4th of July at the Cottage

It was another lovely 4th of July at the Cottage and I was lucky enough to be in WI to enjoy it! We all piled in to my dad's van around 9am and stopped at McDonalds drive-thru for breakfast. Remembering all of our orders was difficult, but we all ended up with food and were soon on our way.

Since there was a detour on Hwy 23 outside of Ripon, we took a scenic route to Princeton on several roads and ended up on County J. For future reference, J is nice drive and may be a good way to avoid traffic in Princeton on Flea Market days. 

Once we arrived, we got right to work. Grandma mowed the field, Chris started the fire and mowed by the house, Rachel rested up for floating down the river, and Grandpa, Dad and I tried to deter the groundhogs from entering the garage. Oh and I also took a little bike ride and saw a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. 

After some snacks its was time for my favorite part, floating down the river! 

The river felt very wide and we all thought we reached the take out spot faster than normal. We returned to the cottage and while dinner was cooking we had a chance to look at some of the flowers blooming in the field and the compass plant. The compass plant has wide leaves which point north and south so it gets the most sunlight during the day. Pretty neat!

By the Compass Plant. 

New Flower

We had a wonderful dinner of Grandma's delicious ribs and grilled potatoes. We cleaned everything up, waved to the many kayakers making their way down the river, and headed out. A quick stop in Princeton for ice cream cones and in no time we were back in FDL before dark.  

Administrators and Book

Just a quick post.

Deanna thought it was about time I changed the title picture on the blog, so I made a judgement call of exsisting computer skills which gave many of you administrative powers. Log in and change away!

I read a book I really liked, All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.


Here is a nice review of the book. Goodreads Review

Summer Up North

Nothing new or exciting to report from the home base here.

Joe has been bull dozing his way through the forest north of Duluth for a few weeks now.  Not bringing home too many ticks, which is nice.

The last few nights we have had awesome displays of lightening bugs.  Fun to watch.

No garden this year, just a few tomato plants in pots on the deck.  I have not had luck with those much, but I have to try.  We are going to work on the garden, maybe adding another timber to make it deeper and amending the soil with more dirt, some compost and some sand. I would like to have a permanent fence around it, something pretty of course, but not sure if or when that will happen. For now we use rebar and fencing, which we put up in the spring and take down in the fall. 

We have had cool weather alternating with warm weather most of the spring/summer so far.  Some days are downright hot and some nights are pretty chilly.  Many lovely blue sky days with fluffy white clouds, and then days like yesterday where it would sprinkle a little, then the sun would come out, and then it would pour, then repeat. You have to love weather.

So, what is the weather doing in your necks of the woods? 

Amanda and Bryan, how are you liking your new home?

Andrew and Jill, what is new in the Big City?  We have to come visit some time, soon I hope.

Anyone??

That's it for now.  Honestly one day soon I will have Joe show me how to get pictures into this new computer so I can add them to my posts.

Love, Deanna

In Honor of My Father-in-Law on Father's Day

I am feeling very blessed this Father's Day to not only have a wonderful father, but also a wonderful father-in-law.  Here's to you Gordy!

Some of my favorite pictures...

Vanilla!

Since everyone is asking for updates, I'll dig out a photo I've been meaning to post:

That is my first test of Deanna's vanillas that she gave me for Christmas. I made one large batch of shortbread dough, then split it up into quarters flavored each with a different vanilla.

You may remember, the solvents were Vodka, Rum, and Bourbon. As a control, I also used our regular kitchen vanilla, the Whole Foods house brand 365 Organic.

Unfortunately, I think I didn't use enough vanilla to really expose the flavor. I put a teaspoon in each of the batches, because the half teaspoon that the recipe recommended seemed way to small. I think I could have gone to two teaspoons without issue.

We served these at our housewarming party, and the overwhelming response was … they were all delicious, but not terribly different from each other. The strongest opinion was that the Rum cookies were the best. I agree, though it seemed to me that it was less about the flavor, and more about the Rum cookies having a much smoother texture, something almost creamy about them.

I shall have to try again, perhaps with something that is less focused on the flavor of butter. An angel food cake, or divinity/seafoam, or icing. Any other vanilla favorites in this crowd?

Thanks, Deanna!

Nothing New

OK Deanna, I will post but I have nothing new. The only excitement around here is that on Sunday I cleaned out the refrigerator; composting what could be composted, throwing out what needed to be thrown out and put the remains (about 2 cups) of a noodle meatball bean casserole in the garbage disposal.  It clogged. I worked about 2 hours trying to plunge it clean. When Jeff got home he worked over an hour taking the pipes under the sink apart, and finally using his snake. So we had to wait two days for the plumber. Back to the primitive days of doing dishes by hand.

The plumper worked over 3 hours, starting under the sink, and then having to cut the pipes in the basement in two places. I am so happy to have my sink back. Meanwhile my house smells a bit like a sewer. At least the space under the sink has really been cleaned out well.  I am still putting things back where they belong.

It's Here!!!!

Yup, spring has officially sprung, although 80 degrees seems a little much for spring.  But, it must be spring because we are puttering around outside.

Finally, finally, finally got the pole barn repaired.  We now have all of the roof window panels replaced so the rain (and birds, including buzzards once) cannot get in.  We now do not have to stop and think about strategically placing items in there so they will not get rained and snowed on.  Also we had new rollers put on the front and back door so we can now open it without getting a hernia.  Very nice!!

Not sure what the veggie garden will do this year.  It is getting so late into the spring and the garden is still so wet.  Joe did spray Round-Up on it as a start to kill the weeds. I hope we will give it a try, not sure I want to go without tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini.  We might try hay bales for tomatoes, but they need to cure for 2 weeks beforehand, so, as I said, time is running out.

Last weekend I went for a drive to Memphis with a friend of mine who lives in Lakeville.  She is the mother to our goddaughter, Jenny.  Jenny and her husband, Andy, and they three little ones, Caleb (almost 7), Olivia (turned 5 today) and baby Ruby (9 months), were transferred there from Minot at the beginning of the year.  Andy is in the Air Force.  Short visit, but a lovely time.  Check out some of the pictures of us on my Facebook page.  Especially the video where Olivia and I are flamingos and I have a tutu on my head. (Nope, was not drinking.)

I need to get some flowers to fill some hanging pots to get some color around here.  Cannot complain about the green, though. I am still shocked from time-to-time that it is not still white out there.

That's all for now.   What has everyone else been up to?

Spring? Honestly will someone tell me what that is!?!

Yesterday morning it was icy here, had to be careful checking on the sap boiling in the pole barn.  Didn't quite get it boiled down all the way, the propane tank ran out.  Will have to haul another one over today and stat it up again.  Probably when I am done working. However, the wind is so strong I am not sure I can open the pole barn door to do so.  We shall see.

Once it is all boiled down we might get a bit over a quart. I am going to make sure it is thicker this year. 

Anyone have spring at their house?  Can I come visit?

Almost May!   Hmm.

My life with FODMAP

I am sorry for this somewhat self-centered and delicate topic. It is all about me, so if you don't want to know, stop reading now! Writing about it seems to help me comprehend what I need to do.

My body has been having little issues with certain foods for decades. I think the first time I really remember an "episode" was when I was 18 years old. A bar in EauClaire delivered the best hamburgers to the dorm-large, thin patty on a great bun with about a ½" thick slice of raw onion. I spent many hours in the bathroom, and learned never to eat raw onion again.

About 20 years ago, with the help of google I diagnosed myself with diverticulosis. I avoided certain trigger foods, and did kind of OK.  Then I had my first colonoscopy about 1 ½ years ago. The doctor confined diverticulosis, and said I need to eat more fiber. I was also trying to change our diets, to reduce fat and improve our cholesterol levels.  If one excludes excess calories, my diet was pretty balanced. I pointed out I was already eating between 25 and 30 grams of fiber per day, but he wanted me to up it to 40 or 50 grams per day. I have pretty much been having several "episodes" each week since the colonoscopy. I have gone back to the doctor multiple times, discussed this with my primary care physician, and finally switched primary care physicians. My new PC directed me to a gastroenterologist. I wanted months for the appointment. It seems I have a form of diverticulosis that MIMICS irritable bowel syndrome. ( At least I really don't have irritable bowel!)

I would say that about 90% of what I was eating- and I consider that to have been a well-balanced diet of a wide variety of real foods; low in red meats, low really in all meat and poultry, cheese and dairy, high in a wide variety of dried beans,  fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates, was making my condition worse. My new diet, the Low FODMAP is so overwhelming to me I am having a difficult time even getting started with it.

Emily told me to not focus on what I can't have. This is so true but so far I have been unable to even find a store bought bread I can eat. (I have a first trial run of no-wheat, no-dairy bread in the bread machine as I type. I HOPE it is good). Basically I am to limit any kind of carbohydrate with a long complex chain of glucose. My digestive system is unable to break the bonds, and the food ferments causing my "episodes". I recall studying molecular chains about 40 years ago, but that doesn't make it any easier. No grain ( I can have gluten, just not the wheat, rye etc) No fructose (fruits, honey). No Lactose/Dairy (although I can have butter and mozzarella cheese). No Galalactans ( dried beans and lentils, no soy). No Polyols (complex surgars like sorbitol, corn syrup, stone fruits- like apricots, cherries, peaches. no avocado.)  I feel like I turned into a carnivore overnight. I am hoping to change that as I get more creative. It is going to be hard to ever eat in a restaurant again.

I can have bananas, grapes, berries, carrots, potatoes and corn. I miss green beans, apples, broccoli, mushrooms and dried fruits. I am doing OK with almond milk. I have seen ads for almond milk yogurt but so far have not been able to find any. The real difficulty seems to be wheat. I am eating a lot of rice and oatmeal. There is no way I can eat the foods from my CSA, almost all are now on the wrong side of my Food Choices list. I think what is most hard for me is that I have a great pantry stash and loaded freezer. I can't seem to wrap my head around the use of it all. Should I give it to the food pantry or should make up two meals; one for myself, and another for Jeff and Rachel. Sometimes I am going to have to make two meals. I worry about what my cholesterol level is going to do. I was able to lower my LDL 17 points by just diet alone last year, eating all my odd CSA vegetables.

So, this is what is happening at our house. Trying to work my way through this. I cheated yesterday and ate two slices of rye bread. Yes, it definately bothers me.

If I can stay on a strict Low FODMAP diet for 6 weeks, then I can start trying to reintroduce foods one at a time. I think I will start with green beans, or maybe watermelon, or even a mushroom, dried cranberry, honey ….. maybe a glass of wine. I am not so bothered by the fact I can't have a beer. Maybe I will feel differently when brat season comes around.

HERE WE ARE!!!

Darleen said where is everyone so I thought we better check in.  We are here in Northern Minnesota under all of the snow. 

I want to post pictures from Christmas and pictures of the snow tunnel we call a driveway.  I will have to have Joe show me once again how to get the pictures into our awesome, she said sarcastically, new computer with Windows 8.  Ugh. 

Anyway, it is very white outside, deeply white.  Actually quite beautiful if it would stay about 0. 

Joe has his annual ice fishing weekend coming up and I believe, because of the cold temps and wind chills, he said they would be playing a lot of pool.  Hard to fry up some pool.

I love that song by Dionne Warwick.  We were just singing it when we got the postcard of the new address.  I really enjoy her songs in general.  Also, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman was one of my favorite movies.  For those folks who have not seen it I highly recommend it. Yes, Dionne Warwick is in it.  She is a good actress.

Not sure if there is anything new here, other than the snow.  Did I mention snow?  Did I mention that from Friday through Sunday Joe plowed for about 10 hours, trying to figure out where to put the snow.  Also, the first 7 or 8 hours were just to be able to move the Subaru up by the house.  If it snows much more I am not sure what we will do with it.  All I ask now is some warmer temps, oh maybe in the 20 above range, so we can get out there and strap on the snowshoes.

That is all the grumbling from here.

Everyone stay warm where that applies and stay cool where that applies.

Love, Deanna

P.S.  Jeff, I was just thinking I wish I had a stocking cap.  I like the colors orange, red, yellow.  Hint, hint.