http://althouse.blogspot.com/2007/12/snow-fog.html has a lovely and rather dark series of photos of a cemetery at Christmas time. I was inspired to write a little poem...
Though you partake of life and breath
We rest here in the frozen earth
And celebrate the peace of death
While you observe your Savior’s birth
Our quiet bones, beneath the snow
Forswear the warmth of Christmas cheer
Excited children will not know
The love of those who slumber here
When snow and fog their vigil keep
In quiet moments, contemplate
The silence of eternal sleep
Someday will also be your fate.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Re-post of Virginia Tech poem
This seems appropriate once again in light of the mall shooting. Please remember as you undertake your daily activities that each day holds the possibility of death. Always hold your loved ones close and never leave their company without telling them how much they mean to you. There are monsters in the midst of our society and they are not identifiable until they commit some atrocity.
Now mingling with the peaceful flocks
All gentle bleats and snowy fleece
What nightmare beast among us stalks
Whose thirst for blood imperils peace
On sunny days, we watch the skies
For hawks, the harbingers of death
Sometimes, no shadow signifies
The advent of our final breath
And when the thinning veil of fate
Is ripped, like flesh by tooth and claw
Death's visage, recognized, too late
Consigns us to his grinning maw
Now mingling with the peaceful flocks
All gentle bleats and snowy fleece
What nightmare beast among us stalks
Whose thirst for blood imperils peace
On sunny days, we watch the skies
For hawks, the harbingers of death
Sometimes, no shadow signifies
The advent of our final breath
And when the thinning veil of fate
Is ripped, like flesh by tooth and claw
Death's visage, recognized, too late
Consigns us to his grinning maw
Hillary poem
It should be no secret from my former postings that I am no great fan of Hillary Clinton. As a female manager, I appreciate all of the advances made in recent years for women's rights and/or gender "blindness" in business decisions. I question why Hillary has stuck by her husband in spite of his very public unfaithfulness. Their relationship seems quite dysfunctional and her defense of him over the years is sick.
Besides being Bill Clinton's wife
What's Hillary done in her life
To earn our respect
We're right to suspect
Her defense of feminist strife
When values of women's rights clash
With power-lust and campaign cash
Mere feminist goals
Mean less than Bill's polls
His victims were just trailer trash.
Defending her unfaithful spouse,
She's less than a man, more a mouse
Why stand by that man
If not for her plan
To regain a Clinton White House.
(cross-posted on Althouse)
Besides being Bill Clinton's wife
What's Hillary done in her life
To earn our respect
We're right to suspect
Her defense of feminist strife
When values of women's rights clash
With power-lust and campaign cash
Mere feminist goals
Mean less than Bill's polls
His victims were just trailer trash.
Defending her unfaithful spouse,
She's less than a man, more a mouse
Why stand by that man
If not for her plan
To regain a Clinton White House.
(cross-posted on Althouse)
Omaha Mall Shooting
I don't have much to say about this, except that this is yet another indictment of our public mental health system. The gunman was a former ward of the state, for whom over a quarter of a million dollars was spent, the result of which was that he was still incapable of living with his parents. I don't want to jump on the pro-CCW bandwagon, although I totally agree with those who say they we should not be deprived of our second amendment rights simply because of the arbitrary rulings of a property owner. I doubt that the holder of a concealed weapon, which is legal in Omaha, could have made any difference in this outcome, unless an extremely alert and well-trained person had seen the shooter as he exited the elevator and took him down immediately. It is overall just a sad and tragic situation. My prayers are with the survivors and the families of the deceased. Maybe this kid should have been locked up but it is difficult for bureaucratic employees to discern which of their clients are truly dangerous and which are merely incapable of being high-functioning members of society.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Turkey Chili Recipe
If you have a turkey carcass lying around after Thanksgiving, and enjoy spicy Southwestern style food, try my turkey chili recipe. Much tastier than a "traditional" turkey soup. My family loves it.
Omaha1's turkey chili
1 turkey carcass
turkey meat (4-6 cups, chopped)
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz. can chili beans
1 med. onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup anaheim or jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 T. lard or vegetable oil
1 carrot, chopped
4-5 tomatillas, peeled, chopped
3/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 t. sage
cayenne pepper to taste
4 limes, juiced
sharp cheddar, shredded
sour cream
flour tortillas
Place turkey carcass in stockpot and cover with water. Boil until bones fall apart. Strain stock and retain. If time allows, chill stock and scrape off fat. Otherwise much fat can be removed by dropping a layer of ice cubes in stockpot and removing as fat congeals on them. Continue to boil stock uncovered until reduced to 4-6 cups. Sautee onion, celery, peppers, carrot, and garlic in lard or vegetable oil until tender. Add tomatillas, cumin, black pepper, 1/2 c. cilantro, sage, and thyme, stir until heated. Add sauteed vegetables and spices to reduced stock. Add canned tomatoes, chopped turkey meat, and lime juice. Simmer for at least two hours or until flavors are blended. Add cayenne pepper to taste if not spicy enough. Add chili beans for last fifteen minutes of cooking.
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, dollop of sour cream, and remainder of chopped cilantro. Serve with tortillas.
(Can also be made with chicken & chicken stock)
Omaha1's turkey chili
1 turkey carcass
turkey meat (4-6 cups, chopped)
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1 15-oz. can chili beans
1 med. onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup anaheim or jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 T. lard or vegetable oil
1 carrot, chopped
4-5 tomatillas, peeled, chopped
3/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. black pepper
1/2 t. thyme
1/4 t. sage
cayenne pepper to taste
4 limes, juiced
sharp cheddar, shredded
sour cream
flour tortillas
Place turkey carcass in stockpot and cover with water. Boil until bones fall apart. Strain stock and retain. If time allows, chill stock and scrape off fat. Otherwise much fat can be removed by dropping a layer of ice cubes in stockpot and removing as fat congeals on them. Continue to boil stock uncovered until reduced to 4-6 cups. Sautee onion, celery, peppers, carrot, and garlic in lard or vegetable oil until tender. Add tomatillas, cumin, black pepper, 1/2 c. cilantro, sage, and thyme, stir until heated. Add sauteed vegetables and spices to reduced stock. Add canned tomatoes, chopped turkey meat, and lime juice. Simmer for at least two hours or until flavors are blended. Add cayenne pepper to taste if not spicy enough. Add chili beans for last fifteen minutes of cooking.
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, dollop of sour cream, and remainder of chopped cilantro. Serve with tortillas.
(Can also be made with chicken & chicken stock)
Saturday, November 17, 2007
A fishing poem...
Moving around in the dark, I can't see,
I don't want to wake anyone.
Find all my poles, find my bait, find my shoes,
I'll get a head start on the sun.
Cast to that spot in the wake of the moon,
The muskrats and stars are my friends,
Sit in the shadows and silently wait,
Until my pole suddenly bends.
Words can't explain the adrenaline rush,
When I feel that tug on my line.
Days that begin with me catching a fish
Always seem to end up just fine.
I don't want to wake anyone.
Find all my poles, find my bait, find my shoes,
I'll get a head start on the sun.
Cast to that spot in the wake of the moon,
The muskrats and stars are my friends,
Sit in the shadows and silently wait,
Until my pole suddenly bends.
Words can't explain the adrenaline rush,
When I feel that tug on my line.
Days that begin with me catching a fish
Always seem to end up just fine.
Thanksgiving Thoughts & Turkey Gravy Instructions
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving Day this year. I will be cooking a traditional dinner. My menu includes roasted stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, sweet potatoes with pecan topping, peas, rolls, homemade cranberry sauce, rolls, olives, and apple and pumpkin pies. In the past I have added fruit salad but that never seems to be very popular so why bother.
When I was younger I was intimidated by the thought of making gravy. For some reason I did not think I could do it, and usually invited over a mature, gravy-making woman to all of my dinners that involved gravy, or else I bought canned or instant gravy. But with the advent of a small mayonnaise jar and Wondra flour the process has become simplicity itself. To make gravy, pour all of the meat drippings and juice into a saucepan. Fill a small jar 2/3 full of water. Slowly stir in Wondra flour with a fork until you have a thick liquid consistency. Screw the lid on the jar tightly and shake vigorously until lumps are gone. Gradually pour the water & flour into the meat juices, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture over fairly high heat, continuing to stir. Bring to a boil, adding more flour or water until the desired consistency is reached. Constant stirring is the key to successful gravy. You can also add as much pepper as you want. By my calculations, you can never have too much pepper.
There is nothing "gourmet" about my Thanksgiving menu. My only reward is the cessation of conversation as my guests consume and are consumed by the delicious, mild flavors and textures of a traditional turkey dinner. As always, I am overwhelmed by the blessing conferred by the company of friends and family, and the almost incomprehensible bounty of food available abundantly and cheaply to American citizens. Thanksgiving indeed!
When I was younger I was intimidated by the thought of making gravy. For some reason I did not think I could do it, and usually invited over a mature, gravy-making woman to all of my dinners that involved gravy, or else I bought canned or instant gravy. But with the advent of a small mayonnaise jar and Wondra flour the process has become simplicity itself. To make gravy, pour all of the meat drippings and juice into a saucepan. Fill a small jar 2/3 full of water. Slowly stir in Wondra flour with a fork until you have a thick liquid consistency. Screw the lid on the jar tightly and shake vigorously until lumps are gone. Gradually pour the water & flour into the meat juices, stirring constantly. Heat the mixture over fairly high heat, continuing to stir. Bring to a boil, adding more flour or water until the desired consistency is reached. Constant stirring is the key to successful gravy. You can also add as much pepper as you want. By my calculations, you can never have too much pepper.
There is nothing "gourmet" about my Thanksgiving menu. My only reward is the cessation of conversation as my guests consume and are consumed by the delicious, mild flavors and textures of a traditional turkey dinner. As always, I am overwhelmed by the blessing conferred by the company of friends and family, and the almost incomprehensible bounty of food available abundantly and cheaply to American citizens. Thanksgiving indeed!
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