Now what?

 

Getting new stuff just makes you realize how much more new stuff you need. Today we got a new stand to put our new big-screen TV on, but getting rid of the old stuff just revealed how much this room needs an update -- or something. I feel like everything needs to be tossed!

Rib novice

This was the first time I've ever made ribs, but I'd call it a great success. I highly recommend this recipe: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/maple-roasted-pork-spareribs
I had about 5.5 lbs. of pork spare ribs (the recipe calls for 6 pounds total.) I think the secret to the success of this meal was to add the pan drippings to the remainder of the basting sauce after you've removed the ribs from the oven. Pour in about a half cup of chicken or beef broth. While the ribs are resting, simmer the sauce for 10 minutes or so. Strain it, then skim the fat from the top and serve with the meat and, in our case, mashed potatoes. It was really delicious. Eating ribs is very messy, tho, so unfortunately, this is not a great dish for entertaining.

Squirrely

This is a bird feeder but the neighborhood squirrels have figured out how to climb into it from the roof above. They eat a lot but it's worth it to get to watch them up close, cuz, I like squirrels.

Eagle eyes

I have driven by this group of serious photographers (note the size of their gear) every day this week as they stand vigil near a lake by the river. I stopped today and talked to them. They are determined to get good photos of a pair of American bald eagles that have built a nest in a tree across the lake. It's a big nest. The eagles weren't around when I stopped and snapped this photo, but the photogs said they would stick around until they reappeared.

Rib it

I've never made ribs in my life but it's on the menu this weekend. Someday I will smoke them but with snow and temps in the 20s, not this weekend. So I plan to make them in the oven. Any ideas out there for how to prepare them??

My inspiration

This is Jaime Green, my inspiration for taking a photo a day of my life. I check out her blog everyday because it's so much fun http://366images.blogspot.com/ (her life is a bit more intense than mine.)  At the end of year, she composes a slide show that is always fun and fascinating. Here's the 2009 version: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1314741317085&ref=mf

The music is her husband Carter's original arrangement of "One Night in Bangkok." Anyway, she is taking a kick-boxing class so she showed us some moves today at work. And she let me photograph her. She's cool that way.

 

Here she is stretching. Jaime is a photographer for the Eagle as well as a videographer. The girl's got skillz!

Farewell, Family Guy?

Dale informed me tonight that we're no longer going to record repeat episodes of "Family Guy," which have been a staple of our TV viewing pleasure for years. We watch those episodes over and over, but apparently, he's had enough. I'm not sure I'm prepared for life without Stewie, Brian, Peter and the rest of the Quahog crew.

Josie and me

Sunday dinner was spent with the grandkids at Hangar Steakhouse after an outing to Target to get birthday gifts for Josie (whose birthday was last week) and Luke, whose birthday is in February. We asked if he wanted to wait until February to get his gift, but his reply (predictably) was no. More photos here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/46622240@N06/?saved=1

Canada geese

Geese in Riverside on a winter day.

Just cute, that's all

Saw this VW parked outside the arena today. What a color. Makes me wonder who owns it. I'm pretty confident it's a woman, but that may be sexist.

Train art

This rail car was outside the Eagle today and the graffiti caught my eye. The Eagle relies on trains to bring huge rolls of newsprint directly to our door. We're one of the few businesses in town with our own rail spur for this purpose.

Fashion shoot

Bonnie's at work doing a photo session for a Valentine's Day fashion story. The men in the newsroom love it when she brings young pretty models to the photo studio. This young lady is 14, believe it or not.

The Obameter

I heard about this Pulitzer-prize winning Web site today on NPR. It's at politifact.com, which is run by the St. Petersburg Times. Check it out to keep up with how Obama is doing with his campaign promises -- all 500-plus of them. It's fascinating reading if, you know, you like that kind of thing.

Paper whites

Evidence that nothing interesting happened to me today: I'm posting a photo of paperwhites, which are small white flowers that are usually forced from bulbs indoors. These were given to me as a birthday present from my friend Bonnie Bing. They are starting to grow, so hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll post the fully blooming posies. We'll see.

Blue ice cream??

It's birthday cake flavor, Luke explained to me. And, dang, it was tasty.

Hair today....

It was cut and color day at Urban Images, with the uber-talented Susan Bradley, who not only owns the salon in Old Town but also is the BEST cutter and colorist in Wichita. Exhibit 1:

Sorry about the flash. Thought I had it turned off.  This is after. And here is before...

That's me with no makeup, folks. Pretty brave, huh?

Yikes

Pets are expensive!

Barney has been so low this week that we finally took him to the vet. He didn't eat for three days and was so lackluster that we feared he was really sick. The diagnosis is that the silly dog has been eating goose poo (we have many Canada geese in the neighborhood), and it upset his tummy. And this bill upset my tummy!

Lunch with a view

On a foggy day, we dined at the new Hereford House at Terradyne Country Club in Andover today. the view from the restaurant really is nice, but fog shrouded the golf course today. Lunch was kind of foggy too, in all candor. But my dining companions are always sunny, and I enjoyed them immensely.
  This is me taking a picture of Denise taking a picture of Bob:

Only 351 days until Christmas

I noticed today that this little outdoor Christmas decor was forgotten in my mad sweep of the house last weekend. Oh well, it's festive, right? The birds don't seem to mind, and neither do I.

Hoarfrost

During clear frosty nights in winter, soft ice crystals sometimes form on trees, shrubs, grass or any object that has been chilled below freezing. And that is how hoar frost is produced. We had some beautiful examples of hoarfrost today in Wichita, and I tried my best to get a good photograph while walking Barney along the river. But my efforts pale in comparison to my friend Jaime's amazing photographs. Here's an example: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCacUgfsYetbNC6tJrxGsG7-496SHn2gfPqCMeEBX-sjBldgUZXPC2yXZ49L1KVYchLvygheDINEwvHn5d4Gx8jNvgR9aPUnjJG025IoYFqMU5il76Lr-Pq64jSaap07xLrr0cGCXcwuTS/s1600-h/011210hoarfrost.jpg

Old school cookbook

I've decided to organize my recipes the old-fashioned way -- in a three-ring binder. I've gotten tired of looking in several different locations (paper file, cookbook software program, online recipe sources) whenever I want my favorite recipes. So I've decided to try to collect them in one place. What I've learned so far... the cute three-ring binder I bought is gonna be too small.

It's what's for dinner

After a long day of putting away Christmas decorations and cleaning house, Sunday night dinner was quick and easy coq au vin -- with jarred sauce from Williams-Sonoma. At least I added real pearl onions and made broccoli for a healthy component.

Hitting the big time

It's official. We have an arena. Wichita's new Intrust Bank Arena opened tonight with a concert by Brad Paisley. Technically, it was sold out. The arena holds 15,000 people but the Paisley people put a limit on tickets of 10,000 to optimize sightlines, they said. Anyway, this was shot as people were standing in line about 6 p.m. in 19-degree temps waiting to get inside for the concert.

Is Christmas over?

I think it is over, officially, after Jan. 6, which is the Epiphany where I grew up (in the Catholic church). The Epiphany is that 12th day of Christmas we all hear about. It marks the wise men bringing gifts to  the Christ child, which is the "epiphany" that reveals Jesus to be the Lord and King. (Correct me if I'm wrong, those of you who are more familiar with this theology.) Anyhoo... the point of this is that Christmas is over, folks! These lights at my neighbor's house were still on today, but hey, my Christmas tree is still up. But it's coming down tomorrow. There will probably be a photo...

Guessing game

My friend Denise suggested that I ask all of the thousands of people who read my blog to guess what this is. Anyone? Anyone? ** (She took the photo today. Thanks, Denise!)

  ** OK, two of my thousands of readers ventured a guess, and Jaime was close. It is Parmesan cheese on top of pizza. Which is what we had for lunch today during a newsroom brainstorming session to come up with ideas for stories to cover in the New Year.

Grooming day

Barney is a miniature schnauzer but we almost never give him the classic schnauzer cut on grooming day. He prefers the clean-cut look, except for his beard and eyebrows. He's a handsome dude.

Mellow yellow

They're carrots. Yellow carrots. I did not know there was such a thing as yellow carrots. But my friend Annie Calovich gave them to me today as a birthday gift of sorts. A healthy gift. A little research revealed that carrots also are being cultivated in colors such as red, white and purple. But they still taste like carrots.

Grrrreat!

Like millions of other cozy customers, I'm now the proud owner of a Snuggie. It kept me fashionably warm in the chilly newsroom today, thanks to my friend Denise, who gave it to me as a birthday gift. She also gave me a framed photo of this :http://fusedfilm.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/gritty-jon-hamm.jpg I will get plenty of use out of both gifts. Thanks, Denise!

sleepover, part 2

Dale looks pretty serious about the game but despite his best intentions he couldn't beat his oldest grandson, Jaden, in this Sunday morning game of Clue.

Sleepover

A good resolution for 2010: more sleepovers with the grandkids. Here's a shot at bedtime after we watched Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Good flick!

New Year, new photos

I am emulating my friend Jaime and setting a goal to post one photo from each day of the coming year in the hope of visually documenting my life and the lives of others (be interesting, people!). I tried this last year and failed after the first three or four days, but I'll try to be more earnest about it this year.
And befitting the start of a New Year, our poker group got together as it has the past three years to kick off the year with a night of cards and gambling. It may just be a good omen that Dale went home with most of the money. Including mine.