This Year's Potatoes

My wife planted potatoes this year: an experiment, to see how well growing produce in the back yard works.

We've been eating the results since late summer/early fall. The individual potatoes aren't as large as what's sold in groceries: but they're at least as good.

We're going through the last of the potato harvest now, so my wife's experimental plot lasted nearly until December. I think that's pretty good for a first attempt.

Fuzzy Photo, and Strawberries

We've wanted central air conditioning in our house for decades, but it wasn't until this year that we could afford it. (May 17, 2013)

That happy event was followed by a remarkably cold stretch of time in May and June. July feels more like summer, though.

I keep my cameras at my desk, which now has a nearly-constant stream of chilled air from a floor register. It's a welcome change of pace from my usual summer experience: when blinking works up a sweat.

When I went outside Sunday afternoon, the smaller and older camera fogged up. I noticed it first on the camera's preview screen. Wiping that off didn't improve the preview's quality by much. The lens was fogged, too.

On the 'up' side, I had a very nice vignette effect for several minutes.


Condensation on the lens: frustration, or opportunity. I decided on "opportunity." July 7, 2013.

Interlude With Strawberries

My wife and #2 daughter spent this morning at the Gwost family's Tutti Fruitti Market Farm near Sauk Centre. They've got a family restaurant and bakery out there, too: but my household goes for the produce.

Folks can pay for access to the land, picking their own produce from the field, or buy 'pre-picked' seasonal fruits and vegetables at the stand. My wife and #2 daughter brought home two buckets of strawberries - and made a little money by turning part of what they harvested over to the Gwost family.


Buckets of strawberries. July 8,2013.

My wife cut up the strawberries this afternoon, and has them in a food dryer. Strawberries are on her 'can't eat' list, but #1 daughter and I will have a treat on occasion for quite a while now.

"Leave Everything Alone"

My wife was making bread this afternoon, but had to get something done at the bank: which left me with a table covered with dough in various stages of preparation.

I asked her if there was anything she'd like me to do while she was out.

After a moment's reflection, she told me: "Leave everything alone."

Kimchi: Like Sauerkraut, But Spicy

I have now sampled kimchi: Korea's version of sauerkraut. I rather like sauerkraut: Germany's version of kimchi. Kimchi is spicier. And redder.

My wife and #3 daughter brought some kimchi home with them from Soo Bahk Do class tonight. My daughter was - impressed? - that I took a look at it, and ate the entire sample: maybe two or three tablespoons-worth.

My eyes started watering about the same time that she was explaining that she'd just touched some to her tongue.

I think my method allows me to experience it more completely.

And, my sinuses seem to be more open now.

Of Yogurt, a Rabbit, Movies and Routines

I'll be switching yogurt brands, after using up the current supply. According to the charts I've been using, that half-cup of yogurt with rice puffs should have been good for breakfast.

But before-and-after blood sugar readings say otherwise. No real surprise, in 20-20 hindsight. Sugar comes pretty quick on the heels of milk on the ingredients label. Oh, well: There are alternatives.

My son and I read Garfield and sang tonight, as usual. That's a pleasant ritual. My wife and #3 daughter were watching a "Nancy Drew" video while I've been catching up on today's posts.

Good grief! That's a syntactic monstrosity, but I'll let it stand.

I watched "2001: A Space Odyssey" this afternoon. That makes three movies I've seen on television withing the week. The others were (part of) "Aliens" and (part of) "The Incredibles." The latter I enjoyed. The former? I know more about the approach of the franchise - and congratulate myself on not spending money on a movie ticket.

Add "Avatar," (a week ago tomorrow), and I've been spending a whole lot of time this week, watching movies. I don't intend to make that a habit.

Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, has had an apple core from my son this evening, and one from me. He likes those things - and has gotten quite good at walking/hopping on his hind feet to take them from our hands. My son's reasoning is that Giol enjoys the apple core more, if he has to work a little for it, so he makes it a bit more difficult for the rabbit. He could be right.

#1 daughter is, presumably up in the Red River Valley of the North, visiting #2 daughter and my son-in-law.

Which pretty much sums up the day's happenings. Right. My wife and #3 daughter have been out, getting groceries and something at Wal-Mart - the latter including a refill of my glucose test strips.

And now, I can call it a day. Good night, and may God bless.

Another Day, More Posts; Some Research; and a Rabbit

I had a short talk with my son-in-law today, and an insurance agent. He - that's my son-in-law - is getting insurance for the house he and #2 daughter are living in. Good idea, too.

And, if I heard it right, I'll have a new niece or nephew soon. The extended family's growing. For which I'm duly grateful.

The task-list system I started last year is working. Which reminds me of the story of the speckled axe. If you've heard this before, skip the next paragraph.

A father and son were getting ready to chop wood. This was in the days when you sharpened an axe by turning a stone wheel by hand and holding the axe blade against it. The son didn't want to have a speckled axe when they were done. He wanted to get the axe perfectly sharpened and polished, with no rust left at all. The father agreed, on the condition that the son turn the wheel. After a while the son got tired and said, "Dad, I think a speckled axe is okay."

Well, I decided to accept a speckled-axe approach to the task list. I had all the tasks that could be done listed. But each day I only did those that really needed to be finished.

Today, I only have thee left undone. Not bad, actually. And, improving.

My son and I read Garfield tonight, as we usually do, before he went to bed.

He gave an apple core to Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, on his way upstairs. Giol's a bit mellower now, than he was over the last few weeks. Still, he hopped energetically on his back feet, reaching for the apple core.

Which brings me up to the present. Giol is sitting under a chair in the kitchen, washing himself. He reminds me of the cats I knew, growing pu, when he does that. Good memories.

And, good night.

Grilling Steak for Supper, Yesterday

I almost forgot - yesterday, my wife asked me if I'd like to grill steak for supper.

After a grill-less weekend? You bet!

They came out pretty well - which I suspect is as much due to the meat selected, as to my efforts.

It's occurred to me that grilling burgers and steaks is a socially-acceptable way to 'play with your food.'

Monday, the Sequel: Corn on the Cob and a Semi Tractor

My wife and I ate corn-on-the cob, thoughtfully provided by #1 daughter, out in the tent. A nice, restful place.

Someone on the other side of the block was running their lawn mower, a mourning dove somewhere to the north and east cooed at odd intervals, and as we wrapped up our meal a neighbor drove up in a semitrailer tractor. He's been parking it in his driveway lately, and seems to be doing some maintenance on it.

Monday: Small Town Tranquility and Road Work

A tranquil small town Monday afternoon: Sauk Centre style.

The house has stopped shuddering - for the moment. A road crew has been outside for most of the afternoon, laying another inch of asphalt on the west side of Ash Street. It's offered me the opportunity of watching road-building technology at work.

But Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, didn't seem to like the noise and vibration. And my wife had me close a window. She said that odors from the tar were getting in, and she's probably right. With my sense of smell, it wasn't at all obvious.



Friday morning, #1 daughter got her raft out of storage, put it on her car, and had it inflated at a gas station. Then, leaving it upside-down on the car roof, she sat inside the tube and patched leaks. She'd gotten a leak kit at Fleet Supply.

Friday afternoon, soon after lunch, #1 daughter headed off to use her raft. Around 4:00, I started wondering where she was. Making a long story short, I called her a couple of times (she had prudently brought her cell phone along), gotten acquainted with three or four young men who were fishing on the 12th Street bridge over the Sauk River, let my wife know what was going on, and parked the van near that bridge.

Meanwhile, #1 daughter was drifting down the Sauk River, watching great blue herons, running into a beaver lodge - literally - and enjoying the passing revue of nature's wonders.

About that beaver lodge: she'd maneuvered around it without incident. Once she was past it, though, she discovered a spot where the current ran in reverse: and got a much closer look at the lodge than she'd planned.

#1 daughter told me that she'd planned to pole back to the Conservation Park, below the dam, where she'd started out. Then, she discovered that the river bottom was too muddy. Her paddles went into the mud just fine: but getting them out meant pulling about as much as she'd pushed. Net movement of the raft, therefore, was just about zero.

Back to the 12th Street bridge: I'd talked with the young men, so they were on the lookout for #1 daughter. Two of them brought the raft up to the street for her. They were quite impressed with the raft. I understand they were talking about building one or two for themselves, so they could fish closer to the river.

Leaving the raft there, I drove #1 daughter back to her car, and eventually we got her, the raft, and me, back for supper.

More must have happened that day, but I can't seem to remember. Actually, I do remember a sort of whirl of research, writing posts, and wracking my mind for something amusing to write for one blog.

Saturday was more of the same for me. Except that I grilled burgers - always a treat - and ate lunch with my wife in a tent that's rigged in the back yard. Quite a few small insects have found their way inside, and try flying out: through the tent's translucent top. They make a sound like a light rain, even - or especially - when the sun's out. Happily, they leave the food alone.

My wife would have taken her nap out there, except she didn't find a sleeping bag. The ground's a trifle cool to relax on. Maybe next weekend.


Eucharistic procession heading out from Our Lady of the Angels church.

I missed grilling Sunday. The two Catholic churches in town had a procession from one to the other and back: and I spent most of the noon hour taking photos.

My daughter spent the afternoon and evening at friends of ours, a bit under ten miles east of town. She went there to do a CutCo demonstration, and stayed to catch up. They hadn't gotten together for quite a while. Some of the family's sons are planning to go into farming, which means finding ways to save enough money. They've got a dairy farm: I found out that milk prices at their end have gone down as prices on the shelf have gone up. The milk on their table is produced on-site: which helps.

Sunday evening, a bit late, #1 daughter and I watched another episode of "Bleach," a cartoon series we both enjoy.

Which brings me up to today. #1 daughter was out on a sales call this morning and has another set up for this evening, my wife's been working on #2 daughter's wedding dress, #3 daughter's been writing - there's a lot of that going around in the family - and I had a few words with my son on the phone. He spoke at much greater length with my wife. He's still having a good time at the farm: chopping wood and doing chores as well as getting to know his new laptop.

A Rabbit at School, and Cleaning Up After Horses

My wife and #3 daughter cut their hair over the weekend: an annual event, preparing for summer's heat.

#1 daughter took her rabbit, Giol, to my son's class after lunch today. He'd called, earlier, to make sure she remembered. It went pretty well, although Giol was a little rattled. #1 daughter tells me that he tried to flee, when some children tried to pet him. Then about 30 kids, despite the teacher's pleas, started after him.

Giol was a nervous rabbit after that. He recovered, though.

#1 daughter tells me that she got a plug in for the humane society, responsible pet ownership, and her still-being-written comic: so I'd say the event was worthwhile.

And, #1 daughter made another sale today. Good news. She's been averaging about 1 a day lately: we'll see how this goes.

My wife's current 'crop' of sprouts is just about ready to eat. They're tasty and - so I'm told - nutritious: well worth the trouble of cleaning out the trays after each 'harvest.'

After supper today, #3 daughter, my son, my wife, and I went to the fairgrounds. The Soo Bahk Do class was raising funds by shoveling manure out of stalls, after a horse show. I spent a few minutes, opening one of the doors for ventilation and looking for a light switch, but spent most of an hour and a quarter shoveling.

That was good exercise.

And now, after the family's prayed and my son and I have read Garfield, it's time to call it a day.

Sunday: Just About Everyone's Here

Except for #2 daughter, who's down in Louisiana for a few months, we're all here this weekend. #1 daughter came down from Alexandria on Friday, to make a long weekend of it here: bringing her rabbit, Giol, with her. He's got a place in the basement to stay when he's here.

The Twin Cities set a record yesterday: warmest day on record. It was pretty warm here, too: around 40. Things are back to normal today: the snow is a little wilted, but still very much with us. There's around a foot and a half on the ground.

#3 daughter showed #1 daughter where the emergency room staff taped her up: it's where the seat belt was. No serious damage, but I'm told that it looks distinctly unappealing. #3 daughter was impressed that the hospital put transparent tape over the lacerations. She can see every detail through it. She's not positively impressed: but she is impressed.

I'm glad that #1 daughter's here. It's nice to see her and her rabbit, and talk with her: but it's also nice to have someone else to help in the kitchen.

My wife has been up and around more, and doing parts of food preparation that need intelligence and experience. I don't know, but it's possible that my using her kitchen has been speeding up her recovery.

My father-in-law was over early in the afternoon. I found out that he's making a statue of St. Faustina. It'll be in St. Paul's church.

More good news: My wife got upstairs and was able to sleep in a "real" bed last night, instead on the fold-out bed on the ground floor. She's definitely on the mend. Last night she joked that she and #3 daughter would have to go to Soo Bahk Do tonight, to show off their knees - while they're still an assortment of interesting colors.

Good Neighbors

We've got good neighbors. Someone was willing to drive to Alexandria and back to pick my wife and #3 daughter up. If all goes well, they'll be back in a little less than an hour.

More or less.

I'll sure be glad to see them.

Now, I'd better make sure that I have a meal ready. They haven't eaten since noon: and it's 8:20 in the evening now.

Wednesday: A Safe Deposit Box and a Bathroom Floor

I think we're just about done with Christmas cards. I took care of the family's Christmas letter earlier this week. To be honest, my wife wrote it: I just keyed it in and printed enough copies.

Our #1 daughter spent most of the day here in Sauk Centre. My wife had her clean the bathroom floor, so she should still feel 'at home' here.

#1 daughter and I drove to the bank, to use the family's safe deposit box there. I hadn't planned on getting out today, but the cold air and snow don't seem to have done any harm. Next stop was Coborns grocery. They've got items she can't seem to find in Alex, where she's living.

#1 daughter stayed for supper: she said she wanted the liver. The two of us talked while I checked out a few things online, then it was time for her to go.

#3 daughter is on the mend, I think.

My wife and #2 daughter had an extended talk on the phone this evening. It's finals week, and I understand that there's good news in Moorhead. #2 should be back - this weekend, I think. But, I could be wrong. There's a reason that my wife maintains the family schedule.

Ants! It's a Two-Front War Now!

Somehow, the ants found their way into our general foods storage depot. They've occupied a box of crackers, and probably have targeted other units as well.

A valiant effort at cutting off their supply lines on the southern front was partially successful, but I fear that this is only a temporary reprieve.

Chemical warfare is still the backbone of my wife's strategy against the ants. Determining that our stock of basil leaf has lost its potency, she is bringing fresh material into action.

Our Research and Development unit deployed an innovative device, consisting of glue and several types of grease. The ants formed a perimeter around the device, but otherwise ignored it.

"Those are smart ants," my wife observed.

Additional reports will follow, as circumstances warrant.

A Cherry Tree, a Family, Birds and Bugs

Quite a few years ago, we planted a cherry tree. They're attractive, and we like cherries.

The first year, the tree blossomed, and a few cherries appeared around mid-summer. And were promptly sampled by birds. And bugs.

The next year, it was the same story.

And the next.

We've tried covering the tree in netting, but mostly succeeded in bending the tree's branches. I think we managed to break one.

The netting was a mish-mash of pieces of an old picnic tent we'd found in a shed. The tree and netting looked a bit like the modern art I grew up with. That, or a accident involving an upholsterer's delivery truck.

This year, we got a reasonable harvest from that tree. Two, actually.



At the rate the kids are eating these, they won't last long.



Even after two trips to the tree, there's enough for the birds and bugs. And us, if we're quick enough about it.