OMG craftsman goes Pink

Today Beatrice and I celebrate 15 years together. So we decided to head off to the 'big city' of Salisbury MD. Something we do here that we can't do at home is stroll the mall. One of our stops today took us through the tool section of that venerable American Icon Sears. First it was Pink Lionel Trains when i was a kid, and now this...... Is nothing sacred?????

A Day Photos

Yesterday’s post was about a photo project to document a single day – May 15, 2012. Anyone could participate by taking photos using camera, cell phone, etc. then uploading to the ADay website.

According to the website, so many people were uploading that versions of Internet Explorer were not working. Using a  different browser, such as Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari’ was suggestion or waiting – photos taken on May 15 can be uploaded until May 22, a week later.

This Canon digital Elph PowerShot camera accompanied Grenville and I on routine activities yesterday, such as going to the post office, recycling center, and YMCA. In late afternoon, we walked to a nearby CVS.

Here’s the shots taken in collages. Click on any to enlarge.

Early Tuesday morning was overcast as the day alternated between sun and clouds. These views show some of the main streets in Onley VA. It’s a very small with a population slightly over 500. Seems like everyone stayed indoors.

The Onley, VA post office is within walking distance of our home. We pick-up our mail at a P.O. box; only residents living on Main Street have home delivery.

The YMCA, we use regularly, is on U.S. Rte. 13, a few miles from home. You can get a cup of fresh coffee any time of day.

The Onley Fire & Rescue (long blue building) is a short walk down the street from The Frog & PenguINN. The small brick building is the town office/police department. The Lighthouse Thrift Store is at the top left; next to it is the Historic Onley Train Station. The Onley Baptist Church is still missing its steeple; Onley Methodist Church is the brick building.

Random scenes as we travelled around yesterday. never going more than 3 miles from home.Many of these homes date to the early 1900s, including ours.

The rain held off while we walked in late afternoon.

I will upload photos to aDay by the end of this week.
Did any of you participate in this event?

May 15, 2015 - A Day in Photos

Look FOLKS, here’s a project that’s perfect for many bloggers like me who like to photograph and share daily life around us.

It’s a one-day chance to let many photo bloggers, like Sandra (Madsnapper), Christer (A Collage by the Crane Lake), Mona (Montanagirl). Elaine (Artic View), Ludwig (Café Ludwig) and SO many others to showcase what we do best – photograph the where's and what's of life.

Here’s WHY – Folks worldwide are invited to to take and submit photos documenting TODAY, May 15, 2012.  And, you have until May 22 to post the photos.
Just read about this photo project on USA Today/Tech. It’s open to everyone, using whatever method (DSLR, point & shoot, cell phone) who can take and get their photos online. Maximum upload is 10 images in 3 basic categories: home, work, connections with subcategories in each. The photographer retains full copyrights. Submitted photos will be shown online and a selection will be used in A Day in the World set for publication in Oct 2012.

Complete information on how to participate in the ADay project is available on its website.

Have Fun SNAPPING away!

If you do participate,  please post to share your day.

Got Strawberries??????

We certainly do. And this year Beatrice has deemed that all berries must be eaten.... none for the freezer. Now that may sound rash (bad pun) but i think i can handle it. Strawberry smoothies, pancakes, fruit cups, AND a new experiment,,,, Strawberry Pie.

I saw this last year in Cooks Illustrated (the only magazine we get) and it sounded so good. But as most things go, i got busy and soon strawberry season was done. BUT not this year. So i went back to the magazine and found that "America's Test Kitchen" could be found on the internet. A couple of clicks and i was a member and could download recipes and watch some of the videos. Right there in the kitchen. What a deal.... (did i mention i really like my iPad now that i've gotten used to it).

Now the trouble with a strawberry pie is that the berries are really really juicy and when you cut the pie, it falls apart. The test kitchen seemed to have solved this problem by combining corn starch and sugar free pectin.

SOOOOO  i tired it. Following the recipe closely (not normal for me) since i really wanted this to turn out spectacular. AND the final product looked great.

The Princess and i decided that we should share this spring time treat that looked oh so very good. SOOOO after dinner we packed it up, along with a half gallon of vanilla ice cream, and headed off to share with friends Bob & Marty.

WELLLLLL what looked so good turned out to have the same problem as the other pies the the Test Kitchen tried before finding the secret (which i have not found yet) to keeping the berries from ooooozzzzzing all over as you cut the first piece. YEPPERS, my first attempt at Strawberry Pie was a partial failure. Partial because of a lack of 'stick togetherness' of the berries. BUT, given the choice of tossing it in the garbage or covering it with vanilla ice cream, we opted for the latter. And just for good measure (and because it tasted so good) we all had seconds, leaving 'no prisioners'.......

Of course, berry season isn't over yet, so i may make another attempt. Friend Marty thinks that i just didn't cook the corn starch/sure gel mixture long enough. Guess i should try again... soon.

INGREDIENTS

Filling

4 pints (about 3 pounds) fresh strawberries , gently rinsed and dried, hulled 

3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons Sure-Jell for low-sugar recipes 

  Generous pinch Table salt

1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon

1 Baked Pie Shell

INSTRUCTIONS

1. FOR THE FILLING: Select 6 ounces misshapen, underripe, or otherwise unattractive berries, halving those that are large; you should have about 1½ cups. In food processor, process berries to smooth puree, 20 to 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. You should have about ¾ cup puree.

2. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, Sure-Jell, and salt in medium saucepan. Stir in berry puree, making sure to scrape corners of pan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with heatproof rubber spatula, and bring to full boil. Boil, scraping bottom and sides of pan to prevent scorching, for 2 minutes to ensure that cornstarch is fully cooked (mixture will appear frothy when it first reaches boil, then will darken and thicken with further cooking). Transfer to large bowl and stir in lemon juice. Let cool to room temperature. (Maybe cook a little longer, till it is like the lemon filling in lemon merange pie)

3. Meanwhile, pick over remaining berries and measure out 2 pounds of most attractive ones; halve only extra-large berries. Add berries to bowl with glaze and fold gently with rubber spatula until berries are evenly coated. Scoop berries into pie shell, piling into mound. If any cut sides face up on top, turn them face down. If necessary, rearrange berries so that holes are filled and mound looks attractive. Refrigerate pie until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve within 5 hours of chilling.

If you try this, let us know your success,,,, or invite us over to help decide....:-)

Grenville

Going . . . Going . . . Relocated

This was the last shot of Grenville’s greenhouse in mid-February, as it travelled down the street away from The Frog & PenguINN. The greenhouse was sold as part of our current downsizing.

Our friend and new greenhouse owner, Matt, was taking it to its new location – Sparky’s Farm.

 

This past weekend, we visited the greenhouse (and Matt too). The greenhouse is full of plants; Grenville suspects it’s much happier living on the farm.

Its new location is not far from a small pond. These young ducklings waddled over to check out what was going on.

The goats and garden toad were not as curious.

Happy Mother’s Day 2012

Enjoy Your Day !

Life is a Bowl of . . .

STRAWBERRIES

Maybe you were thinking cherries?

Grenville is already thinking pies – here’s how the apples are doing . . .

The peaches are coming in fast as well . . .

Friday Funnies

Seen on the highway during a recent road trip and these thoughts came to mind . . .

Rolling out the GREEN carpet . . . and

Brown side DOWN
Green side UP

Thai Chicken Crockpot Dinner

Tonight's dinner was another chicken crockpot recipe that was not only SO easy to set up, but included a couple of our favorite ingredients – salsa and  peanut butter.

This was a first-time recipe from a Rival Crockpot recipe book. There are many other variations available online. Chicken thighs were used, but other pieces of bone-in chicken can be substituted.

Thai Crockpot Chicken

• 8 chicken thighs (skinless)
• 1 C salsa
• 1/2 C peanut butter
• 2 TBSP lime juice
• 1 TBSP soy sauce (low-sodium)
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 2 TBSP cilantro
• 1/2 C chopped scallions
• Optional:  1/2 C chopped peanuts when serving

1. Put chicken in crockpot.
2. Mix other ingredients together – salsa, peanut butter, lime juice, soy sauce and seasonings – and pour over chicken.
3. Add scallions on top and cover.
4. Cook on LOW 8-9 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours. (If you want chicken that’s so tender it falls off the bone after a longer cooking time, then go for the LOW setting.) 
5. Serve over rice; sprinkle with peanuts (if desired) .

Serve with a side of salad or green vegetable and ENJOY !

Shiny & New and Under 3 Lbs.

YUP, that’s what my new Mac is, not exactly brand new, but looks just like new at less cost with a standard 1-year warranty when bought directly from Apple under Refurbished.

Sure, it’s still a “big ticket” item which I did not purchase quickly. Just ask Grenville, he’ll tell you how I went on (and on) trying to justify its purchase – to myself.

Here’s the new refurbished MacBook Air (13.3 in.) that arrived via FedEx last night – definitely night – since delivery was 8:15 p.m.

BEFORE getting this, I made a deal with myself – ever do that too? – couldn’t get a new PC, since we are downsizing for a move north to NH, without first selling my Windows notebook PC, 2005 Toshiba Satellite and related accessories: carrying case, notebook mouse, portable hard drive, external DVD drive (leftover from a netbook sold earlier).
EBay was the only viable selling venue, so last month, the sell-off started, very S-L-O-W-L-Y. After 1 week, items has a few “watchers” but NO bidders at auctions ended. There are no listing/relisting fees, but EBay’s “cut” is 8-10% when sold; then PayPal exacts a (smaller) fee. Costly, yes, but easier getting payment this way and transferring $ to my bank.

FINALLY, everything was sold and off to near AND far states of California, Colorado, Indiana, and New Jersey.

WHY was my choice a MB Air when similar Windows PCs are  FAR less costly and some even more feature-laden?

Personal preference for something different which meant a CHANGE from Microsoft /Windows based notebook PCs. My first 2 notebook PCs were by Toshiba and served me well – but hefty as well; the last one was over 6 lbs. Here’s how the MB Air compares:

Height: 0.11-0.68 in. (0.3-1.7 cm)
Width: 12.8 in. (32.5 cm)
Depth: 8.94 in. (22.7 cm)
Weight: 2.96 lbs. (1.35 kg)
Sure, there are trade-offs going from a  standard notebook PC to the MB Air – its 4GB RAM can’t be expanded, it has no hard drive or CD/DVD drive. It DOES have a 128 GB solid state drive (SSD) less susceptible to fail from physical shock and quieter.

WHY? SSDs don’t use moving mechanical components, which distinguishes them from traditional magnetic disks, hard disk drives (HDDs) or floppy disks. Those electromechanical devices have spinning  disks and movable read/write heads. .
And then there’s that oh-so-slim and attractive aluminum housing.
And I won’t even mention the ever-so-quiet plus backlit keyboard. (WHOOPS, I just did.)

YES, this was definitely a good battle to have won with myself !
Besides, when if I miss using a  Windows/Microsoft PCs, I can turn on my HP desktop.

“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship” *

*(Rick Blaine to Captain Louis Renault – Casablanca (1942)