Today was day two for preparing for the fair. These days are not consecutive, mind you. They only occur when the exact conditions are right for the product being made. Today was a day for pickled figs and apple chutney.
I've made fig preserves before and, since the figs are now abundant, I wanted to try something different. I found a recipe for pickled figs and thought I would try it. We went to the fig bush late morning and started picking them. It had been cloudy all morning. When we were almost finished, the clouds decided to let go of some of their pent up moisture in the form of rain. Thankfully, it was a slow rain as we made our way back under the fig trees. Once we were under the canopy of the spreading branches, we felt no rain. The leaves made a natural umbrella against the elements. It was nice to hear the raindrops hit the leaves and know that they were protecting us from getting really wet. When the rain started falling harder, we decided to leave the figs for another day and head back to the house.
Once we returned, we had to go to the grocery store to purchase a few items we didn't have for today's preserving. After returning home, the process of pickling began. During the cooking time for the figs, I also started preparing the ingredients for the next recipe--apple chutney. The total time for all that didn't really take as long as we thought considering that we started a little later. So far I am pleased with the results. We tasted the fig pickles and they were very good. We didn't taste the chutney yet, so I hope it came out tasting good. Time will tell.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
OCD
When I see the commercials for the A&E program Obsessed, I wonder how people can become so controlled by something that, for most people, is a seemingly innocent, mundane task. Things like washing hands, counting, checking the stove, and cleaning up are everyday jobs that most people take for granted. But for a few people these activities gradually take control of them until these people can't function in a normal setting. After a few moments of wondering, I come to the conclusion that I am not like them...no way...no how...
But am I?
Today, a co-worker asked me about my recycle bin and why I haven't emptied it. I told her that it was not the end of the day yet and that I always empty on the last day of the month. She then loudly proclaims that I am OCD. I laughed, but that began a trail of thought in my brain that maybe, just maybe, I have come compulsions in the infantile stages. Questions began to pepper my brain...
Do I always want my books to look as if I just bought them from the store? Yes
Do I always straighten up the paperwork at work when it gets misplaced? Yes
Do I like the forms filled out a certain way with the correct information on them? Yes
Do I ...
Then I couldn't really think of anymore that seemed borderline OCD.
With that realization, a small amount of relief flooded my brain and extinguished all the heat that the questions had produced. No, I wouldn't classify myself as OCD.
Organized? Yes
Want my possessions to remain in good condition? Yes
Want complete information available in order to understand a situation? Yes
So I guess that makes me an organized person that wants to keep his possessions looking nice and to be completely informed in all matters.
Sounds completely normal to me.
Right?
But am I?
Today, a co-worker asked me about my recycle bin and why I haven't emptied it. I told her that it was not the end of the day yet and that I always empty on the last day of the month. She then loudly proclaims that I am OCD. I laughed, but that began a trail of thought in my brain that maybe, just maybe, I have come compulsions in the infantile stages. Questions began to pepper my brain...
Do I always want my books to look as if I just bought them from the store? Yes
Do I always straighten up the paperwork at work when it gets misplaced? Yes
Do I like the forms filled out a certain way with the correct information on them? Yes
Do I ...
Then I couldn't really think of anymore that seemed borderline OCD.
With that realization, a small amount of relief flooded my brain and extinguished all the heat that the questions had produced. No, I wouldn't classify myself as OCD.
Organized? Yes
Want my possessions to remain in good condition? Yes
Want complete information available in order to understand a situation? Yes
So I guess that makes me an organized person that wants to keep his possessions looking nice and to be completely informed in all matters.
Sounds completely normal to me.
Right?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Vacation Observations
Today I will share some thoughts and ideas that occurred to me while we were traveling last week...
1) One should always make sure the GPS is programmed correctly or one will waste their time driving around Baltimore.
2) One should make sure that he knows all about the key system on the rental. It's better to be educated beforehand than to think you are locked out of your vehicle when, in fact, you have the key all along.
3) Enjoy the Delaware scenery on I95 while you can...it doesn't last long!
4) Be prepared for toll after toll after toll after toll.
5) New York City needs to make an I95 bypass around or over the great concrete expanse...GPSs everywhere will rejoice.
6) Econolodges are not a very good place to stay, even for a single night.
7) Connecticut has a diner on every corner and all serve equally tasty food.
8) Rhode Island seems to be the hot spot for the rich and famous that want to be on the down low. A certain actor has his mansion for sale for a measly $10,000,000.00. Poor soul's taking a loss on it.
9) Two-thirds of Boston is built on landfill...nice, secure feeling when you're hurling through one of the many tunnels or are riding the subways.
10) Boston is the definitive place to be on July 4. No one celebrates it more or louder. Absolutely the best!
11) One needs to pack some numchucks or practice his karate moves to make it through the congestion and onto the free subway rides after the fireworks.
12) Women with large bags certainly know how to wield them efficiently. One needs to make sure he wears the appropriate battle gear.
13) Acadia National Park is filled with stunning scenery and breath-taking views.
14) Hot, humid air coming in close proximity to the cool waters of the North Atlantic makes for some very foggy conditions.
15) Thick fog rolling in is a wonderful sight to see.
16) There's nothing like eating a fresh lobster roll on a dock after consuming a nice cup of fresh New England clam chowder.
17) McDonald's frappés sure do make the return trip more bearable.
1) One should always make sure the GPS is programmed correctly or one will waste their time driving around Baltimore.
2) One should make sure that he knows all about the key system on the rental. It's better to be educated beforehand than to think you are locked out of your vehicle when, in fact, you have the key all along.
3) Enjoy the Delaware scenery on I95 while you can...it doesn't last long!
4) Be prepared for toll after toll after toll after toll.
5) New York City needs to make an I95 bypass around or over the great concrete expanse...GPSs everywhere will rejoice.
6) Econolodges are not a very good place to stay, even for a single night.
7) Connecticut has a diner on every corner and all serve equally tasty food.
8) Rhode Island seems to be the hot spot for the rich and famous that want to be on the down low. A certain actor has his mansion for sale for a measly $10,000,000.00. Poor soul's taking a loss on it.
9) Two-thirds of Boston is built on landfill...nice, secure feeling when you're hurling through one of the many tunnels or are riding the subways.
10) Boston is the definitive place to be on July 4. No one celebrates it more or louder. Absolutely the best!
11) One needs to pack some numchucks or practice his karate moves to make it through the congestion and onto the free subway rides after the fireworks.
12) Women with large bags certainly know how to wield them efficiently. One needs to make sure he wears the appropriate battle gear.
13) Acadia National Park is filled with stunning scenery and breath-taking views.
14) Hot, humid air coming in close proximity to the cool waters of the North Atlantic makes for some very foggy conditions.
15) Thick fog rolling in is a wonderful sight to see.
16) There's nothing like eating a fresh lobster roll on a dock after consuming a nice cup of fresh New England clam chowder.
17) McDonald's frappés sure do make the return trip more bearable.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
New England
For this year's family vacation, I chose New England. I have always wanted to go there for a longer period of time since my day-trip to Boston in 2001. Since I knew that we couldn't cover everything there in a 10-day period, I decided to hit the high spots. I chose to go around July 4 because I had heard that Boston knows how to celebrate Independence Day.
We left on July 2 and spent the night in Connecticut. After breakfast, we drove the rest of the way across what I found was a surprisingly long trek in a seemingly small state. We arrived in Newport, Rhode Island in the afternoon and immediately toured The Breakers. It's an area where the Vanderbilts and other wealthy families from the middle 19th century to the turn of the last century spent their summers. The houses were huge!! Gold, platinum, jewels, and other assorted I-have-too-much-money-so-I-will-build/decorate-my-house-out-of-anything-that-costs-megabucks items were used inside and out. It was very impressive and reminiscent of the Biltmore Home in Asheville, but at the same time, it was a bit over the top. Even their habits were not typical of the average family, even by today's elevated standards. Changing sheets twice a day, changing clothes 4-5 times a day, girls not allowed in that room, boys not allowed in the other room, children confined to certain rooms only all sound very foreign to my way of thinking. But it was very interesting to learn a little about their lives.
After a seafood dinner in southern Rhode Island, we headed to Boston. We spent July 4 on The Freedom Trail and saw some of the items and buildings from the Colonial and early 19th century Bostonian periods. Later that night, we celebrated our independence Boston-style. It was a holiday I will never forget. After a mad "dash" through a ever-growing crowd trying to push, stomp, outmaneuver, and cajole their way into the free subway trains, we made it back to the hotel room after midnight.
The next day was spent at the New England Aquarium and walking around Boston again. We were able to see some other sights and also enjoy a nice Italian dinner at the North End. Tuesday found us at Plimouth. We toured the Wampanoag and English villages and boarded the Mayflower II. After an excursion to Cape Cod, we went back to Boston for the night. The next morning, we left for Salem and then on to Maine.
The trip to Maine seemed longer than it should be. I guess it's because there wasn't much traffic. But the scenery was beautiful! Nothing like it here in North Carolina. After we arrived in Bar Harbor that evening, we settled in for the night. The next day we went into Acadia National Park. WOW! Gorgeous!! Wild!! Rocky!! Green!! We saw a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) chick on it's ledge nest (through a scope). Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and Greater Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) were everywhere. Fog, wind, humidity, thundering water, bird songs and calls, brown rocks, and green trees all combined to fill our senses with wonder as we viewed this Wonderland up close. After a full day of exploring, we were hungry for more seafood. I tried my first ever full-belly clams. Tender, crispy, and very tasty pieces of bivalves sent waves of delight over my body. Topping that meal off with a piece of warm Maine blueberry pie a la mode made for one happy camper.
On Friday, the proverbial fly in the ointment tried to make an appearance. We were scheduled to go whale and puffin watching, but the ever-present fog and choppy seas caused the trip to be canceled. I was very disappointed because I had been dreaming of this adventure for many years. But we just decided to hike around Johnson Pond (looked like a lake to me!) for the morning and then were able to get on a boat tour of the lighthouses in the afternoon. The boat tour was nice even in the middle of the fog. We were only able to see 3 lighthouses and only one of those was very clear. We also saw more homes of the rich-and-famous. The highlight of the tour was an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) feeding a chick on the nest, a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a warning signal, and Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) taking a rest on a rocky island.
After a Lobster Roll for dinner, it was time to prepare to return home. As usual, it's a bittersweet time for me. We left early Saturday and drove, drove, and drove some more. After spending the night in New Jersey, we drove and drove again until the familiar sights and sounds of home awakened our road-weary senses.
Home.
Nothing like it.
We left on July 2 and spent the night in Connecticut. After breakfast, we drove the rest of the way across what I found was a surprisingly long trek in a seemingly small state. We arrived in Newport, Rhode Island in the afternoon and immediately toured The Breakers. It's an area where the Vanderbilts and other wealthy families from the middle 19th century to the turn of the last century spent their summers. The houses were huge!! Gold, platinum, jewels, and other assorted I-have-too-much-money-so-I-will-build/decorate-my-house-out-of-anything-that-costs-megabucks items were used inside and out. It was very impressive and reminiscent of the Biltmore Home in Asheville, but at the same time, it was a bit over the top. Even their habits were not typical of the average family, even by today's elevated standards. Changing sheets twice a day, changing clothes 4-5 times a day, girls not allowed in that room, boys not allowed in the other room, children confined to certain rooms only all sound very foreign to my way of thinking. But it was very interesting to learn a little about their lives.
After a seafood dinner in southern Rhode Island, we headed to Boston. We spent July 4 on The Freedom Trail and saw some of the items and buildings from the Colonial and early 19th century Bostonian periods. Later that night, we celebrated our independence Boston-style. It was a holiday I will never forget. After a mad "dash" through a ever-growing crowd trying to push, stomp, outmaneuver, and cajole their way into the free subway trains, we made it back to the hotel room after midnight.
The next day was spent at the New England Aquarium and walking around Boston again. We were able to see some other sights and also enjoy a nice Italian dinner at the North End. Tuesday found us at Plimouth. We toured the Wampanoag and English villages and boarded the Mayflower II. After an excursion to Cape Cod, we went back to Boston for the night. The next morning, we left for Salem and then on to Maine.
The trip to Maine seemed longer than it should be. I guess it's because there wasn't much traffic. But the scenery was beautiful! Nothing like it here in North Carolina. After we arrived in Bar Harbor that evening, we settled in for the night. The next day we went into Acadia National Park. WOW! Gorgeous!! Wild!! Rocky!! Green!! We saw a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) chick on it's ledge nest (through a scope). Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and Greater Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) were everywhere. Fog, wind, humidity, thundering water, bird songs and calls, brown rocks, and green trees all combined to fill our senses with wonder as we viewed this Wonderland up close. After a full day of exploring, we were hungry for more seafood. I tried my first ever full-belly clams. Tender, crispy, and very tasty pieces of bivalves sent waves of delight over my body. Topping that meal off with a piece of warm Maine blueberry pie a la mode made for one happy camper.
On Friday, the proverbial fly in the ointment tried to make an appearance. We were scheduled to go whale and puffin watching, but the ever-present fog and choppy seas caused the trip to be canceled. I was very disappointed because I had been dreaming of this adventure for many years. But we just decided to hike around Johnson Pond (looked like a lake to me!) for the morning and then were able to get on a boat tour of the lighthouses in the afternoon. The boat tour was nice even in the middle of the fog. We were only able to see 3 lighthouses and only one of those was very clear. We also saw more homes of the rich-and-famous. The highlight of the tour was an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) feeding a chick on the nest, a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a warning signal, and Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) taking a rest on a rocky island.
After a Lobster Roll for dinner, it was time to prepare to return home. As usual, it's a bittersweet time for me. We left early Saturday and drove, drove, and drove some more. After spending the night in New Jersey, we drove and drove again until the familiar sights and sounds of home awakened our road-weary senses.
Home.
Nothing like it.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
I'm Back!
Well, I have returned from my vacation to New England. I will be sharing stories and thoughts from the trip this week.
For now, let me give you a condensed version...
Long drive.
Good seafood.
Lots of Yankee accents.
Many crazy people driving the Interstates.
Some suspicious hotel rooms.
Hot weather.
Fog, fog, and more fog.
McDonald's Mocha Frappés
Details will be filled in.
I promise.
For now, let me give you a condensed version...
Long drive.
Good seafood.
Lots of Yankee accents.
Many crazy people driving the Interstates.
Some suspicious hotel rooms.
Hot weather.
Fog, fog, and more fog.
McDonald's Mocha Frappés
Details will be filled in.
I promise.
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