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H.A. Larson's Blog, page 47
June 14, 2017
A Sunset Stroll
As you will remember from my post the other day, I vowed to spend more time outside to acclimate myself to the warm weather. I love being outside in nature anyway, so this wasn't so much a big deal as it was a way of adjusting to the unavoidable heat. The other evening, then, I decided it would be nice to take an evening walk somewhere. The Teen was home as well (a rare occurrence these days as he has a job and a life), so the four of us drove up to Cunningham Lake to take a sunset stroll.
It was delicately gorgeous, and it reminded me of the simple yet complex beauty of nature. It also reminded me of a simple yet complex poem I read one time:
"Out over the ocean, and it’s waves it lay,
A magnificent orange sphere, as it drops to the sea,
With spears descending from within the fire,
The magnificent beauty of the sunset each day,
An immanent display, for the world to share,
As it seeps below horizons, to end the day,
Only to share light, so that others may see,
The beauty of the sunset for all who care,
Up above the clouds, that shadow the light,
The rain, the snow, and the elements that blind,
That magnificent glow, that Brightens our world,
Another sunset awaits, just to share its light."
- Sunset Poem by B.J. Ayers
There are few things more beautiful, in my opinion, than a lovely sunset over a lake. You can see the ripples on the water, made by a light breeze and the few people who were out on their boats.
The reflections of the docked boats are long, rippled, and lovely.
The sky was absolutely gorgeous as the Sun cast the last of its reddish light upon the horizon.
Nature Girl was thrilled to have her big brother along with us, and she stuck to him like glue the entire time. There's one big log accessible from the shore, and they spent a bit of time there.
The Teen plays in the water with a branch while Nature Girl looks on.
It was a lovely evening, and it was nice to spend time together, all four of us. Enjoy your day, we're halfway to the weekend.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
It was delicately gorgeous, and it reminded me of the simple yet complex beauty of nature. It also reminded me of a simple yet complex poem I read one time:
"Out over the ocean, and it’s waves it lay,
A magnificent orange sphere, as it drops to the sea,
With spears descending from within the fire,
The magnificent beauty of the sunset each day,
An immanent display, for the world to share,
As it seeps below horizons, to end the day,
Only to share light, so that others may see,
The beauty of the sunset for all who care,
Up above the clouds, that shadow the light,
The rain, the snow, and the elements that blind,
That magnificent glow, that Brightens our world,
Another sunset awaits, just to share its light."
- Sunset Poem by B.J. Ayers
There are few things more beautiful, in my opinion, than a lovely sunset over a lake. You can see the ripples on the water, made by a light breeze and the few people who were out on their boats.
The reflections of the docked boats are long, rippled, and lovely.
The sky was absolutely gorgeous as the Sun cast the last of its reddish light upon the horizon.
Nature Girl was thrilled to have her big brother along with us, and she stuck to him like glue the entire time. There's one big log accessible from the shore, and they spent a bit of time there.
The Teen plays in the water with a branch while Nature Girl looks on.
It was a lovely evening, and it was nice to spend time together, all four of us. Enjoy your day, we're halfway to the weekend.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
June 12, 2017
Coffee Talk: The Box, Summer Heat, and Wanderlust
Good morning! I have a freshly brewed cup of coffee sitting here right next to me, and I'm ready to get this Monday started with an edition of Coffee Talk.
The Box has been doing well. I received another review for it, and it was much better than the first. *laugh* The bad first review though, hasn't hurt my book sales thus far, and that's the part that I'm grateful for. I'm also really pleased with the fantastic difference between publishing through Amazon exclusively and publishing through Pronoun. The difference is striking, and I'm glad I made the leap.
Pronoun recently announced the addition of OverDrive and Bibliotheca to their distributors. The only difference with these two are that they are library distributors, which means authors can have their books bought by libraries to include in their catalog. It's just another way that Pronoun is active on behalf of their authors, something that I found lacking in Amazon.
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The Summer heat has hit the Midwest over the last few weeks, and, man, is it hot already! It's been 90+ degrees F here for the better part of two weeks, and it's giving me the blues. The last couple of weekends, I've largely stayed indoors getting household and business stuff done in order to avoid the heat. While I'm glad to have accomplished many things that needed to get done outside of being outside, I'm starting to feel some cabin fever.
Every summer I go through a period where I have to acclimate myself to the heat -- much like I do in the winter. This includes forcing myself to get outside and do something, largely in the shade. I then repeat this process a few more times until I've adjusted to being outside in the blazing temps. This week, I've decided that I'm going to at least take a walk in the neighborhood in the evenings, and this should help me acclimitize.
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This past week, Wanderlust struck. It's no secret (for those of you who've been following my blog) that I desire to travel and see the world. It's also no secret (it's in the blog subtitles) that I want to live in another country someday. I have a plan to accomplish this, but I have to be patient. It will be several years before I'm ready and able to move away. For the most part, then, I keep my thoughts of adventuring in the farthest recesses of my mind so I don't sit around and dwell on them. This last week though, it's been on my mind a lot and I've spent a good chunk of time reading expat blogs. I want to be an expat damnit!
It's hard when you're ready, mentally, to take a leap of this magnitude, but are relegated to waiting. Waiting?! Waiting sucks! Yes, indeed, waiting is hard -- and not just for kids. We all want what we want when we want it. As adults though, we also understand that good things come to those who wait...and plan properly. It's that last part I must do, even if it's hard. I have to get two kids that I have to get graduated from high school and out on their own, I have obligations I must see through, I have money to save, and I have necessary planning to do.
So, I will wait, no matter how hard it is, because I have to, and that's okay.
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I hope you enjoyed our little talk this morning and that your coffee was nice and strong. Until next time!
- H.A.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
June 10, 2017
Living History at Fort Atkinson
Good morning! It's the weekend, I have a cup of coffee, and I'm ready for the day. I haven't been sleeping as well as I should have lately, so I made up for it last night by getting a good, long night of restful sleep.
For those of you who are signed up for my newsletter, you were already aware that this post was coming. This means -- for all of you who haven't signed up for my newsletter yet -- that you get sneak peeks, stuff I don't post here on my website, and previews of what's to come. You can sign up anytime, right here on my website. On the main page here, you'll see a box in the upper right-hand corner, just below the menu bar. That's the sign up box, so sign up today!
Anyway, last Saturday, my folks were here for a quick visit, and I took them up to Fort Atkinson. Fort Atkinson was the largest fort in the west back in the early 1800s, and, while it's no longer standing, it was rebuilt to original standards back in 1980s-1990s. You can read more about the Fort on it's Wikipedia page.
The Fort is located in Fort Calhoun, NE, and is a part of the Nebraska State Parks, and, as such, there is a small visitor's center in the lower, left-hand side of the park. The Fort itself is huge, and there are some outbuildings as well. The cost of entry is a state park pass, or a daily pass which is $6/car.
Every year, for a handful of scattered weekends, the Fort has it's Living History days. During these weekends, the Fort comes to 1800s life, and you can see what life would have been like back then. I took my parents up last weekend, because it was one of the Living History weekends, and I knew we'd all enjoy it. I have been to the Fort numerous times, but had only made it to one of the Living History weekends once with the kids. That was a few years back, and the weather was so ungodly hot and humid, that we didn't enjoy ourselves much, hid out in the shade all we could, and took off before really getting to see much.
Here is the entrance path into the Fort (which is U-shaped) and you can see soldiers and other personnel going about their duties.
While it did get warm last Saturday, it didn't get as warm as the last time I tried to go. However, we knew it would be better to get there early so we could escape the heat. Here, we see the Fort Commander. He was a friendly chap who visited with us for a minute.
Here's a shot across the center field. As you can see, it really is a huge fort. Luckily, it has a covered porch that runs the entirety of it's U shape. You can see the shadow, on the ground, of the giant American flag.
This would have been the dining quarters of the Commander and his family plus officers (if I remember correctly).
This young soldier was carrying water, and was quite "intrigued" by my modern camera.
Here we see a lady of the Fort sewing a quilt. Nature Girl and the Teen were invited to sit down and make some stitches, which they both did eagerly. A lady was also sitting right to the left, and she was crocheting some socks.
Here's another shot of the Fort from the right wing of the U. You can see what I mean about that flag!
This young lady was turning wool into yarn.
Here we see the weavers. Weavers made rugs, runners, placemats, hot plates, and a variety of other goodies.
Right outside, between the woolsmith and the weaver, was the lace maker. She also invited the kids to help out for a bit, and they both joined in as well.
This stone building, set in the center of the Fort field, is the powder magazine. It's where all the ammunition was kept. For reference, the doorway on the left-hand side back in the distance (the one where the person in the red shirt is standing) is the Commander's office.
If you go to the left of the U, and behind it, you will find the outbuildings. One such building is the Sutler's Store, which was the Fort's General Store. They open and operate during Living History days, and you can buy old-time goods, get a drink and some treats. We all got water, lemonade, old-fashioned cookies, and some pickles from the barrel.
Inside the store are tables, and each one had a game to play for entertainment. Ours had an old set of playing cards.
The blacksmith shop, which is in another outbuilding, along with the metalworkers.
The fire at the blacksmith's shop.
The inside of the powder magazine.
A picture of my folks. <3
Another cool thing about Living History is that they have drummers, trumpeters, and will fire canons & rifles. This drummer was signaling the mid-day canon fire.
The crew gets the canon ready.
After the canon fire. If you've never heard a canon fire....it's a treat. Loud and regal.
This was a general, I'm pretty sure.
The officers congregated for lunch.
Barracks.
A shot down the left-hand arm of the U.
The Cooper making a bucket.
A pioneer family was camping in the shade behind the Sutler's. Probably a family taking a much-needed break from the Wagon Trail.
One of the outbuildings is the Council Hall. At one end is the Indian Affairs office. The Agent for that office knows how to play the guitar, and it made for a pleasant time to sit in the breeze, chat, and listen to some songs.
This was where soldiers could pick up uniforms, shoes, blankets, and such.
A letter from home.
An Officer's quarters.
It is a neat experience to visit the Fort and learn about our past. You can find out more about the Fort from the Fort Atkinson Website. If you follow the menu links you can see the schedule for Living History days, and learn more about the Fort in general. If you live anywhere near here -- or any other place with a nearby location like this -- I urge you to come visit. The Fort is open all the time, and some of the rooms in the Fort are always open, but you get to see tons more during Living History.
Have a great weekend!
-H.A.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
For those of you who are signed up for my newsletter, you were already aware that this post was coming. This means -- for all of you who haven't signed up for my newsletter yet -- that you get sneak peeks, stuff I don't post here on my website, and previews of what's to come. You can sign up anytime, right here on my website. On the main page here, you'll see a box in the upper right-hand corner, just below the menu bar. That's the sign up box, so sign up today!
Anyway, last Saturday, my folks were here for a quick visit, and I took them up to Fort Atkinson. Fort Atkinson was the largest fort in the west back in the early 1800s, and, while it's no longer standing, it was rebuilt to original standards back in 1980s-1990s. You can read more about the Fort on it's Wikipedia page.
The Fort is located in Fort Calhoun, NE, and is a part of the Nebraska State Parks, and, as such, there is a small visitor's center in the lower, left-hand side of the park. The Fort itself is huge, and there are some outbuildings as well. The cost of entry is a state park pass, or a daily pass which is $6/car.
Every year, for a handful of scattered weekends, the Fort has it's Living History days. During these weekends, the Fort comes to 1800s life, and you can see what life would have been like back then. I took my parents up last weekend, because it was one of the Living History weekends, and I knew we'd all enjoy it. I have been to the Fort numerous times, but had only made it to one of the Living History weekends once with the kids. That was a few years back, and the weather was so ungodly hot and humid, that we didn't enjoy ourselves much, hid out in the shade all we could, and took off before really getting to see much.
Here is the entrance path into the Fort (which is U-shaped) and you can see soldiers and other personnel going about their duties.
While it did get warm last Saturday, it didn't get as warm as the last time I tried to go. However, we knew it would be better to get there early so we could escape the heat. Here, we see the Fort Commander. He was a friendly chap who visited with us for a minute.
Here's a shot across the center field. As you can see, it really is a huge fort. Luckily, it has a covered porch that runs the entirety of it's U shape. You can see the shadow, on the ground, of the giant American flag.
This would have been the dining quarters of the Commander and his family plus officers (if I remember correctly).
This young soldier was carrying water, and was quite "intrigued" by my modern camera.
Here we see a lady of the Fort sewing a quilt. Nature Girl and the Teen were invited to sit down and make some stitches, which they both did eagerly. A lady was also sitting right to the left, and she was crocheting some socks.
Here's another shot of the Fort from the right wing of the U. You can see what I mean about that flag!
This young lady was turning wool into yarn.
Here we see the weavers. Weavers made rugs, runners, placemats, hot plates, and a variety of other goodies.
Right outside, between the woolsmith and the weaver, was the lace maker. She also invited the kids to help out for a bit, and they both joined in as well.
This stone building, set in the center of the Fort field, is the powder magazine. It's where all the ammunition was kept. For reference, the doorway on the left-hand side back in the distance (the one where the person in the red shirt is standing) is the Commander's office.
If you go to the left of the U, and behind it, you will find the outbuildings. One such building is the Sutler's Store, which was the Fort's General Store. They open and operate during Living History days, and you can buy old-time goods, get a drink and some treats. We all got water, lemonade, old-fashioned cookies, and some pickles from the barrel.
Inside the store are tables, and each one had a game to play for entertainment. Ours had an old set of playing cards.
The blacksmith shop, which is in another outbuilding, along with the metalworkers.
The fire at the blacksmith's shop.
The inside of the powder magazine.
A picture of my folks. <3
Another cool thing about Living History is that they have drummers, trumpeters, and will fire canons & rifles. This drummer was signaling the mid-day canon fire.
The crew gets the canon ready.
After the canon fire. If you've never heard a canon fire....it's a treat. Loud and regal.
This was a general, I'm pretty sure.
The officers congregated for lunch.
Barracks.
A shot down the left-hand arm of the U.
The Cooper making a bucket.
A pioneer family was camping in the shade behind the Sutler's. Probably a family taking a much-needed break from the Wagon Trail.
One of the outbuildings is the Council Hall. At one end is the Indian Affairs office. The Agent for that office knows how to play the guitar, and it made for a pleasant time to sit in the breeze, chat, and listen to some songs.
This was where soldiers could pick up uniforms, shoes, blankets, and such.
A letter from home.
An Officer's quarters.
It is a neat experience to visit the Fort and learn about our past. You can find out more about the Fort from the Fort Atkinson Website. If you follow the menu links you can see the schedule for Living History days, and learn more about the Fort in general. If you live anywhere near here -- or any other place with a nearby location like this -- I urge you to come visit. The Fort is open all the time, and some of the rooms in the Fort are always open, but you get to see tons more during Living History.
Have a great weekend!
-H.A.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
June 9, 2017
Staying Neutral in a Sea of Negativity
Like most every other Indie author alive today, I utilize social media. Nowhere is any one of us more present, typically, than on Facebook. Social media is a great way for us Indie authors to introduce the world to who we are and promote our work, and it can work quite well for this purpose.
Ever since I began my writing career, I've always made sure to do one very important thing: keep my real self and my author self separate. There are two good reasons for this:
1. I'm marketing my books.
2. I'm building my brand.
If you don't keep your author self and your real self separate, then problems happen. I see this in action all the time, particularly on facebook. I see authors who are constantly talking about politics, social issues, and religion (to name a few) and taking deeply rooted sides. Quite often, argruments erupt and things get contentious. It's not a pretty sight.
It's not that I discourage anyone for standing up for what they believe in, but if your author self constantly spouts off personal diatribes, you're going to turn off and chase away potential readers. I have a private account where I do and say what I please, and then I have my author account where I keep things neutral. I recommend that for authors and anyone else trying to sell themselves or their products. Keep your stuff neutral, or people will associate your brand with political, religious, or social ideas.
I know how hard it is to not be vocal and aware of the world around us during these times, but you're only hurting your end goals. Make a separate account if you have to, but stay neutral in this sea of negativity.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
June 7, 2017
Total Solar Eclipse
We know that I'm a bit of an astronomy buff, and have been since my Dad instilled a love for the stars in me at a young age. I make posts here and there about sky events that are coming up in the hopes that you, too, can see what all the fuss is about.
More often than not, sky events can be less-than-exciting. Trust me, I know. You'll be expecting something that will blow you away with it's wow factor, but it ends up being something, if you can even see it, that doesn't appear to be much. However, for all the unexciting sky events, there are always a few of those awesome ones that we can look forward to throughout the year. Eclipses are one such event, and can either be Lunar or Solar.
A Lunar Eclipse (LE) occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow. A Solar Eclipse (SE), on the other hand, occurs when the Moon passes in front of the Sun, blocking it from our view and casting darkness over all of the area it surveys. While LEs happen a couple of times a year, a SE only happens around once every 18 months. Additionally, an SE will be visible in different parts of the world when they are visible, so there's less of an opportunity to view them.
This year, however, America will be fortunate enough to see a total SE on August 21, 2017 in a 70 mile wide swath that stretches from Oregon to South Carolina. In order to view it, it is recommended that one takes proper precautions, because staring at the Sun, even during an SE is harmful for your eyes. The Space website has great information about the SE coming up this year, and how to view it. Read the article on the Space website.
Make sure, if you're close enough to the path, that you don't miss this event. A SE is a one-of-a-kind experience that one doesn't get to see very often. And unlike the aforementioned less-than-exciting sky event, this one is definitely exciting!
Check out these sky events for June/July:
1. June 3: Venus will be nice and bright in the eastern skies before sunrise.
2. June 9 & July 9: Full Moon!
3. June 15: Saturn will be most visible and brightest all through the night, making photography of the planet and it's moons possible.
4. June 24 & July 23: New Moon. This means the moon will be on the same side as the Sun, making it non-visible in our hemisphere. Because of this, you can take advantage of it to view other celestial objects that are typically not able to be seen due to the brightness of the moon.
5. July 29-30: Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. This meteor show will be best seen after midnight in a dark location and can display up to 20 meteors per hour at it's peak.
6. July 30: Mercury will be most visible today, low in the Western sky just after sunset.
My latest book, The Box, is available through different retailers for $3.99! If you like short, campy, horror books, you will love The Box!
Pick it up by following this link: The Box by H.A. Larson
For information on my other books, link up to my Pronoun Author Page.
June 5, 2017
Recipe of the Week: Fat Taquitos with Homemade Salsa con Queso Sauce
The other night, Taco Tuesday in fact, I was really craving Mexican food. Oftentimes, when the need for Mexican food arises, I turn to one of a couple of my favorites: enchiladas or tacos. I admit though, that I get tired of those two and need a bit of variety, so I decided to make Fat Taquitos. What's the difference between a Fat Taquito and a regular one? The amount of filling. That's it. I also had the wondrous idea to make a salsa con queso sauce, and, man oh man, was that one of the best ideas I've ever had! Read on for the recipe.
Fat Taquitos with Homemade Salsa con Queso Sauce
Ingredients:
For the taquitos:
2 c. leftover cooked, or cooked & cooled, basmati rice*1/2 a medium onion, chopped1 t. each onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and oregano**1/2 T. Italian seasoning and cumin**1 heaping T. chili powder**2 T. cooking oil2 c. vegetarian, or fat-free, refried beans1 can black beans, drained and rinsed15 medium-sized tortillasCooking spray***
For the salsa con queso sauce:
3 T. margarine****1/8 c. + 1 T. flour1.5 - 2 c. unflavored, unsweetened, plant-based milk3/4 c. vegan cheese*****1/2 c. salsa of choice
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. When the oil begins to ripple, add the rice, onion, and seasonings. Mix well to incorporate everything. Fry, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the refried beans, black beans, and cooled rice mixture. Mix well.
5. Spray a baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.
6. It's time to fill your taquitos! Using roughly 1/3 - 1/2 c. of filling per tortillas, fill them, roll them without sealing the ends, and line them up on the baking sheet. It's okay to squish them together.
7. When your taquitos are all filled and on the baking sheet, spray the tops of the taquitos liberally with cooking spray as well.
8. Put the taquitos in the preheated over, and bake them until they are lightly golden brown. This takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on the oven.
9. While the taquitos bake, make your salsa con queso sauce. Begin by adding the margarine to a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
10. When the margarine has melted completely, add the flour and whisk well until they are incorporated together.
11. Add half the milk and whisk well, continuing to whisk until the mixture is too thick to whisk. Add the rest of the milk and repeat. This time, the mixture will thicken to the proper consistency. It might seem a bit thin, but you'll be adding cheese and salsa.
12. Add vegan cheese and whisk lightly until the cheese completely melts into the mixture.
13. Remove from heat and add the salsa. Stir well.
14. When the taquitos are finished, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Pour some of the salsa con queso sauce over them and enjoy with your favorite accoutrements.
Notes:
*You can use any rice, I prefer jasmine or basmati however. You can also cook the rice beforehand, just make sure it's completely cooled first, or it will turn to mush in the frying pan.
**In lieu of the seasonings, you can add half to a full packet of taco seasoning.
***You can use cooking oil instead of cooking spray, but cooking spray is better. It's better for non-stick purposes, and it makes a healthier & lighter taquito without the extra fat.
****I used Earth Balance, but any vegan margarine will do.
*****Daiya cheddar is absolutely fabulous here so it's my personal recommendation, but you can use whatever vegan cheese and flavor you prefer.
I like to serve my taquitos with greens, chopped olives, chopped onions, chopped jalapenos, Tofutti Better than Sour Cream, Hampton Creek's Just Ranch, salsa, Valentina's hot sauce, and nooch. You can get creative with your embellishments.
Enjoy!
Fat Taquitos with Homemade Salsa con Queso Sauce
Ingredients:
For the taquitos:
2 c. leftover cooked, or cooked & cooled, basmati rice*1/2 a medium onion, chopped1 t. each onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and oregano**1/2 T. Italian seasoning and cumin**1 heaping T. chili powder**2 T. cooking oil2 c. vegetarian, or fat-free, refried beans1 can black beans, drained and rinsed15 medium-sized tortillasCooking spray***
For the salsa con queso sauce:
3 T. margarine****1/8 c. + 1 T. flour1.5 - 2 c. unflavored, unsweetened, plant-based milk3/4 c. vegan cheese*****1/2 c. salsa of choice
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
3. When the oil begins to ripple, add the rice, onion, and seasonings. Mix well to incorporate everything. Fry, stirring often, until the onions are soft and translucent. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the refried beans, black beans, and cooled rice mixture. Mix well.
5. Spray a baking sheet liberally with cooking spray.
6. It's time to fill your taquitos! Using roughly 1/3 - 1/2 c. of filling per tortillas, fill them, roll them without sealing the ends, and line them up on the baking sheet. It's okay to squish them together.
7. When your taquitos are all filled and on the baking sheet, spray the tops of the taquitos liberally with cooking spray as well.
8. Put the taquitos in the preheated over, and bake them until they are lightly golden brown. This takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on the oven.
9. While the taquitos bake, make your salsa con queso sauce. Begin by adding the margarine to a sauce pan over medium-high heat.
10. When the margarine has melted completely, add the flour and whisk well until they are incorporated together.
11. Add half the milk and whisk well, continuing to whisk until the mixture is too thick to whisk. Add the rest of the milk and repeat. This time, the mixture will thicken to the proper consistency. It might seem a bit thin, but you'll be adding cheese and salsa.
12. Add vegan cheese and whisk lightly until the cheese completely melts into the mixture.
13. Remove from heat and add the salsa. Stir well.
14. When the taquitos are finished, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes. Pour some of the salsa con queso sauce over them and enjoy with your favorite accoutrements.
Notes:
*You can use any rice, I prefer jasmine or basmati however. You can also cook the rice beforehand, just make sure it's completely cooled first, or it will turn to mush in the frying pan.
**In lieu of the seasonings, you can add half to a full packet of taco seasoning.
***You can use cooking oil instead of cooking spray, but cooking spray is better. It's better for non-stick purposes, and it makes a healthier & lighter taquito without the extra fat.
****I used Earth Balance, but any vegan margarine will do.
*****Daiya cheddar is absolutely fabulous here so it's my personal recommendation, but you can use whatever vegan cheese and flavor you prefer.
I like to serve my taquitos with greens, chopped olives, chopped onions, chopped jalapenos, Tofutti Better than Sour Cream, Hampton Creek's Just Ranch, salsa, Valentina's hot sauce, and nooch. You can get creative with your embellishments.
Enjoy!
June 3, 2017
Latest Libations: 7th Edition
Good morning! It's already shaping up to be a great Saturday. My folks are here and we're going to go do some fun things to celebrate NG's birthday (granted, it's a bit early but my folks won't be able to come down closer to her actual birthday). One of those things will be quite interesting, so I'll be taking plenty of pictures today which I'll make a cool post with next week. For now though, I have some of the brews I've been enjoying lately to share with you, so let's get started.
First up, Guinness Irish Wheat. Next to actual Guinness itself, this beer is fantastic. It's light, crisp, and refreshing with a great taste. I could drink this beer often, and I probably will.
I've had a few brews by Infusion Brewing Co. but I had yet to have their Dominican Brown Ale. This brown ale (think Newcastle) has a nice, even taste. I enjoyed it's slight variance from Newcastle, and it was a bit darker, which I loved.
I've showcased my fair share of Zipline Brewing's beers, and this is another new one that I haven't tried. It's called Copper Alt, and it's an altbier. It's a cross between an ale and a lager, and I loved it! I would definitely drink this golden, amber-hued tasty treat again and again.
It's been a long time since I've purchased or drank a Sam Adams beer. When I first started moving into darker brews and away from the young kid's reliance on cheap, light beers, Samuel Adams was the beer of choice for most people like myself. When they started making Cherry Wheat, I drank a lot of it. After discovering other, better beers I all but quit drinking Sam Adams. Recently, my husband picked up a six-pack of this for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had forgotten how good Cherry Wheat it.
Oh Boulevard, is there no beer that you can't make taste great?! This lovely sour ale has been brewed with coriander, sea salt, and hibiscus. It's a dream in beer form, and I will definitely be coveting a six-pack of this soon. I recommend you try one soon!
Another Boulevard offering, Early Riser is a dark, thick, heady coffee porter. I've talked before about how coffee and porters go together, and the caffeine helps accentuate the porter taste. Boulevard knocks it out of the park again with this almost dessert beer. Yum!
Good old Smithwick's Irish Ale. Irish Ales are red ales, and they have a caramel, earthy taste that's lighter than regular ales without sacrificing taste. While it's not the best Irish Ale I've ever had, it's not terrible. I know Boulevard makes an Irish Red Ale, and I vow to get my hands on one soon.
Last, but not least: 1800 Tequila. These were drank on Cinco de Mayo by my husband and myself. I chose the brown tequila, and, of course, we drank them traditionally with lime and salt. It's been years since I dared to drink tequila, but this tequila was smooth and smokey. I would recommend grabbing a shooter for yourself sometime.
There you have it, the 7th installment of Latest Libations. I hope you've enjoyed a look into some of the tasty beers (and hard liquor) that I've had recently. I do love a good, tasty, cold beer to relax at the end of the day, and I do hope you'll give one of these a try.
-H.A.
Don't forget, my book The Box is available now -- for the low price of $3.99! Find it here, on my Pronoun Author Page.
First up, Guinness Irish Wheat. Next to actual Guinness itself, this beer is fantastic. It's light, crisp, and refreshing with a great taste. I could drink this beer often, and I probably will.
I've had a few brews by Infusion Brewing Co. but I had yet to have their Dominican Brown Ale. This brown ale (think Newcastle) has a nice, even taste. I enjoyed it's slight variance from Newcastle, and it was a bit darker, which I loved.
I've showcased my fair share of Zipline Brewing's beers, and this is another new one that I haven't tried. It's called Copper Alt, and it's an altbier. It's a cross between an ale and a lager, and I loved it! I would definitely drink this golden, amber-hued tasty treat again and again.
It's been a long time since I've purchased or drank a Sam Adams beer. When I first started moving into darker brews and away from the young kid's reliance on cheap, light beers, Samuel Adams was the beer of choice for most people like myself. When they started making Cherry Wheat, I drank a lot of it. After discovering other, better beers I all but quit drinking Sam Adams. Recently, my husband picked up a six-pack of this for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I had forgotten how good Cherry Wheat it.
Oh Boulevard, is there no beer that you can't make taste great?! This lovely sour ale has been brewed with coriander, sea salt, and hibiscus. It's a dream in beer form, and I will definitely be coveting a six-pack of this soon. I recommend you try one soon!
Another Boulevard offering, Early Riser is a dark, thick, heady coffee porter. I've talked before about how coffee and porters go together, and the caffeine helps accentuate the porter taste. Boulevard knocks it out of the park again with this almost dessert beer. Yum!
Good old Smithwick's Irish Ale. Irish Ales are red ales, and they have a caramel, earthy taste that's lighter than regular ales without sacrificing taste. While it's not the best Irish Ale I've ever had, it's not terrible. I know Boulevard makes an Irish Red Ale, and I vow to get my hands on one soon.
Last, but not least: 1800 Tequila. These were drank on Cinco de Mayo by my husband and myself. I chose the brown tequila, and, of course, we drank them traditionally with lime and salt. It's been years since I dared to drink tequila, but this tequila was smooth and smokey. I would recommend grabbing a shooter for yourself sometime.
There you have it, the 7th installment of Latest Libations. I hope you've enjoyed a look into some of the tasty beers (and hard liquor) that I've had recently. I do love a good, tasty, cold beer to relax at the end of the day, and I do hope you'll give one of these a try.
-H.A.
Don't forget, my book The Box is available now -- for the low price of $3.99! Find it here, on my Pronoun Author Page.
June 2, 2017
The First Review for The Box
Good morning, and Happy Friday! I've got my cup of coffee, the weekend is here, the weather is nice, and my folks will be here for a visit. I hope you have fun plans for the weekend, I know I do! In fact, you'll get to read about the fun thing we're doing tomorrow sometime next week. Now, it's time for today's blog, so read on.
My book The Box received it's first review this week! Was it a good review? No, I can't say that it was. The reviewer felt my book was filled with gratuitous violence and bloody murders. Now, for a horror book, that sounds amaz...I mean, terrible! Who the heck wants violence and murder in a horror book?! Well, me, that's who....and most other people who buy horror books. *laughs*
I've been writing books long enough now that I don't get offended by people's reviews, because we all have the right to our opinions, but this one made me chuckle. I put gratuitous violence and bloody murders in my scary book! They also didn't like my ending, which I can see wouldn't be for everyone. Some people like their tales to be wrapped up neatly, where I like to defy convention.
All things considered, I'd say it was a "good review", and here's why:
1. Unlike reviews of my past books, they had no complaints about my grammar or made mention of any typos. This was something I worked hard at in this book when I was in the editing process, so yay me!
2. I wrote a horror book, and horror books -- more often than not -- employ violence and death. So, while they weren't fond of those plot devices, many people are. This means my books hit people where I want it to hit them.
3. They didn't review it like my last few books have been reviewed through the peer review groups I've been in. They weren't expecting "War and Peace" and for that, I'm happy. It's a campy horror book, let it be that way.
4. People who are looking for this kind of book will appreciate the fact that it has what they're looking for, based on the review.
But hey, don't take my word for it. Go buy a copy of the book yourself, and see what all the fuss is about! You know you want to, and for a cool $3.99, how can you lose? Find it here, on The Box's Pronoun Page.
My book The Box received it's first review this week! Was it a good review? No, I can't say that it was. The reviewer felt my book was filled with gratuitous violence and bloody murders. Now, for a horror book, that sounds amaz...I mean, terrible! Who the heck wants violence and murder in a horror book?! Well, me, that's who....and most other people who buy horror books. *laughs*
I've been writing books long enough now that I don't get offended by people's reviews, because we all have the right to our opinions, but this one made me chuckle. I put gratuitous violence and bloody murders in my scary book! They also didn't like my ending, which I can see wouldn't be for everyone. Some people like their tales to be wrapped up neatly, where I like to defy convention.
All things considered, I'd say it was a "good review", and here's why:
1. Unlike reviews of my past books, they had no complaints about my grammar or made mention of any typos. This was something I worked hard at in this book when I was in the editing process, so yay me!
2. I wrote a horror book, and horror books -- more often than not -- employ violence and death. So, while they weren't fond of those plot devices, many people are. This means my books hit people where I want it to hit them.
3. They didn't review it like my last few books have been reviewed through the peer review groups I've been in. They weren't expecting "War and Peace" and for that, I'm happy. It's a campy horror book, let it be that way.
4. People who are looking for this kind of book will appreciate the fact that it has what they're looking for, based on the review.
But hey, don't take my word for it. Go buy a copy of the book yourself, and see what all the fuss is about! You know you want to, and for a cool $3.99, how can you lose? Find it here, on The Box's Pronoun Page.
May 31, 2017
Back on the Wagon...Maybe
My kids are out of school for the Summer now, which means I don't have to wake anyone up in the morning and drive anyone anywhere either (YAY!). Combine this with a beautiful Spring morning and living in close proximity to my job, and you have the perfect recipe for walking to work.
I decided, then, the other day to do just that. I had only gotten about a quarter of the way there when I came to a realization: I am out of shape! That one mile walk (I know, shoot me) kicked my butt. Me, the hiker and outdoor lover, got whooped by a quarter-mile walk. I persevered anyway, and by the time I reached work I was feeling pretty good. Still, it's a wakeup call.
You all know that I spent a total of three and a half weeks being sick (this includes the time I spent taking medicine and getting well) last month. I got in one decent hike right at the tail end of it, then spent the next two weeks getting caught up on various responsibilities I have outside of work. Right after that, I hit a manic perimenopause episode that lasted a couple of weeks where I hibernated.
Looking back over the last couple of months then, I really haven't gotten much exercise. In fact, I've only gotten that one hike in since vacation. On top of that, I've been eating mostly a carbolicious, starchy diet. No wonder I'm in such poor shape. Well, it's time then to get back on the wagon. I'm going to be mindful of the foods I eat (and the quantity), and I'm definitely going to get some good hiking in this weekend. I need to do that anyway before Summer heat arrives, and renders hiking nothing more than a sweaty, bug-fest.
Wish me luck!
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Don't forget, you can purchase my latest book, The Box, as well as my other books through my Pronoun Author Page. You can purchase it through different retailers for different reading devices. Hey, one guy said The Box was nothing more than gratuitous violence and bloody murders! Doesn't it sound awesome? Find out for yourself...only $3.99!
May 29, 2017
Portrait of Omaha: University of Nebraska - Omaha (UNO)
Good morning! It's been awhile since I've done an installment of my series: Portrait of Omaha. If you're unfamiliar with it, it's a photographic/informative look at some of the landmarks of the city I call home. I've been meaning to cover the University of Nebraska - Omaha (a.k.a. UNO) for awhile now, but I've been waiting for Spring to arrive. The reason for this is that Spring is a great look for campus, and showcases the beauty of the university.
This is glimpse of the Welcome Center with the Durham Science Center peeking through the back.
A good look at the Welcome Center. See the flowery bush there on the right? It's part of a larger patch of foliage that hides a little secret: There's a little path that meanders through the patch, allowing one to escape for a moment and admire nature.
A view down the sidewalk under the covered walkway at the Durham Science Center. You can see all the way down past the Weber Fine Arts Building, through the covered walkway of Criss Library, and just barely make out the base of the Henningson Memorial Campanile (also known as the Clock Tower).
The entrance to the Durham Science Center. This is where all the science-related fields are, and they also have a small, but impressive, planetarium. I was fortunate to go check out a laser show there with my family last year.
This is a neat art alcove along the main walkway through campus. It's got this neat-looking obelisk-type structure on the right, but inside are winding rows for planting flowers (which hasn't been done yet) and a small variety of sculptures. I'll have to find out more about this one of these days.
Just east of the Weber Fine Arts Building -- on one of their decorative outdoor walls -- is an open window that is framed with ivy and looks out, onto a wire-frame sculpture.
This interesting sculpture is called "Atomicity" made by Ronald K. Parks. Installed in 2014, it sits outside of the Community Engagement Center.
Here we finally get a good look up the Clock Tower. From this viewpoint, it seems to rise almost endlessly into the sky.
A view of the Arts and Science Hall from the back entrance of the Eppley Administration Building. The big, open, green space is the Pep Bowl where plenty of student activities are held on nice days.
This is a cool fountain sculpture, complete with places to sit, just outside the back entrance of the Milo Bail Student Center. When the weather is nice, facilities puts out metal patio furniture for people to sit out in this nice open area. It's a great place to have lunch if it's not too hot.
I hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. There are plenty of other interesting sculptures, foliage, and buildings to see here, and I hope you get a chance to wander around campus someday. You can catch a show at the Durham Science Center Planetarium, check out the art inside the Weber Fine Arts Building, grab a bite to eat the Library Cafe, or simply take a scenic walk.
Don't forget, my latest book The Box was just published Friday, and it's a hot buy at only $3.99. It's a short, fun, and thrill-ridden horror story, so check it out! You can find it here: H.A. Larson's Pronoun Author Page.
This is glimpse of the Welcome Center with the Durham Science Center peeking through the back.
A good look at the Welcome Center. See the flowery bush there on the right? It's part of a larger patch of foliage that hides a little secret: There's a little path that meanders through the patch, allowing one to escape for a moment and admire nature.
A view down the sidewalk under the covered walkway at the Durham Science Center. You can see all the way down past the Weber Fine Arts Building, through the covered walkway of Criss Library, and just barely make out the base of the Henningson Memorial Campanile (also known as the Clock Tower).
The entrance to the Durham Science Center. This is where all the science-related fields are, and they also have a small, but impressive, planetarium. I was fortunate to go check out a laser show there with my family last year.
This is a neat art alcove along the main walkway through campus. It's got this neat-looking obelisk-type structure on the right, but inside are winding rows for planting flowers (which hasn't been done yet) and a small variety of sculptures. I'll have to find out more about this one of these days.
Just east of the Weber Fine Arts Building -- on one of their decorative outdoor walls -- is an open window that is framed with ivy and looks out, onto a wire-frame sculpture.
This interesting sculpture is called "Atomicity" made by Ronald K. Parks. Installed in 2014, it sits outside of the Community Engagement Center.
Here we finally get a good look up the Clock Tower. From this viewpoint, it seems to rise almost endlessly into the sky.
A view of the Arts and Science Hall from the back entrance of the Eppley Administration Building. The big, open, green space is the Pep Bowl where plenty of student activities are held on nice days.
This is a cool fountain sculpture, complete with places to sit, just outside the back entrance of the Milo Bail Student Center. When the weather is nice, facilities puts out metal patio furniture for people to sit out in this nice open area. It's a great place to have lunch if it's not too hot.
I hope you enjoyed this small glimpse into the campus of the University of Nebraska-Omaha. There are plenty of other interesting sculptures, foliage, and buildings to see here, and I hope you get a chance to wander around campus someday. You can catch a show at the Durham Science Center Planetarium, check out the art inside the Weber Fine Arts Building, grab a bite to eat the Library Cafe, or simply take a scenic walk.
Don't forget, my latest book The Box was just published Friday, and it's a hot buy at only $3.99. It's a short, fun, and thrill-ridden horror story, so check it out! You can find it here: H.A. Larson's Pronoun Author Page.
