Josh Kilmer-Purcell's Blog, page 78
February 14, 2013
2013 “Romantical Duel”
As many of you may remember, over the last month we had a little “bicker-ment” (that’s like an argument, but much much tinier with no hurt feelings) about who was the most romantic. Which led to a “Romantical Duel.” (Yes, we know that’s not a word.) Which led to some tremendous breakfasts, treats, and writings. We thought Valentines Day would be the perfect day for us to settle the score once and for all.
Now before you start lecturing us…this is all in good fun. Neither one of us is going to stomp off and sleep in the guest bedroom tonight. (Unless, of course, the other one eats a bushel of garlic chased by an entire head of cabbage.)
And now to reveal who was behind which romantical parry. (that’s a fancy duel term, for those who don’t duel on the weekends):
Josh created:
“Heart Attack Breakfast Biscuits”
Cherry Kisses Sandwich Cookies
Brent created:
Love Note Fruit RollUps with Booze
“You Should Read Poetry in Bed” Poem
So….who do you think holds the Romantical title? (Until next year…) Vote:
Who wins Josh & Brent's "Romantical Duel?"BrentJoshTie
February 13, 2013
5 Beautiful Things
SIMPLE
Flawless light in a darkening air
Alone, and shining there
Love will not elude you
Love is simple
I worship this tenacity
And the beautiful struggle we’re in
Love will not elude us
Love is simple
Be sure to know that
All in love
Is ours
And love, as a philosophy
Is simple
I am calm in oblivion
Calm, as i ever have been
Love will not elude me
Love is simple
Be sure to know that
All in love
Is ours…
-K.D. Lang
Andrew Ritchie is the creator of Martha Moments, a blog devoted Martha-Stewart related content and her community of supporters. He lives and works in Toronto, Canada, and has been a longtime friend of Brent & Josh, Beekman 1802 and Sharon Springs. Each week he’ll scour the world (wide web) to find the 5 most beautiful things to inspire you. Follow Andrew on Pinterest.
Use the comment section below to give a shout-out to the person you love!
2013 Babies!
Kidding has begun in earnest! (Is that sentence an oxymoron?)
We’ll be updating this page daily to record every single new birth at Beekman 1802 Farm this year. Kidding season lasts from now till May, with a few breaks in between for Farmer John to catch his breath.
For those who may not be familiar with how John expertly manages his herd, he selects two or three bucks to breed most of the 120+ does from September to November. Then the does get a nice winter maternity break when they can all relax and enjoy their pregnancy in the warm comfort of the barn, without being milked. Although this means we can’t produce cheese or other products during the winter months, this period of collective rest improves their health, (and John’s too!) as well as the quality of the milk.
Then, beginning in mid-February, all heck breaks loose. We expect over 250 kids this year. When the kids begin arriving, not only do they need to be bottle fed, but the mothers begin milking again as well. This is Farmer John’s busiest season. He also rises in the middle of the (short) night to check on any births in progress.
Of course we can’t keep all of the kids. Farmer John is selective in his choices, deciding which female kids to keep based on whose mothers produced the most milk the previous year (as well as other factors.) The males and remaining females get sold, generally to other farmers and those looking for pets. If you’re interested in purchasing a kid from Farmer John, send us an email at Beekman1802@Beekman1802.com and we’ll forw
ard your message to him.
Enjoy the photos of this year’s kids! (You’ll notice that their names all begin with the first initial of their mother’s name. That’s to help John keep track of lineage.)
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February 12, 2013
We all could learn a lot from Omaha.
Omaha Home & Garden Expo this past weekend due to Winter Storm Nemo, but those people apparently didn’t catch a little show called The Amazing Race. We used all our best Race training to get on the last plane out of Albany (following the plows down the runway for takeoff) and wound up having a wonderful time meeting new friends in Nebraska.We get to travel to a ton of places in America for different events, and while it’s always fun to pretend to be “all Hollywood” when we visit LA, or “corporate executives” in NYC, we usually have the most fun in places like Omaha. Neither one of us had ever been before, and so had no expectations. Sure, we always have the stereotypes of different regions in our heads before we go, but we always wind up surprised at what we find. Sometimes we discover that smaller American cities try to compare themselves to large coastal metropolises, showing off their “New York-style” restaurants, and luxury brand retail shopping centers. Those are usually our least favorite places. We love cities like Omaha, who are proud of who they are, and see no sense in copying anything from anywhere. We have a soft spot for hard-working, plain-spoken communities. We always learn something from them that we can take home and use in Sharon Springs.
Omaha, population 415,068, is a great example about how those ethics can pay off. There’s a healthy boon of construction and growth, fueled by the fact that Omaha is home to 5 Fortune 500 companies, including Berkshire Hathaway. (Yes, we drove by Warren Buffet’s home, and yes, it’s a simple home in a regular neighborhood.) Equally important, there’s been a lot of growth in civic and public arts projects. We also learned that Omaha has one of the highest concentrations of call centers in the U.S. Why? Because Nebraskans have one the most neutral-sounding American accents in the country. And also, we can’t help but think, because they’re super-polite. Omaha might be a city you don’t hear about much, but that’s probably because they aren’t doing much wrong. As we’ve learned from Beekman 1802 and Sharon Springs…it’s hard to get press about good things that happen to good people.
Unfortunately, the one thing we didn’t have time for is a “Runza,” a traditional pocket sandwich of Nebraska and elsewhere in the Midwest. If anyone has a good recipe for a homemade one, post it in the comment section and we’ll make one here at home.
We want to thank the Mancusos for bringing us to the EXPO, and for everyone who came and greeted us. The most common greeting we heard from people was “Thank you for visiting Omaha.” And to that, we can only reply: “Who in their right mind wouldn’t?”
February 9, 2013
Gartending: Cabin Fever Cure
Cabin FEVER????
Klaus has cabin fever. After complaining about the cold for weeks on end, Klaus’s cabin fever is about to come to an end. In two days, Klaus is going on a journey! But for now he must be content and sit near the wood burning stove for heat.
Now somewhere inside his little ceramic body there lies a thirst that is impossible to quench. Every so often his little ceramic brain sends a message down to that flask wrapped around his chest. The light goes off and all surrounding him notice a flash by his flask. Klaus is THIRSTY!
Did you know that Klaus is very fond of Spodee???
What is Spodee? Klaus has to tell you about Spodee. It reminds him of the spiced wine that his father Franz used to serve on very cold days (like today) in the old country. Country wine was mixed up with fruits and spices. There was also chocolate in there and dare I say- Moonshine! In Germany this would have been known as Schnapps. Country wine and Moonshine? Klaus is getting a healthy glow on his little red colored cheeks.
His smile is increasing and he’s whistling a little tune in his yodel like voice. “Wine and shine! Wine and shine” Oh Klaus, I bet you sing that to all the girls. Klaus, you’re such a charmer!
Spodee is a lovely way to make already delicious liquor even more beguiling. In this case Templeton Rye Whiskey has found a way into Klaus’s little flask. Along the way he picked up a bottle of Spodee. In his little world strange things happen all the time. All summer long Klaus mused prophetically about the plethora of herbs that surrounded him and his cocktailian proposals. Now that it is the depth of winter the only herbs are in this bottle of Spodee Wine. But how does this taste? Spodee, made of country wine and moonshine plus the administration of 80 Proof Rye Whiskey? I think it’s easy to imagine how delicious this drink would be. There are very few concoctions of this kind that Klaus wouldn’t want to try!
Spodee was Depression era hooch so the label reads and the Templeton Rye also became very popular during the Depression with guys like Al Capone who served it in his Speakeasies. Maybe this combination isn’t too far off? A way to calm down the power and intoxicating ability of the Rye is through a flavorful mixer. But what if that mixer was Spodee?
Klaus? Are you paying attention?
He’s wandered off again. Looking for a party. Klaus makes his own parties and with a bottle of Spodee and one of Templeton Rye Whiskey, well watch out!
I just think it works because these flavors of sweet and spicy rye whiskey char and chocolate are delicious together!
Prisoner AZ-85 Cocktail (Al Capone was prisoner AZ-85)
Ingredients:
2 oz. Templeton Rye Whiskey (Prohibition Recipe)
1 oz. Spodee (Wine and Shine)
Bitter End Mexican Mole’ Bitters
Crushed Ice
Preparation:
To a glass fill to the brim with crushed ice
To a Boston shaker- fill ¾ with regular ice
Add 2 oz. Templeton Rye
Add 1 oz. Spodee
Add 5 drops Bitter End Mexican Mole’ Bitters
Shake for 12.4 seconds, ok, make it 13 seconds (Klaus!!!)
Strain over the crushed ice and sip carefully. This one packs a BIG punch.
What is YOUR cure for cabin fever? Tell Klaus in the comments section below!
February 8, 2013
5 Beautiful Things
Hearts For Madelene
When I first discovered the book “Monday Hearts For Madelene” I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It is a small book featuring a collection of 100 beautifully designed and photographed ‘hearts’ made of everyday objects, from food to flowers. But it wasn’t until I read the introduction to the book that I realized the true beauty of these images and the inspiration behind them.
Page Hodel, a world-renowned club DJ and designer living in San Francsico, met the love of her life, Madelene Rodriguez, in 2005 and knew immediately their bond would never be broken. So powerful was her love for Madelene that she would create a new heart for her each Monday morning, using objects she found around the house, to help her start her week on a beautiful note.
Sadly, just a year after they met, Madalene died of ovarian cancer. Rather than give up on life and love, Page decided to continue to make her hearts for Madalene each week as a form of remembrance. To spread that love to friends and family, she eventually began to photograph her creations. This book is the result of her project.
“Although Madalene is no longer with me on this physical plane, in my heart her love is so alive and unchanged. In recognition of this unbelievably warm, kind, gentle soul, whose love changed my life so much, I wanted to find a way to share this beautiful feeling,” says Page.
Anyone who would like to receive more information about the project, please visit mondayheartsformadalene.com. If you would like to purchase the book – a gorgeous collection of 100 of the finest heart-shaped creations – know that partial royalties will be given to the Women’s Cancer Resource Center of Oakland, California, to help fight women’s cancer. Also available is a set of note cards with the images and a selected group of first-edition prints will soon be available.
True love is so rare. The beauty it can spawn is unimaginable, as demonstrated by the imagery below.
No Monday will there ever be
From now until eternity
That you don’t have
A heart from me…
All photography and artwork by Page Hodel
Andrew Ritchie is the creator of Martha Moments, a blog devoted Martha-Stewart related content and her community of supporters. He lives and works in Toronto, Canada, and has been a longtime friend of Brent & Josh, Beekman 1802 and Sharon Springs. Each week he’ll scour the world (wide web) to find the 5 most beautiful things to inspire you. Follow Andrew on Pinterest.
February 7, 2013
“Love Your Neighbor” Beekman 1802 Ghirardelli Chocolate Giveaway
Beekman 1802 + Ghirardelli Chocolate Giveaway Contest!
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February 14th is coming up, and there are all kinds of gift guides, articles, and blog posts about what to get your sweetheart for the Big Day. But you know what? Chances are you and your significant other have a pretty good idea of how to show appreciation for each other already. That’s why you’re together.
But how about all the other great folks in your life? Valentines Day is a great time to remind them how much you love ‘em. You know how much we love our neighbors here in Sharon Springs (and our “virtual” neighbors from around the world) so we thought we’d sponsor a “Love Your Neighbor” contest for Valentines Day.
The rules are simple…simply post a short story (300 words or less) about your favorite neighbor in the comment section of this post. Do you have a neighbor that brings you soup when you’re sick? Watches your pets while you’re away? How has your neighbor gone above and beyond the proverbial cup of sugar? Go ahead and give ‘em a shout out by name if you don’t think they’ll mind. (Or use no name at all if you want to keep their privacy.) Your story about your wonderful neighbor can be heartfelt, funny, or just plain ole’ sincere.
We can’t wait to hear your stories about your remarkable neighbors. We’ll pick one Grand Prize and one second place story that moves us. Maybe it’ll make us laugh. Or maybe cry. Or just make us think we’d love to have your neighbor as our neighbor.
And to reward these great neighbors, a friend of ours at Ghirardelli is giving us two great gifts to give to our prize winners. (Who, of course, will give them to their great neighbor, naturally.) We’ve always admired Ghirardelli chocolate…it was the first “fancy” chocolate Josh ever tried, and the first pilgrimage we made when we went to San Francisco together the first time. The 106-year-old company is an American treasure. Touring the headquarters we learned that they are one of the few companies that create chocolate from bean to bar…selecting beans, roasting them and “conching” themselves. They actually reject 30% of the beans they buy for not being good enough. And you know how much we appreciate discerning taste. 
Anyway, we love to give stuff away, and we thank our friend at Ghirardelli for helping us give away a box of Sweet Hearts Premium Chocolate assortment to our Grand Prize Winner and a Valentine’s Caramel Chocolate Trio Set to our Second Prize Winner.
But timing is tight. You’ll have to submit your story about your wonderful neighbor in the comment section below by 11:59 PM this Sunday night (2/10/1013). We’ll announce the winner on Monday on our Facebook Page. Choose your neighbor wisely, cuz you can only enter one story.
Go ahead…start Lovin’ Your Neighbor….
You Should Read Poetry in Bed
You Should Read Poetry in Bed to the Person You Love
by Brent Ridge
You should read poetry
In bed
To the person you love
Because
You will see things
That you have not seen
Before or
For a while
Like
The light in their hair
The color of their eye
The blush of their cheek
You should read poetry
In bed
To the person you love
Because
You will hear things
That you have not heard
Before or
In a long time
Like
The little creak their right elbow makes
The brush of eyelashes as they blink
The rhythm of their breath just before they sleep
And start to snore
You should read poetry
In bed
To the person you love
Because
You will feel things
That you have not felt
Before or
Perhaps ever
Like
Your heart swelling so much it might burst
Your brain suddenly filled with everything and nothing
Your toes curling
You should read poetry
In bed
To the person you love
Because
You will know things
Like
The words that you always wanted to say
But couldn’t
February 5, 2013
A Llife in Pictures
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PolkaSpot: My Llife in Pictures
Polka Spot has traveled the world as a fashion model, pop superstar, movie star, magazine editor, diplomatic problem-solver, and general global icon. She has gone where no llama has gone before. Her life in pictures is worth a million words. And, of course, every one is massively important.
This is why she thought it vitally important to document her life in the form of a comic book series. There will be four Collector’s Edition issues of the comic each year. In Issue #1, her and her sidekick, Jolene, get involved in a jewelry heist while attending a fashion event in NYC.
PolkaSpot believes that everyone should have the opportunity to be a diva for a day. Don’t you?
See more of PolkaSpot in the Mercantile
February 2, 2013
The Chatter for February
We’ve lobbied really hard for Garrison Keillor to give up life in Lake Wobegone and move to Sharon Springs, but thus far he has not answered our letters or returned our calls.
Sharon Springs has beautiful people and above-average children, too, so on to Plan B.
What is a small town village without a small town paper to keep track of what everyone is doing?
Nancy Pfau, our town historian, is now editor of our own little paper.
Each month you can check back here for a new issue and follow the lives of the real village people. If you pay a real visit, you may even want to submit a story idea of your own!
You may not live in small town, but at least you can pretend.
See below for the Feb 2013 Issue
