Creek & Ridges

If summer is for grilling, winter is for one pot oven-baked meals. This was pork shoulder blade steaks.

EFS & Fan

Real COVID Relief???

Sorry, got to get this off my chest... If politicians want to help, stop the 1-time "stimulus" payments. It's not enough if you need it, and lots of people don't need it. Some people are doing well by the pandemic, and some are totally screwed! How about some more unemployment for those who lost incomes and unemployment ran out!?!

Is there Truth in the USA?

In the United States, the two political parties hold all the political power. There is a small overlap in the middle of the two, where TRUTH and HONESTY live. As one moves further to the right or left, truth fades into political leveraging and disinformation. Very likely, the parties are instrumental for the social divisions and unrest. In fact, political gains by one side create an immediate backlash that fuels the following of the opposition. Most people are afraid to speak. Speaking the truth immediately releases the demons of disinformation who try to paint you into the opposition. No one actually wants to hear anyone else’s opinions—because they are preoccupied with being “right.”

The United States has become unbalanced. Can we support justice without demonizing law enforcement? It seems not. Can we protect the environment while simultaneously balancing the need for affordable energy and jobs? Low marks here too. Can we champion equality truthfully, and engage everyone in sharing the responsibility? Not so far from what I’m seeing. Can we portray anything truthfully and fairly? If the issue is politically charged, definitely not.

Right now, there is a group to the left, reveling in their newfound power. The last four years was filled with lies and conspiracies, and they can’t believe how the other side could believe those lies. The right, is reeling from defeat. They were sure that they were patriots, fighting for their rights and freedom. Anyone in the middle, is caught in the “no man’s land” where the two sides sling their buckets of mostly made-up crap at each other.

This won’t get better until we listen to each other. If you identify with one party and find no fault in it, you are likely not seeing things accurately. If your friend says, “the truth is hard to find,” and you think he is attacking your view, you’ve created that idea without proof. If someone doesn’t support your favorite social justice organization, it does not mean that they are against social justice. It means they don’t support that particular organization. If you spend all of your time attacking others’ views and no time listening and trying to understand why they feel the way they do, you have prejudged the situation. If you think that you have all the answers and people who disagree with you are stupid, you may not be as smart as you think.

COVID Line

I thought it was tough being one of 250 applicants for a job. Until my teacher wife was contacted to signup for a COVID-19 vaccination and was 8807 in line. I have to wonder if this is the best we can do?

3 Months and Still Blooming

Politics and Football

The Buffalo Bills chose to stay in the locker room during the National anthem at last evening's AFC Championship game. However, when the Kansas City Chiefs fans started that stupid Hollywood Indian chant, accompanied by the arm movement simulating a tomahawk, no one protested. Perhaps I expect too much from men who make millions of dollars to play a ballgame, but it seems hypocritical. Can I cook up a solution you ask? Positively! The Kansas City CHEFS !

I have 2 Blue Roast Pans

I made chicken thighs and vegetables in the "old fashioned" roasting pan I keep seeing on Facebook... "if your grandma had one..." I have two and they're awesome.

Bluebirds at the Creek

 

Fried Potatoes!

Aug 17 Wine Bottled

The wine I made August 17, 2020 was bottled today. Now it can go in the archives for a decade or so.

Time for Truth

Now as the country swings back from the far right, it would be great if it could stop in the middle before swinging to the far left. There is much healing to do, and over compensation won't fix things. Likewise, cheering mediocre accomplishments because it is such a (welcome) change or it is politically correct, will only embolden the opposition to think they are/were correct. The truth has been damaged, but we can (and should) try to reestablish it.

Swans

Today I had two Bald Eagles above me, and soon after, I counted 50 swans. I know there were more swans around the bend. I heard both the eagles and swans before seeing them.

Reset

Fiction vs Fact

Fix That Salmon!

So you thawed that piece of salmon and it has that slight fishy smell. That my friend, is the smell of decay. It happens very quickly with fish. So short of throwing that expensive piece of fish out and starting over what do you do? I poured a drizzle of bourbon over my salmon that I cut into pieces. Then I rubbed a drizzle of honey on them. Then I breaded them and fried them over high heat. When I was finished, there was no fishy odor left. Just the smell of wonderfully cooked salmon.

Banana Apple & Honey Bread

Ground Beef, Fresh Green Beans & Tofu

Challenge to be Nice

I would like to challenge everyone to do something nice for someone. It has come to my attention that Americans are not very nice to each other. They are intolerant of views that differ from their own. Now is the right time to begin a different trend. Be nice. Do a kindness for someone and if it feels good, do it again tomorrow.

Today in the Woods

 

Hiking the Ridgeline

Nightmare News

I had a horrible nightmare! I was dreaming that an insane billionaire was trying to take over the world with his lawyer, Simon Bar Sinister. I yelled for help! And then a man wearing horns with a painted sword handle on his shirtless torso showed up with a spear and a bullhorn! Then I saw a man smiling as he walked away with a lectern... Just then I woke up and noticed that the television that likes to turn itself on sometimes was playing the news.

Snow Ride

Can't Find a Better Mask

Top of the World

When you live 6 miles from downtown, and you can drive 2 miles to a place with a creek running below high bluffs on each side, you live in a cool place. If you climb to the top of the bluffs, you feel like you're on top of the world.

RIP Trump's Twitter Account

Peaceful Transition?

The United States of America is scheduled for a trumpectomy in 13 days. His brainwashed legions are still at it. I've now seen ridiculous claims that yesterday's insurrection was staged by the left. I've made my belief clear that both right and left have forsaken the truth; particularly where social media and news media are concerned. That means we need to rely on our own sense of decency and logic to get through the next two weeks. I don't believe this is over or that a peaceful transition of power is for certain. A percentage of the population has been radicalized and truth, logic and democratic principles have been replaced. These self proclaimed patriots, are no longer aware or concerned with the welfare of our democratic union or its citizens. Furthermore, we are still dealing with a pandemic. Stay safe. Stay smart. And don't fall for the continuous disinformation that will keep coming at us.

Hostile Coup Attempt

Have You Read?

https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-J-Curtis/e/B004SBGR7W

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/grayson-learns-about-covid-19-kevin-curtis/1138246351

Tonight's Dinner Experiment

How Will History See Us?

By Kevin J. Curtis

I'm wondering how history will treat those of us who were adults living through 2020. When so many people have been so critical of how other people acted in past history, how will we be judged 100 years from now? Will those of us who were careful during the pandemic, to wear masks and follow safety guidelines be considered correct; or will it be those who are demanding to reopen businesses and sports and allow nature to run its course? Will those who question every decision and action made by police be the ones history sees as right? Or, will it be those who believe that everyone has a role in responsibility not just some? Will the people who want to advocate for business be the ones history finds correct? Or, will it be the people who are concerned about climate change and our natural ecosystem? Will the people who believe in democracy prevail; or will history see the 2020 presidential election as being a fraud and stolen from the rightful winner as some people believe regardless of the available evidence? I expect that most of us will never know how history judges us. But perhaps our children or grandchildren or great-great grandchildren will see us in that 2020 hindsight. I'm rather certain that history will see us as a people unwilling to compromise or see the views of others. Perhaps history will even see us as whiny and never satisfied. Maybe history will see us as more willing to attack other's viewpoints, than to make positive changes in ourselves. Because like it or not, future generations will judge us, just as we have judged our predecessors.

20210104

Some Weekend Food

Here's a couple pictures of some of the food I made this weekend...

Raspberry Island

We Went Sliding