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June 20, 2010

Jacques’ Farm Adventure

Jacques was invited by a friend of his from Renaissance Faire to work on her farm for the summer. Jacques grasped the opportunity and on June 13 we took him to the farm on the other side of Canton, MN, right near the Iowa border.

I will post snippets of what we get from him here so that you can all share in his adventure. I really does sound as if he is having a marvelous time!

One of the first things he had to do was to buy a pair of boots that would help for farm work.

When we got there Sunday, it had rained a lot and we could not go walk-about too much because of all the mud. So here we are getting to know Jacques’ new boss for the summer, Inga.

I will put some excerpts from Jacques and Inga’s facebook pages here between the photos.

Jacques – 9.00am – 6/14/10: About to eat breakfast. A bull fell into the milking pit today, fun. Then we had to get two bulls into the milking bay. The only problem was that they weigh 1500 pounds and don’t want to go in there… Yay more funness. I love it here.

Inga – 11.00am – 6/14/10: Sent the Intern out to milk cows with the Amish. Second time milking and he had a bull fall into the pit with him. He’s fine, the bulls fine, so it’s the best second milking EVER. 🙂

Jacques – 5.20pm – 6/14/10: Just dropped off alot of meat in Rochester, while there I was gifted a leatherman KICK, it’s a awesome multi tool. Resting for a little while before we go and prepare for milking cows.

Jacques – 9.40am – 6/16/10: Got kicked by a cow today… Fun right. Me thinks my boss wishes it was her instaid of the cow. Happy here. Peacefull, very bussy days. Yesterday I spotted a limping bull. Inga says too much sex. I agree. They weigh a lot and falling from a cow can hurt. I’m sleepy.

Inga – 9.30am – 6/16/10: Intern got kicked this morning by a cow. At least it wasn’t me kicking him, right? (he’s fine.)

Jacques’ hand got bruised – Gina advised telephonically about what to do and to find out if any damage was done – but his hand is fine!

Inga maintains a blog about her farm work and what happens there. You van have a look at :

Inga’s Blog

Here is an extract from there for 6/17/10 (She calls Jacques the ‘intern’ or ‘Ginger’:

Sitting here watching, well, listening to Baby Bro and Ginger play Halo 3. It’s been a full day on the farm. My feet are sore, my legs are sore, and I remember why I like my ATV. There are a few paddocks that are just too dangerous to drive thru when setting up paddock, so ya have ta hoof it. I was showing Ginger how I wanted him to do things, so I walked it with him. Quick study, I’ll give him that! I felt comfortable showing him where to start, but then letting him set up the next polywire by himself. I was only a paddock over, setting up a third paddock, but still, it was really nice I didn’t have to walk all of them. It was nice that it didn’t rain today. I don’t mind the rain, but I would like a chance to dry out now and again, especially since I just discovered my roof leaks. GRUMP. But I got to put out clothes on the line today to dry, and open my windows to air out my house a bit, so that’s nice. It’s just disconcerting to not have my towel, properly hung up after my shower, not be dry by the next time I want to shower, 24 hours later. I’m beginning to feel a little mossy.

However, on the intern front, total victory! Even tho he got kicked this morning by a cow (not a cos as reported on his facebook feed.) He went out with pickaxe and shovel and fixed some water bars we have in the lanes to divert the water into the grass and out of the lane, to preserve the lane and not have erosion. Which was AWESOME. Especially since it got done very well, and I didn’t have to swing the bally axe!

We also got calves sorted, and moved to a new paddock. The yard got scraped, so I got to play with the skid steer. I did break a post, tho, so I have to get the bonehead of the day award. The sky is blue and purple and pink, laced with clouds, and the frogs are chirping. I got to see tadpoles today. It’s a day. 🙂

June 2, 2009June 2, 2009

Pizza Muffins

Pizza Wedges

Looks like a cake – pastes like a pizza! Versatile and delicious.
Serve with sour cream, pizza sauce or Avocado Ranch Dip.
Can also be cut into slices to use in stead of bread for spicy sandwiches.

Cooking oil 1 tbsp. 15 ml
Chopped onion 1 cup 250 ml
Garlic clove, minced 1 1
Paprika 2 tsp. 10 ml
Pepper 1/2 tsp . 2 ml
Chopped deli pepperoni slices
3/4 cup 175 ml
All-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups 375 ml
Baking powder 2 tsp. 10 ml
Salt 1/4 tsp. 1 ml
Large eggs, fork-beaten
4 4
Grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup 175 ml
Tomato Sauce 1/2 cup 125 ml
Hard margarine (or butter ), melted
1/3 cup 75 ml
Chopped fresh 0regano leaves (or 3/4 tsp., 4 ml, dried)
1 tbsp. 15 ml

Heat cooking oil in medium frying pan on medium. Add onion. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened.

Add garlic, paprika and pepper. Heat and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add pepperoni. Heat and stir for about 5 minutes until pepperoni is lightly browned. Transfer mixture to small bowl. Cool .

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl . Make a w ell in center.

Add pepperoni mixture and remaining 5 ingredients to well. Stir until just moistened. Spread evenly in greased 9 i n ch ( 22 c m) round pan. Bake in 375°F (19O°C) oven for about 20 minutes until golden and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. [Bake at 350ºF (175º) if you use muffin pans.] Let stand in pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool. Freezes well. Cuts into 8 wedges.

1 wedge: 346 Calories; 21.8 g Total Fat ( l1.1 g Mono, 2.5 g Poly 6.8 g Sat),· 127 mg Cholesterol;

24 g Carbohydrate; 1g Fiber,· 13 g Protein; 863 mg Sodium

November 8, 2008

English?

Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000168 EndHTML:0000003275 StartFragment:0000000520 EndFragment:0000003258English Signs from Around the World

In a Bangkok temple:
IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER, IF DRESSED AS A MAN.

Cocktail lounge, Norway:
LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR.

Doctor’s office, Rome:
SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES.

Dry cleaners, Bangkok:
DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS.

In a Nairobi restaurant:
CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER.

On the main road to Mombasa, leaving Nairobi:
TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE.

On a poster at Kencom:
ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO WE CAN HELP.

In a City restaurant:
OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS.

In a cemetery:
PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES.

Tokyo hotel’s rules and regulations:
GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED.

On the menu of a Swiss restaurant:
OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR.

In a Tokyo bar:
SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS.

Hotel, Yugoslavia:
THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

Hotel, Japan:
YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID.

In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery:
YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY EXCEPT THURSDAY.

A sign posted in Germany’s Black Forest:
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACK FOREST CAMPING SITE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE, MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Hotel, Zurich:
BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPRIETY OF ENTERTAINING GUESTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE BEDROOM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOBBY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE.

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen:
WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

A laundry in Rome:
LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME

—
They say one of every four humans is a lunatic. Check three friends…if they’re okay, you’re it.

November 2, 2008

Fudge Recipe

In a large pot, combine 1/4 lb butter (margarine) with 1 can condensed milk and two cups of sugar.

Bring to a slow boil, STIRRING ALL THE TIME! It just takes seconds for the mixture to start burning if you do not stir it.

After a few minutes you will see the mixture get caramel like in color and thicker. When you put a few drops on a cold plate, it will get fairly hard and fudge-like.

At this point you can turn the heat off and vigorously beat the mixture for two minutes (I use a wooden spoon throughout).

Pour the mixture out into a glass plate that have been sprayed or smeared with butter. Let is sit for ten minutes and then cut it in squares. Let it cool completely so that it is hard and see how long it lasts…!

JOhan

September 27, 2008

Mousse Recipe

Chocolate Mousse

Neem 18 marshmallows (nie die geure van druiwe en mango en daai twak nie, nee, die gewone wittes en pienkes), ‘n groot blik Ideal Milk, en ‘n slab tjoklit, by name Midnight Velvet. [You need 18 marshmallows – not the funny flavors like grape or mango, just the pink and white ones – a large can of evaporated milk and a slab chocolate – such as Midnight Velvet or Cadbury Milk Chocolate]

Sit marshmallows, tjoklit en 100ml Ideal Milk in ‘n glasbak, en smelt stadig in die mikro. Klits gereeld met ‘n draadklitser om die klonte uit te kry, en te sien dat alles smelt en vermeng. [Melt marshmallows, chocolate and 100ml of the milk in a glass bowl in the microwave (slowly) – stir frequently so that the mixture becomes smooth.]

Verkoel die res van die Ideal Milk, en sodra die mikro-mengsel afgekoel is, klits jy die Ideal Milk styf, en meng in by die tjoklit-mallows. Dit is ook nou net hier waar ek vir ekstra geur ‘n doppie KWV inwerk. Verkoel en val weg. [Refrigirate the rest of the evaporated milk, beat it to a thick consistancy and add to the chocolate mixture as soon as that has cooled down too.]

August 27, 2008August 28, 2008

Meat Eating Bees!

I was eating a lunch under a tree Tuesday and there was some cold turkey breast on my plate. While I was securely covering my Coke can so that a bee could not get into that, the yellow jackets that were out, seemed more interested in the food on the plate. One landed on my meat and when I took out the camera to take some close-ups, I noticed that he was not eating the meat or drinking the juices – he was cutting off a small chunk of the turkey and then flew off with it!