Stephen Burckhardt's Blog: My Blog Ramblings, page 44

Monday Movie Madness: Red River Valley

Hello Posse!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are looking forward a great week. We are looking forward to Easter here and have been doing a few things to try to cheer up the place and feel a bit more festive. Since we do not have kids to hide eggs for, we just decorate with plastic eggs to try to make things a little festive. It is fun to put some treats in plastic eggs and see Shaggy get all excited opening them. Yes, we are easily amused but at least it is an enrichment exercise for apartment living dog.

Today, I had the movie Blue River in my notes to feature, but when I went to find statistics for the movie, I found very little. I do not remember seeing this movie so there was no way to just do it from memory like so many of the other movies I share. But when I was searching for Blue River, I found Red River Valley. I found a video clip with Roy Rogers and George "Gabby" Hayes. I love them both so I thought, I'll just switch it up.

After I found the video and did a search for movie stats, I realized the movie poster I had found for Red River Valley had Gene Autry on it not Roy Rogers, then I found another movie Poster for Red River Valley with John Wayne. Not too confusing. So apparently Red River Valley was either a very popular movie and was remade several times or just the title was very popular for westerns. No matter what, we are checking out the Red River Valley with Roy Rogers today.

This movie does not have a much information easily available. Thanks to IMBd I was able to find enough information to give you all some decent information on it. This American western movie was released in 1941 by Republic Pictures. It stars Roy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, Gale Storm, and was directed by Joseph Kane.

The story follows ranchers in the Red River Valley as they raise money to build dam. Unfortunately, the money is stolen. Allison () tells the ranchers they should "temporarily" sell their stock in the dam to a friend of his to get the money to finish it. Rogers (himself) suspects Allison had something to do with the robbery and is in cahoots with his friend to get control over the valley and their water rights. Roy and his friends do everything they can to delay the stock sale until they can get the evidence they need to expose Allison and his partners.

Check out the video below for the full movie, available on YouTube.

Movie Snack Recipe:

Red River Valley Potatoes

Cheesy Oven Fries

What better snack could we pair with the Red River Valley than Cheesy Oven Fries from Red River Valley Potatoes? (

These lovely crispy potato wedges are a great snack for movie time or as a side dish for burgers, fish, or just about anything. Try this with a little sour cream and chive dip, nacho cheese dip, or, one of my new favorite dips, Sriracha and mayo mixed together. You really can't go wrong with these tasty treats!

So now, you know what time it is, posse. It's time to get your snacks and settle in for another great western!

Enjoy!

Stephen

https://youtu.be/OpFqvd5crZ4

Friday Funnies: Kids!

Hello Posse!

I hope you all had a great week and are looking forward to some fun this weekend. I have been hard at work writing and trying like mad to get more done on part 5 of the Into the West Saga Serial, Into the West: Last Showdown. Progress is going good. In fact, I have finished about a third of the book (thank you, Jesus!) and you will be able to find a new sneak peek by clicking here. (

With any luck, I should finish this up in April and be able to send it off to the editor. Cross your fingers that I might actually be able to release date figured out sometime in May. My plan is to jump straight into part six, which will be Into the West: Family Ties.

I should note, I finally figured out why I was having such a difficult time with this book. I forgot a huge chunk of information I had originally planned to put in part four, Into the West: Most Wanted. Since that was not there, part five was not blending in to the end of part four as it should have.

It took me a while to figure out how to fix this without re-editing and re-releasing part four. If you read my books, you know I usually take the end of one book and back up a bit and retell the end of the previous book from a different perspective then go on with the story when I catch up to the ending of the previous book. This time I had to back up about three chapters and give some extra back story to catch up to the ending of part four again then take the story on from there. It is not an elegant solution and it really rubs my OCD the wrong way because it's not the same format I have been using up until now, but it get you the whole story and that is what is important.

Now that I have this figured out and all the backstory had been written, I just need to blend in the ending of the last book and I can finally finish part five, Into the West: Last Showdown. this book will be a bit longer but I think you are really going to like the story.

In other news . . .

Today is also Epilepsy Awareness Day. This is a cause close to my heart as I have had Epilepsy and still deal with three neurological disorders. As a child, I fell backward out of a swing and landed on my head. It knocked me unconscious for a few moments and it was not long after that I had my first, what was called at the time, grand mal seizure. These are more commonly called Tonic-clonic seizures nowadays.

Tonic-clonic seizures can be frightening to witness as well as to experience. These often include extreme muscle spasms and the person having the seizure might even temporarily stop breathing. I was lucky, my seizures were well controlled with medication and I eventually grew out of this type of seizure at a young age. Unfortunately, not everyone is so lucky. I have had friends pass away from severe seizures.

I still occasionally have what is known as Absence Seizures (previously called petit mal). This type is much less severe and observers are often not even aware that a person is having one. This type of seizure can present just as staring off into space for a few seconds to minutes and might include rapid blinking.

If you think you or someone you know might have Epilepsy symptoms, it's important to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.

But enough about such serious topics on a Friday Funnies day! On to the jokes!!! For today's selection, we have some of the best "dad" jokes told by kids.

Enjoy!

Stephen

Q: What do you call an ant who fights crime?

A: A vigil-anty!

Q: What has ears but cannot hear?

A: A cornfield.

Q: What did the left eye say to the right eye?

A: Between you and me, something smells!

Q: Why did the policeman ask to play catcher on his baseball team?

A: He wanted to stop players from stealing home!

Q: What did the Cheetah say after lunch?

A: Well that hit the spot!

Q: Why did the children cross the playground?

A: To get to the other slide.

Q: How do you get an astronaut’s baby to sleep?

A: You rocket!

Q: What is a witch’s favorite subject?

A. Spelling!

and last but not least . . .

Q: When does a joke become a “dad” joke?

A: When the punchline is a-parent.

https://youtu.be/0g5KvJkw1Ak

Whatever Wednesday: Easter Is Coming!

Hello Posse!

I hope everyone is having a great week and is looking forward to Easter. I know we are in our house. Even though we do not have any children in the house, I always like to color some boiled eggs for us and put up a few decorations. I give my husband a little basket with some treats and this year I will be making a traditional German lamb cake for us.

Usually, I would just buy one, but the last few years I have had a difficult time finding one in the stores. They sell out pretty fast in our neighborhood and this was even before the pandemic. So this year I ordered a 3D cake mold and will just make our cake.

You can see the traditional Osterlammkuchen (Easter Lamb Cake) (

While it might be hard to find a traditional German style lamb cake mold in your area. Wilton makes a lamb mold that would work just as well.

Easter can also be a great time to do some family crafts to get in the mood for the holiday. I have included a few videos of some great quick and fun crafts you can try at home. I plan to try a few of these here this next week.

One plea I would like to share, please do not buy chicks, ducks, or rabbits as Easter gifts unless you know how to raise these animals and are ready for the 8-14 year commitment they will require. These pets cannot be released into the wild. They will die if not taken care of properly. If you want to gift an animal for the holiday, a stuffed one is your best bet and bonus . . . they don't poop!

I hope you all have a wonderful week and remember the Into the West Saga Serial books would fit nicely into any Easter basket . . . and again, no poop involved.

Enjoy,

Diannehttps://youtu.be/dn-V1abWovQhttps://youtu.be/nyldl7ym4lY

Monday Movie Madness: Crossfire Trail

Hello Posse!

I have actually started making some great progress on part five, Into the West: Last Showdown. I have really been struggling with how to get everything in that I want in this storyline, but I think I am finally on the right track and things are moving along much faster now. For the last few months, it has felt like trying to jog in a vat of molasses just to get words I was happy with on the page. It has been difficult for me to deal with this because the first four books just poured on the page with very little effort. But things are going in the right direction now.

I hope you have enjoyed the last two sneak peeks I have shared in the Friday Funnies. I think with any luck, I will have another piece to share in this week's Friday blog. If you have not signed up for the mailing list for www.StephenBurckhardt.com, now is a good time to do so. I never spam you with loads of emails and you can quit at anytime, no questions asked, no strings attached.

But for now, it's time for today's western movie!

Crossfire Trail is a another great made for TV adaptation of a Louis L'Amour novel. It was released on TNT in 2001 and stars Tom Selleck, Virginia Madsen, and Wilford Brimley. I have to say, I love all three of them and would watch any western they are in. This movie first aired to 12.5 million viewers. It held the title of most watched television movie made for cable until High School Musical 2 premiered in 2007.

This story follows Rafe Covington (Selleck), a wanderer who grants a dying wish to his best friend. He asks Covington to look after his wife, Anne (Madsen), and his ranch in Wyoming. Covington has every intention of keeping his word, but finds strong opposition to his attempts. It's not just from locals who want the ranch and Anne for themselves that he has to contend with, but from Anne herself who questions Covingtons intentions. It all comes to a head when Covington and a few men who stand with him must face down the men trying to take ranch and save Anne in the process.

Movie Snack:

For today's movie snack, I am suggesting a twist on the Come Together Kids', Walking Tacos (aka Tacos in a Bag) recipe. (Crossfire Trail, why not add a little heat to your tacos with Flamin' Hot Doritos or Poppin' Jalapeno Doritos.

If you really want to raise the heat on this recipes, you can also go for Fiery Habanero Doritos. However, if you prefer more subtle flavors, there are other options to explore as well, like Guacamole, Cool Ranch or even just stick with the classic, Nacho Cheese Doritos. There are really so many great variations on this recipe, you can let your imagination build practically endless combinations.

So now you know what time it is, posse. It's time to grab your snacks and settle in for another great western.

Enjoy!

Stephenhttps://youtu.be/pJ9lbKJyCwY

Friday Funnies: Thank You, Posse!

Hello, Posse!

Today is a day I set aside to give a big thank you to all of you who have been following along with my work. You will never know how much I appreciate each and every one of you. I have virtually no budget to for advertising so every reader I have gained has been through hours and hours of my own social media posting, hounding my friends and current followers to share my posts (thank you for that too!), and any interviews I can manage to secure.

It is a long slow process and part of the reason my books come out so slowly is because I have to devote so much of my time to networking, marketing, an social media. I hope I can get to a day when my followers are significant enough I can let up a bit on the marketing side and spend more time on ust actual writing.

It is all of this work that makes me extremely grateful for every one of you. As long as I write stories, I am a writer. But it really means so much more when there are other people who enjoy the stories too. I do this not just because I feel the need to write but because I want to share the stories with other people and hope that it brings them as much enjoyment as it brings me to write them.

So for today, I think jokes about writers would be in order. I hope these bring a smile to your face and lighten your heart today.

Enjoy,

Stephen

Q: Why did the lion eat the man reading a book and not the man writing in a book?

A: Because even lions know reader's digest and writers cramp.

Q: What do you get when you give a writer a short deadline?

A: A really clean house!

Q: Why did the pregnant writer start yelling, "Shouldn't! Wouldn't! Can't!"?

A: She was having contractions!

Q: What blood type do proofreaders have?

A: Type O, of course!

Q: A self-published author finally gets the profit from selling their first book, what do they do with the money?

A: Buy a candy bar!

Q: What kind of writing pays the best?

A: Ransom notes!

Q: What’s usually really random, often disgusting, and will most likely put you on an FBI watch list?

A: A writer’s browser history.

Q: What does it mean to be a writer?

A. Writing 4,000 words at 3AM and then not touching your book for a month.

Q: What does it mean to be a writer?

A. Actually typing 10% of your time and spending the other 90% trying to find a better way to describe buttering a piece of bread.

Q: What does it mean to be a writer?

A. Getting a great idea and writing detailed notes for book #18 in a series in which you haven't finished writing book #3 yet.

And last but not least . . .

Q: What is the difference between publishers and terrorists?

A: Terrorists are usually willing to negotiate!

Writing Advice from Neil Gaimanhttps://youtu.be/qg0_FinB6EE

Whatever Wednesday: St. Patrick's Day!

Hello Posse!

I hope this blog finds you having a wonderful St. Patrick's Day. This holiday has a special meaning in our home, it's also my mother-in-laws birthday. Sadly, she passed aways before we ever got the chance to meet in person but from everything I have heard about the woman, she was quite accomplished and impressive. I know for a fact that she raised a wonderful son and a daughter. I am very lucky to be a part of the family she helped create.

So for today's blog, I want to share some recipes I think would make for a great St. Patrick's Day celebration or a birthday celebration that happens to fall on St. patrick's Day. When I was searching for a movie snack recipe to suggest in Monday's blog, I found a whole treasure trove of great recipes. Unfortunately, after doing some more research, I found that many of them were not actually Irish in origin, but were created in the US and somehow became synonymous with St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

According to the History Channel, St. Patrick's Day (

Appetizers:

Delish, Low-Carb Reuben Wraps

(^^^ click title to go to recipe)

This first recipe was the one I had originally planned to use for the movie snack this week, until I found out this is an American dish and not an Irish one. The Reuben is often attributed to the Irish and does come close to the cabbage and Irish bacon dish but is also different in significant ways. No matter where this dish originated, it is a quick, tasty treat that would be a great starter for any meal (or as a movie snack).

Delish, Guinness Cheese Pretzel Bites

(^^^ click title to go to recipe)

Beer has become synonymous with St. Patrick's Day. Usually the beer being served is just an average American brew that has been turned an unappetizing color of green for the day. Personally, I'd rather skip the green coloring and go straight for a Guinness! What could be better to go with a good strong Irish Stout than these Guinness Cheese Pretzel Bites.

Main Dish:

Irish Central, Traditional Irish Bacon & Cabbage

(^^^ click title to go to recipe)

I have no idea exactly how this traditional Irish dish for St. Patrick's Day became corned beef and cabbage in the the US. My best guess is that beef was cheaper and easier to come by so the switch was made. But if you want to celebrate today with a more traditional Irish dish who better to get the recipe from than Irish Central?

Dessert:

Real Simple, Irish Soda Bread

(^^^ click title to go to recipe)

I just recently tried my hand at making Irish soda bread for the first time and I was surprised how easy it was too make and so good. The bread I have been making is a bit different than this recipe. I just needed a quick everyday bread for toast and sandwiches where this one is more for a dessert or treat with jam and tea.

If you like something that is practically a no fail recipe, this is a good place to start. Do not forget to bless the bread as you slice the cross in the top and poke a hole in each section to let the pixies out. You wouldn't want them messing up your beautiful bread.

Real Simple, Chocolate Stout Cake

(^^^ click title to go to recipe)

I love chocolate and I love a good stout beer so this recipe seems perfect to me. I do recommend the Dutch processed cocoa powder for recipes like this. It just seems to bring a richer flavor to the recipe. Also, while any stout beer will do, Guinness bring a bold flavor that you do not want to miss. If you like a good rich chocolate cake, be sure to give this a try.

After dinner, don't forget to raise a glass and say a toast to the day for luck, health, and happiness for all.

A blessing for St. Patrick's Day and everyday.

May you have love that never ends,

Lots of money, and lots of friends.

Health be yours, whatever you do,

And may God send many blessings to you!

You can also celebrate the day with the Into the West Saga Serial books. The serial is historical fiction and largely based on fact and personal family histories from my own family and from the families of close personal friends. The main characters of the serial are Irish immigrants and their stories help illustrate some of the hardships the Irish faced in the US in the 1800s. Check out all the books currently available for sale in the series here. Part five, Into the West: Last Showdown is currently being written. Be sure to keep watching the Friday Funnies blogs for more sneak peeks from the upcoming book.

So that is it, posse. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and may the luck of the Irish be with you!

Blessings!

DianneMy Wish For You . . . https://youtu.be/G7O9OqBd2us

Monday Movie Madness: Black 47

Hello Posse!

I hope this blog finds you happy and healthy. I have been playing with some new recipes this past week in preparation for St. Patrick's Day this Wednesday. This is not a holiday we usually celebrate here in our house, but with this past year of being "safe at home" we looked for entertainment wherever we could find it. However, St. Patrick's Day happens to also be my mother-in-laws birthday and that we do like to celebrate.

This past year at home we have celebrated Chinese New Year, The Lantern Festival (also Chinese), and now St. Patrick's Day. I am sure we will find other holiday's outside of our own cultures coming up to celebrate just because we can and it's something to do. Most of these holidays have traditional foods that go with them and we have really enjoyed trying a few. I have a friend in China who has been very impressed with my first attempts at some of the more traditional Chinese holiday recipes and she has been giving me pointers to get better results.

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I thought we would start this week out with a movie that is called an "Irish western", Black '47. Now, I will tell you I have not seen this movie yet, but from the trailer, I want to see this! It looks fantastic and the cast has several actors I love to watch. I think we will save this for St. Patrick's Day.

Black '47 was released in 2018 and was directed by Lance Daly. This movie was based on short film called An Ranger that was released in 2008. While the short was filmed mostly in the Irish Language with English Subtitles, Black '47 is an English language film. This movie stars Hugo Weaving, James Frecheville, Jim Broadbent, Stephen Rea, Freddie Fox, Barry Keoghan, Moe Dunford, and Sarah Greene.

Black '47 is set in Ireland at the time of the Great Famine. The title is based on the worst year of the famine, 1847, which is often referred to as Black '47. The story follows an Irish Ranger, Martin Feeney (Frecheville), who has been off fighting in Afghanistan and India for the British army. What he finds when he return home is devastating. His mother has died of starvation and his brother has been hanged for trying to protect the family when authorities came to seize their home. Feeney does find his sister-in-law and her children alive. He sets out to take care of them. When it is found out that he had actually deserted his post to return home, Feeny must not only fight for his family and his own freedom, but finds himself fighting for the common people of Ireland.

Oddly enough, this film premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in March of 2018 and wasn't released in Ireland until September of 2018 by Element Pictures. The movie garnered a number of positive critical reviews and was considered a box office success in Ireland.

Movie Snack

I had a difficult time choosing a movie snack for this flick. When I did a search for authentic Irish snack foods, I found way too many that looked good. I decided to pick something a little different for the movie snack suggestion today and will share some of the others I found in my search on the Wednesday.

The snack suggestion today is a mini version of a traditional Irish dish. This one can be found on Delish, Best Mini Shepherd's Pie! (

I was going to recommend a low carb reuben wrap until I did some more digging and found that "the reuben" is actually an American dish that for some reason has come to be associated in America as an Irish dish for St. Patrick's Day. Even so, the recipe for the reuben wraps sounds so good, it will be in the Wednesday Whatever blog where I will share some of the other great American and Irish dishes I found for St. Patrick's Day celebrations.

Shepherd's pie however, is reported to be decidedly Irish in origins. The predecessor to Shepherd's Pie was the dish called Cottage Pie. It was named in reference to the homes in which lived the impoverished Catholic Irish land workers. This recipe was a way to use several food scraps in one dish before things had a chance to spoil.

The meat in earlier versions was often mutton as it was a cheaper meat at the time. Other variations have used beef or lamb as the meat in the dish. Eventually a distinction was made that seems to have been missed in the Delish recipe. Shepherd's Pie was made with lamb in reference to what a shepherd herded and the cottage pie was made with beef. Either way, this is a decidedly Irish dish and a great way to celebrate the St. Patrick's Day with some authentic Irish foods.

Don't forget, if you like westerns or know someone who does, be sure to tell them about the Into the West Saga Serial. Part 5, Into the West: Last Showdown is being written right now and I have posted two seperate sneak peeks in a few of my recent Friday Funnies blogs. Another one will be coming soon! Be sure to sign up for my mailing list so you never miss a book release. I never spam you with useless stuff and you can quit at anytime.

And now you know what time it is, posse! Time to get those snack and settle in for another great western movie.

Enjoy!!

Stephenhttps://youtu.be/q1W1DLwg3lk

Friday Funnies: Celebrating Girl Scout Day!

Hello, Posse!

I hope you are having a great Friday and have some wonderful plans for the weekend. Normally, "Stephen" writes the Friday Funnies, but seeing as how today is National Girl Scout Day, and I was a girl scout, I thought I should write this one.

I am a bit tired as I write this. Today makes the second Friday in a row where I have had to venture out into the world and it looks like I will be doing it again next Friday and again in April. Nothing like putting off a full year of doctors visits for as long as possible then getting them all over in a month of Fridays. Man, there are a lot of "check ups" doctors want you to do once you get past 50!

I still need to find a dentist here too. I have yet to get setup with one since we moved here . . . 7 years ago. DO NOT tell my dentist back home in Kansas, he would call my mom on me (he is her dentist too) just to give me "what for" long distance.

But enough about being a grown up, today is National Girl Scout Day!

When my sister and I were young, our mother was a Girl Scout leader for my sisters troop and help out with my brownie troop (I believe, or it could have been later after I was girl scout too). I remember her letting me go to Girl Scout camp with them even though I was just a Still just a Brownie. Being the troop leader's daughter can have advantages. I remember feeling very superior as I watched my sister trick some of the older girls into going snipe hunting when I knew what was really going on.

I remember going door to door in my neighborhood, selling cookies to earn a trip to sleepaway camp. Dreaming of cookouts, camping, hiking, making S'mores on an open fire with friends, it was a good time! So if you can and you get the chance to buy a box and help a girl get to camp, please do. For some girls, this may be their only chance to experience something like that. You could help a girl build a priceless memory they will cherish for the rest of their lives. But . . . no pressure.

If you do decide to buy a boy or two and want to do something a bit more inventive than just eat the cookies straight out of the box like a normal person, check out these great recipes you could make with Girl Scout cookies. (

Know what else goes great with Girl Scout cookies besides a ice cold glass of milk?

A good book! Might I suggest a few pairings . . .

Pairing Guide for Girl Scout Cookies & Stephen Burchardt's Books

Do not worry, posse, I didn't forget about the sneak peek for today. Just click this link (

And now, I think it is time to get on with the jokes!!!!

Enjoy!

Dianne

Q: What Girl Scout cookies should you eat when you are dieting?

A: Thin Mints!

1: I think the Girl Scout next door is going to be a CEO one day.

2: Makes makes you say that?

1: She just came to sell me cookies and had a credit card reader on her cell phone.

Q: How is Girl Scout cookie time and the Borg (Star Trek for the non-nerds) alike?

A: Resistance is Futile!

Q: Know what the problem is with girl scout cookies?

A: No matter how many I eat, I always want Samoa.

1: I texted my aunt, a Girl Scout leader, to tell her I wanted to be a Girl Scout cookie tomorrow and Tagalong with her.

2: She replied . . . S'more the merrier!

Q: What is the most popular Girl Scout Cookie in the Philippines?

A: Tagalongs.

Q: Why do all the local Girl Scouts always set up cookie sales tables outside of the vacuum store?

A: They heard there were a bunch of suckers there.

Q: Why did the Girl Scout set up a cookie sales table outside of the pot dispensary?

A: One word . . . Munchies!

and last but not least . . .

Big sister helping her little sister with math homework . . .

Q: Think of it like this, if you had a three boxes of Girl Scout cookies and I took a third of your cookies, what would I have?

A: A fat lip, a black eye, and no cookies!

All About that Bass Parody: Girl Scouts All About that Badge - Meghan Trainor https://youtu.be/N9WwksyVs2g98-Year-Old Girl Scout Has Been Selling Cookies Since 1932https://youtu.be/zqfWEXoTfBw

Whatever Wednesday: Ready for Summer!

Hello, Posse!

I hope you are all happy and healthy this fine Wednesday. Sorry, this is a little late tonight. To be honest, I had no idea what to write in this one. As I sat wrapped in a two sweaters, guzzling hot tea, trying to warm up, feeling like I was literally freezing my back end off, I started dreaming of Summer. The weather has gone from freezing winter snows, to warm somewhat Spring weather, back to cold,rainy days again. I am so ready for a full week of bright sunny days!

I have always hated the cold and even sleep with an electric blanket year round. When I say I hate cold, I mean it! I want to sit on the patio under the big umbrella and enjoy a nice iced tea on a hot day while listening to the wind in the trees. I want my husband to fire up the grill and make dinner for us. I want to have to worry more about mosquito bites than frostbite!

(If you do not read German, this states: Grill Master Pedro. The Man. The Myth. The Legend.)

To start to get myself in the right frame of mind for warmer weather to come, I thought a blog about BBQing would be good. One of my favorite things about summer is watching my husband man the grill, and not just because it means I don't have to cook. He is a darn good cook too! I even bought him a few things for his birthday last month in preparation for BBQ season to start, a personalized apron and kevlar fire gloves. We are set!

I am a vegetarian and have been for about 14 years, but my husband is not. While he does eat a lot less meat since marrying me, he is definitely a carnivore and I doubt that will ever change. I would say he not only likes meat, he is a consisour of different cuts and cooking methods. Even when I still ate meat, I never got into it the way he does.

Pedro's favorite cut is a tomahawk steak. If you are not familiar with that, it is basically a beef ribeye steak that is still attached to the rib bone making it resemble a tomahawk shape. The bone is "French trimmed", meaning the bone that sticks out past the meat of the ribeye is cleaned of all meat and fat to make it look like a handle.

I am sure many people are wondering how a vegetarian and an avid carnivore can co-exist. It is actually pretty easy. We respect each other's right to live our lives as we choose. I do not cook meat for him, usually. Mostly because he is very particular about how he likes it done and just prefers to cook it himself. Plus, he said something not long ago that just illustrated why I love him so much and how we can get along so well.

I made a comment about buying a "cheap" cut of meat to try cooking it for him he if really wanted me learn to to cook steak for him how he likes it. He told me there was no need for me to learn to cook steak for him. He knows how much it bothers me to cook "critters" (as I refer to meat) and we can just keep doing as we have, I cook everything else and he cooks his own steak. Then he looked me dead in the eye and added, "Besides, there is no such thing as a cheap cut of meat. They all cost a life." I tell you, if I wasn't already married to him, I would have proposed to him right then and there!

If you would like to learn how to cook the perfect Tomahawk steak on the grill, check out JessPryles.com's How to Cook a Tomahawk Steak. (

She gives you great step by step directions to get the best flavor out of this particular cut. Considering how much a well aged Tomahawk steak can cost, you do not want to over cook it.

So let's hope the weather turns warm here very soon and we can all start firing up those grills. Until then, think warm thoughts, posse. Remember, if you are stuck in side with nasty weather battering your door, nothing goes better with a hot beverage and a warm blanket than a good book. Be sure to check out this Friday's blog for another sneak peek of Into the West: Last Showdown, coming soon (come hell or high water!)

Enjoy!

Dianne

Monday Movie Madness: Godless!

Hello Posse!

I am going to make today's blog short and sweet. I am fighting off a head cold and want to go back to bed but I cold not skip today's movie blog, it's a special one. Today is International Women's Day and what better time to feature the Netflix Original Miniseries, Godless.

This miniseries is a western drama made for the television streaming service Netflix. It was written and directed by Scott Frank. Godless stars Jack O'Connell, Michelle Dockery, Merritt Wever, Tantoo Cardinal, Kim Coates, Sam Waterston, Jeff Daniels, Tess Frazer, Samantha Soule, Audrey Moore, Scoot McNairy, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

The show is set in 1884 and follows the life of outlaw, Roy Goode (O'Connell) as he try to escape the violence of his former gang and their vengeful leader, Frank Griffin (Daniels). Goode and Griffin had formed an pseudo-parental bond over years captivity in the outlaw gang, but Goode finally finds the courage to break free from the violent life. He escapes, but was injured in the process. He manages to find refuge on a ranch run by widow, Michelle Dockery (Fletcher) along with her mother-in-law and her son.

The local town is peopled almost entirely by women and children. After a horrible accident which took the lives of most of the able bodied men, the women in town stepped up and took over all the roles necessary to keep the town running, regardless of social conventions of the time. Now they have a new challenge to face, Griffin and his men. Will they hand over Goode to save the town, or will they stand their ground and put their own lives on the line to save a stranger and stand up for what is right?

This series was released on Netflix in 2017 to positive reviews. Vanity Fair and The Washington Post both named Godless one of the years' 10 best. What better way to celebrate International Women's Day than to watch a western serial showing the resilience and strength of women?

For today's snack, I did a little research and found that pretzels are considered to be the oldest common snack food dating back to the 6th century. While marshmallows are believed to have been around in ancient Egypt, it seems they were used more medicinally, used for sore throats, than as a snack. Pretzels are believed to have been created by an Italian monk who was also an inventive baker. He was reported to use his pretzel creations to reward young church goers. In fact, the word pretzel comes from the Latin pretzola, which means little reward. I learned something new!

Todays recipe would most likely not have been something the Italian monk gave out, but it was just too good not to share in place of a plain pretzel recipe.

Check out this Spinach Artichoke Dip Stuffed Pretzel recipe by Tasty. Makes me hungry just looking at the picture. I am a sucker for spinach, artichoke anything recipe!

So now you know what time it is posse! Time to get your snacks and settle in for another great western!

Happy International Women's Day!

StephenGodless Official Trailerhttps://youtu.be/CrlZCRncCwA