Hey there, i am back to trying to blog about my life and happenings after two years away. i didnt have much to say then, maybe there will be more to say now. or, maybe not...
whats in the news? today i passed my Certified Beer Server exam at Cicerone.org, and the next step is Certified Cicerone. The Cicerone program is to beer what the Sommelier program is to wine. I got my Sommelier certificate a couple of years ago, but just now got around to getting my Cicerone Beer Server. I have to start studying for my Certified level test that takes place on April 11 in Seattle.
I am interested in brewing a beer for an event we have at mortons next month, but i am a little nervous. I should really take advantage of the opportunity as the VP of Wine and Spirits as well as the Beverage Manager for Morton's has given my brewing/beer their stamp of approval and have encouraged me to brew for the restaurants' special occasions. As far as i know, this kind of opportunity isn't extended to anyone else.
Me and Peggy and the boys went to Coos Bay after xmas to see my sisters and my mom and the family there. We had such a good time! it is always good to see my sisters and my mom, and visiting with Gary and Diane, plus Aaron and Dan (who we had not seen in five or more years) is always so nice too. We saw 30 different species of birds on the trip including 6 bald eagles. Duncan was able to assist a pine siskin who had hit the window a little too hard = he had learned some skills at the Audubon Society Vet 101 camp he had taken recently. Thanks Duncan! Archie always has a great time with Karis; they dress up and play and have a wild time. All six of the cousins seem to really enjoy each others company. Its just what i always wanted.
I am still at Morton's, which is changing a little this winter. we were bought by the Landry group of restaurants and as i have no idea at all what the future holds for my job as i know it, i am holding out hope that it remains relatively the same. Peg is still at AMC, the boys are at CSS.
Two years ago we didnt have chickens, now we do. We got them late last summer and they were just tiny little things, a week old and could perch on my toe. Now they are much larger but not yet full grown. It seems that i am always making improvements on the coop and the run i built for them, and i always think "OK, this is the last dollar i spend on this coop." Segue into >>> i used to use the argument that brewing beer at home is cheaper than buying beer at freddies. I will strive to remember my words when the chickens start laying eggs. "raising chickens is cheaper than buying eggs." but, it isnt, it cant be. if i have spent $200 on housing the chickens and other paraphernalia, i cant think i will make up my money too quickly. Just guessing? it could take 800 eggs from these chickens to make up for the money i spent on their house and initial setup, which could be 2-3 years of eggs. But, i know its true, its not all about the eggs. These chickens are really a lot of fun. i love to watch them run around and strut and hide and dig around and peck and take dustbaths. And peggy loves it far more than i do.
The kids are wonderful, raising them is the most fun i have, next to being married, which i love more than anything.
Thats it for now. more in less than two years....
10.1.12
2.3.09
a ruckus
this afternoon there were a dozen crows flying around the neighborhood raising cain; i had seen hawks in the skies recently, although we live a mile or more from the freeway, where the red-tailed hawks are plentiful. I had seen an adult Cooper's in the tree across the street last week, and a juvenile last year on top of our car, so i expected that the crows were trying to bully one of the Cooper's. What i didnt expect was an immature red-tailed hawk to land in our tree and stay there long enough for me to get a few pictures and round up the family, including my darling wife who was showering at the time, to come outside and take a look at this magnificent bird. the picture does it no justice whatsoever, the day was ultra-bright, the bird was very close, alert, looking into my eyes through the binoculars, it was exciting for us all.
17.2.09
Bitte kann ich habe ein alt Bier
it turned out delicious, that Alt style i made two weeks ago. Malty, red in color (my favorite color of anything is red) and very very quaffable.
14.2.09
Being Out There
GBBC was pretty much all i did today, and for a long time all i was able to view were the regulars... I guess i had hoped something exotic might drop in, a brown pelican or something swoops in for some millet. No of course not. Just juncos and chickadees and the like. Later on at their second feeding i saw the american goldfinch stop in, and the hummingbird no one has seen for 4 weeks was at the feeder for a moment. A pair of golden crowned sparrows, and two pairs of house finches were the only other variety from the morning feeding.
So we changed our point of view.
We got in the car and drove to Battle Ground Lake State Park up the road in Washington. It was busy with families fishing in the picturesque lake, a couple of boats putt-putting around. It was quiet, it was quick to get to, and it had no birds.
My wonderful wife and my two young but growing boys and I took a trail around the lake, maybe a little over a mile. One of our greatest pleasures is walking in the wild, and we are getting our kids' boots muddy whenever we can all get moving in the same direction-to the woods.
It was a beautiful walk, great fun for all of us, but devoid of any birds at all save for the mallards on the lake and the poor dead cormorant we came across on the trail. We came across a dozen people fishing, we climbed over rocks and roots and looked and listened... it was a really nice walk.
On the sunny side of the lake we saw some common mergansers and some living cormorants. After my wife and oldest son ran from my youngest and me down the trail in search of quieter adventure, the pair of us made our way slowly and rewardingly down the trail. A 'jar' of pygmy nuthatches had us diving for cover as these speedy little grey bullets came at us chest high. Really cool for us both.
Another hundred yards or more we heard an irregular thumping coming from the hill above us. I thought it was just a camper setting up a tent and ignored it for a minute. I listened for any bird call and heard nothing. Nothing but that thump getting louder. I searched the tall trees for a second and was thrilled to see a female pileated woodpecker. The largest woodpecker in North America. I had always wanted to see this bird, it was very big, very impressive in its hammering and throwing bark out of its hole, and just really a gorgeous bird. I only wish i had had the camera.
The last bird we came across was a tiny, curious winter wren. I have a pair of bewicks wrens in the backyard, and this was half their size.
Archie and i finished our walk, caught up with the other half of our family and we played on the play structure there. We scoped out the campground in search of future camping possibilities, then we got in the car and drove home. Along the way I counted half a dozen red tailed hawks, some perched, one in flight.
I realize its not "backyard" bird counting, but we had a great time of it, our family had a very nice little trip to a nearby woodsy destination and i got to see an exotic bird after all.
So we changed our point of view.
We got in the car and drove to Battle Ground Lake State Park up the road in Washington. It was busy with families fishing in the picturesque lake, a couple of boats putt-putting around. It was quiet, it was quick to get to, and it had no birds.
My wonderful wife and my two young but growing boys and I took a trail around the lake, maybe a little over a mile. One of our greatest pleasures is walking in the wild, and we are getting our kids' boots muddy whenever we can all get moving in the same direction-to the woods.
It was a beautiful walk, great fun for all of us, but devoid of any birds at all save for the mallards on the lake and the poor dead cormorant we came across on the trail. We came across a dozen people fishing, we climbed over rocks and roots and looked and listened... it was a really nice walk.
On the sunny side of the lake we saw some common mergansers and some living cormorants. After my wife and oldest son ran from my youngest and me down the trail in search of quieter adventure, the pair of us made our way slowly and rewardingly down the trail. A 'jar' of pygmy nuthatches had us diving for cover as these speedy little grey bullets came at us chest high. Really cool for us both.
Another hundred yards or more we heard an irregular thumping coming from the hill above us. I thought it was just a camper setting up a tent and ignored it for a minute. I listened for any bird call and heard nothing. Nothing but that thump getting louder. I searched the tall trees for a second and was thrilled to see a female pileated woodpecker. The largest woodpecker in North America. I had always wanted to see this bird, it was very big, very impressive in its hammering and throwing bark out of its hole, and just really a gorgeous bird. I only wish i had had the camera.
The last bird we came across was a tiny, curious winter wren. I have a pair of bewicks wrens in the backyard, and this was half their size.
Archie and i finished our walk, caught up with the other half of our family and we played on the play structure there. We scoped out the campground in search of future camping possibilities, then we got in the car and drove home. Along the way I counted half a dozen red tailed hawks, some perched, one in flight.
I realize its not "backyard" bird counting, but we had a great time of it, our family had a very nice little trip to a nearby woodsy destination and i got to see an exotic bird after all.
backyard bird count
even if your interest is small, or mini-obsessive like mine, find 15 minutes to relax in your yard and take notice of the birds there. if you dont submit your results to the GBBC website, you've at the very least spent 15 minutes relaxing! if you do want to log your viewing, go to their website and follow the instructions there. http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
Have fun!
Have fun!
9.2.09
BMW
Let me take you back to 1968, February. car # 286 off of the line. the 287th model 2002 ever built. I am a proud owner once more. I bought this car in 1991 and drove it regularly for 2 years until i went to Russia for 4 months, so i sold it to my sister who needed a car. To Destroy. She then gave it up to my mom. To Ignore. And ignore she did, with a little Destroy tossed in for good measure. I stayed out of it, i was driving a 1975 2002 for a few years so i figured they could do what they wanted. Deep down i did feel bad. It was a precious car to me, that '68.
It has been parked in a coastal town for the past 5 years, mostly under cover, though the engine bonnet gets some rain and droppings from the myrtle tree nearby. Surprisingly, there is little other to distract from its inner beauty. the interior needs some love, though the headliner is in great shape! It still has that giant steering wheel, those awful 318i seats i put in it thinking they might be more comfortable, and the gear shift still wobbles.
the windows are in good shape, but the window gaskets need replacing. The biggest deal i need to tackle is the brakes. it needs new ones all around, as well as the hydraulic thingy under the lid. master cylinder, thats the word. i need to replace it.
And then, occasionally, you may see me with my elbow hanging out the window of a shiny blue, tiny, zippy, and all around fun to drive, old car.
8.2.09
ghost bird
i had a sparrow taking a bath so i grabbed my crappy camera and this is what i got. Ghost Bird!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
