A friend of mine, Susan Van Howelling sent me her ham ball recipe and I think I favor it over mine. This one sounds easier and I am a big fan of pineapple so I think I might take this one on. The meat is all I would have to buy because I have the remainder of the items on hand most of the time. It strikes me as simpler too.
Thanks Susan!
Keri and I were talking about regional cooking; how some things are known in the area and only a few miles into another area no one has heard of it. An example is Ham Balls. Our Fareway grocery store makes a ham loaf/ball mixture and most modern cooks nowadays use that as a starter but there is an original recipe and older Iowans know how to make ham balls from scratch. So I went in search of it and found it. So if I wanted to make them in Texas I would approach the meat market in HEB and ask if I could buy the two ground types of meat I would need.
Here is the original recipe:
Iowa Ham Balls
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Bake: 1 hour
YIELD: about 15 servings.
This is a special recipe most everyone in Iowa loves. If you have out of State visitors and wish to impress them with something all Iowa, this will do it.
Ingredients
3-1/2 pounds ground ham
1-1/2 pounds ground beef
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups whole milk
3 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) tomato soup, undiluted
3/4 cup vinegar
2-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Using a 1/3 cup measure, shape the mixture into 2-in. balls. Place in two large shallow roasting pans. Combine all remaining ingredients; pour over balls. Bake at 325° for 1 hour, basting frequently with sauce.
For over 20 years we have been going south in the winter. So any temps in the 40s seem quite cold to me. And that is where we are in Iowa these days. Last week (5 days ago) it was 97 degrees! What the hey! The natives are not acclimated to this and we most definitely are not.
Enough complaining! The sun is shining. We are both relatively healthy. What more is there to say. Don't worry, Be Happy!
If you read this article first the rest might make more sense.
Bob Ausberger, via Larry Jackson, asked if I would take some pictures of a project Bob has started and so Butch and I went to the site yesterday and shot some before photos. Lincoln Highway goes right through the heart of Jefferson and when you keep on following it out of town west, cross the Raccoon River, and start up 'Danger Hill' at the top, on your right, you can still see the site of the Hillcrest Motel. That is, what is left of it. Bob has some big ideas for refurbishing that particular spot on the map. As I walked around the place I too got excited about the prospects. It is a beautiful location.
Here are a few of the pictures I took.
Hillcrest Motel has 8 units.
That saying has never been more true. Well here is MY news. https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/
You can thank me later...
Last week I took my camera with me a couple of times on my early morning walk. I am very grateful for the weather we have been having. No rain but very pleasant early morning temps.
Our Pool Hall
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And that concludes my photo walk on the trail last week.
I can not believe how long it has been since the blog slipped my mind! Yes, we have been busier than average but that should not be an excuse.
We will soon be entering our last month of staying in our summer home, which has been a good part of the distraction. It will be our first trip south without the MoHo and that whole business takes up a fair amount of my thinking time. I have a 'future garage sale pile' and a 'going south pile' and they are both growing. However, there is still a bit more than a month of being in Iowa, and the interim gets tricky.
I have driven the new car a few times and it seems quite easy. I haven't even come close to what all of the gadgets and gizmos do and I doubt I ever will.
We are still playing pool an hour a day, 4 to 5 and I guess I am improving. Some days yes, and other days, NO. I have a neon sign in the window and when it is turned on it means that we are in the pool hall and ready for visitors. It seems our friends have the same busi-ness going on that we do. Thursday night Trivia is still going and one of the players, Glen, has given me a break so I could play. I enjoy that. There is a learning curve to making up the questions as Glen found out last week. It takes a while but I am willing to let him find his niche so I can play.
So long for now...Don't give up on me!!
Full moon in the western sky this morning and I could not resist taking a photo of it. I have many moon photos but I don't think I have many morning ones.
And on my camera, I found some I had yet to share... Pampas grass
Butch and I ventured South last night to visit with our friends Marv and Judi Smith. We have known Marv and Judi for a long time, way back in our square dancing days. We played cribbage and a game called Wizard. We remember it being called 'Oh Hell'. Yes, it is that kind of game. It was fun playing it again. We used to play it at the Brooker homestead many, many years ago. Within 15 minutes of arrival at the Brooker place, a card game would magically appear. I think we should bring back the practice!
Would you like to camp in the middle of an Iowa cornfield in an honest-to-god full hook-up RV Park? Paved road. If memory serves me there are 6 sites. Our friends Marv and Judi Smith own this RV park in the tiny little town of Yale Iowa. Butch helped Marv put it together way back in 2010 or so. I would have to check back for sure on that. A bonus is that it is located about a city block from the Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail. I took a few photos with my phone last night. I noted the place looks neat as a pin...in the middle of a cornfield! This spot is a hidden jewel!
Contact info for rental: Marv and Judi Smith,1592 Utopia Ave, Yale Iowa 515-321-2370
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Once again, I am reminded of how "tiny miracles" (oxymoron) seem to happen unexpectedly. Butch and I have talked about trimming some branches around the place. He wanted to borrow some limb loppers and hasn't been able to locate any. I suggested we buy some, and he thought it would be a waste, no more often than we needed them. And so...
We went for a walk today, together. That doesn't happen often. I had pulled some weeds yesterday and was feeling the results of overdoing it. The sore muscles reminded me to stretch them a bit with a walk. Butch is trying to change his sleep cycle so he was up earlier than usual. So we walked and talked about trees.
As we neared the house a pickup pulled up in front of our house and Butch noted that they were in the tree business. And thinking of his climbing tools he asked them if he would be interested in buying his hooks and he said he would take a look. So a deal was struck and then we started talking trees and trimming. Hooks sold, trees trimmed all for a very reasonable price. I am amazed and eternally grateful every time these serendipitous things take place! And if you take the time to notice they happen frequently!
Plan to Vote in Iowa?
Yes, we do too. However, it was recently brought home to me that we cannot receive an absentee ballot before October 19th.
Our usual routine was to go to the courthouse sometime in early October and make out our absentee ballot and be on our merry way to South Texas. But this year is different. Some industrious lawmakers have taken it upon themselves to tinker with the laws. Yes, we do see through the motive. For some reason, they think if they have fewer people voting and keep a good share of what they label “Less Desirables” from the ballot box it will increase their chances of winning. Could it be they have had a hard time winning in the past and feel a need to better their chances? I see no good reason for these shenanigans. Every US citizen should be encouraged to vote, not hindered!
So how does this affect my everyday life? In the past, we left for Texas around the middle of October. So what is stopping you, you might say? If we go to the courthouse before the 19th we can REQUEST an absentee ballot and they will gladly put it in the mail addressed to our Texas address on the 19th! By law, they cannot send it out any earlier. It can typically take 2 to 3 weeks for mail to get from Iowa to Texas and there are no guarantees! October 19th to Election day is 21 days. So say they mail it promptly and it arrives in the usual two-week window, arriving in our Texas mailbox on November 1st (the 14th day), leaving 7 DAYS to make the return trip to Iowa and arrive on Election day. How do you like those odds? If we choose this method we are playing Russian Roulet with our vote.
The alternate solution is to wait until the 19th, go to the courthouse, make out our absentee ballot, and leave it with the election people. And that is what we will be doing but why should we have to!
Friends heading for Florida are in the same predicament and their solution is to overnight their ballot back to Iowa. I see holes in this plan. They are hoping that everything works in an expected way. They may change their mind.
Barbara Brooker-an Iowa citizen
Feel free to copy. All Iowans headed South this fall need to be aware of the rule change.
I have missed Colleen's columns ALOT! My sister-in-law, Keri informed me she was back in business writing columns for Greene County News Online. And since I have friends who I know used to enjoy her columns as much as I do and I felt I should spread the word. Enjoy!
Barb
From Pathos to Bathos
August 31, 2022
~a column by Colleen O’Brien
“Why are people so mean?” asks my preschooler.
“Why are people so mean?” asks my junior high student.
“Why are people so mean?” asks my first-year college girl.
By the time she’s 21, she is no longer asking that question because she has a lot of required book-reading under her hat, is no longer within her parents’ cultural purview, and has met many people good and bad. Often, they’re both, she tells me.
What she writes in her Sophomore ethics class is “The world is not about me.”
That she is brighter than I is a relief. I was at least 44-1/2 when I got it.
I understand that each of us is center stage in her or his own private garden, but most of us have at least figured out that our secret garden is the place to which no one else is invited. In it, we tell only ourselves that we are the bravest, brightest, best-looking beasts in the jungle, and the quick-witted of us steer away from those we come across outside our hideouts who don’t know the rule. They always want mirrors handy, and I don’t want to play with them.
When I recovered from a case of break-through COVID-19 – about a month’s worth of moaning and groaning, hallucinating, trying to get the axe out of my head – I was relieved in many ways: to be alive, to be out of pain, to notice there was a sun in the sky.
It was a mere week later when I realized I now had rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic disease that had not shown up in my body for 22 years.
I turned into a princess, asked the universe how I, of all people, could get this killing disease when I made it through COVID. Hadn’t I suffered enough?
And yes, why was the world so mean?
It’s taken me the better part of a year to get over myself. Had I been a bigger person, I would not have whined (well, not as long); I would have quit napping after having to hobble across a room; exercised as much as my body would permit; unplugged Netflix; kept a journal of my misery through COVID and into RA.
And darned if I haven’t forgotten most of it already. I had a first-row seat to a world-wide pandemic and refused to write about it out of pure poor-poor-pitiful-me-ness.
I am now back to normalcy thanks to powerful meds that may kill my liver, but at least I’ll not die of pain.
I have taken my own sweet time, but I am finally resuming my work of writing and editing. Even as I approached both with a smidgen of martyrdom, once in position at my desk, hands flexing over my keyboard, I was suddenly doing things I loved to do – writing and fixing other writers. There’s nothing like it, for me at least. It takes me out of time, out of pain, out of worrying about the end of the world, out of my own secret garden which is already thick with weeds.
I still nap a lot – my body is now trained to it, longs for it, in fact; so, I indulge it. I’m off Netflix for no better reason than that I did something that screwed it up and have no friends who know any more than I do. I don’t miss it. (Yet). My mental focus is returning because I have something to zero in on rather than the Why-me? of life.
Alas, I’m still losing my words…my family’s favorite incident of this colander-brain phenomenon being when I couldn’t think of the word acupressure and said taxidermy instead. I didn’t like it that I was so off the mark, but a good laugh is as refreshing as a cold beer. And, if you can find any relativity between acupressure and taxidermy, other than they both have four syllables, drop me a line.
I have been more faithful about getting my walk in and these are the shots of today...
“‘After all,’ Anne had said to Marilla once, ‘I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string.’” —L.M. Montgomery
We need a 12-step group for compulsive talkers. They could call it On Anon Anon. —Paula Poundstone
We attended an impromptu family reunion this past weekend and I have decided that is the best way to do one. That way you can take the angst out of it. No matter what date you set there will always be those who can come and those who cannot. It was a great event and we talked to many who we have only seen once in a blue moon.
I am frequently amazed as to how life's little foibles can fall into place. A friend from the park in Texas called me to catch up on what is going on with them and us. And in the course of the conversation, I told her we had lost the keys to our park model. She told me that her partner was a former firefighter and he had the tools to enter homes without keys. It is part of a firefighter's job but something I never thought about. So she called me back last night and told me he had entered and recovered a key for us! One more little snafu off our list. It is wonderful when those little worrisome things can be removed from the list of things to "fix". We are grateful!!
Things that have caught my eye lately...
Mushroom
Do you see that little spot of fall color in the upper middle of the pic?
Simply beautiful
More Mushrooms
When I was a kid, my parents would always say “Pardon my French” after a swear word. I’ll never forget that first day at school when the teacher asked if we knew any French.
I have had a fondness for Confucious for a very long time.😊
10 Quotes That Reveal the Wisdom of Confucius
To Confucius, happiness came not through gluttony and self-indulgence, but through frugality and duty to others. He believed fulfilling the needs of others could also fill oneself with serenity and gratitude. Forgoing one’s duty to serve, on the other hand, could have wider damaging effects: A ruler who ignored the needs of their subjects might unbalance the cosmos and suffer a reign beset with natural disasters.
Confucius set out four simple virtues that he believed were enough to keep the world in its proper order: benevolence, moral wisdom, righteousness, and observance of traditional rituals. According to Confucianism, ritual brings together a community in peace and helps to cultivate “ren,” a Chinese word meaning humanity, goodness, and love. Confucius taught that once we understand our shared humanity, we open ourselves up to feelings of altruism, respect for one another, and even friendship.
In Confucius’ idea of the ideal state, the rulers were kind, religion was properly celebrated, and the wise were treasured. Despite living in difficult times and often in exile, Confucius spent his life seeking to help others achieve this.
After Confucius’ death in 479 BCE, his disciples spread around the country to advise Chinese rulers in his worldview and political theories. In time, Confucianism became the dominant philosophy in China and other parts of eastern Asia, and remained so for centuries. Confucius’ sayings have endured to this day (and many others have been falsely attributed to the sage). Here are 10 quotes from the extraordinary life of Confucius that exemplify his teachings.
The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home.
Confucius was born in 551 BCE in the state of Lu (modern Shandong province). His father, Kong He, was commander of the army garrison and died when Confucius was only three years old. Filial piety, the respect for your parents, would become a central tenet of Confucianism. “When your father is alive, observe his will. When your father is dead observe his former actions,” Confucius said. He believed a loving and respectful family unit was vital to a well-functioning society.
Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds hope. Hope breeds peace.
Confucius was sent to school to learn the ways of the gentleman. His studies included the Six Arts of classical China: music, archery, religious rites, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. One who mastered these was thought to have everything an honorable person required. Confucius learned to love knowledge, and thought an education could improve a person’s character as well as their mind. He believed learning should be done “for the sake of the self,” and could be a process that lasted a lifetime. “To study and not think is a waste. To think and not study is dangerous,” he said.
If you see what is right and fail to act on it, you lack courage.
Confucius lived in Lu, a state controlled by a family of dukes at a time when rival families were squabbling for power. Many common people suffered as the great lords fought. By 501 BCE, Confucius’ wisdom was recognized and he was given a small town to govern. He thought that just as a family should respect a patriarch, so should a state have one respected ruler. With no army of his own, he used words and persuasion to disarm the feuding powers of Lu.
The man of virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.
Confucius gathered many followers and disciples thanks to his profound wisdom. He sent those he taught to convince important people in the ways of peace and common humanity. His disciple Zhong You was appointed as chief magistrate in the city of Pu (near modern-day Changyuan), and another disciple, Ran Qiu, advised members of the Lu court.
When the archer misses the center of the target, he turns round and seeks for the cause of his failure in himself.
Confucius’ ideas of reform were not met with universal approval in China. His attempts to return rulers to their traditional piety and frugality would have hampered their lavish lifestyles. Other dukes worried that the Duke of Lu would become too powerful with the philosopher by his side, advising him as governor. When Confucius disapproved of the way his lord was behaving, he went into self-exile from Lu. He did not blame others for his distress but turned it into an opportunity for personal growth. He realized that by visiting other Chinese states he could refine his teachings.
Within the four seas, all men are brothers.
Examining how other lords ruled and other people lived only increased Confucius’ belief in the unity of humanity. “By nature, men are nearly alike; by practice, they get to be wide apart,” he said. Confucius believed we could educate ourselves to come together.
When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self.
While in exile, Confucius was always on the move, yet he still found time to learn and to teach. He believed a person was only truly themselves when they were with others: A sage sitting alone in the mountains may be wise but can only be a teacher if they have students. Confucius believed that what is good for society is good for the individual, because each person we meet can have something to teach us.
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
One of Confucius’ most famous sayings has been echoed through the ages, often referred to as the “Golden Rule,” and phrased in English as “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The basic principle of treating others the way we wish to be treated is found across the world’s religions, cultures, and ethical theories today, and the idea was central to Confucius’ teachings. When asked whether there was one word that could guide a person through life, Confucius replied, “reciprocity.”
At 15 I set my heart on learning, at 30 I knew where I stood, at 40 I had no more doubts, at 50 I knew the will of Heaven, at 60 my ears were attuned, and at 70 I followed my heart’s desire without crossing the line.
Confucius observed that new insights and understanding can be achieved at each stage of life. Looking back on his own experience, he reflected that every new chapter brings a new role to play, and a new chance to grow.
If I hear the Way of truth in the morning, I am content even to die in that evening.
Confucius finally returned to his home in Lu at age 68. He never had been able to put his plans for the perfect state into practice, but he spent his final years with his closest disciples, continuing to teach and advise. After his death at age 72, Confucius’ followers spread his philosophy across China. Confucius’ ideals — such as “Jen,” compassion, and “Yi,” justice — became the foundation of Chinese education. Today he is still offered reverence, as generations of people heed his words and wisdom in a world Confucius could not have imagined.
Photo credit: Rischgitz/ Stringer/ Getty Images
I know it has been a while since you have seen what Barb and Butch are doing and the answer is in some ways we are not doing much and in other ways, we are busy.
My sister Myrla is young enough to be one of my kids; I look at her that way in many instances. I have said for years she should have been a standup comedian and whenever I call her I am guaranteed something to laugh about in less than 10 minutes on the phone. She has always been able and willing to relate hardships in the funniest ways.
One time Butch was in ER with a cut on his hand and we were talking with the doctor about many things besides Butch's hand and discovered that Myrla had dated him in high school! His take on her was that she was big-hearted and I have to agree. Myrla is many things-all of them interesting.
One of the things about her is that she has had seizures for many years and lately it seems they have happened more frequently. If you know anything about seizures hers are petit mal seizures. And so she was hospitalized on Monday for tests to be conducted to find out the frequency and severity of them. And since she was in Ames Iowa at Mary Greeley Hospital for this we went to see her. Son Jason went with us and we laughed and had "Myrla Fun" for over an hour. They had gathered the information they were after and she was scheduled to go home today. I will be calling her best friend Tara C. to get the results later today.
That took care of Tuesday...Now today Butch was scheduled for a hearing test to find out if his hearing aids were holding up and if his hearing had worsened. This was in Carroll IA. The answer was 'Yes' his hearing aids have held up and 'No' his hearing has not diminished much. His hearing aids are 7 years old.
And that brings us to our new car. Butch is tickled pink with it and he has used the feature of letting it drive itself both yesterday and today. He set it and then only touched the steering wheel one or two times the entire trip when we were on the open road. Not sure that will happen much when I drive it. I have driven it around town and it is nice to drive and much easier than the manual drive we had in the Hyundai. I think I will be far more comfortable driving it. It will still be true that I really am not too crazy about driving no matter what it is. So now Butch is on the golf course...some things never change!
This is one of the coolest ever videos. What this guy has accomplished is mindboggling! I have long been a fan of tiny homes but this takes the basic idea to a whole new level.
BB
By Cheri Sicard
You are not going to believe the stealth RV that John, an Army veteran, built out of an old FedEx van.
John plans to live in the RV while using his GI Bill to become a helicopter pilot. He only has about 25K into the build, but this innovative stealth RV is built with both room and function in mind at every step.
