we like snow.
Somewhere in Nevada (Nikon CoolPix 4500)
Have you ever seen my blue blocker sunglasses? After extensive testing, a group of experts (Beth, Dan, Ann, and Doug) determined that the wearing of blue blockers causes one to instantly age 20 years. The state of Nevada looks like everything else viewed through blue blockers: orange.
 { Saturday, April 30, 2005 | Comment # }

Mount Maunganui, New Zealand
 { Sunday, April 24, 2005 | Comment # }

Max Patch, North Carolina
Backpacker Magazine isn't known for printing good writing or even interesting stories, but this month is an exception. They made room amongst the gear reviews for a piece about Scott Williamson, the first person to yo-yo (that means walking the whole thing, then turning around and doing it all the other way) the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Scott's story is interesting and sad:

  • Scott spends his life on the PCT because it's the only place he feels happy, thru-hiking the trail every few years.
  • At the start of one of his thru-hikes he meets a kid named Kenny -- just 17 years old -- who is starting a thru-hike dangerously unprepared. Scott slows down to teach him the way of the trail and they become best friends. They hatch a plan to yo-yo the trail together someday.
  • Kenny and Scott finish the PCT and go their separate ways, but stay in touch and stay close.
  • Kenny suffers from bipolar disorder. Kenny's mother worries about him, but not when he is with Scott.
  • Kenny's condition grows worse. Scott gets a call from Kenny -- "Hey, it's me, call me back." Scott does not return the call because life is busy.
  • Scott gets a call from Kenny's mom -- Kenny has been missing for four days. Searchers find Kenny's truck parked at the top of a cliff, and at the bottom of the cliff a bear is feeding on Kenny's body.
  • Scott is working in a convenience store to save money to get back on the trail. The store is robbed and Scott is shot in the face, the bullet passing through his cheek and neck, stopping just shy of his spine.
  • Scott decides to follow through on the plan to yo-yo the PCT.
  • He tries six times before succeeding. That's six thru-hikes, then then turning to head back six times, and being stopped by snow six times.
  • Scott is now the only person to have completed a yo-yo of the PCT. He has also hiked the AT and the Continental Divide Trail.
 { Sunday, April 17, 2005 | Comment # }

Concord, New Hampshire (Pentax k1000)
The only place in Concord that still has snow is our garden. I'm going to go sit out there with a magnifying glass and melt it.

Then we'll need to get some manure so that we can kick-start the compost pile.

The chives planted against the foundation wall are already growing. Today I noticed that they are bending toward the wall. Chives, like many other things, are good when you mix them with sour cream.
 { Sunday, April 10, 2005 | Comment # }

Sumner, Maine (Pentax k1000)
 { Wednesday, April 06, 2005 | Comment # }

Sumner, Maine (Pentax k1000)
In the event that you missed Erin's comment on the brownie post: she has declared me the winner of The Battle of the Brownies. This weekend's shower guests also agree that the brownies are the real deal, though we don't have any photos of them stuffing their faces.
 { Monday, April 04, 2005 | Comment # }

Concord, New Hampshire (Nikon CoolPix 4500)
Dogs I Have Known: Zeke, Barney, Rufus (stuffed), Amy, Tiku, Ben (bit me), Buttercup, Sasha (stuffed), Lucky, Sheba, Blarney, Cammi, Molly, Willy, Brindle, Nellie, Shilo (three legs), Mable, Fifi, Zoe, Diesel, Lance(r), Madux, Nyla, Mimi, Sadie, Thunder, Butter, Tess, Honey, Sue, Connie, Spot.

(Inspired by Michael Bishop's short story Dogs' Lives)
 { Sunday, April 03, 2005 | Comment # }

Banks Peninsula, New Zealand (Lomo LC-A)
A couple people have asked Beth and I where were stayed when we visited Victoria, and both times I have been able to look back through the archives of this blog to find the answer. Tonight I had to make some brownies for a party and I thought I had lost the recipe I like. Luckily I didn't, but I'm going to post the recipe here so that I'll know where to find it in the future. If you want some killer brownies, make these.


Triple Fudge Brownies by America's Test Kitchen

  • 5 oz. semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into squares
  • 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1.25 c. sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp. salt
  • 1 c. flour

    1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Spray 8"-square baking pan with non-stick spray. Line pan with two sheets of tin-foil in a crisscross fashion; spray foil.

    2. In a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of almost-simmering water. In this bowl, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

    3. Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until combined. Whisk warm chocolate into egg mixture, then stir in flower and cocoa powder with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour into pan and spread into corners. Back until slightly puffy and a toothpick comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs -- 35-40 minutes. Let cool for two hours. Remove from pan using the tin foil and cut into 1-inch squares.
    { Friday, April 01, 2005 | Comment # }

    • Linking

    Befriending

    Dan, Ann, & Sadie
    Erin, Greg, Dylan, & Avery
    Thee Chase Familee
    Kristin, Doug, & Riley
    Ann, Mark, & Ella
    Jamie, Matt, & Adam
    Krista, Taylor, & Virginia
    Melissa, John, & Molly
    Jason
    Maryanna & Cory
    Jennie

    Archiving

    2008: J F M A M J J A S O N D
    2007: J F M A M J J A S O N D
    2006: J F M A M J J A S O N D
    2005: J F M A M J J A S O N D
    2004: J F M A M J J A S O N D
    2003: J F M A M J J A S O N D
    2002: J F M A M J J A S O N D

    Hearing
    etc.

    RSS
    Flickr
    Last.fm
    De.licio.us
    Really old photos


    we use Blogger, Flickr, Haloscan, Feed Digest, and an Apple or two