A New BBQ

Playing and preparing for a bbq in our new backyard.

Reaching for Fish

At the Baltimore Aquarium today. Lots to see.

Tails of Note

Enjoying our spring break day at the Baltimore Aquarium.

Happy Birthday

Chuck E Cheese for a friend's birthday. What could be better? The author of this post could think of a few.

Lacrosse

Nice stick for the little guy.

And the Final Product

What a success. Several people commented that yours was the best of the show.

Gravel

Some visions are not meant to end in poetic slants of reality, but then other glimpses cannot be washed away from the significance and thus blossom into memories of subtle complexity.

In the same languid motion with which the purpling sky conquered the sun now hovering in stasis beneath the suburban horizon, the last few meters of our adventure unfolded. Thrilled with the exertion, our bodies pushed forward, pedal by pedal, cog by cog, toward a homeward destination already filled with memories of other jaunts.

With any rise and fall, whether through the sweat on the furrow of the back or by the whistle of foreign air about our ears, we are reminded of the massive earth and its desire to keep us close to her breast. This hill was no variation to the theme; gravity brought us swiftly to its belly. The imperfections of the trail were dimmed by a massive wall carefully built to separate sleeping men from the drone of commuted sentences to idle work. Shadows often hide imperfection and indeed detritus left by the sweeping winds and the eroding waters.

My eyes were tired. Certainly. But as the friction moved from tire to pavement to gravel, my focus honed and I knew what was to be witnessed.

When I think of abrasions, I can never help but remember the protective gear of our motorcycle heroes. The scrapes on the racing helmets challenging the quips of their sponsors and the steel pads exposed by deep gouges in the expensive leather near the knees or the dark lines of heat indelibly fixed upon the racers' backs like the well earned stripes of a tiger. These imperfections, if you should dub them as such, are in no way marks of failure. The marks celebrate our human effort to find the delicate edge of our limits. In this world of consequences, skillful excess and its subsequent effects are the only way to explore our mastery of limitations.

Snapped into focus, I watched as the rear tire slid and gravity took not only the rider and steed to the bottom of the hill, but also the body of the rider to the gravelly ground. Sprung forth from the wild eyes that searched for meaning, hands reached beyond the grips in an effort to claw structure from the open air. Helmet first down with a dull drum beat, then softer body parts, and then ungracefully the motion ceased, but for a moment.

I could see the fervent desire to jump - jump up - jump quickly to set things right - flee the danger. His body had been trained from its conception to know and respond to danger; I would need to step in to prevent nature from taken further effect. With a quick word, directly and calmly, I goaded gravity's victim to lay back and wait for a careful inspection of a racer's first stripes.

Morning Pancakes

Yum yum.

---Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred or sifted before measuring
2 cups whole wheat flour, stirred or sifted before measuring
4 teaspoons baking powder
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3-3/4 cups milk
4 tablespoons melted butter
1-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl until correct consistency - a little on the thick but runny side (yeah I know - doesn't make sense). Heat the flat pan as you are making the mix. Turn the heat up to medium high until the pan is hot and then switch it to medium to medium-low for the cooking of the pancakes. Spray a little cooking spray before each pancake. Flip and repeat. Enjoy.

Bobcat Back Yard

Nothing like heavy equipment on the property.

Recipe from Mali - Akara - MSNV International Day

Fried Bean Balls (Akara)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups black-eyed peas    
4-1/2 cups cold water    
1 to 2 fresh red chiles, finely diced
1 yellow or red onion, finely diced    
1 teaspoon salt    
2 eggs
6 cups vegetable oil, for deep-frying   

1    Soak the black-eyed peas overnight in 4 cups of the water.

2    There are two methods for preparing the beans. If you decide to peel the beans, alternately thresh the soaked beans between your palms and rinse them in water so the skins wash away. Repeat the process until all the beans are skinned and you are left with white beans. If you choose not to peel the beans, simply rinse them several times.

3    In a blender, puree the beans in small batches, adding the water, 1/2 cup at a time, to make it easier. Blend the first batch of beans with the chiles, onion, salt, and eggs. When all the beans are pureed, place the thick puree in a bowl, adjust the seasoning, and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes with a hand whisk to aerate the mixture.

4    Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet until it is very hot. With clean, wet hands, form balls of mixture, gently drop them into the oil, and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Be careful that the oil does not splash your hands. You may prefer to use a long-handled spoon. Fry the balls quickly in batches, and drain them in a fine-mesh sieve lined with paper towels.

5    Serve hot or cold.     

Mali Diorama in Progress

With the intent of lining up animals along side the mighty Niger River, we begin on the base for our scene.

Architecture Projects

Wooden frames, complete with sliding door.

A Private Tour of the National Zoo

Reptiles, mammals, and birds. We studied and saw them all. Z enjoyed all of them.

Breakfast in Bed

Thank you to our chefs for a breakfast feast complete with waffle, butter, and syrup, three types of cereal, donuts, strawberries, and yogurt. Yum yum. Now off to the zooooooooooooooooooo.