| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Two weeks on the ship.... should be fun once we get out the door and on the road! | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A written expression of a 65year old plus retired Speech and Language Specialist in the Central Valley of California.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Cruise Itinerary
Upgrading to Mountain Lion
The latest system upgrade from apple seems to be a winner.
My system was stuck in Jaguar... 10.6. With 19.95 and a trip through apple's new app store accessible through the black apple in Jaguar and on the docket on other versions.. I downloaded and upgraded two levels with the new apple system.
Up until now there was no compelling reason why I should upgrade. The new aperature, the newest version 3.3 was available only if you had upgraded your system to 10.8. Once the apple system was upgraded, the new versions of Apple's IPhoto and Aperature were easily and automatically available and free through the upgrade process over the web. My agreement sent the upgrades through the wires and on to the old programs.
The new Apple Aperature shares a single library with Iphoto and the results of each are reflected backk in its original program. The Iphoto libraries and the Aperature libraries needed to be updated to accommodate this sharing ability. This was not a big deal. The single library when the right side of the mouse is pressed asks if you want to open the library in Iphoto or Aperature. Only smart albums in Aperature need to use Aperature to effect changes. The changes made to the image in one software program are reflected when the other program is used. Iphoto is know for its cool effects. If you are looking for antique look in an Aperature photo, it might be easier to load it in from the modifcations you made in IPhoto.
There are significant changes in the look and feel of the interfaces too from the changes. The overall move of apple is to highlight the subject matter in brilliant color and downplay through grays the menu pieces. The browser Chrome from goggle also is characteristic of this new design scheme. Aperature is changed to reflect info instead of metadata as one of the categories at the top of Aperature.
The upgrade is simple. It just took time. The upgrade took about 2 hrs to complete. What resulted is recognizable faster mac. It moves through the panes with noticeable increases in speed.
Under the hood if you read the background on the Lion and now the mountain lion versions you will notice that the system has abandoned its Motorola IBM processor predecessors and its full speed ahead with the speed jumps available in the Intel core 2 and better processors.
So far the only thing that I have had to catch up on was new java upgrade and a new flash upgrade. It seems that all the other software has been modified for the big switch.
The new system software has a propensity to include cloud compatibility with its mood. That can be turned off when the system is first loaded into the computer.
So onward and forward... Mountain Lion lives on my computer!
: ) Pat
Sunday, January 13, 2013
The Best Weekend of the NFL
This weekend was the best weekend for the NFL fans. Some would argue that the super bowl would supersede this weekend, but in my opinion this division weekend is the best.
1) Quantity: There are more quality games this weekend than any other weekend in the season. On this weekend the NFL has sorted itself down to the last four teams eligible to play for the Super Bowl. There are no teams that limp into this weekend and play.
2) Accessibility: These games are not played on channels that only the few with cable or extended satellite can see. The games are broadcasted on Fox and CBS. They are played on channels that everyone can get.
3) High Stakes: The loser in each of these games does not play anymore in the season. Unlike other sports which provide a series with the winner of the best of 3, best of 5 or the best of seven, this sport does not allow for a temporary lapse in performance.
4) Plain simple football: Unlike the super bowl that can get all caught up in side shows and pageantry, and fancy expensive commercials; this weekend is just about the game and ints players.
5) Record is rewarded: Those teams with the best records get to play at home. In the super bowl, the game is played at a neutral site. This is not the case for the games this weekend. They are played at the home of the division winners. The wildcard teams, those teams that did not win their divisions had to play an extra game to reach the division games of this weekend.
6) A great season is honored: The teams that play on this weekend can all say that they have had a great season this year. Even if they lost, they know that they had a season better than 28 other teams in the NFL. A loss here is still pretty darn good. I have often thought that if a team were to lose on this weekend it would be the best for all of the fans. How do the fans feel with their team loses at the next level... We were one play... we were one dropped pass from playing in the Super Bowl. What about the team that loses in the Super bowl. Their fans are moping because the came sooooo close. If the team wins the super bowl... its not enough. They must one year after year. You basically cannot win in the playoffs and still think that it is enough. The insatiable fan base will haunt the team from year to year.
On the Saturday Games:
The games on this weekend did not disappoint if you were looking for entertainment value.
The Ravens beat the Broncos in 1 degree weather in Denver. A double overtime period was needed to make this happen,
The 49ers beat the Green Bay Packers with plenty of offense. More than 70 points were scored to get the 49ers to the next level.
On the Sunday games:
The Atlanta Falcons beat the Seattle Seahawks with a last minute field goal.
The New England Patriots ran away with the Houston Texans in the second half to move on to the next weekend game.
So next week.. to determine who will go to the Super Bowl and represent the two conferences,the 49ers will play the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta and New England Patriots will host the Baltimore Ravens.
There is a chance that the two brothers that are head coaches in the NFL will meet. The Harboughs have sons that are the head coaches of the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Shred Hunting
I found an interesting article in the Gunnison Times that referenced this Gunnison Colorado Parks and Wildlife alert. I had no idea that people were going into the woods looking for antlers that were shed by the deer and the elk.
The article that follows this explains why the antlers disappear in the woods by the summer season.
GUNNISON, Colo. -- For wildlife, winter is a stressful season when they can lose 30 percent or more of their body weight. Consequently, people should avoid disturbing Colorado's wild critters during cold weather months.
To minimize disturbance of animals in the Gunnison Basin, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is reminding people who collect big-game shed antlers of special regulations that restrict when antlers can be collected from public lands.
"Animals are under a lot of stress during the winter; the less energy they use unnecessarily the better their chances of surviving," said J Wenum, area wildlife manager in Gunnison for the agency. "Please, don't disturb big game on the winter range."
Those who violate the regulations can be fined $70, be assessed five penalty points against their hunting and fishing privileges and any antlers collected will be confiscated. Harassing wildlife is also illegal under state statute and can result in additional fines.
In the Gunnison Basin, where antler shed collecting is popular, there are two regulations in place to prevent disturbance of animals on public lands in big game management units 54, 55, 551, 66 and 67. Collection of shed antlers is prohibited on public lands within those units from Jan. 1 through March 14. From March 15 through May 15, shed antler collection is prohibited from legal sunset until 10 a.m.
Collecting of shed antlers for commercial use has grown during the last decade. At this time of year human activity in winter range can cause significant disturbance to deer, elk and to the Gunnison sage-grouse during the birds' mating period in early spring.
"These regulations have been in place for several years now, so collectors should know about them; no one can plead ignorance," Wenum said.
Commercial Antler Gathering? Why would there be a market for them?
This article from Oklahoma pinpoints why people are paying for antlers:
Whitetail deer in Oklahoma start shedding their antlers as early as late December and begin the process of growing new ones. A quick search of the Internet reveals a lot of people try to sell deer sheds. In Oklahoma, it's legal to sell sheds, but illegal to sell deer antlers with the skull attached. In some states, shed brokers will pay for deer sheds by the pound and then re-sell the antlers to crafters, carvers and furniture makers. Trophy sheds can sometimes net thousands of dollars. However, antler sheds cannot be taken from any of the state's public wildlife management areas without prior permission from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. On federal lands in Oklahoma, such as the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, antler sheds cannot be removed at all.
The elk in the Wichita Mountains shed their antlers in March and April, said Ralph Bryant, deputy manager at the refuge. There is a commercial market for elk antlers as most end up in Asia where it's believed they have medicinal value and are ground into various nutritional supplements. Bryant said several people have been caught and ticketed over the years for trying to remove sheds from the refuge. But he believes all of the violators were simply unaware of the regulation and were not hunting sheds for commercial reasons. The antlers are considered part of the wildlife and cannot be removed, Bryant said. The animals on the refuge (elk, bison, longhorn cattle and smaller critters) eat the antlers to get the calcium they need, he said. "Just about every bone or every antler that is left out gets consumed," Bryant said.
Antler Hunters – Shed-Hunting Techniques - by Lindsay Thomas Jr.
The article that follows this explains why the antlers disappear in the woods by the summer season.
GUNNISON, Colo. -- For wildlife, winter is a stressful season when they can lose 30 percent or more of their body weight. Consequently, people should avoid disturbing Colorado's wild critters during cold weather months.
To minimize disturbance of animals in the Gunnison Basin, Colorado Parks and Wildlife is reminding people who collect big-game shed antlers of special regulations that restrict when antlers can be collected from public lands.
"Animals are under a lot of stress during the winter; the less energy they use unnecessarily the better their chances of surviving," said J Wenum, area wildlife manager in Gunnison for the agency. "Please, don't disturb big game on the winter range."
Those who violate the regulations can be fined $70, be assessed five penalty points against their hunting and fishing privileges and any antlers collected will be confiscated. Harassing wildlife is also illegal under state statute and can result in additional fines.
In the Gunnison Basin, where antler shed collecting is popular, there are two regulations in place to prevent disturbance of animals on public lands in big game management units 54, 55, 551, 66 and 67. Collection of shed antlers is prohibited on public lands within those units from Jan. 1 through March 14. From March 15 through May 15, shed antler collection is prohibited from legal sunset until 10 a.m.
Collecting of shed antlers for commercial use has grown during the last decade. At this time of year human activity in winter range can cause significant disturbance to deer, elk and to the Gunnison sage-grouse during the birds' mating period in early spring.
"These regulations have been in place for several years now, so collectors should know about them; no one can plead ignorance," Wenum said.
Commercial Antler Gathering? Why would there be a market for them?
This article from Oklahoma pinpoints why people are paying for antlers:
Whitetail deer in Oklahoma start shedding their antlers as early as late December and begin the process of growing new ones. A quick search of the Internet reveals a lot of people try to sell deer sheds. In Oklahoma, it's legal to sell sheds, but illegal to sell deer antlers with the skull attached. In some states, shed brokers will pay for deer sheds by the pound and then re-sell the antlers to crafters, carvers and furniture makers. Trophy sheds can sometimes net thousands of dollars. However, antler sheds cannot be taken from any of the state's public wildlife management areas without prior permission from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. On federal lands in Oklahoma, such as the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, antler sheds cannot be removed at all.
The elk in the Wichita Mountains shed their antlers in March and April, said Ralph Bryant, deputy manager at the refuge. There is a commercial market for elk antlers as most end up in Asia where it's believed they have medicinal value and are ground into various nutritional supplements. Bryant said several people have been caught and ticketed over the years for trying to remove sheds from the refuge. But he believes all of the violators were simply unaware of the regulation and were not hunting sheds for commercial reasons. The antlers are considered part of the wildlife and cannot be removed, Bryant said. The animals on the refuge (elk, bison, longhorn cattle and smaller critters) eat the antlers to get the calcium they need, he said. "Just about every bone or every antler that is left out gets consumed," Bryant said.
Antler Hunters – Shed-Hunting Techniques - by Lindsay Thomas Jr.
Hunting shed antlers has become a sport in its own right in the last few years. Some people believe the spread of the Quality Deer Management (QDM) philosophy has resulted in balanced deer populations with more and older bucks, leading to higher success rates for shed hunters. Some people believe the reverse, that the hope of boosting shed-hunting success has led enthusiasts to QDM. Both are probably accurate. Regardless, it is true that hunting for sheds is an enhanced benefit of QDM and that shed hunters are finding many rewards beyond simply adding a new shed antler to their collection.
Many different people are hunting for shed antlers, some who are not even hunters. And there are different levels of seriousness. In Chester County, South Carolina, QDMA member Vernon Peers has figured out from several years of notes in his journal that February 22 is the best day of the year for him, his 15-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter to find sheds on their 200-acre farm. For the Peers, hunting sheds has become an annual tradition and a good way to find arrowheads, scout for the spring turkey season and spend time together.
In Udall, Kansas, QDMA member Randy Hoffman watches his trail cameras for bucks missing antlers on his 200-acre property. When the last antler has dropped, he begins glassing fields of wheat stubble on windy days, walking trails between food and cover, and checking bedding areas — the one time of year he enters them.
Dan Hess in Lyndon Station, Wisconsin, doesn't stop with his own hunting property in looking for sheds. He travels to multiple states and to Canadian provinces to hunt sheds in the off-season. He is part of a group of friends who are the officers of the North American Shed Hunting Club (NASHC), founded in 1991 (www.shedantlers.org). Dan serves as the assistant marketing director for the organization, an all-volunteer group made up of hunters who love “picking sheds” and who even keep an official record book of individual and matched sets of sheds. Dan's personal best is a single, non-typical shed that measures 95 2/8 (beam length, total tine length plus four circumferences, as in the Boone & Crockett Club method). His best typical is just under 80.
There are many reasons that all three men point to for why they enjoy and benefit from hunting sheds. And it's clear from talking to them that there is more to hunting sheds than walking in the woods.
When to Look For Sheds
As the information on this page explains, the timing of antler shedding varies from region to region, and local factors such as weather and nutrition can cause annual variability on a given site. For most areas of the country, February and March are peak months, though some hunters will find sheds earlier and later. Looking too soon or too late means wasted effort.
“If I don't find them before April 1, I won't find them,” said Vernon. “The mice and the squirrels get them.”
“Here in Wisconsin, squirrels and porcupines really chew up shed antlers,” said Dan. “You want to get to them as soon as you can. I once found a large shed that had not lain there long, and already two thirds of the antler was gone — it happened to fall by a big squirrel den tree. I've also found antlers that were three or four years old but pretty much intact, but that's uncommon.”
Observation of deer, whether first-hand with binoculars or with trail-camera pictures, is the best guide to timing your search. Already this year there are reports of earlier-than-usual shedding in some areas. QDMA member Ken Gallman of Virginia reported two bucks mistaken for does and shot in December. Both had already shed their antlers.
Where to Look For Sheds
The basics are simple according to experienced shed hunters: look for sheds in winter food sources, in bedding areas, and along trails in between these two areas.
“I'm very much a believer in checking a good, quality food source first,” said Dan. “If you have a good food source that you didn't pressure a lot during the season, the deer spend a lot of time there. My best luck in Wisconsin has been alfalfa fields that weren't cut late, with corn fields and bean fields being next in line. Any field that's got food left in it for the deer when they're dropping antlers is my number one pick.”
“We mostly find them in food plots, and mostly in the clover patches,” said Vernon, “partially because that's an easy place for the kids to walk, it's an easy place to spot a shed, and also because the deer spend a lot of time in those fields.”
Many deer managers have flattened ATV or even tractor tires on sheds. “If a farmer has lost a tractor tire to a shed, they have a tendency to let folks shed hunt,” said Dan. “A neighbor of ours had a soybean head on his combine get plugged when it picked up a big shed. They found the match a short distance away in the same bean field, and that buck was shot this year — it was right around 200 inches.”
In Kansas, Randy always starts with wheat fields and carefully scans large sections with binoculars. Shed antlers are well camouflaged in wheat straw and stubble, but wind can help, because sheds don't move in the wind. Also, glassing wheat fields is non-intrusive, said Randy.
“I?ended last year with a couple of matched sets and several singles just off wheat fields,” he said.
In areas where open water sources are scarce, water can be just as productive as food for shed hunting. This is often the case in the arid Southwest as well as in the North, where most water is frozen. “In the North, flowing water is the only open water you're going to find,”?said Dan.
After searching winter food sources first, these hunters begin working their way along all visible trails connecting feeding areas with bedding cover. Sheds may be found in and along trails at random locations, but certain sites tend to be more productive. Randy said he looks for places along trails where limbs, brush or other structures crowd the trail.
“I found a matched set last year, side by side, and they were in a place along a trail where the buck had to duck his head and wiggle through some brush,” he said. “It knocked both of them off right there.”
Fencerows are another great place to look. The impact of landing after a buck jumps a fence often jars antlers loose.
“We've had good luck with fence crossings and creek crossings,”?said Dan. “In fact I've found several sheds in water over the years. Any place where the deer have to jump is a good place to look. I've also had great success with railroad tracks, right in the ditch line where they're having to jump down.”
What About Sanctuaries?
Besides winter food sources, the most productive area to hunt for sheds is winter bedding cover. To some hunters, walking bedding areas sounds sinful. Creating sanctuaries has become popular in recent years, particularly on small tracts. Owners of smaller properties have learned that making their land more attractive to deer than surrounding lands — including sanctuary areas — is crucial to hunting success. Is it OK to enter these areas to hunt sheds?
“That's a real concern, because I?hunt on a small tract, and most of the tracts around me are small tracts,”?said Dan. “We have to be careful about kicking the deer out, because it's never far to the neighbor's property.”
Dan said he saves his bedding areas for when he knows most if not all bucks have shed their antlers, then he searches them quickly but thoroughly.
“I?almost feel like I'm doing something illegal by being there,” said Dan. “But I?go in one time, I'm thorough in searching it, then I get the heck out of there and I don't go back. Several of the guys I hunt with have areas that they go into only one time a year, and that's to hunt for sheds.”
Dan said he does not see signs that his activity, even in bedding areas, impacts deer use of his property. Randy and Vernon agree. “They're in a different pattern that time of year,” said Vernon. “Also, I think deer get used to our patterns. We're on our property just about every weekend of the year, planting trees, working on stands, mowing trails or doing something. We keep a pretty good population of deer on the land in spite of all that.”
Randy also said he doesn't think the disturbance is a problem that time of year, but he is still careful. “I'd rather leave the bedding areas alone until I?know those sheds are on the ground, and by using the trail cameras I can do that,” he said. “The cameras also give me clues to where specific bucks are hanging out when their antlers drop. I already know where to start looking.”
Ovals in snow or in bedding cover where deer actually bed down are productive for shed hunters because of the increased likelihood of finding matched sets as well as small shed antlers.
“We have a competition to see who can find the smallest sheds, and beds often produce those,” said Dan. “One guy found a shed that was 1 3/8 inches long, a matched set lying together in a bed. One of the neatest sheds I?ever saw was a matched set:?they were four inches in circumference and about an inch long, just knobs or silver-dollar sized blobs of antler. The guy never would have found that without finding it in a bed. It's very difficult to find small antlers.”
Many hunters think of bedding areas as being large areas of impenetrable thicket, but any small spot of grass or other cover tall enough to conceal a deer may serve as bedding cover. Beds may also be found in unexpected or unlikely places, and Dan said he believes this is particularly true for mature bucks.
“My biggest typical matched set that I've personally ever picked up was in an area like that,” he said. “I had hit every likely area I could possibly think of trying to find the match to this shed. There was a really thin strip of grass that was maybe a foot to 2 feet tall out in the open near a field, and I was going to pass it up, but I decided to look. I started to find really big, oval beds in this little strip, and then there it was.”
One final note for Northern shed hunters regarding winter cover: In the far northern regions of the United States and Canada, whitetails “yard” during extreme periods of harsh winter weather. Yarding is a survival mechanism, and deer that are driven out of yards by predators or people during extreme weather suffer high stress levels. If there are known yarding areas on your hunting land, avoid hunting sheds in these areas when winter weather is at its worst. Naturally, this isn't a difficult order — chances are good you'll be by a fireplace yourself and save shed hunting for clear, warmer days.
Searching Techniques
Being involved with the Shed Hunting Club, we hear a lot of people tell us they walked 16 hours and didn't find anything,”?said Dan. “A lot of that is because they're just stumbling through the woods. The number one mistake people make is they're not looking at the ground. I?know that sounds crazy, but you get out there and start seeing rubs, trails, scrapes, things you didn't know about, and you say, ‘Oh my, look at all the deer sign!' You can still look at the deer sign, but you have to slow down and look at the ground. I've found small antlers in alfalfa fields that you couldn't see even when you were within six feet of them.”
In woods and fields, be conscious of where your eyes are focused, Dan said. Though Dan said he stops, looks downrange around him, and even uses binoculars to scan fields, he spots the majority of his finds within six feet of where he stands.
“If you start picking up a lot of sheds in a hurry, it's time to slow down and look carefully, because they blend in so well, and you are not seeing all those antlers,” he said. “I've had days where I found several sheds in a good field. When I went back the next day, I found more that I hadn't seen. If I'm in a really good area, I put in the time.”
Because sheds can be harder to spot than most hunters think, training dogs to find sheds is growing in popularity. Advice on training a range of breeds to locate sheds, professional trainers, and trained dogs for sale can all be found on the Internet. Vernon has followed this advice and is working with his labradors with some early success.
Dan said he is considering this option because of the success many of his friends have had, but he is also hesitant. A dog can rapidly increase your success rate for finding shed antlers, but benefits such as property scouting will be reduced. Knowing exactly where a shed was dropped can offer useful hints for hunting season.
“There are dogs that are trained to retrieve the shed, and there are dogs that are trained to bark and wait for you to get there,” said Dan. “I would personally recommend a dog that will sit and alert you to the shed. Sometimes, where you find the shed, and the way it is lying, are just as important and interesting as the shed itself. We often take pictures of the sheds before we move them, because a lot of them are found in a unique way. Sometimes they are hung up in brush above the ground. I?can understand why people enjoy using dogs, because I love watching a bird dog work, but I?haven't decided if I'm going to try it with sheds. I just enjoy doing it myself.”
Outside of defined food sources, bedding areas and trails, hunting for sheds brings random success, but there is also the benefit of scouting all areas of a given property. Without a canine assistant, most shed hunters find that the biggest difficulty, particularly with large tracts, is ensuring thorough coverage of large blocks of woods.
“You could spend two days walking 50 acres of timber and not cover it the way you should,” said Randy. “I try to take it by sections and then follow a grid pattern in these smaller areas.”
Foresters use plot sampling to “cruise” and appraise timberlands, a method that ensures equal coverage of a tract. This involves evenly spaced cruise lines on an accurate tract map. The forester measures a set number of paces from a fixed landmark, such as a property corner marker, and uses flagging tape to mark where grid lines enter the woods. A compass is used to stay on these lines. Such a method could be useful for shed hunting a tract or block of woods, although having to regularly refer to your compass will slow you down somewhat.
Another technique is to use a GPS unit to track and visualize the ground you have covered on your wanderings and any gaps or holes that you missed.
Why Hunt for Sheds
Shed hunters mention numerous rewards besides collecting antlers or even finding a shed worthy of the NASHC record book. These include scouting for deer and turkey sign; learning a particular property or patrolling it for signs of trespassers; introducing young children or non-hunting family members to a hunting-related, outdoor pursuit; and exercise. For QDM practitioners, shed hunting is also a good way to monitor habitat, discover (and later encourage) preferred plant species, and track the whereabouts and antler growth of individual bucks over the course of seasons. Collectively, the sheds found annually give a clue as to the number of bucks by age and quality that survived the season, offering a glimpse of what to expect next year.
“Shed hunting is taking off beyond what we had hoped,”?said Dan. “It's a great scouting tool. It's a great way to be outdoors with your children.”
Deer hunters who practice QDM often find their way to this philosophy through different routes.The growth in shed hunting, Dan said, is leading many hunters to QDM who wouldn't otherwise have gone that direction.
“There aren't many people who care about shed hunting who are shooting yearling bucks,”?he said. “Once you discover shed hunting, you tend to want to see things grow. Shed hunters are serious about the animals, and we spend 12 months a year, or dern near it, in the woods. In that respect, shed hunting and QDM complement each other very well.”
About the Author: Lindsay Thomas Jr. is the editor of QDMA's Quality Whitetails magazine.
Friday, January 11, 2013
The Best Roast Chicken.. En Cocotte
I recently have been exploring the new Science of Cooking Cookbook from Cook's Illustrated.
They have a recipe for French Chicken in a Pot. that makes the best tasting roast chicken I have had in a long time. It is extremely moist and generates its own delicious sauce. Different from Braising which cooks the chicken in an outside liquid, Chicken En Cocotte uses the chicken's own juices to bake it. The moisture is not lost to evaporation. It produces a very nice table sauce without external flavors. The skin in my application wasn't really worth serving.
French Chicken in A Pot
You will need at least a 6 quart Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. If you choose not to serve the skin with the chicken, simply remove it before carving. The amount of jus varies depending on the size of the chicken. Season it with 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice for every 1/4 cup. I ended up with nearly 2 cups of jus for my 5 lb Foster Farms chicken.
1 whole chicken
Salt and Pepper
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 small onion chopped (not to fine as it will be discarded in the end
1 small celery rib, chopped (same as above)
6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed (see above)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of rosemary (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1. Adjust the oven rack to lowest possible position and heat oven to 250 degrees
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Tuck wings behind the back, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast side down: scatter onion, celery,bay leaf and rosemary sprig if using around the chicken. Cook on the burner until beast portions are slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, inserted into the cavity, flip chicken breast side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6-8 minutes.
2. Off heat, place large sheet of aluminum foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook chicken until breast registers 160 and thighs register 175, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. (mine took 1 hour 35 with a convection oven).
3. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest of 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine mesh strainer into a fat separator. pressing solids to extract the liquid; discard solids. let juices settle for 5 minutes, then pour them into a sauce pan . Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve carved chicken passing sauce separately.
The reason this recipe works is because:
1. Browned First
2. Protected the wings
3. Cooked breast side up
4. Straining the sauce and serving it separately allows sauce to be smooth
The french enameled dutch oven (I have a fake one from Costco) was terrific for taking the heat from the burners in the beginning stages and holding on to the heat in a long roast with overall lower heat.
It made for some really nice chicken. I know that most people in California have access to rotisserie chickens.. Try this recipe and you will taste the difference. : ) Pat
They have a recipe for French Chicken in a Pot. that makes the best tasting roast chicken I have had in a long time. It is extremely moist and generates its own delicious sauce. Different from Braising which cooks the chicken in an outside liquid, Chicken En Cocotte uses the chicken's own juices to bake it. The moisture is not lost to evaporation. It produces a very nice table sauce without external flavors. The skin in my application wasn't really worth serving.
French Chicken in A Pot
You will need at least a 6 quart Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. If you choose not to serve the skin with the chicken, simply remove it before carving. The amount of jus varies depending on the size of the chicken. Season it with 1/4 teaspoon of lemon juice for every 1/4 cup. I ended up with nearly 2 cups of jus for my 5 lb Foster Farms chicken.
1 whole chicken
Salt and Pepper
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 small onion chopped (not to fine as it will be discarded in the end
1 small celery rib, chopped (same as above)
6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed (see above)
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of rosemary (optional)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
1. Adjust the oven rack to lowest possible position and heat oven to 250 degrees
Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Tuck wings behind the back, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast side down: scatter onion, celery,bay leaf and rosemary sprig if using around the chicken. Cook on the burner until beast portions are slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, inserted into the cavity, flip chicken breast side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6-8 minutes.
2. Off heat, place large sheet of aluminum foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook chicken until breast registers 160 and thighs register 175, 1 hour 20 minutes to 1 hour 50 minutes. (mine took 1 hour 35 with a convection oven).
3. Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and let rest of 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine mesh strainer into a fat separator. pressing solids to extract the liquid; discard solids. let juices settle for 5 minutes, then pour them into a sauce pan . Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Serve carved chicken passing sauce separately.
The reason this recipe works is because:
1. Browned First
2. Protected the wings
3. Cooked breast side up
4. Straining the sauce and serving it separately allows sauce to be smooth
The french enameled dutch oven (I have a fake one from Costco) was terrific for taking the heat from the burners in the beginning stages and holding on to the heat in a long roast with overall lower heat.
It made for some really nice chicken. I know that most people in California have access to rotisserie chickens.. Try this recipe and you will taste the difference. : ) Pat
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Disney Hug
The last time I was in Disneyland, I took a photo that is now in the works of becoming a painting.
The Disney Hug
I took the photo as a father held his toddler on his hip as his wife had an arm around him. The toddler had an arm on Dad too to secure and balance himself. In front of them were the classic tableau of the related photographer taking his photo and the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey off the the side in the center park of Disneyland. The toddler had on the classic Disneyland ears and so did some of the people in the distance.
I have been doing a series of watercolor paintings of digital photographers as they grab their groups of related family in various positions throughout life. The first painting I did was of a woman in a halter top getting a photo by the Puerto Vallarta arches. She was standing next to the muscle guys in the native Indian garb. The photographer had a beer in his hand and was trying to balance taking the shot without dropping the beer.
Potential Members in the Series
I have an idea for one from a photo I took this summer where the 30 something guy was taking a photo of his girl in front of an older car that could eventually be a low rider. I have a pretty cool photo of three girls getting their pictures taken in front of the Japanese Tee garden in San Francisco. They are in purple pleated dresses and their photographer is in jeans.. what a contrast. It was taken in the spring so the ability to use the spring flowering trees in the background is a possibility.
The difficulty in doing these I paintings in composition is the distance between the photographer and the subject. It is best to hook or overlap your subjects so that the feed into each other. When this is done they can and should share color families and coordinated shapes and perspectives. Its been a great challenge to work with these groupings as often I have not taken the photograph to accommodate the shadows and other elements to hook them together. I have several more that will be included in the series.
The Street Magican
The last series I have completed is taken from a photo I took this summer at the Stanislaus county fair. It was nearly closing time but the entertainment continued to pop up in various parts of the fair. There were local bands that played and a couple on stilts. Near the arts area, a street magician had set up his table and commenced to wow his audience. I took a photo of him doing his tricks as kids and others gathered around and watched the show. I took the photo from behind him and the people who stopped became my subjects for the painting.
The first painting was a 12x24 inch watercolor on canvas painting that I completed and was immediately snapped up for display in Lindsay's office in Oakland. I had photo of the completed work and subsequently tried vista prints to make wraparound mugs and pens and note cards, postcards of this painting. They did a great job in reproducing the painting. It was the first time that I had used buff titanium watercolor media strata for the conversion of an acrylic primed canvas over to a canvas that could use watercolors.
The second in the series is from the same photo. The magician comes to life in a 36x 48 inch version. It was fun to switch to the really big brushes to get the areas covered. The result is more mural approach to the subject.. something along the lines of Diego Rivera.
The Oliver the Kitten Book
One of my art projects last year was to do a year in the life of a new kitten that we have at home. I have depicted his life and his various adjustment in 50 pages of a rough Indian made paper book. It was a challenge as the paper didn't always stop the spread of ink. I used permanent ink pen to provide structure for the subject.
Ideas in the Moleskine
The sketch book is still out and sometimes I sketch an idea. Coming from the sketch book, it looks like my next painting will be another in the Disney hug series where the toddler will be seen in profile rather than from the back. Now that I know the painting profiles the painting should go fairly quickly. I plan to use some saran wrap for the background to add texture and interest.
Love to all
Pat
The Disney Hug
I took the photo as a father held his toddler on his hip as his wife had an arm around him. The toddler had an arm on Dad too to secure and balance himself. In front of them were the classic tableau of the related photographer taking his photo and the statue of Walt Disney and Mickey off the the side in the center park of Disneyland. The toddler had on the classic Disneyland ears and so did some of the people in the distance.
I have been doing a series of watercolor paintings of digital photographers as they grab their groups of related family in various positions throughout life. The first painting I did was of a woman in a halter top getting a photo by the Puerto Vallarta arches. She was standing next to the muscle guys in the native Indian garb. The photographer had a beer in his hand and was trying to balance taking the shot without dropping the beer.
Potential Members in the Series
I have an idea for one from a photo I took this summer where the 30 something guy was taking a photo of his girl in front of an older car that could eventually be a low rider. I have a pretty cool photo of three girls getting their pictures taken in front of the Japanese Tee garden in San Francisco. They are in purple pleated dresses and their photographer is in jeans.. what a contrast. It was taken in the spring so the ability to use the spring flowering trees in the background is a possibility.
The difficulty in doing these I paintings in composition is the distance between the photographer and the subject. It is best to hook or overlap your subjects so that the feed into each other. When this is done they can and should share color families and coordinated shapes and perspectives. Its been a great challenge to work with these groupings as often I have not taken the photograph to accommodate the shadows and other elements to hook them together. I have several more that will be included in the series.
The Street Magican
The last series I have completed is taken from a photo I took this summer at the Stanislaus county fair. It was nearly closing time but the entertainment continued to pop up in various parts of the fair. There were local bands that played and a couple on stilts. Near the arts area, a street magician had set up his table and commenced to wow his audience. I took a photo of him doing his tricks as kids and others gathered around and watched the show. I took the photo from behind him and the people who stopped became my subjects for the painting.
The first painting was a 12x24 inch watercolor on canvas painting that I completed and was immediately snapped up for display in Lindsay's office in Oakland. I had photo of the completed work and subsequently tried vista prints to make wraparound mugs and pens and note cards, postcards of this painting. They did a great job in reproducing the painting. It was the first time that I had used buff titanium watercolor media strata for the conversion of an acrylic primed canvas over to a canvas that could use watercolors.
The second in the series is from the same photo. The magician comes to life in a 36x 48 inch version. It was fun to switch to the really big brushes to get the areas covered. The result is more mural approach to the subject.. something along the lines of Diego Rivera.
The Oliver the Kitten Book
One of my art projects last year was to do a year in the life of a new kitten that we have at home. I have depicted his life and his various adjustment in 50 pages of a rough Indian made paper book. It was a challenge as the paper didn't always stop the spread of ink. I used permanent ink pen to provide structure for the subject.
Ideas in the Moleskine
The sketch book is still out and sometimes I sketch an idea. Coming from the sketch book, it looks like my next painting will be another in the Disney hug series where the toddler will be seen in profile rather than from the back. Now that I know the painting profiles the painting should go fairly quickly. I plan to use some saran wrap for the background to add texture and interest.
Love to all
Pat
Friday, January 4, 2013
Kelly wins Chocolate Category!
What magnificent cookies these were! They are very trendy with the addition of salt as a flavor in the mix. The caramel is super... just the right touch! Kelly notes that this makes a very large batch.
Milky Way Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yields 30+ Cookies
Preheat to 325
Milky Way Simply Carmel Fun Size (3 of the Six Pack)
4 C of Flour
1t Baking Soda
1t Sea Salt Preferred
1.5Cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
2C Brown Sugar Packed
1C Granulated Sugar
1T Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
3C Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
Sift the flour with your salt and baking soda, set aside. In a mixer, cream together the melted butter, brown and granulated sugar. Once incorporated, beat in the eggs. After the wet ingredients are combined, add in your dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and then add the chocolate chips gently stir them in.
Cut the milky way candies in half (fun size bars) dip them into sea salt and then open the carmel end. Take a ball of dough, jet big enough to cover the half-mini-bar, add more dough if needed. Roll into a bal and sprinkle the top with more sea salt.
Bake at 325 for 17 minutes with 12 cookies be sheet/pan. Let cool before transferring to a cooling rack. For further questions, just send an email to SweetInsanityBakeShop@gmail.com. : )
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
TV and the Rose Parade
Around 1957 my family was living in South City near San Francisco. My dad's mother was living in Southern California which was about 430 miles away. My dad wanted to get down there and see his mom and do the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.
One year we even traveled to Southern California to be there to see it in person with them. It was considerably a more arduous trip than it is now as the interstate had not been built and the trip through the valley ran you through the main street of every valley town. We stayed overnight or sort of at the other grandmother's house on my father's side in Sunland, a suburb of LA. We all took a quick nap and headed out to Pasadena at 3:30 in the morning.
We were after the best possible seat on the curb or near the curb that we could find. We joined the thousands upon thousand of spectators nearly frozen to death along the parade route. There were all kinds of vendors selling balloons of all types. People were huddled together around small sterno heaters trying to gather the heat but avoiding the deadly fumes. People were wrapped in sleeping bags and blankets along the curb. It was hard to determine whether they were smoking or just exhaling in the very cold air.
Eventually the sun started to come up and more people piled in on the curbs to the point that no one could move let alone find a porta potty or any beverage. The parade started and there were bands upon bands and the most beautiful floats that truly smelled out of this world. It was tempered somewhat by the accompanied smell of the waste of the equestrian groups. The boy scouts faithfully followed along with scooper but still the number of blonde horses along the route was phenomenal.
My eyes were peeled for just one cowboy on a palomino. He was the only hero cowboy that wore a black hat. He was the hero to the afternoon TV set. Hopalong Cassidy was the hero. He rode proudly with his horse Topper down the parade route. I was thrilled to see him in person with his silver tack. I just checked out some info on Hopalong through Wikipedia and I can see that during that era he was promoting a little land of his own near Venice, California. It was not successful and even though it had a roller coaster and a picnic area it never took off. The following is the background on Hopalong from that source:
As portrayed on the screen, the white-haired Bill "Hopalong" Cassidy was usually clad strikingly in black (including his hat, an exception to the longstanding western film stereotype that only villains wore black hats). He was reserved and well spoken, with a fine sense of fair play. He was often called upon to intercede when dishonest characters were taking advantage of honest citizens. "Hoppy" and his white horse, Topper, usually traveled through the west with two companions—one young and trouble prone with a weakness for damsels in distress, the other comically awkward and outspoken.[1]
The juvenile lead was successively played by James Ellison, Russell Hayden, George Reeves, and Rand Brooks. George Hayes (later to become known as "Gabby" Hayes) originally played Cassidy's grizzled sidekick, Windy Halliday. After Hayes left the series because of a salary dispute with producer Harry Sherman, he was replaced by the comedian Britt Wood as Speedy McGinnis and finally by the veteran movie comedian Andy Clyde as California Carlson. Clyde, the most durable of the sidekicks, remained with the series until it ended. A few actors of future prominence appeared in Cassidy films, most notably Robert Mitchum, who appeared in seven of the films at the beginning of his career.
The sixty-six Hopalong Cassidy pictures were filmed by independent producers who released the films through the studios. Most of the "Hoppies," as the films were known, were distributed by Paramount Pictures to highly favorable returns. They were noted for their fast action and excellent outdoor photography (usually by Russell Harlan). Harry Sherman was anxious to make more ambitious movies and tried to cancel the Cassidy series, but popular demand forced Sherman to go back into production, this time for United Artists release. Sherman gave up the series once and for all in 1944, but William Boyd wanted to keep it going. To do this, he gambled his entire future on Hopalong Cassidy, mortgaging virtually everything he owned to buy both the character rights from Mulford and the backlog of movies from Sherman.
In the first film, Hopalong Cassidy (then spelled "Hop-along") got his name after being shot in the leg. Hopalong's "drink of choice" was the nonalcoholic sarsaparilla.
The enormous success of the television series made Boyd a star.[2] The Mutual Broadcasting System began broadcasting a radio version of Hopalong Cassidy, with Andy Clyde (later George MacMichael on Walter Brennan's ABC sitcom The Real McCoys) as the sidekick, in January 1950; at the end of September, the show moved to CBS Radio, where it ran until 1952.[4]
The series and character were so popular that Hopalong Cassidy was featured on the cover of national magazines, such as Look, Life, and Time.[2] Boyd earned millions as Hopalong ($800,000 in 1950 alone)[2], mostly from merchandise licensing and endorsement deals. In 1950, Hopalong Cassidy was featured on the first lunchbox to bear an image, causing sales for Aladdin Industries to jump from 50,000 units to 600,000 units in just one year. In stores, more than 100 companies in 1950 manufactured $70 million of Hopalong Cassidy products,[2] including children's dinnerware, pillows, roller skates, soap, wristwatches, and jackknives.[5]
There was a new demand for Hopalong Cassidy features in movie theaters, and Boyd licensed reissue distributor Film Classics to make new film prints and advertising accessories. Another 1950 enterprise saw the home-movie company Castle Films manufacturing condensed versions of the Paramount films for 16-mm and 8-mm projectors; they were sold through 1966. Also, in January 1950 Dan Spiegel began to draw a syndicated comic strip with scripts by Royal King Cole; the strip lasted until 1955.[6][7]
Boyd began work on a separate series of half-hour westerns made especially for television; Edgar Buchanan was his new sidekick, Red Connors (a character from the original stories and a few of the early films). The theme music for the television show was written by veteran songwriters Nacio Herb Brown (music) and L. Wolfe Gilbert (lyrics). The show ranked number 7 in the 1949 Nielsen ratings. The success of the show and tie-ins inspired several juvenile television westerns, such as The Range Rider, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Annie Oakley, The Gene Autry Show, and The Roy Rogers Show.
Boyd's company devoted to Hopalong Cassidy, U.S. Television Office, is still active and, in addition to holding the copyrights to the Cassidy series, has released many of the features to DVD, many of them in sparkling prints prepared by Film Classics.
[edit]Hoppyland
On May 26, 1951, an amusement park named Hoppyland opened in the Venice section of Los Angeles. This was an expansion and retheming of Venice Lake Park[8] (opened the previous year) as Boyd became an investor. Standing on some 80 acres (320,000 m2) it included a roller coaster, miniature railroads, pony rides, boat ride, Ferris wheel, carousel, and other thrill rides along with picnic grounds and recreational facilities. Despite Boyd's regular appearances as Hoppy at the park, it was not a success and shut down in 1954.[9]
Its probably more than you want to know... but I think it is interesting. : ) Pat
One year we even traveled to Southern California to be there to see it in person with them. It was considerably a more arduous trip than it is now as the interstate had not been built and the trip through the valley ran you through the main street of every valley town. We stayed overnight or sort of at the other grandmother's house on my father's side in Sunland, a suburb of LA. We all took a quick nap and headed out to Pasadena at 3:30 in the morning.
We were after the best possible seat on the curb or near the curb that we could find. We joined the thousands upon thousand of spectators nearly frozen to death along the parade route. There were all kinds of vendors selling balloons of all types. People were huddled together around small sterno heaters trying to gather the heat but avoiding the deadly fumes. People were wrapped in sleeping bags and blankets along the curb. It was hard to determine whether they were smoking or just exhaling in the very cold air.
Eventually the sun started to come up and more people piled in on the curbs to the point that no one could move let alone find a porta potty or any beverage. The parade started and there were bands upon bands and the most beautiful floats that truly smelled out of this world. It was tempered somewhat by the accompanied smell of the waste of the equestrian groups. The boy scouts faithfully followed along with scooper but still the number of blonde horses along the route was phenomenal.
My eyes were peeled for just one cowboy on a palomino. He was the only hero cowboy that wore a black hat. He was the hero to the afternoon TV set. Hopalong Cassidy was the hero. He rode proudly with his horse Topper down the parade route. I was thrilled to see him in person with his silver tack. I just checked out some info on Hopalong through Wikipedia and I can see that during that era he was promoting a little land of his own near Venice, California. It was not successful and even though it had a roller coaster and a picnic area it never took off. The following is the background on Hopalong from that source:
As portrayed on the screen, the white-haired Bill "Hopalong" Cassidy was usually clad strikingly in black (including his hat, an exception to the longstanding western film stereotype that only villains wore black hats). He was reserved and well spoken, with a fine sense of fair play. He was often called upon to intercede when dishonest characters were taking advantage of honest citizens. "Hoppy" and his white horse, Topper, usually traveled through the west with two companions—one young and trouble prone with a weakness for damsels in distress, the other comically awkward and outspoken.[1]
The juvenile lead was successively played by James Ellison, Russell Hayden, George Reeves, and Rand Brooks. George Hayes (later to become known as "Gabby" Hayes) originally played Cassidy's grizzled sidekick, Windy Halliday. After Hayes left the series because of a salary dispute with producer Harry Sherman, he was replaced by the comedian Britt Wood as Speedy McGinnis and finally by the veteran movie comedian Andy Clyde as California Carlson. Clyde, the most durable of the sidekicks, remained with the series until it ended. A few actors of future prominence appeared in Cassidy films, most notably Robert Mitchum, who appeared in seven of the films at the beginning of his career.
The sixty-six Hopalong Cassidy pictures were filmed by independent producers who released the films through the studios. Most of the "Hoppies," as the films were known, were distributed by Paramount Pictures to highly favorable returns. They were noted for their fast action and excellent outdoor photography (usually by Russell Harlan). Harry Sherman was anxious to make more ambitious movies and tried to cancel the Cassidy series, but popular demand forced Sherman to go back into production, this time for United Artists release. Sherman gave up the series once and for all in 1944, but William Boyd wanted to keep it going. To do this, he gambled his entire future on Hopalong Cassidy, mortgaging virtually everything he owned to buy both the character rights from Mulford and the backlog of movies from Sherman.
In the first film, Hopalong Cassidy (then spelled "Hop-along") got his name after being shot in the leg. Hopalong's "drink of choice" was the nonalcoholic sarsaparilla.
The enormous success of the television series made Boyd a star.[2] The Mutual Broadcasting System began broadcasting a radio version of Hopalong Cassidy, with Andy Clyde (later George MacMichael on Walter Brennan's ABC sitcom The Real McCoys) as the sidekick, in January 1950; at the end of September, the show moved to CBS Radio, where it ran until 1952.[4]
The series and character were so popular that Hopalong Cassidy was featured on the cover of national magazines, such as Look, Life, and Time.[2] Boyd earned millions as Hopalong ($800,000 in 1950 alone)[2], mostly from merchandise licensing and endorsement deals. In 1950, Hopalong Cassidy was featured on the first lunchbox to bear an image, causing sales for Aladdin Industries to jump from 50,000 units to 600,000 units in just one year. In stores, more than 100 companies in 1950 manufactured $70 million of Hopalong Cassidy products,[2] including children's dinnerware, pillows, roller skates, soap, wristwatches, and jackknives.[5]
There was a new demand for Hopalong Cassidy features in movie theaters, and Boyd licensed reissue distributor Film Classics to make new film prints and advertising accessories. Another 1950 enterprise saw the home-movie company Castle Films manufacturing condensed versions of the Paramount films for 16-mm and 8-mm projectors; they were sold through 1966. Also, in January 1950 Dan Spiegel began to draw a syndicated comic strip with scripts by Royal King Cole; the strip lasted until 1955.[6][7]
Boyd began work on a separate series of half-hour westerns made especially for television; Edgar Buchanan was his new sidekick, Red Connors (a character from the original stories and a few of the early films). The theme music for the television show was written by veteran songwriters Nacio Herb Brown (music) and L. Wolfe Gilbert (lyrics). The show ranked number 7 in the 1949 Nielsen ratings. The success of the show and tie-ins inspired several juvenile television westerns, such as The Range Rider, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Annie Oakley, The Gene Autry Show, and The Roy Rogers Show.
Boyd's company devoted to Hopalong Cassidy, U.S. Television Office, is still active and, in addition to holding the copyrights to the Cassidy series, has released many of the features to DVD, many of them in sparkling prints prepared by Film Classics.
[edit]Hoppyland
On May 26, 1951, an amusement park named Hoppyland opened in the Venice section of Los Angeles. This was an expansion and retheming of Venice Lake Park[8] (opened the previous year) as Boyd became an investor. Standing on some 80 acres (320,000 m2) it included a roller coaster, miniature railroads, pony rides, boat ride, Ferris wheel, carousel, and other thrill rides along with picnic grounds and recreational facilities. Despite Boyd's regular appearances as Hoppy at the park, it was not a success and shut down in 1954.[9]
Its probably more than you want to know... but I think it is interesting. : ) Pat