Fire mitigation fun!

The weather has been unseasonably warm the last few weeks.  We dog sat Charlie this weekend so we decided to get outside and get some fresh air and work on fire mitigation.   We always try to keep sticks and pine cones picked up or at least continually work on it.  Gma enjoys her little grabber tools used to pick up cones.  Charlie enjoyed chewing on the Christmas tree before we cut it up for the trash.

WoW - do I ever agree!

The Day Einstein Feared Enjoying the sightsA visit to the museumHaving a conversation with your best friendOut on an intimate date.Having dinner out with your friends.Cheering on your team.A day at the beach.Having coffee with friends.The day that Albert Einstein  feared has finally arrived!    Well. . . .Hello!  --

Scones

I really enjoy a good scone............this is the recipe (Ina Garten's) I usually make but I double sugar and add more fruit and citrus zest.  I usually sprinkle them with raw sugar prior to baking but Arn enjoys glaze.  The fruit can be change according to what you have and I usually drop the dough by the spoonful instead of rolling and cutting them.

Cranberry Orange Scones

 

Total Time:55 min

Prep20 min

Inactive15 min

Cook20 min

Yield:14 to 16 scones

Level:Intermediate

Ingredients

• 4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced
• 4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water or milk, for egg wash
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.
Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough 3/4-inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn't stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out, and cut more circles.
Brush the tops of the scones with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice, and drizzle over the scones.

Field Trip - Green Mountain Falls/ The Pantry

It was a beautiful 50 plus degree day this past Friday so I decided to get Gma out into the fresh air and go someplace I'd never been before.  Arn was playing golf in Canyon City.  We took off to Green Mt. Falls (about half way between the Springs and Woodland Park).  We were pleasantly surprised and it was definitely a repeatable experience.  It's a cute little mountain town with a stocked pond and gazebo (a friend of mine got married there and then they rode away on their mt. bikes).  We found The Pantry and had brunch and we were not disappointed.  It's a cute little place and very down to earth.   Gma usually orders a bison burger whenever possible and this one was possibly the best one yet.  I ordered an egg white omelet in anticipation for the bread pudding we shared for dessert (the best I've ever had).  http://www.thepantryingreenmtnfallsco.com/  is the link for The Pantry.  There is supposed to be lots of hiking trails located nearby so I plan to check that out for this coming summer.  After that we drove thru town, looked at the Waldo burn area, and headed north thru Garden of the Gods Park.  Every time I drive thru there I wonder why I don't do it more often.  

Summertime @ The Pantry

Movie Recommendation

 

Yesterday afternoon Gma and I watched this movie.  I strongly recommend it.  It's hard to believe that it really happened up until the mid 60's.  An organized deportation of children from England to Australia began during WW 11 and continued until 1967.  The children were removed from homes and parents and sent unaccompanied to Australia where they were placed with charities and home.  Some of them were basically used for child labor and many were molested and worse.  It is based on the book Empty Cradles by Margaret Humpheries who is the social worker who uncovered the whole story and who helps and continues to help the victims find their real families and identities.  It's very disturbing to find that the British government did this and that they only just apologized recently.

A Natural Doggie Treat

I made a few natural dog treats this year for Christmas.  I cut sweet potatoes in rings, punched holes in the rings, and dehydrated them.  I then threaded them onto jute roping and tied knots.  I dehydrated all of the little pieces too.  They are totally natural with no additives and were easy to make.  All of the dogs seem to be enjoying them.  Meredith also made some natural dog biscuits with peanut butter and chicken broth that were well received too.

2013 - Hoping it's a great year.

This past year was pretty busy and we hope that 2013 is an even better year.  Today we relaxed and made kapusta as we do every year.  I woke up to a smell that only needs to be smelled once a year.  My first thought was that Charlie (Tyler's dog) had had an accident.  I then remembered that I had the kapusta in the crockpot overnight.  Stan Sr. came up for the meal and drinks.  Now I'm moving on to the usual new year's resolutions.  I did start the year with a trip to the gym.  I also plan to lose weight, finish projects, get organized, and generally try to be a better person.  As I was going through some paperwork I came across an old email and thought I'd put it on the blog (and get rid of the paper).  We all can use some Instructions for Life from the Dalai Lama.  This was for the new millennium but I think it is always pertinent.


1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risks.
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
3. Follow the 3 R's: Respect for self, respect for others, and responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge.  It's a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

# 8, 13, 15, 16, are some of my favorites..........................
Happy New Year!!


"Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them." - Dalai Lama