Tuesday Trips: Oregon Coast

On the Fourth we "went to the coast" via Tillamook Cheese Factory Visitors' Center.  That was really enjoyable.  They do have a fabulous new visitors' center where you can look down at the workers making the cheese.  On that walls around you is the story from cow to cheese.  Very interesting.

When you finish the self-guided tour you end up at the cheese-tasting table.  There are five different cheeses to sample, which change.  This time there was medium cheddar, smoked cheddar, pepperjack, black pepper cheddar, and a sharp cheddar.  Hoping not to be rude, but I am more of a fan of Cabot cheese...even though these were fine.  And the Garfield Smokehouse in Meriden, NH makes far superior smoked cheese.

Once you have had your samples you go downstairs where magically you end up in the gift store.  You could spend your entire allowance there in no time flat.  We got smoked cheese and extra sharp cheese then moved on to the ice cream line.   Sadly, they did not have very many flavors but we did buy a Rocky Road single cone which Dear One and I shared.  It was good.  We did not go to the cafe across the hall. Tillamook ice cream for breakfast was enough.

From there we headed south to see if we could find some whales.  And we did!

Our first stop was Boiler Bay. I took lots of photos of "whales" though you cannot tell from the picture. 

Can you spot the whale?  I didn't think so! Very hard to see.

We moved along to Depoe Bay and finally to the Yaquina Light House.  More whales each time.

Can you see it now?  Didn't think so with this one, either.

 It was low tide and the whales barely moved out of the water. We did see lots of "spouts" but they were not what I was expecting.

This you should be able to see!!!  The whale was blowing here.  Not like the whale spouts in the cartoon but still, a pretty nice sight.  These were not humpback whales which are the kind Dear One always saw on the whale watches he took TA students to see off the coast of New England.  I do not know what kind they were.  Apparently they are seen every year from June to September in this particular area.

Munchie Monday: Reviving Kale

Earlier in the week we  did a little grocery shopping.  By the time we arrived home, I was a basket case and just sat down in my chair...after merely putting the milk in the refrigerator.  Then came the Fourth and another day at the office.  The kale was looking pretty limp where it was still lying on the table.  For some reason it occurred to me to treat it like a bouquet of flowers!  So I did.

After cutting off about an inch of the stems, I filled a glass with cool water and inserted the kale.  Look how happy those leaves are now!!  I am hoping to make a nice kale salad tomorrow.

Food Friday: Candied Almonds

We had a very nice salad at Zone Conference last week. Dear One said he could get used to that salad and did I think I could make it.  Well, maybe.  It was Romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, feta cheese, candied almonds, and a slice of perfectly ripe pear in a light barely visible dressing.

So I made the candied almonds.

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Melt butter in large frying pan over medium heat. When mostly melted stir in the brown sugar and almonds. Stir continually until almonds are golden brown. Less than five minutes... Spread on Silpat covered cookie sheet. Let cool.

To make the salad:

2 cups chopped romaine 

1/4 Pink Lady apple chopped

3 Tablespoons sweetened dried cranberries

2 Tablespoons candied nuts

2 Tablespoons Caesar dressing

Because I have no confidence in my ability to choose ripe pears, I went with the Pink Lady apples.  These are so good.

The salad was yummy.

Next time I will either double the nuts or halve the butter.  There was butter leftover in the pan and on the Silpat.

Also, I will try to find a different dressing.  Maybe poppyseed.  The Caesar was okay, just not stunningly delicious.

Vegetation Near Us: Petunias!

The other night, after a long day in the office and on the road, and a trip to the President's house to drop off some important mail, we talked about stopping at a pizza place which remain unnamed to protect the guilty(we had gone there a few months ago and had a terrible experience--well, I walked in, ordered pizza, after quite a while I saw that it was in the queue being made, then cooked, then ready, then nothing!  After 40 minutes or so I asked about it and was told there had been a mix up and that they would have it ready in fifteen minutes.  No way. I got my money back and swore never to go there again.  Dear One likes their pizza...sad). 

Anyway, we pulled into the parking lot where he ordered the pizza online with his iPad.  Within fifteen minutes it was ready.  I got out of the car to go pick it up but make a quick stop to take some pictures of these gorgeous petunias.

Aren' they just fabulous?!  Don't you love the veining in them and the color!  I do.  Maybe I will try painting them some day.

Audio File Trial

At the Zone Conference we attended last week the young elders and sisters sang this song as the prelude music.  It brought tears to my eyes.  The music does not start for about ten seconds but it is worth waiting for.

Peace in Christ from Zone Conference

When you click the link you will see an image on the screen.  Go ahead and click the little arrow.  It takes a bit for the music to start, but I do think it will work.



If you cannot hear the words clearly while they sing, click here to see the lyrics.  I hope you enjoy them.  As you do, think of me listening with an open tender heart and tears wetting my cheeks. 

I made a video but could not share it for some reason.  Seeing the beautiful faces of these young people would make your tears flow like rain, too, I am certain.

I hope you enjoy it and when you feel there is no peace on earth, know that there really is peace in Christ.  He helps me every day have peace.

Watercolor Painting: Deerfoot Brush

Recently I signed up for a watercolor online class.    So far I have only watched the first couple of classes.  She talked about brushes.  I had never heard of a deerfoot brush.  There is a Blick Art Store near us.  I found a 3/8" deerfoot brush there.  I used it to make these pictures to turn into greeting cards.

The brush is rather cool.  I went back to Blick to get a 1/4" deerfoot brush!  I do not know what difference it will make, but I like this first effort.  Very fun.  Lindsay recommended at 24-color travel kit, which I also purchased. It is the Daler and Rowney Aquafine field kit.  It is not like I don't already have half a dozen other field kits, but....well...these are good colors.  AND as I follow the lessons, I will have the exact colors so my work should turn out looking like hers--at least the colors will!

Munchie Monday: Vietnamese Salad Rolls

For the office potluck this time I made Vietnamese Salad Rolls, basically the same thing as spring rolls.  So yummy. Especially with peanut sauce!

Use rice paper wraps that you dip in water for a few seconds to soften them up.  Place a variety of vegetables that have been julienned on the bottom third then roll them up.  So easy.  So good to eat.  Everyone likes them. Well, except for you-know-who.  I ate his portion...

At this point I was getting down to the bottom of the barrel, vegetables-wise.  I made 32 of them.  Many were eaten at the potluck.  You cannot go wrong dipping them in the spicy peanut sauce!

The few that were left over we took home. I put one in a bowl, chopped it up, and used the seaweed snacks to pick up a bite and chomped it right down. SO GOOD!  Try it.  You will like it.

PS. If it looks like that is a dill pickle stick, you are right: it is.  Amazingly good.