A new website

Since I own a hosting company, it just makes sense to host my own blog and content.  Blogger, owned by Google, doesn't allow self-hosting.  WordPress does so please visit me at yankeegumbo.com.

Always the gentleman. My Teiko is such a good boy. He always lets the Poodle have the sweet spot on the doggie bed.  That is a GOOD German Shepherd!

Simply Beautiful image from Pinterest

Source: centrogarden.com via Rylee on Pinterest

All right, I've tried posting my response to the 8,000 "likes" and "comments" on Pinterest and the demands for the "How to directions"...I've tried posting a response 10 times and I've been denied by error messages.

Dang.

Anyway....I didn't make this arrangement originally, I only pinned it from another pinterest user and the link is from the original website - www.centrogarden.com in Burlington, Ontario Canada. They have a sweet little shop that I would love to visit and spend a week volunteering in!!!

However, if I was going to make this I would go to a local dime store (as suggested by another commentor) and buy a few tall cylinder glass vases. Then I would walk around my yard (or close by) and look for small branches. I would cut a few and bring them home. Then I would get some clear glass beads and with jewelry wire, I would weave them into the nests of the branches to weight them in the water. Done.  Alright, I'd add a few oval candles for effect.

For winter I'd throw some cranberries in for some extra color and holiday cheer. For Easter, I'd throw some miniature plastic easter eggs - maybe with a little water thrown in to weight them in the water or a small flower head that would float around.

This is a total Winter through Spring display and easy-peasy to make.

The original image is from here -

On Wisconsin

Probably already have used this title before but "On Wisconsin" is so appropriate for today.  Wisconsin citizens turned in over 1 million recall signatures on our current governor.   Then there are the four senators and the lieutenant gov who were also recalled.

This is what democracy looks like at my house tonight - dinner was left-overs served smorgasbord style on a Wisconsin-shaped wood board.

If you are interested in watching the recall process, check out the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board's live feed of the recall process of scanning 3 tons of recall petitions. Check out http://gab.wi.gov/.

That's all right Mama!

Glad my parents got together back in the 60s so that I can be here today!  Here's a little thanks to them!

Another lap around the sun....

Tomorrow is my birthday.  I'm in a pretty good place.  It has helped tremendously that we've had an unseasonably warm winter.  Just two days ago it was 51 degrees here in Wisconsin.  But all things change...

Tonight we are having our first snow of the winter.  And of course, it's right at my birthday. But that's okay. I live and love in Wisconsin.  I do need the winter to hibernate and fuel myself. The changing of the seasons is in my blood.

Tomorrow we are having a big party at the house to send our daughter, Ryann, off to Tanzania and Kenya for two months. She leaves on Saturday. I'm so excited for her. What a great birthday present to see my child fulfill a dream.

Bon Voyage my sweet girl and a happy 'nother lap around the sun for me!  Yay!

And here's a song that brings me warmth on a cold January night and makes me so happy - Michael Franti -

Winter blooming in Wisconsin

Yes, I know it's been unseasonably warm here in Wisconsin.  Temps today hit 51 degrees.  However by tomorrow temps will be back to the seasonably cold 20 degrees with a threat of 8 inches of snow...

What's a girl to do?  Make sure you have lots of orchids in the house!

This orchid is new and purchased in December.  It's a basic Phalenopsis-type orchid and is super easy to keep and more importantly keep alive and have re-bloom.  Sometimes even twice a year.  But the big thing is once it blooms, it often go for months with new flowers.

This Phalenopsis orchid is a re-bloomer.  It gave me flowers last year and is bringing me more this year. 

This is a different type of orchid, called a Lady's Slipper or Cypridpedium.  It's in the orchid family and one that can grow native in Wisconsin.   This one is not a native but has been living with me for three years now and will bloom twice per year.  Flowers on this type of orchid only last a week or so. Here's a picture of an actual native northwoods Cypridpedium growing at Beatons. 

I find that Phalenopsis are still my favorite - lots of colors and so easy to maintain.  They bring such color and life to a wintery Wisconsin home. The new shoots pictured above are from my 4-6 year olds.

And Yay!  I'm so excited for the 25th annual Orchid Quest at the coliseum on Feb 4 in Madison.  I think I might have to acquire one or two newbies to join the pack.....

Time

Life is fragile yet so resilient.

You only have now - make what you can.

Love.

With all your heart.

Be.

That is the person you are.

Last meal of 2011

And dang, did we make it good!  The 2.5 lb T-Bone steak was really like a small roast. We started by searing it in the cast-iron skillet and finished it off in the oven.  

The ribeye and sirloin pieces were so tender that we call it meat butter as it just melts in your mouth.   I can't sing the praises enough of Jenny Street Market's meat counter.  Just wow!

So now, I'm going to try and stay awake until Midnight. 

Adios 2011.  Hello 2012!

Terrariums - fun project for a snowy afternoon

Give me a day off of work and I can easily find things to do. Was inspired to build some terrariums today when I found some really fun glass pieces at a thrift store.  Does anyone remember making these as a kid?  I'd get so lost starring at mine - I could imagine a whole separate world in that container.

 Got some great advice at Jung's Garden center and they set me up will all the proper materials including pea gravel, charcoal, Zippy potty soil, moss and some cute little plants.  With the cover, it's already warm and nicely humid - Just what plants love.

For this terrarium, I put an elephant in for one of my favorite books as a child - Horton Hears a Who.

And of course I'm already wondering what is going to happen to Horton in his new habitat.

A walk on Christmas

 Christmas day this year was a gift in itself.  The sky was mostly sunny but more importantly the temps were in the mid 40s which in a Wisconsin December is saying something....  And the added bonus is that Lake Mendota has not frozen over yet.  

Todd and I took the pups for a hike around Governor's Island on the northshore of the lake.  Teiko saw the open water and looked for a stick immediately.  The water is pretty frigid - but heck, he's never been able to swim this late into winter.  

Here he comes in from the water.  I could tell after a couple of fetches that the cold water had numbed his hips.  Not sure if that was a good thing or not - but we continued on our hike. 

Because the ground is actually frozen, we got to walk through the cat-tail marsh - it was beautiful. 

Even Cita got into the thick of things when we hiked down one of the cliffs to get to the shoreline.  

What a nice way to spend Christmas seeing the open water of Lake Mendota, the Madison skyline and walking with loved ones. 

December catch-up

December has been filled with food, family and a snow-less warm Wisconsin December.  Here a just a few random photos from the month.  

Above is a veggie-potato soup I put together for a quick dinner.  Had lots of leftovers from a veggie tray.  It's a great way to use up those last handfuls of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots.  I sauteed them with onions and a little garlic, added chicken broth and some red pepper flakes, added some raw potato, cooked,  pureed and it was yummy. 

This prime rib roast was served for one of the family gatherings.  It's so simple and delicious.  Before putting the 15lb roast in the oven - rub with a salt, pepper, powdered onion and garlic and chopped fresh rosemary.  Score the fat side (with the rub) and roast in the over at 350 for about 75 minutes.  The fat renders on the top and leaves delicious little bacon-bits on the top.

Teiko visiting at Grandma's house.  He's watching and waiting for the pizza flavored doggy treats we had picked up at Bad Dog Frida's on Atwood Avenue - great pet store with awesome toys and treats for dogs and humans! 

Finally have the fireplace area nice and cozy with the new leather chairs, bookshelves, a Persian rug picked up at the Maple Bluff Antique Mall for a song, a mantle of sorts to camouflage the fake stone wall and delivered firewood that is actually dry and burns great - from Green Thumb Farms in Sauk City. 

That's the whirlwind that was my December. How was yours?

The recipe that started it all

Here's the recipe that I will always attribute to Raine's path towards Chefdom.  The cookbook was one of those freebies that came with buying a bag of flour.  I had originally picked it up with Ryann in mind and we made lots of goodies from the book.  Of all of the 26 recipes from "ABCs of Baking" book, the Mud Pie was our favorite.

I love the chocolate smears on the page showing how often we used this recipe while we lived in Holland.  This was one of the first recipes that Raine could make when she was eight years old.   I found the little book on the bookshelf tonight and had a great trip down memory lane.  

My friend Melissa, who now lives in South Africa recently asked for the recipe of the brownies the girls would make for parties at our house in Holland.  I sent her a picture tonight via Facebook.  Yay!

It's easy to make good food - when you use whole ingredients.  Always stay as close to the source as possible. Who knows, you might inspire the next chef.....!

Angie's Clouds

The sky gave us something beautiful after attending the funeral of Todd's cousin Angie on Saturday.  Todd calls this picture "Angie's Clouds"  

The undulating waves of clouds were something one doesn't t see every day.   We followed them all the way  home from Portage.  

Rest in peace sweet Angela.

Maybe this will change your mind about bats

Living along a marsh since 2001, I've come to appreciate the beauty and amazing nature of bats.  But that wasn't always the case....

When we first moved in - we didn't realize that the house came with bats.  The first spring was quite a surprise, when the bats came "home" for the summer to give birth to the next generation.  And they were everywhere.  Under our decks, in the doorways, in the basement, under woodpiles.  OMG - I was scared sh*tless - because they were everywhere.  And I was sure they were rabies carriers to the first degree.  I wanted them gone. Here's a post I wrote a few years ago about the Bat Education of Rylee.

Over time, I've learned to appreciate our differences and give them the sanctuary they need.  Maybe someday I can even learn to get along with humans of certain political persuasions.  Check out this heart-sweet video of a baby fruit bat being nursed back to health after being abandoned.

Packers win and Venison

Wow...don't get me wrong, I love my state teams, but I don't get that fanatic. Until the nail biter of tonight's game of the Packers and Giants.  Holy Duck Feathers.  That was a close one. Yay Pack.

The only way to celebrate that Wisconsin win was with friends and venison from this year's hunt in Marathon County.  Served with Potatoes Au Gratin, grilled green beans and an very nice Clos Du Val Cabernet.  Because the Packers are what? 12 and 0 - I threw in some homemade banana cream pie.  

Life is good. 

Make lemonade.....

Remember back in 2009, when we lost the beautiful 40 year old Locust from a nasty lightning strike?  Well, we cut the tree down ourselves later that fall and stacked it next to our house to let it age for a year.

That bonus pile of wood inspired us to retrofit our drafty fireplace with a wood-burning insert the next year.  Since we had all this free wood now, might as well burn it.  The wood burning stove was one of the best investments we've made with the house.   What a difference it has made on our heating bills.

The beautiful Locust kept us nice and toasty warm last winter and provided us with beautiful fires.  The last two logs of the tree we decided to do something different.....

If all goes well, we'll have lots of cute little coasters to give to friends at Christmas.  They are drying on the rack as I write....

So when life gives you lemons.......

Into the Heart...

The stately German Shepherd- ...Protective, bold and smart, he looked into my eyes......And stole my heart.

Courageous and endearing, a stand out of  his  breed, so proud and yet so loving, a steadfast friend indeed.

Caring disposition, Faithful to the core.  

If you have a Shepherd’s love, you can never want for more.

Thanks - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Everything-German-Shepherd/142045142499674

My boy, Teiko.  I feel sad that I can't give you more of me.   

The life of Raine

Raine is now in her second year of culinary studies at Madison College.  Along with going to school full time she is a line cook at Madison's venerable Tornado Steak House where she works full time as well.  

Looks like the photos were taken on Fish Filet 101 day as the first photo shows Raine  rolling a piece of fish skin.  In the above photo I can't tell if the fish had been filleted or not.   

When you ask Raine "What's up?" Her response is always the same, "School. Work. Sleep. Friends"  I don't get to see her much.  So I really appreciate the photos taken by her friend Katrina  who captures some amazing details in the day of this chef in training.

In Anthony Bourdain's book "Kitchen Confidential" he talks about his beaten, battered and scarred hands  from a life spent in a kitchen.  Looks like Raine is working her way there pretty quickly.  Food prep and cooking is not for the faint of heart.  Making a dinner for 10 people at home will not cause scars like this but cooking for 150 night after night, sure will.  

I am in awe of this driven and talented young woman. 

Dog puzzles, who knew?

Spent Saturday afternoon at Bad Dog Frida, a great local store for people who love their pets!.  They gave German Shepherd Rescue an afternoon of free publicity and a place to bring our foster dogs to meet new families.

Of course, to support such a great local store, I bought/found a new toy for Teiko.  It's a puzzle from a Swedish company - just like the dang educational toys and wooden puzzles I'd buy for the girls many moons ago.

Basically, you hide treats inside the dowels, slide them down the row and the dog has to figure out how to move the dowel to release the treat.

Teiko gets so excited when I bring the puzzle out.  He knows and smells the good and smelly treats.  He can move the dowels with his teeth and feet.  Sometimes he releases the treats but doesn't eat them because he's more interested in the next dowel.  Give him just a couple of more times.  I can see a more complicated puzzle coming in his Xmas stocking......

In the meantime, putting a puzzle on the floor with your dog and interacting with him, really reinforces how smart dogs can be and how much more we can do with our dogs.