H.A. Larson's Blog, page 12

Coffee Talk: Let's Have a Chat, Shall We?

 

Good morning! I have a cup of coffee in my hand, per my usual morning routine, and I'm ready to sit around the table and have a chat with you. So, grab your own coffee (or whatever motivates you in the morning) and we'll get started.
I need to apologize. No really. *sigh* I've been....a lazy bum. I have gone places, done things, and photographed it all, but I haven't posted about any of it! I'm so sorry, honestly. I mean, I have stuff from this past summer that I haven't even touched yet. 
Before I talk any further about this topic, I need to apologize for another. *deep breath* Look, I'm sorry that I've posted ad nauseam about my personal struggles. I know, it's my blog...I know, talking about things helps, but I also know that driving a topic into the ground doesn't win you any friends and drives people away. You were probably just as sick as hearing about it as I was in dealing with it all. I'm over it all. I'm ready to move on from it all - in fact, I have moved on from it all. So, let's carry on, shall we?
Now, back to my lazy ass. Look, I have a ton of material - okay maybe not a ton, but a do have a lot of material that seems like such a shame to just let sit around collecting dust. Since I and my life have returned to a better, happier normal, I want to start fresh in 2022. I'm going to post up the aforementioned things and then move on to new, bigger, and better things. Okay, so I'm going to move back into posting like I did circa 2019 and before.
I'm back to the Wednesday and Saturday schedule, so stay tuned for my first old-new post on Saturday. Also, I'll be sending out my January newsletter soon so make sure you sign up for that. 

Have a great week!

Life is Good - A Recap of 2021

2021 started off quietly and different than in past years as covid turned my life upside down (like it did for everyone else). I had been divorced for a few months but was still living as roommates with my ex-husband. It sucked twofold in that the old house was a dump and I was ready to move on from my marriage and make a clean break. 
In April and May, I went through the long and tedious process of finally moving into my own place while moving and dealing with 11 years' worth of stuff out of my old rental house. I also struggled through the rest of the year with children who had some serious issues while I suffered through a midlife crisis.
Unlike past years, the vacation time I took wasn't fun at all and I felt cheated of my time. I wrestled with a year of ups and downs at my job that left me frustrated at best and in tears at worst. I tried working a second job again and it was just awful.
I tore the meniscus in my right knee and it took months to heal. All of these struggles forced my writing to take a backseat. Worst of all, I ate and drank myself through my troubles. 
Then, as November came to a close, things started to change course. Turns out, 2021, while not great, wasn't so bad. Here are all the good things that happened:

* My ex-husband and I suddenly became friends, celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas together as a family with our kids. Both holidays were wonderful.
* My kids got through their issues (with and without help) making them, and me, happy again.
* I bought my first brand new car, opening a path for traveling that hadn't happened in a long time.
* I quit my crappy second job while things at my main job settled down and became awesome again.
* My new home is just wonderful and I love it so much.
* I spent a good amount of time during the year exploring both Nebraska and its wines through the Nebraska Wine Passport and it was a ton of fun.
* My knee finally healed and I got back into walking and hiking, ending the year strong, and putting my health back on priority.
* I worked out some of my own issues and became a better friend, daughter, and parent.



I can finally say, after what was a year of some good things and largely crappy things, that life is good. It took a long time to get here, but I made it. I finally feel a sense of peace and happiness that I haven't felt in a very long time - and this time I mean it when I say that. I look around me and I realize how fortunate I am. 
I have a great year planned and I guarantee...it's going to be my best year yet.

Happy New Year, friends. 








 

Loess Hills Hiking

One of my best friends from high school, Amy, and I are doing a section hike on the Appalachian Trail in June (of 2022). Because of this, we've been getting together every three weeks to take a hike - typically about halfway between our respective homes and somewhere in the Loess Hills. Our first hike was in the Jones Creek Pond and Amy was running late that day, so I drove up the road aways to check out a scenic overlook that I had always wanted to stop at.



There are plenty of scenic overlooks dotting the Loess Hills but not all of them have a dedicated plaque. Walter Ordway Jr. sounds like my kind of person!



It was a chilly & windy day this day, but the views - like always - cannot be beaten!



This particular scenic overlook has the largest, most accomodating deck I've ever seen and boasts plenty of seating. It would be a great place to hang out and take it all in on a perfect-weather day.



After my quick side quest, Amy and I hiked North of the pond on an old maintenance road, where we actually ran across a couple of other folks walking. We backtracked after a while and walked on the trails around the pond.



One cannot hike in nature without taking at least one photo, amirite?



Typical late Fall foliage. Some people hate hiking this time of the year because they think it's ugly, but when the leaves leave the trees and bushes, it makes it easy to see much farther out.



Of course, the trail starts and ends around Jones Creek Pond itself. What a beautiful sight! 



The next time we met up, the snow had fallen, although it wasn't as dense in my neck of the woods so we met closer to my place. This time we graced Old Town Conservation Area with our presence. 



It was definitely colder this time around, but more beautiful. With tufts of white dotting the ground, an azure sky above us, and the Sun shining brightly over the land, hiking was a glorious thing this day.



Just look at that! How could you not want to hike it?

It's nice having a hiking partner again - something I've been lacking for a long time. My kids are on their own or have no interest in hiking, and most of my friends are busy or also have no real interest in hiking, so it's been nice having company out there on the trails. Of course, we have an agenda we're working on, but we're doing it together. And, we're enjoying the views along the way.
Enjoy the rest of your week, friend!







 

Finding Joy in Cooking

 

Once upon a time, I liked to cook. I spent my 20s single and eating gas station food, so as I neared 30 and started a family, I began cooking. I discovered that I liked it so did it fairly often, using the things I had learned by watching my grandmother cook as I was growing up.
Fast forward a few years when I had two small kids and a full-time job and my relationship with cooking started to change. Life got busier and so I would make the kids something to eat and then my husband and I would scrounge up whatever we could find a few times a week. A few times a week become every day but the weekends, which would be the time I would cook. When the kids got older and hungrier, I would keep foods around that they liked and were easy for them to fix, so when they got home from school they would eat. By the time I got home then, there was no need to cook, and it started to extend into the weekend so it got to where I was lucky if I cooked two meals a week - with everyone on different schedules we would all just eat whatever, whenever.
This is what I have maintained for the last several years, and seems more relevant now that it's just my daughter and me at home. 
Having said all that, I need to tell you that back in my early 30s, I loved watching Nigella Lawson's cooking show "Nigella Bites". Deliciously British, she was outgoing, beautiful, posh, and an excellent cook who just seemed normal. I loved watching her cook easy but elegant meals for having friends round for dinner parties and ascribed to do something similar one day. Obviously, I never did.
Why tell you all this? Well, through my Roku box, I watch a lot of YouTube (my only subscription in life), and recently, I ran across "Nigella Bites" and began to binge-watch them. Not only was I awash in nostalgia, but I began to feel the urge to begin cooking again. 
By god, if Nigella can put together an effortless dinner party on a Wednesday, surely I can put together a simple dinner for my daughter and myself after work each day. So, that's exactly what I've been doing. 
But, it's been more than just cooking. I come home from work, slip into my house clothes, put on some jazz music, pour a glass of wine, and start cooking. It's become a fabulous way for me to relax, unwind, and enjoy my space & my time. Even more, I've become a better cook. 
Let me take you through a week.
Monday : I had one frozen pie crust left from Thanksgiving as well as turkey, so I made a Turkey Pot Pie. Granted, it was easy to make because of the already made pie crust and already cooked turkey, but it still required me to make a gravy, assemble, and bake.
Tuesday : Even though I'm not vegan anymore, I still love vegan food. To this end, I keep plenty of tofu in the freezer so when I was thinking about dinner for this day, I settled on a stir fry. Since I have the aforementioned tofu as well as good quality, bottled lemon juice, I decided on Lemon Tofu. Instead of being in a hurry and frying all the (lightly dredged in cornstarch) tofu at once and ending up with soggy tofu, I took my time and fried it all in batches. I ended up with very crispy tofu. To coat the golden crispiness, I made a fantastic sauce using lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes thickened with a slurry. Man, was it ever delicious! Definitely, something to put in my regular rotation.



Wednesday : My daughter had been sick for a few days with a low-grade fever and body aches, so I opted for some soup. This was an easy meal day as I had a prepackaged bag of broccoli-cheddar soup that you simply whisk into 8 cups of boiling water. It was pretty yummy, easiness be damned, and I toasted up some bread to go with it.
Thursday : I was really in the mood for pizza, so that's what I made. I have a food processor with a dough blade, so making homemade dough is easy (the processor eliminates the need to knead the dough for an excruciating 10 minutes). In the past, I would be in a haste, so I'd make my dough, slather the raw dough in a ton of sauce, throw my toppings on, and bake. Needless to say, I'd always end up with soggy dough weighed down further by an overabundance of sauce and cheese (the toppings weren't to blame). This time, I did it the proper way. I baked the dough for a good seven minutes first, then put a light coating of sauce, toppings, and a light layer of cheese. Not only was it delicious but for the first time, I actually had a perfectly baked crust that held up firmly. Of course, it was delicious and probably one of the best pizzas I've made to date.

Friday : This was an easy day as I simply warmed up leftovers and the two of us picked a bit of the things we wanted to eat. 

I have to say, I'm genuinely back to cooking (most) every night and loving it. 
Thank you, Nigella, you goddess.

Buffalo Bill Cody Ranch

 

Last month, my friend Rebecca and I took an overnight trip to Western Nebraska to visit some wineries on the Nebraska Passport Program. We spent the night in North Platte, NE, which is the home of Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch. It was on the agenda for a visit, so we stopped by on a perfect Autumnal Sunday. The ranch is part of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, so you can get in for $2 with your Nebraska State Park Pass.

For those of you unfamiliar with Buffalo Bill Cody, he was a cowboy showman who was born in 1846. His claim to fame was the eponymous show he created, toured the world with, and made his fortune with: Buffalo Bill's Wild West. 

This sign at the entrance to the Ranch gives visitors a bit of history behind the man who once lived here.



It's an impressive house, even now, and it's been lovingly restored and maintained.






When you enter, a facsimile of a ticket to the Wild West show is there for visitors to take.



I love walking through old homes that have been maintained and/or restored. It's like stepping back in time and I find it fascinating. Here we see the dining room and the table is set with Bill Cody's personalized chinaware.



I had to get a close-up shot of the wallpaper in this room. While it's not the original it was recreated to be an exact duplicate and carefully put up. It seems fitting for a house owned by Buffalo Bill Cody!



This old, framed photograph shows exactly how the ranch looked back during its heyday.



This little alcove, situated under the stairs to the third floor, is called a cupola. It's a small wooden-floored room with windows and was only used for looking towards town to see if expected guests were on the way.



One of the bedrooms in the house.



There were plenty of display posters from Cody's Wild West show days.



A photograph of Buffalo Bill in his later years.



Annie Oakley was one of the women who were part of the Wild West show, and undoubtedly, one of its most famous.



A view down the stairs from the second to the first floor where you can directly see a photograph of Bill during his heyday.



A small pond adjacent to the ranch kept the house supplied with water and ice for refrigeration.



The doors to the spring house...



...a building where freshwater was stored for daily use. This would have been used as opposed to a well.



Another building in the rear of the house was multi-functional and held a bathhouse as well as the cider house where apples were turned into delicious apple cider.



There is also an ice house. Ice would be carved from the frozen pond, turned into ice blocks, and used in icebox refrigerators.



Another view of the pond.



A short walk from the ranch house lies the Cody North Cabin. It wasn't on the property originally, but rather was disassembled, brought to the ranch, and reassembled.



It's a small cabin but served its purpose.



A back-side view of the ranch house. You can see the Spring House and the multifunctional bath/cider house.

I do love history, particularly the history of my adopted state. If you're ever in Western Nebraska, near North Platte, it's worth a stop here for a visit. 

Shocktober! 2021

 

It's hard to believe, but this is the 6th year of my annual Shocktober! In case you are new around here, Shocktober! is where I watch horror movies (based on a theme of some sort) just for you that round out the month of October - hence the name. Sounds rough, I know, but someone's gotta do it, right? Right. 
This year, I chose to watch some of the most popular offerings on Tubi, a free moving-streaming service. Without further delay, here we go!




First up is Antrum, a mockumentary where we have a film within a film. The mockumentary follows the sordid history of a movie from the 70s named Antrum that, after a series of unfortunate events, disappears without being seen. Mysteriously, it turns up in the late 80s in a Hungarian theatre - but with modifications. As you would suspect, these modifications have such disastrous effects on the viewers, that more tragedies happen. The film is then considered cursed and vanishes. 
After this bit of backdrop framing, we are treated to the entirety of the movie - with the modifications, of course. An unknown person or persons, has altered the movie by splicing in unpleasant sounds and bits of a snuff film. The "original" film itself, it actually quite good and does a good job of being a true 70s horror film. That being said, I thought that, while the modification of the film was an interesting concept, it really fell flat. If they had actually just shown us the "original" movie, it would have been a better movie. I recommend watching this movie for that reason alone.




Lisa moves back to her Midtown hometown after getting a college degree in Antiquities from a Spanish University. Her grandmother has died, leaving her the old bookstore - a perfect job for an antiquities specialist. Unfortunately, the bullies she dealt with in high school are still the town bullies. Even more unfortunate, the head bully's mom is the town sheriff - a bully herself. Another local girl has been missing and there's a hint of a werewolf in the air. 
Without giving the plot away, this is a low-budget film with some decent acting. It started out pretty strong and while the special effects, and some of the dialogue, was a bit on the cheesy side, I really enjoyed this movie for the majority of the time. The ending was a bit of a let-down, but that happens all too often. Still, it's a decent movie worth checking out.





This movie stars scream queen Barbara Crampton, star of such 80s horror delights as Re-Animator, Chopping Mall, and Puppet Master. It's the 1970s, and Anne (played by Barbara) and her husband Paul leave the city for a country home to try and put the death of their 20-something-year-old son behind them. Little things start to happen around the house, convincing Anne that her son is still with them. What happens next is a tale of revenge that has moved throughout the decades and will end with Anne and Paul...and maybe their son, too.
Also starring Monte Markham, a veteran actor of repute, I was pleasantly surprised with this movie. This well-made, well-acted movie was creepy and had just enough gore - not too much and not too little - that it kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. It was the only movie in this year's viewing that I actually loved. Highly recommend!



I know this post is a few weeks late. Honestly, I had planned to watch one more movie but working two jobs and having only one day off per week takes up a lot of time. On top of that, the fourth movie on my list was no longer available on Tubi. Oh well, at least I still got through most of them! I'm still stoked about this year's watches, even if I didn't get to the last one. Until next year!

A Forgotten Winery and a Tasting Room

Back in late July, my friends Jayne, Keith, and I loaded up into my car to head north. Our destination? An out-of-the-way winery and a tasting room. The winery in question was Native 32 Winery, located in the countryside of West Point, NE. Its claim to fame is that its wines are made using Aronia berries. I've had Aronia berry products before at an Aronia berry farm in the Loess Hills and I admit, I wasn't a fan. But, this winery was on the passport program so I just had to do it.



Aronia berries by themselves, will not make good wine so they are always mixed and made with fruit. Native 32 does make one wine with just Aronia berries, but I wasn't brave enough to try that one. Instead, I opted for Euphoria, their Aronia-Raspberry blend, and it was pretty good.



The best part about this winery is its beautiful setting - a large, covered porch overlooks the Aronia berry fields. So, after having a glass of wine indoors, we opted to sit outside. The bad part is that Aronia berries are fruit so fruit flies swarm the area. If you can see my wine glass in the foreground, you'll notice it has a cover on it. They have these for your glasses to keep the fruit flies out, but occasionally one gets in. Still, it was a picturesque setting and we enjoyed it.



Next, we made our way back towards home, stopping in Fort Calhoun at Too Far North. Too Far North is a tasting room, specializing in Nebraska wines and beer. It was my first visit to a tasting room and I was quite impressed.



A view of the outside - an old, restored historic building.



Sandy, the owner, was not only friendly and inviting but incredibly knowledgeable about my state's wine and beer. She was a great guide for finding the right drink.



The interior is decorated in antique pieces, including old beer signs from Nebraska beers of yesteryear.



There was also the quirky, including a velvet Elvis. I couldn't resist getting a picture of The King!



After a glass of wine, I opted for a Blueberry Wheat from Lazy Horse Brewing. Made in Ohiowa, NE, I'd never had a beer from here and it was delicious. I was told that they also make wine. 

It was a great Sunday excursion with good friends. As has been the case during this Nebraska Wine Passport journey, it's been an interesting and fun journey to learn more about the state I've called home for two decades by driving through its countryside and sampling its wares. 

Have a great week, my friends!





 

Back at It

 

Remember when my whole life was hyper-focused on walking and hiking? Yeah, well...me too.
See, here's the thing. Last year was a bitch and, as a result, I got lazy and put some weight back on. Then, when I was moving back in April/May, I tore the meniscus in my right knee. At first, I thought I had strained a muscle, so I let it go for a few months before I went to the doctor to take care of it. This only contributed to the laziness that had taken over my life. Just when it was feeling a bit better, I took a nasty fall and reinjured it all over again. Laziness covered me like a big comfy blanket, and I refused to get out from under it.
And you know what? I was really feeling it. My mind and body were both feeling it. It didn't feel good.
Over the weeks, I began to notice that my knee was finally on the mend. The twice-daily dose of two Aleve tablets turned into one Aleve tablet twice a day and then, I didn't need any Aleve at all.
I began hiking once or twice on the weekends, taking easier trails and flatter paths.
Recently, though, I started doing something I haven't done in well over a year: I started taking short walks on my lunch break again. 
And you know what? It feels great. 
I'm ready to be back at it.
I am back at it.

Discovering Western Nebraska, One Winery at a Time

Image courtesy of https://westnebraska.com/

When I first embarked on my Nebraska Wine Passport journey at the beginning of the year, I knew a trip out West with one of my participating friends was in the cards. I mean, how else are you supposed to cover the state in a year unless you get out there? Never mind that I completely spaced getting my passport stamped when I was ALL the way out west-west in Scottsbluff a few months ago - I'm still kicking myself for that one, honestly. 

Anyway, said friend was one of my besties, Rebecca, and we took an overnight trip out to North Platte and back to discover some wineries on the passport. Our plan was ambitious: stop at three wineries on the way to North Platte, check into our hotel, then go to the winery in North Platte before having a late dinner. Then, we were going to go to Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch in the morning and hit up two more wineries on our way home. Turns out, that plan was a little too ambitious, but we were open to any and all possibilities, so here's how it went instead.

Our first stop was in Stromsburg, Nebraska, to visit one of a handful of tasting rooms, The Rose Colored Glass. I was quite impressed with the other tasting room that I've been to, so I had high hopes. I wasn't disappointed as we were greeted by the owner, Bob, who was very knowledgeable about Nebraska wines (as any good tasting room should) and interesting to talk to.



This tasting room is in an old building that Bob purchased and restored, with a bevy of unique tenant shops in the other bays of the building.






We sampled some wines from places we hadn't tried before. There's a fireplace surrounded by comfy chairs and couches and as it was a chilly day, we asked Bob if he wouldn't mind turning on the fireplace. He happily obliged.



Our next stop was at Miletta Vista Winery near the town of St. Paul, Nebraska.



They had a nice selection of whites and reds, and I found a new favorite in their Work Horse red. I enjoyed it so much so that I bought two bottles - one for me and one to share. This place also serves some fantastic food, so we were told, that pairs well with their wine.



Positioned on a hill overlooking the plains, their scenery was gorgeous! If the weather had been nicer, I would have opted to sit outside.



Bonus? Getting to meet and pet this friendly fellow on our way out.



Our third stop was in Central City, Nebraska, at Prairie Creek Vineyard and Winery. 



It was incredibly busy, as they sell higher-end food in a small town, so we had to stand up at the bar area for our tastings. Maybe because they were so busy, the man working the bar forgot to be friendly (at first) and we got an unwelcome vibe. We still got a wine tasting and, after some time had passed, the gentleman apologized for being so busy and thanked us for our patience. 
Even though there was no open table for us to sit at, there were a couple of comfy chairs where we could sit and people-watch. After we each picked our favorite wine to have a glass of, we sat down in them to relax and enjoy.



By then, we realized how late it was and that we had lingered a bit too long at the wineries we had already visited, so we decided it would be best to skip the last winery on our journey and get to North Platte before their winery closed. 
Unfortunately, by the time we made it to Grand Island, it was after 7 pm. We were hungry and with two more hours to drive to North Platte, we knew we weren't going to make it in time. Instead, we chose to get something to eat in Grand Island then drive to our hotel for the night. We eventually made it there at 11 pm and promptly went to bed.



The next morning, we went to Buffalo Bill Cody's Ranch as it opens much earlier than any winery -  but that's for another post. Realizing that the first of our two wineries for that day didn't open until 1 pm, we opted to choose just one to visit. After all, it was still a 3.5-hour drive home from that winery and we both had to go to work the next morning. Our choice? Mac's Creek Winery & Brewery since we had both enjoyed their Irish Jig white on our journey down Highway 75.



Situated right outside of Lexington, this winery also makes cider and brews beers.



Besides the beautiful decor at the front of the establishment, their inside was also well-appointed.



As was their back deck. Absolutely beautiful!



Back inside, I opted for the wine tasting of 5. I picked three wines, a cider, and some port (yum!). They gave me dark chocolate for the port and some oyster crackers to cleanse my palette. This doesn't really happen at other wineries I've been to and it was a nice touch. 
All their offerings - with the exception of the beers which were just okay - were fantastic! Mac's Creek has some of the best wines in the state. I made sure to grab a couple of bottles to take home, including the port.



The table-toppers were so cute. Without a doubt, this was our favorite stop and, dare I say, my favorite winery in Nebraska. It sure made us wish it were closer!
Even though we had to skip three places, it wasn't a big deal. Regardless, we had a wonderful time seeing parts of the state neither of us had ever been to before, taking our first girl's trip together, and spending time elsewhere enjoying good wine and good conversation.
There's only a little shy of two months before we have to turn our passports in for prizes, and I think it's safe to say that I'm not going to make it to all 29 wineries. As it stands, I have 17, and I hope to have a couple more before the year is up.


Have a great week, friends!

The Majesty of Fall

Another week is upon us, so before I get too deep into it, I want to reflect on the last one.




Fall is here, a bit delayed, but you can finally see it in the landscape.




Because of this, I made sure to get out there and take it all in. These pictures are a result of that.




After all, it will be gone before you know it.




I hope you get to enjoy it before that happens.



Have a great week, my friends. I had an excellent, although busy, weekend, and I can't wait to share it with you soon.