White Beans 'n Kale

This is my favorite really quick winter (and spring, and summer, and fall) warm lunch or dinner dish! So easy, no recipe - it's one of those "about this much" type cooking.

I start with a medium fry pan with enough water to cover the bottom about 1/4" deep. This is my sautee' liquid, rather than oil. Add some seasonings, like my favorite Bragg's Organic Sprinkle which has lots of herbs and spices, including rosemary and thyme which go so well with beans. You can adjust seasonings at the end, too.

One onion, and several cloves garlic. Use the amounts that you like - heavy on the garlic if you like garlic, which I do! Put in the pan and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium.

Rough chop kale (or chard leaves), a couple of handfuls or so, and toss into the pan with the onions and garlic when they've sauteed for a few minutes. You can lid or not; I just sort of stir-fry at this point, so I can keep testing the kale. I like it a bit al dente' but cook it until you like whatever tenderness suits you. Just don't cook it until it loses it's bright green! Not only not appetizing, but by then all the nutrients are compromised - just sayin'. May have to add a bit more water, don't let the pan go dry.

My quick meal involves canned beans - usually white beans, but I like black beans in it, too. Dump the beans into a sieve and rinse, then into the pan and toss gently until the beans are heated. Taste, and adjust the seasoning if needed. I don't salt it.

This whole process takes about 6-8 minutes, if you have everything ready to rock 'n roll. That includes chopping! So you can tell the cooking time is pretty short...

Scoop your serving (this made two) into a lovely bowl, then drizzle some (about 1 T.) good olive oil and a squeeze of lemon over. Dig into heaven in a bowl!

Mom had a nice bowlful along with me for lunch. She opted to have a small bit of Bragg's Liquid Aminos added to her bowl, which is yummy too.

This is soul food, for sure! Heavenly flavor, nutritious, pretty! So satisfying in texture and taste.

Especially if the kale was just picked from your winter garden...

Lovin' from the February Garden

Today's harvest: sweet kale kissed by winter frosts and cold rain, and even sweeter carrots over-wintered in their cozy raised bed!

The long skinny carrots are Imperators, which demand a deep bed - the raised beds are really ideal for this old-time favorite. The shorter chunky carrots are one of three Nantes varieties in another part of the raised bed. Nantes are more triangular and easier to pull, even when the soil is soaking wet from a hail/snow/sleet burst.

My morning chores today included emptying the compost pail onto the pallet-fenced compost bin, which is right next to the carrots and kale beds. That was intentionally planned, by the way. The compost bins and two raised beds are on the garden edge. No slogging through ankle-deep mud to reach those treasures during the winter! A layer of free sawdust on the borders and paths between beds keeps footing solid and relatively clean.

Our garden area always holds a LOT of water during the winter and spring due to an underground run-off from the hillside above us. The raised beds are helping to solve that challenge. Makes weeding minimal, and harvesting a joy, all year!

Now we have steamed FRESH carrots and a kale/onion/garlic/white bean saute' on the lunch menu - yum! Love our winter veggies!

Is there a Cat Union?

"Voodoo Bunny, on the job. We've been making Companion Quilts for OHSU terminal patients, and you know it would never get done without ME!"

"Oh, puh-leeze! Like you are important or something. Now me, I definately am the mover on this project. There is nothing more important than quality control and eyes-on-the-job!"

"Of course I have to lend a hand - er, paw - to keep things moving along. You wouldn't believe what slackers I have to work with...act like they've never seen a needle before."

"Schmoozing will get you no where, back to work!"

"This supervision gig is just plain tiring. Last quilt for today."

We are SO grateful when the little wretch finally vacates a quilt and finds a softer place to grab her naps. Even if it IS on my bed, on my special soft nap blanket - that's mine and MAX's nap blanket, if you don't mind.

She rotates from Mom doing the tying in the dining room, to me cutting and sewing in the sewing/guest room. It's an obsession - she HAS to be right in the middle of whatever we are doing. She is an artist at sneaky pin-pulling on a quilt all ready to sew, steals thread spools, slithers under whatever fabric is on the cutting table - in general, a PEST!

Voodoo Bunny is a saint. Never says a word about the antics of disruption of our job.

Arizona - Homeschooler's Playday

Large homeschooling groups usually plan a lot of social structure and physical activities into their combined outings. The Estrella Hills group invited their member families to a playday at this beautiful park, complete with a lake, playground, picnic pavilions, tennis court and gorgeous views.
Parents can participate as instructors for various activities. The tennis court was divided into age groups of younger kids. One half had Max's group, the other had Jayden's group. The tennis instructors and several helpers had the kids all looking pretty good and enjoying a fun sport!

Max is ready... (note the ball, just above his head)

... to slam the ball a good one! And he did! The other kids were in awe, since a number of them were still trying to make contact...

"And that's how it's done!"

The playground area catered to all ages, which is a good thing since the Wright guys are spread across every age!
Carrie and Brent took on the fishing gear, making sure any kids interested had help with hooks, poles, and safety notes. My pole made the trip from Wisconsin to Arizona, so I was a happy participant!

The lake has a HUGE coot population, I've never seen so many in one place. This pretty little gal came prepared, with her bread bag. The boys were fascinated by the lobed feet - like chicken feet that have walked to many miles and swelled up.

Makes them good swimmers and good hikers. Ever watch a duck walk? Definately more of a water bird!

It was sunny Arizona alright, but a really cold wind was making itself felt for the first several days I was there. Fishing was almost as cold as on the coast!

It was catch-and-release, but we didn't have to worry - no one caught anything! The smaller kids from other families weren't impressed, and their short attention spans had them off to the playground again. We stuck it out. Beautiful scenery, sunshine - kinda peaceful. Oh, and the bantering and jokes, as usual with fishermen!

From a couple of dead floaters, we think there were carp and maybe a panfish like a Bluegill or something, stocked in the lake. At the other end.

The big guys decided tennis looked like their game, they've swatted a few balls before. So they commandeered some rackets and balls and took over the basketball court. It was a rousing game, all hands on deck!

At one point, Collin played "sports commentator" with a running patter on the court action. The players had a hard time concentrating, for laughing so hard!

It was a super day. Having Brent home on a Friday is still a novelty for them, to be enjoyed to the fullest. Nothing like a family playing and laughing together. The best of times!

Arizona - the rest of the hike!

Horseplay is their middle name! It takes very little to prompt a round of shenanigans and laughter with these guys. And the leader of the pack? Well, let's just say the punks inherited their sense of humor honestly!

As we left the "river" area, some comment led to Than and Collin proving they could hoist their dad, and practice some Scout rescue techniques at the same time...

Of course that segued into "gotta make it real, what if it was a REAL emergency"! Like I said - hams!

Not to be left out, the younger punks wanted in on the fun, seeing who could lift them - good thing laughter doesn't weigh anything, they would have never been able to do it. THEN they decided they could just finish the hike this way...

Real limp bodies there, like sacks of oats...they are nothing if not thorough in their role playing. Comes from all those plays they were in...

Fortunately, they draw the line at getting gramma's feet off the ground. Their mama taught them the hazards of that move...so I was safe laughing on the sidelines, enjoying the fun! I was also the repository for all the water bottles. Kangaroo pouch sweatshirt.

(And can I just say DESERT? That ain't beach sand! And thorny bushes are very rude...)

So off they went - Than and Col made it back to the car. I think Brent lost his load, which was the heftiest (sorry, Lee) thanks to a distraction a little farther up the trail.

Me? I lagged behind to locate a pesky little singing bird flitting and hiding in a big thorn bush.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Had nothing to do with being slow...

Arizona - rivers with no water!

River contrast: Northwest rivers run fast and clear, tumbling over boulders and across colorful gravel bed, running in channels beneath towering green fir and cedar trees.

Arizona rivers: No water. Honest. You cross a bridge a half mile long, and there is nothing but sand and some scrubby bushes as far as you can see up and down the river bed.

Well, I have to amend that a bit. At certain times, there will be water. Following hard fierce rains, water cascades down rock-slabbed mountain slopes (because there are no trees, and cacti don't stop much runoff...) into the dry washes that dump into the rivers. They even have - FLOODS - gasp! BUT - very short lived.

So for an outing, we went to a park along two rivers. The Agua Fria "flows" into the Gila River, southeast of Phoenix, not too far from Buckeye. We crossed one bridge, upstream, with the typical dry, sandy river bed. A half-mile downstream, what was left of these two rivers for the season had formed an ever-shrinking pond about a half-mile long. And maybe ankle deep.

"What do ya mean, there's no water?? Look, right there! We can go swimming - well, wading. Well - mud island hopping?
(The bridge in the background crosses NO WATER...)

Where there's ANYTHING to climb, you'll find the guys.


Aahh, so cute! And that water really IS only ankle deep.

This troop can make an adventure out of anything not nailed down. They decided the mud island/grass clumps were meant to be stepping stones, and MUST BE CROSSED to the other bank. It took all of 20 seconds for a plan to be formed and material started appearing to fill in some wider gaps.

The bigger guys could pretty much do it without props, Lee being the first across. So the ultimate goal was to get MAX across with minimum wettage of shoes. By the time they finished, I told them there were enough stones in there for ME to get across!

A gramma's pride and joy - grandpunks! The boys keep me laughing and ever ready for the next adventure!

I'm ready to go back for more! There are the White Tank Mountains, just a few miles away, where I know there is a waterfall. After a good rain, anyway.

Max's special day

The age of accountability - have you noticed, some people never seem to get there?

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that age is deemed to be eight. So an eighth birthday is very important, when the youngster first has opportunity to make the decision to be baptised. He has been taught basic gospel principles by his parents and in his Primary class at church, and shown a willingness to try to live a life that reflects good choices rather than less-desirable choices.

So on February 4, Max was baptized. He had many choices of ordained priesthood holders to perform this ordinance with him. He choose his brother and buddy, Nathanial, to to the baptism, and his father to do the confirmation where the newly baptised person receives the gift of the Holy Ghost as a helper and comforter for the rest of his life.

The program includes some short talks on Baptism (I was honored to do that when Max asked me!) and on the Holy Ghost (by the grandma of the other boy being baptized that day)Family members are always delighted to attend - we were so happy that Brent's parents, Jay and Sharleen Wright, were able make the 10-hour drive from southern Utah to be with us. With two boys being baptized, there were plenty of family attending from both sides, as well as Primary teachers, the Bishop, and others from the ward. Long-time Stauffer/Wright family friends Kathy and Larry Percy made it a point to be there, from Mesa. A grand gathering!

Two very happy brothers.

As a special musical number, the Wright family sang "When I am Baptized" - they had spent the week practicing, and it was delightful!

Of course special occasions aren't complete without LOTS of photos taken - here we all are, to honor Max.

And then - home to a yummy luncheon of bar-b-q beef on buns, potato salad, veggies, and most important, chocolate CAKE!

Max received a traditional 8-years old gift from his parents of his own engraved scriptures, and other mementos from family and friends to round out his baptism experience.

It was a special day for Max. And a special day for his family.

Our last kid has been dunked!

Arizona - hanging out

Max turned 8 on January 10th. First order of business: enroll in the Cub Scouts, get his cubby shirt, and join the rest of the brothers as SCOUTS! The Wright family now boasts 5 active (VERY active) Scouts - the two oldest are working on Eagles, and Max is the sparkling new Cub - busy times!

I don't know how long snakes live. I don't care. I don't live with a snake. But the Wright household includes a snake, so when in Rome... This is Arrowmint, who survived the trip from Wisconsin riding on the dashboard in a very fancy shoebox. He is very large. And seems to like his new desert home, because he is MUCH MORE ACTIVE than when living in Wisconsin. Wonder if the warmth has anything to do with it...

With five guys bouncing around the house, you never know what shenanigans are going to provide entertainment. Here Than demonstrates the fine art of peeling a mandarin orange to become an elephant.

Collin tunes up right next to the kitchen, in what would normally be considered in any other home as the "family room". With four musicians and one wanna-be, it's a music room in the Wright house. Everyone gravitates here by the end of the day. And there is music all day long!

Silly Carrie thought she was all done with her horse season of life when she left Wisconsin and her two horses behind. Distributed ALL her horse equipment and apparel to friends and others. See how long it took for her to hook up with a horse again? Now she has NEW boots, helmet, and equipment. She's working with some friends to help them train a couple of "free horses" who are demonstrating why they were "free". Saddlebreds are tall, as you can see.

With a house full of guys, there is a lot of testosterone. Brent has an exercise program, very challenging, that he and the older punks have been working on for a couple of months. Awesome muscles, Than! Brent can keep up with these guys, too - pretty good for 40+, dad!

Besides reading, games, school, seminary, dances, and Scouts, there is always music happening. Than is becoming a very accomplished pianist, taught himself guitar (as did Collin), participates in the church choir (along with dad, Col, and Lee), and is Max's buddy.

In two years he will be leaving on his mission - so I'm getting lots of photos of him while I can!