Today’s photo is of a lonely pumpkin in the snow. He looks like a squirrel has taken a couple of bites of him. A pop of color in the snow. The snow is raining down today, leaving slush on the walk and the icy snow already on the ground.
I am going to try and take a new photo a week and post on Saturdays.
This week’s photo comes because we switched two rooms today. On the wall of the one room I found this:
It says “I Love You Mom” As if perhaps I wouldn’t be as mad at the writing on the wall because he loves me?
My son Chris was jumped and had his bike stolen on December 23rd.
He was riding his bike that he had added a motor to. He had this bike less than two weeks. We installed the engine on it on the 12th. Click pictures to embiggen.
The assailants were waiting and jumped him when he went by. This was by an empty parking lot that has two entrances, one on the main road my son was riding on, and one on the street to the north. The assailants beat him and took the bike to a dark van in the lot and they escaped out the northern entrance to the lot. He was on Grand, between Jackson and Pine. The Bike Path isn’t lit, so it’s not a good place to ride at night. You can see the tree lined lot between Grand and Porter near the center of the embedded map.
He put the motor on a bike to get places faster than pedaling alone. It’s what he could afford. What he really needs is a car. He’d be a lot safer.
We can’t buy him a car. I’ve set up a GoFundMe so we can try to get some help to get him a car and insurance.
Early on a beautiful Sunday morning 73 years ago, the world changed.
At 7:55 a.m local. December 7, 1941 the attack begins.
The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor to remove what it saw as a threat to the empire’s southern expansion. The Pearl Harbor attack hurt us badly, but it also hardened our resolve and brought us fully into WWII.
Snopes has some photos that were purported to be found in an old Brownie camera years after the attack. The story was untrue, but the photos are archival and genuine.
The U.S. Navy has a Pearl Harbor site with more photos.
Chris at A Large Regular has linked to this National Geographic Pearl Harbor site in the past. It has a multimedia timeline, survivor stories, kid’s section, and more.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Recipe after the jump
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Armistice Day, Veterans’ Day, Remembrance Day
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month…
In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Written by Lt-Colonel John McRae (1915)
| Dietary | Gluten Free |
| Meal type | Main Dish, Soup |
| Misc | Freezable, Pre-preparable, Serve Hot |
This recipe uses the potatoes themselves to thicken the soup. You can add a bit milk if the soup is too thick, or add a bit of Wondra flour, cornstarch, or instant mashed potatoes if it's not thick enough.
Use the chives or green onions or both!
This recipe uses Yukon Gold potatoes because they are both starchy and can hold their shape for the chunky bits. You can also use Russet or baking potatoes.
| Step 1 | |
| Cook diced potatoes until cooked, but still firm. Set aside. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Cook bacon in the soup pan until most of the fat has rendered out. Set bacon aside. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Put onions in pan with bacon fat. Cook until translucent. | |
| Step 4 | |
| Deglaze with 2/3 of the chicken broth/stock | |
| Step 5 | |
| If you don't have a stick blender, take 2/3 of the potatoes and 1/3 of the chicken broth and puree in a regular blender or food processor and then add to the pan. | |
| Step 6 | |
| If you do have a stick blender, add the rest of the broth and 2/3 of the potatoes to the pan and puree with the stick blender. | |
| Step 7 | |
| Add the sour cream and 2/3 of the cheese, stirring until incorporated. | |
| Step 8 | |
| Add 2/3 of the chives or green onions (or both!), 2/3 of the reserved bacon, and the reserved potatoes to the soup. | |
| Step 9 | |
| Divide into bowls for serving using reserved bacon, cheese, and chives/onions for garnish. | |
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