Dutch Oven Cooking

Tonight Maureen and Max had us over for dessert. Maureen is getting ready for a week at Girl's Camp. She's been experimenting with her first Dutch Oven cooking. Dutch ovens are used all over the world. In the American west they have a prominent place in history. In fact on a statue to honor the Mormon Pioneers that crossed the plains to settle in Utah, in the hand cart the statues are pulling, there is displayed a dutch oven.

Dutch ovens are heavy cast iron with a tight fitting lid. Hot charcoals are placed on the lid and around the bottom to cook the contents. Tonight we had cobbler. Here's a recipe from the Dutch Oven Guy.

Yummy Peach Cobbler
 
2 quarts peaches (drained)
1/2 cube butter, chopped over peaches
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup sugar
 
Begin by putting peaches into a greased Dutch oven. Chop the butter in small pieces and dot over the peaches. Mix the flour, cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle half over the peaches.
 
For the crust mix:
 
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
6 Tbsp milk
2 eggs
4 Tbsp sugar
 
Drop crust mixture on top of peaches. Sprinkle the remaining spiced sugar over the dough. This is one of our easy camping recipes that will work great at home, as well as a tasty addition to your camping food.
 
Bake with 1 ring of coals underneath and 2 rings of coals on the lid for 30-35 minutes.

Green Chile Cheese Burgers

When we were shopping for a house in Albuquerque almost 4 years ago, the real estate agent volunteered to take us to lunch. We had been looking at houses all morning long and needed a break, so we agreed to have lunch. She said she wanted to introduce us to some New Mexican cuisine. Fortunately, we like to try new things.

She took us to the Owl Cafe. The Owl is a famous diner in the Albuquerque area. We were impressed by this diner. Usually, a diner is more like a 'greasy spoon.' A greasy spoon is an old nickname for a restaurant that once served the working class. The foods were usually fried and greasy, thus the name. But the Owl Cafe was clean, bright and decorated with an interesting collection of different owls.

Our Real Estate Agent insisted we all order the signature dish at the Owl Cafe, a green chile cheeseburger. Now, I've had cheeseburgers before. But I've never had one with green chile on it. Green Chiles are a cash crop here in New Mexico. Hatch, New Mexico grows these famous chiles. Most of the population can't eat a meal without them!

We all enjoyed the spicy new flavor the chile added to an American favorite. Now, if I ever order a cheese burger in New Mexico, I say YES to the offer of green chile on it!

Four Generations

All my life I have looked at the family photos of my ancestors. These were kept in large, musty smelling albums, yellowed by time. I especially enjoyed the photos of several generations in the same photo. The four generation photo is rare, but the five generation photo is the rarest! On the occasion of my father's visit, we took one of these photos. Here is our four generation snap shot taken in May 2009. It features a great-grand father, a grandmother, a father and a son. Maybe it will be looked upon by future generations with the same fondness.

Kiva Ladders

Around southwestern, pueblo style homes in New Mexico, Kiva Ladders are often leaning on the house. In most cases, they are just a decoration. But at Mesa Verde in Colorado, you can see how they were used in real life. The Anasazi used them to enter their Kivas, round rooms used for meetings and religious purposes. Holly is going down into a Kiva like the ancients did. Today they use kiva ladders to permit tourists to explore Native American Indian the ruins at Mesa Verde. Holly is climbing on a ladder at the Balcony House.





Holly enters a kiva on a ladder as the ancient Anasazi people did.



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Ristras

A very common sight in New Mexico is red chiles hung outside, around the house. These are called 'ristras.' Ristras are drying chile pepper pods. The peppers are hung like this so they can be dried and used later in cooking spicy dishes. However, in New Mexico where chile peppers are produced, they are often used as decoration. I have a few myself.

Wooden Indians

Wooden Indians used to stand outside of shops that sold tobacco. Indians have been associated with tobacco growth since European explorers were first introduced to the crop by the native Americans they found in the new land. Because many settlers were illiterate, shop owners used symbols to advertise their wares. Thus the wooden indian found it's place on the sidewalks of stores selling tobacco products. Today these statues are only found in museums and antique stores.

Hank Williams Sr. recorded a song my mom can sing for you. Here are the words of Kaw-liga, the wooden indian who never got a kiss!

Hank Williams Senior sing the original Kaw-Liga song

You Tube version of Hank Williams Jr. singing his daddy's song. I prefer this one

Kaw-liga by Hank Williams Sr.
Kaw-liga, was a wooden indian standing by the door
He fell in love with an indian maid over in the antique store
Kaw-liga - a, just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

He always wore his sunday feathers and held a tomahawk
The maiden wore her beads and braids and hoped someday he'd talk
Kaw-liga - a, too stubborn to ever show a sign
Because his heart was made of knotty pine.

Chorus
Poor ol kaw-liga, he never got a kiss
Poor ol kaw-liga, he dont know what he missed
Is it any wonder that his face is red.
Kaw-liga, that poor ole wooden head.

Kaw-liga, was a lonely indian never went nowhere
His heart was set on the indian maiden with the coal black hair
Kaw-liga - a, just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

Then one day a wealthy customer bought the indian maid
And took her, oh, so far away, but ol kaw-liga stayed
Kaw-liga - a, just stands there as lonely as can be
And wishes he was still an old pine tree.

Christmas Rules

For a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year…

Be kind to each other and be of good cheer.

Treasure your family and all your traditions.

Fa la la as you decorate your halls.

Keep your schedule light,
it helps to make the moments bright.

Enjoy the giving and the receiving.





And remember Jesus is the reason for this season.

Guess Who is a Grandmother?

Rafe Tyler Hansen was born today at 10:12 am. He weighs 8.6 lbs. and is 21.5 inches long. He has a nice amount of sandy brown hair. He's perfect in every way!

Rafe is spelled like the character Rafe MacCawley played by Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor. It's pronounced Rafe, like safe. Other famous people with this name are: Rafe Totengco Designer, Raef LaFrentz Portland Trail Blazers BasketBall player and Ralph
(Rafe) Fiennes... actor supreme!

Mommy and Daddy are doing well and hopefully are getting a full night's sleep after being up all night.

Mamaw Muncie is supremely happy. Life is good.

Smores

Anytime we have a campfire, we make Smores.  Smore is short for "some more," meaning they are so good, you want some more!

All you need is a roaring campfire, a coat hanger or a young, green stick cut from a nearby tree, a chocolate bar, graham crackers and a couple of marshmallows.   First take two graham crackers, placing  the chocolate bar on top of one of them.  Roast the marshmallows, stuck on the coat hanger or stick, over the campfire until it's golden brown and toasted.   Place the roasted marshmallows on top of the chocolate bar, smashing them down with the remaining cracker forming a gooey sandwich.

Caution!  They are messy so have some napkins close by!  Yum, yum!

A Very Large Array

Jon and I headed out on one of our 'drives.'  I love exploring out-of-the-way places in New Mexico.  Today we drove to the Plains of San Agustin,  New Mexico to see the Very Large Array.  What's that you ask?  The Very Large Array (VLA) is a collection of 27 radio antennas located at the NRAO ( National Radio Astronomy Observatory ) site in Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna in the array measures 82 feet  (25 meters) in diameter and weighs about 230 tons. They are about 95 feet tall (29 meters.) The Y-shaped array can be arranged into 4 different configurations: A, B, C, or D, depending on the distance between the antennas. The VLA is an interferometer, which means that the data from each antenna can be combined electronically so that the array effectively functions as one giant antenna. Dedicated in 1980, the VLA is used by astronomers from around the world to study everything from black holes to planetary nebulae.  Why did they put it in-the-middle-of-no-where New Mexico?  The Plains of San Agustin (not Augustine) are high in elevation, surrounded by a ring of mountains that block interference and far enough away from large populations so they aren't bothered by phone calls or TV broadcasts.

The VLA was featured in the film, "Contact" starring Jodie Foster.  Unfortunately, today the position of the antennas were in their furtherest apart, resulting in not so great photos.  For the film, they were at their closest position as you can see in Jodie's photo.

These are radio antennas, but they aren't listening to anything.  They are seeing radio waves and making pictures of them.  All along I thought they were listening for the aliens that visited Roswell.

For more photos of the Very Large Array click here.

TV Show in Maureen's Backyard

Yesterday, a film crew shot a chase scene in Maureen and Max's backyard. The scene was for the TV series CRASH. Max was home to watch the filming which went really fast. The crew was pleased they had two big dogs (featured in my blog post ) However, since they weren't vicious enough, they brought in two mean looking pit bulls to threaten the stunt man and the actor as they jumped the fench on one side, ran through the yard and hopped over the other fence into the alley next door. They rehearsed a time or two, shot the scene and left. For allowing them to use their yard, they got a check for $250. Pretty easy money!

Maureen and Max live right down town Albuquerque, just a block from a homeless shelter. They have a constant parade of hobos in front of their house. Check out the burglar bars on the windows and front porch. Albuquerque is a popular movie town. They have shot 167 movies, tv shows and other projects in the last couple of years. There are always casting calls on the radio for 'extras' (small acting jobs.) It's not hard to find streets blocked off for a film shoot around town. And everyone has a celebrity sighting story. Personally, I have pictures of John Travolta and Mel Gibson. Ask me and I'll show them to you. :-)

Glowdeo

Once again, it is Balloon Fiesta time in Albuquerque. It is the largest gathering of balloons and pilots in the world. For 9 days, balloons fill our skies in the early morning hours. At night, they glow by light of propane burners. “Glowdeo” was a name given to this truly magical, western rodeo like event.

The great thing about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is that everyone is allowed on the field with the balloons. The pilots give away cards with the picture and name of their balloon and chat with everyone who stops by to say hello or ask a question. No viewing from the stands at this fiesta! This year there are over 600 balloons participating. It’s a bit less than in past years, but understandable with gas prices as they are today. The Fiesta furnishes the propane for all the balloonists to encourage them to make the trip. The Balloon Fiesta Park becomes the second largest city in New Mexico during these two weeks with hundreds of camping trailers, chase vehicles and tourists!

The week of the Fiesta also signals a change in the weather. Out from the closet come our sweaters and jackets. The heater gets switched on for the first time to take away the mornings chill. It’s sad to bid farewell to summer in the high desert. But how can one stay sad with hundreds of colorful balloons floating in the crisp autumn air?

If you'd like to see the video I made last year, click here.

Working for a Living

Recently, I have become gainfully employed. I am the new Adult Literacy Program Coordinator at ReadWest, Inc. In February of 2007, I trained as an English as a Second Language tutor at ReadWest. I really enjoyed my experience. Earlier this month, I was approached by a friend who is on the board of directors at ReadWest and offered the Program Coordinator job. Now, in addition to tutoring my wonderful student Gaby from Mexico, I orient new Basic Literacy and ESL tutors, assess new students and then match them to available tutors. I am busy from the time I walk in the door until I lock the office up in the afternoon. There are a thousand things to do all day long. But, I believe the work I do is very important. I am so happy to be a part of an organization that makes a difference in the lives of people everyday. The gift of literacy changes a person's life for the better. Speaking English can lift someone from poverty and dead end jobs to a path of upward mobility. I am inspired by the countless hours of time our volunteers devote to helping their students. I love my job!

The picture is of the St. James Hotel sign in Cimarron, New Mexico, that was established in 1872 by French chef Henri Lambert, personal chef to President Abraham Lincoln.

Thunder and Lightning

Here are two girls visiting us. They are living here until they move to their new home on Saturday. They like to sit at the sliding glass door and watch me in the kitchen. Any time I look their way, they get hopeful that I will come out and play with them. Their favorite play toy is a water bottle half full of water. They are very well behaved aside from a hole or two in our yard that is easily filled. I’m delighted to see their expectant faces.

Thunder is a Weimaraner. Lightning is a Weimaraner Labrador mix.

Philippe and Christine

Two of our French friends came to visit us in Albuquerque while they were on their first trip to the United States. Philippe and Christine were touring the western U.S. for three weeks and camping at several national parks in California, Nevada and Arizona. They stayed with us for five days. During this time we did all the tourist sites in Albuquerque and a few in Santa Fe.

Philippe was my first French conversation partner. I credit him with coaxing me to have my first discussions en Français. He and Christine live in Marseille, France. Philippe likes country western music. So I took him to a western clothes store. He was a good sport and let me take a picture of him in a cowboy hat.

They both are a lot of fun. It was great to get to know them. We hope to visit them in Marseille the next time we are in France. Again, I am so lucky to have such wonderful French friends!

Another Marriage

My daughter Maureen married Max Andersen on the unique date of 08/08/08. This is a very lucky day to the Chinese. That’s why they began the Olympics on this date. So while you all were watching the opening ceremonies, we were having a party to celebrate their marriage. Congratulations Max and Maureen.

Maureen

Encore une fois, un mariage approche. Cette fois, c’est le mariage de ma fille Maureen. Elle est née il y a 24 ans. Ce jour là, j’étais très contente d’avoir une petite fille. Elle a toujours été une joie pour nous. Nous n’avons jamais eu de problèmes avec elle. C'est une jeune fille douée et intelligente. Sa capacité de travail est énorme. Rien ne lui est impossible. Il n’y a pas de montagne trop haute pour elle. Elle a cette qualité depuis sa plus tendre enfance.

Quand elle était petite elle avait des problèmes de lecture. Au début, elle s’est sentie stupide et son amour-propre en a souffert. C’était une expérience difficile pour une mère. Mais quelque part dans sa petite âme, elle a trouvé la force. Elle a décidé d'utiliser sa faiblesse comme une force. Elle a étudié plus dur. Elle a fait beaucoup d’efforts. Elle s’est attaquée à l’orthographe et à la grammaire anglaise avec enthousiasme et optimisme. Avec détermination, elle a cherché à obtenir de bons résultats. Il lui a fallu plus d’efforts pour avoir d'aussi bonnes notes que les autres enfants. Donc, elle a su développer l'amour du travail bien fait.

Je l’admire. J’ai beaucoup de confiance en elle. Elle va bientôt quitter la maison familiale mais jamais mon cœur.

Maureen, je t’aime et je suis fière de toi.

Only in Albuquerque!

At 7:45 am, my daughter rushed down stairs saying a hot air balloon was about to crash into the house next door. We threw open the door and ran outside to see if we could help. Fortunately, the pilot landed the balloon safely right in the middle of the street. Since no one could leave for work until the balloon chase vehicle arrived to pick up the pilot, passengers and the balloon, the neighbors gathered around the gondola to chat with the passengers. They were proud to show us the leaves they had picked from the tops of trees as they floated by. The chase car soon arrived and we helped guide the quickly deflating balloon onto a protective tarp and away from the mailbox and rooftops. As we did this, several other balloons floated just over us with the travelers calling down to saying, “Good Morning! We thought we’d drop by.”

Only in Albuquerque!

1958

1958 a été une année importante. Aux Etats-Unis, l’ouvrier moyen gagnait $4600 par an. Un professeur pouvait espérer $5,100 par l’an. Trois familles sur cinq possédaient une voiture. Deux familles sur trois avaient le téléphone. Pour les femmes, l'âge moyen pour se marier était de 20 ans et elles devenaient le plus souvent des femmes au foyer, en ce temps là, très peu poursuivaient une carrière professionnelle. Les voitures étaient de plus en plus grosses avec des ailerons de plus en plus pointus. L’essence coûtait 25 cents le gallon. L’Alaska est devenu le quarante-neuvième état. Le premier satellite a été lancé de Cap Canaveral. Cela a aussi été l'année où lntel a développé le microprocesseur. Une maison neuve coûtait $12,750.00. La NASA a été créée.

Dans le monde, il y a eu une catastrophe aérienne à Munich où sept joueurs de Manchester United ont été tués. Nikita Khrouchtchev est devenu le Numéro Un de l’Union Soviétique. Il y a eu une grande famine en Chine pendant laquelle 30 millions de personnes sont mortes de faim. Elvis Presley est parti à l’armée, et des milliers de jeunes filles en ont été navrées. Les films les plus populaires ont été Le Pont de la Rivière Kwai, Pacifique Sud, Gigi, Sueurs Froides et King Créole. Les chanteurs célèbres étaient Elvis Presley, Billie Holliday, Ricky Nelson, Frank Sinatra, et les Frères Everly. A la télévision, les gens regardaient les émissions Candid Camera, le Jack Benny Show et le Ed Sullivan Show.

Enfin, en 1958 à Dallas Texas, Tom et Ann Smith ont eu leur premier enfant, une petite fille. Ils lui ont donné les prénoms de Muncie comme une de leurs amies et d’Ann comme sa maman.

Sick to Death of Politics

I know I need to finish my essays on my trip to France. But I must tell you, this eternal election has me absolutely exhausted. Personally, I think all three presidential candidates STINK. ( McCain, Obama and Madame Clinton) Come January '09, I will wish more than ever to live in France so I will not have to witness first hand what will take place in the US for the next 4 years. I make one prediction here... Whoever is elected president this fall will only serve one term. It's gonna be that bad. I comfort myself with the thought that Jimmy Carter allowed us to have Ronald Reagan. That fact gives me hope.



The picture is an early spring shot of the Sandia Mountain range from the banks of the muddy and shallow Rio Grande.

Room Make Over

For my daughter Rebecca’s 20th birthday we planned a special surprise. Because she loves television shows on remodeling and decorating homes, we thought we’d make over her bedroom. It was really tough planning and keeping this idea secret. The whole family was in on the idea. My daughter in law Stephanie called Rebecca and told her that she wanted to have a girl’s night out to celebrate Rebecca’s birthday. So she arranged for Rebecca to come directly after work to spend the night at her house and then she’d leave for work the next morning without coming home. Tyler excused himself and came over to help us paint furniture and install a ceiling fan. The next morning when Rebecca left for work Stephanie came over and helped us paint walls and install new blinds and curtains. With only minutes to finish we put on new sheets and a bed spread and hid in her room.




Rebecca was totally surprised. For three months we planned this and she had absolutely no idea what we were doing. She kept saying, “You guys got me soooo good!”