Last week we went to Open Farm Sunday, sponsored by Cabot Creamery Cooperative, and hosted by a local farm. Awesome Daughter was not interested in staying too long, until...they offered her complimentary corn chowder and sharp cheddar cheese. It was somewhat coincidental, as we were talking about making corn chowder for dinner. VB presents a short tour of the farm. We had fun. And, of course, everyone on the tour behaved like a bunch of schoolkids at a petting zoo!
Below: The old main barn, where we were greeted and fed.
Below 2 photos: Cows are hungry creatures. Some of these animals produce enormous amounts of milk each day, others - not so much. Added up though, they provide us with our daily intake of main dairy products. They are also very friendly creatures, or at least that's what VB thought.
Below: This is a mechanical milking machine. All cows teats are wiped clean with antibacterial wash, milked, then washed clean again, and given a soothing cream so their teats stay nice and soft - something of that nature. And for cows unable to get into the milking center, say too pregnant, they have portable milking machines! Wow, and VB thought she was going to see the real McCoy milking procedure (dude sitting on a wooden bucket, hand milking the cow - VB's kinda behind the times on some of this new technological stuff.)
Below: The milk tank, with magnetic messages about farming and farming in Connecticut.
Below: One of the messages, which VB highly recommends - buy local.
Below: The pregnant cows. Don't they look overly friendly! That's because (VB found out,) Awesome Daughter was carrying dog treats in her pocket and they totally wanted to be with her!
Below: This is a calf barn. These calves are a bit older, and they get transferred here to socialize after being moved from the greenhouse. The two calves below are not dairy cows. They will be on your dinner table one of these days. This farm also sells beef (Angus), and you can order from them (you know like a whole side, a quarter, something like that.) At this size, they also have their horns taken off, so they don't injure each other. Apparently, with horns, when they are hungry and pushing through the throng of other cattle, they poke and injure each other inadvertently. The horn removal prevents that from happening.
Below: Our last stop was at the calf greenhouse. We saw a calf, just born the day before. These are calves that are very young, still nursing, and isolated as they have a habit of mistaking each other for their mothers, sucking, and yes, causing injury. Here (next 3 photos) we have a female calf, who is absolutely smitten with VB's camera strap!
Below: Awesome Daughter pets the female calf.
Below: You can see her again. She's the only one standing, waiting for more visitors
to welcome.
Below: After our Open Farm visit, we stopped at our local farm stand to buy corn for our chowder. The stand was closed, but still open for business. They have a slot in the wooden windows for money. Here pumpkins are on display so you can gauge the size when you buy one. There's a sign with prices on the window. Many farm stands around here are unattended / self serve.
Below 2 photos: Our corn chowder and grilled sandwiches.
Our day started out great. The weather had cooled about ten degrees, with a threat of rain. We took our umbrellas. We were on our way to The Capitol Building. We walked from a Foggy Bottom hotel to the Ellipse, where we relieved ourselves (well, at least VB did) and sat while enjoying the sights, such as the one below. Segways can be rented to tour the Capitol. Something we didn't know, but became apparent after seeing numerous nerdy people on them, all over the place.
Below: A geek on a Segway taking a photo of the geese, no doubt, as there was really nothing else there. Would VB lie to you? Believe me you, things change from just plain strange to outrageous on this day.
VB wanted to walk to The Capitol Building for two reasons: (1) She had never seen it before, from the Mall view - close-up and personal; (2) We were informed by our Pakistani doorman that a major Jumaa pray-in event was scheduled, and 50,000 Muslims were to be there at 1:00 PM on Friday! VB performed her usual Google search and found Islam On Capitol Hill, with all the details. That's a got-to-see thing. A be-in for any Muslim worth their snuff. Sort of like a March On Washington for Muslims. Amazed, VB had settled on walking down there to view the event. And, as we all know, nothing goes as planned.
First there were the protesters. As we approached The Capitol, this is what we saw, below.
Question: When do they start burning the crosses?
As we got closer, the protesters were gathered at strategic points (of course) to annoy all who passed by, and particularly Muslims attending this event. The speaker below reminded VB of the protesters at the Republican National Convention, 2004, in New York City. All these people are comparable to the God Hates Fags group, from the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas headed by Fred Phelps. Apparently God hates all those who don't agree with Mr. Phelps. All these protesters are more concerned with what happens after death, than how we conduct ourselves during our lifetime.
From The Washington Post, Muslim Prayers at Capitol Stir Protests: "The event, called "Islam on Capitol Hill," is designed to highlight how U.S. Muslims can coexist with their fellow Americans. Hassen Abdellah, the lead organizer of the event, called on people to come to the Capitol to "pray for peace and understanding between America and its Muslim community.""
"But this week, some conservative Christians have called the event a threat to Christian values."
Here (below) the megaphone for one of the protesting groups.
We crossed the street towards The Capitol, and it looked blocked off, so we turned around. This is the group with the above mentioned megaphone. What caught VB's attention was the "Jail To The Chief" banner. Yep! That's got religion (ahem, racism) written all over it!
Below - This is about twenty minutes before the Jumaa Prayers are to begin, and the attendance looks small.
We sit for awhile, as we've walked at least two miles from Foggy Bottom. Some of the attendees (below) gather at the Capitol Reflection Pool to dress (and possibly wash their feet?) Meanwhile, some Christian Indians (South Asian) decide to try to convert us from our fallen away lives to saving our souls - that's what matters the most you know - saving souls. They don't want us to get Left Behind.
Below - A few attendees, in bright dishdashas, cross the street towards The Capitol Building.
Below - Protesters on another corner - arguing.
Below - VB climbs onto the wall around the Reflection Pool for a better shot.
Below - The view behind VB. You can clearly see the Washington Monument straight ahead, with the National Book Fair tent in front, and the Smithsonian Castle protruding to the left. It's quite a sight.
Below - The two most annoying people in the universe this day. They persisted in standing at the corner where most prayer attendees were dropped off, screeching into a megaphone sins, should people not follow the one, the only, Jesus Christ. Pathetic that these people don't understand that Islam views Jesus as a prophet, as well. Oh, and that fornication sin with the special coloring - how in hell would we have any embryos or unborn babes to save if people didn't fornicate, and furthermore, perhaps this sad soul's parents should have had safe sex, or no sex at all!
Below - A video VB took with her new iPhone. She personally heard the guy with the megaphone declare, as he pointed across the street toward the prayer meeting, "This is a declaration of waaaar!" The video is rather boring, since he tamed his rhetoric down to mediocre religious punditry once he got on to his megaphone. Still, it was annoying - very, very annoying. At one point VB heard a police officer declare, "All those people (protesters), are ex-child offenders, wife abusers, alcoholics, and / or drug addicts." That was nice! No that was actually sweet!
Below - As we cross the street, this man is holding signs and declares, "I'm here in peace. You'll get no argument." Why does VB not trust him?
Then, just as we pass him, the toxic group appears - the ones that accost you, argue with you, and try to stop you, and eventually make you so angry you want to smite them (like with your umbrella)! We passed right by, while they were in the midst of arguments with other passers by, as you can see below.
We finally figured out (duh) that we could just walk right in to the prayer meeting ourselves - which we did. This photo below is from inside the lines, up close (but not too close) and personal (not really). The Boss Man was pushing VB to leave as we had another engagement. The prayer meeting was running late - very late - like forty-five minutes late.
Below - One of the Indian Christians predicted that he thought the crowd would swell to five thousand people for the meet. He said they had quite a good publicity show. Really? VB only knew of it a couple of days before, and no news agencies seemed to be covering it at all.
VB's last shot from the wall, before leaving, and there's no way this crowd will make fifty thousand, much less five thousand! Sad but true. According to the Washington Post, which has a great video at the link, and the only news outlet that seemed to care enough to even mention this event, At Capitol, a Day of Muslim Prayer and Unity: "Nearly 3,000 people gathered on the west lawn of the Capitol on Friday for a mass Muslim prayer service that was part religion and part pep rally for the beleaguered U.S. Muslim community.""We wanted to bring people out to show you don't need to fear America," said Imam Ali Jaaber of Dar-ul-Islam mosque in Elizabeth N.J., the service's main organizer. At the same time, he said, he wanted to remind non-Muslims that "we are decent Muslims. We work; we pay taxes. We are Muslims who truly love this country.""
Across the street from the service, Christian protesters gathered with banners, crosses and anti-Islamic messages. One group, which stood next to a 10-foot-tall wooden cross and two giant wooden tablets depicting the Ten Commandments, was led by the Rev. Flip Benham of Concord, N.C.
"I would suggest you convert to Christ!" Benham shouted over a megaphone. Islam "forces its dogma down your throat." A few Christian protesters gathered at the rear of the Muslim crowd, holding Bibles and praying.
At one point, organizers asked them to tone it down.
"We would never come to a prayer meeting that you have to make a disturbance," Hamad Chebli, imam of the Islamic Society of Central Jersey, said from the lectern. "Please show us some respect. This is a sacred moment. Just as your Sunday is sacred, our Friday is sacred.""
VB says, "Amen!"
Below: The belligerence doesn't end, as we try to leave.
We walked around the way we arrived. This is the view from the other side of the Capitol Building, as we depart.
The Internet and newspapers are all agog about the new film Julie and Julia. VB couldn't wait to see it. We try to do some sort of family thing every year. One year it might be the "New Years Day Hangover Movie," and another year it might be a Broadway show (usually a musical) and dinner. This special day typically occurs during the fall / winter holiday season. It all started when Elmer, VB's father-in-law would give everyone $50.00 and VB decided to treat the family to a movie. As we moved on, and out of the mid-west, it eventually turned into a fancier affair. And, let VB add, it cost way more than the $50.00 we used to get from Elmer. This year, even though we will be in the USA for Thanksgiving, given the minute amount of time college students have, it renders us without a proper visit to "The City" for a play. Plus, we plan on spending Christmas in Cairo this year. Yes, we will visit a lot of antiquities, but it just doesn't match the excitement we have of taking the train to New York, going to a show, having a special dinner, and freezing our asses off, as well.
This year VB promised, if everyone went to see Julie and Julia with her, she would make French Onion Soup, which she hasn't made since we moved from Abu Dhabi. Yes, the family began to drool. So, it was decided this past week was the week for that special date. Then Awesome Daughter decided she too would contribute a dish. She's the baker of the family, having made bread from scratch and kneading it with her own two hands (VB uses the KitchenAid for that). The Boss Man added that it would be great to have steak, and so VB decided to include Julia's Caesar Salad.
We went to the matinee and a bunch of very elderly folks showed up. We're talking about the Depends group. It was somewhat depressing, but then later Awesome Daughter reassured VB that Julie, through her blog, reawakened the love for Julia and cooking amongst the younger folks, although it would be hard to discern from the average age of the audience. I particularly felt bad for Number One Son. This is not a movie he would have seen on his own. His favorite part was the SNL skit with Dan Akroyd pretending to be Julia Child.
After we came home, Awesome Daughter made VB a martini with Tanqueray Rangpur Gin (they sucked martinis down in the movie, one after another, while lounging around. Well, at least Julia and her friends did. And it reminded VB of just how good, and potent, a gin martini is.) It was delicious, and VB was pretty much plastered before half the dinner was cooked.
Days before, Awesome Daughter made Creme Fraiche for her dinner contribution. We were somewhat skeptical, leaving it out to brew (below) for 24 hours. Bubbling, it looked like some sort of ooze you might grow in a science class.
Here Awesome Daughter tops off the cake. She made Chocolate Raspberry Ruffle Cake (video), which involves quite a few steps, several of which require refrigeration in-between. If you watch the video at the link, it looks as though Julia and Alice Medrich seamlessly make this cake throughout a few hours. The creme fraiche was started several days before; the chocolate shavings too; the cake was baked and almost completely assembled the day before. Below - the final step to the cake - the topping, which included chocolate shavings, raspberries, and creme fraiche.
Awesome Daughter feels a need to taste the French Onion Soup.
Meanwhile, due to differing preferences as to the doneness of steaks, two are on while the rare ones await. VB was going to buy sliced filets from COSTCO. Every time she does that, she gets at least one, but more like two crappy cuts in the package of four. So VB decided to go whole tenderloin. She bought the PSMO (side muscle and fat have already been removed.) Saveur has an excellent article on how to butcher your own whole tenderloin: Cutting a Beef Tenderloin. As a result, VB gets quite a few nice steaks, and then the end for tenderloin tips.
That white goo is the creme fraiche. The cake was worth the while, and we devoured it, along with our neighbor.
The bookcase aka Julia Child section of our library. The recipes we used are from The Way To Cook, Baking With Julia, and Julia and Jacques Cooking At Home.
And as VB shoots the pics of the books, she's being spied upon by a nosy little kitten.
For some fun. Julia Child was a guest on The David Letterman Show several times. Here Dave is young and fresh, Paul still has a few scraps of hair on his head, and is hardly as flashy as he is these days. Julia, well she's Julia - playing along, and embarrassing Dave. And, lastly, Dave's done some cooking on his own as you will see.
VB loves this ad. It stars Robert Carlyle, a Scottsman who VB can actually understand. We have seen these Johnny Walker ads more overseas, than in the U.S.A., like the one with Harvey Keitel.
BTW, VB checked the liquor cabinet here in Connecticut and it seems we favor Kentucky Bourbon, Rye Whiskey, and Canadian Whiskey over Scotch. VB personally doesn't drink any of these. She's a gin hound. Still, these ads are always very good, but this one excels. A bit long, it's a mini movie, but well worth the time.
"'The Man Who Walked Around The World' starring Robert Carlyle"
This past Sunday, Hilltop Farm, had "George Hendee Day Motocycle Rally". According to the notification: "Indian riders have a special camaraderie and loyalty. For many years, an Indian rally was held at the Indian Motocycle Museum, which was housed in a former Indian manufacturing facility in Springfield. Many that traveled a long distance would camp at the farm of Russell Longey in Chester, Mass., and travel to the rally in the morning. The museum closed four years ago and the rally stopped, but Russell and his group—the Pioneer Valley Indian Rally—continued the annual gathering. With Russell’s encouragement and assistance, an Indian Motorcycle Rally is now being held on the farm that Hendee built."
We hopped on up the road to take a look at the motorcycles and VB's first time visiting the local farm.
Below: If memory serves VB right, this is a 1945 Indian Motocycle.
Some farm photos: Most are self explanatory. Below: The large door where everyone seems to be standing, is the dairy barn. (Cow scene taken by Number One Son.)
The dairy barn (below) is being renovated, and will eventually (they say) be opened to visitors.
Survey: Food + driving = disaster "Just how much of a problem is this? Exxon surveyed 1,000 drivers and discovered more than 70 percent eat while driving and 83 percent drink beverages.
The NHTSA study cites these driver distractions as the top reasons for car crashes - and ultimately higher auto insurance rates:
Using a cell phone Reaching for a moving object Looking at an object or event outside of the vehicle Reading Tweeting Applying makeup"
TAKING CARE OF HISTORY, ONE CAR AT A TIME "Today, Hosny claims, it is the only living example of a fully restored 1960 Karmann Gia, an expensive collector’s item abroad. It was spotted under an oily rag, with chicken bones and dead rats inside, left in the garage after its owner passed away and his inheritors had no clue what to do with it." VB previously focused on this car, before meeting Hosny earlier this year. The photos of his Karmann pre-restoration are here.
Rolling and roaming in New Zealand by camper van "Because we're members of the club ourselves, we never considered anything but a VW camper van for exploring New Zealand. Back home, our 1987 Vanagon, Hanz, has taken us from Los Angeles to Maine and back again. And in trips to France, Spain and the Netherlands, we've found that renting VW campers makes even vacations abroad affordable. This was especially true for New Zealand, where, thanks to a favorable exchange rate of 55 cents U.S. to $1 New Zealand, our rental cost just $66 a day."
Henrietta newlyweds VW-bus their honeymoon "The park-crazy Wootens — they were married at Letchworth State Park last October — recently returned from a 4½-month honeymoon that would make recreational vehicle owners smile and old hippies tear up.
With their cat “Fink” and dog “Westy” as companions, Kim and Josh camped in 24 states from January to May, traveling in a vintage 1978 VW bus, specifically, a Westfalia conversion pop-up painted lime green and bearing peace symbol stickers."
We ended up waiting 12 days in the dry, dusty, anarchic frontier town on the southern shores of Lake Nasser, before our boat arrived to take us to Egypt. A few weeks after we passed that way, the land border between Sudan and Egypt was reopened for the first time in decades.
Getting a car into Egypt is a bureaucratic nightmare, which was compounded for us by the fact that our carnet de passage, the car's customs "passport," was not valid for Egypt. But, with a little creativity on our part, and an inability to read the Roman alphabet on the part of the customs officer, we were allowed into the country on Egyptian customs temporary plates without too much hassle and without paying the 300 percent temporary import duty.
From there to Cairo it was paved roads all the way. We stopped on route to visit Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, and to do some scuba diving on the Red Sea, before finally rolling triumphantly into Cairo's anarchic traffic, having driven for seven months and 15,000 miles since leaving home. What's more, we crossed one of the most difficult continents on the planet without a single breakdown or puncture. The only mechanical failure, apart from a few oil leaks, was a cracked cooling fan, which we had welded up in Ethiopia.
Seeing the Great Pyramids at Giza was a very emotional moment, as it marked the end point of Cape to Cairo for us.
We had made it on a wing and a prayer in an ancient vehicle, and in the face of very many people who told us we would never make it."
Hi-de-Hi glampers "The term glamorous camping (glamping) arrived on our shores last year, heading straight into the urban dictionary alongside 'chillax' and 'Primani' and will no doubt be followed by the latest buzz words 'Aldirati' and 'stacation'.
But it’s not just tipis and yurts that have achieved glamping status. For the practical glamper, there are VW vans. And before you dismiss the VW van as somewhere you may have lost your virginity one hazy and somewhat forgettable evening in the nineties with a hippy called Moonshine, vwcamperhire.net in The Lake District (winner of the British Travel Awards 2008) offers a team of stylish, charismatic campervans, all affectionately named. In true glamping stylee there’s Billy the Bling Bus who comes complete with digital television and Play Station 2- a strong negotiating tool for the “spirited” child. But for a bit of vintage glamour, there’s simply no other choice than the post war American Airstream Trailers at vintagevacations.co.uk all beautifully restored, with cutesy furnishings and not forgoing modern amenities. Cocktail anyone?"
Forty years ago, when man landed on the moon, VB was at her parent's restaurant in a black neighborhood (as mentioned here.) A lot of folks in the neighborhood thought the moon landing was something concocted by the government, with assistance from Hollywood. In other words, it never happened, and we were being lied to. VB got numerous lectures from disbelieving adults on this subject as the week passed. So, in tribute to those memories, VB presents: Whitey on the moon - gil scott-heron
Expat currently living in Egypt. I'm not really a vagabond, but I would like to be. I do own an '87 VW Vanagon Camper (Weekender) and a 1965 VW Beetle Convertible.
I'm more of a rider on the corporate vagabond trail.
Views expressed here are mine and mine alone. If anyone feels insulted by this, or any other posts, don't worry I am a equal opportunity lampooner.
