Merry Christmas

Vegetarian Chili

In response to a special request by Kathy, here is our vegetarian chili recipe. If you are an omnivore, you won't miss the meat - the bulgar adds a nice texture. Merry Christmas!

1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
4 stalks celery chopped, diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can kidney beans
3/4 c bulgar wheat
2 c or 1 15 oz can tomatoes
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp basil

First post entered with my new Mac Book. Thanks Pete!

Thourougly Modern Betty

Mom reading this blog!

Meet Betty Berlin O'Connell. My mom (aka Grandma B) arrived to spend the holidays with us this morning. Of course it is a delight to have her here - she is my mom after all. I don't know a more positive person then my mother, whose adage has always been "if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all." After spending most of the past nine winters in Australia though, the subzero temperatures of Minnesota and Wisconsin are testing her courage.

Mom, Davyd, Ali and I baked Candy Cane Cookies this afternoon. We made Potato Pancakes for supper (it is Hanukkah isn't it?) Mom thought the Joy of Cooking recipe was the same as her German father used to make for Friday night suppers. It is always nice to time travel.

Rumors are that Grandma B will be teaching Ali how to make her world famous cinnamon bread tomorrow.

Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas!

Candy Cane Cookies

I believe this recipe originated from the old Betty Crocker Cookbook. I aspire to make these like my Great Aunt Angie who had them down to an art form. I use half butter instead of all shortening, added the peppermint extract and reduced the salt in half. Rolling these cookies can test the nerve of the impatient. One year I used my kids Playdough Fun Factory, I have tried the Spritz maker but find hand rolling is best.

1/2 c butter
1/2 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
4 crushed candy canes to sprinkle on top or mix in dough (optional)
Red food coloring

Cream butters and eggs and then mix in dy ingedients. Color half the dough with red food coloring and chill all of the dough. Roll dough into pencil or smaller diameter rols and twist togehter from ends - the cookies look nicest if you leave the centers rounded. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 for 9-11 minutes until they are just golden on the edges.

Potato Pancakes

Modified slightly from Joy of Cooking.

4 c grated potatoes
6 eggs
3 tbsp flour
4 tbsp grated onion
1 tsp salt
oil for cooking
Applesauce
Sour cream
Chives



Ali loves potato pancakes

Grate the potatoes and wrap in a fine dishtowel or heavy paper towels and squeeze as much liquid out as you can. Mix all ingredients together and fry as you would pancakes. Top with applesauce or chives and sour cream. You can substitute part of the potatoes with sweet potatoes, carrots or other root vegetable to make this old world recipe "new age." A great breakfast or dinner. This recipe feeds about six.

Grandma B's Sugar Cookies

These are your standard cut-out sugar cookie. It is the recipe my Grandmother Lizette Berlin used. She usually had round scalloped sugar cookies in a large jar in her cupboard. Just thinking about them makes me feel good.

3 eggs
1 1/3 c sugar
1 c butter or shortening (I haven't experimented which is better)
2 tsp cram of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
3 c flour plus more for rolling
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1/2 tsp tsp almond extract

Cream eggs, sugar and butter. Blend dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Chill dough. Roll out dough thin on well floured surface (flour your rolling pin too.) Bake at 425 for 8 minutes.

Winter is back. Happy Solstice!

Davyd in his snow fort

The wind blew across Lake Michigan through the night, sculpting the foot of snow that fell through the night on Wednesday. Davyd was delighted to have a snow day off school on Thursday. We frolicked in the snow, baked Christmas cookies, wrapped presents, listened to music and had a cozy day.

Davyd's "holiday" concert was Friday. How I love music teachers. I can't imagine any greater contribution then knowing hundreds of children have sang during their day. Friday was also graced us with our furnace going out - really makes one appreciate the pleasure of being warm!

Davyd and I woke up at 5:30AM Saturday to participate in a Solstice celebration at Schlitz Audubon. Davyd Stokes did a lovely job through song and candles making tribute to longest night. We shared things we hoped for and things we wished leave behind. We symbolically marked the things we hoped to usher out, by writing them on the back of a smooth Lake Michigan rocks. We then hiked through the snow down to the beach and tossed the stones into the icy water. One could see darkness as negative, yet the dark gives us time to reflect and better see the light of the future. Happy Solstice.

Best Reads

So, here are a handful of the favorite reads from my bookshelf. A list of your favorite books can be one of the best gifts you can give someone. Share yours?


Fiction
Bitter Grounds - Sandra Benitez
Talk Before Sleep - Elizabeth Berg
The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
I Feel Bad About About My Neck - Nora Ephram
Something Curious About a Dog in the Night - Mark Haddon
Map of the World - Jane Hamition
The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
Bean Trees (and all others by BK) - Barbara Kingsolver
Close Company - Stories of Mothers and Daughters - Christine Park and Caroline Heaton
Christ the Lord - Anne Rice
A Gravestone Made of Wheat - Will Weaver


Nonfiction
Seeking Enlightenment Hat by Hat - Nevada Barr
How the Irish Saved to Mysteries of the Middle Ages - all of the books by Thomas Cahill
Where God Was Born - A Journey By Land o the Roots of Religion - Bruce Feiler
The World is Flat - Thomas Friedman
1491 - Charles Mann
Mayflower - Nathaniel Philbrick
Omnivores Dilemma - Michael Polan
History of the World in Six Glasses - Tom Standage
Brothers - The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years - David Talbot
A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle

Almond Biscotti

MMMMM -mmmmm and thanks to Connie Chaney for sharing this recipe with me - I just ad a little extra extract.

6 eggs
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c oil
2/3 c chopped almonds
6 tsp almond extract
5 tsp baking powder
6 c flour

I use my food processor but have also mixed by hand. Buzz almonds and then add sugar, oil and almond extract. Add to larger bowl with baking powder and flour and fold together until blended. Form 3-4 flat loaves (about 3-5 inches wide and 3/4 inches high in middle and taper ends to edge) on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake 40-50 minutes until golden brown - slice into1/2-3/4 inch slices and place sideways on pan and then bake 10-20 minutes more to dry. Let biscotti cool and then dip ends in melted chocolate chips and optionally dip in slivered almonds.

Russian Tea Cakes

My favorite Christmas cookies since way back when. AKA Mexican Wedding Cakes, Snowballs...

2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
5 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 finely chopped walnuts

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla. Add flour, salt and mix together until even though sandy in texture. Chill overnight and roll into 3/4 inch balls. Bake at 400 for about 10 minutes, until just golden on bottom. Roll in powdered sugar just before they cool. Makes about 11 dozen.

Mortgage Crisis? What Mortgage Crisis?

All this talk of bailouts and credit crunch is driving me crazy - and I am not even a Republican! It must have been drilled into me as a kid "Work hard - save your money - live within you means."

Until last spring I worked since I was fourteen years old. True, I was fortunate that my dad helped me get my first job, at the church office across the street. I answered phones, light office work and did my homework when things got quiet. I worked three hours an evening - for a smacking $2.00 an hour. It was enough to build my savings account to pay for my private high school tuition. When I was sixteen I worked in a hospital kitchen earning double minimum wage. Thinking back, I am amazed at the responsibility I had, moving from cooks helper to dietitian's assistant and even kosher cook (that always astounded me as I was Catholic then!) Through college I had more interesting employment with jobs related to my profession, working at the Bell Museum of Natural History, Eddie Bauer, and as a Botany Teaching Assistant - sometimes all three at once! I paid for every penny of my college education - no debt. Upon graduation I had $1000 saved and I lived of that as I volunteered to do wildlife research for a year. Simple things made me happy - back then I felt as though I was rich if I could afford to buy mushrooms when I went grocery shopping. The volunteer work boosted my resume' and I was fortunate to get my dream job as a Wildlife Biologist for the US Forest Service.

When I got married my father again gave me financial support (in advice not cash) and suggested we live off one paycheck and save the other, at least until we had kids. That we did, which was fortunate because when I became a widow at 35, financially I could make ends meet. In time, I even paid off my mortgage. I have never liked credit - I prefer debit cards over credit cards. I am not quite into stuffing cash in the mattress, but if you haven't earned it I can't fathom wanting it. It's basic math in my mind.

Not that I don't squirm a bit - I retired in May and my investments have taken the same nose dive as everyone else. I also know not everyone is fortunate enough to even have investments to loose. I fear that as Americans we have and want to much. We expect so everything right now so we reach beyond our means and fool ourselves into believing that something is there when it isn't. It's better to live simpler and within our means. Thanks dad.

Snow Gone

I guess it was too good to be true. A little over a week ago the trees were blanketed in snow, we could ski the trails at Schlitz Audubon, winter was here. Yesterday it all melted. Waiting for more.....

Caramels

These are so good, it is a shame to just make them over the holidays. There used to be a woman I worked with that would ask me for weeks if I was going to bring any in until I did. Pier One usually has little bright colored boxes that are perfect to package these for little gifts. This recipe is also a good one for cookie exchanges.

4 c lite corn syrup
1 bag brown sugar
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 lb butter

Lightly butter a 11X17 rimmed cookie sheet or two 9X13 pans. Cook all ingredients to 240 degrees (soft ball stage) and then pour into pan. Cool at room temperature. Meanwhile cut wax paper in 2 1/2 X 4 inch pieces. After a few hours, use a long straight knife to cut caramels into 1/2 X 1 1/2 inch rectangles and wrap in wax paper, twisting each end. Makes about 150 caramels.

Fudge

OK, this is the first of several Christmas cookie recipes I intend to post. I hope it won't keep Jill and Ali from calling me for recipes every year though! This fudge recipe is just right to make thick fudge in a 11x17 inch rimmed cookie sheet. Enough for Pete to sneak some, to give to friends and plenty for holiday treats. Or you can cut it by a third if your family is more disciplined then mine.

9 c sugar
4 sticks butter
15 oz evaporated milk
36 oz chocolate chips
3 jars of marshmallow cream
3 c chopped walnuts
3 tsp vanilla

Line pan with foil or parchment. Combine sugar, butter and milk and bring to a boil 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in marshmallow cream, chocolate chips, walnuts and vanilla. Cool at least 4 hours.

Kitchen Progress

The Floor, walls and electrical are done! We have decided on three taupe and one red wall. Cabinets to follow next week.

Watch it evolve!

Favorites

Color I like to wear - Green or black
Regardless of size or circumstance, an animal I'd like as a pet - A chickadee that would rest on my shoulder and fly as I walk in the woods.
A flower I like to grow in my garden - Ferns, bloodroots and hepaticas
My lucky number - 3
Smells that give me pause - Lavender, honey, roses, thunderstorms
Tastes that makes me melt - A good chocolate cake, Meridith feta, Kopp's icecream, honeycrisp apples
Hobbies that occupy my time - Drawing, writing, knitting, decorating, being outdoors
A sport I enjoy watching - I don't enjoy spectator sports
Sport I enjoy participating in the most - Cross country skiing
Cities I enjoy visiting - Minneapolis, New York, Seattle
Favorite small town - Stockholm, Wisconsin
Countries I enjoyed exploring - Sweden, Norway, Finland, Australia, Canada
My favorite meal - Grilled salmon with lemon
Drink I often order - Cabernet or a latte
Most delicious dessert - Rhubarb custard pie
Game I like to play - Cribbage
Book I strongly recommend - 1491 (Mann), There is Something About my Neck (Ephram)
An author who has affected me - Victor Frankl (Man's Search for Meaning)
The magazine I read most frequently - New Yorker
The newspaper I prefer to read on Sunday - The New York Times
Music I prefer when I am alone - Classical or folk
Musician I currently listen to the most - Many on Pandora.com
A film I could watch over and over - I can't watch films over and over but have have watched Michael and Fried Green Tomatoes more then any other (but only 3-4 times)
A director I admire - ?
An actress whose performance I admire - Meryl Streep
An actor whose performances I admire - ?
A TV show I watch regularly - I haven't watched TV in years but recently started watching Brothers and Sisters
An artist whose work I highly respect - Georgia O'Keefe
A piece of clothing I love to wear - My black Smartwool long sleeve shirt
A monument I would like to view from my bedroom - Suzie Island archipelago
My favorite time of day - Just before the sun rises
My favorite place to sit at home - By the fireplace in the winter, on the deck in the summer
What I like to do most on Sunday - Sleep until the sun comes up and then read the NYTimes with a cup of Alterra coffee; find inspiration the rest of the morning by reading, going to church, or walking, biking or kayaking; in the afternoon write or draw, cook a great dinner with family or friends, and end the day by reading in bed.
My motto - "Do what you love, love what you do"

First of a series of questions from: All About Me by Phillip Keel. For those who have never taken the time to ask enough questions or those who have never been asked.

Kitchen Remodel

Yes this is the kitchen we baked our Thanksgiving pumpkin pies, turkey and sweet potatoes in this year. We are knee deep in a kitchen remodel! The project began on Halloween as we ordered the natural cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and oak flooring. The wiring and lighting are done, the flooring soon to be in and selecting paint color is our current challenge. Cabinets should be installed next week and counters around the new year. I must admit life is a little more hectic ("where did I put the rolling pin?") but I also enjoy the creative decisions. Stay tuned for photos documenting future progress.

So that is my excuse for infrequent posts!

Wild Rice Soup

Nic and Ali usually request this soup after Thanksgiving and I am happy to oblige. This is a modification of a recipe I found at Byerley's in Minneapolis. I thank Lee Westfield not only for taking me ricing some 21 years ago but for sharing the rice and maple syrup he has gathered these past few years.

6 tbsp butter or olive oil
1 small to medium onion minced
1/2 c flour
3 c chicken or vegetable broth
2 c cooked wild rice
1/2 c grated carrots
3 tbsp slivered almonds
1 c half and half (fat free half and half if feeling chubby or soy milk for vegans in the crowd)
2 tbsp dry sherry

Saute the onion in butter/oil. Blend in flour and gradually ad broth, stirring until mixture comes to a boil for one minute. Stir in rice, carrots, and almonds, simmering for about 5 minutes. Blend in sherry and half and half and heat until serving temperature.  The meat-eaters in our family add turkey, a dot of cranberries on top tastes great as well!

My Gang

Ali, Davyd and Nic on Lake Michigan's beach at Schlitz Audubon.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best Ginger Cookies Ever

2 1/2 c flour
2 1/4 c baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
tbsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp coves
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 c browns sugar
1 c sugar
1 large egg
1/4 c plus 2 tbsp unsulfered molasses

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy (about 5 minutes.) Beat in egg and molasses. Blend in dry ingredients. Cover and chill 2 hours to overnight. Roll into 1 inch balls and dip top in granulated sugar. Flatten each ball on cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes at 350.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

I first tasted this delicious soup at Sibley Station in Pequot Lakes MN and then again somewhere in northern Michigan when I was cross country skiing last winter. I found the recipe on the internet. Yum!

4 tbsp butter divided
1 c onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
12 oz fresh mushrooms
2 tsp chopped dill
2 c broth (recipe calls for beef - I use vegetable)
1/2 c chopped parsley
1 tbsp paprika
3 tbsp flour
1 c milk
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 c sour cream

Saute onions with half the butter and then add mushrooms, salt, half of the broth and half the dill. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Melt remaining butter in saucepan and wisk in four, stirring constantly about 3 minutes. Add milk and continue stirring about 10 minutes until thick Stir in mushroom mixture an remaining broth. Simmer 10-15 minutes. Just before serving add pepper, lemon juice, sour cream and the rest of the dill. Garnish with parsley. Makes 4-6 rich servings.

The Right Choice?

Today marks the sixth month mark of my retirement. Was it a wise choice?

• My retirement income is about half of my salary and my investments are worth about a third of what they were when I decided to retire last December, but I have twice as much time to do what I choose.
• I used to have breakfast with Davyd and could tuck him in bed most nights... I still have breakfast with him but can also make him a healthy lunch, great him when he comes home from school, help him with his homework and piano, volunteer at his school, make a healthier dinner, I know what he is reading and thinking about and we have more time to play and be outdoors together. Last year I was traveling on his and Pete's birthday and Valentines Day - not this year.
• I consistently get 7-8 hours of sleep - twice as much as I got when I was working.
• I have lost 17 pounds.
• I excercize five times as often as I did when I was working.
• I worked for the Forest Service because I love forests. Since May I visited 17 vs the usual 3-5 national forests.
• I spent eight weeks weeks in the last half year hiking and camping and visiting places I enjoy.
  
• I eat breakfast everyday.
• I read for pleasure almost every day.
• I am finally remodeling my kitchen!
  
• I spend more time with my extended family, friends and neighbors.

Easy answer!

Where's Wado?

Where is Waldo???

It's in Wisconsin! We hiked the Ice Age and Kettle Moraine trials and took a zigzag route home through back roads.

Delorme Gazetteer's (http://shop.delorme.com/OA_HTML/DELibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=10096) are among my favorite references - if you don't have one get one for very state you travel in. Wisconsin's Gazatteer even lists cheese shops and micro-breweries!

We passed through Waldo on the way home from our fall hike and just had to get a photo. Next time we'll wear stripped shirts an glasses!

Curried Pumpkin Soup

My not-so-spooky Halloween gift - you won't believe how good this soup is! A perfect fall meal.

8 oz fresh mushrooms
1 medium onion minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tsp curry powder
3 c broth
1 can pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 tbsp honey
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Saute the mushrooms and onion in butter. Stir in flour and curry powder until blended and gradually ad broth. Cook to a boil for two minutes or until thickened. Add pumpkin, milk, honey and spices. Heat to serving temperature.

Music Online

Have you ever visited www.pandora.com? I found it thanks to Ali. It is great - you select a genre or an artist and the website streams music for your listening pleasure. My gift to you if you haven't found it already.

Halibut Soup

Thanks to Julie Hersey for the base recipe that inspired this soup and thanks to brother Jay recently for the Alaska Halibut. This soup has amazing flavor and is absolutely great with crusty bread and fresh greens with vinaigrette!

1 Tbsp dill
1 1/2 c onion
4 cloves garlic crushed
28 ounces canned tomatoes (organic plums are best)
8-10 new potatoes quartered
3/4 c white wine
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 tbsp oregano
Salt and pepper
1 c shredded carrots
1/4 c fresh parsley
1 lb halibut
1/4 c peeled shrimp
1 c feta

Saute the dill. onion and garlic in olive oil. Add all but carrots, parsley, halibut, shrimp and feta and simmer until potatoes are done. Add the halibut and cook for 5 minutes, then add shrimp and shredded carrots and cook until the shrimp is just pink. Add the feta and parsley and serve immediately.

Home Sweet Boreal Home

Candy Westfield and I drove around Lake Superior last week. Though I have made the trip twice before, it was every bit as splendid the third time around. Since we both knew we have many returns trips to Minnesota's north shore in our future we bee-lined it to Thunder Bay making just enough side trips (Shovel Point for the view, Coho Cafe for tea, Grand Marais for smoked fish to name a few...) to make it to Thunder Bay to catch some Canadian zzzzzzzzz's. I caught a glimpse of my favorite Suzie Islands just before sundown.

We toured a cheese shop just outside of Thunder Bay that made wonderful aged Gouda and made our way to Rossport Ontario for a delightful stay at Serendipity Inn. The journey from Rossport to Wawa Ontario is on the top of my scenic drive list. The kayak outfitters just outside of Wawa made for a great respid after hiked the beaches and pictographs of Lake Superior Provincial Park. We even picked late-season blueberries along the way. Candy knew of some great beaches in Michigan with amazing colored rocks. Our last stop was Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island.

Just as the trip to the Porcupines earlier this summer reminded me - the northern forests of Lake Superior forever feel like home.

Gypsy Soup

Mary Shedd served this for a delightful reunion with Anne Pilli in Duluth. I remember making it with Mary years ago - it is a good soup to welcome in fall.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions
2-4 garlic cloves crushed
1/2 c chopped celery
2 c peeled chopped sweet potatoes
3 c broth
1 bay leaf
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp basil
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayene pepper
1 chopped red pepper
1 can or 2 cups garbonzo beans

Saute the onions, garlic, celery and sweet potatoes about 5 minutes. Add broth and spices and simmer 15 minutes. Add red pepper and garbanzo beans and heat 5 minutes more.

Ali's Quilt

Ali hand quiting her masterpiece.

Now this was a satisfying endeavor! Four years ago Ali wanted to make a quilt so we designed one together in her favorite colors green and aqua. She got as far a sewing a few squares together and then it hibernated in her closet until this summer. We pulled it out in July, redesigned it with the help of a few new yards of fabric. Ali finished it in time to bring it back to school with her. My Grandma Thommes guided my mom and I in creating my first quilt when I was fifteen. We past that gift on this summer!

Bud and Shirley"s

When I camped in Montana a decade ago, I remember driving past Bud and Shirley's Hotel somewhere along the way and I wish I had taken a picture. Though not related to the motel owners, my Uncle Bud and Aunt Shirley have been an inspiration to me. Now in their eighties, I cherish visiting them in the Twin Cities. I can see my dad's eyes in Bud's eyes and I love his stories. Shirley has shared a warm welcome ever since I can remember. Uncle Bud taught me how to bake over a campfire with a dutch oven. I will never forget watching the northern lights for the first time on the beach of Cass Lake on that same trip. Bud and I both share an interest in genealogy. Good things in life.

So thankfully, this time as I drove through Darby Montana I got a photo I can share with them. Three cheers for Bud and Shirley. It is fitting that their name should be in lights!

Of Cherries and Huckleberries

Though I was tempted to visit Blotchett Canyon near Hamilton, Montana the development between Hamilton and Missoula made me want to keep driving. We decide to head to Glacier - but not without getting our fill of cherries grown in the Flathead Valley.

Pete had never visited Glacier and was taken by its beauty. One would have to be crazy not to enjoy the Going to the Sun Highway. Agpar Village wins the Huckleberry Pie contest over East Glacier. We enjoyed several 2-6 mile hikes and then one evening decided to turn east.

With the sun at our backs we said goodbye to our Montana adventure. Evenings in Havre, Montana and Devils Lake, South Dakota were all that were between us and my moms cabin in Hackensack, Minnesota. Lucky for us, we had four ninety degree days to swim to our hearts content before seeing family in Minneapolis and returning to Milwaukee.

Before I close the record of this grand summer journey - let me pay tribute to my able and efficient Prius. Three of us lived out of this wonderful little Toyota, comfortably for three weeks and 4000 miles. Even over mountain passes it maintained at least 53mpg.

This summer - it was grand!

Big Hole

I was happy to return to the Pioneer Mountains and Big Hole area of southwestern Montana. Nic, Ali and I camped at Mono Creek Campground, searched for crystals at Crystal Park and hiked into Coolidge Ghost town along the Pioneer Scenic Byway twelve years ago and things were much the same. It is always good that some things (especially in the natural world) never change. We also relaxed at nearby Elkhorn Hot Springs this time.

Davyd, Pete and I were the sole campers at Mono Creek for two nights and headed for Jackson Hot Springs for a soak and breakfast. We fell in love with the little (I mean little) town of Jackson. Pete tells me I shouldn't talk about it here because it is a best kept secret. At breakfast we learned our waitress was also a massage therapist so we stayed and I was the lucky recipient of a 90 minute massage. After the hot springs, a massage can be not less then heaven. After dinner we went to the tiny school yard across the street and played monster tether ball with horses as "fans in the stands" as the sun set in the big beautiful western sky.

We visited the Big Hole Battlefield and all three of us had tears in our eyes. Our county gunned down Nez Perce Indians there while they slept in 1877 for not signing the treaty that took more land for the gold it held. It is a very solemn spot in the beautiful valley.

Davyd - a Teenager at Eight?

Before we left on the trip we set a goal that Davyd would hike eight miles since he was eight years old. He had hiked seven last year so it should be a breeze (never mind that now we were at 10,000 feet.) He amazed us all an merrily hiking a lucky thirteen. When asked for a highlight of his summer now he tells everyone " I hiked thirteen miles!"

Lynn and Roger Jackson (more Forest Service compatriots) were the most gracious hosts, inviting us into their home, baking us blueberry pie and ginger cookies and being wonderful trail guides.

And the second of the trips coincidences, Nancy Salminen was on a forest fire assignment in Red Lodge Montana and we got to share lunch, dinner (and a cold) together.

From Red Lodge went on to Bozeman, resting out heads at the Gallatin Gateway, an old railroad hotel and feasting on a delicious chili reannos. We spend two days touring Bozeman wondering if we could make it our home. The Museum of the Rockies and especially the Pioneer home is not to be missed. McKenzie River Pizza had the spring green salad with vinaigrette and Grape Nuts (!) - a delicious combination that we have now adopted replacing the Parmesan cheese in our garlic salad (see recipes) on occasion.

Ah Wyoming!

We loved Wyoming. We saw wolves in Bear Lodge Campground, had a great hike at Devils Tower and got up close and personal with a moose along Prune Creek. My all time favorite though was returning to the Big Horns!

I had backpacked the Big Horns when I was 18 (including 13, 165 foot Cloud Peak) and the range was every bit as beautiful as my memory recorded them. We camped at Porcupine and hiked up to Medicine Wheel. The view was beautiful and the 10,000 some foot elevation got us flat-landers primed for future hikes.

On our way though Buffalo Wyoming, Pete became smitten with the Occidental Hotel (looks right out of an old western!) and insisted we stay the night. I am not usually a beef-eater but... "when in Wyoming...." I had the best fillet mignon in the entire world at the Occidental that night. There was a great coffee shop and gallery across the street. We were pleasantly surprised that they had the best coffee in the world - Alterra - roasted in Milwaukee!

The Best of South Dakota

A whole state via interstate can be daunting for scenery hounds, but we think we found the best of South Dakota. From Pipestone MN we headed for DeSmet SD, one of Laura Ingall's homesteads. We spent a pleasant few hours learning about homesteaders life, from sod houses to soap and rope making. Davyd enjoyed driving riding the horses and wagon. I have always had a soft spot for Laura myself since being wrapped in her books in third grade. Besides, we are almost old family friends, as later in life I learned that my great great Grandparents bought their property in Stockholm WI from Laura's grandfather in 1868.

We zigzaged the late afternoon away on rural roads, only to be absolutely delighted with an amazing view of prairie bluffs over looking the Missouri River on the northern outskirts of Chamberlain SD. The view was stunning and a gentleman from Jerusalem was enjoying it with a friend when we arrived, making a very picturesque scene. We hiked the bluffs for an hour or so before driving into the sunset. The next morning we toured the 1880's Town (set of Dances with Wolves) - touristy yes, but fun- after a thunder storm.

Back in Minnesota I had commented "lots of bikers, must be fuel prices getting more on the road". By South Dakota and asked Pete "hey is that Sturgis motorcycle rally in August". By western South Dakota I had answered my own question it was a very obvious "yes!" Bikers were everywhere, filling motels, campgrounds, gas stations, even little ghost towns sprung to life (we ate Indian tacos in Scenic SD with a parade of bikers). The bikers in the Badlands were most interesting - Europeans that looked like rock stars and fashion models along with grey-haired American business men that looked like they were wearing dry cleaned jeans and pressed black bandannas strutting their stuff for the weekend. Everywhere else they just looked like...bikers. Needless to say we drove through the Black Hills but didn't stay!

Westward Ho!

Three weeks on the road sounds to good to be true. True it is and Pete , Davyd and I left Milwaukee about 7AM. By noon we had crossed the Mississippi and took our first "back road" along Highway 16 through Houston and Filmore County in Minnesota. We walked Lansboro to stretch our legs and had a picnic lunch in a nice roadside park just outside of town. We jumped back on 90, stopping in Blue Earth to take Davyd's picture with the Jolly Green Giant and stop at the Dairy Queen next door. We hit our destination of Split Rock Creek State Park, near Pipestone MN by dinner time. Two state in one day, we were on our way!

One of three wonderful coincidences was camping the first night right next to Jeff and Barbara Rosales. It took and hour or two to make the connection, but I had worked with Jeff on the Superior and Chippewa National Forests some fifteen or twenty years ago, so it was a fun reunion. We shared evening cups of wine and morning coffee with grasshoppers singing in the background.

I had never been to Pipestone National Monument and was delighted to hike the prairie trails and see firsthand the pipestone used for pipe and carving by native peoples. The town of Pipestone with its read rock buildings was small and charming. I with the antique store was open on Sunday as we passed through! South Dakota here we come!

Cute Stripey Baby Hat

This hat is basically the same as the Blueberry Hat posted earlier but alternating three rows of two bright colors. It knits up fast and the colors make it a cheery venture!

Cast on 80 stitches DK weight cotton yarn on #5 - 16 inch circular needles.

Knit three rows of your first color and then change yarns and knit another three rows. Repeat until hat measures 5 inches long, unrolled. Keep alternating colors

Begin decreasing, changing to double pointed needles when necessary:

Row 1: Knit 8 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 2: Knit entire row

Row 3: Knit 7 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 4: Knit entire row

Row 5: Knit 6 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 6: Knit entire row

Row 7: Knit 5 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 8: Knit entire row

Row 9: Knit 4 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 10: Knit entire row

Row 11: Knit 3 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 12: Knit entire row

Row 13: Knit 2 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 14: Knit entire row

Row 15: Knit 1 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 16: Knit entire row

Row 17: Knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Continue to decrease until about 9 stitches remain and and knit to about 1 inch long. This is a bit of a juggling act - but your fingers can do it! Draw end of yarn through last loops and knot on inside.

Garbanzo Portabello Strogonoff

Eureka - this creation was tasty. Wonderful flavors and textures. Who needs beef anyway?

Garbanzo Portabello Stroganoff

Olive Oil
2 cups Cabernet or other dry red wine (half for the cook!)
1 large red onion minced
12 oz sliced portabello mushrooms
2 cup cooked garbanzo beans
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup sour cream

Saute the onion in olive oil about 2 minutes then add 1/2 cup wine and cook it down until it just coats the onion with no additional liquid. Add the mushrooms and do the same. Repeat with the garbanzos. Salt and pepper to taste and then add sour cream. Serve on egg noodles or brown rice.

Quilt Shops

My first quilt project was a brown and cream log cabin. I ended up giving it to Larry Aitkin for being so generous in his teaching of Anishinabe culture when I was designing displays for the Forest Service Office in Cass Lake. In the 1990's I got in the habit of making a quilt a year, but lost it when I moved to Milwaukee in 1999. Being retired now I have got the itch and have been working on my "stash" and working on a few squares. I feel almost in a meditative state with time to wonder and think about color. I truly delight in picking fabrics.

Best Quilt Shops so far...

• Piecemakers Quilt Shop in Hackensack, Minnesota
• Fabric Patch in Ironwood, Michigan
• Material Matters in Cedarburg, Wisconsin
• Main Street Quilters Bozeman, Montana
  

Add to my list!

My Milwaukee Favorites

My Milwaukee Favorites

• Alterra Coffee and especially Alterra on the Lake's lattes
  
• Bartel's Orchard for apples, pears, strawberry picking and garden plants
  
• Beans and Barley for breakfast, lunch or dinner
• Biking north along Lakeshore Drive or along the River Road
• Boulangerie DuMonde bakery in Cedarburg for baguette and croissants
• Brady Street for lunch/dinner and shopping
  
• Coquettes for dinner
• Chicago day trip (or overnight at Hotel Monaco) via Amtrak
• Farmers markets in the summer
• Fox Point Garden Club for native plants and Concordia Herb Fair in May
  
• Garden Room and Anaba Tea Room for tea, garden supplies and it's rooftop garden
  
• Italian Bakery on Brady Street for their cookies
  
• Kopp's icecream (Vanilla!)
  
• Lacke & Joys for outdoor equipment
• Kohler Art Center and Design Center day trip in Sheboygan
• Milwaukee Art Museum
• Mineral Point WI day trip
• Past Basket in Bayside - great dishes and linens
• Rhama's on Silver Spring for yarn
  
• Schlitz Audubon for hikes along the lake or when your lucky with snow xco skiing
• Third Ward for lunch/dinner shopping
  
• Whole Foods cheese and produce

Tell me yours...where ever you are.

Black Beans

I don't have a photo of black beans, so how about our water bottles? I woke up the first morning at the Porkies and they looked so colorful. And precious since we boiled river water diligently the night before. Do you think I should I start a label of photos "taken in pajamas"?

Well back to black beans...like water, so basic, simple and so good. Good for breakfast as huevos rancheros, good for lunch as burritos, good for dinner with grilled chicken and peppers, good as a bean and tomato sandwich at midnight!

Black Beans

2 cups black beans
1 tsp salt
2-3 tsp cumin
2-3 tsp cinnamon

Soak the beans overnight in salted water. Rinse in the morning and add twice as much water as beans. Boil until they are tender and mash them a little while adding cumin and cinnamon. These freeze well. They keep well on camping trips. You'll never buy a can of refried beans again!

Camping Checklist

In preparation for a longer trip to Montana I made the following checklist. It worked well for our shorter weekend backpacking trip too - we just narrowed the list and packed in no time at all. Hope this is useful to you as well!

Ten Essentials (Daypack) 1. Extra food 2. Extra water 3. Fleece top, hat and raincoat 4. Map of the area 5. Compass 6. Flashlight, extra batteries extra bulb 7. Swiss Army knife 8. Lighter, or matches in waterproof container, candle) 9. First aid kit 10. Sun and insect protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm, bug stuff, hat)

Main Items
Rain cover/tarps
Tent, poles, pegs, groundsheet
Sleeping bag
Sheet/pillow
Sleeping pad
Camp chair?

Cooking Items
Salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, curry, cinnamon, brown sugar
Coffee, tea, cocoa
Powdered milk
Oatmeal, rice and pasta
Olive oil/balsamic vinegar
Stove/fuel (with all accessories & parts)
Cooking pots
Dipping/measuring cup
Insulated Cup or mug
Bowls or plates
Forks and Spoons
Spatula, wooden spoon
Pot scrubber
Dr Bonners Soap
Cutting board, GI can opener, cheese grater, cork screw, coffee press
Potholder
Water purification system (iodine or filter)
Wide-mouth water bottles (two or three each)
Water holder
Ziplock and garbage bags

Toiletries and First Aid
Toothbrush/Toothpaste/Floss
Deodorant
Lotion
Baby Wipes
Toilet paper in ziplock
Tampax
Laundry soap in ziplock
Cold medicine, cough drops
Ibuprofen and Tylenol
Antacid tablets
Antibiotic ointment
Antiseptic towelettes, wrapped singly
Band Aids
Butterfly adhesive bandages
Roller gauze
Medical tape
Moleskin
Triangular Bandage
Elastic bandages
Safety Pins
Needle, Tweezers
Scissors and/or razor blade
Thermometer

Extras/Repair
Extra lighter
Extra flashlight bulbs
Extra batteries
Extra pack buckles (waist buckle, 3/4" buckle)
Extra draw cord toggles
ThermaRest and tent patch kit
Stove maintenance kit
Tent pole repair tube
Sewing kit (w/heavy duty needle, thread)
Small length of wire
Duct tape
Nylon cord
Clothes pins

Entertainment
Camera
Binoculars
Notebook/pencil
Deck of cards
Art stuff,
Book

Clothing
Boots or hiking shoes
Sandals
Socks
Underwear
Bathing suit
Pants/shorts
Fleece jacket
Shirts (long-sleeve and short-sleeve)
Hat
Warm hat/gloves
Rain coat and pants
Long Underwear

Porcupine Mountains

Lake Superior - There' s nothing like a child's joy running along a beach to express the glory of a sunset. Pete, Davyd, our friend Sue and I trekked 4 miles into the Lake Superior cabin for three days in the Porcupine Wilderness State Park. We hiked along the Big Carp and Presque Isle Rivers as well as Gitchegumee, cooked on a campfire and danced in splendid sunsets. Take a look, I posted our photos on Photo Bucket at: http://s302.photobucket.com/albums/nn109/berlinfamily/Porcupine%20Mountains/ . Though I have been to the UP several times, I visited the the Porkies last in seventh grade on a family camping trip. Lake of the Clouds was as beautiful as I remember, though all the walls and boardwalks have taken some of the adventure I remember away. I was pleased we could secure cabin reservations just the week before - and at $65 a night the primitive little cottage was a steal for front row seats to splendid sunsets and the rhythm of waves all night. I gained an added dose of relaxation to walk among northern plants once again.

We spent Monday night in Ironwood Michigan and savored some fine pizza from Tacconelli's. The next day it was our good fortune to have the fan belt whistling like a bird, so Davyd an I were toured the Fabric Patch and several great antique shops while Pete had it repaired. We boosted the local economy a bit and had a non-whistling drive home Tuesday evening.

Three Generations of Big Deep Girls

Little Cabin in the Big Deep Woods

Just returned from northern Minnesota after ten days at my mothers cabin. Can you believe we had thirteen people living out of this little cottage? My brothers Greg and Eric and their families and my mom, Pete, Ali and Davyd and I were there the last three days. I always welcome these reunions, even in little cabins where you have to ration showers and battle mosquitoes.

Before and after we visited friends, baked pies, kayaked, swam, knitted, took daily hikes, relaxed in the hammock, fished, Davyd learned to row and drive the motor boat, we picked cottongrass, had bonfires, drew and gathered photos of wildflowers and fell asleep to loons singing. Ali and Davyd told me they were bored a few times and I answered that boredom and creativity sit right next to each other - each presents undiscovered opportunities!

My grandparents had a cabin the my five siblings and I visited when I was growing up. It was much the same. Life was simple and we made our own fun. The sun was warm, the air was sweet and each day adventure and celebration was where ever you decided to find it.

Blast From the Past

February 1835 - I have always dreamed of time traveling and I finally figured out how. The map on the left is from the original land survey of my neighborhood completed in February 1835. If you live in Wisconsin you can go on a fascinating virtual hike of your backyard by jumping in at http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/SurveyNotes/. Most townships have a general description and a listing of trees along the survey lines of each section. I took my online hike to help decide which trees we would plant in our yard to best match the natural vegetation that would have been here. We chose Swamp White Oak, Basswood and White Cedar.

Garden Babies

Eric and Logan knew the way to my heart when they gave me seeds from Midewin Tallgrass Prairie for a retirement present. Upon receipt last February I felt like I had received a pot of gold. Little bags of precious prairie plants.

We made a ceremony of preparing the precious seeds for stratification - half of them nested in the crisper of my refrigerator through winters end and the rest planted in vermiculite and tucked in a dark corner of my garage. As spring approached we transferred the flats to the garden shed. This weekend it felt as if I was dishing up fragile desert as I moved the tender seedlings from the flats to pots. The Echinacea went gang busters and the Echinops bombed. Tomorrow the crisper seeds go in the ground. Expect another report in August.

Eric and Logan you are aces!

A History of the World in 6 Glasses

"Better to be deprived of food for three days then tea for one" - Chinese proverb.

Another perk of retirement is time to read! Davyd and I now make weekly sojourns to the Whitefish Bay Library. The artwork and murals are bonuses to the great selection of books.

In his book A History of the World in 6 Glasses, Tom Standage artfully weaves the legacy of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea and Coca-Cola. The history of each beverage is interesting enough, though I also enjoyed thinking about “we are what we drink.”

The story begins with beer about 4000BCE – which naturally followed domestication of cereal grains and pottery - and offered a choice more sanitary then drinking water. I liked the Mesopotamian image of drinking beer out of large urns through straws to avoid sipping debris.

The sophistication of wine, ceremony and politics of tea, ties to academia and coffee and initiation of globalization via bottles of Coke all made this one quick read worth passing on.

The book concludes with an epilogue to water. Safe drinking water is highlighted as key to human rights around the globe and a likely fulcrum for future conflicts. It makes sense that we conserve the most basic of our cherished natural resources. Cheers!

This is the May That Was

This May was one of the most enjoyable months of my life. Relaxing but action packed. I retired May 1, so much of this goes without saying. My retirement gift to Pete was to take the month and do as he pleases, so he spent the first two weeks visiting John, Mary and Anna. I enjoyed the quiet transition at home with just Davyd and I. We rode bikes to school, went bird watching, started a butterfly garden, transplanted ferns, went to the library weekly, baked pies in an unhurried pace that I adore.

I moved Ali home from Madison mid-May. Being away at college does wonders for making one appreciate the pleasures of home. Nic graduated from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago two weeks ago. The ceremony was on a beautiful sunny day in Millennium Park, the speakers and honorary degrees were interesting, we stayed at my favorite Chicago Hotel (Hotel Monaco), had brunch at a delightful restaurant (Bin) and of course this mother was proud.

Most days this month you would have found Pete and I outdoors. We honor our homes prior owners John and Ed daily for the extraordinary landscaping they left behind. The yard/gardens have their ying and yang though. May is the month to battle the garlic mustard, buckthorn and honeysuckle that plague most all of Bayside. We have been chasing ours for six years and it finally seems that we might be winning. I scurry to transplant natives from the Fox Point Garden Club sale each May along with boosting the May apples, ostrich ferns, wild ginger and wild strawberries along from our own yard. Our green house is abust with seedlings that I received as a gift from Midewin Tallgrass Prairie. The Wisconsin Herb Society sale at Concordia the third week of May is always a plus – I seem to be hooked on lavender, thyme and nasturtiums.

I have visited neighbors, gone to more social events, walked the beach of Lake Michigan, baked more pies and had more time with my family in the last month then the last year it seems. Life is good!

Best Salad Dressings

Now I am partial to vinaigrette's, so my bias is showing. Any of these also make a good marinade for grilling. Let me know if you can top them:

Garlic Oil and Vinegar - Thanks John Berlin-Burns

3 crushed cloves garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Hard to believe that this basic recipe is our family favorite. Crush the garlic in the salt and mix well with the oil and vinegar. Best with red leaf lettuce and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Add a little lemon juice and oregano if you are making a Greek salad.

Dijon Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 balsamic vinegar

Wisk the mustard with the oil and then add vinegar. This is good on greens but my favorite is mixed on chopped fresh vegetables sprinkled with feta.

Gorgonzola Dressing (Thanks to Harbor View)

1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Gorgonzola cheese
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar

The first time I tasted this simple dressing I was sure it had something complicated in it to taste so good. I said "this tastes as good as chocolate cake!" Crumble the Gorgonzola finely in the oil with a fork. Wisk in the vinegar. Delightful on greens with or without garlic croûtons.

Baby Blueberry Hat

Another retirement perk - I have time to knit! And I still remember how! These unseasonably cool May mornings have made sitting under the sun through the skylights the perfect way to start the day. I honor my Grandma B for teaching me to knit and Mary Shedd for perfecting the joy of drinking tea, knitting and chat at Kawishiwi Lab in Ely years ago.

Some of our friends had triplets last month so Ali and I are knitting three blueberry hats. I made the same for Davyd eight years ago after finding the patten in Sweden. Here it is in case you have little berries to celebrate:

Baby Berry Hat

Cast on 80 stitches DK weight cotton yarn on #5 - 16 inch circular needles. (I used a 50gram ball of Rowan cotton glace @ 5 stitches per inch, but prefer a softer Swedish cotton I made the first hats I made years ago.)

Knit until hat measures 5 inches long, unrolled.

Begin decreasing, changing to double pointed needles when necessary:

Row 1: Knit 8 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 2: Knit entire row

Row 3: Knit 7 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 4: Knit entire row

Row 5: Knit 6 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 6: Knit entire row

Row 7: Knit 5 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 8: Knit entire row

Row 9: Knit 4 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 10: Knit entire row

Row 11: Knit 3 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 12: Knit entire row

Row 13: Knit 2 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 14: Knit entire row

Row 15: Knit 1 stitches then knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

Row 16: Knit entire row

Row 17: Knit 2 stitches together until end of row.

For stem, change to green yarn and continue to decrease to about 9 stitches and knit to about 1 inch long. Draw end of yarn through last loops and knot on inside.