Category: San Luis Obispo

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Putting the energy back into California

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY6-YVFvtFQ&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

Here is a YouTube video I found — in of all places — on a California Local Government site. Here is some of the big take aways from this video:

1) For those who don’t remember, Jerry Brown was governor then, too. California  ‘bailed out’ our local cities with ‘our money’ but claimed that this would only cover that year, because there would be no fund for the next year. Time has proven otherwise.

2) A UCLA Economic forecast predicted that over 450,000 jobs would be lost. As Howard Jarvis predicted, the economy rebounded… until our state and local governments started turning the screws.

3) At the time, the State of California offered their own Prop 8 to try to beat down Prop 13, but the ploy didn’t work with the voters. Even though Los Angeles Teachers received pink slips before the election, the results showed strong support for prop 13.

4) Pay attention to the very modest home shown in the news report that was paying huge taxes in 1978. Many reports from the time exposed the high property tax rates were forcing many retirees and young families from their homes.

Since then, there have been a multitude of studies that have shown how Prop 13 has continued to help the taxpayer of California, in spite of the growth of state and local governments through increases in water, sewer and what Prop 26 supporters last year referred to as ‘hidden taxes in the form of fees.’

We are a one party state from top to bottom… and who really believes this is a good thing?

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the ‘stone soup’ of gardening

the red is for peppers and the green is for tomatoes ... but first you must BUY them!

Okay, I don’t know what I really expected, but I kinda thought there might be some seeds in the container I bought… but NO… you go out and buy mature plants, high grade potting soil, time released fertilizer and water them every day…and then…. wahoo! Instant tomatoes! So, lets just say that the final price tag for this project is a bit higher than what it shows on the package!

So maybe I am not walking into this ‘fun’ project with the right attitude… but we’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, I am amused.

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a home should be comfortable

a real home makes you feel comfortable right when you walk in!

The above picture comes from one of the Harry Potter movies , it is a scene set in the Weasley’s very eccentric but warm and comfortable home. I  wrote a blog  about how a home should reflect the owners personality — a couple of years ago — and I warned of the evils of  ‘feng shui’  that takes all life from a home and turns it into just a house!

In watching the back story of the movie “UP!”, some of the creative staff were joking about studying old people’s homes for authenticity. This sounded pretty funny until I realized that I sounded pretty much like one of the old people being studied! After thinking about it for a while, I began to understand that there is a difference between how people set up their homes. Some people are always thinking about selling their home ( maybe less today than in prior years) and their home always looks sterile and ‘feng shui.’ Some homes are sloppy, disorganized and the victim of some sort of hording maniac; however, this is not what I am talking about. My favorite home to live in or visit tells me about who lives there …  and something about their lives: it contains family drawings, stories and messages which are hung proudly; coat hooks are everywhere to grab the stray jacket or visitor’s scarf and cap; the kitchen reflects someone who actually knows how to cook with everything within reach; and drapes pulled open to let in nature’s beauty.

Only someone from a large family understands the naturalness of mismatched chairs at the family dining table.

One doesn’t build a masterpiece of hospitality like the Weasley’s home overnight , one creates its warmth over the stretch of a lifetime as we add to it one beautiful piece at a time … as we age, we are just the same, we add experiences, knowledge and love to our lives.

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It seems nutty, but it’s an apple pie

Apple Pie
Oh yes, nuts really add something wonderful to an apple pie! ... CLICK on the picture for the basic step-by-step recipe

We’ve had a very strange year around our apple ‘orchard’ ( now two trees). What makes it strange is that normally we have the stove going continuously baking pies and then apple sauce. Two years ago, after making a dozen or so pies, I filled one entire freezer with prepared apple sauce that lasted until about 6 months ago. Laura didn’t complain as home made apple sauce is her favorite snack after dinner.

I rushed this pie out as I had a bunch of things I am preparing for the fall, but I think I am unlikely to get more than one more pie from our trees. Weather does that sort of thing around here.  Normally I like to glaze almonds for the top of my pies , but I used what was at hand and I think it will be fine. This pie will go into the freezer for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

My See’s Canyon Apple Pie Recipe

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it’s baking season again! (soon Ralph, real Soooon!)

When the weather turns a little cooler, you'll remember why you have an oven! Above are a few delightful things to make this season: a Beef Wellington, Turducken ( and all the various combinations), Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Pie, Cherry Pie and George Washington's Egg Nog if you dare!

With Thanksgiving and Christmas, I will definitely be making one of those glorious bird-within-a-bird meals and to make it special… I have ordered a simply largest bird I can find! Looking at the Turkey above, it looks for all the world like a turkey that has been tied up a bit; however, with the exception of the legs and wings, there are no bones in this turkey. This is a   Turducken!

Turduckens  have been a yea old favorite for a long time. For hundreds of years meals of birds within birds have been served. The key for me is to de-bone them and remove all the skin but the outer turkey! The trick is to start assembling with the largest bird and add each bird until you get to the smallest while not forgetting to add the appropriate stuffing at each layer. Laura likes to refer to my effort as a fancy ‘meat roll’, but I think it is delicious every time! It also has a habit of attracting my daughters from wherever far flung environment they may be… which is nice.

Here’s the basic composition:

Turkey – corn bread

Goose – chestnut stuffing

Chicken – mushrooms and saffron white rice

Pheasant – cashew stuffing

Duck – wild rice

Besides a   Turducken,  I have a prime rib aging right now, a whole leg of lamb ( I have some Greek tenderizing ideas for this), hams and , of course, there will be dessert. Desserts are usually special in most families and so it is with us. Pumpkin pie is a staple and Christmas Cookies are varied… but we always find a time for George Washington’s Egg nog!

Stating thinking and planning, because August heat doesn’t last forever!

Roger

Here’s the basic recipe, plus How to de-bone a Turkey