This was a photo taken on a train in Mexico. The Mariachi is the only one who hasn't been drinking tequila, but looks like he wants to. Random photoness.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Mariachis in Mexico
This was a photo taken on a train in Mexico. The Mariachi is the only one who hasn't been drinking tequila, but looks like he wants to. Random photoness.
Tuesdays are for Mojitos
Ok, so I never made my mojito last night. Truth be told, I hadn't really had but one cocktail since last Tuesday (I was under the weather enjoying the Noro virus while in Winnipeg and then inadvertently ate something with gluten in it, so the system was down for the count for 4.5 days) so decided, why not wait a night and go virtually a week without cocktailing?
The wait is over. Energy is back. Heat is scorching. Mojitos are refresco!
Thank goodness for central air!!!!! Those of you just stopping by this post should realize that most people in Lansing do not have air conditioning, why, I do not know as it is ALWAYS disgustingly hot and humid here in July and August. Up North, in goddess country, you don't really need AC, just a fan for those really hot days, which thanks to global warming, are going to increase, so just do yourselves a favor and go get central air installed in your houses. I love run on sentences, always have. Why am I in Lansing instead of goddess country? A job with retirement and beni's. Thought I would only be here two years. Going on 6.5 now. It does grow on you, Lansing, after about 4 years. I think you just give in. At least we have lots of Thai and Indian restaurants and the MSU Spartan sports.
Here is my friend Ragnar's mojito recipe. Check out her blog at www.domesticpiracy.blogspot.com She needs help weeding her garden. Every time I raid her mint patch (mojito heaven) I now pull twice as many weeds as sprigs of mint. I think that is fair, don't you?
Mojitos....simply the best thing to drink, ever.
Put 1/4 of a lime (sliced into several pieces) and 10-20 mint leaves (about three stalks worth) in the bottom of a tall glass (pint sized rather than hi-ball) and "muddle" them (that is to say "crush") until the limes have been juiced and the mint leaves are bruised. If you don't have a muddler you can use a wooden spoon. Then add approximately a jigger (3 ounces, or two shot glasses) each of simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, heated until all the sugar is dissolved and then chilled) and rum and a shot (1.5 ounces) of lime juice, fill the rest of the glass with club soda and stir. Serve iced. You can of course adjust any of those amounts based on your personal taste, and you can drink them without the rum.
They are good without rum too, I guess they would be like limeaid with loads of mint. You really do need to use a lot of mint, seems like you are about to drink mint salad? That's the right amount. After some testing, I have decided that Mount Gay rum (from Barbados) is the best, then Appleton (Jamaican), but then I always think Mt Gay is best.
Knitting, I am starting an new project, a poncho/sweater. It is a really simple pattern that I can knit at all times without needing to review the pattern. I have several wonderful colors of yarn, 4 out of the 5 colors are the actual sheep color (different shades of brown) from New Zealand. The 5th color is a light heathery sagey green. My friend brought the yard back (found a little farm in the middle of nowhere, NZ) with a challenge. Knit a sweater by this time next year or give the yard back. Well, I am not a fast knitter and usually start each project 5 times before it really gets going, so needless to say, one year later, I was losing the challenge. Being my friend, she gave me a grace period and I pulled it off and knit a beautiful poncho/throw/sweater (as soon as I figure out photo posting I will post a pic of it) and there was so much yarn left, I am knitting one for her too. Just have to have it finished by Solstice.
I might work on it tonight, after I drink that mojito. Before I drink the second one.
Need to have a pillaging and plundering session soon (otherwise known as "knitting at the bar"...our gang has been slacking, but then, it is summer), that will really get the projects going.
ciao
The wait is over. Energy is back. Heat is scorching. Mojitos are refresco!
Thank goodness for central air!!!!! Those of you just stopping by this post should realize that most people in Lansing do not have air conditioning, why, I do not know as it is ALWAYS disgustingly hot and humid here in July and August. Up North, in goddess country, you don't really need AC, just a fan for those really hot days, which thanks to global warming, are going to increase, so just do yourselves a favor and go get central air installed in your houses. I love run on sentences, always have. Why am I in Lansing instead of goddess country? A job with retirement and beni's. Thought I would only be here two years. Going on 6.5 now. It does grow on you, Lansing, after about 4 years. I think you just give in. At least we have lots of Thai and Indian restaurants and the MSU Spartan sports.
Here is my friend Ragnar's mojito recipe. Check out her blog at www.domesticpiracy.blogspot.com She needs help weeding her garden. Every time I raid her mint patch (mojito heaven) I now pull twice as many weeds as sprigs of mint. I think that is fair, don't you?
Mojitos....simply the best thing to drink, ever.
Put 1/4 of a lime (sliced into several pieces) and 10-20 mint leaves (about three stalks worth) in the bottom of a tall glass (pint sized rather than hi-ball) and "muddle" them (that is to say "crush") until the limes have been juiced and the mint leaves are bruised. If you don't have a muddler you can use a wooden spoon. Then add approximately a jigger (3 ounces, or two shot glasses) each of simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, heated until all the sugar is dissolved and then chilled) and rum and a shot (1.5 ounces) of lime juice, fill the rest of the glass with club soda and stir. Serve iced. You can of course adjust any of those amounts based on your personal taste, and you can drink them without the rum.
They are good without rum too, I guess they would be like limeaid with loads of mint. You really do need to use a lot of mint, seems like you are about to drink mint salad? That's the right amount. After some testing, I have decided that Mount Gay rum (from Barbados) is the best, then Appleton (Jamaican), but then I always think Mt Gay is best.
Knitting, I am starting an new project, a poncho/sweater. It is a really simple pattern that I can knit at all times without needing to review the pattern. I have several wonderful colors of yarn, 4 out of the 5 colors are the actual sheep color (different shades of brown) from New Zealand. The 5th color is a light heathery sagey green. My friend brought the yard back (found a little farm in the middle of nowhere, NZ) with a challenge. Knit a sweater by this time next year or give the yard back. Well, I am not a fast knitter and usually start each project 5 times before it really gets going, so needless to say, one year later, I was losing the challenge. Being my friend, she gave me a grace period and I pulled it off and knit a beautiful poncho/throw/sweater (as soon as I figure out photo posting I will post a pic of it) and there was so much yarn left, I am knitting one for her too. Just have to have it finished by Solstice.
I might work on it tonight, after I drink that mojito. Before I drink the second one.
Need to have a pillaging and plundering session soon (otherwise known as "knitting at the bar"...our gang has been slacking, but then, it is summer), that will really get the projects going.
ciao
Monday, July 31, 2006
All in a day's travel
Gardens, they are an island of comfort in this world. Even if I do have to pull weeds. I was traveling in Manitoba last week and it was not quite what I thought it would be. I didn't really read up on it before going as it was for work anyway, not a vacation, but I did think since they have lots of rivers and lakes that it would be hilly. Well, no. As it turns out it is the flattest place in North America. I missed the garden while traveling, but not the weeding. I arrived back to cucumbers, a few early tomatoes, dill, the most beautiful head of broccoli I have ever grown, beans and of course a couple of baseball bat sized zucchini that nobody wants to eat. When I left they were the size of my finger, but it rained, a lot.
The great thing, strangely, about going to Winnipeg, was the flight there and back. We flew over Lake Michigan and over the southern end of county I am from, Leelanau and it was hazy, but beautiful to see it from the sky. Ah the Lake, I miss the Lake in summer as now I live in Lansing, MI. On the return flight we flew over Thunder Bay(Lake Superior), Isle Royal, the Keeweenaw Peninsula, Marquette and then South and directly over Leelanau County. Crystal clear and at 31,000 feet I could actually see our family farm (cherries, apples and farm market new potatoes). It passed too quickly and that glimpse of one of the most beautiful places on earth from the sky made the whole trip worth it. Well, most of the trip. Trying to eat gluten free from a college campus cafeteria, not fun and not tasty. Thus missing the garden and did I mention, cooking.
So I decided to start a blog and here it is. Stay tuned. I just had to post something today to see how it works.
While in Winnipeg I did see this great band Men in Kilts.Fabulous, full of energy and fun!
http://www.meninkilts.ca Check them out. I guess they have a tough time getting gigs in the US (customs, border crossing stuff), but maybe with some effort...someday.
Monday is for mojitos. I will post my friend Ragnar's most delish mojito recipe soon. If you aren't growing fresh mint, well time to start as this drink is addicting and might I add, refreshing.
I will be making my favorite italian style mac and cheese (need some comfort food after Winnipeg) this eve. Maybe I will figure out how to post recipes by tomorrow. It will be gluten free of course, with proscuitto and fontina cheese. I am thinking of adding dried tomatoes (last year's garden harvest, must make room for this year's). Yummo!
caio
The great thing, strangely, about going to Winnipeg, was the flight there and back. We flew over Lake Michigan and over the southern end of county I am from, Leelanau and it was hazy, but beautiful to see it from the sky. Ah the Lake, I miss the Lake in summer as now I live in Lansing, MI. On the return flight we flew over Thunder Bay(Lake Superior), Isle Royal, the Keeweenaw Peninsula, Marquette and then South and directly over Leelanau County. Crystal clear and at 31,000 feet I could actually see our family farm (cherries, apples and farm market new potatoes). It passed too quickly and that glimpse of one of the most beautiful places on earth from the sky made the whole trip worth it. Well, most of the trip. Trying to eat gluten free from a college campus cafeteria, not fun and not tasty. Thus missing the garden and did I mention, cooking.
So I decided to start a blog and here it is. Stay tuned. I just had to post something today to see how it works.
While in Winnipeg I did see this great band Men in Kilts.Fabulous, full of energy and fun!
http://www.meninkilts.ca Check them out. I guess they have a tough time getting gigs in the US (customs, border crossing stuff), but maybe with some effort...someday.
Monday is for mojitos. I will post my friend Ragnar's most delish mojito recipe soon. If you aren't growing fresh mint, well time to start as this drink is addicting and might I add, refreshing.
I will be making my favorite italian style mac and cheese (need some comfort food after Winnipeg) this eve. Maybe I will figure out how to post recipes by tomorrow. It will be gluten free of course, with proscuitto and fontina cheese. I am thinking of adding dried tomatoes (last year's garden harvest, must make room for this year's). Yummo!
caio
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