Awww Monday January 27, 2020

 

Happy Birthday Grace!

One of my favorite photos!

This photo of Grace, her dad Russell and 

her dog Moo Shu was taken in 2008.

Four years later we sold our home and

  moved down to the Mt Shasta area of

Northern California.

Have a great week! And thanks Sandee

for all that you do for us bloggers!  

~~~~~

Off with their heads!

Unlike St. Francis of Assisi there are few saints in government.
Our city is being run by the mayor as if it his personal fiefdom
and we are only tolerated because he can pick our pockets
when he needs some spare cash for frivolous and expensive
legacy making projects.
The final straw for me was last weeks attempt to bring a lot
of our beloved Luscher Farm into the Urban Growth Boundary
opening up all that gorgeous farm land for more development.
It's all about the money, instead of leaving green open
spaces alone. It's not about restoration of wildlife habitats
or bringing back Oak savannahs. Oh no- it's all about
more ballfields,indoor tennis courts and community centers
that the majority who live here do not want, nor can afford.
What we do want is some land preserved for the generations
that will follow us. My mother always told me to choose
my battles....well- this is my battle.
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to rant!
Below are my comments given to City Council last Tuesday night:

"I would like to comment on this last minute item on the agenda item #8.3:
Bringing a lot of Luscher Farm into the UGB.
I am against bringing large portions of Luscher Farm
into the UGB because it runs contrary to what the majority
of citizens want: We want it left agricultural and rural.
This is an enormous change and we the people
should have a say in this change-like a vote please.
Here we are in the middle of the Luscher Farm Master Plan
process complete with public participation and input.
What the heck? Where’s the public input and participation
in this process? What’s the rush? This is beyond offensive.
We love our farm- our emerald gem of a farm.
We love the healthy lifestyle it generates for all ages.
We want it to be preserved for our children’s future.
We don’t want a tacky tourist destination
or sappy wedding destination. It’s a farm!
Go use Foothills Park and Millenium Park for your revenue generation.
Luscher farm is our outdoor space, our living room,
our schoolroom, and our place of peace and tranquility-
it isn’t parking spaces and traffic. Leave Luscher farm alone.

photo by Kathe Worsley
Above photo is of recent damage to property adjacent
to Luscher Farm. The city ignored Fish and Wildlife's
Best Management Practices by bulldozing wildlife
habitat before June 15th and using heavy equipment
through wetlands and stream beds.

photo by Kathe Worsley

This photo is of the damage done to an old tree
by backing a bulldozer into it. Nice work by
non-supervised contract workers.
( I am being sarcastic )
for more info go here: http://lostewards.org/

photo of St Francis thanks to

Tess Kincaid of Magpie Tales http://magpietales.blogspot.com/

W is for Winter Squash Gnocci

This is one of our winter favorites as a main course or as a side dish to accompany chicken, pork or even fish. We grew Delicata squash this year and had a bumper crop, but any winter squash will work!

Winter Squash Gnocci
Ingredients
1 Butternut, Acorn or Delicata squash (about 1-1/2pounds)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Sage Butter Sauce
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter
12 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
Salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 F.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, through the stem end, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, scoop out and discard the seeds. Remove squash flesh (pulp) and place in a sieve. Set the sieve over a bowl to catch liquid and allow squash to drain in a refrigerator overnight. NOTE: Some squash does not need this step-not all are watery after baking.
The next day, puree the squash in a food processor. Transfer puree to a bowl and add the eggs and salt, stirring to combine. Add the flour and blend thoroughly. The dough should feel sticky and soft.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using a teaspoon, form walnut-sized pieces of dough and push them off the spoon and into the water with your fingers. Alternately, use a pastry bag and a small knife.NOTE: don't worry about being precise about the shape of the gnocci. I just take a tablespoon and scoop up some squash and slide it off into the boiling water.

Cook the gnocchi in small batches, 10 to 15 pieces. Once the gnocchi have risen to the surface, poach for exactly 2 minutes. Remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain. Repeat until all the dough is used up.
Sage Butter Sauce Prep
Place butter in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until the foam subsides and the butter begins to lightly brown. Add the sage leaves and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add the gnocchi to the butter, brown each side slightly turning over to coat. Sprinkle with Parmesan ( and freshly chopped Italian parsley if available) and serve immediately.
Partner this with a salad and bread and you have a wonderful meal fit for Royalty!

My Birthday Week

My birthday is October 2nd and I fully intend

to celebrate all month!

This first photo is of September's full moon....

Here's some of my garden's bounty! I made lots of

tomato sauce this year and Delicata squash gnocci.....yum

Our good friends Bill and Ewana were coming up for a long weekend
from Weed, California to help celebrate...
So I made some Oatmeal Cranberry Coconut Orange cookies
in case we got a it peckish in between meals...hahahah

Russell and I walked down to inspect the massive sewer
interceptor project going on....the lake has been drawn down
about 25' to enable replacement of our sewer line.

Incredible project- it's taking more than a year to complete

We went to Marylhurst University
(my alma mater)
to celebrate the Art Gym's 30th year!
Greg Grenon and Mary Josephson were two of
the artists exhibiting in this marvelous show.

http://www.marylhurst.edu/theartgym/index.php

http://www.laurarusso.com/artists/grenon_g.html

http://www.laurarusso.com/artists/josephson_m.html

Wild mushrooms at the Lake Oswego Farmers Market!

I purchased some Lobster and Shitake mushrooms

Russell made a fabulous pasta dish with the mushrooms...

Huge artichokes!

Someone let these zucchini get out of control in the garden!

Gorgeous colors in the fall

Later this past week we went to the Green Dragon Brewery

and saw these goats in a field- they were with a whole bunch

more and were clearing all the brambles from the field.

Goats for Hire... the sign read" the goats are here to enjoy

and feast upon what spontaneously grows on this urban meadow.

Unlike gas-powered mowers, goats require no fossil fuels

to trim the vegetation" How clever is that?

and here's a pic of this months flower arrangement

that I put together for Blue Sky Gallery-

Oregon Center for the Photographic Arts

a non-profit gallery that is supported by

a huge group of volunteers
This month is a special month for Blue Sky

It's the 35th year it has been exhibiting photographs

and it started with just 3 photographers with a wonderful vision.

Mazeltov!

http://www.blueskygallery.org/

and finally...last but NOT least here's a little

video of Bill and Ewana's little

Cairn Terrier doing what he does best...

entertaining us! Enjoy!

Garlic Spagetti Puts a Smile on My Face

Tonight's dinner was delish! We are testing 3 different

types of garlic...which one will make the cut and get into

our Hot Dill Pickle jars?

If you haven't tried this spagetti- give it a try. Just go to this

older blog posting for the recipe:
http://katheworsley.blogspot.com/2006/07/dining-with-animals.html

We got the garlic samples from Katie with Greenthumb garlic

their web site is http://www.greenthumbgarlic.com/

So far all the garlic is yummy-most likely we'll be getting all 3 varieties!

Bon appetit!!

Summer has arrived! and N is for NUTS!

Just a little photo of part of our veggie garden at Luscher Farm.

The trellis has snow peas and sweet peas with hops on either side...

I made the quasi "Prayer Flags" from left over quilting scraps

and old painting drop cloths....they were fun and easy to make....

Happy Summer Everyone!

Meanwhile, I would like to share a waffle recipe that I adapted

to suit our personal tastes...it's waffles with finely chopped up walnuts:

Walnutty Waffles

serves 4-6

(along with the prerequisite sausages/bacon/veggie patties and fruit)

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter melted

2 cups flour

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
Beat eggs well. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat til smooth.

Batter will be thin. Bake in a waffle iron tl golden brown.

Serve with your favorite syrup, jam or fruit sauce.

YUM! Enjoy your day!

Epitaph for a tree

I love Luscher Farm. I have gardened at Luscher Farm for years. Over these years I have grown bushels of tomatoes and potatoes, harvested peas, beans, garlic, onions, winter and summer squash, carrots, herbs and a variety of flowers from spring through late fall. Some cool weather crops like spinach, chard and broccoli have even provided us with fresh vegetables all through the winter. As the years passed I added perennial crops such as asparagus, hops and the ubiquitous rhubarb that our family had never eaten before. Spicy Rhubarb salsa has become a family favorite.
Along with growing all these wonderful organic vegetables for my family and friends there were unexpected harvests. New friendships were
established and rooted in sharing seeds, experience, help and vacation watering. Leaning across a row of beans to chat with a garden neighbor I would learn lots of garden tricks; gardeners love to share information.
Meanwhile, during the years that I was growing food at Luscher farm, the farm was also growing. The community gardens began with 20 Adult Community Center plots and at this point there are about 125 garden plots. It is absolutely wonderful to watch all the families learn and play while growing their food. It is such a healthy and happy environment . The city has done a great job of organizing and managing the community gardens and providing a wonderful learning environment for everyone.
A huge part of Luscher Farms’ learning environment is the surrounding landscape and wildlife habitat. While we garden we are surrounded by
visible and not so visible mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds. Some are more discreet than others. The Coopers Hawk will sit on top of the chicken coop and could care less if you get close. The Killdeer are always present in the community gardens (literally underfoot ) and every year some nests have to be flagged so no one accidentally walks on them. Deer and coyote are around but not as obvious as those darn moles who challenge us every year. Frogs can be heard in the wetlands below the gardens.
American Kestrels nest every year in the big Douglas Fir tree in front of the barn. Last Friday Riccardo Spaccarrelli and I looked up at the tree and watched as two Kestrels flew in and out of the Douglas Fir. Wow. They are here.
Today the iconic Douglas Fir was cut down by the city. Our tree and wildlife habitat is gone. It really is very sad. Near the barn is a sign that reads:
“Backyard Wildlife Habitat: This property provides the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover and places to raise young. It has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as an official Backyard Wildlife Habitat site.” Oh really?

Where the American Kestrel nested for at least 15 years.

The logger just doing his job-at least we managed to

have them check all the holes for eggs before the tree

was removed.

This is all that was left. Gary Evans of the city refused to

have a snag left for valuable wildlife habitat. He didn't

want the visual reminder of what had been there for at least 150 years.

Really too bad as it would have been a wonderful sorce of learning

for all ages.- not just children.

A Different New Years Resolution

I have been pondering for a few days on

what I could do differently on my blog.

Then this morning I figured it out....

every other week I will choose a recipe I haven't

made before- cook it -take a picture of it and

post it all on my blog. That adds up to 26 recipes.

So, of course then I thought "Hmmm 26 weeks...

26 letters in the alphabet...hmmmm....

this could get interesting"

After a good cup of coffee and a nice tasty breakfast

I decided I would attempt 26 recipes focused on

different vegetables...sometimes ones I have never cooked before.

and based on the alphabet. Some letters will be quite

challenging and I do reserve the right to be slightly

creative in choosing something that begins with a Y or Q.

Just like trying out different flowers in our garden

I will try different vegetables in our kitchen and

maybe in our Luscher Farm veggie garden....

In addition, you all know how we both like to eat and cook!

Here is what I think I'll be doing-

I do reserve the right to change my mind...hahahah
The Alphabet Recipes
A-asparagus

B-brussel sprouts

C-cauliflower

D-dates

(see I already am breaking the rules)

E-eggplant

F-fennel

G-garlic/ginger

H-hominy

I-IPA

(isn't hops a vegetable?)

J-jicama

K-kale

L-leeks

M-mole

(sauce not rodent)

N-nuts or napa cabbage

O-olives

P-peppers

Q-quinoa

R-radishes,raisins,raspberries

S-squash

T-tomatoes

U-udon

V-vanilla,vodka,vegetarian

W-wild rice

X-total surprise

Y-yams,yukon golds

Z-zinfandel,zucchini

So- pull up a chair, have a seat and enjoy our year of ...
Discovering new vegetables (sometimes) and new recipes.....

It's all about what tastes good-
besides what is good for us! Bon appetit!

Summertime and the living is HOT

It's been in the 100's almost all this week and frankly I am sick of this heat. I love summer and I love being outside, but with temperatures of 100-107...I guess I'm stuck inside.

However, I do get outside in the early morning to water, water,water our home garden and our veggie garden. Here are a few pics of our garden and food we have been making....

I've been making lots of bread this summer up

until this hot week- I discovered the book

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes

and it has some great recipes!

Here's a nice little shot of a baby zucchini with blossom

Ahhhhhhhhhh...Rhubarb Salsa...cha cha cha...I posted the recipe for the salsa last year on this blog- Here's the link : https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmgVtBxMzBkXZnEsqEBj01cJLT_pBaw0dmfK_C5hUQ2vRUUAk42rgn1SfND7lmqm7IuKnOxawlNDKhFyzcmA3cLWNLTnmQhBP6_qH5zupzCiRGCrZU_GJfu9dvihzFcFUA1yclw/s1600-h/June+2008.jpg

and here's a closeup of the Green Rhubarb plant I bought last year....

good old rhubarb-what did I do without it all these many years?

Dreaming of Jupiter and other happenings

This entry is sort of like "what I did on my Summer Vacation", but it's actually only "what we've been doing for the past few weeks". It's been a pot-pourri time what with the weather just NOT cooperating and we had to make fun when it wasn't.... so here are a few shots and a few little movies. Russell loves the movie option on our camera!) So, sit back and enjoy.....


We went to Ted Simon's lecture/slide show almost 2 weeks ago.
He rode this BMW motorcycle around the world in 1974

and in 2001 at the ripe old age of 69 he

repeated his trip, but this time with a

newer BMW and a digital camera.

His seond trip took 2 1/2 years and went

through 48 countries.

His first trip produced an extraordinary

account in the classic best seller

"Jupiter's Travels" and after his second trip

he wrote "Dreaming of Jupiter".

Both books are well worth reading!




It was a fascinating show-this slide shows his
motorcycle from his first adventure.



Here's Ted talking to one of his fans.


We met with Fish and Wildlife AnnMary Meyers to walk Luscher Farm.
We have joined Friends of Luscher Farm in their ambitious
goals of restoring wildlife habitats and an Oak Savannah
to once cow pastures.


I finished planting cold weather
vegetables in my garden.
Tom and Steve are now my garden partners.
Look at their raised beds....wow!


Seen in downtown Portland
Outside City Hall.


These gentlemen are part of a
group protesting the lack of
shelters for the homeless to
use for sleeping.
It is illegal for them to sleep
under the bridges, on the sidewalk,etc
unless they are protesting...then it is ok.


Barbara in her sleek office.
She is firm in her denials of loans!


Tuba player in the Chervona band.
www.chervona.com



Leader of the Chervona band!


video of the Chervona Band

Martial Arts dancers in the Pearl District

Eggplant from the garden! Yum!

Our veggie garden has been very generous to us

this summer with lots of veggies including lots of Japanese eggplants.....Our favorite way to prepare and eat them is

by making Baba Ganooj....a yummy garlicky dip for bread....

and here's the recipe from the New Joy Of Cooking cookbook...

YUM.