Compost Happens

Letters to our "Leaders"

2012-02-01T06:09:00.001-06:00

Dear President Lincoln,

You told us that "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I know you meant the nation's splitting into two, Union and Confederate, fighting brother against brother. Unfortunately, your statement would be apt today in my home state - Wisconsin.

Dear State Senator Ellis,

Do you remember your offhand, spontaneous, condescending statement from last Monday night? No, not the one making all the media. I'm talking about when you told my friend and professional colleague that if she didn't like teaching, she should get another job. She informed you in no uncertain terms that we, the dozens of teachers in attendance, love teaching. We hate what you've done to teachers.

Dear Soon-to-be-Former Governor Walker,

We love our jobs; we hate how you treat our profession. We used to be public employees, dedicating to educating today's children, tomorrow's workforce. Under your rule (reign? You seem to feel all-powerful and kingly), we've been changed from public servants to public enemies.

Dear voters;

Bring photo ID to the polls, and be prepared for long lines. Your vote counts! Let's get this state back to its progressive tradition. Let's elect leaders who lead by example, not by force.

Let's elect legislators who lead not by dividing, but by uniting.

Why I'm taking hiatus from posting Recipes

2012-01-31T06:32:00.000-06:00

When I look up recipes via my blog, I find errors. Typos, ingredients left out...

It's becoming a chore instead of fun. "Oh, no, what will I post this Tuesday?"
I've found myself repeating recipes too often.
My recipes are becoming boring - to me. And if I'm bored, you're probably bored.
Change is good.

On the other hand:

I'll still post seasonal recipes while the Farmers' Market is running.
My garden will inspire more; I'm sure of it.
I like to play in the kitchen; I'll share some of those experiments with my readers.
If there's a story behind a recipe, it'll make an interesting post.
I'm working toward incorporating more meatless meals into the family diet. Those may be worth sharing.

So, dear readers, I'll still share kitchen stories and kitchen fun and maybe even join in a foodie blog hop or two. But for now, The "kitchen stories" label will have a well earned rest.

Random Thoughts and Lobbying

2012-01-27T06:37:00.003-06:00

The roads were still slick, so I had to drive carefully.

The van near the old bus depot had a logo on the side. It was the shuttle for the Warming Center, an overnight shelter. One thought: I'm glad there is a safe and warm place to go. Second thought: it's sad that people are in such dire straits that this service is a necessity.

Pulling up to a parking space, I dropped in enough change for an hour and a half. If I got a parking ticket, that would probably be a sign that I should give up on politics. Right? Nah.

The event had, as always, a good buffet of munchies and a cash bar. We nibbled, we caught up with friends who were there, and then started pointing out the important people, those we were there to meet.

Meet, greet, work the room. Teachers really don't train for situations like this. Business people do, and politicians excel in the atmosphere. We're learning. More teachers are getting active than ever before. We must. There is no option.

Soon-to-be-former Gov. Walker didn't show. He didn't send a staff member, either. At least my congressman sent a staffer - someone who turned out to be familiar to me because his child was in my class a few years ago. Ah, my chance! I can do this; make small talk (I was sincerely interested in hearing about his son's progress), and ease the way for the more direct of my colleagues who would bring up the legislation that mattered to us.

I met and talked to or listened to my state assembly rep, another state assembly member from a nearby district (great guy - why have I not met him before?), & our county executive. I waved a greeting to my state senator (he doesn't know me, but I keep writing him letters) and signed all the attendance sheets for those elected officials who didn't see this event as necessary.

Now the real work begins. I've said it before, and you'll hear me say it again. Those with whom I spoke tonight won't remember me, my profession, or my concerns. Now it's time to write follow up letters.

Dear Lawmaker;

Thank you for attending/ sending a staff member/ ignoring the Meet Your Legislators event in downtown Happy Valley. I attended as part of WEAC- FV.... that'll scare the Governor; maybe I shouldn't mention my sponsor. At least I didn't introduce myself as a Recall Volunteer. Okay, start over.

Dear Lawmaker;

Thank you for attending/ sending a staffer/ ignoring the Meet Your Legislators event in downtown Happy Valley. I'm glad I had the chance to talk with you/ meet you/ wave to you/ leave my name on your calling card. I am deeply concerned about the negative politcal climate in our fair state.

The divisiveness, the bullying, the battles. The poorly written legislation, rough drafted in a hurry to be pushed through as quickly as possible while the Powers That Be are still in Power. As slick as a winter street.... oh, no, that's not even relevant. Revise, edit, slice, dice, and rewrite.

This kind of lawmaking creates problems, not solutions. Please take the time to consider and think of those who are affected by your decisions. We are real people, with real families, real jobs (yes! we work! hard!), and real challenges. These politically charged knee-jerk reactions to non-existent issues.... oh, here I go again. This needs to be redone, too.

Well, at least I have a rough draft. I will now pretend I'm a role model for those who read the letters, and I will take the time to read, reread, revise, and edit. After all, I am a leader in the community - a public school teacher, a public employee: a public school teacher.

How should I sign off? Suggestions, readers?

Sincerely

Not-so-sincerely

Respectfully (or not)

I know one thing - I'm sure not signing it "Love."

Bad things come in threes - we're done now, right?

2012-01-26T06:22:00.000-06:00

La Petite has been having major tummy troubles. She had tests done last week. They took two biopsies of inflamed areas and noted bile in the colon, too. She needs to add an ulcer medication and a second antacid to her daily routine. She's 25, for heaven's sake.

Chuck fell on the ice last weekend. He hit his elbow pretty hard. He took care of it with ice and anti-inflammatory meds, but it got worse instead of better. The results? See below. I suggested renaming him Chip, but he didn't like the idea.

Amigo had it easiest: he came home with an ear plugged with wax. No infection, thank goodness, but on the advice of his school nurses, he went in to have the ear flushed out. He's blind; we don't take chances with his ears.

Wondering about Chip, er, Chuck's photo opportunity? Here it is. Now remember, we're done. Bad things come in threes.

Flu shots: there's still time!

2012-01-25T06:22:00.001-06:00

Amigo visited our family doctor last week to get his ear checked out and flushed out. The nurse asked him if he'd had a flu shot. He replied in the affirmative, that he'd got it at school, from the school nurses that serve the residential school for the blind. We didn't have an exact date, but we estimated late October.

Amigo is wise beyond his 20 years when it comes to flu. He knows how miserable a case of influenza can be. He's always been one who doesn't get sick often, but when he does, he gets really, really sick. He signed up for the flu shot at school registration, got our signatures on the approval sheet (even though he's old enough that he didn't need them), and willingly got his flu shot. He knows what the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says: The flu vaccine is your best protection against the flu.

Timing of influenza outbreaks is unpredictable. I will always remember the impact of H1N1 on my fourth grade students. My class had at least five and as many as ten students out each day for a time period of three to four weeks. That outbreak came in October, but outbreaks can occur as late as May.

Flu vaccines are usually available in early autumn and remain available for several months. Last year, the flu peaked in February. A January flu shot isn't too late.

Not all families have good coverage and a family doctor, and not everyone has access to a school nurse, either. If you'd like to find a location near you, look here.

Information and web links from the Center for Disease Control: I received no monetary compensation for writing this post. I wrote it to bring valuable information to my readers.

BBQ Beans and Salsa

2012-01-24T06:28:00.001-06:00

Simple, meatless, inexpensive, and delicious - I made this with cans, but I think it might be even better with dried beans soaked overnight and cooked in the crock pot. The original, on Dr. Oz' website, was lacking a few details such as amount of barbecue sauce. I was generous with mine. The original recipe also called for enchilada sauce or salsa. I stuck with the BBQ theme in my flavors. It worked.

1/2 lb. pasta - I used spaghetti.

1 can yellow corn - of course, I used frozen corn from last summer's Farmers' Market.

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

BBQ sauce to taste

Cook pasta. Add beans and corn. Stir in BBQ Sauce of your choice. Serve warm.

Now the fun part:

You know me. I'm not going to let a simple recipe stay simple. I added peppers in three colors, all from the freezer. A little onion, diced, made it tastier still. Then there's garlic - or did I add garlic? I was playing by ear by this time. Maybe I left the garlic out and stuck to the barbecue theme.

This was delicious. I had some left over for lunch the next day, too. I love a recipe that leaves room to improvise, and this one qualifies.

The ground is white, and I'm still green.

2012-01-23T04:57:00.000-06:00

Alternate title: I am Daisy,the Compostermom, and I won't let snow stop me!

I sold a crate of cookbooks to a Used Book store for $20.

I walked to work during a snowstorm. It was fun, to tell you the truth.

Compost continues, despite the cold. We have a bin within reach of the garage.

Chuck used pieces of the Christmas wreath to provide bramble, a little bit of shelter, for the neighborhood rabbits.

My lunchbag is re-usable, and I usually bring a cloth napkin along.

On Soup Day at work, most of us bring our own bowls instead of using plastic.

Litter box remnants (to put it delicately) still end up outside on what will be a berm next spring.

We're pulling out frozen vegetables from last summer to make a delicious beef stew.

Is that only eight? Our lives are infused with eco-conscious behaviors. I'm sure there's more. Let's see:

- shopped at consignment store recently for a new jacket and purse

- donated another box to Goodwill

- taught Amigo to use anti-static dryer balls when he does laundry

- gave Amigo a crank-powered radio for his birthday. No batteries to change!

Yep. I think we're still green, even though the ground is covered with white. Or ice.

Recall! Recall! Now the real work begins.

2012-01-18T06:45:00.000-06:00

More than one million signatures on recall petitions.

Petitions weighing over 3,000 lbs.

Soon-to-be-former Governor Walker was booed and hissed at MLK Jr. Day event.

It's a beautiful day in the Progressive Voters' Neighborhood. If that's not the name of an organization yet, it should be.

Now: the real work begins. It's time to educate the public. It's time to let the voters know about the damage Scott Walker has done and continues to do to our state. It's time to inform voters that the slick, highly produced ads contain inaccuracies and skirt the issues. It's time to expose Walker's puppeteers, show where his campaign money originates, and why that's bad for the average Wisconsinite.

One step at a time. I helped collect signatures, and now I'll help educate the public. It's who I am. It's what I do.

Quick Beef Burrito Skillet

2012-01-17T06:44:00.000-06:00

Amigo and I visited our favorite diner for lunch yesterday. For the first time, we ordered almost exactly the same thing: the Mexican skillet. Both of us had hash browns & wheat toast. The only difference - he had his eggs scrambled, and mine were over easy.

That got me thinking. We must be able to make a similar brunch dish at home. I dug into my recipe files, and sure enough, I found one. I haven't made this yet, but it looks easy and delicious. Home made salsa will add an extra homey touch.

Quick Beef Burrito Skillet

1 lb. ground beef

1 package taco seasoning mix

1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed

1 cup salsa

1 cup water

4 flour tortillas 6 inch size), cut into 1 1/2 inch squares

1 cup cheese - Mexican style, if you have it

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup chopped green onions

Brown and drain beef.

Add seasoning mix, salsa, water, and beans. Bring to a boil. Simmer for five minutes.

Stir in tortillas. Top with cheese. Cover. Let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Top with sour cream and onions.

Other ideas? Readers, what else could I add - or subtract? I do like things simple, especially on school nights.

I dreamed a dream

2012-01-16T06:16:00.000-06:00

In recognition of Dr. King's Dream, below is a re-post.

I dream that differences will be valued, not disdained.
Eye color, hair color, body shapes, and skin shades will be appreciated for their beauty and variety.
Cultural traditions will not disappear, but will thrive and grow together into a rich and fascinating sharing of knowledge and beliefs.

I dream that blindness will be merely a different way of seeing, and deafness impair only the quantity, not the quality of the language 'heard'.

Children will matter because they own the future. Their education, academic and social, will become and remain of utmost importance.

Questions will come from curiosity, not ignorance, and the answers will breed respect.

Knowing each other, knowing ourselves, will lead to recognizing that fights and conflicts, wars of all kinds, have little value.

The mediators and the peacemakers will be recognized as the strongest leaders.

Together, cooperation will lead, and collaboration will be the norm.

Together, we'll dream the dream into reality. Together.

Eating the Opponent - planning ahead

2012-01-13T06:55:00.002-06:00

My Green Bay Packers had a bye the first week of postseason. Depending on the results of two other games (or three?), they knew they would either play the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions, or the Atlanta Falcons. Or was it - Giants, Lions, or Saints? No, I think the Saints are elsewhere in the seeding order. Is that redundant - seeding order?

Meanwhile, back at the O.K. Chorale, we had no opponent last week. We had no definitive direction in which to point our spatulas and whisks. Instead of a menu, I give you The NFL Postseason According to Chuck.

Remember, Chuck is not a football fan. He's been forced to learn the game because 1. he married me and 2. he works for a television station in Green Bay and 3. his kids bleed green and gold like their mother. Despite being uncaring and outnumbered, he has a theory on this year's postseason action and potential results. Here goes:

Chuck believes that marketing drives all. The game that would attract the most viewers and have the most action would be an NFC Championship Game featuring two of the best quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. To get that far, New Orleans has to win again, and Green Bay has to beat the Giants on Sunday afternoon.

That's basically it. New Orleans vs. Green Bay at Lambeau Field on January 22. Are you in, fellow fans? I'll bring the jambalaya.

But first, I'll bring home Jersey bagels for breakfast and grill New York Strip Steak for dinner. Take that, Giants.

As for the AFC, Chuck predicts the Denver Broncos. In his twisted television logic, he reminded me that the networks have groomed us to want the most drama before, during, and after the game. If Chuck's predictions come to pass (no pun intended, and don't you dare say none noticed), we'll see MVP Aaron Rodgers and his entourage up against the God-loving rookie kneeling on the sidelines.

Well, Tebow may be posing for a new version of The Thinker, but he shouldn't forget that Reggie White was evangelizing on the field when little Timmy was still a bobble-headed Pop Warner kid. And Reggie earned his wings, I mean his Super Bowl ring, with the green and gold.

Any questions?

Politics; out of the mouths of youngsters

2012-01-12T19:19:00.004-06:00

Fifth graders, that is. Eleven year-olds. They've been learning about the Articles of Confederation and the events and debates and compromises leading up to the writing and ratification of the United States Constitution. I've been correcting their tests lately, and the essay questions and their thoughtful or not-so-much answers have kept me thinking.

I can't post the specific question, but I'll just tell you that they were discussing the creation of the Constitution and interpreting George Washington's warning against the destructive nature of political parties.

Actual student answers:

-"To watch out for political parties."

This kid has a point.

-"I think Washington wanted people to be happy and to work as a team."

Can this student run for office some day? Please?

-"They would disagree on things because they would have different opinions and they would argue a lot."

Run-on sentence aside, she was predicting the future with amazing accuracy. Maybe her family has been following the presidential primaries.

-"It creates tensions and the good that could be done is lost in the arguments of each party's plans."

Another candidate for office someday - governor, perhaps.

"Washington knew that if the country split into political parties, then the country would be more split up and there would be too many disagreements."

Politicians, stand warned. This student and others like him will be voting before you know it.

It's time, it's well past time, to start cooperating. Bipartisan collaboration would be a good start, but in all honesty, nonpartisan cooperation would be even better.

I'm sure George would agree.

Ah, that caffeinated aroma of a kitchen floor

2012-01-11T06:55:00.000-06:00

At least my vacuum cleaner will smell good for a while.

Let me back up. I just vacuumed the kitchen floor. Vacuumed. Not washed, not mopped, not swept, not Swiffer wet-jetted. Vacuumed. I was out of fluid for the Wet-Jet, and I wasn't ready to get down on my knees and scrub. Besides, all the good rags were in the wash.

Let me back up a little more. I just vacuumed up a pile of coffee grounds. Freshly ground, organic coffee grounds. The floor smelled great. So did my pants. If I'd been wearing brown, maybe I wouldn't have thrown them right in the laundry. But anyway, back to the story. My tiny kitchen was half covered by, no, maybe... Okay. I'll back up again.

It was a typical weekday evening. I made my lunch, got my clothes ready for morning, made sure my Kindle was charged. Of course I charged my Kindle to get ready for bed; doesn't everyone? As a final step, I usually set up the coffeemaker for morning. The filtered water was ready, the coffee filter in place, but before I could measure my life in coffee spoons, I needed one more ingredient. As chief groundskeeper of Chez OkayByMe, I gathered my materials: coffee grinder, container, and cleaning brush.

It all began well. The grinder was working well, sending the organically grown, fair trade processed, deliciously blended beans through the blades to become my refreshing beverage of choice. I inhaled with pleasure. When the container filled almost to the top, I applied the small wooden brush to dust the remaining grounds from the grinder. An important step to prepare the grinder for storage, this was also my undoing.

You guessed it, readers. I spilled. Not all of the coffee grounds fell to their death, but at least one third of what I'd just ground hit the, well, ground. With some on my pants and some on my shoes and more, much more, on the floor, I called out to Chuck. "Is the vacuum still downstairs?" He brought it to me and cautiously backed out of the kitchen without daring to say a word.

So there you have it. At least my vacuum will smell good for a while. It'll smell of freshly ground organic coffee.

Eating the Opponent for the Playoffs

2012-01-10T06:04:00.002-06:00

I baked pumpkin bread in the bread machine a few days ago and thought, "Ooh! I should post this." Duh. I posted it just before Christmas. By the way, it's delicious with pecans.

As for Eating the Opponent, we're thinking New York Strip Steak and Jersey bagels. Then again, New York pizza has its own style and Lombardi's of Manhattan is reputed to have been the first pizzeria in the U.S. Related to the trophy namesake? My research in that direction has had no results.

On the other hand, there are the famous New York black and white cookies, made from cake, not cookies. They look delicious, but I don't have time to bake a high-maintenance recipe that includes small cakes and two kinds of frosting. I wonder if any local bakeries make them? It might be worth checking. This native New York dish has a roundabout connection to the upcoming game, almost a 6 Degrees type of thing. Here goes.

The last time the New York Giants came to Lambeau Field, there was a big to-do about Eli Manning's favorite TV show being Seinfeld. Not wanting to give comfort to the enemy, our local affiliate refused to run its Seinfeld reruns at the usual time on that Saturday night. Seinfeld has incorporated the black and white cookie into at least one or two episodes. Is that enough for a connection? Well, if I had time to bake, maybe.

My research also turned up New York chili dogs, a.k.a. Coney dogs, but we used those as a tribute to the Detroit Lions. Let's hear it, readers. Can you name a uniquely New York food suitable for Eating the Opponent this weekend?

Back in the Saddle Again

2012-01-08T12:48:00.002-06:00

It took a little more than I expected. Going back after break wasn't as smooth as I thought it might be. Then I remembered.

I didn't teach a full year last year. Coming back after break is a new skill - or one I need to remember from two years ago. I ran into unexpected responses as 2012 Back to School began.

Sleep.

My sleep routine was completely mixed up. I had trouble getting to sleep at night, staying asleep at night, and getting up in the morning. I tried a variety of solutions with a variety of results.

One night of Ambien. One night should be okay. My dependence on the drug developed after several months' use, but one night - well, it wasn't okay. I slept well that night, but the following night felt like withdrawal all over again. Deep sigh. I guess I can't chance taking this again.

After a sleepless night filled with symptoms of withdrawal, I thought I'd be exhausted enough to collapse into dreamland. Not so. Around midnight I gave in and took six mg of melatonin. It helped me get to sleep; getting up in the morning was still difficult.

Melatonin may be my temporary solution. By taking it every night, on Friday I felt awake and energized. If this week's sleep goes better, I can start walking to work again. The walk in itself will help me sleep at night, and the fresh air will help wake me in the morning. Look out, walking shoes, here I come!

Sleep is precious. After the past year's experiences, I'll never take sleep for granted again. Monday, here I come: hopefully with a full night's deposit in the sleep bank.

Dear World; you're kidding, right?

2012-01-05T17:25:00.003-06:00

Dear Clinic That Shall Not be Named;

If the best advice you can offer is, "Talk to a person next time," your system might be broken. Just sayin'.

Dear Pharmacy with Recorded Messages;

If the best advice you can offer is, "Talk to a person next time," your system might be broken. Yeah. Uh-huh.

Dear Forrest;

Those boxes of designer chocolates often have a map inside the top cover. Look for it.

Dear Clinic That Shall Not be Named;

Your online messaging system has major glaring weaknesses. After its failure, I suffered through listening to a recorded message while on hold - a recorded message telling me how I could "take control of my own health care" by using the online messaging system. Ahem.

Dear Pharmacy Tech;

If your recorded message tells me I have no refills left, why would I call to see if my refill is ready?

Dear Clinic:

Do you really, honestly, truly have no way of recording a concern? No way to prevent this kind of mistake from recurring?

Dear Chuck;

Can we please order take-out for supper tonight? I have no brainpower or energy left.

The Opposite of a Boycott

2012-01-04T06:23:00.002-06:00

What's the opposite of a boycott? In the 1970s and 1980s, Ms. magazine might have called it a Girl-cott or a Woman-cott. The premise is simple; instead of boycotting, or refusing to buy from certain companies, make a commitment to spend money where it counts. Support the companies that support the causes that you support.

Confused? Here's an example.

Since our state legislature became fiercely divided along partisan lines, voices are emerging on the side of public workers. These voices are not necessary anti-Gov. Walker, but they sing the praises of those who earn their living by working in the public sector.

Penzey's Spices, a Milwaukee-based company, has been outspoken in their support of teachers. Bill Penzey said, "To be pro-business is to be pro-education." He understands that an educated workforce doesn't cost, it pays. With that in mind, he set out to recognize teachers in the state.

He began by dedicating a spice to the kindness and dedication that teachers show - a spice named for the Wisconsin State Motto, Forward. Then he created a gift box including a bottle of the new spice, a small bottle of cinnamon, a book of teacher-supplied recipes, a teacher pin and a bumper sticker stating, "Teachers Care." He gave a box to each and every teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools.

This is more than a token appreciation gift. By donating a valuable product to a large number of public employees, he reminds the citizens and voters and yes, business owners, that public employees are not public enemies, but dedicated public servants.

Now - the opposite of a boycott. Whether this strategy has a name or not, the process is simple. Buy from companies like Penzey's Spices. Whenever you get a chance, let them know why you chose to buy from their company as opposed to others. Speak with your dollars and with your words.

ow if you'll excuse me, I need move forward and experiment with my new spice - right after I set out my red Teacher pin to wear to work tomorrow.

Dutch Babies, updated

2012-01-03T06:31:00.001-06:00

I made the basic Dutch Baby, an egg and flour pancake, a year or two ago. I saw two recipes for Dutch Babies plus in our Sunday paper, so Amigo and I hit the kitchen during break and made them for brunch. We made the orange-cranberry variation; the ham and cheese option looks good, too.

Dutch Baby with Cranberry Orange Syrup

1 cup milk

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup orange marmalade

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. I don't always preheat; this time, it's important.

Whisk milk, eggs, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Vigorously whick in flour until smooth. Bring marmalade, cranberries, and 1/4 cup water to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer to the consistency of light syrup. Cover; keep warm.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, heat butter in a heavy bottom 10 inch skillet (cast iron suggested; I used my stainless steel). Heat until light golden brown. Pour milk mixture into skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake until puffed and golden, about 15 minutes. Without removing pan from oven, sprinkle with sugar. Turn oven to broil; broil until very puffy and golden brown, a few minutes longer.

Serve immediately from the skillet, drizzled with orange-cranberry sauce.

This recipe serves four. Amigo and I had our share and had extra left over. Next time I make this, it'll be on a weekend when we have at least three people at home for brunch. Or maybe I'll cut the recipe in half.

The cheddar & ham option uses the same basic Dutch Baby (eggs, milk, flour, salt, butter) and then adds 1/2 cup green onions and 1/2 cup diced ham to the melted butter. When the onions are soft and the ham heated through, add the egg/milk mixture to the pan and continue.

After 15 minutes in the oven, sprinkle with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese. Continue with broiler as above.

Sound good? I thought so. Enjoy!

The Year in Review: the firsts

2012-01-01T06:02:00.001-06:00

What a year it's been! More than that, what a difference a year makes. 2011 saw me at my lowest and then climbing slowly, slowly out of the pit of despair called Depression. Every day there are small victories, victories that have eventually added up to the sum I might call a recovery.

Outside of my own little insular world, the Badgers lost the Rose Bowl, the Packers won the Super Bowl, and the Brewers made it into the playoffs but not the World Series. Wisconsin sports fans had a big, big year.

Meanwhile, back in my own little world, Compost Happens chronicled the ups and downs of 2011. Here you go, readers: the year in firsts - the first post of each month.

January -- In which we look back: the annual New Year's Day post, a retrospective

February --In which we cook Super Burgers for the Super Bowl! Oh, the memories.

March -- Potluck with the Geeks! In which Chuck creates the perfect dishes for his train club

April -- In which we look back on not just any Monday - a Monday with history

May -- In which La Petite's shoe collection decorates the fireplace mantel

June --In which we sample a Product review for Sargento Cheese - delicious

July -- In which I provide a heartfelt guest post on Women on the Fence

August -- In which I get my hands dirty with Signs of a True Gardener

September -- In which I get my hands on my new workspace

October -- In which I struggle with wardrobe and team loyalty

November -- In which Chuck and Amigo cook Racing Sausage Kabobs

December -- In which the family helps me taste and review a Hickory Farms Gift Basket

2012 promises to be an active and eventful year politically, if not more. Follow along as I live it! Compost Happens will continue to bring you real life as it happens from Daisy, your groundskeeper, taking care of home, garden, family, and coffee.

What a difference - a year makes

2011-12-31T06:37:00.001-06:00

One year ago, it was the end of a year and the beginning of a long winter's nap. Rest. Healing period. I took a leave of absence from my teaching job after the winter break to rest and seek treatment for the worst depression of my life. Now -- well, I've come a long, long way.

In 2011:

I learned that it was possible to love my work, but hate my job.

I used my writing skill to procure grant money, buying books for struggling readers. No one at school seemed to care.

My physical and mental health were at the lowest I've ever experienced.

I struggled to get through Christmas, a holiday I usually love.

"My" Green Bay Packers had one more season game left. To make the playoffs as a wild card team, they had to beat their arch rivals (and division champions) Da Bears. They beat them - and more.

I was preparing to visit doctors, counselors, and the pharmacy often. Very often.

As 2012 begins:

I can say I love my work. I found a position that utilizes my teaching strengths and my interests in technology.

I use my writing skill for blogging, and I have a workable rough draft of a non-fiction book.

I also use my writing skill to communicate with parents of my students. This skill was useful last September when I recruited families to attend a field trip that had been poorly attended in the past. My coworkers were thrilled.

Both my physical and mental health have improved significantly. No, they've improved greatly. I'm not out of the woods yet, I haven't reached full strength emotionally and physically, but I'm doing very, very well overall.

Christmas was as it should be - a time to gather with family and friends to enjoy the traditions that make the holiday special.

My Green Bay Packers clinched the division title weeks ago, a first round bye and home field advantage last week, and head into the playoffs with an impressive win-loss record. Did you notice that absence of quotation marks around the word my? Check it out here.

Doctors and other medical professionals? I value those who helped treat me through the toughest and darkest hours last year. I'm in their offices much less often now, and that's a good feeling.

What a difference a year makes - in so many ways. I still have flashbacks, usually in the form of nightmares or insomnia. I still tire easily, or at least more easily that I feel I should. However, this happens much less often now than it did just twelve months ago. But thanks to family, friends, and medical professionals, the marathon that is recovery continues.

I won't even bother to go into the political climate in the past year - yet. It'll show up in another post or posts.

Eating the Opponent: Detroit!

2011-12-30T06:48:00.000-06:00

Eat our turf, Lions!

I mean - the project continues. La Petite has her lucky jersey (Aaron Rodgers' retro style), Amigo has his touchdown dance, and we have Eating the Opponent. Upon further review, we found that the Coney Dog actually has Michigan roots. To make this in true Detroit style, we'll need the following:

all-beef weiners, natural casing preferred
all meat chili (no beans or other additives), a.k.a. Coney Sauce
diced yellow onions
yellow mustard (optional)
hot dog buns, lightly toasted

Readers, I think you can figure out how it all fits together.

In the interests of shopping locally, I'm going to pick up my hot dogs at the neighborhood corner market and find some good buns at a nearby bakery. I think we can handle the chili ourselves.

Now that I'm an owner, Eating the Opponent takes on new meaning. Or does it? We were pretty hard core already. The Packers have a bye the first week of the playoffs. How will I know what to cook?

In other news: Badgers Fans, consider serving Duck on New Years Day. You get the drift.

Cooking School!

2011-12-28T06:08:00.000-06:00

Rouxbe Cooking School online

Lesson One: Pan Frying

I learned quite a bit from this lesson. I'm a decent cook and my adventurous side shows in the kitchen, too. This basic technique lesson included heating the pan, controlling the pan temperature, and when to adjust the heat. The lesson suggested a stainless steel pan that can also go in the oven. I received one for my birthday, and I haven't had the courage to use it yet.

Each lesson follows the same structure: Goals, Video, Practice, Quiz, and Discussion. The videos are good; simple, easy to follow, and yet not condescending or dumbed down. Practical advice exists, too. The pan frying lesson recommends a stainless steel pan, but includes a section on other types of pans, including cast iron.

After the lesson comes the fun part: the Edible Exercises, or Practice sessions. Rouxbe offers a recipe collection featuring the focus skill for the lesson. Choosing is nearly impossible - all of these look so good! I might try one today and a different recipe later on.

If I see anything pan fried that fits our Eating the Opponent plan, look out! I have a stainless steel pan and now I know how to use it.

Pasta Pan-fried with Butternut Squash, Fried Sage, and Pine Nuts

2011-12-27T06:04:00.001-06:00

Do you have a few butternut squash stashed from last summer? This is a delicious way to put a squash on the table.

The original recipe called for an entire squash and lots, I do mean lots, of pasta and herbs. With our almost-empty nest, we made half of the original. Chuck cooked up the rest of the butternut squash in a tradition way, mashing it with sugar and butter.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium butternut squash

1 small sweet onion, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh sage leaves

1/2 pound farfalle pasta

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

2 oz. high quality Parmesan, shredded or shaved (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375. Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the strings and seeds from the center. Flip the squash halves upside down and peel them. Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Toss with the onion, garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, and salt and pepper. Mince about half of the fresh sage leaves and toss with the squash.

Spread the squash mixture in a thin layer on a large baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Heat pasta water to boiling and cook the farfalle until al dente. Drain and set aside. As the squash finished roasting, heat about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a large high-sided saute pan. Drop in the rest of the sage leaves and fry for about a minute, or until the begin to shrivel up.

Remove with a slotted spoon and salt lightly. Crush with the back of a spoon.

Add half the pasta to the pan, along with half the roasted squash mixture. Crumble in half the sage. Cook, stirring frequently, for five minutes or until the pasta is heated through and getting crispy on some of the edges. Add the pine nuts and cook for another minute. Stir in half the cheese and serve.

These are the amounts we used. I hope the "half a squash" doesn't confuse anyone. It was delicious.

Chuck found this at http://thekitchn.com.

Taking Stock of Christmas

2011-12-26T13:34:00.004-06:00

What can I give you this Christmas?
Something sparkling to go with your eyes?
I'll give you the light of a Yuletide star
from the cold December sky.
What can I give you this Christmas?
Something soft like the sound of your name?
I'll give you the hush of the falling snow
as it settles on the ground.
There isn't much that a boy like me can give to a girl like you.
I've searched the Christmas shop windows and now I know it's true.
What can I give you this Christmas?
Not a thing that I've seen will do.
So I'll give you my heart and my own true love
that will last the whole year through.

Something sparkling, to go with my eyes?

I'm not much of a jewelry person; I'm a casual dresser. No tiaras here, just fingerless gloves to keep my hands warm at my desk before the office heat kicks in But my eyes - I'm hearing impaired, so my eyesight is precious. My sweet husband saw me through cataract surgeries in both eyes. He even agreed to the expensive and not-one-cent-covered by insurance multi-focal replacement lens. Now, the world sparkles a lot more brightly than it ever did.

Something soft? My new Snuggie in a Green Bay Packers print is very warm and snuggly, soft and sweet. And since my ever-patient husband, a.k.a. Chuck, has a whole different outlook on the football season, it's really sweet of him to buy this for me.

But his heart and his own true love - my supremely wonderful spouse outdid himself this time. When I mentioned my desire, he called it "...a worthless piece of paper." He wasn't far off. It doesn't pay dividends, I can't sell it, it's so non-transferable that I can't even leave it in my will. But in spirit, it's worth a million, and when I opened the box, I had a lump in my throat.

Readers, I received a share of Green Bay Packers stock for Christmas. I am officially - literally, not figuratively - an NFL owner, an investor in the Green Bay Packers.

Lyrics to 'What can I give you this Christmas?' were hard to find, and I still can't find the songwriter's name to give credit where credit is due. It's a lovely song, and it fits the true sentiments of gift giving at this time of year.

The Twelve Days of Walker in Wisconsin

2011-12-25T06:35:00.001-06:00

2011 has been difficult year for me and for Wisconsin teachers in general. Thanks to our soon-to-be former governor, Scott Walker, we have lost salary, benefits, and bargaining rights. But our state has lost much more. A colleague found this online, and I thought it was worth sharing. Credit goes to the Solidarity Singers for spreading the word; I don't know who wrote the lyrics.

On the first day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

An unarmed populace.

On the second day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the third day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the fourth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the fifth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the sixth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the seventh day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Russ Decker's shining virtue, Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the eighth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Health care for the poor, Decker's shining virtue, Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the ninth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

A United DNR, Health care for the poor, Decker's shining virtue, Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the tenth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Lower than average unemployment, a United DNR, Health care for the poor, Decker's shining virtue, Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

On the eleventh day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

The shrinking middle class, Lower unemployment, a United DNR, Health care for the poor, Decker's shining virtue, Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

(Dramatic tempo change and a grand pause -- )

On the twelfth day of his term, Scott Walker took from us:

Domestic partner benefits, the Shrinking middle class, Lower unemployment, a United DNR, Health care for the poor, Decker's shining virtue, Good public education, HIGH SPEED RAIL!! Fair union contracts, Safe drinking water, Stem cell research, and an unarmed populace.

In response, we say to the Grinch a.k.a. Walker:

In the first twelve days of the recall we gathered over 500,000 signatures.

'Nuff said.

Enjoy your family and the holiday season, readers. Remember, your vote counts. When the time comes, please go to the polls to preserve the best gift of all: a democracy.

Eating the Opponent: Chicago!

2011-12-24T06:30:00.001-06:00

Why are you reading blogs? It's Christmas Eve! Oh, yes, it's NFL football day, too. My Green Bay Packers play tomorrow, though. However, Green Bay maintains its popularity in the NFL schedule by playing on the national stage again, this time on a holiday: Christmas Day.

In the Okay By Me homestead, we'll eat the opponent on Christmas Eve. Tonight. After a day of wrapping presents and organizing gifts and cleaning the house, I just don't feel up to cooking something special. Neither does Chuck. It's a good thing the Packers are playing the Chicago Bears. We picked up a Chicago style deep dish pizza yesterday from a take and bake place. Followed by Christmas cookies for dessert, it will be the perfect Christmas Eve supper.

After the presents are unwrapped, the brunch eaten, the naps taken (believe me, I'll need one), we'll gather around the Christmas tree and watch our Packers take the field once again. It's Aaron Rodgers' neighborhood, remember, and Sunday promises to be a beautiful day.

Rouxbe Cooking School

2011-12-23T09:17:00.004-06:00

It was an impulse. I admit it. I signed up for a trial of five lessons with Rouxbe Cooking School online. I thought, "Why not?" After all, I enjoy playing in the kitchen, I like to post recipes on my blog, and the folks at home (mainly Chuck, my ever-tolerant and loving husband) will enjoy the results. On top of that, I teach online; surely I can learn the same way.

Each lesson follows the same structure. First, goals of the lesson. We teachers would call those objectives. Second, the lesson video. Rouxbe recommends watching, rewinding, watching again. Next comes the fun part: Practice, also known as Edible Exercises. Last, I'll take an interactive quiz and then participate in a discussion board.

Readers, my dearests, be prepared for reviews of the cooking school. I'm more of a simple cook, where my husband is more of an Iron Chef type in the kitchen. Whenever he's interested, I invite him to look over the lessons and participate in the practice portion with me.

Meanwhile, I'm baking cookies. It is, after all, the night before the night before Christmas!

When nothing is going right...the Worry Monster

2011-12-21T06:19:00.000-06:00

Heard on Twitter - "When nothing in life is going right, go left."

I lean pretty far to the left as it is, so I find other ways to cope. The hardest part of coping with life in general is facing the Worry Monster.

The Worry Monster invades my thoughts when something unpredictable or uncontrollable is coming up, something I need to face but can't really change. The Worry Monster enters through the side door, suggesting I worry about something coming up - a routine medical procedure, perhaps. As I'm consciously deciding not to worry about it, the Monster will suggest something else that deserves worry. By the time the Monster leaves, laughing its evil laugh, I've probably worried about a number of upcoming dates or vague future events.

I fight the Worry Monster by staying active. Politically, the Worry Monster thinks I should worry about all that's going on in Madison. In place of worry, I choose concern. I write letters and emails. I blog. I volunteer with Organizing for America (OFA) by entering data after phone banks and canvass days. I make an occasional donation, but my main contribution is time.

I fought the Worry Monster before the frost came by working in the garden. Simple and mindless tasks such as weeding and watering provided think time. Think time isn't worry; it's work-things-through time. As long as I remembered the mosquito repellent, I could stay in the garden for hours, weeding, watering, and processing thoughts. The garden really does nourish the soul.

Now, when the garden lies sleeping the winter away under a blanket of leaves, I play in the kitchen. Cooking is work; baking is play. It's productive, fun, and a great creative outlet. I've considered attempting sourdough bread; maybe it's time to get serious and create a sourdough starter. Maybe - after the holiday cookies are done.

So take that, Worry Monster. If not much is going right in life, I just turn to the left and get busy.

Pumpkin Bread for the Bread Machine

2011-12-20T06:10:00.000-06:00

Bread Machine, Breadmaker, Breadmaker, Bread Machine. You know what I mean. It's the appliance that allows us busy cooks to have fresh bread with a minimum of fuss.

Here's a special variety of bread for the upcoming holidays. I'm tempted to add raisins or nuts to it: maybe next time.

Ingredients:

Add to bread machine in this order.

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 egg

2 Tablespoons margarine or butter, cut up

3 cups bread flour

3 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Select basic white bread cycle. Enjoy!

Adding nuts can happen at the "add more goodies" beep mid-cycle or at the beginning. Readers, any preference as to timing?

Enjoy the bread, and have a great holiday full of good food and family fun.

Green Bay Packers fans

2011-12-18T07:01:00.000-06:00

You know you're a Green Bay Packers fan if:

Your favorite starting quarterback has a streak of incomplete passes - 3 in all.
You buy Christmas gifts at the Packer Pro Shop for out-of-state relatives.
You imagine the visiting teams saying, "We came, we saw, we lost" on their way out of Lambeau.
Your favorite field goal kicker is considered in a slump if he misses. That's misses one field goal.
Your weekly superstitions continue, even though you know the team doesn't need your help.
You have a cheesehead that sports the words "NFL Owner."
Your decorative ceramic seagull wears a Barbie-doll size cheesehead.
Instead of rushing into laundry to prepare for game day, you just take out another piece of Packer-wear because you own enough to last through the playoffs -- and indeed, the Super Bowl.

The Fault Line of Public Opinion

2011-12-17T06:08:00.001-06:00

I saw the metaphor in a novel by Jodi Picoult. She was describing a demonstration, with protesters separated by a neutral zone patrolled by the National Guard. This neutral zone, the space between the opposite sides of the issue, was the fault line of public opinion.

Wisconsin has a fault line now. The push and shove of the fault line lies in our public opinion, our State Senate, our State Assembly, and even our State Supreme Court. The atmosphere is one side against the other, majority rules, and winner takes all no matter what the cost.

The danger in living on a fault line is that an earthquake could occur any time, without warning. We Wisconsinites are good at preparing for blizzards, taking shelter from tornadoes, and mopping up after floods. We're not used to the earth shaking beneath us, dumping dishes from shelves, breaking windows, and opening cracks in the streets. We're also not accustomed to our state capitol attracting thousands of middle class demonstrators, a legislature that is obsessively divided along party lines, and a governor who refuses to be photographed from his bad side.

Wisconsin citizens and voters are choosing sides now. With strong leadership, maybe the members of our legislature will relax their posturing and focus again on their real responsibilities: making laws, thoughful laws, that benefit the citizens of our state.

This weekend is a huge one for activists. Expect to see clipboards, lanyards identifying volunteers, busy offices full of volunteers. If you're a friend or family IRL, call me. I have petitions and I know how to use them. Together, we'll reclaim our government. Then, and only then, we can reach across the fissure created by the fault line of public opinion.

Death and Drama

2011-12-15T06:52:00.001-06:00

The talk, not necessarily in this order, floated around the office as drama unfolded on a wet and snowy day.

"Why haven't they used an AED yet? By the way, where's ours? On this floor or first?"

"Shouldn't someone be directing traffic?"

"I don't like the looks of this. The ambulance isn't moving; it's not rushing away."

"I mean, they're giving CPR in the road and people are just driving by!"

"They just dragged her out of the car."

"It's snowing. The road is so wet. Couldn't they at least..."

"Oh my God. We just watched someone die."

It was a sobering experience. From our point of view, it happened quickly. From the victim's point of view, it didn't happen quickly enough. On an ordinary day at the office, we heard a siren that stopped nearby. This wasn't enough to attract attention; sirens are not uncommon in the neighborhood. But then my coworker, one who actually has a window in her cubicle, called out, "Oh my God, there's a body in the street!" Well, not a body - yet - but a person in need of help. The car was pulled over, the person laid out on the road, and a paramedic gave rapid chest compressions. We didn't know if the victim was male or female; somehow, the feminine pronouns took over.

The fire truck with lights on was parked behind the patient's car, but the opposite lane wasn't blocked. Cars kept driving down the street, coming within a few feet of the action. The wet snow, almost a rain-snow mix, floated down on all involved in this surreal and tragic scene. The road was soaked, as were the sidewalk and the nearby strip of grass. No matter where they'd taken her, she'd have been soaked as they worked to revive her.

The ambulance pulled up with its EMTs and a stretcher and an AED. Too much ABC for you? Emergency Medical Technician and Automated External Defibrillator. Many public buildings now have AEDs, schools included. Updated CPR training often includes using an AED. My last training did.

Back to the drama. The ambulance pulled up. In less time than it takes to write it, the EMTs had their AED in hand and were on the ground getting it set up and attached to the patient's chest. They lifted her (him? we would never know) onto the stretcher and backed off to let the AED do its shocking job. The patient was still getting shocked as the stretcher was lifted and rolled into the back of the ambulance.

And then the ambulance stood still. We did, too, horrified by the scene and yet unable to pull away. From the moment the fire truck rounded the corner with its siren on, we weren't needed. The professionals were here. They would save this person. It's what they do.

"Uh-oh."

"I don't like the looks of this."

"It has to be a bad sign that they're not rushing away."

"They just went in the building to get the other people from the car."

"How long do you think it was?"

"Long enough to realize she was sick, call 911, and get the paramedics on the scene."

"Several minutes. Oh, my."

And then: "Oh my God, we just watched someone die."

It was a sobering thought. As we turned to practical workplace matters, our thoughts strayed to the person in the street. Who was with her? Were they friends? Did she leave close family behind? Did she know they were trying, trying hard to revive her and save her life?

What would we do in that situation? Could we pull over and call without panicking? How many of us knew CPR well enough to get it started? Where was the AED in our own building, and how many of us knew how to use it?

We still wondered why no one had arrived to direct traffic. After all, there was a space reserved for a police car in our own parking lot. It was common to have an officer or two nearby. By this time, though, traffic no longer mattered. The large emergency vehicles drove off slowly, lights no longer flashing. We imagined they moved sadly, as if the trucks themselves grieved for the death they had failed to prevent.

Banana Bread with Crumble Topping

2011-12-13T06:53:00.000-06:00

Recipe from Bakesale Betty: Oakland, CA. This was part of our Eating the Opponent challenge as the Packers prepared to play the Oakland Raiders.

Ingredients: banana bread batter

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup mashed rip bananas - 2 to 3 medium

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil

1/4 cup honey (local, of course)

Crumble ingredients:

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 1/2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

Directions:

Butter and flour 9" by 5" by 3" bread pan or alternative

Whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.

Whisk bananas, eggs, oil, and honey. add dry ingredients; stir to blend. Transfer batter to pan(s). Mix crumble ingredients; sprinkle over batter.

Bake bread at 350 for 1 hour - less if splitting it into smaller pans. Cool bread in pan for 30 minutes (if you can wait that long). Turn pan on its side; slide out bread, being gentle with topping. Turn bread right side up and cool completely.

This might just become my Christmas morning standard. It can bake and then cool while we're opening presents. By the time we've left the wrappings as playthings for the rabbit, we're hungry enough to enjoy a special treat. This banana bread with more could be just the right treat.

Eating the Opponent - the Oakland Raiders

2011-12-09T06:11:00.002-06:00

Sometimes it's the quest. It's the journey, not the destination. When Eating the Opponent, however, the destination matters, too. The Oakland Raiders presented a challenge.

Oakland, CA is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States. Since local foods and signature recipes often come from local culture (see Gumbo or Jambalaya), extreme diversity poses a problem. What to serve? A Raider Nation head on a platter didn't seem, well, tasteful, to tell you the truth.

I tried searches for local foods, local restaurants, and even stadium foods. No luck. I found some fascinating sites and interesting articles, but no foods that could grace our table the weekend the Packers play the Raiders. Finally, a search for Oakland Recipes turned up a list of signature recipes from local restaurants. Chuck wasn't thrilled to try cooking duck, so I opted for downloading a savory chicken recipe from SR24 and a banana bread with Cinnamon Crumble Topping from Bakesale Betty's. Both look delicious on the page; they'll be delectable on our table.

In other news, Chuck found out that in 2009 the Raiders' stadium was named the most vegetarian friendly venue in the NFL. Maybe we'll have Boca Burgers instead of the baked chicken.

Superstitious? No, not really. But we followed this routine last year as we watched our Packers go to the Super Bowl and win it. Why mess with success? Besides, this Eating the Opponent game is a lot of delightful fun.

Hey, Raiders fans? Good luck with the new stadium. You deserve it. Believe me, we Cheeseheads understand your passion for the local team. Maybe Favre would come out of retirement to help you out.... never mind.

Flat Stanley visits a Virtual School

2011-12-07T06:23:00.001-06:00

(By guest blogger Flat Stanley)

I went to work today with Daisy.

Daisy is a teacher in a newfangled kind of school; she teaches online.

Daisy's students (and those of the school) live all over the state of Wisconsin. There's a map in the school offices showing where the students live. Wow! They're really spread out.

Daisy took me around the high school side of the school. I met the Social Studies teacher, and we fooled around with Google Maps. He was looking for Westminster Abbey.

The high school language arts teacher has a cubicle full of posters encouraging reading - everything from Shakespeare to (be still my flattened heart) the Cat in the Hat.

Ah, high school science. I look forward to biology and earth science. I have a little more math to learn before starting physics. It'll take more than just knowing how to add, or so I've been told.

Back in Daisy's cubicle, she taught me to use a rubric to grade writing projects.

She looked over my first one and decided to grade the rest herself. I guess teaching writing isn't my strength - yet.

Well, science is still one of my favorite subjects, so Daisy logged me into a Virtual Class in middle school science.

Cool. Very cool. The teacher called on students and then let them "write" on the virtual whiteboard to connect vocabulary words with their meaning. This would be a great way to learn, at least for a flat geek like me. I could keep on traveling, as long as I had Internet access.

I looked over Ms. W's shoulder as she worked on lesson plans.

Then I moved once again to middle school language arts. They write a lot of essays. Wow!

We couldn't stay away from Daisy's desk for long, so I offered to help her make phone calls.

A fifth grader needed help with her math. Ooh, those multi-step problems. They rock my socks off! Wait. I don't wear socks. Never mind.

Daisy and her coworkers were great hosts. They told me if I want to teach like they do, I need a working knowledge of computers - and a talent for making coffee.

Thanks to Flat Stanley, visitor from Irving, TX, for the guest post today.

Eating the Opponent - New York or New Jersey?

2011-12-03T11:32:00.003-06:00

My Green Bay Packers play the New York Giants tomorrow. In keeping with our tradition, we are planning to serve New York cuisine of some sort tonight to represent eating the opponent. This gets complicated, though. The Giants don't actually play in New York. Their home field, Met Life Stadium, is actually in New Jersey. What to do, what to serve, what to eat?

Amigo suggested New York strip steak. Chuck and I said, "Sure! That'll be delicious." It was almost too easy, though, so we kept going with our research. We settled on bagels for breakfast - not just any bagels, bagels from a local store that calls itself Jersey Bagels. They have great coffees, too. Ahem. Easy decision, that one.

Then Chuck found a site called New Amsterdam Market, saw a picture that inspired him, and started searching for the recipe. He found a pasta dish that incorporates butternut squash and fresh sage, both ingredients we have in the house. We'll have that on the side with our steak tonight.

In other factors, it's lousy weather this weekend in Northeastern Wisconsin. 37 degrees Fahrenheit, steady rain, and that means cold, wet, and colder and wetter. Two cold-weather teams ought to do well in this mess, but neither will enjoy playing. I almost (almost) hope the temperatures go down several degrees and that rain becomes snow. Green Bay Tough means coping with snow is easy. Well, maybe not easy, but within reason. Is New York-Jersey tough the same?

Several years ago when Giants' quarterback Eli Manning came to town, a local television station decided to change its schedule and refuse to air reruns of Manning's favorite show, Seinfeld. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it had no effect on the game. Favre threw one of his patented interceptions (Rodgers will let him keep that record), and the rest is history that ended with the Giants beating the Patriots in that year's Big Game.

Here we go, with the Packers undefeated at 11-0. Can they battle the elements as well as they've battled opponents? Will Manning and company be able to overcome Mr. Rodgers' home field neighborhood advantage? Stay tuned, and eat steak. New York strip steak, with a Big Apple on the side.

Pizza? A vegetable?

2011-12-02T06:22:00.000-06:00

Pizza: I love to pile on veggies and herbs. Spinach, basil, oregano. Peppers, onions, garlic. Tomatoes and tomato sauce.

But really, Congress and USDA, commercially made pizza in itself is not a vegetable.

My homemade pizzas are covered with at least two kinds of cheese - real Wisconsin cheese, of course. I don't call it a dairy product, even though it probably has a thick enough cheese layer to qualify.

Local restaurants make pizzas from scratch with zucchini and spinach and other fresh, delicious ingredients. They don't claim to meet the recommended daily allowance of vegetables. In all honesty, the local pizzas have enough toppings that they probably would meet the goal.

But seriously. A frozen pizza with a thin layer of sauce? Not, I repeat NOT, a vegetable. Require a minimum amount of real tomato in a required amount of sauce, and then maybe I'll believe it's nutritious. I know how I make pizza, and I've seen the pizza in school cafeterias. Folks, there's no contest.

Now consider that many children get the best meal of their day at school, and then think about that slice of pizza.

No, people, pizza is not a vegetable.

Would you like to tell Congress that pizza is not a vegetable? Click here to sign a petition and support true nutrition in school meals.

Hickory Farms Gift Baskets

2011-12-01T06:31:00.001-06:00

Every year I create gift baskets for our extended family. I'm lucky; if I start early, I have time. My gift baskets are no match for the professionals, though. Hickory Farms, for example, sent me a gift basket to review and I was impressed.

When the box arrived, I was eager to open it and see what had come from Hickory Farms. It was like an early Christmas gift from Mom Central! The basket was a good size, wrapped well, and looked like it contained a lot of delicious treats. I emptied the top layer and stood back to look it over.

I noticed that the packaging was paper, shredded small and crinkled. The effect was a nice looking basket with a neutral background for the fruit, sausage, cheese, and more, and then a reusable or recyclable batch of packaging. This was a case of good packaging, keeping the pears and apples from bruising, and filling the basket as well. Within the layers of shredded paper fill were more pears and apples!

The fruits were delicious and fresh. One popular feature at Hickory Farms is their $3 - 3 Day shipping. Freshness matters when giving food. I recommend this shipping option because my fruit and cheese was just right and ready to eat when it arrived. See below for a close-up of the fruit. The racing sausage guys were a little jealous when I paid attention to the Hickory Farms sausages, so I let them join in the picture.

The cheese was fresh and flavorful, a smooth and tasty medium cheddar. The beef summer sausages sliced easily and tasted good with crackers and cheese as we watched our Green Bay Packers trounce the Detroit Lions. This was definitely a winner in my book - er, kitchen. I enjoyed the Hickory Farms basket, and so did the rest of my extended family.

I wish I could have found out exactly where the cheese and sausages were produced. In a state like Wisconsin, where cheeses abound and sausages even race around a baseball field, it's logical to want to trace the origins of these products. Product quality was excellent, and freshness a plus. Wherever the butchers and cheese makers are, they do their work well.

As for the basket and the packaging, there are two birthdays and the Christmas holiday coming up. I know I'll reuse these by filling them with my own homemade goodies.

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a product sample to facilitate my review. And what a generous and delicious sample it was!

Worry is still my middle name

2011-11-30T06:22:00.000-06:00

They do grow up, our children. Do they ever really outgrow us? Or it may be us, the parental units left behind in the empty or almost-empty nest, who feel the pain as the apron strings snap.

Amigo sent me the following email while he was away at school.

Hello all

What a night we’ve had here in the LIFEhouse! It all started when I was cooking a frozen pizza in the oven. All of a sudden when my pizza was done, I started to smell smoke. I opened the oven door and sure enough, the whole room literally filled with smoke.

It turns out that a towel that was hanging on the oven door somehow got in there and almost caught on fire. Anyway, Ms. A, our supervisor, pulled it out using a pot holder, ran it under the sink, and opened the windows to try and let out the smoke. Wouldn’t you know it, the fire alarm went off and we got a visit from the fire department. The moral of this story is, never let anything besides food fall into a hot oven!

The next day he sent this one.

I am cobbing dowd with a head code. All mording I hab been blowig by dose like a trubet. I’b wondering if I should dake sobe psudifed or somethig to help be get over this?

That night he called. That tug on my heart? Apron strings stretching, stretching until they're taut. Everyone survived the adventures without injury, Amigo didn't freak out or melt down, and his pizza was still edible, with a slight smokey flavor. He called it a "learning experience." His cold is improving after a long weekend at home. TLC and a chance to sleep in each day must have been good for him.

Good for him, maybe. For me? I still worry. Maybe not the same worry I felt when he was little, but it's worry nevertheless. When these apron strings get cut for good, I hope it's a clean cut, the kind that heal quickly and easily. I'll need all the help I can get.

And more Granola

2011-11-29T06:44:00.000-06:00

In our home, I'm the one who most likes granola.

In our home, I'm also the only one who enjoys coconut.

Here's another granola recipe, this one including coconut. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks good. Maybe I could take out the coconut so Chuck could enjoy it, too. My current granola is delicious on yogurt and makes a good breakfast cereal, too. It's certainly less expensive than the granola-type cereals in the store.

Ingredients

3 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup wheat germ (What about flaxseed?)

1/3 cup sunflower seeds (optional)

1/4 cup vegetable oil (Do you think olive oil would work?)

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup coconut (I hope this is optional. I'd think so.)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup raisins (plump by adding water, microwaving for 1 minute; let stand and drain)

Directions

In a glass dish, heat oats for 3 minutes on high in microwave.

Add brown sugar, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, oil, honey, coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir well to coat dry mixture evenly. Microwave 4 to 5 minutes on high, stirring twice. Add raisins. Microwave 2 minutes on high, stirring midway through cooking.

Cool. Store in airtight container.

Well, readers, what do you think? How does this compare to my other granola recipe? And my other question: would this work in the oven like my other granola recipe? I'll try it as is first, and then play with it a little. Maybe. If I can resist making changes the first time... I hear you. Yeah, right.

Flat Stanley visits Lambeau Field

2011-11-28T06:34:00.000-06:00

When Flat Stanley arrived in my mailbox from Irving, Texas, we knew one place we needed to go: Lambeau Field. Chuck folded Stanley into his wallet and headed off to work.

Stan's first stop was the Lombardi statue at the entrance. He held onto Vince's left shoe; that first step would be a doozy.

The best place to start any tour is the Lambeau Field Atrium, including the entrance to the field itself. Can you see the lines on the floor? They line up exactly with the yard lines on the field itself. "Impressive," thought Stanley.

Stanley's first stop was the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame where he saw the collection of Lombardi trophies. He felt a lump in his throat as he viewed the most recent addition to the collection, the trophy from last season, Super Bowl XLV.

Then Stanley considered his choices. Locker Room or Field? The locker room was locked, so on to the field it was.

"Wow," thought Stanley. "This is hallowed ground, not frozen tundra."

Flat Stanley had the good fortune (and the connections) to sit on the sound board during the evening show of Larry McCarren's Locker Room. The studio audience overflowed the place for this guest: Aaron Rodgers himself.

Stan was exhausted after his Green Bay adventures, so he climbed back into his envelope in Chuck's wallet and went to sleep. After all, tomorrow would be another day. There were places to go, people to see, and adventures galore awaiting his flat little self.

State politics? Felonies? Say it isn't so, Wisconsin!

2011-11-26T06:46:00.001-06:00

One Wisconsin Now felt compelled to raise money for the recall cause - but not to fund a candidate or circulate petitions. This progressive organization raised $10,000 to create a reward fund: a reward for information about recall petition destruction.

Wisconsin progressives noticed conservative leaders boasting about their plans to circulate bogus petitions or circulate real petitions and then destroy them. Some posted their boasts on Facebook, declaring their intentions to burn enough petitions to heat their homes for the winter.

Hyperbole aside, destroying recall petitions is a felony. Whether they really mean to interfere with the recall election process or just wanted to thump their three-piece-suited chests, Governor Walker's cronies are looking rather ridiculous right now. Publicly bragging about the possibility has attracted people who may have been neutral, and those people are donating money to organizations like One Wisconsin Now to fund the recall and offer rewards to those who report interference.

It's so sad, so disappointing, to see my state reach record lows that have nothing to do with winter temperatures. I applaud One Wisconsin Now for its creative PR efforts and its willingness to raise money for a reward fund that should be unnecessary.

When the disagreements interfere with the Democratic process, that's going too far.

The Fabled Fairies of Thanksgiving - Reprise

2011-11-24T04:32:00.001-06:00

What are you doing reading blogs on Thanksgiving Day? Go spend time with friends and family!

But if you must, here's my classic Thanksgiving post, The Fabled Fairies of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Dinner? No problem! I'll call in the fairies. They'll do everything.

The laundry fairy washes, dries, and presses the table linens, including the cloth napkins. If she's feeling generous, the sheets and towels might get folded, too.
The turkey fairy will practice her specialty and make sure the bird is cooked and carved just in time for dinner. White meat and dark, it'll all be moist and savory and leave just enough leftovers for sandwiches and a turkey noodle soup.
The baker fairy will take care of pies, pumpkin and otherwise. He's an expert on flaky crust, selected spices, and the perfect portion of whipped cream. Don't let that Simple Simon guy get in the way; the kitchen's too small for anyone who begs to taste the wares.
The brownie -- the cunning little house elf -- will clean the home thoroughly, put the leaf in the big table, and get the extra chairs out of the basement.
I wouldn't dream of neglecting the wine fairy: the sommelier so tiny she only recommends, never lifts, a bottle. Her taste is impeccable. Now if we could stop her before she over-imbibes and falls asleep on top of the piano...
Did I mention the decorator fairy? She'll fix the fireplace mantel with something tasteful and seasonal before she makes sure the couch and rocker are properly arranged for the annual holiday gladiator contests known as NFL football.
The ambiance fairy keeps the wood fire crackling in the fireplace, the aromas wafting deliciously through the home, and the family discussions neutral and unpolitical.
The kitchen fairies: really, there must be a whole crew of these talented sprites. One to do the shopping early and avoid the crowds, another to make sure the cranberries are perfect (and local, of course), and a magical maestro with the potato masher. Then we'll need a feisty fairy, one with attitude -- yes, you, Tinkerbell, you can make the coffees.

Mom, you can send the fairies over to my house now that we're hosting the annual family Thanksgiving dinner. Let them know that I'll have their room ready and their favorite cookies baked. If they arrive on Sunday there should be enough time to get everything done.

Wait. What do you mean...they're...not....real?

Eating the Opponent - and Michigan's U.P.

2011-11-23T06:06:00.001-06:00

We'll be eating a traditional turkey dinner at Grandma's on Thanksgiving Day. Grandma is cooking most of it ahead of time so she can watch the game.

What do you mean, what game??!!??

The Green Bay Packers are playing the Detroit Lions, of course. That's The Game. Turkey Day dinner will be on the table after the fourth quarter clock winds down. In the meantime, our Eating the Opponent project continues. We decided to broaden the definition of Detroit to include the entire state of Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula - da U.P., der hey, to us Wisconsinites. U.P. residents, affectionately known as Yoopers, have their own unique menus.

I stopped at a local pasty cafe and shop -- okay, okay. Stop the snickering in the peanut gallery! That's Pass-Tees. Not pays-trees or pays-tees. Pass-tees. The pasty was a food that miners could carry in their lunch pail and eat with their hands when they had their mid-day break. Traditional filling ingredients are beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions and other good stick-to-your-ribs edibles stuffed inside of a strong crust. Yooper history contends that the pasty was brought to the continental United States by Cornish miners (not minors) who came to work in the copper and iron mines of the mineral rich U.P. Nowadays, locals serve pasties with ketchup (not gravy) or a special sauce that tastes like a spicy ketchup with jalapeno peppers.

Pasties are baked, never fried, never nuked. I bought "breakfast pasties" with bacon or sausage and scrambled eggs inside - 5 for $10, plus one free - to serve Thursday morning. Our official Turkey Dinner will hit the table after the game, so we'll need a solid breakfast. I think Yooper style Breakfast Pasties fit the bill.

Now if any of you doubt that U.P. food is appropriate for Eating the Opponent, I give you this. I asked the cafe staff, both native Yoopers, if football fans in da U.P. are Packers or Lions backers. Without hesitation, they both declared, "Lions!"

I think I'll serve these with a side of Trenary Toast.

Photo credit to Upper Peninsula Now's site for Pasty Recipes.

Granola with Fruit Butter

2011-11-22T06:35:00.001-06:00

If you're not reading Food in Jars, you should be. This is based on one of her recipes. I made it with my apple butter, and it's making the house smell so good! If it turns out well (and so far, it is), I may include small packages of this in my holiday gift baskets.

2 cups oats (old fashioned are best, quick oats will do)

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup peanuts

1 cup fruit butter or sauce - I used apple butter.

Spices to taste.

Stir together.

Toast at 325 degrees F., turning on the baking sheet several times.

Optional: after cooling, add raisins or other dried fruit. I like dried cranberries, or craisins. As for the nuts, 1 1/2 cups of anything nutty will work.

My apple butter has its own unique flavor, so I didn't add spices. Ginger or nutmeg might have been good. I think any combination of nuts would do. Next time, I might experiment with nuts, too.

It's fun to find a recipe that offers so many options and yet is so easy to make.

This granola is simple and delicious. Next batch might be made with my super-thick cinnamon applesauce.

I do recall being political, now and then

2011-11-21T06:43:00.001-06:00

Saturday we (all three of us) signed recall petitions for Soon-to-be-Former Governor Walker and his Lt. Governor, Rebecca Kleefisch. Is that spelled right? Well, no matter how we spell it, she's on her way out of office.

Saturday night I found an email in my inbox letting me know that the Barack Obama Made in the USA mug is once again available. Make a donation to the Democrats, get a mug, and enjoy your morning coffee while sticking it to the conspiracy theorists.

Go for it, people. Here's a great gift idea for the progressives in your family. Wrap it up with a pound of Obama Blend coffee, and you're all set.

Eating the Opponent: Green Bay vs. Tampa Bay

2011-11-19T09:08:00.002-06:00

There was a recipe email in my inbox this morning with the subject line: "Plan ahead now for Thanksgiving!" Ahem. If you haven't started planning for Thanksgiving yet, it's not early. In fact, grocery stores will probably be mobbed this weekend with people who really did plan ahead.

Before the harvest celebration next Thursday, the family at Chez O.K. will once again be eating the opponent, Tampa Bay Buccaneers' style. Chuck did a little research and found that the Tampa area plays host to restaurants that serve foods with a Spanish influence, a nod to Florida's history. The menu for tonight features that influence.

Albondigas: Meatballs made from a blend of ground veal and beef with breadcrumbs and jerk seasoning simmered with tomato sauce and carrots and potatoes. No, we're not calling the Buccaneers jerks. We're using seasoning with a Caribbean influence. The tomato sauce will feature some of the last fresh tomatoes, harvested before the final frost and ripened indoors.

Breadsticks warmed with olive oil and cayenne pepper

Fruit salad of Passion fruit and oranges

Key Lime Pie for dessert. I admit it, the Florida Keys are not directly related to Tamp Bay or NFL Football. It is, however, delicious.

Main course alternatives were:

Grilled snapper topped with olive oil, diced tomato, garlic, onions, and artichoke hearts

-or-

Chorizo Espanola: sliced chorizo and onions sauteed in olive oil

We'll save those for next year. Go! Pack! Go!

Political Fodder - Again

2011-11-16T06:02:00.001-06:00

I attended a school board meeting. I was one of many teachers who crowded into the board room and the hallway, spilling out almost onto the sidewalk. We said little or nothing, just applauded when our representatives spoke. Our presence, however, made our position clear; we are the teachers. We do the work. We want to continue doing good work for the children. Bashing us into the ground isn't the strategy that will improve education.

Then, at 12:01 A.M., the recall movement officially began. If every teacher recruits ten people to sign a recall petition, we'll have it done. All the while, this story wove its way through my mind. It's worth another retell.

Let's call her Mrs. Lerner, the teacher in this story. Mrs. Lerner passed away, and continued on her peaceful way toward the pearly gates. St. Peter met her with, "Welcome, Mrs. Lerner. Here in Heaven, we all make contributions. What would you like to do?" Mrs. Lerner responded, "I'm a teacher, so I'll teach."

Peter called over St. John-Baptiste de la Salle, the patron saint of teachers, and had him escort Mrs. Lerner to her new classroom. When she got there, she was was shocked to see the conditions. 40 desks. 35 textbooks, all outdated. Pencils, pens, and paper were sufficient to supply the class for perhaps one day, no computers existed, and a cracked chalkboard hung on the front wall. A single piece of paper lay on the teacher's desk, reminding her of hall duty and recess duty.

"Holy crap, St. Johnny-B. What the hell is this?" she exclaimed.

Suddenly, Mrs. Lerner was in an entirely different locale, escorted by a devilishly handsome young man. With a fiendish smile and a flick of his very attractive -um - tail, he brought her to a very different classroom. 15 desks, well-equipped with supplies, books of all reading levels and interests, an interactive whiteboard, a stack of iPads enough for the entire group, and behind each student, supportive parents. On her desk lay a contract offering the opportunity to bargain for decent working conditions as long as she continued to teach.

"I don't understand," she murmured, shaking her head. "Why the advantages here, of all places?"

The devilishly handsome escort twitched his - um - tail, smiled his fiendish smile, and slyly reminded the dedicated educator, "Mrs. Lerner, when you asked the governor for this, where did he tell you to go?"

Eating the Opponent: Wild Rice Hot Dish

2011-11-15T06:44:00.001-06:00

Yep, Green Bay played Minnesota last night. The Badgers played the Gophers, too, for the prize they call Paul Bunyan's Ax. Saturday night Amigo and I had a wild rice dish to invoke the taste of Minnesota.

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup Minnesota wild rice, uncooked

1/2 lb. fresh muchrooms, sliced (optional)

1/2 cup green pepper, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons beef bouillon mix

1 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Rinse and soak wild rice in hot water for up to three hours. Drain.

In a four quart saucepaan, cover rice with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain any excess water.

Brown ground beef in a nonstick skillet. Drain any fat or juices. Combine cooked ground beef with remaining ingredeitns in a large casserol dish. Mix thoroughly.

Cove and bake one hour at 350 degrees F. Uncover and bake 15 additional minutes.

Serves 6. Amigo and I had a lot left over.

Daisy's comments: I also added a diced chili pepper, one of the last from my garden. It spiced up the mix considerably. The final result was rather monochromatic. Delicious, but not much to decorate a plate. Next time I'll add something with more color. Various peppers, perhaps, or corn or peas (frozen from the garden or Farmers' Market, of course) would make this look as good as it tastes.

One more addition: this wild rice dish with its flavor and its beef made a great addition to potato soup. Potato and beefy wild rice soup; easy and delicious. I'm packing some in my lunch tomorrow.

Putting the garden to bed for another winter

2011-11-14T06:55:00.000-06:00

It's that time again: time to put the garden to bed. I've been restricted by cataract surgeries and out of town for state testing through most of October, but I did manage to get the garden put to bed well enough for the winter. One rain barrel is drained and tipped over; the other is drained and ready to tip. The rest? Check out my Monday contribution to Green Spot-On for the rest of the story.

Hint, hint...

2011-11-10T06:59:00.000-06:00

Dear family;

'Tis the season -- the season for wracking our brains, thinking about birthdays and Christmas and birthdays (in that order). 'Tis the season for stimulating the economy a little bit. This year, our family economic stimulus will be limited, I know. And that's why, dear family, I'm dropping hints about practical gifts. You're all creative people; you can make them special.

A new shredder. Mine (okay, our) gave up after many faithful years of use. If you replace our home shredder, you could address the gift tag not just to me, but also to Chuck. We'll both use it.

Winter boots suitable for walking. I might beat you to the punch on this purchase. I really, really enjoy walking to work, and I don't intend to stop when the snowflakes fall. My current boots are suitable for shoveling, driving, and everyday winter wear, but not for walking the 3/4 mile to my workplace. Since size is always an issue with footwear, keep the receipt.

Coffees, of course. I have a decent coffee grinder now, so beans are fine. In fact, grinding coffee is an activity that makes the kitchen smell wonderful. Well, it smells great to me, that is.

I've been told my workplace offices are cold, colder, and coldest in the winter. It's an old building, drafty, with unpredictable heat. Family, something warm for the cubicle would be a thoughtful gift. A poncho/cape, the thicker the better. I already have my fingerless gloves, but I've been advised to bring a blanket. A Snuggie (did I really just suggest a Snuggie?) would probably fit the bill.

Canning supplies and tools. Always. You know I'll use them! I might even gift you with the resulting goodies.

On a similar note, gardening tools and supplies are always welcome. They're not exactly in season, though, so I'll understand if you wait until spring and Mothers' Day for those.

I know, I know, I won't get what I really want. I'll dream, though. What type of gift is this? I'll tell you. If money were no object, and all things were possible, if wishing on a star really made a dream come true, I'd ask for: Green Bay Packers stock.

What's Goal Ball?

2011-11-09T06:36:00.002-06:00

I asked the same question at first. Amigo explained the playing techniques, but I still couldn't picture it. I looked it up online and found out that goalball was developed after WWII as a sport for blind veterans. Today the unique game is part of paralympics, and many schools for blind students have a competitive team.

Amigo's team lost a close one, a heartbreaker of a game in overtime, to eliminate them from the conference competition. The coach arranged an informal scrimmage with the team from Iowa so that both teams could play a little more. These pictures are from the scrimmage.

First: Amigo is not sleeping. He is in ready position with his arms and legs stretched out to cover as much space as possible. If the ball comes his way, he will block it.

You may have noticed details about the gear. Players wear hockey shorts, the padded kind, along with knee and elbow pads. All players also wear covered goggles or sleep shades to eliminate any residual vision they might have. The goggles prevent a player with some vision from having an advantage over a totally blind competitor. All players compete totally sightless.

The ball itself is soccer ball size, hollow, with bells inside it. Players track the ball by listening intently. They keep track of their positions on the court by calling for a "tap" - a player to slap the floor. In this photo, Amigo is the right wing. The girl in the middle is the center. Before he rolled the ball, he called, "Center Tap!" and she slapped the floor so he could hear where she was and plan his throw. All this happens quickly; the team must get rid of the ball within ten seconds.

Here goes the throw - or more precisely, a roll. If the ball appears a bit blurry, that's because Amigo rolled it quickly. In fact, he rolled it so low and so quickly that the bells were effectively silenced - a technique that makes blocking difficult. He scored on this one. Yeah, Amigo!

Goalball. It's unique, it's fun, it's competitive. And when the competition is over, the team members socialize with an awards ceremony and a dance. The tournament? Great. The opportunity to socialize with other teenage blind athletes? Priceless.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

2011-11-08T06:56:00.000-06:00

Apple season is winding down, so I hope all of my favorite readers (that's all of you, by the way) have stocked up on the best apples available. If you're a true apple aficionado, you'll know that some are best for eating and some for baking. While you enjoy that honey crisp in your lunch box, consider these muffins for a warm and cozy weekend breakfast.

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (you can use all-purpose if you must)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 egg (1/4 cup egg substitute)

1 cup peeled, cored apples: tart variety such as Granny Smith works well.

Stir flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Add milk, butter, eggs, and apples next, stirring until smooth. Fill muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake 20 minutes at 365. Let cool five minutes before eating - if you wait that long.

Readers, you know me. I'm already asking myself, "What if I shred these apples in the food processor? Or make them more the consistency of applesauce?" I'm also thinking, "How about raisins? Or dried cranberries?" It's harvest season, after all, and all of those cranberries need to be used up somehow, somewhere.

Let me know if you try either variation. I'm curious!

Eating the Opponent - a different angle

2011-11-06T14:00:00.003-06:00

Here's a look at the opponent wall in the Packers Hall of Fame from a different angle. This week we took a different angle on our Eating the Opponent project, too.

The Packers played the San Diego Chargers. Normally we'd look up a signature food from San Diego and cook it Saturday night. This weekend was different because the time available for research and grocery shopping was slim to nonexistent and because we visited Amigo on Saturday to watch a Goal Ball tournament. A what tournament? Stay tuned; I'll have a post on it later.

What to do? The tiny bit of research I did named seafood and Mexican food as typical San Diego fare. That's rather general, but it got me started. Most of the seafood in my freezer is Midwestern in origin - tilapia, etc. I did have half a package of shrimp, so I made it with thin spaghetti topped with butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Yes, I know, it's a lame attempt at seafood. Saturday we ate lunch at Taco Bell, but that's far from authentic, so it doesn't count either.

Chuck got a little silly on Sunday. Since we hadn't cooked a good San Diego food, he created the following. Readers, I give you: Sandy Eggs on Charred Jer-sey (beef). Trust me; it was an improvement over the Sandy Eggo waffles he thought of first.

Translation: grilled steak with an egg over easy, topped with finely crushed pecans to resemble sand.

It's a groaner, I know. Next week the Pack will battle the Minnesota Vikings. I have a dish in mind already, and it has no puns whatsoever.

Signs of Recovery

2011-11-04T13:03:00.000-05:00

It might be a good sign that:

I'm looked on at work as "the one with a sense of humor."
Being busy feels good.
Walking to work is enjoyable, and I miss it when I have to drive.
I'm smiling more often - and I notice.
I find myself providing moral support for others - but not neglecting my own needs.

"Signs of what?" you might ask. Well, readers, if you're new to Compost Happens, you might not know that one year ago I was falling into the worst and deepest depression of my life. Looking back is both encouraging and frightening.

I'm frightened by the possibility that this may happen again. It's not the first depression of my life, but it was by far the worst. I don't want to experience this level of suffering ever, ever again.

I'm grateful for the good medical care available, even though I'm disappointed in the less-than-optimum treatment options. I feel lucky to have friends and family who gathered and rallied around me, refusing to let me slide any more deeply into the pit of despair. They set up a figurative rope ladder, tied me to it, and held fast.

I'm encouraged by my recovery. In this marathon, I feel like I've set up a good pace and I'm keeping to it. Setbacks still happen, but they're minor in comparison. I'm encouraged by the list above. As the list of Good Signs of Recovery gets longer and longer, I'll share with you, readers. Those who have suffered similar illness know there is a light at the end of this tunnel. Depression is treatable, and people do recover. I'm living that recovery right now.

Testing, 1, 2, 3

2011-11-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

State testing. Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Exam. Criterion Referenced Items. Rubrics. Fill in the bubble. Make sure you erase completely and make your new mark heavy and dark. Use only a number 2 pencil. Any questions? You have 40 minutes. Begin.

I teach online, and my students live all over the state of Wisconsin. Since we can't expect all of them to come to us, we go to them for the required tests. I put on my test season sweatshirt (above) and get ready to go.

My destination: a hotel with conference room that will hold all of our area students. Two of my colleagues and I set up camp in our hotel rooms, including connection to the hotel wi-fi and an in-depth investigation of the in-room coffee makers.

I set out my clothes for the next day -- casual, yet teacher-dressy -- on the spare bed.

In the morning, students armed with number 2 pencils would be ready to attack their test booklets.

I hope they all remember that multiple choice items have only one answer, and they should make their marks heavy and dark.

And I sure hope I can forget this repetitive test proctor speech so it stops running through my head and invading my dreams at night!

Packers Bye Week; Racing Sausage Kabobs

2011-11-01T06:48:00.000-05:00

Sometimes simplicity is best. Having a good pantry and fully provisioned freezer have gotten us through some busy days and harried weekends. This weekend should have been easy: the Packers had a bye! No opponent dishes to research and create! Instead, there was a feeling of let-down. Our Packers are doing well, but our Brewers didn't win quite enough. We decided to celebrate the Brewers' success, as far as it went, by making Racing Sausage Kabobs.

Here are the ingredients and basic supplies:

A side dish of baked beans - Chuck can never keep himself to just opening a can of beans. He adds several of his own special touches.

Another simple side: a can of fruit with sliced banana creates a fruit salad.

Here we go: Italian, Polish, Bratwurst, Hot Dog (natural casing, of course), and Chorizo - all on a stick for easy eating.

There you go, folks: a taste of Miller Park in our own home. Maybe they didn't make the World Series this time around, but the team did well. Very well.

Not scary at all: vote for my school in this grant competition!

2011-10-29T16:33:00.003-05:00

2011 Project Innovate is a program sponsored by Cellcom that allows school supporters to vote for one school in the surrounding area to receive prize money for the purchase of technology. It is WCA's desire to help each student maximized his/her potential and meet the highest proformance standards. While WCA does everything they can be provided the best education possible for your student, there are many great tools out there that could assist with accomplishing this goal. This contest is simple. Vote for WCA. Each individual can vote one per email address.

Grand Prize: $30,000 for the purchase of technology

First Prize: $15,000 for the purchase of technology

Second Prize: $5,000 for the purchase of technology

The best part is that there are only 8 local schools participating.

The project ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 22, 2011. To vote for WCA all you need to do is go to http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/164554 (or Cellcom.com, click on Project Innovate).

Please pass the link on and encourage others to vote for Wisconsin Connections Academy.

Yet another Apple Crisp recipe

2011-10-25T06:22:00.000-05:00

It's autumn. It's apple season. It's been a productive apple season, too. I adapted this from a pie recipe by making the filling without fussing with the crust. If I master the art of crust-making, for pies or pizza, bloggy friends, you'll be the second to know. My family will be first; they'll be eating the results.

Back to the topic. Apple recipes are tastiest when they consist of two or more kinds of apples, preferably a mixture of tart and sweet.

Ingredients

3 medium tart apples, pelled an thinly sliced

3 medium McIntosh or other mild apple, peeled and thinly sliced

Topping

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 Tablespoons orange juice

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Mix the ingredients without the apples.

In a 2-quart casserole dish or 8 x 8 square baking dish, place the apples on the bottom and top with the topping.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Top will be golden brown and have crispy spots.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping. Mmm - fresh apples.

Touring Lambeau Field, Daisy style

2011-10-23T20:18:00.000-05:00

Field trips are different in a virtual school. We arrange field trips in different locations in the state, and families sign up to meet a teacher or two there. Several families met two teachers, Mr. P and me, at Lambeau Field for the stadium tour and the Hall of Fame.

My photos were a bit different, too. I took several of the families that came, trying to balance the atmosphere with the faces. These turned out quite well, I thought.

My own personal pictures took a rather different angle, too. I didn't need the standard Green and Gold; I've seen it and internalized it plenty of times. Instead, I noticed the Wall of Opponents. All they need now is an extension of this for our Eating the Opponent project! That would be a great addition to the hall of fame, or even to the menu at Curly's Pub, in my perspective.

The Wall of Opponents is rather long and curved; it's tough to fit the whole thing in a standard picture. The menu would take up an additional wall.

Then there was the Packer trivia game. I got a few wrong (doh! I should have known the answers), but I still made the High Scores list. What? You doubt me?

I compared spirited socks with one of the girls along on the tour. Mine are on the right. I could be convinced to pick up a pair like hers. Socks like these would coordinate perfectly with my pink Packers polo shirt.

And I seriously coveted the tour guides' shoes. I know, these are men's shoes. But they could be made in women's sizes, I'm sure. Couldn't they? I mean, the Pro Shop carries Super Bowl XLV sweaters for dogs; they could make tour guide shoes for women.

These shoes are standing on hallowed ground: The Tunnel. Come the next home game, I'll have a new perspective as the team comes out of the tunnel onto the field.

Go! Pack! Go!

Eating the Opponent: Minneso-ta style

2011-10-21T06:51:00.001-05:00

It was fried ravioli with Shock Top beer last week.

Amigo had his with Mello Yello.

This week, it's Minnesota. The guys in purple. The Northern team that plays in a (snort) dome. The dome that couldn't handle the snow last year and actually collapsed. No players in purple were injured during the perilous storm, but the Vikes had to play their next home game in an outdoor college stadium. Pardon me while I giggle a little at the irony of the whole disaster.

Back to the topic at hand: a Minnesota staple food. I asked my Facebook friends to help, but the two who live in the Twin Cities remained silent. I blogged a plea for ideas on Monday, and two chimed in. So.... we've narrowed it down.

We haven't decided or shopped for ingredients yet. Well, folks? Wild rice? The ubiquitous Minnesot'n hotdish? Lutheran-style after-church pie?

There is still one Farmers' Market left. I might buy my pie from the Amish baker. She makes delicious - well, everything. And almost next to her booth is the cheese vendor, the one who sells the freshest cheese curds I've ever eaten. Oh, wait. Cheese curds are Wisconsin, not Minnesota. Or are they also eaten west of the Mississippi and the St. Croix?

Meanwhile, let's not forget the whole reason for the Eating the Opponent routine.

Go! Pack! Go!

Oh, the Gatekeepers!

2011-10-19T06:13:00.000-05:00

Gatekeepers, also known as receptionists and schedulers, that is.

First, there was the gatekeeper at the ENT who thought she could decide who got to see the doc and who didn't.

Then there was the gatekeeper who couldn't correct a scheduling error and therefore put me back on a waiting list after six months of waiting already.

I could also mention the gatekeeper who tried to talk me out of even asking for a new doctor for Amigo. She sounded quite surprised when New Doc said yes, of course, he'd take Amigo as a new patient.

This time, the schedulers are not talking to the schedulers and the left gatekeeper doesn't know what the right gatekeeper is doing.

I had a November appointment set up to review meds and check on my progress in recovering from the deepest and longest depression of my life. Recovery is going well: slow but steady, a marathon rather than a sprint.

Then I had to schedule a pre-op physical before the removal and replacement of my cataracts. Given that opportunity to touch base and review my health in general, Family Doc said I could cancel the November appointment. "That's the day after Thanksgiving. Go shopping," he teased. "The mob scene? No thanks. I'll be shopping online," I laughed.

So...the nurse came in, gave me my annual flu shot, and the logged onto the computer and pulled up the schedule. Lo and behold, my November appointment wasn't even listed. We were both confused, but shrugged our shoulders and decided it was all for the best.

Two days later I got a letter in the mail from the Clinic That Shall Not Be Named. "Dear Daisy; we need to reschedule the following appointment(s):" followed by the information of the already cancelled November date. Huh??

This time, at least, the failure to communicate doesn't interfere with my health care. It does, however, lower my level of trust in the Clinic That Shall Not Be Named. I still trust the medical professionals who've treated me; I'm just losing trust in the system in which they work. Oh, and the gatekeepers who guard the palace doors.

Yet another Zucchini Recipe

2011-10-18T06:03:00.001-05:00

You guessed it, readers. I am presenting to you one more way to use up the last few zucchini. I liked this as a vegetarian main dish; Chuck preferred it as a side. Either way, it's delicious.

Cheesy Zucchini Squares

Ingredients:

3 cups grated zucchini

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon baking powder

3 eggs or 3/4 cup egg substitute

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Spray 8 by 8 baking dish (or similar sized pan) with non-stick spray.

Stir together the zucchini and salt in a colander and let drain 15 minutes. Press out the liquid; let drain another 15 minutes. Pick up small handfuls of zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Transfer to small bowl.

Whisk together flour and baking powder in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then stir in flour mixture and mix well. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the zucchini, onion, and cheese. The batter will be stiff. Pour into baking dish and press evenly into all corners.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes; serve warm.

By the way, this heats up well as a planned-over. In true Wisconsin fashion, I'm considering dusting the top with grated mozzarella or Parmesan when it comes out of the oven. I didn't add nuts and twigs to this dish, either. The possibilities for variation are endless!

Meal planning, Daisy style

2011-10-16T11:42:00.003-05:00

A typical week looks like this in the OkayByMe kitchen:

Monday: Chuck works late, Daisy makes an omelet.

Tuesday: something good for two.

Wednesday: something good for two.

Thursday: something good for two. Can you tell we're enjoying the empty nest during the week?

Friday: Crock Pot or other easy dish to accommodate Amigo's pick-up time around five.

Meanwhile, eating the opponent continues on Saturday nights.

St. Louis Toasted (fried) Ravioli was delicious, but high maintenance. Chuck said "Never again." I said, "Let's leave it to the restaurants."

Next week, Minnesota Vikings. Last year we faced this dilemma, too. No lutefisk, I declared, not in my home! So instead, we made a stuffed meatloaf (good hot-dish, Lake Wobegon style) and bought a can of Spam. Breakfast featured turnovers in honor of former Packer turned traitor, er, Viking, Brett Favre.

No one liked the Spam.

But anyway, we'd like to expand on eating Minnesota next weekend. A search through Swagbucks turned up recipes with rhubarb (too easy), wild rice (a strong possibility), and the ubiquitous hot dish. Hot dish, for the uninitiated, is another name for a casserole. Meat, veggies, pasta or potatoes, all in one pan, stirred with a can of cream soup to hold it all together. Many hot dish formulas call for a can of tuna or a pound of browned ground beef.

We could make a ground beef and tater tot casserole using tater tots made in Plover, Wisconsin.

We could make a wild rice dish with fish or other wild game meat.

Turnovers? Not necessary this year. Take that, Brett.

Well, readers, what do you think? Minnesota friends, weigh in, please. What should we serve for Eating the Opponent when our Packers play the Vikings?

Eating the Opponent: meet me in St. Louis, Louis!

2011-10-14T06:25:00.001-05:00

Last weekend we had peach cobbler for dessert and cornbread with peach jam with the meal. We tried Coke with peanuts later in the evening and made grits with maple syrup to go with brunch.

This time, we're looking to St. Louis. The Brewers were up against the Cardinals, and the Packers are playing the Rams. My sister-in-law lived and taught in St. Louis for several years, so she joined Earth Muffin in recommending some good local fare.

Our tentative plan: Fried ravioli. Chuck will find a beer (not Budweiser, by the way) with St. Louis or at least Missouri roots. We weren't willing to fry a cardinal - that's another sport entirely. Besides, I hear cardinal tastes like chicken.

Some of the fun in this project comes from the research. We get ideas from friends and family, we look things up on the Internet, and we get creative to add a bit of Wisconsin to some. Adding maple syrup to the grits was one nod to my state tree, the sugar maple. The peaches in the jam were Wisconsin and Michigan produce, not Georgia, to be honest. It's the spirit of the project that counts. So on we go, eating our way (we hope) to 6-0!

Readers coming from Plurk or Twitter might know that I'm having my first cataract removal surgery today. Yes, of course I'm nervous. I'm using my irreverent sense of humor to survive it. No coffee in the morning before surgery? I'll convince Chuck to drive through Starbucks on the way home.

Top Ten Reasons to enjoy teaching online

2011-10-13T06:29:00.000-05:00

...or... Top Ten Reasons my new job is right for me

10. It lets me unleash my inner geek.

9. I can have a bad hair day and no one will know.

8. I step into the hall and breathe the rarified air of administration (we're on the same floor as Student Services, Special Ed., and Title I, among other powerful offices)

7. I get to work with a bunch of other teachers unleashing their own inner geeks.

6. I can play with clip art and pretend I'm working.

5. I'm a good independent worker. Bloggers & writers are often self-motivated types, and I'm both.

4. Those headsets with microphones look oh so fashionable with my hearing aids.

3. I never need to leave sub plans! Well, that's both a blessing and a curse.

2. My "Teaching Wisconsin to Read" coffee cup can sit by my side, full, all morning.

1. I can use the bathroom any time I need it and not have to wait for a recess bell!

Fun with a Can of Baked Beans

2011-10-12T06:40:00.000-05:00

We keep a few cans of beans in the pantry in case we need a side dish for a simple meal. We almost never make the can plain, as sold. It's not that they're bad; they're quite good. It's more like gee, we could have fun with this. Let's make that can of beans into --

Denver (no omelet) Beans

1 can (28 oz.) Bush's original baked beans

Sautee ingredients:

green pepper

red bell pepper

red onion

Spices:

lemon pepper

cayenne pepper

cumin

white pepper

salt

smoky Tabasco sauce

minced garlic

Simmer beans in medium pan over low heat.

Saute peppers and onions in olive oil until soft. Add to simmering beans.

Add a dash of each spice to simmering beans.

Simmer until warmed through.

Serve with fresh chopped tomato on top to balance the spiciness.

Calico Beans

One can (28 oz.) Bush's original baked beans

One can (14 oz.) butter beans

Touch of brown sugar

Dash of balsamic vinegar

Mix both types of beans, sugar, and balsamic vinegar, and simmer in a medium pot until warm.

Beans and Weenies

Leftover beans, plain or either of the kinds above.

1 leftover hot dog, bratwurst, or any cooked sausage. Best if grilled.

Slice sausage. Mix into beans. Heat until warm. Serve for lunch or solo supper; a classic leftover.

This is one of Amigo's favorites. He makes it himself.

As the Farmers' Market season winds down...

2011-10-10T06:46:00.002-05:00

Need I say more? I didn't think so.

I feel sad when the outdoor farmers' market closes for the year, but

I feel pleased that I've preserved so much of the goodness for later in the winter.

Eating the Opponent: Green Bay vs. Atlanta

2011-10-07T06:38:00.000-05:00

It's time for Georgia peaches and Coke with peanuts!

Last year I made peach cobbler and it was delicious. I also have peach jam this year - made from Wisconsin and Upper Michigan peaches, but tasty. Very tasty. We served Coke products with the meal, of course.

If you're new to Eating the Opponent, we've developed a tradition of looking at the Green Bay Packers schedule and serving a local dish from the opposing team's locale. Sometimes it's sincere, sometimes it's tongue in cheek. We had bear claws for breakfast the day of last season's Conference Championship game in Chicago.

Lately, Wisconsin sports fans have offered up a lot of great play for fans, and a lot of fun eating for us. Our Brewers keep on hitting and defending their Beast-ly title, too. And the Wisconsin Badgers? Last week was easy; sweet corn on the cob to represent Nebraska. This weekend, we'll eat our fill of good food and cheer on our favorite team: last year's Super Bowl Champs, the Green Bay Packers.

Celebrating Abilities Week and more

2011-10-06T06:05:00.000-05:00

Sometimes there are just too many celebrations and commemoration days/weeks/months. This week in my fair city the downtown area and the school district have their version of Disability Awareness. In our neck of the woods, we call it Celebrating Abilities. I've had concerns about the way this group has portrayed disabled people as cute, incapable, very needy children. In the past few years they have changed their focus for the better. A few years ago they sponsored a recital that included a blind violinist and a cellist with one arm. Both are very talented musicians.

This year the theme is faces: the face of disability. Promotional posters feature adults, many of whom work at Goodwill Industries. It's a step forward, but also a step back, as the majority of the poster models have cognitive disabilities.

Why not take this a step farther? Follow a disabled adult like me through a normal workday. It might be dull, and maybe that's the point. I need some accommodations, but I'm an average, everyday professional on the job. I'm not a poster child for anything; I'm a teacher. A teacher with a hearing impairment, yes, but mainly a teacher.

I announced my new hearing aids to my coworkers via email, the norm in our online environment. I explained that I was adjusting to the new technology and they might need to bear with me for a little while. Within three minutes I had several replies, all positive.

One called me a good sport and an inspiration.

One thanked me for educating him about hearing loss.

Several wished me good luck with the transition.

One put a lump in my throat with her supportive comments.

This is the reality of being a disabled person. In some work environments, my hearing loss was basis for bullying and ridicule. In a positive work climate, dealing with my disability is not a big deal. My coworkers and I simply, well, deal with it, pass the coffee, and get back to work.

October's calendar also sports a depression awareness movement. Our wellness department, officially called the Office of Lifestyle Enhancement, included in their newsletter a short paragraph and several information links. One year ago, I could have been the poster model for this devastating illness. I'm recovering - not recovered yet, but making major progress. Working with positive people is a huge factor in developing peace of mind. A safe workplace makes a big difference as I'm healing - and beyond.

If you're interested, here are the links:

www.mentalhealthscreening.org

www.healthyminds.org

www.nami.org

www.wfmh.org

Variations on a Soup Theme

2011-10-04T06:02:00.000-05:00

Readers, you know me. I'll see a recipe and say "I could make that! But...." and then the variations begin. This one started as a Lentil soup. I didn't have lentils, but I had beans. Kidney beans. No, I know, they're not the same, but as the basis for a soup, they'll both work. Prep the beans first; soak overnight, at least. I put mine in the crock pot on high for a few hours, then turned it to Keep Warm for overnight. In the morning, I rinsed the beans and started over with the rest of the ingredients.

Daisy's Variations on a Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried beans, soaked overnight and rinsed

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red or green pepper (or both)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh basil OR 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1 teaspoon fresh oregano OR 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

3/4 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary OR 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chopped chicken or turkey (save this until Thanksgiving leftovers - sure, why not?)

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/4 cup quick-cooking barley

1 14 1/2 oz. can of tomatoes - or the equivalent in fresh tomatoes, if you have them

Prepare beans by soaking overnight. Rinse.

Add all other ingredients except the chicken and barley.

Simmer all day long - 4-6 hours on high, 6-8 on low.

Add chicken and barley 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Serving suggestion: serve with Nuts and Twigs bread topped with Nutella.

Note: I was really attracted to this recipe because I have basil, oregano, and rosemary growing wildly on my deck. I feel pressured to use up as much as I can before the frost hits. Coincidentally, Chuck brought home a rotisserie chicken for lunch on Sunday. The leftover chicken will be perfect for this. It's all part of meal planning according to what's in the house already. Well, in the house or growing outside the house, that is.

What to wear?

2011-10-03T06:16:00.000-05:00

Most weekends it's easy. Pick something green and gold out of the closet, support our Super Bowl Champion (I never tire of saying that!) Green Bay Packers.

Friday I wore the usual to work - pink Packers polo shirt, neutral sweater in case the room was drafty. But then.... but then....

Saturday the Milwaukee Brewers started a playoff run. The Wisconsin Badgers had a big game on national importance. Brewers blue or Bucky Badger red? Or both? Or neither?

We expanded our Eating the Opponent plan instead. Saturday night's dinner included grilled Black Angus beef (the Denver Broncos), sweet corn on the cob (Nebraska Cornhuskers), and a nice salsa in the omelets we ate for lunch.

No matter, both teams won decisively on Saturday followed by another great set of games on Sunday. It's a good time to be a sports fan in Wisconsin. Whatever I wear, however we decorate the cubicles (Brewers and Packers in mine, Badgers across the wall in the math teacher's space), autumn is going to be fun.

Saturday:

Badgers 48

Cornhuskers 17

Brewers 4

Diamondbacks 1

Sunday:

Packers 49

Broncos 17

Brewers 9

Diamondbacks 4

On, Wisconsin -- sports!!

Eating the Opponent - beyond the cheesehead

2011-09-30T06:33:00.000-05:00

It all started when the Packers opened the season against the Philadelphia Eagles and Chuck served up a delicious Philly Pepper Steak with cheese. The next week Green Bay played Buffalo, so we served (you guessed it) Buffalo wings. A challenge, a tradition in the making was born: Eating the Opponent.

We had some easy ones: Buffalo wings, Chicago style pizza, jambalaya for New Orleans. There were some challenges, too. Minnesota? I refused to even consider lutefisk, so we went Lake Wobegon style and served stuffed meatloaf. Sunday breakfast included turnovers, in honor of then-QB Favre.

Playoffs extended our menu into January. Philly again, Atlanta, and another Chicago foodie weekend led up to the final meal against Pittsburgh, and there the story ended with pierogies, Klondike bars, Super Burgers, and the return of the Lombardi Trophy to Green Bay where it belongs.

We thought about it. Are we superstitious, or just hungry? Whatever the truth may be, here we go again.

The 2011 NFL season started with jambalaya and two great quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, if you didn't know) passing for the highest score. The second week of the season featured Chicago style hot dogs with the works.

I put week three to my friends on Twitter and Plurk. What should we serve when Green Bay plays Denver? Suggestions mounted.

Rocky Road ice cream
Denver omelets
Coors beer
Rocky Mountain Oysters (Not. A. Chance.)

The final decision: A major product of ranchers in the west, Black Angus beef. Sorry, Coors, but I'd rather have a Leinenkugel's stout or a New Glarus Spotted Cow. It's a Wisconsin thing.

Now, readers, here's your chance. Next weekend the Packers play the Atlanta Falcons. Coke products are a given. But what else? Suggest, please.

Since school started...

2011-09-28T06:13:00.002-05:00

Since school started, I haven't --

gone thrift store shopping
prepared a donation box for Goodwill
gotten out my winter Packers gear
brought in firewood
redecorated the fireplace mantel

Why does any of that matter? Well...

I create holiday gifts from thrift store finds, and that takes time. If I start now, I might find some decent baskets for my homemade goodies.

I have a pile of potential donations sitting in the corner of my bedroom. These pieces were taking up space in my dresser; now they're taking up space on my floor.

Packer gear? Good heavens, need you ask? My pink Packers polo won't last into December - maybe not even November.

As for the fireplace, it's fireplace weather. Damp, cool, not enough to turn the heat on, just enough that a fire in the fireplace will take the edge off the dampness.

The current display of Amigo's awards is a special collection. Since the Brewers are in the MLB playoffs and the Super Bowl Champion Packers started out 3-0, I think it's time for a sports themed mantel again.

There you have it; my October goals. Can I do it? Maybe. In between cataract surgeries and schools testing trips and who knows what else....

Bread with Nuts and Twigs

2011-09-27T06:16:00.000-05:00

Readers, you know I'm a creative cook. I like to toss in a few extra or alternate ingredients to jazz up a recipe.

You might or might not know that Chuck, bless his heart, balks at knowing his food is healthy. He'll eat it, even enjoy it, but don't tell him that it's high fiber or low fat or contains just the vitamins he needs. Just tell him it's delicious and settle in to enjoy.

He calls all my favorite cereals Nuts and Twigs.

He'll choose plain white bread over whole grain, given the choice.

He refuses to take daily fiber supplements because they make him feel old. Ahem.

So I made this. It's a basic white bread in the bread machine with a few additions for, well, for fun.

Daisy' Bread with Nuts and Twigs

makes a 1 1/2 lb. loaf

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons warm water

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine, softened

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon non-fat dry milk powder

1 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 Tablespoon) salt

3 cups bread flour

2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

Now the fun. Add in 1 Tablespoon each:

wheat germ

flaxseed

pine nuts

sunflower kernels (dry roasted)

Set the bread machine to normal, push play, and let it bake!

Supermom Returns

2011-09-24T15:46:00.003-05:00

I can bring home the bacon,

Fry it up in the pan,

And get the kid to his lesson

In my spotless minivan!!

Cause I'm S-u-p-e-r-mom!

Okay, I wasn't makin' bacon today. I'm back to teaching full time, though, figuratively bringing home the bacon. My minivan isn't spotless, either. But I did get get Amigo to his guitar lesson, which was no easy feat.

Amigo takes lessons from a music student at the local private university's conservatory of music. Usually it's a simple process: bring him to the conservatory, park the car, walk him inside to meet his teacher, and wait until he's done.

Not this time. Saturday was one of our fair city's downtown festivals. The downtown and the campus (next to downtown) were filled with food stands and art booths along with stages showcasing every kind of live music you can imagine - and probably some kinds you can't. Parking was impossible. Cars were parked almost as far from downtown as our house. Amigo tends to be walk-phobic, so walking to the lesson wasn't an option. I had to be eagle-eyed and creative - in a large family vehicle, the MomVan.

Of course, I managed. I slipped into the loading dock behind the concert hall, hung Amigo's handicapped parking permit on the mirror, and walked him in to meet the nice young man who teaches him. I zoomed back outside to avoid getting ticketed or towed. Lo and behold, I spotted an empty place in the parking lot just behind the building! Luck wasn't with me, though. By the time I'd pulled out of the loading area, the place was filled. I pulled into the lot anyway and parked next to a worn sort-of-yellow curb, hoped that the department that used the garage next to it wasn't working weekends, or at least this weekend. I backed in for quick getaway if needed. This area was at least more sheltered than the loading spot, with a line of trees separating it from the road. It was also campus parking, not city. It was unlikely that the campus parking staff would be patrolling that area. I crossed my fingers and toes for good luck and crossed the street back to the conservatory.

The same fall festival that gave me parking problems had an up side; there was a stage set up on the sidewalk outside the conservatory and concert hall. As I came up to the area, a jazz combo began playing. Entertainment! Great! I expected a quality performance - this is my alma mater, after all, a solid music school. They were playing good music, too. A couple of saxes, a trombone, and a full rhythm section playing Spyro Gyra type tunes from the early 80s - my era!

Amigo's lesson ended, and we headed home. Supermom got back to the laundry, sliced the fresh bread that had cooled just enough, and sat down for a computer break in front of Badger football on TV. Yes, it was a successful day, despite the challenges. No problem. Supermom can deal with those.

Autumn. Fall. Apples.

2011-09-23T18:47:00.005-05:00

There's no Downtown Market this weekend due to the frivolous fall festival that my town insists on naming Octoberfest, even though it always falls on the last Saturday of September. I have plenty of good fresh food at home, though. In fact, I spent some time recently with these:

Apples! Apples! I made three kinds of applesauce. Plain, cinnamon, and red hot (with the candies, not with peppers). It's going to be a good year for eating locally; all of the apples were from a nearby orchard.

One year ago...

2011-09-21T06:45:00.001-05:00

I was tired and weak from anemia (summer health troubles), but looking forward to the new school year. I did not walk to our opening meeting; I knew there was no possibility of keeping up with my quick-striding coworkers.

I was walking with crutches, attempting to identify and heal the ankle pain that turned out to be gout. Every try teaching science on crutches? It doesn't go well.

I was dealing with a student who would become the focal point of my blood, sweat, and tears. Let's not go into details. Somewhere in the back of my mind I expect to hear he's hurt someone, student or teacher, but I keep that part of my mind tightly closed. Well, I try.

Eventually, the stresses added up and multiplied, grew exponentially, expanded into infinity. My health took a major dive, and I finally, finally applied for a medical leave of absence.

And now? What a difference a year makes!

I'm still not full strength, but I can walk to work - less than a mile, but slightly more than half. The walk feels good.

Multi-vitamins and many, many iron-rich meals made a difference. No more anemia!

I'm starting a new job with the support of coworkers, an assigned mentor, and a principal who stops in frequently and supports me whenever there is a tough question. We had a field trip this week that (thanks to my talent in persuasive writing) brought in a sizable group of people.

Coworkers know about my hearing loss and do not consider it a problem. It's simply a fact.

I'm tired, but a good tired.

But....

I'm still tired. Every night.

Bad dreams still wake me -- often.

I have a bottle of Ambien, but I really, really don't want to get into taking that nightly. Not again.

My workplace is full of cooperative and supportive people. We all want the best for each other. Still, I keep an awful lot of information under wraps. Only my principal knows about last year's leave of absence. Once burned, twice cautious; it's hard to trust again.

Deep breath. Much of this is out of my control. That's okay. Repeat. That's okay.

A year makes a big difference. Let go of the rest. I can do this.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2011-09-20T07:09:00.000-05:00

This is a delicious, light (not lite) recipe. It's sweet, but not heavy-tasting. Chocolate chips might be fun; I didn't add those to this batch. Instead of two regular sized loaves, I made one regular and three small loaves. I'll freeze at least two of the little ones for later. Use a good quality cocoa; it makes a difference.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
makes 2 loaves

Beat together:

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs or 3/4 cup egg substitute
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup milk

Sift and add:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pour into two greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes.

Don't tell the Boyz; I added wheat germ and flax seed. This sweet treat actually has fiber. Shh.

It might be September if...

2011-09-19T06:23:00.001-05:00

It's September at the Okaybyme Household! How can you tell? Here are the signs.

10. School has started - for Daisy and for Amigo.

9. Trees are falling. I mean leaves are falling - a few, anyway.

8. The crock pot has a semi-permanent home in the kitchen again.

7. The lunch boxes are getting regular use.

6. There's fresh zucchini bread (chocolate this time!) in the kitchen.

5. We're eating the opponent again! Check the GB Packers schedule, find a food from the opposing team's locale, and make it on Friday or Saturday night.

4. I wear a jacket to walk to school in the morning and carry it home.

3. It's hard to decide between hot coffee and a blended latte over ice.

2. The green and gold spirit clothes are at the front of the closet.

1. People are locking their car doors at church so they don't find the backseats full of zucchini when they come out!!

Credit to Garrison Keillor for suggesting #1. He's such a funny storyteller because his anecdotes have a strong basis in read life!

Home Sweet Cubicle

2011-09-14T05:57:00.000-05:00

You saw it first here. Now have another look at my workspace. This is the look my students saw if they came to our Open House and toured the offices. There is still work to be done, such as posting photos that students have sent me, but it's a comfortable place to work now. Without further ado, here it is: Daisy's Virtual Classroom.

Reasons to Walk to Work

2011-09-12T06:27:00.001-05:00

10. The streets in the neighborhood are beautiful, especially in autumn.

9. I spend most of my day in a cubicle in a chair; walking lets me stretch.

8. Driving less often reduces my family's dependence on gas and saves money.

7. Walking home provides thoughtful "decompression" time after a busy day.

6. I enjoy the fresh air.

5. Walking is good exercise.

4. I lower my carbon footprint by leaving the minivan in the garage.

3. Driving less often saves wear and tear on my aging minivan.

2. Parking at my workplace is limited, to say the least.

1. This is the view of my favorite, easy-out, shady parking spot after the recent storm went through downtown.

Yeah, the aging minivan would have been toast. Thank goodness I wasn't working that day - and thank goodness I don't drive to work very often.

Resiliency, Depression, and 9/11

2011-09-11T05:58:00.000-05:00

I could post a flag. But there are flags all over the Internet, on Twitter and Facebook profiles and more. The blogosphere doesn't need another flag.

I could post a photo of a candle. One of my strongest memories of 9/11/01 comes from the candlelight vigil a few days later. Our entire neighborhood was lit up, high school kids carried candles with them as they walked around the block, and our neighborhood police officer played Amazing Grace on his bagpipes.

But a candle on a blog wouldn't evoke the kind of emotion that came that night. I don't think that's really what I'm after on this day, ten years after our nation changed forever.

People close to me know that I'm recovering from the worst depression of my life. The key word is recovering. I'm not there yet, but I'm steadily gaining ground. It's a marathon, not a sprint, as I've stated before. I can't say I'm precisely the person I was before this illness hit so hard. I may never be exactly the same, feel exactly the same way. That's okay. I might not remember exactly what healthy feels like, but I'll at least be healthier.

People across the nation recovered from the shock of the 9/11 attacks. I've seen the word "rebounded" used in place of recovered, but our recovery as a nation wasn't quick like a rebound. We didn't heal immediately. Through the healing process we've changed. We're more vigilant, more aware.

Another form of resiliency came about in a focus on home, on family, and on friends. That trend continues, and I hope it never stops. When it comes to healing of any kind, a strong support network is not just important; it's essential.

Part of my healing comes in the forms of gardening and cooking and canning. It's part of being a provider. I may have lost income while I was on sick leave last year, but I can still feed my family. My dollars go farther at the market, and we eat healthier as a result. Healing, emotionally and physically, can come in a cloth bag of fresh produce.

It's not red, white, and blue, but it's colorful. And strong. And downright patriotic.

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL???!!!

2011-09-08T06:42:00.000-05:00

There are no "bad" seats at Lambeau Field. No pillars to block your view, no wildly high nosebleed seats. We were pretty high up, sitting in the outdoor box seats. Chuck won the tickets as a door prize at his last staff meeting, and then he ended up uncertain whether he'd have to work or not. With that in mind, he suggested I bring a friend instead. Here's the view.

My tiny camera really doesn't capture it well. As high up as we were, we could see the field clearly. Popcorn, sodas, and lots of green and gold were ingredients for a great night. Our Super Bowl champions didn't disappoint; they managed to present a dramatic game again. Dramatic preseason game? Isn't that an oxymoron?

Well, gotta go. There's a full day of work to be done before I can go over to my friend's house and watch our Green Bay Packers start another great season!!

Butternut Squash Soup in the slow cooker

2011-09-06T06:15:00.001-05:00

I used my big slow cooker, the 6 qt model, for this soup. One butternut squash yields a lot of squash! I may need to freeze some of the soup for later.

Ingredients:

1 large butternut squash (about 4 lb), peeled, seeded, and cut into pieces

(estimated amount: 10 cups)

1 large apple, peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium white onion, diced

1 large carrot, peeled, diced

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

3 1/2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock

1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray. In cooker, toss squash, apple, onion, carrot, curry powder, salt, and white pepper. Pour broth over vegetable mixture.

Cover; cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Use immersion blender or remove small amounts of soup (3 cups at a time) into blender to blend until smooth. Add milk and brown sugar while blending.

Turn heat setting to high. Cover; cook for another 30 minutes.

Serve. Enjoy.

The question remains: how will I prepare the hybrid?

Could be worse; could be raining!

2011-09-05T06:58:00.000-05:00

After the storm, several pepper plants were lying flat on the ground.

I lost a few tomatoes.

But down the road and around the corner, they were dealing with this fallen tree.

Another neighbor had this in her yard.

Yet another had a tree branch sticking into the roof like a spear.

Some streets were impassible.

Power was out most of the day. We were lucky there, too; nearby neighborhoods were still out of power all day Saturday. We had fans and lights by Friday night.

I had to climb into a garage window to manually open the door. Shingles from the garage roof litter the lawn. But really, it could be much, much worse. We're pretty lucky this time.

After the Storm

2011-09-03T11:19:00.002-05:00

We're here! We have power! I did take a few pictures, and I'll post them later. For now, I'm just happy that our neighborhood did not take the brunt of the storm, even though we were near the worst of it.

We even made it to the Farmers' Market this morning.

Life is good.

Cubicle (or virtual classroom) before and after

2011-09-01T06:14:00.000-05:00

I started school on Tuesday. My students start next week, the day after Labor Day. Most years I can show you the classroom, how I've prepped it, how it looks before the students come in for their first day. This year, I have a cubicle. Here's the before picture.

Boxes of curricular materials, teachers' manuals, tools and consumables for science and art. Below, see the hallways outside my cubicle. These are full, but may not be needed.

I spent a full morning sorting and taking inventory. This isn't the full "after" shot; that will come later. It does, however, show progress. By now, I know what's going on my shelves.

I also left empty boxes for reuse, recycling, or disposal. I sure hope my new building is environmentally conscious. I predict these will be reused either by my own virtual charter school or by the media central office in the basement of our building.

An after picture? Sorry, I don't have one yet. Maybe after our first staff meeting I'll have time to get it looking a little more welcoming. It won't be home to twenty-some students like my old classroom, but it needs to look good and feel good - for me.

Prepping the Corn for Winter

2011-08-30T06:11:00.001-05:00

Instead of a recipe, here's a seasonal how-to post. This is exactly how I prepped the corn to freeze for winter. We'll keep buying sweet corn at the market as long as it's in season and it'll be the theme ingredient for meals. Meanwhile, I approached the guys in the worn-out brown van and asked for five dozen ears of corn. Here's the bag, sitting outside on the deck making friends with the potted herbs.

Then we went to Milwaukee to visit La Petite on Sunday. On Monday, Amigo and I got up early for an appointment and the day just flew by. Tuesday, I had training all morning and an appointment in the afternoon. Wednesday, I had another appointment, one that dilated my pupils for the remainder of the morning. All this time, the big burlap bag sat on the deck. I really should have prepped it immediately, but it just didn't happen. Thursday it rained. Friday afternoon I finally got the corn out of the bag, let it dry in the sun, and then husked the entire batch.

Below you'll see about half of the result.

Then I used my nifty gadget to cut the corn kernels off the cob. This is potentially a messy job, but I learned a trick from Kristin at Blackrock. Standing up the corncob in the center of a Bundt pan keeps the corn steady and directs the kernels to an awaiting bowl.

Next step: blanch. A few minutes in hot water followed by a few minutes in cold water stops the ripening process so the corn will taste fresh when I pull it from the freezer in January. I spread the kernels as evenly as possible on a wax-paper lined pan and insert the pans in the freezer. What you see beside the sink is about one third of the entire batch.

I was too worn out to take pictures of the final bags. Rest assured, there are plenty of freezer bags full of corn (the vacuum kind with the air pumped out) in the freezer along with the beans, peas, and asparagus.

The Daisy Reality Show Returns!

2011-08-29T06:13:00.001-05:00

Director: What's on the agenda today?

Daisy: Farmers' Market. That's always on the schedule for Saturdays. grabs the big bag on wheels, full of other smaller cloth bags

Assistant: You have a garden. Why do you need the Market?

Daisy: Quantity. I have quality, but I need more to fill the freezer and feed my family. Wow, and I'm alliterative, too.

Director: laughs

Assistant: huh? looks confused

At downtown market

Daisy: Sweet corn. I'll take a dozen.

Director: Do you always buy a lot of whatever is in season?

Daisy: Absolutely. Part of the locavore philosophy is eating what's in season so it doesn't have to travel a long way to reach the table. The theme ingredient on my table right now is (drumroll) tomatoes.

They continue down the street, taking in the booths, while Daisy picks out fresh peaches, zucchini, green peppers, sweet corn, butternut squash, blueberries, fresh honey oat bread, and a luxury, kettle corn. Oh, heck, just see the picture below.

Assistant: (sniffing the air near kettle corn booth.) Wow, that smells good.

Daisy: Try some.

Assistant: Oh, oh, this is good. Oh, oh!

Director sotto voce: Let's leave him here to enjoy his kettle corn.

Assistant: OH, THIS IS WONDERFUL!!

Woman at kettle corn booth: I'll have what he's having.

Back at Daisy's house unpacking the goods.

Assistant: I know I asked you this. Why did you buy zucchini and butternut squash? You planted both.

Daisy: Look at what I bought. Then go out to the garden and look at the squash plants.

Director: Let's get a good shot of the produce we just bought.

Assistant, back from garden: Daisy, what do you call that kind of squash? Butter-chini? Zuchnut?

Daisy: Hybrid. Turns to director. Let's take a break and watch a movie while the soaker hose does its work on the tomatoes. How about When Harry Met Sally?

Twitter on the road

2011-08-26T06:54:00.000-05:00

Can you read this?

"AJ Bombers: Where everyone knows your name. Well, at least your Twitter name."

We had lunch there last week. I still don't follow them on Twitter. I'll admit, though, the food was delicious. Amigo certainly enjoyed the peanuts.

The eyes have it

2011-08-25T06:38:00.001-05:00

Paperwork. I felt like I was signing as many documents as I did when we refinanced the mortgage. This time it isn't the house at stake; it's my vision. There was so much to browse that they gave me a tote bag to carry it all home! Sneaky advertising for the clinic, I guess; tote bag, sunglasses, and coffee mug.

Why all the paperwork? I'm getting cataracts removed in October. I'm also opting for the most expensive (read: not covered by insurance) replacement lenses. I rationalized it this way:

The cost will pay for itself. No more glasses, contacts, or related expenses.
I'm considered "young" for this surgery. I have many years ahead in which to enjoy good vision. I did laugh that 50 is considered young; I was the oldest in the waiting room at the OB/GYN, well past my prime baby years.
My hearing loss is progressive; it will get worse. I need my vision at its best.

Good enough? I hope so. It's going to be painful paying for this -- much more than the surgery itself. Deep breath, tighten the belt, harvest fresh food from garden....

Beer Bottle, er, Barrel Polka?

2011-08-24T12:32:00.003-05:00

We were leaving a beer sampling event at the Railroad Museum - Rails and Ales Brewfest. I'd had a few samples and a bit to eat; Chuck had tasted a bit more. We were relaxed, not buzzed, and felt safe getting into the Subaru to go home.

Then we saw this in the distance.

Chuck burst out laughing. I reached for my camera. He said, "Do you see that, too? Maybe I had more than I thought! Beer bottles are appearing everywhere!"

I reassured him that I did, indeed, see the large bottle emerging from the trees. As passed the county fairgrounds, we realized it was a hot air balloon.

Whew. That was a relief. Life is good, but I really don't want to wear my beer goggles while we're on the road.

Tomatoes + Peppers = Salsa

2011-08-23T06:17:00.000-05:00

My dear readers;

I'm in my final session of training for my new job, and I've been using most of my online time to learn the new software for presenting live lessons to my online students and their learning coaches. I must beg off from presenting a new recipe today. I posted this one last fall and made it again last week. Since I have tomatoes and peppers ripening like crazy, some of you must have those around, too. Feel free to adapt the peppers to include whatever you're harvesting! A hot red chili pepper instead of the dried kind... a sweet yellow banana pepper instead of the yellow bell... you know how these things work.

Tomato Salsa Dip

1 small to medium onion, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

4 ripe tomatoes, cored, peeled, and diced (mine were small, so I used 7)

1 cup tomato juice

2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes

5 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

4 Tablespoons water

Directions:

1. Warm the onion, peppers, tomatoes, tomato juice, hot pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, and brown sugar in a saucepan.

2. Mix the cornstarch and the water and add to the simmering salsa.

3. Stir until thickened. Then remove from heat and allow to cool.

The Big Orange Barricades

2011-08-21T06:05:00.002-05:00

Wisconsinites like to say that there are two seasons: winter and road construction. We're currently in the latter season. The evidence is everywhere. In fact, road construction barricades have their own names in this part of the country.

See these? We call them Schneider Eggs.

Without Schneider eggs, where would the big orange trucks come from?

Last week I heard a bus driver refer to the orange markers as "Wisconsin's State Flower." Ooh, ooh, here's a bouquet growing in -- gravel?

I see these flowers spread out when they're allowed to grow in grass.

If the big orange cones are Wisconsin's State Flower, what are these?

Seeds?

Pantry Raids and Planned-Overs and Booyah

2011-08-19T13:25:00.003-05:00

Recipe Lion's August Blog Hop features budget recipes. I think of budget many times as I'm cooking and baking and canning, so I couldn't really zero in on one recipe to contribute. Then I started making supper for tonight.

Let's back up. Yesterday Amigo and I were in Green Bay for an appointment around noon, so we went out for lunch at a family restaurant across from Lambeau Field. I ordered a Northern Wisconsin favorite, chicken booyah. No, that's not misspelled. Booyah is a thick soup of chicken and vegetables. Legend has it that booyah originated in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with the trappers and fur trappers. It's a mangled version of a French term (you recognized it, right?) and the dish was originally made with fresh turtle meat.

My booyah is a little like my minestrone soup (a little of every vegetable in the house, a soup stock from the freezer, and a can of beans). Today's booyah started with vegetable stock from the freezer, several vegetables, and a shredded chicken thigh left over from earlier this week. Vegetables included leftover corn sliced off the cob, frozen peas, a few shallots from the garden, green pepper, two diced potatoes, and... did I forget anything? Two cloves of garlic. This soup looks thick and savory. I added a small chicken breast because I didn't think the one thigh was enough, and topped it off with a can of diced tomatoes to add flavor to the broth.

That wonderful mix simmers in the kitchen right now. It won't even need noodles or rice or crackers by the time it's done. Tasty? Oh, yes, it'll be tasty. In fact, I should go add a few herbs right now. Rosemary, maybe. Or thyme. If I throw some thyme in the pot, does that mean I've made thyme fly? Uh-huh. I thought not.

There you have it, readers. Planned overs: chicken thighs, sweet corn, a little extra made with the intention of adding to another dish later. Pantry raid: every vegetable in the house, including a few from the garden. No shopping required! If I make booyah or minestrone later this month, it'll contain zucchini.

Visit Recipe Lion's August Blog Hop by clicking on their badge below. enjoy!!

Moving to Milwaukee in a Big Truck

2011-08-17T06:50:00.000-05:00

Due to last minute planning, the rental truck was quite a bit bigger than we needed.

Did I say big? How big was it?

It filled the driveway. We barely had room for La Petite's Saturn.

Did I say it filled the driveway? Look out for the trees!!

Did I say it Filled the Driveway?

Hold your breath and suck in your stomach while you squeeze past.

Did I mention the truck was Much Bigger Than We Needed? Here is the load. That's all of it.

Big or small, truck or trailer, they headed out to the highway and got the move done.

Meanwhile, I stayed home and made pickles.

Apple Butter Experiments

2011-08-16T09:20:00.004-05:00

I made an apple butter last night and I wasn't fully satisfied with the results. I looked up my old crock pot recipe and decided to combine the two. If I use the right proportion of lemon juice to apples to keep the acidity high, I should be able to can these, right? I'm using Dutch because it's early in the season and because I made great freezer apple butter with Dutch apples last summer.

Here's the original; I'll post the combined recipe later if it's successful.

part I:

Ingredients

Apples, 12-14 medium or 10-12 large (fill crockpot about 3/4 full)
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Directions

Peel, core, and quarter apples. The option exists to take out the peels later, after cooking, but I had a hard time doing that because the finished product was so thick.
Place apples and vanilla in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until apples are very soft.

After cooking, mash apples with fork or potato masher.

Part II:

Ingredients
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1 Tablespoon molasses (optional)
Directions

Cover again and cook on low for 4-6 hours. If you like your apple butter smooth (I do), blend with an immersion blender.

This was very thick and flavorful. Serve on bread, graham crackers, or in place of the jelly on a PBJ. More ideas? Add comments, please! I'd love to hear them.

Bread and Butter Pickles, reprise

2011-08-13T06:36:00.001-05:00

Here you go, a quick look at the result of Tuesday's recipe. Let's see: one jar is open and in the refrigerator, one jar went to my brother's house, one jar is on its way to my mom's...

I think I need to make a second batch. Works for me! Tastier than store-bought, and less expensive, too.

Gatekeepers. I hate them.

2011-08-11T06:31:00.000-05:00

"Good news, Daisy! You're off the wait list for our clinic. We have an opening on August 31 at 7 AM."

Me: I'm sorry, I can't make that date and time. What else is available?

Gatekeeper: We have an opening Monday, August 1st, at 8:00 AM.

Me: I'll take that one.

Gatekeeper: We'll send out paperwork for your initial appointment.

Scene: Daisy getting mail on Friday.

Me: Oh, no! This date is wrong! It says August 31 at 7! I said no to that date!

(calls clinic, connects with new gatekeeper, explains problem)

Gatekeeper: Okay, we'll cancel the 7:00 appointment on August 31st.

Me: I have 8:00 on the 1st on my calendar.

Gatekeeper: With which doctor?

Me: (reads name off paperwork)

Gatekeeper: He's not even here on the 1st. Your appointment is on the 31st.

Me: No, I refused that date. It doesn't work for me.

Gatekeeper: Okay, we'll cancel the 7:00 appointment on August 31st and put you back on the wait list.

Me: But... but... I've been waiting since March.

Gatekeeper: Is this okay?

Me: No, it's not okay. (pause) It doesn't sound like there's any other option.

Gatekeeper: (pause) Thank you. Goodbye.

Now what? Another five months' wait? The local health care system certainly doesn't take depression very seriously. I guess I'm on my own - again. Still.

Note to self: it's a marathon, not a sprint. Take time, and look at the big picture. Family doc is doing a good job so far; all will (eventually) be well.