GYaulu9mKnBrbNne2IEG6oo0Fi4zjwXQOUv4ldiYzFWJu9Jl5jm0uWwY77uhWPHzfI1n7LpYM/s2048/IMG_1877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1260" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-kMhZxxlAy2HPkXxd3w5adc2Hyrzfvft7FaLAJvoP_jZ_hJyF2bpuwJKWFpd1DxxveXdB2pGFg8BRh4gFCiasi_XmGUW5GCKxAVXN0mQXOPCt1x3he8GYaulu9mKnBrbNne2IEG6oo0Fi4zjwXQOUv4ldiYzFWJu9Jl5jm0uWwY77uhWPHzfI1n7LpYM/w246-h400/IMG_1877.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">red maple, on a day when it was warm enough to hold a pencil</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I've started to write a blog post at least four times after evening chores in the past two weeks, and each time have fallen asleep over the laptop. Or, more accurately, under the laptop. Actually, under the laptop and two cats. It's an easy way to fall asleep, I suppose, if one is very thoroughly tired. But it's certainly a strange way to wake up.</p><p>So even if this post is only a jumble of random jottings, I am going to post it before evening chores today. And I'll add equally random snaps. Like these:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvOJqtAuLcLLTuvh6GERpllSR2JId5oLXgPXGNYYKUFsn5FNfOgZEUrBEtQV2anGuBw_NewTJ1Sk_x9jQVfR_m_toE3mZ8a8ZVjPuzdJeQ53Gp8tC_VdRBsI7xsXSV8W04eZ4jrhCCsKSUwL3CdfOx11lZJHUQRzVqGbaMfWxj2r8uS3CbC87aXNAiuc/s2048/IMG_20240215_150738%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuvOJqtAuLcLLTuvh6GERpllSR2JId5oLXgPXGNYYKUFsn5FNfOgZEUrBEtQV2anGuBw_NewTJ1Sk_x9jQVfR_m_toE3mZ8a8ZVjPuzdJeQ53Gp8tC_VdRBsI7xsXSV8W04eZ4jrhCCsKSUwL3CdfOx11lZJHUQRzVqGbaMfWxj2r8uS3CbC87aXNAiuc/s320/IMG_20240215_150738%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JgkbyA_gZNgSIjzxxfyRkyVioPmvYrCZXyTNVw9RxMjQEeux3AKC1iIPVNGlotxDR21HNcZWlZKLZGwSEn70Hy29UoC7EL_j6xEYe0wy8saoA0QvvUkRrBd_R9LJsYOvllyupgDsHATuBJghCk8PtVu0bgDdGZPxPQ8VzyO6t5gGA_3AgvxBI5uOMQA/s2048/IMG_20240215_150744%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JgkbyA_gZNgSIjzxxfyRkyVioPmvYrCZXyTNVw9RxMjQEeux3AKC1iIPVNGlotxDR21HNcZWlZKLZGwSEn70Hy29UoC7EL_j6xEYe0wy8saoA0QvvUkRrBd_R9LJsYOvllyupgDsHATuBJghCk8PtVu0bgDdGZPxPQ8VzyO6t5gGA_3AgvxBI5uOMQA/s320/IMG_20240215_150744%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And these:</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVlmrcnq6xJ2uFnZU9IGerx79U4wnMxlL5hVWDF8dWRGW3R06sZHAWbmLpTzVQtWCMgG6Nki0wPJhhzQan4EJWDhPy5NmPQUARSZH5AhEcdnXsAon6hnlUG1xh2KUCZWAIwNauuWozH2QGq8jv_Y7rMzWDf2oa8EwURhxAeL9rnCMnlksxWIzckAe2cQ/s2048/IMG_1874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCVlmrcnq6xJ2uFnZU9IGerx79U4wnMxlL5hVWDF8dWRGW3R06sZHAWbmLpTzVQtWCMgG6Nki0wPJhhzQan4EJWDhPy5NmPQUARSZH5AhEcdnXsAon6hnlUG1xh2KUCZWAIwNauuWozH2QGq8jv_Y7rMzWDf2oa8EwURhxAeL9rnCMnlksxWIzckAe2cQ/w300-h400/IMG_1874.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">vase, view 1</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzHzNyJENWW_4uzIzi2Zb4ZMpmr1vSdSLAzyNhQxe08bZASdwfwDTFJm5LYWKsXZGi4JkeFPUSwSj7gqSyOhyphenhypheny1Y9ed0el8omzN74Rs0jJvtQI16bSS8LbjrSgGqqJfT_XCxDAxrARurysjVZmL8SRavUEmFJqnNRSXBsoPffAmTbssCZnpIP60QW5c8/s2048/IMG_1875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1369" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMzHzNyJENWW_4uzIzi2Zb4ZMpmr1vSdSLAzyNhQxe08bZASdwfwDTFJm5LYWKsXZGi4JkeFPUSwSj7gqSyOhyphenhypheny1Y9ed0el8omzN74Rs0jJvtQI16bSS8LbjrSgGqqJfT_XCxDAxrARurysjVZmL8SRavUEmFJqnNRSXBsoPffAmTbssCZnpIP60QW5c8/w268-h400/IMG_1875.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">vase, view 2</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">And in conclusion, two short random notes:</span></div><div><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Good news follow-up: I took delivery of three additional pallets of chaffhaye, and the forklift operator got them close to the barn. This makes every single day easier for me: there's still wrestling and sweating and occasional swearing involved, but no sledding or dragging through gates.Those 90 bales should take us to May Day.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A happy "find:" the field technician who got my internet and phone line reconnected a few weeks ago dropped his (quite costly) Leatherman tool into deep snow whilst repeatedly to-ing and fro-ing between his truck and my house. He looked, I looked. He thought they would probably be near the pole where he reconnected the line. I thought they would probably be near the stone wall he scrambled over to take a shortcut. Well, I was able to give him some good news this week:</li></ul><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XnexWlPDB8OEXCGdZqPIWRVwnPczTCSnzvs1NBlO38LBN7hGvhBQjFrxWLopQwiTzlZf0ImduSJ-QxPf0aY5mSGBvipQ985geV_-acJ1aJOGv012Q8VvsXX5q4T1QLFO84XeCOBtC3wyTudLnCYTSaGdDUrKZAc5U1ryngQE2NAfHETVSl01PFPk9Mw/s2048/IMG_20240213_125821%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1537" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8XnexWlPDB8OEXCGdZqPIWRVwnPczTCSnzvs1NBlO38LBN7hGvhBQjFrxWLopQwiTzlZf0ImduSJ-QxPf0aY5mSGBvipQ985geV_-acJ1aJOGv012Q8VvsXX5q4T1QLFO84XeCOBtC3wyTudLnCYTSaGdDUrKZAc5U1ryngQE2NAfHETVSl01PFPk9Mw/w300-h400/IMG_20240213_125821%5B1%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">they were in the garden</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">I hope your days are full of good news and happy finds.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>~~~~~</b></p></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-90094914091782486012024-02-07T16:13:00.000-05:002024-02-07T16:13:59.650-05:00so far so good<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCZIdkXtP5kvOrSLGMWIeEJp8IZujODmQl6rEWC4X80houKikTC5K006hgQlrDVQONpAyrLuKBzkJAaXMci9pliNYbJkg98pqaYB_CstGZtISB8h5062OysrWjJD97i8Bc8KueAycqR-2gnARqvaKA6e6SB5lHRhnlqvEC7BGe-4bKgOnoRS-6FOlh78/s2048/IMG_1661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCZIdkXtP5kvOrSLGMWIeEJp8IZujODmQl6rEWC4X80houKikTC5K006hgQlrDVQONpAyrLuKBzkJAaXMci9pliNYbJkg98pqaYB_CstGZtISB8h5062OysrWjJD97i8Bc8KueAycqR-2gnARqvaKA6e6SB5lHRhnlqvEC7BGe-4bKgOnoRS-6FOlh78/w400-h300/IMG_1661.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Afternoon sun on the Upper West Side.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;">We've been having some lovely, sunny weather this week. Still quite cold, mostly teens and 20s F, but not windy. Very pleasant weather to be out in.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5A0qPAS5xlkfseyBA3y6ehb4OOD-slZx8iRqEc42GDFjRlZRxj8vwZB-xpbrwmPjguhULCWjsVWN0iOKjmI-gutkozaIRrZOShb11iemqM9i2ydA6WJbLOzYtX8Jy75FGUCHZ4hzz98U5IP1opmnwZp93-kHlTWHYmVvZMx2E93Ylv45HRlxV5sUkYc/s2048/IMG_1599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1928" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5A0qPAS5xlkfseyBA3y6ehb4OOD-slZx8iRqEc42GDFjRlZRxj8vwZB-xpbrwmPjguhULCWjsVWN0iOKjmI-gutkozaIRrZOShb11iemqM9i2ydA6WJbLOzYtX8Jy75FGUCHZ4hzz98U5IP1opmnwZp93-kHlTWHYmVvZMx2E93Ylv45HRlxV5sUkYc/w376-h400/IMG_1599.jpg" width="376" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moxie surveying her domain.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIGDzK9tKrpgsJDhCh2cCLo4DiYSN2aupk1pKzRed3WECVCqkWV7viiBqAILWjbuDcJIjnsv6b2Ih8wCTOnjcMgZ7HucN_EL3-MBggEIbEMvPRsJUTEVDQpCUGHZ15NkyhAdCuVl0DEtQWyySSBD-FkYo89gRStgkJG4pI9EoFyzpGnJC6butzZD0yU8/s2048/IMG_1616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyIGDzK9tKrpgsJDhCh2cCLo4DiYSN2aupk1pKzRed3WECVCqkWV7viiBqAILWjbuDcJIjnsv6b2Ih8wCTOnjcMgZ7HucN_EL3-MBggEIbEMvPRsJUTEVDQpCUGHZ15NkyhAdCuVl0DEtQWyySSBD-FkYo89gRStgkJG4pI9EoFyzpGnJC6butzZD0yU8/w400-h300/IMG_1616.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bluebird hoping the starlings left some mealworms.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCWB3RltA4HuMc7fClQtkvEdTwKRvK9ovDIaYI5gjo2j_62Nk1xr3d6Un1kuY3yOO8mXxRH4pTAgiBk9BUDogV6tjK0XX1LgW1f6Ja4bCV842F_ErRecbrkO8bLkbQpPFcDbpKK6t24LfjvWJbbnHFrFthqHd21_68N_YlLFNm5bGHYRKzenONu0hFZo/s2048/IMG_1724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlCWB3RltA4HuMc7fClQtkvEdTwKRvK9ovDIaYI5gjo2j_62Nk1xr3d6Un1kuY3yOO8mXxRH4pTAgiBk9BUDogV6tjK0XX1LgW1f6Ja4bCV842F_ErRecbrkO8bLkbQpPFcDbpKK6t24LfjvWJbbnHFrFthqHd21_68N_YlLFNm5bGHYRKzenONu0hFZo/w400-h300/IMG_1724.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tsuga in the sun.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_C0rWRx8HonhvbB6yfosRJf4veLVu-KozSG_6vm7zzrt1ob_-y3TZj8fucFxiX0NmpaNQnjU79IZ4aoXNgG84ivocRTVBjha7Ypfandr55lLbCnRkqoN15gelJ9axGqGGAi80g3ilzIjKd0vB980BIWvugLGNYs0gxmml-SMtm0d3bntYcMFUVx6Rrg/s2048/IMG_1744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_C0rWRx8HonhvbB6yfosRJf4veLVu-KozSG_6vm7zzrt1ob_-y3TZj8fucFxiX0NmpaNQnjU79IZ4aoXNgG84ivocRTVBjha7Ypfandr55lLbCnRkqoN15gelJ9axGqGGAi80g3ilzIjKd0vB980BIWvugLGNYs0gxmml-SMtm0d3bntYcMFUVx6Rrg/w300-h400/IMG_1744.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fernie at my fingertips.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: center;">The brighter sky in February has been very welcome, especially following the series of snowstorms in late January:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZ7xrT3LneRGFCs2idKezCzjPkIAC9PwlXrDOe6rCcWda6cVrIYvtlJXCTc9RdAVDL5z6wpvxAq0-IthpJeml1Q8i5LEqj6mpafQmUqc5bH1q0K70pnY2bOoYdqwvZ-2ySKhjCBhnE_mTxX5ucjl2t1guve6z-mi1bijC3b-lbW3_5Y4HoxwhKCbbB2A/s2048/IMG_1461.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDZ7xrT3LneRGFCs2idKezCzjPkIAC9PwlXrDOe6rCcWda6cVrIYvtlJXCTc9RdAVDL5z6wpvxAq0-IthpJeml1Q8i5LEqj6mpafQmUqc5bH1q0K70pnY2bOoYdqwvZ-2ySKhjCBhnE_mTxX5ucjl2t1guve6z-mi1bijC3b-lbW3_5Y4HoxwhKCbbB2A/w400-h300/IMG_1461.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dhgbBz2k_mFWqPrP_xLFxU5JfsLoSrkrjJwqojqSnTBvZxSkdCujzuLCQQIfsBrBU4AeYRgEGZBLJgzmvXoef5oVSPTxgB60wDUNMl5Y-coOnUdjTcgZVVfN55njuhbdIouOElMysbWhQE_mU0BejctM-zGA8ZwzXIkNL6PHedBAvDLF_HQLcYDt0vI/s2048/IMG_1478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dhgbBz2k_mFWqPrP_xLFxU5JfsLoSrkrjJwqojqSnTBvZxSkdCujzuLCQQIfsBrBU4AeYRgEGZBLJgzmvXoef5oVSPTxgB60wDUNMl5Y-coOnUdjTcgZVVfN55njuhbdIouOElMysbWhQE_mU0BejctM-zGA8ZwzXIkNL6PHedBAvDLF_HQLcYDt0vI/w400-h300/IMG_1478.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v2PbCmpG9YG4hMJDTArXz1IAOHKU8MPEtb9-y3F0DzVUi-ID1Xv0oU8-JUc2D-4LeuagOafkYIREJ4By1T8tqgemlU92KaFDOvx9xUpTINZIGlCTxFy0HJj8FM7pKMgcnm04TDnmZ3OnsKZFZ4il4xhJtGs0rcVZmZTihhobQjFBHxvOGT6NB4F3p_o/s2048/IMG_1502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v2PbCmpG9YG4hMJDTArXz1IAOHKU8MPEtb9-y3F0DzVUi-ID1Xv0oU8-JUc2D-4LeuagOafkYIREJ4By1T8tqgemlU92KaFDOvx9xUpTINZIGlCTxFy0HJj8FM7pKMgcnm04TDnmZ3OnsKZFZ4il4xhJtGs0rcVZmZTihhobQjFBHxvOGT6NB4F3p_o/w400-h300/IMG_1502.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglyDJjSC6QozKbs4h2FJ4VwvUTT6Jh1QgBwIfx39ozRm1yWSsHpO63qE0Ho2J9GJ0pmG8eI8MHfP-3kqOrjiRvr71I2NNu51iAvI1gsIcR83bTRqxJw2e2dEDzFUm1GR67OHJBfdHhhlHxmiP3hNZoXERt0Na32HXxGrYVqFeSr6_w3ADL7bq-vKMH60k/s2048/IMG_1504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglyDJjSC6QozKbs4h2FJ4VwvUTT6Jh1QgBwIfx39ozRm1yWSsHpO63qE0Ho2J9GJ0pmG8eI8MHfP-3kqOrjiRvr71I2NNu51iAvI1gsIcR83bTRqxJw2e2dEDzFUm1GR67OHJBfdHhhlHxmiP3hNZoXERt0Na32HXxGrYVqFeSr6_w3ADL7bq-vKMH60k/w300-h400/IMG_1504.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqWAh3vi_HtcLsBPInLPGEPUQNvKebYW_eM1calE2nL6QFHWGyGCOJ2o0BIAT_Sry_nCveYodVUi-LWpTTesraVnHGGe-EH5En0GaiWPfiR2OSULPeSt6FN5JhmgnqFadkT0IbAk8ovOvHUK0e-x9cVjINYffz70oSRy-nCWnyejJOj0FL7lPoZbiTNY/s2048/IMG_1512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqWAh3vi_HtcLsBPInLPGEPUQNvKebYW_eM1calE2nL6QFHWGyGCOJ2o0BIAT_Sry_nCveYodVUi-LWpTTesraVnHGGe-EH5En0GaiWPfiR2OSULPeSt6FN5JhmgnqFadkT0IbAk8ovOvHUK0e-x9cVjINYffz70oSRy-nCWnyejJOj0FL7lPoZbiTNY/w400-h300/IMG_1512.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvQG_2YqL1DU7JCRuG3raeM4ItEhWM420aHjLS5rsCnUHwb_NJXL4P0e60KOyiYmDhugManCDgCTAsJoPrM3NNZP8TuTKHKBnKsb_4tHOAFor5Mx3kdiGqq-SZNt4BE2RfECbWkgU6H51WYJtmQMD6u0jUqnnc7mfJgEC51rTtV9N4SzHlTy69mazBnU/s2048/IMG_1534.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvQG_2YqL1DU7JCRuG3raeM4ItEhWM420aHjLS5rsCnUHwb_NJXL4P0e60KOyiYmDhugManCDgCTAsJoPrM3NNZP8TuTKHKBnKsb_4tHOAFor5Mx3kdiGqq-SZNt4BE2RfECbWkgU6H51WYJtmQMD6u0jUqnnc7mfJgEC51rTtV9N4SzHlTy69mazBnU/w400-h300/IMG_1534.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">Now the forecast is a few days of warmer weather - in the 30s or even higher - which could melt more of the remaining snow in the driveway. This would be helpful because I'd like to get the next delivery of chaffhaye to the top of the driveway, at least. Each pallet holds 30 densely-packed 50-pound bags. They are large, slippery blocks and I do not find them easy to handle. If the pallets have to be left at the bottom of the driveway this time, every individual bag will eventually have to be brought up with either a sled or a wheelbarrow. The driveway is a hill. I've brought countless items up the driveway over many years, and I can tell you: 90 bags of chaffhaye would be No Joke. So here's hoping for good timing, a clear-ish driveway, and an experienced forklift operator.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile, I hope you are having blue skies in your neck(s) of the woods!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr7sihY6TTC4d7VqfOHCScOUukJ_zDADPqqfiUsc0J_M1G4_vVzAwAeBg6UlmZ9HJnvJO_zQcQFAGPXHHgYUstK0OPCOVZxq0FGUOKlw4rj0-DF0BYFgpALeoKvHytaYNq6BqGYH_MfJC5wYrX3rK7GiGnaTbEuOwghcRfeqvbQ0AvXhlbr1mEqKcCI0/s2048/IMG_1571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitr7sihY6TTC4d7VqfOHCScOUukJ_zDADPqqfiUsc0J_M1G4_vVzAwAeBg6UlmZ9HJnvJO_zQcQFAGPXHHgYUstK0OPCOVZxq0FGUOKlw4rj0-DF0BYFgpALeoKvHytaYNq6BqGYH_MfJC5wYrX3rK7GiGnaTbEuOwghcRfeqvbQ0AvXhlbr1mEqKcCI0/w400-h300/IMG_1571.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-57290577137497494422024-01-30T19:59:00.002-05:002024-01-30T19:59:43.189-05:00postcard from the paddocks<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Well, we've been having some weather lately.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxmcDoCXNtGWLmbFEHYKYZfHget7csgOVZzLaZ_fQ8QqH3U3fXqotn2oc2Ay3VACrp5r8Q2U2you4yTItxkcS5KdQstpaWiey1rdZqP1O2152XbADW91hV3xAEM1sIeoFXTu-4mnVe-oN76EuKC83plBWwFBn6rJ7Slad1Z7aAmtTvdM3eEwYkR1QIAg/s2048/IMG_1095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1511" data-original-width="2048" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXxmcDoCXNtGWLmbFEHYKYZfHget7csgOVZzLaZ_fQ8QqH3U3fXqotn2oc2Ay3VACrp5r8Q2U2you4yTItxkcS5KdQstpaWiey1rdZqP1O2152XbADW91hV3xAEM1sIeoFXTu-4mnVe-oN76EuKC83plBWwFBn6rJ7Slad1Z7aAmtTvdM3eEwYkR1QIAg/w400-h295/IMG_1095.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's okay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmgiGcemgZn-WpiNPzF7T6ibFcQnSpLiK2_wE1j6KTkH-dnfOFhh96pYBH1IzrAEI0gOFQM1Q8Ml4a2R-k-QgtIwqWipeWzz8qu23UzAdkKRzF7Cd1_2ulOVf2wQC6__wGfSPhjwP-J2q_24Kp8PhLnDwwGiGPylw1aVLc-d-wCq_3XKnFqqrRBSBDQI/s2048/IMG_1097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1949" data-original-width="2048" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmgiGcemgZn-WpiNPzF7T6ibFcQnSpLiK2_wE1j6KTkH-dnfOFhh96pYBH1IzrAEI0gOFQM1Q8Ml4a2R-k-QgtIwqWipeWzz8qu23UzAdkKRzF7Cd1_2ulOVf2wQC6__wGfSPhjwP-J2q_24Kp8PhLnDwwGiGPylw1aVLc-d-wCq_3XKnFqqrRBSBDQI/w400-h381/IMG_1097.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We don't mind.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcux27RJE7RqkTm49BFA2YLkvqCYURyE7gBKWmzQSS2YKkQFQ2lePjE-7PnotUx9ZvIPgkSoLgJLogZK2xUmyaYoPMZsiJgJojVzpKg7_lrjNxHarPSjwK8yqVvyoWKTYQHyoSfXhSWKihge6w2QHj4Ttbkb5ExYqbFEAcNevdmaztv2I_NV9lKRXH_SA/s2048/IMG_1099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1988" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcux27RJE7RqkTm49BFA2YLkvqCYURyE7gBKWmzQSS2YKkQFQ2lePjE-7PnotUx9ZvIPgkSoLgJLogZK2xUmyaYoPMZsiJgJojVzpKg7_lrjNxHarPSjwK8yqVvyoWKTYQHyoSfXhSWKihge6w2QHj4Ttbkb5ExYqbFEAcNevdmaztv2I_NV9lKRXH_SA/w389-h400/IMG_1099.jpg" width="389" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We are tough.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoFyml-hiGh_aSbGOkdxNyT9674s5GUt_9WNIwl72J_IpAaCmDWioeASeu0i7RBuczw4Ezh6mX1gSo2qg3Q8X8f5wbNdgSo0gZjE-bGvBzqg13LhFm7dZddT6nxeJZ8fTlXE2dY-99bZpL7-7-nKmoVMoEgNCHIA5nZFHMsTdF_LCJyy8SocRDel872E/s2048/IMG_1126.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoFyml-hiGh_aSbGOkdxNyT9674s5GUt_9WNIwl72J_IpAaCmDWioeASeu0i7RBuczw4Ezh6mX1gSo2qg3Q8X8f5wbNdgSo0gZjE-bGvBzqg13LhFm7dZddT6nxeJZ8fTlXE2dY-99bZpL7-7-nKmoVMoEgNCHIA5nZFHMsTdF_LCJyy8SocRDel872E/w400-h300/IMG_1126.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Besides, we can go inside anytime we want to!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKu5fJS5xus2l4gSRcEE4QsIfBVVrNudMz3rs7KAH4qmFyqXDTGlvIIq6XZv37Fbpk6U3tvkpVNRNxhI_xbdYkIT7dreyabtrkeMeAfXFoQn63InGALj1ULQZybli4eXdT96T1hqpxsovDjTcsXD3ir9GGz4H0bjlhnJjb3k1Nqd7wRIE5jQdBl0PW1c/s2048/IMG_1109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRKu5fJS5xus2l4gSRcEE4QsIfBVVrNudMz3rs7KAH4qmFyqXDTGlvIIq6XZv37Fbpk6U3tvkpVNRNxhI_xbdYkIT7dreyabtrkeMeAfXFoQn63InGALj1ULQZybli4eXdT96T1hqpxsovDjTcsXD3ir9GGz4H0bjlhnJjb3k1Nqd7wRIE5jQdBl0PW1c/w400-h300/IMG_1109.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And in the shelters, we have plenty of food!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwlcZKlFQu-mew4rJuFcwRYUIlt5PXXvElawNnfoJnXEUG0WhpP9D5zTUpKwhqjtGRgFmsueRGWS7pJ4IPqWuaRMDF6PsJr32_2tTZLu6Q7y4pxDGK9iBCBnSXoQIF8aaNOjPoj0RKW0W0EaWGlt1YAZAYJEOjNGDRPCsQ3kL_d3r_RWmN9cc0AZgtLM/s2048/IMG_1106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1682" data-original-width="2048" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwlcZKlFQu-mew4rJuFcwRYUIlt5PXXvElawNnfoJnXEUG0WhpP9D5zTUpKwhqjtGRgFmsueRGWS7pJ4IPqWuaRMDF6PsJr32_2tTZLu6Q7y4pxDGK9iBCBnSXoQIF8aaNOjPoj0RKW0W0EaWGlt1YAZAYJEOjNGDRPCsQ3kL_d3r_RWmN9cc0AZgtLM/w400-h329/IMG_1106.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But sometimes we'd rather have a picnic in a snowstorm:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScqcWvH-zT_et6BxNR7IFeiygf5jM7yWR8WaDU7cF859on3sGioSU6QyX4g6S9toB8yGhqZM1HAX1dtgUnGx0GdyguaGX-XhN1GjE_vYj7YvOf-dOOyTJeCH3oFXiZpwByUVf32b6dmTkW4GfnQ29UySGASxXYHBJG5Qt69fHU1mmA9lGlaNqVc4SEEo/s2048/IMG_1132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjScqcWvH-zT_et6BxNR7IFeiygf5jM7yWR8WaDU7cF859on3sGioSU6QyX4g6S9toB8yGhqZM1HAX1dtgUnGx0GdyguaGX-XhN1GjE_vYj7YvOf-dOOyTJeCH3oFXiZpwByUVf32b6dmTkW4GfnQ29UySGASxXYHBJG5Qt69fHU1mmA9lGlaNqVc4SEEo/w400-h300/IMG_1132.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's just Winter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We've seen it before.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We've dressed for it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM4uVwmMTHkrzF5QvZsosgJlEbQkXNE1UMIpxLObeuR3saC86nHfaRYTYwpb28OmGuRo9r1OOQ99Yuki4hbOjpY_b3ZnpdrS4V5iJAOeHPHP-pbQ1VDMhFYzJNUtobdEnmsuZqt5Om-nO97YDJPWYxvbB3lu-kKmiBlDCsNal52Gb3TW8yP3WMg1vLBg/s2048/IMG_1143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGM4uVwmMTHkrzF5QvZsosgJlEbQkXNE1UMIpxLObeuR3saC86nHfaRYTYwpb28OmGuRo9r1OOQ99Yuki4hbOjpY_b3ZnpdrS4V5iJAOeHPHP-pbQ1VDMhFYzJNUtobdEnmsuZqt5Om-nO97YDJPWYxvbB3lu-kKmiBlDCsNal52Gb3TW8yP3WMg1vLBg/w400-h300/IMG_1143.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">And even if we don't see it for a few days...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKkXWw6c_2oF97FqXCl3VqX4hDD01_jaJ7gcKs7L4owncWZGP7S8aehavP7kPRWmbYx-1uooLSjkf1zD-0oQ9lOWNE7xl4DIGiw6berDxT81yGVjl7YX1KAkhn6D1GUAyBaPGCEMwHkfpIcvb5sBLXitbR3j8AZQ0oZwefh8h2lDXjFybcmv2wov7On4/s2048/IMG_1179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1520" data-original-width="2048" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihKkXWw6c_2oF97FqXCl3VqX4hDD01_jaJ7gcKs7L4owncWZGP7S8aehavP7kPRWmbYx-1uooLSjkf1zD-0oQ9lOWNE7xl4DIGiw6berDxT81yGVjl7YX1KAkhn6D1GUAyBaPGCEMwHkfpIcvb5sBLXitbR3j8AZQ0oZwefh8h2lDXjFybcmv2wov7On4/w400-h297/IMG_1179.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">we know the sun will come back again!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4pf5wotbkPxeOakgxhlrF1zy7SocC07A0n3lWPZaOvRodmJXrkDm_Q5Q4QTKm8AUWMoUHoUqqtZxSuXdobKwQEn0tTxWqxU7YdsmW6hRyJ_x0fIBkrVg3Reo3aY74p0EwjTxgiOBWMJ40ko7EzPbB3Mtsd2_oLpmGBs7caiWwakq2eQO74QtfLYFJjA/s2048/IMG_1180.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4pf5wotbkPxeOakgxhlrF1zy7SocC07A0n3lWPZaOvRodmJXrkDm_Q5Q4QTKm8AUWMoUHoUqqtZxSuXdobKwQEn0tTxWqxU7YdsmW6hRyJ_x0fIBkrVg3Reo3aY74p0EwjTxgiOBWMJ40ko7EzPbB3Mtsd2_oLpmGBs7caiWwakq2eQO74QtfLYFJjA/w400-h300/IMG_1180.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-18605838225945252052024-01-18T05:34:00.001-05:002024-01-18T05:34:13.923-05:00they came back<p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;">Even in the middle of a dense snowstorm...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTqKQfIOCsJiWq7kLYgVZDxYQcI3Lpa5z8RjqV_6UjDd5T2AVcBQC9sElo5b9WCHY09MKyze8QAn_UV59H8qTsxLQ_NUjOsPqmMTaoUJtT1TLYJ2Xk2F_mk3UEVn6pva7JrvYBiMQ_a-l-PuseZMb2HiQSTbVMrQTd5CGvpsxl80ZA1XwhwHuUAzbIMQ/s2048/IMG_1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1467" data-original-width="2048" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTqKQfIOCsJiWq7kLYgVZDxYQcI3Lpa5z8RjqV_6UjDd5T2AVcBQC9sElo5b9WCHY09MKyze8QAn_UV59H8qTsxLQ_NUjOsPqmMTaoUJtT1TLYJ2Xk2F_mk3UEVn6pva7JrvYBiMQ_a-l-PuseZMb2HiQSTbVMrQTd5CGvpsxl80ZA1XwhwHuUAzbIMQ/w400-h286/IMG_1067.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcs0RnNW9KQvihlALEWQ_sRASB1sptScFbaztBhaVMyqp-2_NRAEHIe8AW_mL84EdDxIv7rXpmtnoO7h52qVCBFijgVtKjoLdey9cn_43FQQj32MximNzTXzIiDv9bLrRQ7S1jm_m9lauD4M5CPLQ0jqUE_ZeuvMKZiPR3-ys4s7DaU4MZayEFRDBNwY/s4608/IMG_1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzcs0RnNW9KQvihlALEWQ_sRASB1sptScFbaztBhaVMyqp-2_NRAEHIe8AW_mL84EdDxIv7rXpmtnoO7h52qVCBFijgVtKjoLdey9cn_43FQQj32MximNzTXzIiDv9bLrRQ7S1jm_m9lauD4M5CPLQ0jqUE_ZeuvMKZiPR3-ys4s7DaU4MZayEFRDBNwY/w400-h300/IMG_1062.JPG" width="400" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;">...a bird's gotta eat!</div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvR6F23Qd81NAcD08_AeAwnHiUUm2dxx7POjmO9K1rcdNLld9oPAKe28v8uvzu6unx-Yy2KolB6zTkA1motBJRz03tRrJTitxcTaxbLVgTlpOeT4KM2PaCHTftIWDVv1AI0Kyf2loTZBip_5UqrmvEzMRlxcr3o960-fVNhFI7Jpbae-7km0sZISPWlY/s4608/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvR6F23Qd81NAcD08_AeAwnHiUUm2dxx7POjmO9K1rcdNLld9oPAKe28v8uvzu6unx-Yy2KolB6zTkA1motBJRz03tRrJTitxcTaxbLVgTlpOeT4KM2PaCHTftIWDVv1AI0Kyf2loTZBip_5UqrmvEzMRlxcr3o960-fVNhFI7Jpbae-7km0sZISPWlY/w400-h300/IMG_1061.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The evening of the first big storm, the bluebirds returned! </div><div style="text-align: center;">They've been here every day since.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><p></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-45015856203257263782024-01-15T14:57:00.003-05:002024-01-15T14:57:50.512-05:00snow and rain and ice and soup<p style="text-align: center;">Do you use an "instant pot" or other pressure cooker? I bought a 6-quart Gourmia during a holiday sale a couple of years ago, and it earns it's footprint in my tiny kitchen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQQ4_RfKyzqfnRQsk_JfNFP1I1pN5gmjdKW_JTTQHBcdbdKr3QyxIRNdnBwNmSqtMdwFe1n7xl5OJ9RwiIEDSm_-gH5KE7pXPx8FzrB3gRv5tw7jFDD7SNl-WRopqY7HZR0JlhGKH5mz_FWfPcRlkXz9j9ZRXphgosIdUo4Zh2CRpK8Ljp48FBa4bgbc/s2048/IMG_1016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiQQ4_RfKyzqfnRQsk_JfNFP1I1pN5gmjdKW_JTTQHBcdbdKr3QyxIRNdnBwNmSqtMdwFe1n7xl5OJ9RwiIEDSm_-gH5KE7pXPx8FzrB3gRv5tw7jFDD7SNl-WRopqY7HZR0JlhGKH5mz_FWfPcRlkXz9j9ZRXphgosIdUo4Zh2CRpK8Ljp48FBa4bgbc/s320/IMG_1016.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;">It's become my method-of-choice for vegetables and bulgur, both of which I cook often. Also for hard-boiling eggs. There's been a lot of experimenting and note-taking, to get the timing right - at first it's incomprehensible how short the cooking time can be - and sometimes my experimenting produces a nice surprise like this one:</p><p style="text-align: center;">The Easiest Soup Ever.</p><p style="text-align: center;">I take one jar of pasta sauce:</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5UYYypVNe4c5Wc4gu02HmsBknhK0MLR0ejZEYEUAwo84u-lR3tq7L13BWmgK0XAwRTJ_0eEv4JfInbgghBxfJD_9z73qAkYLQfGmKG00mK7pwsNLTQwpG6mRbzuf1nOKdpg3VlpU8wt1-m_tEmKOf7rXIFxikzeEOjIZywpkumxCORiS8cp-x8dpxNI/s2048/IMG_1008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1995" data-original-width="2048" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw5UYYypVNe4c5Wc4gu02HmsBknhK0MLR0ejZEYEUAwo84u-lR3tq7L13BWmgK0XAwRTJ_0eEv4JfInbgghBxfJD_9z73qAkYLQfGmKG00mK7pwsNLTQwpG6mRbzuf1nOKdpg3VlpU8wt1-m_tEmKOf7rXIFxikzeEOjIZywpkumxCORiS8cp-x8dpxNI/w400-h390/IMG_1008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">The shelf of What Was On Sale</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And one package of Barilla tortellini.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdWBJ-KKB6gqzhvDq_LwHE2XnpQrhPufF3DYb0_hWkCmcxv55krl1jix4hiXxn5uh-WQzSuwbQ4ljA7_WpMMAKrgcFJCP-iqAHDZIGy15GJlvIOZfVjGmJbHcnIOERGMDAe501QTK2PiNlQB1G7Mvoc9htFKj6-CJp9dGCHJLR2mJdZjkw1pHErg4hEE/s2048/IMG_1012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkdWBJ-KKB6gqzhvDq_LwHE2XnpQrhPufF3DYb0_hWkCmcxv55krl1jix4hiXxn5uh-WQzSuwbQ4ljA7_WpMMAKrgcFJCP-iqAHDZIGy15GJlvIOZfVjGmJbHcnIOERGMDAe501QTK2PiNlQB1G7Mvoc9htFKj6-CJp9dGCHJLR2mJdZjkw1pHErg4hEE/w400-h300/IMG_1012.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;">And I make tortellini soup:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X8VSIPd3PS_gMgdc3oVgtdafTVfli9c_OawycfMv0FOTMtO8B_6dJAvHNwa45rNjB-QGAf0_1jRjlALW1K14bJ8sl57dyFbJX_puoZFLWWqkcGHM6LrIUlptvOj12ZVWRxIwud2nEnfVCnq5bEuSt3Q45Zc8mC4TLPRf2j36YhcvZZmO70_oeY58Auo/s2048/IMG_1044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="2048" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9X8VSIPd3PS_gMgdc3oVgtdafTVfli9c_OawycfMv0FOTMtO8B_6dJAvHNwa45rNjB-QGAf0_1jRjlALW1K14bJ8sl57dyFbJX_puoZFLWWqkcGHM6LrIUlptvOj12ZVWRxIwud2nEnfVCnq5bEuSt3Q45Zc8mC4TLPRf2j36YhcvZZmO70_oeY58Auo/w400-h251/IMG_1044.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In case anyone wants to try it, here's the detailed description.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><ul><li style="text-align: left;">1) Pour a whole jar of pasta sauce into the pot.</li><li style="text-align: left;">2) Rinse the jar by filling it with water and shaking it, then add the water to the pot.</li><li style="text-align: left;">3) Repeat step 2 and give it a stir. You have added 2 full jars of water to 1 jar of sauce.</li><li style="text-align: left;">4) Turn on the pot - lid off - to a setting that will heat the liquid. I use "Saute" because it was the first one I tried, and it worked.* It takes just a couple of minutes to see steam rising from the sauce. Turn off the pot.</li><li style="text-align: left;">5) Add the package of tortellini to the pot, give it a stir, put on the lid and set to Pressure Cook for 4 minutes.</li><li style="text-align: left;">6) As soon as the 4 minutes are up, release the pressure and take the pot out of the base so it won't keep cooking from the residual heat.</li><li style="text-align: left;">7) You are done making soup.</li></ul><div style="text-align: left;">*<i>I do Step 4 because it can take 10 minutes or so for the closed pot to come up to pressure, and I think preheating the liquid gives the pot a head-start. That way the tortellini isn't sitting in liquid, not cooking, for more time than is necessary. It's just my theory, but like the Saute button, it was an experiment and it worked, so I'll probably keep doing it forever.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So far I've tried six or seven different sauces, and the results were good every time. Sometimes different in consistency - once the sauce I used was quite watery all by itself, so adding 2 jars of water made a lighter soup than usual - but always tasty. Sometimes after cooking the sauce is still so thick, I add even more water to it when I reheat it. This is what happened yesterday, when I tried a new sauce, this one from Italy; the result could be served as "tortellini in a lot of sauce," but I really wanted soup so I diluted it again before serving.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">At first I made a note to add even more water to the pot the next time this brand of sauce is used, but then I thought about storage space and realized it's more practical to make it the same way next time, freeze it in my favorite Pyrex bricks, and then add water when reheating.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br style="text-align: left;" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here are two Pyrex 3-cup containers, destined for the freezer:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDhJE5Od7JqUaerc4mANlEXARuVDn7jJ2d4HoC5Dfoa_wXDMYLq6GP86HB5AVVyoUj2tHK-EpWzaFHZcvDbN_nHAurWCpAnDASZECFl0n7JdvSepHlOGJpZH0CUNBjGbmF0HYxLWZJs14oIDyGlSdW_M4DQ3UjasnTuYNSUVfhUxR2DvPxTZnfPPeoJw/s2048/IMG_1040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDhJE5Od7JqUaerc4mANlEXARuVDn7jJ2d4HoC5Dfoa_wXDMYLq6GP86HB5AVVyoUj2tHK-EpWzaFHZcvDbN_nHAurWCpAnDASZECFl0n7JdvSepHlOGJpZH0CUNBjGbmF0HYxLWZJs14oIDyGlSdW_M4DQ3UjasnTuYNSUVfhUxR2DvPxTZnfPPeoJw/s2048/IMG_1040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDDhJE5Od7JqUaerc4mANlEXARuVDn7jJ2d4HoC5Dfoa_wXDMYLq6GP86HB5AVVyoUj2tHK-EpWzaFHZcvDbN_nHAurWCpAnDASZECFl0n7JdvSepHlOGJpZH0CUNBjGbmF0HYxLWZJs14oIDyGlSdW_M4DQ3UjasnTuYNSUVfhUxR2DvPxTZnfPPeoJw/w400-h300/IMG_1040.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And here's what it looked like with even more water added:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Wszi_TzMCI5TDhLSzXll4N-CzWb-zGLisFlHk1qlH8MRxGe68z-YGzrgQT9JHU9QQDdD_903lbsseIfHImAqRquWsDhvQZlfi4KS-XyeX5SCUUeFvSNHBR1bMzvJfPtsw9iBpLHNuhs3zZsFrPYJE6hY6qBsFY-ll-lpUi8hgvnEdmi_uUOhJC5rVFY/s2048/IMG_1046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1953" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Wszi_TzMCI5TDhLSzXll4N-CzWb-zGLisFlHk1qlH8MRxGe68z-YGzrgQT9JHU9QQDdD_903lbsseIfHImAqRquWsDhvQZlfi4KS-XyeX5SCUUeFvSNHBR1bMzvJfPtsw9iBpLHNuhs3zZsFrPYJE6hY6qBsFY-ll-lpUi8hgvnEdmi_uUOhJC5rVFY/w381-h400/IMG_1046.jpg" width="381" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>One thing that has really surprised me is that no matter how much water I use, either during or after cooking, I haven't needed to add more seasoning. Isn't that strange? Sometimes I do add things to a bowl of tortellini soup - like cheese or olives or yogurt - but it's not really needed.</div><div>This pressure cooker "recipe" is my best soup discovery ever.</div><div>So far.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you have any pressure cooker tips to share? Please do!</div><div><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-48724428681983334632024-01-08T14:25:00.000-05:002024-01-08T14:25:40.999-05:00snow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtoTJWGju8jqilU-HY1FyS7vhfBSM3ZljCFClArkq7ORR1QKG8yf1hX-DxfNWimeJJaL2XxGGZ4psK-rKx_596-2F8FAburToUHDpmX5wsFOVCnRu_VPAQe0gL-G-LG2ZI863rNV3-8n0VmStBiIKkWZhI6LKn8_6WJY8hY9C8KIsDh0hUbUN_L6xmHE/s2048/IMG_0962.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjtoTJWGju8jqilU-HY1FyS7vhfBSM3ZljCFClArkq7ORR1QKG8yf1hX-DxfNWimeJJaL2XxGGZ4psK-rKx_596-2F8FAburToUHDpmX5wsFOVCnRu_VPAQe0gL-G-LG2ZI863rNV3-8n0VmStBiIKkWZhI6LKn8_6WJY8hY9C8KIsDh0hUbUN_L6xmHE/w400-h300/IMG_0962.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Well, it was a storm, alright.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnT54rMJ6rdEyE3ONh4CxT0JNyfnMR9I-4t2KBdnhrr8krwCyIxESlRd6i2xvt8xjSkTEo_Q9SopZ8QgTXaf7Lk449Tyd7Tgkamfe2mIX4jlzOQmqg4IxrqSrDrh9LPDlIVyj_27WlGJCBDBa_7hOH0ogVwfDgoQ8ESi-9HI6MUCGHaHhsB6B9npyq6OA/s2048/IMG_0957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnT54rMJ6rdEyE3ONh4CxT0JNyfnMR9I-4t2KBdnhrr8krwCyIxESlRd6i2xvt8xjSkTEo_Q9SopZ8QgTXaf7Lk449Tyd7Tgkamfe2mIX4jlzOQmqg4IxrqSrDrh9LPDlIVyj_27WlGJCBDBa_7hOH0ogVwfDgoQ8ESi-9HI6MUCGHaHhsB6B9npyq6OA/w295-h400/IMG_0957.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">I took these snaps yesterday morning, when we had about six inches of snow. We got over a foot before the snow stopped last night.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9LzQRu4uAFVmKl1EMizBJ78nthA7w8YGY7GIPi1NqYtK2ilNG5zyMzcCDrQNl09MWdmYJOL8WmdjlJuMqX1b-3APFlFWlPNML69zRD0_-W6VSSjkUeOe0eWt-LGS7fFqncjjRfwh3Q7knGirShFUtltnTHRMmp4O2kA2iHSzPLubGco7RentUsfiI98/s2048/IMG_0991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9LzQRu4uAFVmKl1EMizBJ78nthA7w8YGY7GIPi1NqYtK2ilNG5zyMzcCDrQNl09MWdmYJOL8WmdjlJuMqX1b-3APFlFWlPNML69zRD0_-W6VSSjkUeOe0eWt-LGS7fFqncjjRfwh3Q7knGirShFUtltnTHRMmp4O2kA2iHSzPLubGco7RentUsfiI98/w400-h300/IMG_0991.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">During morning chores yesterday, Violet and her daughter Sambucus were invited out of the paddock to hunt and gather between the barn and the house, while I was to-ing and fro-ing, to-ing and fro-ing.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAs_k9IbzXE2HqwuZ_U7Sx5rgm9DA0KsSTsOp14anGxAKBzue_rNhlgH13yZe0t6dkXWAuf9FKYZ3xt9ohg5BlQ8SQ7Eh1GBgr009D31G_rOVGJjTI6pkfdMJfABRkaWGV9FMsH7-AGL_vcfqptFeaF0ZLQFU27oEsm84op8lOEHY_ZJSJsDqDp4vC8WU/s2048/IMG_0989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAs_k9IbzXE2HqwuZ_U7Sx5rgm9DA0KsSTsOp14anGxAKBzue_rNhlgH13yZe0t6dkXWAuf9FKYZ3xt9ohg5BlQ8SQ7Eh1GBgr009D31G_rOVGJjTI6pkfdMJfABRkaWGV9FMsH7-AGL_vcfqptFeaF0ZLQFU27oEsm84op8lOEHY_ZJSJsDqDp4vC8WU/w300-h400/IMG_0989.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZONKkKZ_a9uxVxcbntug7jVFGvzFa7E01t4HIqEBAkkUL9pYngtqNHAiLzeGYwvaqwlNPHiJ1NC7JKvCXssfSUSNoP8Qq2yOP9zgbJwTJ4HFwr0CM24PXuS5Pum-2iqbUPst9A2r9tbr5phv9ZqFuRoED-B-aAUcRYG37ycHsRTLATqg2caHkkZQ5Hw/s2048/IMG_0996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZONKkKZ_a9uxVxcbntug7jVFGvzFa7E01t4HIqEBAkkUL9pYngtqNHAiLzeGYwvaqwlNPHiJ1NC7JKvCXssfSUSNoP8Qq2yOP9zgbJwTJ4HFwr0CM24PXuS5Pum-2iqbUPst9A2r9tbr5phv9ZqFuRoED-B-aAUcRYG37ycHsRTLATqg2caHkkZQ5Hw/w400-h300/IMG_0996.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>They had a grand time!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoQETw2S1ZkqANgs5RJaOoYYZjgOfJkD6TXhDGU7lL52mDBZ6OV4P2YyIlj3kxMNP9Wb-FA5skOPHlTVJ7eZF6nJqgsvfDDNeY-jOZ8hRvgXnLrHX3B0x1EidILpDclOTA8WlUi7HZ_A_n5lA4alYDNAcraomb0h3blo3ozRDARaEq5kXqq8kDUPq-Q4/s2048/IMG_0957.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1510" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoQETw2S1ZkqANgs5RJaOoYYZjgOfJkD6TXhDGU7lL52mDBZ6OV4P2YyIlj3kxMNP9Wb-FA5skOPHlTVJ7eZF6nJqgsvfDDNeY-jOZ8hRvgXnLrHX3B0x1EidILpDclOTA8WlUi7HZ_A_n5lA4alYDNAcraomb0h3blo3ozRDARaEq5kXqq8kDUPq-Q4/w295-h400/IMG_0957.jpg" width="295" /></a></div></div><p style="text-align: center;">The hemlock branches were weighed down by snow, and both goats meandered over to help themselves to branch tips.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFayqvIUK8JU6GsFbXWn8kUC2MXjMoSdKgCKwOY0OE0EfXv8nPhMyc-XmKxA0pq7oteTxOcvO2Q3PafRKi4gxmXM_6N7SdlzC8Z0r0nxOJefGGLFSpxnNGQ_avlyEYZD3uXmRysU84f61oMvjY9DgwopL5DmJyw6HhtfiYqYW1yROexMOeS8BKvP8pD8c/s2048/IMG_0970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFayqvIUK8JU6GsFbXWn8kUC2MXjMoSdKgCKwOY0OE0EfXv8nPhMyc-XmKxA0pq7oteTxOcvO2Q3PafRKi4gxmXM_6N7SdlzC8Z0r0nxOJefGGLFSpxnNGQ_avlyEYZD3uXmRysU84f61oMvjY9DgwopL5DmJyw6HhtfiYqYW1yROexMOeS8BKvP8pD8c/w400-h300/IMG_0970.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Did you know that goats have no upper teeth in the front of their mouths? The way goats break off a mouthful of something is to grab it and then snap their heads up, with their front <i>bottom </i>teeth acting as a cutting edge.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Sambucus demonstrates the grab:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rjLgyd3GT-9PGoaR0TBEF42_G7NPx7fdn1ztXETS16DTi9J5EXqroQVHzoONDqMBHbJQaGFVaq1K6LN2JrBrQb_Hjn5LpGMMf1Bsd6f9pxrL2Mnyb8imOgS7oR2Bfj_LSer9VpCNYEiQOhfxy3Tic4p-YmQIzy0r5QnPjh2hvMkfBvidNE09Lknro7E/s2048/IMG_0971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_rjLgyd3GT-9PGoaR0TBEF42_G7NPx7fdn1ztXETS16DTi9J5EXqroQVHzoONDqMBHbJQaGFVaq1K6LN2JrBrQb_Hjn5LpGMMf1Bsd6f9pxrL2Mnyb8imOgS7oR2Bfj_LSer9VpCNYEiQOhfxy3Tic4p-YmQIzy0r5QnPjh2hvMkfBvidNE09Lknro7E/w400-h300/IMG_0971.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And, with snow-laden branches, the secondary result of the snap:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-5m_GZO2_NbQ0ozK6wsGzK3TOoQmvA5fUiepFNt7AS3FcIzvTFmytDjvzMvTDgUebup-z_TGK3dBDNT_qgu4xEOyUm_XrxOitpYGC5PIUegcs2TiWJz4KcIj1vopkLHDrVYnREx0hOU4xzEU6QFwvgfcq_ey3kbRhwyj-tw-yobPLUJaIt0DKJ-_YsA/s2048/IMG_0972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-5m_GZO2_NbQ0ozK6wsGzK3TOoQmvA5fUiepFNt7AS3FcIzvTFmytDjvzMvTDgUebup-z_TGK3dBDNT_qgu4xEOyUm_XrxOitpYGC5PIUegcs2TiWJz4KcIj1vopkLHDrVYnREx0hOU4xzEU6QFwvgfcq_ey3kbRhwyj-tw-yobPLUJaIt0DKJ-_YsA/w400-h300/IMG_0972.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Want to see it again?</p><p style="text-align: center;">You're up, Violet!</p><p style="text-align: center;">The grab:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4Yhq5LUjjhE7Qqxm-g23wXQNvARXIlmcTf9nHV_hS9fi67G3_VLleGz-vDY55wG4MR-Vx7jUkJqWY-5hXjgBSc9ea1TSe0Fb8ZhkkLo1pBMcIM0_LrZ33X1TYKxMaci-SnvPycXzyYtesFXEKQYFpiTLern_-a3Qe2aZltPFxdOXCJ19TgzW8Lmin-E/s2048/IMG_0974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk4Yhq5LUjjhE7Qqxm-g23wXQNvARXIlmcTf9nHV_hS9fi67G3_VLleGz-vDY55wG4MR-Vx7jUkJqWY-5hXjgBSc9ea1TSe0Fb8ZhkkLo1pBMcIM0_LrZ33X1TYKxMaci-SnvPycXzyYtesFXEKQYFpiTLern_-a3Qe2aZltPFxdOXCJ19TgzW8Lmin-E/w400-h300/IMG_0974.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And the snap!</div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zS9nBB8iCGnSOwwf8URQ4Y6dExbCq-K5hChnsbehP0gRh_EJ9QE_JHeE0qsakY2opz_z0zEUIng-uxPvGf2kqYP0OD7AvbLoIUSSxBk-Qhe03F1NYhfe2BYpuyHApp5InuHBUjnBSVENDJyJy3LcTIHfha1p7cgBpvtr-qbaL-bXgtD6cYTiitK44dc/s2048/IMG_0973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zS9nBB8iCGnSOwwf8URQ4Y6dExbCq-K5hChnsbehP0gRh_EJ9QE_JHeE0qsakY2opz_z0zEUIng-uxPvGf2kqYP0OD7AvbLoIUSSxBk-Qhe03F1NYhfe2BYpuyHApp5InuHBUjnBSVENDJyJy3LcTIHfha1p7cgBpvtr-qbaL-bXgtD6cYTiitK44dc/w400-h300/IMG_0973.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the face of a very happy goat:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ADsbyLkNe9kGS91t515PYJfLU2LD8Eu-nqppnKyQLIGMZ1MjBLRG5gljn6PtSNkcX8S7X3ykWDza-ZDitE1Ofh10-st_EjabVsxffZCcT0RCxvDxP-S4vyrEiDMoh-T0MhPhd-XwMfvIccZ_9-vMUQuDn3fTsOmtg2iAEuPvyWHqRTpEo3gyLEaJNtA/s2048/IMG_0982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ADsbyLkNe9kGS91t515PYJfLU2LD8Eu-nqppnKyQLIGMZ1MjBLRG5gljn6PtSNkcX8S7X3ykWDza-ZDitE1Ofh10-st_EjabVsxffZCcT0RCxvDxP-S4vyrEiDMoh-T0MhPhd-XwMfvIccZ_9-vMUQuDn3fTsOmtg2iAEuPvyWHqRTpEo3gyLEaJNtA/s320/IMG_0982.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><p></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-1489804817512212162024-01-06T13:25:00.000-05:002024-01-06T13:25:47.125-05:00here we go<p><span style="font-family: courier;"><b></b></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="color: red; font-family: courier;"><b> ...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 AM EST MONDAY...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 8 to 12 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.</b></span></p><p></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Everybody ready?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Extra water buckets filled and brought inside?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flashlights, laptops, phones charged?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Candles and matches at hand?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Something to read/knit?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just in case.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">~~~~~</span></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-49614391573483287392023-12-31T09:46:00.000-05:002023-12-31T09:46:44.913-05:00markmaking 2023<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Turning the page on Year Six of Daily Markmaking.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSrEBapxJS-0jNA6PcnvsaiFFd2ytiwU6_5n8hyphenhyphenHlTnakJAPDSyz7jm7lwQSuXcfiqo1wPLAAriVddV5ATjOfY-njIsUHwlV_cyzg_NXJWqwEy9HVvu7O1laNQ3ZW5JvEn7ehf2i0NDQ-_OzuNh5perR9U-T_m71cG5EjC31l-k1pEoQtO61AeLdPeiI/s2048/1JAN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1393" data-original-width="2048" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimSrEBapxJS-0jNA6PcnvsaiFFd2ytiwU6_5n8hyphenhyphenHlTnakJAPDSyz7jm7lwQSuXcfiqo1wPLAAriVddV5ATjOfY-njIsUHwlV_cyzg_NXJWqwEy9HVvu7O1laNQ3ZW5JvEn7ehf2i0NDQ-_OzuNh5perR9U-T_m71cG5EjC31l-k1pEoQtO61AeLdPeiI/w400-h272/1JAN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">january</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jpQlcEuUXKLCseCJh0koLC0Y8A5beDC5_1B5dUaxEigavl7NnEc0pFGIryvtPM0eRDw9T0tWM_ulHnzppxOqssSbFpePc46Otuq72gL6yVL-i6dZxsD_aGES7iPkA0d9tUSy0Ob9tbtHYxvqKTwiCb4fNC-9B3V0NVPLctJaBf6VyRKVALXjLIsyLho/s2048/2FEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jpQlcEuUXKLCseCJh0koLC0Y8A5beDC5_1B5dUaxEigavl7NnEc0pFGIryvtPM0eRDw9T0tWM_ulHnzppxOqssSbFpePc46Otuq72gL6yVL-i6dZxsD_aGES7iPkA0d9tUSy0Ob9tbtHYxvqKTwiCb4fNC-9B3V0NVPLctJaBf6VyRKVALXjLIsyLho/w400-h400/2FEB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">february</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycZlo2TTkRHjNgWU6QHwE5O_lNWjfBMQLYvM7Xn_9ILqAOmmXzjjvESL1w75Q6UhpUrj51bS1VQ-PS1G7oZyew7fYiDJefdDN_wFBPCXObcv9LSgJlb5kE6RrPPytDfboSctdpbw-r9aeCIdeEyiUKgZ9ZejlToJLs8-Nu7e1VBG4dWpKOjsjb4S3ZwI/s2048/3MAR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycZlo2TTkRHjNgWU6QHwE5O_lNWjfBMQLYvM7Xn_9ILqAOmmXzjjvESL1w75Q6UhpUrj51bS1VQ-PS1G7oZyew7fYiDJefdDN_wFBPCXObcv9LSgJlb5kE6RrPPytDfboSctdpbw-r9aeCIdeEyiUKgZ9ZejlToJLs8-Nu7e1VBG4dWpKOjsjb4S3ZwI/w400-h400/3MAR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">march</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zNW5rGlytBwsceKkyEpWPr-LLZa7lSoPuXHDp422OvRfsW9qVZDI8atmRQ0eC6UaoL0YJ5IB8i5_XSwk0dzix-QY3XFhObr1zF8a6UmQg25SlsdOJNRqJyc9xHMRePf3fKHq_RtS3klEYbbxBRJqMkNB8dy3UsDfNnqwIsUBus5G167Sb4632MnI8fQ/s2048/4APR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zNW5rGlytBwsceKkyEpWPr-LLZa7lSoPuXHDp422OvRfsW9qVZDI8atmRQ0eC6UaoL0YJ5IB8i5_XSwk0dzix-QY3XFhObr1zF8a6UmQg25SlsdOJNRqJyc9xHMRePf3fKHq_RtS3klEYbbxBRJqMkNB8dy3UsDfNnqwIsUBus5G167Sb4632MnI8fQ/w400-h300/4APR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">april</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70GEIBZNdxxy1bauMh4C6BvLEmfAy7jGlYBdgmYBVZCJ-Pf0rpyBNHVGm4upqMD2eN25KsMusFxV9x3KG9boz2Rb3RcUA-OiqFdhBbmCMiOyGMjLdaMuheLe4WXhwzLILgQqDWVZCICPTsK1Dw5DZAk5gxpOd4VQQz1u3cvpmNJTsP_V08E3Pe3gYVFA/s2048/5MAY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1421" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh70GEIBZNdxxy1bauMh4C6BvLEmfAy7jGlYBdgmYBVZCJ-Pf0rpyBNHVGm4upqMD2eN25KsMusFxV9x3KG9boz2Rb3RcUA-OiqFdhBbmCMiOyGMjLdaMuheLe4WXhwzLILgQqDWVZCICPTsK1Dw5DZAk5gxpOd4VQQz1u3cvpmNJTsP_V08E3Pe3gYVFA/w278-h400/5MAY.jpg" width="278" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">may</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWBYIy8Mr1qeRirCJQ0LRVJik7yHbDdnFxsuOSxSWj1Kboe7kG3yNjqP9BqHvKMkiSTMro_LYxtbKDw9ImXxmtQoXoGckYgkumsQxotTZmxmlEvpEbsxUp-_TMwc0_j6_NqlDk7Zk3crRa-JvEVCmvd-llDc9W5O22vTKtD79gxVLvCaWxAk8b9IOoJE/s2048/6JUN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="2048" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzWBYIy8Mr1qeRirCJQ0LRVJik7yHbDdnFxsuOSxSWj1Kboe7kG3yNjqP9BqHvKMkiSTMro_LYxtbKDw9ImXxmtQoXoGckYgkumsQxotTZmxmlEvpEbsxUp-_TMwc0_j6_NqlDk7Zk3crRa-JvEVCmvd-llDc9W5O22vTKtD79gxVLvCaWxAk8b9IOoJE/w400-h231/6JUN.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">june</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzQ2_Ojk_kc19ATbmxfeB46ovl9PDU2jA4dLWbifenWXMqUO-AguJKDbMizs9hmORrdVnJcbW4r_o5o7ySX3Xfnq6Hb0x7F52Ix7cIbiGdvf4c7wyGEnwPRU9bGigAC5UiIE3GO-UfZqUnU6MQtHzSf6hW_hv6Milr2mrEIwXZMnkVUIl5Wcr1CJhRYo/s2048/7JUL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1667" data-original-width="2048" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzQ2_Ojk_kc19ATbmxfeB46ovl9PDU2jA4dLWbifenWXMqUO-AguJKDbMizs9hmORrdVnJcbW4r_o5o7ySX3Xfnq6Hb0x7F52Ix7cIbiGdvf4c7wyGEnwPRU9bGigAC5UiIE3GO-UfZqUnU6MQtHzSf6hW_hv6Milr2mrEIwXZMnkVUIl5Wcr1CJhRYo/w400-h325/7JUL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">july</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILzULIyL-NOmF9gegodzBD9j0AkHhIS2KuCs66fJghUAwbzj8FmZxGtwyMKuxizHrpGWx0ldUL1uEWKxk7c1jg_92X7jAkTcjKAtb01SXHPDctuxF4s-zMh-sdMDytfrijIWrugICYtOLgLPNP_V5xm_zPAduiOJdAPdIsA7iZBe56aHlRrVzDJyqHzA/s2048/8AUG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1405" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiILzULIyL-NOmF9gegodzBD9j0AkHhIS2KuCs66fJghUAwbzj8FmZxGtwyMKuxizHrpGWx0ldUL1uEWKxk7c1jg_92X7jAkTcjKAtb01SXHPDctuxF4s-zMh-sdMDytfrijIWrugICYtOLgLPNP_V5xm_zPAduiOJdAPdIsA7iZBe56aHlRrVzDJyqHzA/w275-h400/8AUG.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">august</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqfj1f3A-YR_baZtJp0EJB3Ek2DGUBPhxZXr7FfUTHVdiGXZFxVJRY0_FnLNl543pJG-DZySqqbzClM5iUu39I0350StitSxcebZQgFD63qXeheEYZfnUWJfnj-hGGF06G3MMUN7JmWaUHfPONQeZZRdtMmOaHMr31QIBU12K6IMB0HkzQ15HUglvrgw/s2048/9SEP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsqfj1f3A-YR_baZtJp0EJB3Ek2DGUBPhxZXr7FfUTHVdiGXZFxVJRY0_FnLNl543pJG-DZySqqbzClM5iUu39I0350StitSxcebZQgFD63qXeheEYZfnUWJfnj-hGGF06G3MMUN7JmWaUHfPONQeZZRdtMmOaHMr31QIBU12K6IMB0HkzQ15HUglvrgw/w400-h300/9SEP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">september</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua1hOnjYtwF_WiA4D-xsU91vF2spIFeORYZFsizQPbh8Ega_o-RCrI-SPQwiawj3CLxW4Z7e-SLc7TVqH1rZl9LYAwjmLm2T48GNqfQWfdt8mJmLsB69aZMB6n6Gf9x6_OmAprxBip3u_vE07LazrnzqQaxh3pMOvgJ7v0CZ6yQLzxquPJv6dxqXTdUw/s2048/10OCT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhua1hOnjYtwF_WiA4D-xsU91vF2spIFeORYZFsizQPbh8Ega_o-RCrI-SPQwiawj3CLxW4Z7e-SLc7TVqH1rZl9LYAwjmLm2T48GNqfQWfdt8mJmLsB69aZMB6n6Gf9x6_OmAprxBip3u_vE07LazrnzqQaxh3pMOvgJ7v0CZ6yQLzxquPJv6dxqXTdUw/w284-h400/10OCT.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">october</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB19Q2KoPQD4fDoONDoQuuePxywHOzMS3mmNstPGZqLKle-lYp0eR48K2RioZO2KriWdg0uaGBMbGXVFmm8rxEYo6jyG_xxrXtdsVbIYYlqr_cXluy0GeF60-TM3CKSbq3DHGmMb2n-LM5cI0TnvzREn9DE2K0IE22KvgdlpZ5Y38msunm0QcvsnVVqM/s2048/11NOV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQB19Q2KoPQD4fDoONDoQuuePxywHOzMS3mmNstPGZqLKle-lYp0eR48K2RioZO2KriWdg0uaGBMbGXVFmm8rxEYo6jyG_xxrXtdsVbIYYlqr_cXluy0GeF60-TM3CKSbq3DHGmMb2n-LM5cI0TnvzREn9DE2K0IE22KvgdlpZ5Y38msunm0QcvsnVVqM/w400-h400/11NOV.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">november</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uNEoSstQpOnagfsWbqQaSy24nOBp6D8aCZ4R4brvSQJLUDMWd5YfUZ11sBW9L3l3hU43JovAAAyOEILCXU2Fk-Y7t8p9DodAnJHjE2k7I5v_hOso8d8eTVni9jKKqy4M-NrTWVs3NRHhKmAFcl-i1A_sKbWRqUwrE7IVwbqYs0ZxUz9A_Y2vYdhATok/s2048/12DEC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="2048" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uNEoSstQpOnagfsWbqQaSy24nOBp6D8aCZ4R4brvSQJLUDMWd5YfUZ11sBW9L3l3hU43JovAAAyOEILCXU2Fk-Y7t8p9DodAnJHjE2k7I5v_hOso8d8eTVni9jKKqy4M-NrTWVs3NRHhKmAFcl-i1A_sKbWRqUwrE7IVwbqYs0ZxUz9A_Y2vYdhATok/w400-h313/12DEC.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">december</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-67191427879428258152023-12-22T17:32:00.000-05:002023-12-22T17:32:30.093-05:00minutes of light<p></p><p></p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbNHPGqcGGnxrQ7Q1ZVA7wK_1hDfXC0n_V9YGK0yvLHl1wP3buGKRbhlTQGJiDsJUjlMAsDrenGlu3I2494yKPFYv8LIzNwgPhG_AW_MvjJ0MLM6fbsqHYYGGEgli16vLLdS61uh5eFGa7ZiNTPx1vT3E3b_reKGVAbtdVcJIg0cGjA1zswHYZgXiZNE/s995/Screenshot%202023-12-22%20161207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="797" data-original-width="995" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivbNHPGqcGGnxrQ7Q1ZVA7wK_1hDfXC0n_V9YGK0yvLHl1wP3buGKRbhlTQGJiDsJUjlMAsDrenGlu3I2494yKPFYv8LIzNwgPhG_AW_MvjJ0MLM6fbsqHYYGGEgli16vLLdS61uh5eFGa7ZiNTPx1vT3E3b_reKGVAbtdVcJIg0cGjA1zswHYZgXiZNE/s320/Screenshot%202023-12-22%20161207.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Victoria Crowe <u>Large Tree Group</u> 1975</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>It was 11F when Moxie and I got up this morning. Brisk. Invigorating. Also, dark. I opened the door for Moxie, hoping the goats wouldn't hear the door opening and start thinking they would be served breakfast before dawn today. Generally on a cold, dry day I won't feed until the sun has appeared over the stone wall, dazzling through the still-dark tree trunks - at about 8:06 these days. My goats sleep very cozily tucked in, and there is no reason to make them all wake up, get up, and stand around for an hour in the dimness of predawn, shivering, in order to have their grub. But by the time the sun has appeared, everyone is ready to be up and at it. Violet is hollering, "I heard you open that door THREE HOURS AGO, where have you been?!" and I'm out by the barn, lining up feed pans.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2BniVw0zAl-bkHHdonwvRipn0l4NDAQm2UDctqqOir4AFa-qWGQzui47Ulldo4OBqwMiGnBavwuHEtX8WyV6aQW1RGi2I1idi1uTaGHnpRONhlSbcE0ZmKCStGEtDxSVSAlElhZdK7HcLsY333WxgaPxygHLWp7epc3u_jRin3B35nMvjp8JZcoVPDI/s2048/IMG_0837.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO2BniVw0zAl-bkHHdonwvRipn0l4NDAQm2UDctqqOir4AFa-qWGQzui47Ulldo4OBqwMiGnBavwuHEtX8WyV6aQW1RGi2I1idi1uTaGHnpRONhlSbcE0ZmKCStGEtDxSVSAlElhZdK7HcLsY333WxgaPxygHLWp7epc3u_jRin3B35nMvjp8JZcoVPDI/w400-h300/IMG_0837.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Last night I dozed off early, but woke (for the first of several times, as usual) at 10:20 PM. I got up, fed the stove, and then realized:</p><p>I had woken for the Winter Solstice!</p><p>It occurred at 10:27 PM here.</p><p>Perhaps I has even been woken BY the Winter Solstice. Who knows?</p><p>Anyway, as a person who lives very much by the sun, it felt GOOD to know there will be more (and more and more) minutes of light in the days ahead.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs310CYkeza_rIduwPlE-emP7uWW53wDIhimDqEBV-mWQc38nrqxNq1BtXqtbOFyhEmYOH6sw9h8oiBOJS1-KRsCwB8x6tq0hiFAoojAQRyi95YZIPs3I5pIIqMHUoIG99MQqGTn6BgKzRcMTaeuwI-FGY_6gUyM8Az2yMSWrwZZOeYdiBSp_h6XKUc4Q/s2048/IMG_0864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1799" data-original-width="2048" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs310CYkeza_rIduwPlE-emP7uWW53wDIhimDqEBV-mWQc38nrqxNq1BtXqtbOFyhEmYOH6sw9h8oiBOJS1-KRsCwB8x6tq0hiFAoojAQRyi95YZIPs3I5pIIqMHUoIG99MQqGTn6BgKzRcMTaeuwI-FGY_6gUyM8Az2yMSWrwZZOeYdiBSp_h6XKUc4Q/w400-h351/IMG_0864.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I like the dark as much as the next person - in fact, I keep a chaise under the portico year-round so I can drag it out on clear nights and tilt back to look at the sky for a while. "A while" is usually determined not by how cold it is, but by how cold I get: I used to have a old sleeping bag on hand just for this purpose, and could stay outside indefinitely. (That sleeping bag seems to have disappeared; I may soon replace it.) In recent years, my spine does not "do" tilting my head back, so the chaise is the only way to go - and a very nice way it is, too. Sometimes if the cats happen to be outside, they will hop up and sky-watch with me. Which is perfect.</span></div><p>So, as I say, I like the dark. But it's a lot easier to get things done in daylight. And the sun, especially at this time of year, genuinely lifts my spirits. There's no better way to describe it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsBk2o7f-OrP9bNpBNv1QqI3bBDUXOtkxLjKGcNq2SHpIFeWz_ZXd92ovRCw78VXcNdUjmSHcll1OBm6jFHtglBP13qVqq_A9X3P_8YRE4Xt4CFChXjLMnY0ZhtzLbcGyVbmz0nv_0l__FeUe67YhXnt-cZn5AnMvQM5Lu_S80Ukl94JUdTVgunA8rgw/s2048/IMG_0842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsBk2o7f-OrP9bNpBNv1QqI3bBDUXOtkxLjKGcNq2SHpIFeWz_ZXd92ovRCw78VXcNdUjmSHcll1OBm6jFHtglBP13qVqq_A9X3P_8YRE4Xt4CFChXjLMnY0ZhtzLbcGyVbmz0nv_0l__FeUe67YhXnt-cZn5AnMvQM5Lu_S80Ukl94JUdTVgunA8rgw/w400-h300/IMG_0842.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;">I hope everyone is well and happy and joyfully anticipating whatever you do for the upcoming holidays, if you celebrate them in any way. And if this time of year is in any way sad or stressful for you, I hope you can find ways to help yourself feel more at ease. For what it's worth, I find even quite simple activities or treats or personal rituals can be very powerful.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Wishing everyone enough of whatever lifts your spirits.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~~</span></b></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-14783455563114775302023-12-18T18:58:00.003-05:002023-12-18T18:58:56.547-05:00and the winner is<p style="text-align: center;"> Everyone loves a clicky spinner, right? I entered the names of the 11 commenters on last week's post, spun the <a href="https://pickerwheel.com" target="_blank">Picker Wheel</a> random chooser - <i>clickclickclickclickclicketyclick</i> - and here's the result:</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZsjKCnSnFHmeIK-YOijQXH7k1i8AJHMZybAKIQdSDs3KXrH262tfZd8hTuDU049sbFVagwHvdt_Tsra6eb40hKAtuMd5qp9bpAI-jzrrZpS9owjNgmCBahUH03XKVqxD_Ct9JkGH3jQ9B4wGGHnEkbBWNpjRIyZszb7P2ybIuP0x0NC0tL_ixAtO_f8U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1362" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZsjKCnSnFHmeIK-YOijQXH7k1i8AJHMZybAKIQdSDs3KXrH262tfZd8hTuDU049sbFVagwHvdt_Tsra6eb40hKAtuMd5qp9bpAI-jzrrZpS9owjNgmCBahUH03XKVqxD_Ct9JkGH3jQ9B4wGGHnEkbBWNpjRIyZszb7P2ybIuP0x0NC0tL_ixAtO_f8U=w400-h206" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Congratulations to Chris from Boise!</i></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thanks to everyone who left a comment, and thanks for the lovely birthday wishes! You all helped make my birthday a special day.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Chris, when you have a chance, please drop me an email and we can sort the (very few) details: q.piper at hotmail dot com</div><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><p></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-61369099020678143592023-12-11T20:16:00.000-05:002023-12-11T20:16:47.588-05:00revisiting the giveaway giveaway<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdD5kpBLStSrrveTn0Nn_PXxom71PvFX-tMKupXC_ZLramE3Vd3LQSpl-CIpfy3QA6zd3TTWf1JV8mMCZKiBEelHKUDWNxZm_Kb5G-318Z391c6jPvel9PJDL20Q1Wwk0l5b4Y3L3aLT8WTSv5pPz9Am8rrJEFjptyfl_tM3tgQsm_zxbiDWCPZwX-FI/s2048/IMG_20231211_191922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1869" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhdD5kpBLStSrrveTn0Nn_PXxom71PvFX-tMKupXC_ZLramE3Vd3LQSpl-CIpfy3QA6zd3TTWf1JV8mMCZKiBEelHKUDWNxZm_Kb5G-318Z391c6jPvel9PJDL20Q1Wwk0l5b4Y3L3aLT8WTSv5pPz9Am8rrJEFjptyfl_tM3tgQsm_zxbiDWCPZwX-FI/w365-h400/IMG_20231211_191922.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><u>I am not giving away this book!</u></b></i></div><p></p><p>This lovely book arrived in the mail today - a cookbook co-authored by Appalachia blog-pal Tipper Pressley, from <a href="https://blindpigandtheacorn.com" target="_blank">Blind Pig and the Acorn</a>. It was one of the prizes in Tipper's November daily giveaway, and I was thrilled to win it. This book was a long time in the works, and a labor of love. It was worth the wait.</p><p>Tipper called this one of the "flawed" copies; i.e., a copy that was scuffed or damaged in some way between publisher and sale, or else one where Tipper or co-author Jim Casada made some sort of error in the signing of the book. My copy is one of the latter category, and I was tickled to bits to see the abbreviated inscription "To Glenda from" which must have been the point at which an error was noticed.</p><p>I think "Glenda" may become my alternate identity. </p><p>Winning this prize made me realize that it's been quite a while since I've done a giveaway here on Comptonia. </p><p>Long-time readers may recall the Kiva giveaways - here's <a href="https://comptonia.blogspot.com/2016/07/giveaway-giveaway.html" target="_blank">a link to the first one</a>, which describes Kiva in detail - which everyone seemed to enjoy whether they won or not. Which is perfect. So I'm going to do that again.</p><p>I'll prepay a Kiva loan of $25, and the winner of the giveaway will choose the recipient. It's a giveaway of a giveaway. Okay? Okay!</p><p><b>To enter, just leave a comment on this post, before the 18th of December.</b></p><p>Now, I don't know how many people are reading my blog these days. I know I lost a great many long-time readers during the extended hiatus following Piper's death. I am grateful for those who have returned - or appeared - and especially those of you who leave comments, which enliven my workaday life considerably. I'm hoping some visitors who have not left a comment yet, may feel inclined to do so this time. Oh, and please feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested in Kiva.</p><p>If only a couple of people leave a comment, that's just fine. But if a few more can be gently coaxed out from reader-only status into reader-and-commenter status, well, that will be a gift to me. </p><p>Which will be especially timely - just like receiving Tipper's book today! - because tomorrow is my birthday.</p><p>Okay. On the 18th, one week from today, I'll do a random draw, post the results on the blog, and email the Kiva info to the winner who will have the fun of choosing a recipient. And I'll tell you in advance: if you've never done a Kiva loan before, you are in for a treat.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-65360529377518083062023-12-07T14:17:00.000-05:002023-12-07T14:17:07.694-05:00update<div style="text-align: center;">Thank you so much for your kind comments!</div><div style="text-align: center;">A quick update:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghi89t9rACT9IAz4p5fCiQuJ2x5PkldtDPWVgKBKQ27nafNz7LkLAYkjO9b8SNDfrwTagD9-9HWW1XbIvx3rvDBxOx2-hVFa53Jm5LHgTOzSxXb95P1Zu7-mUOhdNUzGkjboOLCJ2apjrLewEd1qqqcPAwV_65D3nKEPp5B-Ca3r7d0k9dypwX7mzzwEY/s2048/IMG_0776.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghi89t9rACT9IAz4p5fCiQuJ2x5PkldtDPWVgKBKQ27nafNz7LkLAYkjO9b8SNDfrwTagD9-9HWW1XbIvx3rvDBxOx2-hVFa53Jm5LHgTOzSxXb95P1Zu7-mUOhdNUzGkjboOLCJ2apjrLewEd1qqqcPAwV_65D3nKEPp5B-Ca3r7d0k9dypwX7mzzwEY/w300-h400/IMG_0776.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Hazel is acting more herself, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">and she is eating almost normally.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I am relieved.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwC0XNB7AIMH5jX6pOPgVsqZ6efYvS57TbV17BcxVxSwa1-PTyAKDNRgFJbJtgmLWnpXAw_3IAq3NqoNh4LnTnrxJ7a2mz7AVOTB9VeJRWWLkUw6gzwwFgaUj6EEx02v7WXugXBuzQrOzU2mA25K9Nbk7JBD1iBJUDPn9SpGxOjfLvf5Kq6WY1D5IWso/s2048/IMG_0778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1845" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwC0XNB7AIMH5jX6pOPgVsqZ6efYvS57TbV17BcxVxSwa1-PTyAKDNRgFJbJtgmLWnpXAw_3IAq3NqoNh4LnTnrxJ7a2mz7AVOTB9VeJRWWLkUw6gzwwFgaUj6EEx02v7WXugXBuzQrOzU2mA25K9Nbk7JBD1iBJUDPn9SpGxOjfLvf5Kq6WY1D5IWso/w360-h400/IMG_0778.jpg" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She's still approaching chaffhaye very delicately,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">mouth barely touching the chaffhaye,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but managing to eat at least half her ration, eventually:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoak33M-OwbbE5tdEhh069U03UvuhgMSH-3zUZKmJhrxlf9CIvRQVQ-pCUNvuDVq_D9mU0yCKklZAMqmH1GeUnnsGdMyJfvW0VQbWAkt-qOx4H3V0nvK1NczZRqb6ElirDQPD1JLxNXIqqAu2QhBbYRWfM8rx42D4DpSibQQ5kt26lZS_ich_npaFQhYM/s4608/IMG_0781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoak33M-OwbbE5tdEhh069U03UvuhgMSH-3zUZKmJhrxlf9CIvRQVQ-pCUNvuDVq_D9mU0yCKklZAMqmH1GeUnnsGdMyJfvW0VQbWAkt-qOx4H3V0nvK1NczZRqb6ElirDQPD1JLxNXIqqAu2QhBbYRWfM8rx42D4DpSibQQ5kt26lZS_ich_npaFQhYM/w400-h300/IMG_0781.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And for comparison, here is mum Azalea,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">demonstrating the typical full-muzzle-pushed-into-palm approach:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLL2x7BI7tCP2RzlMJVuTj0Xzf8Wg3Bl9ai6qZ-eGM91ldCqARE8GCqWo1Z8LRG2qXgasQQoTpW9lL26l5KE8ikgFjI2WnbzrTiMC1K2ZByk_0XJmSPQ7iTtOYaIGfSC0IBB6gQohvjGFjok-9ZNhBrLYIpBMVP06r5_aNfucGS8X2dhvsj5oZTw6gpjU/s4608/IMG_0784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLL2x7BI7tCP2RzlMJVuTj0Xzf8Wg3Bl9ai6qZ-eGM91ldCqARE8GCqWo1Z8LRG2qXgasQQoTpW9lL26l5KE8ikgFjI2WnbzrTiMC1K2ZByk_0XJmSPQ7iTtOYaIGfSC0IBB6gQohvjGFjok-9ZNhBrLYIpBMVP06r5_aNfucGS8X2dhvsj5oZTw6gpjU/w400-h300/IMG_0784.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hazel is also eating hay and treats,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">so definitely feeling better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I still don't know what happened to her mouth,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but hopefully she'll be 100% soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-7782266298840896272023-12-04T11:34:00.001-05:002023-12-04T11:34:25.874-05:00penny for your thoughts<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr-lHbYshp5-YztXiSfBvuyvuZ_M4LgJNu-sgxrNw-xFAPSkStEGxD03uV9ZNwAkm3xSfWBC1Izfqtl3OtQAGJorlMhbR9va5r8xM8s8Dw735htJUM3iHhkJp5SzMOkqSXmTKdUgeTTMmChs4XFD_FPzHzPnm6uIF1SB9U01nPA_MXIgfj8wx5VTLck48" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjr-lHbYshp5-YztXiSfBvuyvuZ_M4LgJNu-sgxrNw-xFAPSkStEGxD03uV9ZNwAkm3xSfWBC1Izfqtl3OtQAGJorlMhbR9va5r8xM8s8Dw735htJUM3iHhkJp5SzMOkqSXmTKdUgeTTMmChs4XFD_FPzHzPnm6uIF1SB9U01nPA_MXIgfj8wx5VTLck48=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">This will always be one of my favorite snaps of Hazel.<br />(She's the tiny one.)</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Well, this may not seem like major news, but this morning Hazel ate a carrot penny and then asked for another. I hope this means she's turned a corner, because for the past two days she has not wanted to eat or drink anything. More accurately, she would approach her water bucket or food pan and either brush her nose over it - in the case of her pan of chaffhaye - or take food and start to eat it, but spit it right out - in the case of apple slices or carrot pennies. </p><p>As with many livestock injuries or illnesses, it's a matter of searching one's memory and imagination to determine what could be causing a behavior. Hazel wanted food, but not enough to pick it up...had she overeaten earlier and was simply full? She wanted a favorite treat, but could not or would not swallow it...was her throat sore...did a piece of alfalfa twig get caught in her throat or scratch the inside of her mouth? Was moving her jaw painful...did she get a bruised jaw from mixing it up with another goat? Was chewing painful...could she have a loose tooth that is uncomfortable to bite down on? I did my best to test these possibilities, but all I can tell you is this: you would be surprised how sharp goat teeth are.</p><p>Yesterday she was still peeing and pooping, so I decided that *if* I could get a bit of nourishment into Hazel, I would hold off on a stressful vet visit. When all the usual temptations were refused throughout the morning, I came up with the idea of blending a half-cup of oatmeal with a cup of warm water and a little salt, putting it through a sieve, and slowly hand-feeding the liquid with a 60-ml syringe. Hazel had mixed feelings about it at first, but did take about 100ml at lunchtime, and she seemed a bit brighter in the afternoon. When I hopefully offered a second serving of oatmeal smoothie at bedtime, Hazel was less willing to have it, which was disappointing. But she accepted 50 ml, and then a syringe of water, so I felt that she would be alright overnight. If she was no better in the morning, I would try to get the vet out.</p><p>Yesterday's all-day rain finally stopped in the wee hours of this morning, and Azalea and Hazel were both in the barn paddock when I went out for morning chores with a pocket full of carrot pennies. More like half-pennies, as they were sliced very thin to minimize the need to chew them. Hazel accepted one, and, while I held my breath, swallowed it. Then asked for another. And another. She was still not willing to even taste her alfalfa, and I didn't see her take a drink. But she ate about a carrot's-worth of pennies, and a couple of peanuts. And since it is not raining today, I opened the inter-paddock gates and Azalea and Hazel headed right down to the Upper West Side as usual, moving from rock to rock as much as possible, to stay out of the mud. So, fingers crossed that the worst is over and there will be continued improvement today.</p><p>So, how is your December shaping so far?</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-66493106769249368732023-11-28T07:48:00.000-05:002023-11-28T07:48:15.889-05:00november notes<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBiptVM-pcBz_7lL7T2JucPMIfbdD7YRCqimhhSPUNQ7NCHc6CH_1NY33svoPYOvhI0D-n-SmleeWkg21RDPzYxOB72YwHbd6xu92-5rCqCs-rvglmA_bT07fmcTq-ZIFLIiNiqV9Axn4PXcABGEAYpF1zPFkyh7l7a_oIZvOJhfeOqtuTKiyz8feiNk0" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBiptVM-pcBz_7lL7T2JucPMIfbdD7YRCqimhhSPUNQ7NCHc6CH_1NY33svoPYOvhI0D-n-SmleeWkg21RDPzYxOB72YwHbd6xu92-5rCqCs-rvglmA_bT07fmcTq-ZIFLIiNiqV9Axn4PXcABGEAYpF1zPFkyh7l7a_oIZvOJhfeOqtuTKiyz8feiNk0=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b>Dara at the door.<br />If he comes in, I will put his collar on.<br />If he stays out, he will not have his breakfast.<br />It's a conundrum, isn't it, Dara?</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For a couple of months, since I started feeding the goats individual pans of chaffhaye in lieu of hay either once or twice daily, I've been shifting the herd into a collar-and-tie routine; collaring and tying every goat, for every feed, in three small groups and in a very specific order to prevent fisticuffs. Patience has paid off, as it usually does in Goat World: bit by little bit, the process has become more streamlined. For several weeks, the morning feed was taking upwards of three hours. Just the feed; not hoof trimming or any other attention. Now it's generally a little more than two hours. One morning last week I was astonished when I went back into the house (for my own feed) and saw that the pans had taken less than two hours. My first thought was that I had somehow forgotten one group of goats. But no, it had just been an exceptionally efficient morning. Which has not been repeated. Yet.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaUEJGskEAKKjFrdvj1zhDE1upIhZGxwK6_l_DboEKTrqr5ZWBghKlthoG10vwgk7D0upDD7fOWPDvXQ6C_9uHPB3w_31zaGYgJNnA_Ad8mkzd6ryKq3rrHbBUN3VWe0WYAKLJn4Dqx83sN0blXXCCvRPUfUArI4arXbaXNfWdEPwHOLZ5kvya-Z2p95g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaUEJGskEAKKjFrdvj1zhDE1upIhZGxwK6_l_DboEKTrqr5ZWBghKlthoG10vwgk7D0upDD7fOWPDvXQ6C_9uHPB3w_31zaGYgJNnA_Ad8mkzd6ryKq3rrHbBUN3VWe0WYAKLJn4Dqx83sN0blXXCCvRPUfUArI4arXbaXNfWdEPwHOLZ5kvya-Z2p95g=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This month we've had three light snows that stayed on the ground for at least one day. The most recent was ice pellets mixed with snow, and there was enough of it that working on the barn and Peace Pavilion roof had to be postponed until the coating of ice melted. Luckily for me, my Occasional Helper came by on the Friday after Thanksgiving and "brought a plate" as they say here. When I pointed out that the barn roof was finally clear, he offered to hop up and quickly rearrange the massive tarp that had been blown awry in the storm.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I enjoyed the turkey dinner tremendously, but having that brand-new sixty dollar tarp secured against damage to itself was a positive thrill.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKkctsORP9NP-bDerIiMGFeZzKXSaQvaQDKLzqY5zHfRwO_xUGtyANDGeKg1Z3QVcEK8VsRppgjUUtL22jWcxA5ouFollZidcscy47La7ROBxBW3ARyU3U18-DKu6OgTSIwJP5fjk2UOAlVw-2NOJFYPraUadLBFRZsqaLMgEKx23o8hFbbnT17gHnzoM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgKkctsORP9NP-bDerIiMGFeZzKXSaQvaQDKLzqY5zHfRwO_xUGtyANDGeKg1Z3QVcEK8VsRppgjUUtL22jWcxA5ouFollZidcscy47La7ROBxBW3ARyU3U18-DKu6OgTSIwJP5fjk2UOAlVw-2NOJFYPraUadLBFRZsqaLMgEKx23o8hFbbnT17gHnzoM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There's always something interesting to see on morning chores.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wild blackberry (<u>Rubus</u>) leaves at their most colorful:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6K6Vrat9t7dfkpYX96zlxxm9sH5pwvQxrE8ljzWGEHaP4Rq8Rd9JbelMLwq0AOQ7BKShRQCdpAILKizm7LvX3rIqMfKPpO71pgMwvVfMpfFsDvq0PhPRCO_mamOj_NpOgYPeENhKRK8v0O945Q7L0OlMzvsBk1CZrf2dqt-1PFN-F5J9Wbi6Y1oxBX8/s2048/IMG_0737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1293" data-original-width="2048" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6K6Vrat9t7dfkpYX96zlxxm9sH5pwvQxrE8ljzWGEHaP4Rq8Rd9JbelMLwq0AOQ7BKShRQCdpAILKizm7LvX3rIqMfKPpO71pgMwvVfMpfFsDvq0PhPRCO_mamOj_NpOgYPeENhKRK8v0O945Q7L0OlMzvsBk1CZrf2dqt-1PFN-F5J9Wbi6Y1oxBX8/w400-h253/IMG_0737.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course many colors are muted at this time of year,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but all the easier to admire the textures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Like this bee balm seed head:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizxzCz1PdqYm03y5BUlAHhsPRzVFWYmpA3AABH_8qSJ5RZB_HBioUxbGSNASWpeJ50GXUxnbyCcOIuanUgXe_yVqruCPGjy0K3WpIS1byjwFf2RoBvmucuVcz3UIOsa5CDSSm1d-Qw34ldFovLn5UiQZ-GLJMPhG048rPN6bHoNylgpZ6L-wu0GBa4wEU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizxzCz1PdqYm03y5BUlAHhsPRzVFWYmpA3AABH_8qSJ5RZB_HBioUxbGSNASWpeJ50GXUxnbyCcOIuanUgXe_yVqruCPGjy0K3WpIS1byjwFf2RoBvmucuVcz3UIOsa5CDSSm1d-Qw34ldFovLn5UiQZ-GLJMPhG048rPN6bHoNylgpZ6L-wu0GBa4wEU=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lately the letterbox yields only bills and charity appeals, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">but seeing this milkweed pod lit by the morning sun </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">made yesterday's trip to fetch the mail more than worthwhile:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6ZytcTyon9nhEHhqeCxBkCUBIFuRZfad5PP0Aqt4VniFONq6IEcIAsKXSoQwL908Kxmxw52tNcSlTDRz88GKZSnRPDLNh147NqBWcxoEHB8jKpVETRv-EgImuiSgirn22dMZv6O1own1dgpBrHtfwK0kFINuSEmJP4sFxuLWk3LtKPrbXz0U4p6YI7qY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6ZytcTyon9nhEHhqeCxBkCUBIFuRZfad5PP0Aqt4VniFONq6IEcIAsKXSoQwL908Kxmxw52tNcSlTDRz88GKZSnRPDLNh147NqBWcxoEHB8jKpVETRv-EgImuiSgirn22dMZv6O1own1dgpBrHtfwK0kFINuSEmJP4sFxuLWk3LtKPrbXz0U4p6YI7qY=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Speaking of charity appeals, today is Giving Tuesday, when many charities receive a match for any donation made. I try to remember to make my annual donations on this day, to double their impact. Sometimes I forget and miss the day, so writing about it here is an effort to jog my own memory. Also, in case helpful to anyone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And now out to the collars and ties. Later today my Occasional Helper's working hours are being reassigned from the barns to chauffeur me around. Because I need to get to the Registry of Motor Vehicles in order to renew my license. Ironic, no?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Have a lovely Tuesday!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><p></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-64042606005610724412023-11-19T08:26:00.000-05:002023-11-19T08:26:12.773-05:00bookish<p>Just ordered my annual Christmas book for Occasional Helper's little girl. Shopping for a child's library is good fun, and I keep a running list of possibilities throughout the year and choose in November. </p><p>November almost got away from me this year - it's all been a blur since August. Recent rumors of Thanksgiving caught my attention, and now I'm making another list, of Things To Be Done Before The Holidays.</p><p>Do you know about Bookshop.org? It's an excellent alternative to the behemoth online seller of books/everything. Bookshop.org was established <b>solely</b> to support independent bookstores, and it's worth a glance at their <a href="https://bookshop.org/info/about-us" target="_blank">"About Us" page</a>. Just a fine endeavor in every way. And as easy to use as any other online bookseller.</p><p>I now rely on audiobooks for 95% of my entertainment reading, and am fortunate in having online access to an excellent regional library system. But once or twice each year I treat myself to a special hardcover, sometimes an out-of-print book that I watch for on eBay, or something specific from a small publishing house or an academic press or a museum. I've had nothing but good experiences ordering from <a href="https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/home/" target="_blank">Blackwell's</a>, which has been a great resource for such books, published in faraway magical places like South Africa and England.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhutxza5JgjeWL3aDjmVuG1pnyK7fyc-p-iAOB_kwgLeKTXPKOZ90PxWBZkwzbIJdXlbtKGJLntJt5CZAROdfDtvbhlnBgKsarb3hP1AyCuoHBp4RjoxkCAxjDGcAuYQJT7mumVMUZrZqtHfqVSmaR5VhGuPADn3Kp9o8jty6MnH8rpYKp0bTksF_lQXVg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2071" data-original-width="1310" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhutxza5JgjeWL3aDjmVuG1pnyK7fyc-p-iAOB_kwgLeKTXPKOZ90PxWBZkwzbIJdXlbtKGJLntJt5CZAROdfDtvbhlnBgKsarb3hP1AyCuoHBp4RjoxkCAxjDGcAuYQJT7mumVMUZrZqtHfqVSmaR5VhGuPADn3Kp9o8jty6MnH8rpYKp0bTksF_lQXVg=w405-h640" width="405" /></a></div><br />Last year, my "treat" book was this heavily annotated reissue of "A Thousand Miles Up The Nile," by Amelia B. Edwards, the 19th-century English woman who created the Egypt Exploration Fund. It's a satisfyingly dense brick of a book, with two ribbon bookmarkers and many previously unpublished illustrations by Amelia Edwards. Just my cup of tea, especially for the long dark nights of Winter.<p></p><p>Do you own and acquire a lot of books? Is most of your reading for information or entertainment or a combination? Is your reading seasonal? Are there good libraries where you live?</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>~~~~~</b> </p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-4551021329657237322023-11-17T06:44:00.000-05:002023-11-17T06:44:41.789-05:00the good news is<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">The good news is: I don't have to worry about mice in the truck anymore!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnv8kD8kZbgSInub8c3JC39W2DmDQuAonubdseFWiFbxBq6Gc-1wIF9zWreP5o1_LS3QrZ2CjLyWXF8FZT9z9v0d2zhL49_NBAyB9TvIRgCx_-FeFuH6Oge7hdGrTYQ4ikgKFY2t1IcWEOg9qPlLEspaxVydYnrxdo1oR0ok7UcxrX-Mjlwiu3AAlG4U/s4608/IMG_0472.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnv8kD8kZbgSInub8c3JC39W2DmDQuAonubdseFWiFbxBq6Gc-1wIF9zWreP5o1_LS3QrZ2CjLyWXF8FZT9z9v0d2zhL49_NBAyB9TvIRgCx_-FeFuH6Oge7hdGrTYQ4ikgKFY2t1IcWEOg9qPlLEspaxVydYnrxdo1oR0ok7UcxrX-Mjlwiu3AAlG4U/w400-h300/IMG_0472.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;">The less-good news is: I no longer have a truck.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I took the 2004 Highlander in for an inspection sticker last month, expecting to hear that I'd need new wipers or a parking brake cable or some such, and hoping it wouldn't be anything very costly. Instead, the mechanic who does the inspections came back in about 3 minutes, handed me the keys, and said, "You can't drive that." Apparently there was major deterioration beneath the rear half of the truck, and it wasn't safe to drive at all, even the 4 miles to get home.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Perhaps suspecting that I had every intention of driving home, the mechanic disappeared into the back and the owner, who I've known for many years, came out, offered me a ride home, and said that if I left the truck with him for a few days he would find time to put it on the lift and see what could be done. He knows I go to great lengths to keep my vehicles running as long as possible. Whenever I have to shop for a vehicle - a process I consider about as enjoyable as choosing health insurance - I always book a pre-purchase inspection at this garage. There is no point in buying something this fellow doesn't want to maintain.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Well, when I picked up the phone a few days late, I heard, "Start shopping. The front end is as bad as the back, and even if I could find parts, which is unlikely, the work would be prohibitively expensive."</p><p style="text-align: left;">Welcome to Massachusetts, land of salted roads in Winter, and rust all year round.</p><p style="text-align: left;">My default reaction when something breaks beyond repair, is to first step back and consider whether I really need a replacement at all. How much do I really need it? Can I get by without it? Sometimes "doing without" seems like the better choice, sometimes not; when the dishwasher broke, I didn't last a week.</p><p style="text-align: left;">For the past few weeks I've been alternating between an unenthusiastic online search for a replacement vehicle, and pondering whether I can get by without owning a vehicle. It's not a simple question.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://comptonia.blogspot.com/2017/07/almost-independence-day.html" target="_blank">I bought the Highlander for Piper</a> in 2017. Here we are at the pond, about to embark upon one of our sketching hikes. Good times.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL48dIuC7jH-qFiisCkdnW0yPkEvq4pu3LIOI_Ngo-VNiotdxxFeJrRUX_2X2h1ZAvy06v94Nn2o3sdVYA4fQOGd5lw3fBb-gFb9b6TO_FrzdGaQdg4rz_r1O3kE6TU0Bf3XrY1HzqZPjl_bUx16FVIDx12LZER3wxlQmD4YyTd052HOI9tW4WF_nVEg/s4277/IMG_1247%20(3).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3304" data-original-width="4277" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCL48dIuC7jH-qFiisCkdnW0yPkEvq4pu3LIOI_Ngo-VNiotdxxFeJrRUX_2X2h1ZAvy06v94Nn2o3sdVYA4fQOGd5lw3fBb-gFb9b6TO_FrzdGaQdg4rz_r1O3kE6TU0Bf3XrY1HzqZPjl_bUx16FVIDx12LZER3wxlQmD4YyTd052HOI9tW4WF_nVEg/w400-h309/IMG_1247%20(3).JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-46795815799354739102023-11-12T06:54:00.003-05:002023-11-12T06:54:56.166-05:00recent markmaking<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd0kM9sx67aJHeb9kc7kq4QwEMVo1EUhO91XBLJVslSKVdUBoW_2V7roul4AW1fFSB4QS0k8AnGKRitDT_G6QDgI6nHlUWov7fY8uU-krYBSafPwqj0NcLqlFzTiEPNlydEPTrjv2P1fbhzgW1Vx2c_069Js8amqBcexIY1AjM9KF79tqXAsica_CLsk/s2048/IMG_0677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd0kM9sx67aJHeb9kc7kq4QwEMVo1EUhO91XBLJVslSKVdUBoW_2V7roul4AW1fFSB4QS0k8AnGKRitDT_G6QDgI6nHlUWov7fY8uU-krYBSafPwqj0NcLqlFzTiEPNlydEPTrjv2P1fbhzgW1Vx2c_069Js8amqBcexIY1AjM9KF79tqXAsica_CLsk/w400-h400/IMG_0677.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>Roman glass</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN7-cqGTQuR2PjTgfJCW4cX_2DWY5J_KYb9bCsDxBLOoD8IsPvmYykshSWpoQDeAUZI6SAAlHc37L039c8IZDRZ3s0d1TA6dgsKRWcHdhZV3WjEpX63X_Utg3ePB2SSL0lfqH4ORkJavyKis7itcq4D_lINdSu27CZrAZXYIAaIdOnV7qZ19QwV_UCm0/s2048/IMG_0681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN7-cqGTQuR2PjTgfJCW4cX_2DWY5J_KYb9bCsDxBLOoD8IsPvmYykshSWpoQDeAUZI6SAAlHc37L039c8IZDRZ3s0d1TA6dgsKRWcHdhZV3WjEpX63X_Utg3ePB2SSL0lfqH4ORkJavyKis7itcq4D_lINdSu27CZrAZXYIAaIdOnV7qZ19QwV_UCm0/s320/IMG_0681.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Owly eye</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hNfZxhSkLJUn2m4dPzJG3k_lTm-zeLR_kMyMaJ4EMVVEdKu4ciEW_NPrBmd7D3P2V8n7a3FJNBZ59fwHbFOsopqIhhSUzI8iJxvkaBxz5933RJ3W0wY0bIitlKtnNBLllhYHkSxh9RbLtuLL4dIA-YCgxHiicc3ei_EgaQpG_nXkY5_mp37SQmxYTUw/s2048/IMG_0684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hNfZxhSkLJUn2m4dPzJG3k_lTm-zeLR_kMyMaJ4EMVVEdKu4ciEW_NPrBmd7D3P2V8n7a3FJNBZ59fwHbFOsopqIhhSUzI8iJxvkaBxz5933RJ3W0wY0bIitlKtnNBLllhYHkSxh9RbLtuLL4dIA-YCgxHiicc3ei_EgaQpG_nXkY5_mp37SQmxYTUw/s320/IMG_0684.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #783f04;">Pebble of the Day (twitter @GongFuPoet)</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V6spCZcYzyPma6Db_LvxX2o9eZ4ZB9P7WUdSK8EtF4zcYvG5llLKbZlu5tmOLF7MF7VgyakD5uMGaePMxHiQ5j1155D-xfkPWo4zVIQs9LZeT4NcVHwn6KeDt6ru4Ez6b5VsDw2c3Mz1r7n2IwSQ1ZfQbnw9E6LRmmwNeJoahnvYaZRVt1R53vwdGFA/s2048/IMG_0686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1357" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_V6spCZcYzyPma6Db_LvxX2o9eZ4ZB9P7WUdSK8EtF4zcYvG5llLKbZlu5tmOLF7MF7VgyakD5uMGaePMxHiQ5j1155D-xfkPWo4zVIQs9LZeT4NcVHwn6KeDt6ru4Ez6b5VsDw2c3Mz1r7n2IwSQ1ZfQbnw9E6LRmmwNeJoahnvYaZRVt1R53vwdGFA/w265-h400/IMG_0686.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><b>from one of vanGogh's pollarded trees</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLFByVXi-DQJboDM10F3AQzL4HIk2GEZEQbxxbtHv1oulwFqITovn9o-NrNcCWqrwkkupcgHfugeF7W5s-c2AJFp-2aOgqaq1LtmUsFdvUzWwDx7Wfe4h-WAD38JXty951gojPRXRQhEDQRHCVtiQtD7sFfxDV87hyP87iY70qCNS_AfK-aT3KoL3yFE/s2048/IMG_0687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2004" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxLFByVXi-DQJboDM10F3AQzL4HIk2GEZEQbxxbtHv1oulwFqITovn9o-NrNcCWqrwkkupcgHfugeF7W5s-c2AJFp-2aOgqaq1LtmUsFdvUzWwDx7Wfe4h-WAD38JXty951gojPRXRQhEDQRHCVtiQtD7sFfxDV87hyP87iY70qCNS_AfK-aT3KoL3yFE/s320/IMG_0687.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #bf9000;">from (another) Harry Burton photograph<br />taken in Tutankhamun's tomb</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhyphenhyphenIx2umIk8N7G5b2mTg3DgI_q6isaUzKGGesq5kVSqAtLsxV4ytgxdTiSAJpvM192rAgSBDe5dsANLWHrFNr0KSGAcmsf_nWkumSwUQRt24lSYHyAUdZoksLuV0VtDDTTW9EoIZsp6j5PG0YmM5xR2vTHIT4n1z6p9WUhEIj3pnaikDIe81wfSsvQmg/s2048/IMG_0688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2047" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZhyphenhyphenIx2umIk8N7G5b2mTg3DgI_q6isaUzKGGesq5kVSqAtLsxV4ytgxdTiSAJpvM192rAgSBDe5dsANLWHrFNr0KSGAcmsf_nWkumSwUQRt24lSYHyAUdZoksLuV0VtDDTTW9EoIZsp6j5PG0YmM5xR2vTHIT4n1z6p9WUhEIj3pnaikDIe81wfSsvQmg/s320/IMG_0688.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Tiny ball of string. <br />Does everyone still have one of these in a drawer?</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7ITtEpsTjUNAufTfI8M0GVAMyL2JhNJnGNG3BmbMRZY97Sw7ywo5-J-2ypMa01eMkQp6EfzN2Y09x1UxkUEHGa1ANUlQg5PDpaIK6DQ5fLzjC5lQ5QqnDRVTEP0zFAM9KGlUtpUHu_NdnMbPyz7CwQytP8YvcUiqNWXGXnUEiCfsDvcI77EXrugrZPA/s2048/IMG_0691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1367" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7ITtEpsTjUNAufTfI8M0GVAMyL2JhNJnGNG3BmbMRZY97Sw7ywo5-J-2ypMa01eMkQp6EfzN2Y09x1UxkUEHGa1ANUlQg5PDpaIK6DQ5fLzjC5lQ5QqnDRVTEP0zFAM9KGlUtpUHu_NdnMbPyz7CwQytP8YvcUiqNWXGXnUEiCfsDvcI77EXrugrZPA/w268-h400/IMG_0691.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #741b47;">Rutabaga</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJ5i22xBJCCcHyykGNZTcuPIOMWDGiHBPNRg-JuUcPsStn6zMGYT6eQh9tc2xdnKOxegvkLCs1aNw8GxKxhTLKac0T0zG83dvAqJstdaBelrpie4A_dpe-WdtFhPu5Qzzzz-_qn9XqK0eZUScc77kwLzUnPUMoGYrQQjrtOTwC1YI8QoxudmdPYuoh9E/s2048/IMG_0692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJ5i22xBJCCcHyykGNZTcuPIOMWDGiHBPNRg-JuUcPsStn6zMGYT6eQh9tc2xdnKOxegvkLCs1aNw8GxKxhTLKac0T0zG83dvAqJstdaBelrpie4A_dpe-WdtFhPu5Qzzzz-_qn9XqK0eZUScc77kwLzUnPUMoGYrQQjrtOTwC1YI8QoxudmdPYuoh9E/w284-h400/IMG_0692.jpg" width="284" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #38761d;">Red maple in late stage of life.<br />I relate.</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><p></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-6318396011427324132023-11-08T16:25:00.001-05:002023-11-08T16:25:50.780-05:00wordless wednesday<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FOtRuWFrYf3yr9pOwjB6V-jIbnKkzYzkUPO9qVCj9KGni3p2cvQGkyRUA_XtF15x3texuy99ynDMPoLkpeDjB3Khz4G440vchLJf4fGOz-798qG80QvSoavqUEsFfwzqKasWZIZLUDoBrzlXBlbH7Ma4pC5_4rL8dU0oJnAI5eJJe2vTrGa6oJL-fPM/s2048/IMG_0576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6FOtRuWFrYf3yr9pOwjB6V-jIbnKkzYzkUPO9qVCj9KGni3p2cvQGkyRUA_XtF15x3texuy99ynDMPoLkpeDjB3Khz4G440vchLJf4fGOz-798qG80QvSoavqUEsFfwzqKasWZIZLUDoBrzlXBlbH7Ma4pC5_4rL8dU0oJnAI5eJJe2vTrGa6oJL-fPM/w400-h300/IMG_0576.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YvG-Yr1j7jJ0CB8p53Xkf13atCaALHm_WRDKFWJ26Bsmtnf20WBBrRRby2gGGFxEBNmUVBGp5P0FHswj4Uxn1q5nT3PbC6xhv1ka8QGz-h9GYNJ9MgtYcwmzaBAcjAW-r7ySeJkrMfpUWDKKhnIVo7S48i6VZRLb_8iCjYkGMueZ2oEMdWAmbLzhZIs/s2048/IMG_0599.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YvG-Yr1j7jJ0CB8p53Xkf13atCaALHm_WRDKFWJ26Bsmtnf20WBBrRRby2gGGFxEBNmUVBGp5P0FHswj4Uxn1q5nT3PbC6xhv1ka8QGz-h9GYNJ9MgtYcwmzaBAcjAW-r7ySeJkrMfpUWDKKhnIVo7S48i6VZRLb_8iCjYkGMueZ2oEMdWAmbLzhZIs/w300-h400/IMG_0599.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoEhm7QD-ocs8B36vytuDemEo4vd5BKA70ACEuGPfkYIj4UwPAmvsbGPIyEYYOCFi6KWi9dWscRYTinemYw3DyzbgCBf21Xk1JW3GBBoGDxmrphq9XMDHRNKa4l4gfh0K9Iv5BN5cRO2w8zWcRSefsWdw5Xsdc7y20faM3A6LmG6WBXybc_oxRobzEdc/s2048/IMG_0624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJoEhm7QD-ocs8B36vytuDemEo4vd5BKA70ACEuGPfkYIj4UwPAmvsbGPIyEYYOCFi6KWi9dWscRYTinemYw3DyzbgCBf21Xk1JW3GBBoGDxmrphq9XMDHRNKa4l4gfh0K9Iv5BN5cRO2w8zWcRSefsWdw5Xsdc7y20faM3A6LmG6WBXybc_oxRobzEdc/w400-h300/IMG_0624.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspXWuu0dtStoF8AXE5IoyT_UODDenE96EBKekjpLxwFtaZRGeyshnGixSq_kdGaNA3U9rT87Dn1kKQVcv3obYITpSsVHp-uh4mkUUeAfb4LId17PkpfwvyUIoIsGFgEzS1y4R-e-3yw87qUiqYQfBSxNe-zbW_hOmWDQxLUfwYXRAKEkwsyDxtaHOlyw/s4608/IMG_0523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspXWuu0dtStoF8AXE5IoyT_UODDenE96EBKekjpLxwFtaZRGeyshnGixSq_kdGaNA3U9rT87Dn1kKQVcv3obYITpSsVHp-uh4mkUUeAfb4LId17PkpfwvyUIoIsGFgEzS1y4R-e-3yw87qUiqYQfBSxNe-zbW_hOmWDQxLUfwYXRAKEkwsyDxtaHOlyw/w400-h300/IMG_0523.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVe77zhQYsXZEn8xuMhVI07J1ztUTDuYFBHY22N44rmt4xYXrr-rj3fcKWL9epGWYKM8NIerBsizTOmT9Raxu2t9d61Em5ywU4GMHe-vOzhbEDbYQlc7Rq5mIBX-XSsm4C19r-qXEWJv_tWyw700TY0W-XfJ-EEkdm0tBx7oc2lrwhRDpm1uQ7QYClrpM/s2048/IMG_0525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="770" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVe77zhQYsXZEn8xuMhVI07J1ztUTDuYFBHY22N44rmt4xYXrr-rj3fcKWL9epGWYKM8NIerBsizTOmT9Raxu2t9d61Em5ywU4GMHe-vOzhbEDbYQlc7Rq5mIBX-XSsm4C19r-qXEWJv_tWyw700TY0W-XfJ-EEkdm0tBx7oc2lrwhRDpm1uQ7QYClrpM/w240-h640/IMG_0525.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><br />Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-19402253440265509092023-11-01T13:20:00.002-04:002023-11-01T14:27:32.638-04:00Acer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIdUZwYTc1TaBIaYeckbCpx8Jf5iyxWjGJQCpPwNzC64Wn7I3xxNQlPT0g3IUA4IjwyGdJLe9sgauXJ68LoKWiDtVA5KNszn3Gn64S-iExXoJPk4COytEjTKPPosi5xywAqEzoOWNByVzPu4nq3igPX-3D4SzGdj4wKBW0bWgxOni9GGtIgg222Z8UAE/s2048/ACER%20NOV%202021%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwIdUZwYTc1TaBIaYeckbCpx8Jf5iyxWjGJQCpPwNzC64Wn7I3xxNQlPT0g3IUA4IjwyGdJLe9sgauXJ68LoKWiDtVA5KNszn3Gn64S-iExXoJPk4COytEjTKPPosi5xywAqEzoOWNByVzPu4nq3igPX-3D4SzGdj4wKBW0bWgxOni9GGtIgg222Z8UAE/w400-h300/ACER%20NOV%202021%20(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">2 April 2012 - 26 October 2023</span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;"><br /></span></i></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Baby Acer tackling Goat Mountain...</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijajsbNaht4Szi1ZUxsdgtMI-Vz58FKxWUu5WBlzjQAtwXp7vfLxXZgKLTty4SrNJN6bNNgcCQiobY0fcbx7qsPkVJ6LNPH5RugkungJsgT5WmQVFGjAQw9UqSMCLXPOfISOlNkJKk4pVUfb3nxa0BYIr8DhyphenhyphenSj3aRRhO88TGKob-cr4Hh8gYNGZNjCns/s2048/ACER%20APRIL%2013%202021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1960" data-original-width="2048" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijajsbNaht4Szi1ZUxsdgtMI-Vz58FKxWUu5WBlzjQAtwXp7vfLxXZgKLTty4SrNJN6bNNgcCQiobY0fcbx7qsPkVJ6LNPH5RugkungJsgT5WmQVFGjAQw9UqSMCLXPOfISOlNkJKk4pVUfb3nxa0BYIr8DhyphenhyphenSj3aRRhO88TGKob-cr4Hh8gYNGZNjCns/s320/ACER%20APRIL%2013%202021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>...and reaching the summit.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNAO5SCWiwh8FCNKJ_JSpABsmMkDNOd7OqOHERLhwp5RclM2_oTXq1sZTS10X1XQpnyBWsATAq-2HwsLGn43RDM7UC160wpA-I9kjO3Gj1BmZkE-1RlVFVkJFwDcpnWM4nJUJ9y8t6fWPoP3rsWkOMgE46YsOJKXU_4jPOTH5BlCssteFOblpYYQJI9Q/s2048/331%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1051" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtNAO5SCWiwh8FCNKJ_JSpABsmMkDNOd7OqOHERLhwp5RclM2_oTXq1sZTS10X1XQpnyBWsATAq-2HwsLGn43RDM7UC160wpA-I9kjO3Gj1BmZkE-1RlVFVkJFwDcpnWM4nJUJ9y8t6fWPoP3rsWkOMgE46YsOJKXU_4jPOTH5BlCssteFOblpYYQJI9Q/w205-h400/331%20(1).jpg" width="205" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Acer the Maple Man and Betula the Birch Boy,</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>with mum LeShodu, Day 5...</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiln2GwH3GUMvueBZI1ulM3pbsZqZM9Lgcmg85gFZGsh6jUnpyqEneyUbj_bgovlcixVxQOEpilkAKlLKX6n63KK2jtAQPsG0lGJlWs0tnndUeAkSqeppjDnB26LLXbLPkZjrSpwQzs8YsBLTTJkNOYoyZutY4YpjvdnT19XTxWgaYwFCgPT2pgRzrgQyc/s2048/ACER%20FAM%205%20DAYS%20OLD.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="2048" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiln2GwH3GUMvueBZI1ulM3pbsZqZM9Lgcmg85gFZGsh6jUnpyqEneyUbj_bgovlcixVxQOEpilkAKlLKX6n63KK2jtAQPsG0lGJlWs0tnndUeAkSqeppjDnB26LLXbLPkZjrSpwQzs8YsBLTTJkNOYoyZutY4YpjvdnT19XTxWgaYwFCgPT2pgRzrgQyc/w400-h296/ACER%20FAM%205%20DAYS%20OLD.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>...and a couple of years later.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORAq0QiL6hbqcJSS9L5HZedBrJvNdFLA3DJ-Xh918YpZv8rnBUpaQLAC6bwyT2uwv3nA2UbMSAxMirOd4PrbXG4sGfhGf7t_8Wjt_Mk8-mXT3f_awavRKF1QHXwD00VlZnylVZR7W_d8mGd5keNfhV8grBdFPwLAyJPttnXCLhVPlz-E2sx3pAjR9GUo/s2048/ACER%20FAM%20APRIL%202%202014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1027" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiORAq0QiL6hbqcJSS9L5HZedBrJvNdFLA3DJ-Xh918YpZv8rnBUpaQLAC6bwyT2uwv3nA2UbMSAxMirOd4PrbXG4sGfhGf7t_8Wjt_Mk8-mXT3f_awavRKF1QHXwD00VlZnylVZR7W_d8mGd5keNfhV8grBdFPwLAyJPttnXCLhVPlz-E2sx3pAjR9GUo/w200-h400/ACER%20FAM%20APRIL%202%202014.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Second birthday pictures:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KPrqd-jyEzgXDTS2xTyn8Kn2SqKTAxelInXOM3IkFUjNqqROcCbNRB_vA9RtabddoCIDeYzsbgm5VIhO_qf9AV0eXJpeXkbDBzb-F-s7kRkWlFDMHWSLIDyI462I_ExH8vwpnhkoHY5NBvy5pOhCIybaD1d5_U8xUZ4BUq4H5gfPquLbuzX9LVkunwM/s2048/ACER%20APR%202%202014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KPrqd-jyEzgXDTS2xTyn8Kn2SqKTAxelInXOM3IkFUjNqqROcCbNRB_vA9RtabddoCIDeYzsbgm5VIhO_qf9AV0eXJpeXkbDBzb-F-s7kRkWlFDMHWSLIDyI462I_ExH8vwpnhkoHY5NBvy5pOhCIybaD1d5_U8xUZ4BUq4H5gfPquLbuzX9LVkunwM/w300-h400/ACER%20APR%202%202014.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAAvo9axGCSHNFrbypHxUrx9YfYLiZASYEUZ7DKA43eeagjKVBMyEll3DESQMcEh81eazoLm9MPtATKQAexdcSezLBvWORPg-bITqG3OAW-lJ60HEWmI-AzL4vX9ZisLf_TixMLElfXbq0GW_FAWldpi6eeeaJnLqZH9iW87xztB4XmbK7ZqqadbEIzc/s2048/acer%20birthday2%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2042" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGAAvo9axGCSHNFrbypHxUrx9YfYLiZASYEUZ7DKA43eeagjKVBMyEll3DESQMcEh81eazoLm9MPtATKQAexdcSezLBvWORPg-bITqG3OAW-lJ60HEWmI-AzL4vX9ZisLf_TixMLElfXbq0GW_FAWldpi6eeeaJnLqZH9iW87xztB4XmbK7ZqqadbEIzc/w399-h400/acer%20birthday2%20(1).jpg" width="399" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Acer at 4 years, 2016:</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RcydOSsEIrp5xIkTG5j30X3hvtLk9fKu0Tx7fLMJV9mc4MYeqbiYZFeCAdPcuZ_GC_-ZbCbb-4o0qm4P1it6IA3mUA8_303-a6ivdAIgRp-3FoxaRsdc5kSwxj9XAG6ovrfoFKr5zri22Q_qcdkBnOdPrG7kENjbVbDGgmTMNZUsX1vibqmHb7CzsDY/s2048/ACER%20NOV%202016.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1872" data-original-width="2048" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0RcydOSsEIrp5xIkTG5j30X3hvtLk9fKu0Tx7fLMJV9mc4MYeqbiYZFeCAdPcuZ_GC_-ZbCbb-4o0qm4P1it6IA3mUA8_303-a6ivdAIgRp-3FoxaRsdc5kSwxj9XAG6ovrfoFKr5zri22Q_qcdkBnOdPrG7kENjbVbDGgmTMNZUsX1vibqmHb7CzsDY/w400-h366/ACER%20NOV%202016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR44tcIBC4nrxLrWjmrW1YdiE79wY_VQev6PMQPlc4YvOz346C311eksiLuCK3c5Ci_ND-GsU2ctKO2jFd0tzewTJ9VhquqZ_FFvLV8cGms4UfiV9HTDLEsSs1h64xQ6SOtyRg-ROCVj3cQg48IvJNdW7h5VQqSFWWElllQwuySyiHvTxsTzH6jWVTGw/s2048/ACER%20FEB%2010%202016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1366" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSR44tcIBC4nrxLrWjmrW1YdiE79wY_VQev6PMQPlc4YvOz346C311eksiLuCK3c5Ci_ND-GsU2ctKO2jFd0tzewTJ9VhquqZ_FFvLV8cGms4UfiV9HTDLEsSs1h64xQ6SOtyRg-ROCVj3cQg48IvJNdW7h5VQqSFWWElllQwuySyiHvTxsTzH6jWVTGw/w400-h266/ACER%20FEB%2010%202016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Always the first to shed: 10 Feb 2016<br /></b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Nearly nine years old, Feb 2021:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5isdaGmRwj0lmr6b5gT0TrejzsakkQPkQY4-MYLEQs5-xw3KsNG90yX7z7o0X4nc7SPh4n65CWKmNBgnG38Z5tOPPkV6TzMPqII5WNDblBFQQSPMHUPlHJcvWo-K6ATbL_KBvZjjIOUNOLf97yLNctStFEiDeRkDkXEfKIvNb60TTayxe-omVot0nXE/s2048/ACER%20FEB%202021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1394" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS5isdaGmRwj0lmr6b5gT0TrejzsakkQPkQY4-MYLEQs5-xw3KsNG90yX7z7o0X4nc7SPh4n65CWKmNBgnG38Z5tOPPkV6TzMPqII5WNDblBFQQSPMHUPlHJcvWo-K6ATbL_KBvZjjIOUNOLf97yLNctStFEiDeRkDkXEfKIvNb60TTayxe-omVot0nXE/w273-h400/ACER%20FEB%202021.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Acer and Betula enjoying bittersweet in the Pocket Paddock,</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>30 June 2013...</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwYCllIkzfP0RL-KA-hyciF779JNNFJEYaNZAifTF05AmR500YLekczIVmzERDFPPNoEutIU-Sp740z46F7XgYE3dDCoOsB-R9N8Ak1J3BuZ8baVuO_BvAqKhZPgXUuLfpXeStijy8tMSqUasjVstrSIfSF5pGZ1eCg0XGt1KfAp34S-Tz1L1FKakC_E/s2048/ACER%20AND%20BET%20JUN%202013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1415" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkwYCllIkzfP0RL-KA-hyciF779JNNFJEYaNZAifTF05AmR500YLekczIVmzERDFPPNoEutIU-Sp740z46F7XgYE3dDCoOsB-R9N8Ak1J3BuZ8baVuO_BvAqKhZPgXUuLfpXeStijy8tMSqUasjVstrSIfSF5pGZ1eCg0XGt1KfAp34S-Tz1L1FKakC_E/w276-h400/ACER%20AND%20BET%20JUN%202013.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>...and 1st October 2023.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk33VKrhysrdyIZJT9GcN9CRVe6YmnoVsBHBHUlrQj7TdiAJ3hWNP8627PTYFy3z3z6aqrzLxZGuPPhJEgJOt5KzE_Y7GkCFog7AuqCKoZ124K5IIFR75u6aIgImBcIYK2Z4mO95s2uXfd_OuVlaCZDgsJR46RUYAm9MDIFx2dRHVM9EHKyu5NlpwkxGk/s2048/ACER%20OCT%201%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="2048" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk33VKrhysrdyIZJT9GcN9CRVe6YmnoVsBHBHUlrQj7TdiAJ3hWNP8627PTYFy3z3z6aqrzLxZGuPPhJEgJOt5KzE_Y7GkCFog7AuqCKoZ124K5IIFR75u6aIgImBcIYK2Z4mO95s2uXfd_OuVlaCZDgsJR46RUYAm9MDIFx2dRHVM9EHKyu5NlpwkxGk/s320/ACER%20OCT%201%202023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Acer's last three months have been filled with extra meals, lots of treats, a wide variety of fallen leaves to browse, and many hours of companionship and special attention every single day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Some of those days were sunny.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHBciHRcB1uZcMdK91H7VGQ-avteef3tx4z80LeBSXtRpit75Ev3uAkCKqyOS8kZTBmI_LAQLroOhWUBtFpCHH8XFEDM_OObFoR3wS8BRZbviCtv9Q0LX6mIWG9wCDR84XWu1gUrmKHWCs_t0efLrcFVy7lADdLp9sVK2__5KLIJUUkPD16T7jR3jNN0/s2048/ACER%20OCT%2012%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1609" data-original-width="2048" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHBciHRcB1uZcMdK91H7VGQ-avteef3tx4z80LeBSXtRpit75Ev3uAkCKqyOS8kZTBmI_LAQLroOhWUBtFpCHH8XFEDM_OObFoR3wS8BRZbviCtv9Q0LX6mIWG9wCDR84XWu1gUrmKHWCs_t0efLrcFVy7lADdLp9sVK2__5KLIJUUkPD16T7jR3jNN0/w400-h314/ACER%20OCT%2012%202023.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Good boy, Acer. It's been a pleasure.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-91819792307926419672023-10-15T21:41:00.000-04:002023-10-15T21:41:12.659-04:00scrambling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hJiCP3zBlrRhE4C4MpaMvSJAXZhTRthCwUmD1HOAQCt3Y0FuYpVd-ga-L1BcTttbIjRBIYu1cP-t8AiwgxAeSgE3ANBC4j6hAtjQ8XaoRBwaUQqFu46FUqQzLpFxD7ugdK1WQrUOu7ikeB05cEJFyFQrO-HTILp0eItT8M-EqNfVyYk8JMrfMU_w3H0/s2048/IMG_0365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hJiCP3zBlrRhE4C4MpaMvSJAXZhTRthCwUmD1HOAQCt3Y0FuYpVd-ga-L1BcTttbIjRBIYu1cP-t8AiwgxAeSgE3ANBC4j6hAtjQ8XaoRBwaUQqFu46FUqQzLpFxD7ugdK1WQrUOu7ikeB05cEJFyFQrO-HTILp0eItT8M-EqNfVyYk8JMrfMU_w3H0/w400-h300/IMG_0365.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">My method of cooking scrambled eggs and omelettes has recently changed, and it's such an improvement that every time I make scrambled eggs I think, "I should put this on the blog." Maybe everyone else already knows this tip, as it's apparently been around for many years, but it was new to me. So here goes.</p><p style="text-align: center;">If you like your fried eggs cooked through, but not dry or browned or crisp in any way - then this method is for you. And me. It's definitely the method for me.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The secret is adding a bit of starch to the eggs. I've experimented with the amount of starch - I'm using potato starch - and have settled on a much smaller amount than the (<a href="https://ladyandpups.com/2015/02/03/magic-15-seconds-creamy-scrambled-eggs/" target="_blank">possibly original</a>) version I've seen online.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj2lN8fX23JABNMgwwJpUFwUIvHNFcB6Y6KV6QYtiRAzvqDupSw5iq_J6-c7IThyphenhyphenFDy5mYisrz9FjHxl4CgYHSH9zebrOsk9A7wxuBYd3dUd1DSwq-tKy3f691vzrApGX0Y-NC7XXK-dSbvFX5rPB8l8oLPDGF-FYmAW0cTG8jEPeQAsyTqbxrmudHqI/s4608/IMG_0378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj2lN8fX23JABNMgwwJpUFwUIvHNFcB6Y6KV6QYtiRAzvqDupSw5iq_J6-c7IThyphenhyphenFDy5mYisrz9FjHxl4CgYHSH9zebrOsk9A7wxuBYd3dUd1DSwq-tKy3f691vzrApGX0Y-NC7XXK-dSbvFX5rPB8l8oLPDGF-FYmAW0cTG8jEPeQAsyTqbxrmudHqI/w400-h300/IMG_0378.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potato starch, salt, and pepper stirred into milk.<br />Eggs on deck.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Here's what I'm doing: </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><i>for each egg</i>, I mix 1/4 teaspoon potato starch with 1 Tablespoon milk in a small bowl, add seasonings, then beat in the eggs. I melt about 2 teaspoons of butter in a frying pan, then add the egg mixture. The amount of butter probably depends on the size of your pan; mine are the small blue Pyrex with detachable handles, made in the 1930s and 40s. A perfect size for two or three scrambled eggs. A bigger pan is much easier for omelettes.</span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtbIorHFHhksThbIU_6g5I66P2pVplFvg4hMEu0iSyqnB2KxRtcbeFUZ6_fAc2FDrdVI9Mxb-eXOY846LHc0TZk8sDpsqSs3j5mBAyvRfVRlvesk1Ec920i-MvYinCwlglLHwTOos4Pknxm0MssbeZBQgF53AOm0XA1X8LKnMBADBcwNLRWvvaVXfaG0/s4608/IMG_0383.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgtbIorHFHhksThbIU_6g5I66P2pVplFvg4hMEu0iSyqnB2KxRtcbeFUZ6_fAc2FDrdVI9Mxb-eXOY846LHc0TZk8sDpsqSs3j5mBAyvRfVRlvesk1Ec920i-MvYinCwlglLHwTOos4Pknxm0MssbeZBQgF53AOm0XA1X8LKnMBADBcwNLRWvvaVXfaG0/w400-h300/IMG_0383.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Apart from the potato starch, everything is traditional scrambling: low/medium heat (on my gas stove, 3.5 on a dial of 10 is just right, and 4 is too hot), moving the eggs frequently as soon as they begin cooking, and taking the pan off the heat just before the eggs are completely done. Really, the only difference is that tiny amount of starch!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf_xcJAOAv1OTvKkXFS4hHfkn-fzqCy3js1Bzr7033q1GePwPgwdE5IgfLUM1aWkdopc4iVKn_QUcKpO8shasUnSSJGVjYSDXKA-TOUQ90fhX_Xj4-CCkXCW42-YRzf6w5skYuUfHuZW6fnNigZI4654FYaMOvRwXqNf7DcbaaMnBaV_mvnWHYmjATtQ/s4608/IMG_0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf_xcJAOAv1OTvKkXFS4hHfkn-fzqCy3js1Bzr7033q1GePwPgwdE5IgfLUM1aWkdopc4iVKn_QUcKpO8shasUnSSJGVjYSDXKA-TOUQ90fhX_Xj4-CCkXCW42-YRzf6w5skYuUfHuZW6fnNigZI4654FYaMOvRwXqNf7DcbaaMnBaV_mvnWHYmjATtQ/w400-h300/IMG_0386.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">But the results have been consistently excellent. Best scrambled eggs I've ever had. Isn't it great when a tiny, simple change improves something you've been doing for years?</p><p style="text-align: center;">Did you know about this little piece of magic? If not, and if you like eggs that are consistently soft and neither runny nor dry, I think it's worth a try.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>~~~~~</b></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-2494527026660713602023-09-29T21:12:00.000-04:002023-09-29T21:12:24.215-04:00ten days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_hc7uNmPI4uiF9JFly6sewlW2UrxbGKNuPt6Mc_fQhMtLtE0OK8F0odldENAMXZ74IHddhUJgEaGIZgJ3ZoR4bgAGlE2MRCqGSl01ytJtHHI0Wp6ur80Ncqgw8HBO3rTLTtpcXoI0N35iOXmA5ioxt31wSwixHT7CEy2vjLrYrfDDe3WEppA0jq2_vU/s4608/IMG_0069.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-_hc7uNmPI4uiF9JFly6sewlW2UrxbGKNuPt6Mc_fQhMtLtE0OK8F0odldENAMXZ74IHddhUJgEaGIZgJ3ZoR4bgAGlE2MRCqGSl01ytJtHHI0Wp6ur80Ncqgw8HBO3rTLTtpcXoI0N35iOXmA5ioxt31wSwixHT7CEy2vjLrYrfDDe3WEppA0jq2_vU/w400-h300/IMG_0069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Let's talk about rain a little more, shall we? And/or we can look at some pictures of cheering things. You pick.</span></div><p style="text-align: center;">Because yesterday, when it was balmy and pleasant, the forecast for the next <b>ten days </b>was for no rain. My heart leapt!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjR1MplgI3bugpmV6DJbnLl-JjWd4yNq8eSegX5Bn_JVSf7CG6kxwkGyAi1KxbIYK8fxtL6JzLEeFDlsRZ3QxjEclp7JHw6X3A5ZvsuROTpgrKPbnMpVshh47SAfxuXpA9Cs_I-GU_BbjemsuzEtRoI3fZg7VjBWkecaAe8LYK1QgSeoRjbKz3wLa2ENQ/s4608/IMG_0041.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjR1MplgI3bugpmV6DJbnLl-JjWd4yNq8eSegX5Bn_JVSf7CG6kxwkGyAi1KxbIYK8fxtL6JzLEeFDlsRZ3QxjEclp7JHw6X3A5ZvsuROTpgrKPbnMpVshh47SAfxuXpA9Cs_I-GU_BbjemsuzEtRoI3fZg7VjBWkecaAe8LYK1QgSeoRjbKz3wLa2ENQ/w400-h300/IMG_0041.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>A stretch of ten dry days would make a world of difference in the paddocks, which for the past few months have looked - no joke - like a scrap pile of lumber exploded in a sea of mud. Also, with ten consecutive days of dryness, long-postponed projects requiring time outdoors, like the annual 2-day cleaning out of the workshop, or putting multiple coats of paint on a dozen wooden items that have been gathering dust: such things could be done and joyously crossed off my pre-Winter list. So exciting! I could even draw outdoors <b>every day</b>! I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've sketched outdoors this "summer" without being driven indoors when rain started again.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde6h6Iir7Etzwlp1Aj7zUMTPw-LtcM8S13bXvVwhtCehEusymstyzI3MEuMqsZENHd1SmgoAmPSAhIkNHn6aSIQkrjQ2w-ZccH65vwhv8KoUtyVg8r7CcH8XjOZjXqH7hzgc7KEb4IMYA9Jd-Qi2d0q6wPxkzDUui0fGNAUKTe0jqVg4ZMJriZBS-azY/s4608/IMG_0125.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhde6h6Iir7Etzwlp1Aj7zUMTPw-LtcM8S13bXvVwhtCehEusymstyzI3MEuMqsZENHd1SmgoAmPSAhIkNHn6aSIQkrjQ2w-ZccH65vwhv8KoUtyVg8r7CcH8XjOZjXqH7hzgc7KEb4IMYA9Jd-Qi2d0q6wPxkzDUui0fGNAUKTe0jqVg4ZMJriZBS-azY/w300-h400/IMG_0125.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>Just before bed every night, I mark my calendar with tasks for the next day. Last night, I also decided to take a screenshot of the 10-day forecast, because it made me feel so happy and hopeful and energetic.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE0-zdrKoTOKeLbVHFI27q_GKdY47CU2lmiJygZyaiqwF-vo5WDkxPJZjmuFE7QapjFBVBY-LacnmhiW806QXuUpuxbtsTiXlemQzB6Ohi2XHAy68OdlH0K_cLA1zyQSiV6t_xSsazmgVSsiKAoJJa0FR5NmDtTiQt_pWYTVbQ5mW5RR5TOpdVmNeeBQ/s2048/IMG_0098.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1694" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvE0-zdrKoTOKeLbVHFI27q_GKdY47CU2lmiJygZyaiqwF-vo5WDkxPJZjmuFE7QapjFBVBY-LacnmhiW806QXuUpuxbtsTiXlemQzB6Ohi2XHAy68OdlH0K_cLA1zyQSiV6t_xSsazmgVSsiKAoJJa0FR5NmDtTiQt_pWYTVbQ5mW5RR5TOpdVmNeeBQ/w331-h400/IMG_0098.jpg" width="331" /></a></div><br /><p>Guess what. The forecast had changed: the first three days were now Heavy Rain.</p><p>This morning I went out at 6 to start the chores while the goats could still move around without standing in rain. Hastening through the morning round, I finished a bit after 8. The rain had started falling around 7, which means I enjoyed - and I really did enjoy it! - the single not-raining hour of this absolute deluge of a day.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXEVTIzZKQLYYYts4dWyKTUwdm_C6oLfW_opPJ_8xozyyv7Y5b1h9sI-bO0JJPAD58ceOqWrrIou-KxX-EWYsdJFye8qA4Uz4ODkVbLR3iuf0PbpXK5yeaw_HYRT38EOyuV1HLYFBdyBGrustMb8CSp6uJzr6gusdUwa-VYtBOzMbanhCdYgO8o4JOLE/s4608/IMG_0114.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXEVTIzZKQLYYYts4dWyKTUwdm_C6oLfW_opPJ_8xozyyv7Y5b1h9sI-bO0JJPAD58ceOqWrrIou-KxX-EWYsdJFye8qA4Uz4ODkVbLR3iuf0PbpXK5yeaw_HYRT38EOyuV1HLYFBdyBGrustMb8CSp6uJzr6gusdUwa-VYtBOzMbanhCdYgO8o4JOLE/w400-h300/IMG_0114.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><p>When I did evening chores tonight, it appeared the goats had all sheltered early, which is good. But the amount of water that had already fallen - over 3 inches since 7 AM - is making even places that are usually dry, wet. There was no chance at all of shifting any goats between paddocks tonight, and they'll be okay where they are til morning, but then what? My gosh, I don't know how long this can go on. I never could have imagined keeping animals in such conditions. I would never irresponsibly choose to keep animals in these conditions. Yet here I am.</p><p>It's disheartening, to say the very least. To bend all one's efforts to keeping animals healthy and happy, day after day, year after year, and then to fail so very badly.</p><p>According to the latest forecast, this heavy rain <b><i>may</i> </b>stop sometime tomorrow afternoon. Maybe it will. Who knows. I am slowly getting it through my noggin that there is just no point in expecting anything but rain.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbEgqM2kVP6FNZCHtUDT2R98NxVS9EKBCRKWdEswjzEtwnSYGE-xcmZCvN190fHgMssoFN8E7OUMf8wM-n-tReU6sIJKJgKkyu7sjM2_F1U0Irxpb63x81aFTNmmbFqvzOQRibeoVfUEwypQCBndKm8ojvXahyOjaaFc4FFPGNTNpRqqKaXgoK3u6vmA/s4608/IMG_0123.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIbEgqM2kVP6FNZCHtUDT2R98NxVS9EKBCRKWdEswjzEtwnSYGE-xcmZCvN190fHgMssoFN8E7OUMf8wM-n-tReU6sIJKJgKkyu7sjM2_F1U0Irxpb63x81aFTNmmbFqvzOQRibeoVfUEwypQCBndKm8ojvXahyOjaaFc4FFPGNTNpRqqKaXgoK3u6vmA/w400-h300/IMG_0123.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But so far, every time the sun shines, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I still find myself hoping the worst is over.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2204374863752308898.post-23930409930983549632023-09-24T17:47:00.000-04:002023-09-24T17:47:23.753-04:00beans yesterday, beans tomorrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Well, my guess was correct. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The beansalad days are indeed over for the year, though lingering vines are still holding on to their beans.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWby_VKyxLtYrDeVUk8eFD8IPZ70v81s_0sc3pl1VBBQC-AvFgMfXzMWEw3PGjqjOBqVTvzT-5hvNAvAJzejKbAb-QFDIitvczQpe_5SJzQNsGZu0L7YFOy_z0xLkrjQCAISes2Iy7LMq7ikt22qGdZS-jbEMkrT0qS9n-j8plKWEq3hrS1spuIQ09kuU/s2048/IMG_0054.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1431" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWby_VKyxLtYrDeVUk8eFD8IPZ70v81s_0sc3pl1VBBQC-AvFgMfXzMWEw3PGjqjOBqVTvzT-5hvNAvAJzejKbAb-QFDIitvczQpe_5SJzQNsGZu0L7YFOy_z0xLkrjQCAISes2Iy7LMq7ikt22qGdZS-jbEMkrT0qS9n-j8plKWEq3hrS1spuIQ09kuU/w280-h400/IMG_0054.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;">These yellow Romano-type beans, which I don't intend to plant again, are being picked as soon as they start to feel papery, and brought in for further drying, and shelling. Maybe they'll be nice in a soup this Winter.</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3ySrYbhTP5jki5LQ692xtnlveyU5vHLIu_PMH1rGLEbaejPl7yQWDraNzJDEhxvWipq98K-izOMXMmyV7UR_kTDUWRZG3_n7R4hGnBcNe7jmDlMlLE5wr4JGglZjBoV-g3sv6TcoR_G-sDlQB8JZo7N56faXhbOx7iftnfwVXjs2eVoQnyylGRliu-4/s2048/IMG_0049.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3ySrYbhTP5jki5LQ692xtnlveyU5vHLIu_PMH1rGLEbaejPl7yQWDraNzJDEhxvWipq98K-izOMXMmyV7UR_kTDUWRZG3_n7R4hGnBcNe7jmDlMlLE5wr4JGglZjBoV-g3sv6TcoR_G-sDlQB8JZo7N56faXhbOx7iftnfwVXjs2eVoQnyylGRliu-4/w400-h300/IMG_0049.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The last few French filet beans, yellow and green, are being left to dry for seed. They are my long-time favorites but some years it has been impossible to find seeds for the varieties I prefer. Letting them dry on the vine has always been tricky due to Autumn rains, and of course this year, all bets are off regarding weather. Maybe we'll have a very dry Autumn. Who knows? It's raining right now. Anyway, I'll leave them on the vine as long as possible, and hope they don't rot.</p><p style="text-align: center;">When I planted beans this year, the newly-purchased seed looked disappointing, so I dug into my seed box and planted lots of saved bean seed from previous years as well. Thank goodness I planted heavily. What with the weather - apologies if you are sick of hearing about the weather - and my sorry excuse for a trellis, I consider myself very lucky indeed to have harvested enough beans for many bowls of beansalad. Which was just about the only recognizable feature of "Summer" in 2023.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Next year, though? I'm already working on it.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMNZwMLWw1Yvier1pvnDKK4M1rABvspw812WAQgTC9iuZXmpOEELppXc-37oYCCztALz9GOqrq51tJUJ_QHo-eukLamq_QjTD573TOtJxUvp2EU4bZf8EE6BLknHnq-E-pqAqpt70FS14T0OonLZ94ceD2qYtq5KxrGxCE1C2aCecCfLz1QzQnYDuUMGY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="750" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMNZwMLWw1Yvier1pvnDKK4M1rABvspw812WAQgTC9iuZXmpOEELppXc-37oYCCztALz9GOqrq51tJUJ_QHo-eukLamq_QjTD573TOtJxUvp2EU4bZf8EE6BLknHnq-E-pqAqpt70FS14T0OonLZ94ceD2qYtq5KxrGxCE1C2aCecCfLz1QzQnYDuUMGY=w400-h291" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: xx-small;">Vincent 1885</span></blockquote></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: #660000;">~~~~~</span></b></div><p></p>Quinnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17292701509476856967noreply@blogger.com12