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My brother made this beautiful berry pie for Thanksgiving.

Kate and I bought three cast iron frying pans and a giant pot (8 quarts) for 5 dollars from The Salvation Army.

We baked little apple pies in the pans.

Shaping Loaves

I found this helpful for my baking habit.

Stephen Eichorn

This hand drawn (ink on paper) work is based on the artist Stephen Eichorn from Chicago. There is a link to his work to the right. I am a big fan of his work.

Sadler Boise Idaho

The life preserver in this photograph was in my office when I got back from Chicago Yesterday.
It took a while to find out where it came from. A couple with the last name Sadler, donated a camera to the department and, inexplicably, they asked if anyone might want a life preserver that said Sadler on it. Turns out our department did have someone who fit that description. I could be described as someone who would want a life ring with the name Sadler on it.

Cooking Under Pressure

With radio and cockatiels in the background, and chicken in the pot.

I Love My Shirts

Bread

I was happy about the way this bread, from my starter, turned out. It was cooked in a cast iron frying pan in the oven.

Overlooked

I am not so much happy that Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize as I am sad that I did not - again. How can some dude who is the leader of the most powerful armed forces in the world win while someone who does not even control a really, really, small army (not even a gang) lose -time and time again?

Cabins I LIke

These cabins were not only chosen because of their considerable charm but also because they were well lit and easy to photograph.

La Tarte Des Demosoielles Tatin

I watched Julia Child make something like this on tv so I tried it myself. It was delicious. It was made in a cast iron frying pan. I am pretty suer I overcooked mine which resulted in a soft apple filling.

Close up of flaky butter crust. This tart is meant to be served with creme fraiche. Whipped Cream would make an excellent substitute. I just ate it.

Is this your marijuana?

Someone left his/her weed at my righteous party palace. If you want to come and get it please do. No questions asked. The police will not be involved. Incidentally, it is mostly shake and smells like hay.

I did have a party recently but I did not realize it was that kind of party. Goodness.

Free Range Hobo Spider

This dangerous Hobo spider was in my bathroom sink. I have seen it or others just like it in my sink on other occasions but this time it was there all night. I caught it and released it into my back yard. It was a big spider but that's O.K. because I have a big back yard.

Warning: There is music (They Might Be Giants) to the video.

Art

This was my favorite painting at the Western Idaho Fair this year.

This was my second favorite painting at the fair. Both paintings were by the same artist. The frame was not curved, it just looks that way because of the wide angle lens.

Robin Red Breast

I was walking on the south shore of Echo Lake when a small hawk, either a sharp-shinned or a copper's hawk, flew in front of me, almost dropped but cought, and then actually dropped this poor robin a few feet in front of me.


Then a day or two later an associate and I were walking south of Lake Aloha and found several endangered Mountain yellow-legged frogs, blueberry bushes and a water shrew.

Did not manage to photograph the water shrew.

Thompson Bros Boat

Ellis Bros Boat

This is the boat I borrowed last week because the battery in our boat was dead. If you happen to know or be one of the owners of this boat please note that the boat was tied with both bow lines so it would not rub or bang on the dock. I am not one to look a borrowed boat in the mouth, but this boat has caused a problem. After driving this boat I have become obsessed with owning a charming wooden boat.

Julia and Julia

I had this idea: Cook every recipe in this book for a year and then blog about it. Then I realized I had just watched the trailer for a movie with exactly that premise. So that made me realize that I did not have an idea.

Grocery

I went to the grocery store and bought some food. I mean Fud. You will be happy to know that it tastes just like food.

Mouse Update

The trap was still set in the morning and there were no new droppings. I guess the mouse moved. If not, the mouse just got a free ride to Idaho.

Mouse

A mouse ( probably Peromyscus maniculatus or P. leucopus) has been living in my car for a while. Long enough to eat about 70% of an Odwalla bar, an airline-sized bag of peanuts (airline-sized makes it sound big. I mean the size served on an airplane and not the size of an airplane) and an undetermined amount of dog food. It has also been in the car long enough to leave a few hundred ant-sized poops in the car. Black ant-sized poops. I am going to try to kill the mouse. I do not relish the idea of killing this mouse or any animal but I do not know what else to do. If the mouse stays, it may start chewing wires, upholstery, old parking tickets, or cassette tapes. Or it may die in a hidden spot and leave only a rotten smell behind. So as I type there is a mousetrap bated with Skippy, America's favorite peanut butter, in the backseat of my car. Since this is assuredly an American mouse, I doubt he will be alive tomorrow. He already took a piece of dog food from the same set trap without injury but peanut butter cannot be lifted in one piece. Ideally it has left on its own accord. Or moved to a Honda Accord. Either way.

In America