Coconut Cake

 

Neighbor Anita invited me over for coffee this afternoon and a special treat.  Seems a lady, originally from Cyprus, used to babysit Anita's granddaughter.  Yia-yia, as she was known, is now retired to Cyprus but her children are making a cookbook of her recipes.  As part of that process, they make each item so it can be photographed.  Anita's daughter, Bridget, came for Thanksgiving and left one of the delicacies Yia-yia was known for - coconut cake.  Makes a delicious moist cake and Anita had additional toasted coconut flakes (with just a touch of orange zest) for a topping.   A surprise dessert for my drawn-out Thanksgiving feast.  Even better, could eat it while gossiping w/ Anita.

Happy Thanksgiving

Sister Connie texted me a pic of our grandmother's china set out for Thanksgiving dinner.  She said instead of keeping it in storage it would be better to use it.   The china is quite pretty and gives off a soft creamy glow. She noted that her granddaughters Callie and Sasha will be eating off their great-great-grandmother's dishes.  (I suddenly feel way older.)

My own Thanksgiving was filet mignon which is much easier to prepare than a turkey and includes no waste (much to Whip's dismay).  A quick browning on all sides in a fry pan and then popped into a covered dish in the oven to finish.  While that was cooking I made a bearnaise sauce.  Paired it all w/ a baked potato and peas.  Perfection (if I do say so myself.)

Watching the Snowstorm

Last night was the monthly Town Planning Committee meeting.  Since it's during Gun Deer Season, Chairman Roger sent out an e-mail ahead of time to make sure we'd have a quorum.  One permit from a guy that had put in a building a year ago.  I think he was well aware that he needed a permit from the town but we gave him the benefit of the doubt and OK'd the permit.  The next item was, interestingly enough, to discuss what penalties to impose on those after-the-act permit requests.  The impetus was the timber cutting temporary driveway requests we get (or don't get) like the one earlier this autumn.  The Town Board hadn't imposed any penalty on the forester.  The company's forester said our process wasn't fast enough.  (Takes about a month).   There already are penalties in the building and driveway ordinances for that kind of infraction.  First the group suggested changing the wording in all of the individual building and driveway ordinances and directing them to the existing ordinance imposing fines so there wouldn't be any discrepancy and make it easier to change amounts in the future.  Second, the group will suggest to the Board that if someone wants an immediate OK for a permit, they can foot the bill for an special Planning Committee and Town Board Meeting - even if their request is ultimately refused.  

Today is the second course of Thanksgiving Dinner: the salad course.  This salad is made up of colorful red leaf and bib lettuce, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy sugared walnuts.  Might cut back on the cooking shows.  Am beginning to emulate their language.

Mjolnir's front door

The forecast is for snow tonight - potentially quite a bit.  Time to take a look around the compound to see what last minute things needed to be attended to.  Still had the extra fixin's for porch pots laying outside near the door.  I had picked up tall red stuff yesterday on my errands so used that and the rest of the evergreens.  Placed them outside the door to Mjolnir.  Seemed to me it could use something more.  Mother Nature will add the white stuff.  Maybe a bow?  Picked up the outside mat in front of Mjolnir's door.  Will put it back in place when someone is going to stay there.  I moved together the chairs on the deck.  Winter winds can be strong and I didn't want it sweeping furniture off onto the lawn.  Brought in  a solar light that I had out by Ragnarök.  Might lose it in the winds/snow - I'll find a more secure place for during the winter.

I watched an aerial fight/flight between two birds out by the feeders.  I thought it was jay giving a little goldfinch a hard time.  Then realized the aggressor was a bit too small, not blue enough, and more maneuverable than a jay.  It was a shrike ... and it wanted goldfinch for breakfast.  The bare lilac bushes weren't quite enough cover for the goldfinch but the little bird managed to make it to the nearby arrowwood bush that still held it's leaves.  The shrike poked around but finally gave up and flew off.  Must have been a ruse known to the goldfinch  'cause it stayed put in it's safe place.  A minute or so and the shrike came back, flittered around the arrowwood bush before giving up and flying off to the Gorge.

I didn't have a burning desire to go to the store for food.  The threat of winter storms usually has that effect on people.  Probably because I'd been grocery shopping just yesterday and had picked up plenty for over Thanksgiving.  I'll be doing Thanksgiving on my own so will spread it out over the rest of the week.  The soup course is today - Spicy Corn.

Red Sunrise

 

Excerpts from Sheriff's Report: 

12:04 a.m. - Suspicious activity Nov. 3 on Cemetery Rd.   Officer reports individual was out ghost hunting.  

6:34 a.m. - Caller reporting there was a male outside her house looking in the windows last night around 11:30 p.m.

7:59 a.m. - Officer contacted by female who reported there were flowers left on her car while she was at an appointment at clinic yesterday.  She is concerned about whoever left them watching her.  Officer will look at clinic video.

8:16 a.m. - Caller reporting a riding mower on the side of the road.  No houses in area.  Deputy on scene states no crash - was driven to this location and appears to be out of gas.   8:35 a.m. - Caller reports male in the ditch on south side of road in vicinity of the out of gas lawnmower.  Deputy in contact with man who did not need assistance.  No need for EMS.  He has been stopping to rest and states he was not involved with the lawnmower. 11:46 a.m. - Caller from Northland Bible Church reporting someone tore the hasp and lock off the shed and took their lawn tractor.  This is the lawnmower found out of gas earlier.  

12:20 p.m. - Caller thinks her sister (neighbor) with whom she has a property dispute is opening her mail.  Deputy spoke with sister who stated she put the tape on one letter but did not open the letter or put 'Return to Sender'.  Parties spoken to about behavior and informed of the complaint.

1:47 p.m. - City reports trucks have been driving into the north part of the cemetery and doing donuts, causing damage to the lawn.  City put up cameras but those were stolen.  City has added cell cameras in locked boxes.

3:56 p.m. - Complaint received regarding vehicle did not stop for school bus stop sign the day before.  Bus driver got plate number today when he saw the vehicle again.  Vehicle driver admitted he did it.  Stated he did not know he had to stop when the bus was in the other lane.  Deputy will meet with parents and explain citation and teen court.

4:07 p.m. - Life Station reporting an activated medical alarm but the owner of the pendant is deceased.

5:03 p.m. - Caller who is in a tree stand by the property reporting two people inside a residence using a flashlight.  Deputy in contact with female who states she was given permission to move into the property but had no documentation for that.  Deputy in contact with individuals who state female is not allowed to be on property.  Those individuals provided a signed and notarized document stating the property is under their control for two years.

5:12 p.m. - Caller reporting someone piled leaves on the roadway.  Resident states he piled leaves on the side of the road and someone drove through them.  He will move them.

7:35 p.m. - Officer stopped a snowmobile driving on the road.  Juvenile driver stated he was arguing with his father before this incident.  Father was called and snowmobile was removed on a trailer.  Juvenile given verbal warning for driving a snowmobile on the road.  

8:17 p.m. - Report of a one-vehicle crash.  Car in ditch and stuck in the brush.  Driver states she swerved to miss a deer.  Marijuana, paraphernalia, a bag of pills, and a white powdery substance were found.  The female was on bond and placed under arrest.  Female kicked and spit on the officer during the search of her person.

10:27 p.m. - Officer spoke with complainant who had videos of a man and female stealing hand tools and an air compressor from the property.   Complainant called female who said she would return items in the morning.  Deputy to follow up tomorrow.

Porch Pot

Yesterday's activity was making a porch pot for winter.  In the Northwoods it's a pretty easy thing to do. 

• Wait until  the temps are below freezing.
• Get a pot that can withstand frozen water (that usually means a metal of some sort)
• Fill it to the brim w/ dirt
• Water the dirt down well
• Stick in stuff you picked up from the countryside.

Once your artistically arranged stems freeze in place, nothing is going to move around until spring.  The day before the beginning of Gun Deer Season, Whip and I cut balsam, spruce, pine branches, and I specifically went looking for red willow or dogwood branches.  Found a clump in the swamp.  Unfortunately, the brilliant red winter berries were already gone: eaten or victims to the constant freeze/thaw cycle this fall.   I cut some tag alder w/ their reddish catkins.  Once home, I found old Christmas decorations of red berries, some white leafy things, and a couple of silver sprays to supplement my natural gleanings from the woods.   Yesterday afternoon while Whip kept guard, I put everything together.  The red willow and the silver sprays didn't do anything for the display so removed them.  Pushed things around a bit until I thought it looked festive.  I don't like this arrangement as much as I did last year's - that year I had lots of winter berry to stick in..  I have enough elements left over, so today I may make a smaller second porch pot for Mjolnir.  Practice makes perfect ... well ... better anyway.

 

Into the Woods

I remained in bed this morning an extra 45 minutes - until sunrise.   It's the start of holy week in the Northwoods (i.e. Gun Deer Season).  Shooting can commence during the later part of  twilight.   Decided to wait until I and the dog would be very noticeable on our walk.  To be even more obvious, I pulled out the blaze orange windbreaker the dairy owners had given me when I worked for them (protecting their investment I guess).   State wide 600,000 hunters will track into the woods this week in hopes of shooting one of the 2 million deer here.  Half of those hunters will be successful.  I listened to the state hunting czar explain to a TV reporter how hunters are  helping their individual communities by reducing the deer population and thus decreasing deer/car collisions.  To be sure, the local paper's question of the week was "Have you ever hit a deer with a car?"  The final percentage was something like 87% had.  (I could only vote once though I've hit three.)   I don't believe altruism is forefront in hunter's minds these next nine days nor do I think most hunters are out there to put venison in their freezers. Personally I don't get what causes this frenzy though local businesses feed into it  and feed off it by offering prizes for the biggest buck, the first buck, the one w/ the most points, etc.  There isn't any hunting on my land but I'm surrounded by property that is.  I'll stick close to home until the woods are quiet again.

Crabapple tree

Lots and lots of Christmas songs but I was wondering what songs would make up a play list for Thanksgiving.  

First thought was for some of the religious hymns I know: Faith of our Fathers, Simple Gifts, We Gather Together, Count Your Blessings

I also like instrumentals: Maple Leaf Rag (Scott Joplin), Autumn (Antonio Vivaldi), Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Theme (Vince Guaraldi Trio), Turkey in the Straw (a bluegrass version of course)

Sprinkle in a few fun songs: Do the Mashed Potato (James Brown),  Stretchy Pants (Carrie Underwood), Gobble Gobble (Matthew West)

Maybe some songs to give you pause: I'm Alive (Willie Nelson), What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong), Native American Powwow music

Then obvious additions: The Thanksgiving Song (Ben Rector), I've got Plenty to be Thankful for (Bing Crosby),  Pass the Pie and Praise the Lord (Jaxon Phoenix), Over the River and Through the Woods

Plus some exuberant get-you-moving songs:  We Are Family (Sister Sledge), How Sweet it is to be Loved by You (James Taylor),  Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Jackie Wilson - I like it better than the version in Ghostbusters)

Other suggestions?

Hoar Frost

 On this day in 1863, President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address which included the phrase "government of the people, by the people, for the people".   Usually legislative districts are redrawn after a census to reflect a change in population.   That's when gerrymandering sometimes occurs and is worked out one way or the other through the courts.  To have a president blatantly call for states to gerrymander in favor of his party is an abomination to government of/for/by the people.  In Texas, gerrymandering for partisan reasons is not illegal.  Doesn't make it right.  Other states are trying to change their districts too - some for one party, some for another.  I don't think that's right either.  Just because you can get away with something, doesn't make it right - or have political parties lost sight of the big picture of Democracy?

Safe enough for a few more days

 

Gave the Spritz cookies another try.  Same recipe but I replaced the almond flavoring for lemon flavoring and added some yellow color.  Also picked out a different metal stencil plate.  Pretty color.  The lemon is a pleasant aftertaste.  Still had issues w/ expressing the cookie.   I did think I might be getting the hang of the thing finally.  Obviously I wasn't  since. on the last batch, the metal stencil buckled from the pressure I was putting on it. Hmmm ... maybe the upper body strength exercises are working.  Managed to extract the stencil - not sure it can be straightened out.  Will try a different recipe, flavor and metal stencil (obviously) on my next try.  Think my sister and I should have made cookies while we were together last week.  That way I would know if I'm doing something wrong or my sister chose the better Spritz cookie maker.

Autumn Skyline

 

While visiting Sister Connie, we went shopping for a realistic fake house plant.  I, myself, put fake flowers in dark rooms for a pop of color and change them w/ the seasons.   I figured however a Master Gardener like my sister would bemoan this choice.  Turns out the house plant wasn't for her house but as a gift for her daughter - who is also a Master Gardener.  "It's like a gardener's gag gift?"   I queried.   Nope.  My  beloved niece takes after her aunt and likes house plants but kinda forgets to water them.  To be sure ... I believe most people probably overwater their house plants.  However, they do need some water and I have learned over the years which houseplants thrive on my neglectful watering regime.   Connie told her daughter she would be getting a fake plant every birthday for awhile.  The idea is the sunny spot in my niece's home would look green again.   I'm not sure that's the answer - or maybe not the whole answer.  I love rocks and so does my niece.  Maybe I should give her some translucent stone orbs to put in that sunny place between her plants.  Rocks don't care if they get watered or not.  They don't even care if it's sunny.  They are very Zen.

Nightshade berries

Tuesday, when I went into the library, Librarian Trevor said the phones had been out for most of the day.  There is infrastructure work going on across the road and they had cut through/disengaged the telephone wires into the library and village hall.  It was Veteran's Day so there was no one at the village hall to notice but Trevor got a call on his cell phone from someone trying to call the library that there was no service.  Trevor immediately called the phone company and got the response "Oops", a pause, and then an affirmation that everything should be working now.  Trevor tried calling out on the library phone - no service.  Trevor again used his cell phone to call the phone company and was told "Well, it may take a half hour for everything to cycle and come back up."  Trevor looked at me as he told his tale and asked "They should have known I'd try it right away.  Why didn't they tell me I had to wait a half hour?"  Got me to thinking that even though the plumber had fixed the water feeds into my washing machine, I hadn't yet tried them.   Did that this morning; worked perfectly.   I also arranged my laundry room back to it's original configuration.  I'd moved all of the tables to the opposite side of the room to enable working on the dryer and wash machine. The small table next to the wash machine where I put my dirty clothes hamper is back in it's place just as, on the opposite end of the room, the long folding table is in it's place next to the dryer.  I smiled when I opened the door to the laundry room tonight.  Doesn't take much to make me happy.

The Grove at Sunrise

 The plumber arrived early this morning.  He was here to fix the hot water feed to the washing machine.  His evaluation of the situation: put in new valves for both the hot & cold.  Easier & faster if he could cut another hole in the laundry room's sheetrock for better access (the washer will be in front of the access hole so that was an easy "yes").   Best of all he said I could watch him work. I "learned something that I didn't know before that I'll want to remember for a long long time" (family joke).   First he shut off the hot water and cold water feeds in the utility room.  I followed behind marking those w/ ID tags.  Sure, anyone can follow the exposed pipes in the utility room but this way the color coded ID's are an immediate indication.  He brought out a cordless tube expander that will temporarily expand the internal diameter of PEX tubing.   He explained PEX wants to go back to it's original diameter but for a brief time after expanding it you can couple pieces together.  As the tubing contracts it creates a water tight seal.  In between teaching moments we engaged in what passes as polite Northwoods small talk.  He saw a nice looking doe at the corner before my house.  His trail cam had picked up a bobcat.  I said I've seen bobcat prints in the snow but never the animal.  Had I hooked up my snowplow yet?  No, have a snowplow guy.  Could use another warm day so I can wash the outside windows.  He had completed everything in about a half hour's time and was on his way.  I'm relieved to have a reliable plumber's name/number to put in my contact list.

Aurora

Probably should have stopped more often on the drive to my sister's and back.  Have developed a pain in the back of my right leg.   It wasn't too bad when I was in Indiana but when I got home it's painful to bend down.  Not a problem.  I assume it will work it's way out and in the meantime pain can be rather entertaining.  

The torque from the winds today brought down two lines on my clothesline.  Retied one back in place but the other line was too frayed.  Not a problem.  If I can't find any extra line, it's simple to get more, cut it to length, and tie it in place. 

I missed seeing the aurora display last night.  Not a problem.  Tonight, they came back for an encore performance.