Bacon Gravy

Ran over to the shop this morning and pulled the charger off the Model A.  Hit the starter button on the truck and it turned over and seemed to have plenty of cranking power.   I need to get some gas and will see if I can get it started.

Couple of days ago I made some suet from bacon drippings.    I needed bacon for the bacon gravy I was making to go with our mashed potatoes and left over’s from Christmas.   So anyway I poured the bacon grease into a paper coffee cup and then added bird seed from the bag.   Once it cooled I put it into the freezer and let it sit overnight. The next day I pulled it out of the freezer and tore the paper cup about halfway down so that half of the suet was exposed.

I placed it outside on the fence.   I tried to keep an eye to see if any birds were attracted to it.  I did see a couple sitting next to it, but not eating from it.   The next morning I looked and it was gone.    A squirrel or a raccoon must have gotten it overnight.

We were at Michael’s today so while I was wondering around the store, I came across a few items that I could use to make a bird feeder for the backyard.    I spent about eight dollars and it took me about 10 minutes to put it together.   Filled it full of bird seed and hung in on the back patio.

Bacon Gravy Recipe

4 Slices of bacon

2 Tablespoons of Bacon Grease

2 Tablespoons of Flower

2 Cups of Milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the bacon until crispy and then pour off the bacon grease.   Set bacon aside and in the same skillet, add two tablespoons of the bacon grease and add the two tablespoons of flower and whisk until lumps are gone.   Then add the two cups of milk and heat and whisk until thickened.  Crumble the bacon and stir into gravy.

Happy Hiking

Always something to laugh about

Not much to report on today.   We went out and did a quick 2 miles this morning.   I then headed over to the shop to play around with some new items I received for Christmas.   I stopped in, turned the heater on and then drove over to Starbucks's for a coffee.   When I returned about 10 minutes later it had heated just enough to be bearable.

First thing I did was get the battery charger going on the old Model A.   Santa brought me a new rotor, distributor cap, wires and coil.   Took about 30 minutes to get the new parts on.   I pulled the starter cover and added a couple of new felt washers.   I tried to start it but the battery was so weak that I could only get one turn.   I decided to leave the charger on over night.   Will get some gas tomorrow and see if I can get it running.   I would like to have it ready for spring and summer and drive it around.

Back at the house I did a little repair on the basement door.   Guessing the cold weather had caused it to swell so I sanded down the door edge and it closes now and doesn't rub the door frame when closing.

Below is my route log for the last two days.   It's snowing out now, doubt that it will amount to much.  Going to try to get out again tomorrow.

Happy Hiking

The Day After

Hope you had a Merry Christmas and are looking forward to a Happy New Year!  It was pretty quiet around the Robinson house this year.    The boys, Candy and I, were together on Christmas Eve, we ate on the snacks that Candy had made and then opened presents.   Everyone seemed pretty happy with what they received.  On Christmas Day, we had all our favorites.   Candy cooked up a rib roast, cheesy corn, mashed potatoes, garlic salad and more.   

We were supposed to make a quick trip out to KS to see family.  But on Christmas day we decided we were going to stay home and relax and get ready for 2013.   I hated to miss my Dad’s Birthday, but with all the travel I have done this year being home with some time off is something I need.

I headed out this morning and did a 5.2/mile loop.   As I was walking down the street to the trail head I caught one of our neighbor’s feeding one of the deer.  She stood with a bag in one hand and her other hand was out flat and the deer was eating from it.  I will have to keep my video camera handy so I can get some footage for the television show When Animals Attack.

While on the trail, I did manage to get a couple of decent pictures of a chickadee and magpie.   I was lucky that they sat still long enough, which is usually the problem.   It was cold out this morning, around the mid 20’s.   I was dressed warm enough so the cold didn't bug me.  Made my way down along the creek and took a couple of pictures.   The snow still covered the trail and the trees.   With the light breeze blowing snow off the tree’s it almost appeared as if it were snowing.

We went to see The Hobbit this afternoon.  I really enjoyed it and the 2+ hours blew by pretty quick.   Many of the same characters from the previous movies were in this movie as well as many new characters.   If you were a fan of the Lord of Rings trilogy, you will probably like The Hobbit. 

Happy Hiking

Nuthatch

Slept in till 8:30 AM this morning.  We had a cup of coffee and then dressed to head out for a walk.  Walked over to BCP and did a loop around and back to the house.    It was cool out but not bad, I had on my gloves and hat and could have gone without them.

As we were making our way up the trail Candy spotted this White-breasted Nuthatch.  I managed to snag a picture as he was working his way up and down the trunk looking for food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-breasted_Nuthatch

Happy Hiking

Who's ready for snow?

I heard rumor that we may get some snow tonight/tomorrow.   I doubt it will happen but we can only hope.    It is supposed to be cold and windy tomorrow so that may hamper my idea of walking to work.   I would take the bike, but would hate to end up like this poor bastard.

Happy Hiking

Made the walk to work this morning, so I was able to log in 3.2/miles.   Nothing exciting to report, I did see several rabbits but no coyotes.

Came across this picture and found it to be pretty funny, clearly the sky writer was trying to spell Shilo.

Happy Hiking

Home again!

Wow, I was on the road last week and it was a busy week, but home now and trying to get back into the groove.   Did 3.5/miles this morning and it felt good to be back on the trail.   I am going to try to walk to work everyday this week and keep the walking up through the Holidays.

I counted 15 deer this morning.  They are like rats around here.  Speaking of rats, for the last week we have had the smell of something dead in the office. Found it last night, we had a dead mouse under the book shelve.  Not sure where the hell he/her got in from.

It was cool out this morning, guessing in the mid 20's when I left the house.   Made a run up through BCP and over to the nature center and back.   I should have gone a little further but needed to get home so I can go fight with people at the Mall.   I am not ready for the holidays and I can't believe that this year is almost over, but it is so suck it up.

Below is my track and elevation log for today.

Happy Hiking

Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino

Mortally wounded, Khan activates the Genesis Device, which will reorganize all matter in the nebula including the Enterprise. Though Kirk's crew detects the activation of the Genesis Device and the Enterprise attempts to move out of range using impulse engines, with the warp drive damaged they will not be able to escape the nebula in time. Spock leaves the bridge and goes to the engine room to restore the warp drive. When McCoy tries to prevent Spock's exposure to high levels of radiation, he incapacitates the doctor with a Vulcan nerve pinch and then performs a mind meld, telling him to "Remember". Spock restores power to the warp drive and the Enterprise escapes the explosion. Kirk arrives in the engine room, where Spock dies of radiation poisoning. The explosion of the Genesis Device causes the gas in the nebula to reform into a new planet, sustainable of life. A space burial is held in the Enterprise's torpedo room and Spock's coffin is shot into orbit around the newly formed planet. The crew leaves the planet to pick up the Reliant's marooned crew from Ceti Alpha V. In the final scene Spock's coffin is seen to have soft-landed on the planet.

Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán y Merino - November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican radio, television, theatre and film actor. He had a career spanning seven decades (motion pictures from 1943 to 2006) and many notable roles. During the mid-1970s, Montalbán was notable as the spokesman in automobile advertisements for the Chrysler Cordoba, in which he famously extolled the "fine Corinthian leather" used for its interior. He also advertised the Chrysler New Yorker.^[1] From 1977 to 1984, he became famous as Mr. Roarke the main star in the television seriesFantasy Island. He played Khan Noonien Singh in both the 1967 episode "Space Seed" of the first season of the original Star Trekseries, and the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He won an Emmy Award in 1978 for his role in the miniseries How the West Was Won^[2] and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Into his 80s, he continued to perform, often providing voices for animated films and commercials, and appearing in several Spy Kids films as "Grandfather Valentin".

Why the tribute to Ricardo, I don’t know.  I was watching him in Star Trek II this evening and that made me remember him from the old Chrysler Cordoba commercials and Fantasy Island back in the day.   In the late 80’s I was driving a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba with rich Corinthian Leather.  It was burgundy in color and a pretty decent car being that when I got it was already 10 years old. People used to give me shit when they would get in, oh, feel the rich Corinthian Leather. LOL

Hit the trail this evening about 4:30 PM, it was already getting dark.   I did a 6.8 mile loop up through Bear Creek Park and up the mountain and down the other side to High Drive.   I had two head lamps with me and I needed them.   One was on my head and the other attached to the chest strap on my back pack.  If you are going to hike in the dark, make sure you know the trail and where you are going or you will get lost.   I had a pretty good time and didn't fall on my ass.  This is the route that I took this evening.

Happy Hiking