Monthly Archives: September 2013
Foraging with a friend
Out hunting chanterelles with Ingunn and Esther! Thank goodness we had expert guidance. Hunting edible mushrooms is not something we take lightly!
A recipe for soup made from chanterelle mushrooms from my friend Ingunn:
1.5 lbs chanterelles
0.5 onion
Garlic
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Fry for 8-10 minutes while stirring
3 cups chicken stock
Add and simmer for 10 minutes
1/2 cups half-and-half
Add
1/2 cups sour cream
1 tbs corn starch
1 egg yolk
Mix together and whisk into soup, heat but do not boil after this. (I skipped the egg yolk)
I also added green onions at the end
Enjoy!
Kitchen chemistry – it’s early release Monday
Wow – the sugar melted, then it formed a hard crystal when it cooled! How cool! You know Sam is REALLY into crystals right now! I never anticipated how much this would thrill him. Tapping it made a cool sound.
Melting sugar – well, carmelizing it – to see what happens. It’s edible chemistry! I hope we can clean the pan!!!
This is Sam’s which he is ready to eat.
Racing ice cubes. One was melted on the bottom (really scooted) and the other wasn’t.
We saw little hexagons and even things that looked like cells.
Checking it out now!
And Ben has a hunk! A hunk for a hunk 🙂
I think Fall is here!
I have always wanted to know if I could jump these signs. Now I know! We went back to school on Friday to check it out. Very funny. My friend (who shall remain nameless) says I jump like a horse. No surprise!
Friday fires! Sam cleaning pine needles off the picnic table for pizza with our neighbors.
Out on a bike/run with my boys. Sam found some nuts and washers on the side of the road, so of course we ran home with those in hand. Ben is learning to brake – there are a LOT of hills here. Serious ones. He’s on a bigger bike with a hand brake now.
Ben caught a little crab! It took some doing – those little buggers are fast! Sam found a rock with pyrite in it. Such a variety of rocks wash up on our shoreline.
Sam is sprinting toward us at the end of the ride. We did just over 4 miles.
Mom sent these decorations and Sam helped gather some flowers and greens from the garden and forest. Love the colors 🙂
First day of school!
First day of school for Sam!
First day of K for Ben! (See pictures below for Sam’s first day of 3rd grade, and click on this picture for the rest of Sept. so far.)
First day of school for Sam in 2011 – first grade. He’s wearing an Eddie Aikau surf shirt.
2012 first day of school! Second grade.
Ben at school ready to go in to class!
Going in for his assessment before the first day of school. Doesn’t he look cute? And see all those great sunflowers?
Congratulations, Dave!
This afternoon, the boys and I were invited to Dave’s office to pin on his new oak leaves as Lt Commander. Here is the oath he and two other officers reaffirmed during the brief ceremony:
I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.[1]
We had never been to Dave’s office in 7 years of service with Naval Reactors, so it was a pretty big deal for us to get to see his work space and go down to an area of the shipyard where you would not normally be able to go. We had to be escorted the whole time and no cameras (or smartphones or any other photo taking device) were allowed. Some pictures were taken by a fellow officer, so we look forward to getting those and will send them on.
As we drove home, we talked briefly about the oath. They got to see their dad hold up his right hand and repeat the words above, while wearing his uniform (they rarely see Dave in uniform). We talked about what that means and how proud we each are of LCDR Krug. We talked about what the Constitution is and what it means to serve, doing one’s duty without hesitation or complaint. Dave is about the most steadfast person I know. No matter how much he’d love some down time, he gives 100% to the task at hand, always picks up the phone to answer a call with good spirit (somehow even in the middle of the night he manages to sound awake), never sounds annoyed and goes into work on weekends without a single complaint, not even in private. I really think he is remarkable in that regard. I’d go, and I’d do my duty 100% or more, but there’d be some complaining if it were me! The boys have quite an example in their father and I couldn’t be more proud of my men. (He would be embarrassed if he knew I was writing this, such is his violent opposition to any spectacle being made of such things.) But every now and then it is our right to be publicly proud of you, Dave! 🙂
The only bummer – no cake this time. I really need a cake fix. The wetting down is still to be planned, though…so there’s hope!
Mt. Zion end of summer adventure
Having fun with walkie talkies!
Love this view of the valley, and my hikers!
We really had ourselves some fun – wait ’til you see…
A handlebar mosstache! Some of my friends reading this know all too well my penchant for the mosstache 🙂
Ben does one, too! He has to work really hard to get that upper lip to close in on the nose. Sam, on the other hand, is a real pro!
Snack time at the summit! Always fun. They packed their own snacks – even more fun for them!