Birds of Northern Arizona

During our recent trip to Arizona, we stopped at the McGuireville Rest Stop.  We sat at one of tables and made sandwiches. We had some feathered visitors while we were eating.  While I was unable to capture photos of them on the ground,they did pose for me in the surrounding trees. I know the first and second photos are a crow.  Does anyone know what kind of bird is in the third photo?

Colcannon

My family were Scandinavian.  It is well known that is cold in Scandinavia.  There are just so many things that will grow where the summers are short and the winters are long. In places like this, cabbage is king!

The following recipe came from a PBS Show that I watched a while ago.  Mind you,I didn't write the original recipe down.   I kept it in my little brain for weeks before I tried to re-create it.  Since I can't remember the show or the original recipe, I would like to say this is my version of Colcannon.

This meal would have been very hearty and would have filled the tummies of any Viking!

Colcannon

Feeds 4

Ingredients

1 whole head of green Cabbage, shredded
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic,finely chopped
1/2 cube sweet cream butter, salted
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
6-9 potatoes, cubed
1/8 cup milk
2 Tbsp sweet cream butter,salted

Wash and peel the potatoes. In a medium saucepan, boil the potatoes until tender.  Mash the potatoes, add 1/8 cup milk and 2 Tbsp butter.  Mix well and set aside.

In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Set aside.  To the frying pan, add 1/4 cube of butter. Add onion and saute until tender.  Add garlic and saute for one minute.  Add cabbage and saute until tender.  Stir in the bacon.

To serve, place cabbage mixture on a plate.  Place a scoop of the mashed potatoes in the center of the cabbage.  Make an indention in the potatoes and place 1 tsp of butter in the indent.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Watch your Vikings devour this yummy dinner!

Have The Flu Friday

Ugg, the stomach flu.  I seem to get sick after a vacation.  I must play too hard.  Here is a happy, smiley picture for a flu kind of day!

A very happy Labrador!
 

Royal Inn and Suites in Kanab, Utah

Our first stop on our trip to Arizona was in the lovely town of Kanab, UT.  This small tourist town has loads of charm.  Interesting museums, shops and restaurants line the main street that winds through town.  There are many hotels to choose from.  They range from antique to sparkling new. The hotel we chose was somewhere in between.

Hunky Hubby decided to use Priceline to book our hotels for the trip.  He put in $45.00 for our night in Kanab.  The dice was rolled and we got the Royal Inn and Suites.

First, the positives! 

1.  The price was right!

2.  There is a Continental Breakfast.

3.  The hotel is easy to find, located on the main drag.

4   It is located close to restaurants!

5.  The view from the parking lot is incredible.  (See above)

6.  There is a large parking lot with many spots. (See below)

7.  The rooms were very clean.

8.  Remodeling has begun on this 70-80ish motel and the changes they are making are encouraging.

 

Now the Down Side!

 

1.  The bed are very soft.  Very, Very soft!  If you like that, turn this to a positive.

2.  The breakfast was all carbs!  Waffles, Cereal, Toast and Bagels.  Coffee or Juice.  If you like that, turn this to a positive.

3.  Although the room was very clean, the common areas needed some work.

4.  The staff was not very friendly and they did not speak clear English.  However, they seemed to know that and tried very hard.

5.  This is an older hotel, so don't expect modern décor.

 

Overall, we were happy with our stay.  We look for good value and cleanliness.  Both of these expectations were adequately fulfilled.  *Please note*  We are never paid for hotel reviews.  We just like to do them :)

Hunky Hubby loading the car

 

Hunky Hubby talking on the phone in the fog

 

This is the view at 8:02 am



This is the view at 8:10 am

Fence Post With A View #19

Elk Mountain near Laramie, WY
Photo Credit: David Dale Pinter

Fence Post With A View #18

Gate near Devils Gate in Central Wyoming
Photo Credit: David Dale Pinter

Fence Post With A View #17

Beach in Hawaii
Photo Credit: David Dale Pinter

Fence Post With A View #16

Photo taken near Sulphur Creek Reservoir by Evanston, WY
      Photo Credit:  David Dale Pinter

OFF TO ARIZONA

Guess what!  Wyoming is cold in January! 

Yes, that is snow blowing in under that door!

Time for Vacation!  Arizona....Here We Come!

Even though we will basking in the sunshine with our toes in the sand, I won't be shirking my blogging duties.  Next week, we will be featuring 3 Fence Posts With A View.  I will give you a little hint......one of them is far, far, far away from Wyoming. 

 Once again, David Dale Pinter (photographer Extraordinaire) has gone PoStaL with some great shots!  Let me know if you want to purchase any of David's Photography.  I am sure he would love to talk with you.

(There will be no Product of the Week or Recipe next week.)

Enjoy and I will be thinking of you while I'm sitting by the pool.  (NOT!)

Work on the Homestead

Things we are presently doing on the homestead:

• We raise Red Angus cattle and sheep for meat and for profit.
• We hunt and harvest deer, antelope, elk, sage grouse and cottontail rabbits and elk for meat.
• We plant a small garden, in which we grow potatoes, onions, beets, green beans, and summer squash.
• We have built a greenhouse, which we use for those summer crops, like tomatoes, green peppers, herbs, and believe it or not....Brussels sprouts.
• We start our plants indoors from seed.....we try to use heirloom.
• We preserve the beets that we grow into pickled beets.
• We can tomatoes, salsa, jams and jellies, and peaches.
• We cut and split our own wood for heating our home.  Although we have propane as a backup, we only spend about $300 a year to heat our home.
• We make our own bread.
• We cook most things from scratch and rarely go "out" for dinner.
• We smoke and butcher our own meat.
• We compost kitchen scraps and use manure from the sheep and cattle operation for fertilizer.
• We planted currant bushes for the fruit.
• We make our own pasta noodles.

Things we would like to start doing on the homestead:

• We need to build a chicken coop and start raising hens for eggs.  I get very attached to chickens, so I doubt we will ever grow them for meat.  That is just one thing we need to plan on purchasing.
• This spring, we plan on buying two wiener pigs to raise.
• We need to build rabbit cages and raise rabbits for meat.
• Hunky Hubby has expressed interest in setting up some bee hives.  I am deathly allergic, so I won't be involved in that project.
• We need to plant some strawberries and raspberry plants.
• I would really like to take a spinning class, as we have a large amount of wool.
• This winter, I want to develop some recipes for homemade cleaning and laundry products.  I would also like to make our own shampoo, lotion, lip balm, toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant.
• We are talking to a neighbor about buying shares in her milk cow.
• We need to re-vamp the compost pile.
• I need to get my mother-in-law to teach me how to render lard.
• I would love to learn how to make soap the old fashioned way.
• I need to step it up on sewing clothing for our family.

Anna Pearl's Baking Powder Biscuits

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients

2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons BP
3/4 t salt
5 Tbsp Softened butter or Margarine
3/4 c milk

Directions

In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Using a butter knife or a pastry blender, cut in the butter until crumbly.  Add the milk and mix well.  The dough should be a little sticky.

 

Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour onto the counter top and plop your dough right in the middle.  Knead it until the dough is firm.  You can either use a rolling pin to roll the dough out about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut with a cookie or biscuit cutter.

Here is where Anna Pearl make this recipe special!  Place a biscuit on an ungreased baking sheet.  Spread a thin layer of butter on the top of the biscuit.    Place another biscuit on top of the butter.  Repeat this process until your sheet is full or you run out of dough!

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, checking regularly to see if the color is golden brown.  These belly-fillers are best if served warm and would really appreciate being covered in a nice sausage gravy.