Category: Random Stuff

Working for the Weekend

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It’s almost Friday, and I’m Working for the Weekend. Some weeks are longer than others, and that’s when you need a good laugh.

The song is Solid Gold 80s and Loverboy’s contribution to the working man’s anthem. If you remember the 70s guitar rock and over-the-top 80s hair bands, then this music video will sing to your heart.

I can remember standing in the music section of the local Walmart ogling the album cover. It was so salacious for its time and so very 80s excess – red leather pants on a hot ass with crossed fingers behind your back, titled “Get Lucky.” That is 80s greatness.

My husband and I had been talking about a YouTube lip-synch video we saw a couple years ago featuring this song. Considering the 80s era, subject matter and music itself, there is a lot to work with here.

It is a clever lip-synch music video that looks like a well-thought out SNL skit, complete with stereotypical musician characters and a cowbell.

The original video upload was on a blog (back when we still called them weblogs) in 2005 by a guy named Shawn (Barrett) Barrester, now archived on YouTube. Watch closely–and this is the best part– it’s the same guy. Barrester plays every part, in character.

What might have started out as a party trick ends up being a true homage to Loverboy, not to mention it’s damn funny and impressive all at once.

After watching this a few times I can tell a few things about the star of the video:

  1. He has a witty sense of humor and isn’t afraid to use it.
  2. He’s a technophile because for 2005 the editing and production value are sophisticated.
  3. This guy is a really talented musician and can play any instrument he picks up. He has quality instruments and plays every lick. Replay the video a few times and watch when each instrument is featured. He is really hitting the guitar riffs and he knows how to play the drums. But the characters are what really bring the video to life. .
  4. He’s very fit and works out, probably with weights. He has impeccable rhythm and timing
  5. He has been singing in front of the mirror for a really long time. Go baby, go!

I’m working for the weekend!

Happy Friday, Y’all.

Killing Frost and Terrorist Black Flies

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The first day of November was glorious—a bright blue sky, upper 70s, no wind, overnight low in the upper 50s. Totally kick-ass weather for growing a fall crop of tomatoes, eggplants and chili peppers.

This is North Texas …It can be 90 degrees one day and 30 the next; we can have 100-degree temperature swings within the same year.


(February 2011. It was 10 degrees. 113 degrees August 5, 2011 after 10 p.m. )

I knew something was up because the last two days have been filled with black flies acting crazy, terrorizing me – at home, the office, the coffee shop, everywhere.

Black flies are one of the most annoying critters on Plant Earth. I grew up on a ranch with lots of animals pooping nearby, let’s just say you can never have enough fly swats, fly paper or bug zappers. But when the flies swarm and act crazier than usual, you know the weather is about to change. After a sudden killing frost you can walk around and see thousands of fly exoskeletons on the ground.

As a gardener, I know the end is near for my tender annual vegetables—it’s November. I’m in USDA zone 7B with an average first frost date of November 14. But, I’m clinging to the hope that I can nurse my plants along, especially since they just started producing fruit after surviving a wretchedly hot, bone-dry summer. (No exaggeration, it’s on record as the driest, hottest summer since 1950).

So I pulled up my trusty weather app on my iPhone and sure enough … big cold front moving in—decidedly not good for the garden.

I put in an emergency call to handyman husband to get supplies at the hardware store and I made a mad 5 p.m. dash to the feed store to get plastic sheeting. An hour and a half later we have the garden covered. (I am not going back out there to take a picture, Ok I took a picture this morning.)

The temps went from 70 degrees to 45 in about two hours with winds gusting up to 40 mph. I made one last harvest, just in case.

Jalapenos are beautiful, fruity and spicy-delicious right out of the garden.

Serrano peppers just off the vine.

Thanks for the help, sweet husband. Eggplant parmesan is in your future.

Tomato Tutorial: Determinate v. Indeterminate

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Tomato Tutorial: Determinate v. Indeterminate

Determinate or indeterminate, who knew?

 

 

 

If you start paying attention to the info on the back of seed packages or catalogue descriptions you will start to notice one of two words showing up. Determinate or Indeterminate.

Until recently, I would just shrug not understanding what that was all about. Occasionally you will see semi-determinate, which is usually an heirloom cultivar. However the classification is similar to pole beans or bush beans.

 

What’s the difference?

Determinate= a bush-type plant, meaning that the plant has a “determinate” height. It will grow to a point then will stop growing up. All new growth will then take place from side-shoots off the main stem. And the plant will be bushy. These plants usually set fruit and ripen in a concentrated span of time, making this a great type if you want to can tomatoes.

Growing determinate plants: use a tomato cage, a good sturdy one, it might be helpful to also put a stake near the main stem and tie the stem to it. It will keep the plant from toppling over when its heavy with fruit.

Sturdy tomato cage.

Indeterminate= vine-type plant. This is a tomato that will continue to grow and has an “indeterminate” height. These can be unruly, if not staked and caged well. For those of you in Texas you know what I mean. In August the tomato vines will be heavy and 10 feet tall and still growing. And you will be looking at this profuse vine thinking “what am I supposed to do with this?” These types set fruit and ripen continuously, so you have an ongoing supply of tomatoes from the vine.

Growing indeterminate plants: use a very tall stake or tomato ladder so the vines can grow up. This helps to keep the fruit off the ground which leads to a whole other set of problems.

I’ve also been known to drive in a T-post and use in conjunction with a cage. When the vines get too heavy for the cage to support it, the T-post will prop the cage up. T-posts are in abundance on the ranch because we use them to build barbed-wire fences.

An example of using a T-post with a cage (this is not my garden, BTW)

One type is not better than the other, but it’s helpful to know what kind you are growing when planning your garden. You can select specific types depending on what you want to accomplish or the planting space you have available. Personally I like a variety of both in my garden. I have a small raised-bed garden at my house and a large plot in our family garden out at the ranch. In my small home garden I’ve planted a variety of both indeterminate and determinate tomatoes.

The determinate types will suit my purposes better at home because they are compact plants and will ripen in a concentrated period of time. I can harvest my main tomato crop, then move on to my next crop and get the most out of my small garden. I’m also hoping to have enough come off at one time to can (aka put up) my crop.

Canned tomatoes

At our ranch plot, I’ve got more indeterminate varieties because we have much more space and can provide plenty of room for the plants to spread out. I’m hoping the indeterminates can provide a just-in-time regular delivery of homegrown tomatoes to eat throughout the season.

One last note about growing tomatoes in Texas: think of growing tomatoes in 2 shorter growing seasons, instead of one long season. Tomatoes will take a hiatus from mid-July to late August when it’s too hot. In fact, most tomatoes will not set fruit when overnight temps reach 80-85 degrees.

My plan is to grow an early crop, pull up spent plants, then replant in late August for a fall harvest.

Flowers on the tomato vine now hopefully mean juicy tomatoes later.

Fingers crossed. Happy Gardening 🙂

Spring’s Fling: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

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Spring’s Fling: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries and Chocolate ... Simple Goodness.

Spring is the season for strawberries.  I love berries of all kinds.  And now is the strawberry’s time to shine.  When you are making things with 3 to 5 ingredients, it’s really important to get the best available ingredients possible. This means using fresh produce. If you can get locally-grown produce, even better.

For me one of life’s simple pleasures is chocolate-covered strawberries. I’m a chocoholic and a lover of all berries. But this is simple and delicious.  There are three ingredients: strawberries, cream and chocolate.

Wash a package of fresh strawberries and pat dry.  I used a one-pound package for this recipe. Set them aside to continue drying.  You want them to be as dry as possible to dip into the chocolate.

Strawberries! These came from United Supermarkets!

Next, use a high-quality semi-sweet chocolate.  Scharffen Berger is my favorite … it’s happiness in a wrapper.

Happiness in a wrapper!

If you can’t find it in your local grocery store, Ghirardelli makes a good-quality chocolate and is readily available in most stores.  If you prefer, you can use a darker chocolate, which has a higher percentage of cacao. Kitchen Tip: sometimes you can find a good chocolate bar for melting and baking in the candy section instead of the baking section.

Put 3-4 ounces (one bar) of chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.

Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream. (technically this is chocolate ganache, which is just the fancy way of saying: chocolate with cream.)

I love cream.
Cream makes everything better-- that and butter!

Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate and cream have melted together.

Mix well!

Take your dry strawberries and dip into the chocolate and put on a chilled plate or pan covered with wax paper.

Dippidy-do, I love you, chocolate.

Stick in the refrigerator for 45 minutes so that the chocolate has time to set up.  Then serve it up and enjoy.

Mmmmm ... Chocolate and Strawberries!

(PS – my photos will improve, I promise.  I’m now motivated to learn how to use my camera much better!)

The Band

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The Band

“We’re putting the band back together!”   What movie?

If you live anywhere near Chicago you don’t get to guess … or if you’re a die-hard Dan Aykroyd or John Belushi fan … enough clues, already.

“The Blues Brothers!?! They still owe you money, fool.” Thank you Aretha Franklin and The Blues Brothers for the awesomeness of that quote.

Jake and Elroy Blues with Aretha

So my hubby and Runnin’ Buddy are now in a “band.” A band of two and they’ve decided to name themselves the Inlaws (no hyphen, I’ve been instructed).  The name is cleverly thought up.  You see they are just getting started as an acoustic duo.  And their first “gig” is to play as the intermission band at the annual Knights of Columbus rodeo dance.  The gig was acquired thru their “connections.”

Practic session in the back yard while smoking elk tenderloin.

The name comes from the fact that one of the head organizers of the rodeo is the father-in-law of Runnin’ Buddy.  And my hubby’s father-in-law (my dad) is the bass player in the headliner band, 380 West.  Hence, the Inlaws.

Runnin’ Buddy has played in serious bands before.  He played in several Austin-based bands whose booking venues could range from 100-2,000 people.  He’s a lead guitar player, and pretty darn good too.  Just in the last few months of tinkering around and playing with my hubby – the hubby has improved tremendously with his guitar playing. Did I mention that Runnin’ Buddy was a really good guitar player?

The pressure of the-first-gig deadline is looming, and with that I have a whole new appreciation for my mom.  She has endured hours-long practice sessions with my dad and his band.  The process of learning a song includes picking-around with different chords, random outbursts of broken lyrics, and the repetitious play-pause, play-pause of recorded music, followed by the plunkey-pick-around learner’s version. I love that my husband has a musical side and I’m even happier that he’s found a Runnin’ Buddy to play with him.  Fortunately I really like the songs they’ve chosen to play and best of all … I get to make song requests.    First up, It’sAll Been Done by the Barenaked Ladies.

Perennial Favorites and Bad Dogs

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Perennial Favorites and Bad Dogs
I was just writing about spring and how I love to watch things grow … and it’s even cooler to see perennials emerging from their winter slumber. 
 
Half the time I forget I’ve planted them, then I will start to see this little bit of green peeking out.  After an investigation, I realize it’s not a weed, but a perennial. 
This is a lilly -- not sure which kind yet.

Love perennials … they are more expensive than annuals, but if you select the right varieties for your area, you will be able to enjoy them year after year. 

I personally try to have a good mix of perennials and annuals.  One of my most favorite annuals of all time is the pansy. 

Happy Pansy Face

Look at this pretty, happy pansy face!  Fortunately where I live, I can plant pansies in the fall and they will usually overwinter then grow all spring until the end of April.  Then I rip them out and replace them with something more heat tolerant.

 This is Mexican sage, a hearty perennial.

Mexican Sage waking up from a long winter's Siesta

Sometimes I find this in the garden… bad dog … if you can’t tell by the photo,  my dog Ruby, dug in the flower bed and dislodged this beautiful specimen of Mexican Sage. 

Bad dogs dig in the flower beds

I love Mexican sage for my particular area, because it’s hardy and blooms continuously, it can withstand the hot Texas sun and summer, and requires very little watering.

Mexican sage in full bloom -- pretty!

This is a variegated sedum, another hearty perennial that can grow just about anywhere in the U.S.

Variegated sedum, aka striped sedum
Verigated sedum in its full bloom, in the late summer or early fall.

 What’s the difference?

Annuals complete their lifecycle in one growing season, meaning that an annual plant can grow from seed to maturation (seed reproduction) in one season—snap dragons, petunias and pansies. Generally most garden vegetables are annuals.

Perennials have an ongoing lifecycle, meaning they come back every year after a period of dormancy. Trees and shrubs are good examples, but other flowers are salvia, daisies, sedums and chrysanthemums. Some perennials are grown as annuals in northern climates because they are not cold-hardy.  A good example of this is dusty miller. It’s a perennial where I live, but in Kansas and north, it’s not hardy enough to overwinter.     

BTW … for those of you North Texas gardeners out there, we are coming up on our last average killing-frost dates this week and next.  For more info contact your local Texas county extension agent– they know all the scoop for your county’s growing particulars. (PS– if you live in a different state they have extension offices too).

The bad dog ... Looking very pretty on a spring day at the "Goat Ranch." (there aren't any goats, btw).

Tomato time in Texas

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Tomato time in Texas

About 2 more weeks and we North Texas gardeners will be able to plant our tender crops.  And that means Tomatoes!  [Why exactly do we have to add an “e” when we make the word “tomato” plural – don’t answer that Micki Jo].

If you have ever had homegrown tomatoes you can fully appreciate the greatness of having fresh garden-ripened tomatoes.  Unfortunately half the year we are relegated to those hard, sorta red tomatoes—I call them red baseballs in the grocery store.

Garden tomatoes!

You can never have enough tomatoes during the summer months … when you are up to your eyeballs, all you have to do is can them.  Then in the winter when you are making a stew or chili, pop open a couple jars of our canned tomatoes, and ta-dah – happiness in a jar.

Canned tomatoes

I went nuts in my greenhouse this winter with tomatoes … There are about 100 or so plants. Yikes! 

Lots and lots of 'maters ... Tomato plants galore

Calling all Gardeners! I need a few of you to take these off my hands!

Bacon Chocolate and a Man-Date

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Bacon Chocolate and a Man-Date

Not so long ago my husband and his Runnin’ Buddy ran off to Ft. Worth under the guise of getting ingredients for a crab boil to have a special dinner for the four of us.  

Runnin’ Buddy’s wife and I are always jealous when our hubbies take off like this because they have wonderful “Man-Dates.” They go eat at nice restaurants, (Reata) go shopping and usually end the “Date” with a trip to the foo-foo grocery store, Central Market.

We are all foodies—Runnin’ Buddy’s wife even went to culinary school – she’s a chef! So for us, Central Market is good times. My hubby and Runnin’ Buddy come home from their Man-Date with a truck load of crab and other sundries. 

As parting gifts they brought us Bacon Chocolate Bars. Very interesting mix of sweet and salty.  Not sure I want to eat it every time I need a sweet fix, but it’s very good.  My favorite chocolate is Scharffen Berger.  That is happiness in a wrapper.

Give them chocolate before we tell them about the "Man-Date"

Anyway …After they gave us chocolate, they told us of how the Central Market Foodie was handing out chocolate samples and took a shine to them.  According to the husbands, the CM Foodie gave them about $45 each in chocolate samples.  After they left the area she, then had the audacity to track them down a few aisles over and give them more chocolate.  

Many other [female] shoppers were left standing in the aisles wondering where they got the samples.Apparently the Foodie wasn’t as generous to the ladies shopping for their households in the middle of the day as she was of the dudes on the Man-Date. 

 In all my single years, I don’t think I’ve ever had as good a time on a date as these two did on their Man-Date.

The House that Love Built

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The House that Love Built, Part 2

How do you have a baby’s funeral?  Even one that you knew was going to happen. There are many parents out there who have had a baby that died, but it’s rarely talked about, certainly not after a while.

Yesterday my long-time and dearest friend experienced that loss… Hope Abigail was born on a Thursday and died 12 days later succumbing to a fatal chromosomal disorder called Trisomy 18. It was quite an emotional ride, even for me as a person who is far removed from it all.  My friend lives in Houston and since moving home to North Texas in 2000, we’ve tried to see each other once a year.  Not as often in the last few years, now that we both have a young child at home.

Since finding out about this baby’s fate, I have often thought of my friend and how she could be feeling at any given moment. We have not talked on the phone, not even once since the information about T18 was revealed. I’m not sure we could have a meaningful conversation, but rather a cry-fest.

Our society’s written word has had a resurgence in recent months with blogging and texting so readily available and convenient.  With this situation, the written word was very handy and the preferred medium of communication.

Such an emotionally charged topic can be managed easier thru the written word. My friend started a blog shortly after leaning her baby’s T18 diagnosis. I’ve followed it regularly.

We’ve texted and emailed several times thru the latter course of her pregnancy, and even a few times the topic wasn’t about the baby or her pregnancy. I hope that was of useful distraction to her, although it felt very selfish of me to even bring up a topic so trivial as mine. 

I’ve had a lot on my plate lately but it pales in comparison to planning a baby’s funeral. Of all my friends and acquaintances in this world this friend and her husband are the most capable and willing to care for a special-needs child. They are the most equipped mentally and spiritually to handle the loss of a child too, as if that’s some kind of special trait one would want to have.

Once upon a time before the greatness of blogging there was an old skill called journaling. And after a trip to Houston to see my friends I wrote in my journal about the “house that love built.” And at the time, my perspective on love was from a different point of view. 

When I was writing about this house that love built, my heart’s greatest desire was to have a loving husband, a home, a child and a garden. Then,  I was thinking about love from the angle that my friends were dedicated to their family and devoted to each other and being in their home you knew their union had stuck—that it was solid.  They were on the same page in thought, heart and soul. What they had was something that I hoped to have for myself.

Now looking back on this journal entry, after being blessed with all the desires of my heart, what I was really writing about was God. This is a house that God built. And thru that solid foundation, I know they will survive this tragedy and go on and thrive once more.  And their home will always be a house that Love built.

Who do you know?

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A funny thing about living in a small town is that no matter where you go you run into someone you know … EVERYWHERE.  Living in larger metropolitan areas for so many years, I had become used to the anonymity of my environment.  My first experience with this was in the summer of 1994, when I left Texas and moved to Chicago for my first real job out of college.  It never really occurred to me that I knew no one— not one soul. I had no one to call if I got into a bind.  It didn’t bother me but it bothered my mom, a lot. And it wasn’t long before I made friends. But the idea of knowing no one, it’s a little frightening to me now.

Since moving back to small-town America, I’ve once again become accustom to seeing someone I know everywhere I go. At the grocery store, post office, bank, hardware store, every restaurant, etc. Sometimes I miss the anonymity of the big city, especially when I don’t want to do my hair and makeup, or if I’m in a crabby mood and don’t want to talk to anyone.  However it’s a good trade when you are short on cash and the restaurant owner says you can pay me later; or when your kid wakes up on Saturday with pink eye and you can call your doctor at home (and he’s listed) and ask for him to call in a prescription. My favorite recent incident: our lawnmower croaked in the middle of mowing my front yard.  Our neighbor watched us struggle, and then offered to mow the rest for us. We took him up on it. It’s those little acts of kindness and the belief that it all works out in the end that is part of the Arcadian Experience.