Friday, April 30, 2010

More Geek humor

Another geek humor bit, I once did this on an HP, except mine said 'Insert Coin' as in the pic below.  ;)
Really great for the office around the beginning of April.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Rabbit Stew Redux

I am re-posting this recipe mainly because I feel like it. ;) Its a favorite and I bought a couple of nice juicy kits today and I plan on making this for dinner. Have you cooked a favorite recipe lately??



Ingredients:

* 1 or 2 rabbits (3-4 months old are best)
* Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
* 1 c. sour cream
* 1 c. cream of mushroom soup
* 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
* 2 green onions - diced
* 2 carrots - chopped (don't peel, just wash)
* 6 medium potatoes - chopped (don't peel, just wash)
* 2 parsnips - chopped (don't peel, just wash)

Preparation:
Season cut up meat. Mix sour cream, soup and Worcestershire sauce. Add onions, carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Cook in crock pot on low for 8-9 hours. Always better the second day. Goes great with corn bread (as if anything doesn't).

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Gardening 2010 Update

Mulching
Mulch your garden after planting.
Mulch conserves moisture, cools the
soil, and protects against water runoff
and erosion. Organic mulches such
as shredded bark need to be topped
off every couple of years as the mulch
decays. Mulches such as crushed
stone are more permanent, but they
do not improve your soil over time.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Neat Hummingbird Hat

Feed hummingbirds from your face, neat video on youtube.
Video is here

Monday, April 26, 2010

Gardening 2010

Found this site, really great info on how to plant a raised bed garden, when to plant which crops and what to cycle in after them. Get outside and plant something!

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Gardening 2010 Update

Edging
Beds and borders are easier to
maintain if they’re edged to keep
surrounding grass or weeds from
growing in. Choose plastic, metal,
stone, or brick—whatever you prefer.
If you have lawn around your bed,
consider adding a 6- to 12 inch-wide
swath of masonry or stone set even
with the surrounding soil to act as a
mowing strip.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Gardening 2010 Update

Create the Bed
To lay out your bed, use a garden hose to mark the outline. (Sprinkle flour along the hose for a temporary
mark.). Using a sharp spade, dig along the marked line to set the edge of your bed.
If the spot is currently covered by lawn, remove the sod using a straight-edged shovel or sod cutter. To make
this easier, wet the area thoroughly, then use the shovel to cut the lawn into strips that are the width of the
shovel and about 3 feet long. (Sharpen the edge of your shovel frequently with a file.) Use the shovel to pry
up and roll back the strips of sod. Once the sod is removed, loosen the underlying soil with a shovel or a
power tiller.
Regardless of how you prepare your bed, use this opportunity to mix in organic matter (such as compost,
peat moss, or rotted manure) and loosen the soil at least 6 inches deep. Don’t mix in fertilizer unless your
soil test shows a need; in general, excessive amounts of fertilizer will do more harm than good.
After your bed is prepared, water it thoroughly and wait a week. This will allow weed seeds to germinate. Pull
these seedlings or dig them back into the soil. Or spray them with an herbicide. Follow the instructions on the
packaging, including the time to wait after application before planting.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Gardening 2010 Update

Preparation is the key to creating a garden that will offer a lifetime of pleasure. Before you head to the
nursery, review all garden plan materials. Ask yourself the following questions:
• Do I have a suitable spot for this plan?
• Do I have the right growing conditions? Check the plant list to see if the plan will do
best in sun, part shade, or full shade. Be sure the plants are suited to your USDA Zone.
• Do I need to amend my soil? Most plants thrive in moist but well-drained soil. If you have soil
with lots of sand or clay, amend it liberally with lots of organic matter, such as compost.
• Is my soil’s pH and fertility okay? If you’re unsure, inquire about testing at your county’s
extension service office. Follow the recommendations that come with your test results if you need to
correct the soil’s pH (how acid or alkaline the soil is) or fertility.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Pistol to a long gun fight

If you do indeed have only a pistol at your command when confronted with long gun opponents, I would suggest one with a few....upgrades. I count at LEAST 4 NFA upgrades for a total of $800 in taxes and probably a year or more in waiting time for BATF approval.  ;)
It may be hard to put in your holster, but it will definitely spice up your after action report.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Thought for the week

A pistol is for come-as-you-are gunfights; if one has time to dress for the affair, one should perhaps consider something with a shoulder stock.
I prefer the Robinson Armaments fine XCR-L in 5.56 NATO with an EOTech 5.12 myself.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Things you need to do to prepare for emergencies

 Things you need to do to prepare for emergencies:

1. A plan for water that you have practiced is the FIRST thing any newbie needs before prepping anything else. All other considerations are secondary.

2. A gun. It doesn't matter what kind, but an ancient flintlock isn't going to be as useful as a semi-auto Ruger 10/22 in .22LR, so use some common sense.

3. Food. Get what you eat. Get lots of it. Now go buy some more. This isn't rocket science, you know what you will and won't eat and you know how much storage space you have that can be kept close to 68F year round (the garage attic is a poor storage area for food). Buy some food so you have energy to gather water.

4. Seeds, a shovel, hoe, rake and a garden hose.

5. Write everything down and share it with your closest family and confidants (you might be killed in the opening moments of the crisis and if your family doesn't know the basement is full of preps, well.... it won't be pretty for them).

6. Get a hobby that involves making something useful. Can be something simple like matches or something hard like building steam engines from iron ore. Mine is making shoes. May sound odd as a hobby, but I can damn sure make money off of it in a pinch and feed my family.

7. Do yourself a favor, even in a short term Katrina style disaster or a tornado, try not to panic. Panic kills.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

5 Best Herbs to Repel Deer (and maybe rabbits)

Surround your garden with these and they will at least slow the deer down. Mint works as well, but next year all you will have is mint, its kind of the japanese yakuza of herbs.
1. Lavender, my #1 recommended, Deer hate it.
2. Russian Sage, grows very tall (4-5 feet), great for next to bean trellis or corn.
3. Bee Balm, great for planting next to squash and other low lying vegetables.
4. Yarrow, deer dislike the taste and it has medicinal purposes. I believe blow dart poison is made from a South American yarrow plant. Hmmm, deer, blow darts....ideas....
5. Rosemary. Deer hate it, but it needs to be babied in a pot or container, so place it around the garden as you see fit to battle deer hot spots.

Some of these will repel rabbits, but I depend on a good wire fence and a 22LR for them.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Thought of the week

"I am the Sword of my Family and Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn all that you love, and kill every one of you" - unknown

If pushed into a corner, it is best that you know yourself and what you will do to defend your nation, your family, your home, etc.
Think about it now so that later is is merely a foregone conclusion. To be caught tripping over your thoughts in a crisis has allowed the crisis to win at the very start. Get prepared mentally before you spend time preparing anything else.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Tax Day and The Boy's birthday

So I have mixed feelings about this particular date, I owe the state about $300 but its also the day 'The Boy' came into my life. All in all, I think The Boy wins out and outweighs the bad by a considerable margin.
Happy Birthday Son.

Love Daddy

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Paid my state taxes, ugh

Seems like no matter what sort of refund I get from the Federal Govt, the state stills wants a couple of hundred bucks. Well, I always wait until the next to last minute, no reason to pay early I figure.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Thought for the week

Odd, I don't see any lemons.....

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The basics for any emergency

Beans, Bullets, Books and Band-Aids (I would throw in some water storage, but hey...)

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Baked Mac and Cheese

When I was growing up, I always looked forward to any church gathering (hell even the odd funeral even) because I knew that somewhere on the potluck food table would be at least one (and probably five) casserole dishes of baked mac and cheese. The annual Spring, Summer and Fall church picnics were never miss events in my social calendar, prompting many to consider me 'such a devout child'. It was all about the Mac and Cheese and I am sure Jesus understands. At the time, since my mother never made this delicious dish, I called it in my head 'Church Mac and Cheese' since it differed so radically from the Kraft Mac and Cheese we ate out of the blue box at home. It never occurred to me this could be made at home until years later when I was living on my own (I am a little slow sometimes, e.g. I never noticed 'The Muppet Movie' was a musical until about the dozenth time I watched it, something my wife shakes her head at when I mention since she knows I love all the songs from that pic) and it took me a while to master the recipe and to perfectly copy the ooey, gooey goodness so easily made by those lovely blue haired ladies at church. The secret to the crunchy shell of cheese is the second addition of cheese halfway through the cooking. This is perfect for a potluck at work, church or anywhere else, but I prefer to have it all for me, so I make it for the family and enjoy!
  
 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 (12 ounce) package macaroni
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese mild
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups cups shredded Cheddar cheese sharp

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. In a large pot of salted water, lightly boil the macaroni for about 5 minutes until half-cooked.
  3. Whisk the egg and milk together in a large cup. Add butter and mild cheese to the egg and milk. Stir well.
  4. Place the lightly cooked macaroni in the prepared baking dish. Pour the egg and cheese liquid over the macaroni, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir well. Press the mixture evenly around the baking dish.
  5. Bake covered by aluminum foil, for 20 to 30 minutes.
  6. Uncover, pour on the two cups of shredded sharp cheese, evenly. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes uncovered, or until top is brown.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Thought for the week

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - Winston Churchill

Have you thought about what this actually means and have you considered how lucky we have been to live in a country that has enjoyed stability since virtually 1865?

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Happy Birthday to my loving wife

It seems another year has rolled around my dear and I still can't take my eyes off of you. Here's hoping this year is your best one yet!
Love
ME

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

What won't they bling next?

A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'm done typing.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Good site for information

Stumbled across this site the other day while searching for some help for my raspberries, really nice site, I especially recommend Clydes Garden Planner, a site I expect i will do a couple of articles about sine it is so helpful.
Get out there and get your hands dirty, you'll feel better!

Monday, April 5, 2010

Sunday, April 4, 2010

What to do in the garden in April

Are you preparing your garden and want some advice on what to do in the wild woolly month known as April?
That crazy month when you never know if it will freeze, rain, blow gale force winds, or be tranquil and sunny?
Check out this site and look over their helpful tips for what to do in April to prep your yard and garden, there is still plenty of time to get thins done.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Funny Funny Funny

This video of an original song is funny to me for two reasons; I like Menard's and the girl singing looks like one of my cousins.
Enjoy!

Meet you at Menard's!

Friday, April 2, 2010

Today is the 7 year olds birthday

My little princess is officially 7 today. My how the time has flown. ;)
I will always love you Querida and I have enjoyed every moment.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Thought for the week


Resistance isn't futile, it's voltage divided by amperage.

Happy April Fool's Day!