Kitchen Adventure (Oatmeal Pancakes)

 A few weeks back I ran across a 'teaser' recipe. I disapprove when a recipe is posted partially, but you must go to a different site to get the complete recipe. And in this case, it was just another ad for something totally unrelated.  Whoops, it just occurred to me that Facebook, or the AI's at Facebook might think that is what I am doing! Nope, not me.

What teased me was a claim for pancakes with three ingredients; oatmeal, two eggs, and chopped apples. Sounded tasty to me on top of being healthy. So with no more information than that, I experimented. 

Barb's Oatmeal Pancakes

1 cup unsweetened applesauce ( I didn't have an apple on hand)

2 eggs

Oatmeal 

- I use old-fashioned oatmeal and I started with 1 cup but it seemed too "wet" so I added an additional 1/2 cup of oatmeal. I decided to let it sit for 5 minutes so the oatmeal could absorb some moisture. I used a cast iron griddle and let it get hot (350*) A tiny bit of real butter and a small drizzle of pure maple syrup and they were oh-so-yummy.

They set up well and fairly quick, easy to turn. Will definitely make these again...and again.

A Big Hit!

 Butch rarely if ever says he REALLY likes some foods. So this one is a keeper. It is easier to prepare than it sounds. It is what's for supper! I cut the recipe back and used 3 lbs of ribs.

It is worth it!

Memphis Pit BBQ Ribs
What You’ll Need:
1 blender ( I didn’t use a blender)
1 4-quart crockpot
1 baking sheet
aluminum foil
basting brush
5 pounds (2 full racks) of pork spare ribs
1 apple
1½ cups applesauce
1 diced onion
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
18 ounces BBQ sauce
What You’ll Need:

Okay, now let’s get down to business. First, arrange your spare ribs in a circle around the edges of your

slow cooker. Continue layering the meat until it reaches the top, but has a large hole in the middle.

In this center section, place your cored and sliced apple.

Now for the marinade. In a blender, combine your apple sauce, onion, sugar, and vinegar along with

half of your BBQ sauce. Puree until smooth and then pour the whole thing over the top of your apple slices

and meat. Cover and cook on high for about 5 hours. When you come back, try to resist sneaking a taste.

Instead, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place the ribs separately onto the surface.
Using your brush, baste the remaining BBQ sauce over the top and sides of your spare ribs.

Broil for 5 to 10 minutes and plate as soon as possible for the best and most unique version of this classic

we’ve ever tasted!

My notes:

I cut the ribs into 2 bone servings. And I blended the marinade by hand as I didn’t see the need to

dirty another appliance.

Speaking of Cousins

 Have you heard of Granny Basketball? Didn't think so! My cousin Liesa Zimmerle Engel plays in the granny league and her team won nationals! Liesa played basketball in high school in Auburn Iowa. She was a star player then and now.     https://www.facebook.com/groups/279722825161951/

Liesa is on the far right in this photo

I imagine all of these were star athletes in their youth, probably lived in a small town or on a farm, and played 6 on 6 basketball.

For your info:

The Iowa Girls' High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) voted unanimously to end six-on-six basketball in Iowa after the 1992-1993 season, though some small schools continued to play until 1993. The decision was made at the request of the players themselves, rather than due to pressure from coaches, media, or administrators. The change was also influenced by a 1983 lawsuit filed by three high school girls who claimed that six-on-six was not equal to the boys' five-on-five game. In response, the IGHSAU decided to allow schools to choose between the two options. 

Cousin Larry

 I have Zimmerle blood in me as does my cousin Larry. I don't know about Larry but I frequently see a headshake or two about something I have said or done. This morning Larry had a post on Facebook that hit a key with me! He is wishing his wife a happy birthday and even baked a cake for her.

Here is a pic of it.

And here is what he had to say about it. " I'm not, and I repeat NOT a cake maker/decorator , but it feels right to try this for the woman who means so much to me for her birthday today! I put the candles together so she could blow them out all at once! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHARON!"

The way that guy thinks is so "Zimmerle"!

Wonderful Weekend

 It really was a wonderful weekend. Gary and Susan came on Thursday, Jason and Laura added to the fun on Friday, Bill Brooker's happy 90th birthday party was on Saturday and Rich joined us on Sunday. Friends Sherri and Sam also joined us for the weekend. It was a fun-filled 4 days.

At Bill's birthday bash, we saw many relatives we had not seen for decades. It was very rewarding to see so many of them again.

When it narrowed down to the ones we could fit into the pool hall the fun continued. The pool hall has become a handy thing to have for entertaining friends and family. We are so glad it has worked out that way.

Our son Rich came on Sunday and it was his 66th birthday. Our son Gary's birthday will be next Sunday. August is a busy month on many levels.

And while I am at it I spotted a pic of Ann and her husband Anthony that I glommed off of Facebook. Ann is Rich's daughter.

Now I must get back to catching up after not getting my computer chores done over the weekend....later!

Busy weekend coming up...

 Today is Butch's brother Bill's 90th birthday and he is back in Iowa from Arkansas because there is a party planned for him at the casino and lots of people are coming. We are looking forward to it.

Our kids will be here too. So plenty of pool being played as well as golf and card games. Fun!

A friend asked me if I could make her a bracelet. It is a craft that has been on the back burner for a few years but I said "yes" because it is a craft that doesn't take up much room and unlike Swedish Weaving, it can be done in all kinds of weather. Holding a Swedish Weaving project on your lap can be too warm sometimes. So yesterday I decided to jump into relearning the beading process. The hardest part is getting started. I am specifically referring to peyote, even-count with delica beads. Not all of you know what that means but some will. Suffice it to say it took me over an hour to start a bracelet that would have taken 10 minutes in my prime. So now I need to keep working on the getting started part until I can once again start one in less than an hour!

So I have been doing lots of things besides blogging!

From my window...

 These are the photos I have taken while sitting at my computer or walking on the bike trail. All were taken within the past 10 days.

Collared Dove

Albino Finch

Nuthatch

Robin bathing- who says satellite dishes have no uses.

Two finches-

Mama Cat

Trail Flower

The last rose

And then...

 Last night was trivia night. There was a nice turnout of 5 men and 4 women. There was a lot of discussion on more than one question. I certainly like to give them something to think about. At what age can a person open a savings account on their own? Both teams missed that one. 

Every Thursday at 6:30 a group of friends meet for trivia and then some stay for pool. It is the highlight of our week as we have become almost hermit-like. It may be a natural progression of aging. 

I am still walking 2 + miles most mornings. Sometimes with Keri and sometimes alone. My annual heart doctor appointment was last week and he said all was fine and to continue my healthy lifestyle. That is the plan!

Butch had a cortisone injection in his leg/hip and so he is back to walking the golf course. Health after 80 takes constant diligence!

Till next time!

Yeah, right...

If I had my make-up done by a professional this might be what I would look like. It doesn't hurt to wish, does it?

Phenomenon

 We have noticed this phenomenon for a few years now. We used to think of it as a joke almost. When rain is predicted we watch the radar and as it reaches Jefferson, Greene County Iowa, it separates and the rain goes around us. We do not get it. The rain does not come. We might get a sprinkle but not the kind of rain one needs for sustainment. Now this happens mostly in summer. We are not here for 6 months of the year so we need to be careful about the word "always". So let us say it happens often enough to get noticed, and often enough to not fill our rain barrel, and often enough to feel a bit scary about it. Especially when I am listening to an audio book about the duststorms of the 30's.

It is a good book. Brings me to tears in places. Some of the reviews say it is better as an audiobook and that is what I am doing.

Synopsis: The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah is a historical fiction novel set in Texas during the Dust Bowl era of the Great Depression in 1934. The story follows Elsa Martinelli and her family as they struggle to survive and hold on to their American dream. Elsa must make a difficult choice between staying on the land she loves or moving west to California in search of a better life. 

Oh, by the way as I put this post together it is sprinkling! 

Being Mayor

 I was Mayor of a small town of 300 people for a few terms and when I was first elected there were classes recommended knowing my knowledge was marginal. Apparently, more people running for or getting elected need these classes. I clearly remember one of the rules. Never pass a law that cannot be enforced. I would add that would be difficult to enforce. 

Example: A woman in Florida miscarries a baby and it is perceived to be an inflicted abortion, she can be jailed along with her doctor and carry the burden of being a felon. There are so many holes in this law it is impossible to count!  What were they thinking? Answer: They weren't!

Loose Ends

 We have been taking care of loose ends. My computer chores take longer and longer each year. Add in a Doctor appt or two and I can get way behind. Yesterday was my annual cardiology appointment. I had a carotid test added to a echo test and then a visit with the doctor. Shot the heck out of the morning. All is well. Afterward we did some shopping and shot the rest of the day.

Today was a follow-up with Butch. He was having some respiratory issues and he didn't think he was coming along as well as he should, made the appointment a couple of days ago. And you guessed it! He was feeling much better today. Kept the appointment anyway and has confirmed he is better. 

I had a rough patch with my pool game. Butch kept telling me it was the "F" word...'focus' and he was right but it took a couple of weeks for me to believe him. It is much better now and I am on the right track. It makes my days much brighter and less stressful.

This was taken last year. Butch in his windowless cubbyhole and on his computer. It was shortly after this that I organized his desktop. Can't tell it now though. He will tell you that he knows where everything is and he probably does. His eyes are not sore but mine are! ❤

Wanna be challenged?

 I have been more in touch with my camera lately. My NikonPIX P900. It has some age on it now and has given me a challenge or two lately. One was fixed with a low battery and another with a played-out SD card. No matter all the hype from the phone people I have yet to find a phone pic that lives up to the quality of my Nikon. I took one this morning that proves the point beautifully to me once again.

Here it is:

For years we have had an abundance of stray cats. I do not mind because they keep the rodent population under control. The city and some residents declared war on them a few years back and we haven't seen many for a few years. This morning I saw this beauty in our back alley. I could tell she had recently given birth to a litter. She made her way to our patio and looked straight at me through the window. She is beautiful.

Back to being challenged. I have been attempting to organic pictures. I have thousands, old and new, mostly digitalized. Now that is a challenge! I would not even be tempted except; have you ever had a special picture in your mind that you remember vividly and want to share with a friend? So you start to look for it? But can't seem to find it? Now there is a challenge!

And what could this possibly mean?

 Yesterday Butch had an appointment with an Orthopedic doctor because he was having pain in his repaired leg and thought perhaps he had a screw loose. He doesn't. It ended with him getting a cortisone shot with hopes that would take care of the pain. So far, so good. Since we were in Ames, which is not too far from Costco (Ankeny), we decided to swing by.

As we were meandering through the aisles I kept seeing twins! There must have been a "twins" event somewhere in the vicinity because I am not exaggerating, I saw at least twenty or more sets of twin children!

Another oddity... I said to Butch, "Now that things have settled down a bit we need to call Jerilynn and Pete to play some cards." He agreed.  As we left Costco a car was parked directly in front of the place with an Iowa license plate (JERILYN)! I pointed it out to Butch. Our Jerilynn has two ens while this one had only one but you must admit it is a rare enough name to get one's attention. It gets stranger! We are in the car getting ready to pull out when the phone rings and it is Jerilynn!! She had a computer question. I am still trying to figure out what to make of it all. 

Here is a 6th grade picture of Barbara Brock. 

And now for something completely different!

 After the hubub of getting ready for the reunion and the goal of getting rid of excess in our lives it is a bit of an adjustment and a bit tricky changing gears. But we are working on it. First there is a bit of a respite and that must be where we are currently. We do have doctor appts. this week and next. We took the car in for its recall earlier this week. I have discovered that afternoon appts ruin the entire day for the umpteenth time

.

Since getting the feeding station for birds with the baffle on it, the squirrels are completely baffled and we hope they stay that way. I am back to getting some really nice bird pics.

Zimmerle Reunion!

 We had 21 attending the Zimmerle reunion this year, It was a success and it took so many people to make that happen. Some played pool, some played a card game called 'Golf' and we had live music with cousins, Larry Zimmerle, Elizabeth Taylor, and Howard 'Ed' Zimmerle sharing their talent. It was the best reunion I have ever attended. Another facet was the food! Joanna Neff, and Keri Brooker sharing the load but others contributing as well. So many people pooled their talent to make it an over-the-top event And I want to give all of them a big ol' THANK YOU!

https://www.facebook.com/1627352305/videos/1229369345095965/

Everyone wants to do it again next summer and we will do our best to make it happen.

There are songs that Elizabeth sings on Facebook if you can find them they are worth the search.

Won the War!

 The squirrel war that is! Here are pics of our latest configuration to feed and observe the birds.We are seeing a large number of birds these days. 

Note the satellite/birdbath behind the feeder

This is a new one, designed to fling off the squirrels.  It has taken a long time for birds to accept it, squirrels cannot get to it anyway and it doesn't work.

This is where the action is!

My friend Colleen is a stacker of rocks. So is my son Jason. This one is Jason's. I now call them "Colleen's". 

This is what Butch worked at most of his working career. I saw the guys working one morning, replacing a pole, so I decided to give Butch a bit of nostalgia.

What's in bloom at our house.

Wet

 Yes, it is wet. The most common reason we have to cancel the morning walk is rain. Either real or predicted. We happen to live in a slot of land that does not get heavy amounts of rain. We have been getting far less than the rest of the state, and that is a good thing. Parts of this flatland state look more like an ocean.

Butch is about 2/3rds done on the "shop". We call it the shop because it is too small to be a garage and it is separate from the house despite being attached. It needed a good clearing out. We will not know what to do with ourselves when that project is done. I cannot see us sitting still so something will happen. We might even cut loose and visit some of our friends!

The 4th of July is a few days away and that does not seem right or possible. With age, these things change in many ways. Less celebration, less anticipation, and more likely to enjoy it from home rather than fight traffic and too many people. A lot of things change with age, just wait and see! Nothing wrong with being content and happy!

We're Having a Heatwave

 A tropical heatwave. This morning it was 78 degrees at 6:00AM. The weather is crazy all over the world. When I was managing the senior center in Cumberland IA I would frequently share with them this little ditty. "Whether the weather is cold, or whether the weather is hot, we'll weather the weather, whatever the weather, whether we like it or not!" Still true.

Squirrel Wars: As many of you know Butch has an ongoing battle with the squirrels. The battlefield is being altered. We are on the lookout for the enemy to see what they do about this change. The birdhouse has already been checked out by the House Wren. How will they do with new neighbors? We are just So busy!

 Earlier this morning I did get a couple of good pics.

Recent Photos

Leo and Keri have a nice birding station in their yard and living outside of town they attract many birds.  I caught this woodpecker when visiting one day.

Sad story here. One of these two ran head-on into a window. Not unusual. Sometimes they will recover and this one did. His/her friend came to see what happened. These are house finches.

This one was taken earlier this Spring at Spring Lake. Butch and I drive out to the lake every now and then. I always take my camera. 

Always up for a ride!