H.A. Larson's Blog, page 57

Random Pictures from the Last Few Weeks

I made some tostadas recently. It's like an open-faced taco, and it's fabulous. For this one I slathered some black refried beans on the tostada shells, then added fried, seasoned potatoes; southwestern corn; spinach; sweet Italian peppers; plain coconut yogurt; and plenty of hot sauce. Yum!






Before the weather turned cold, Nature Girl and I spent a lovely afternoon at Schramm State Park. I took this picture of my reflection as we crossed over the suspension bridge during our hike.






Whenever we complete a hike at Schramm, we walk through the fish hatchery ponds, which always affords a lovely view, no matter what time of year.






This is a geological rock formation at Schramm State Park. There really is plenty to do here, and this is one of those things. You can climb amongst the strata and imagine you're in the mountains.






My husband has a fondness for old-timey, cheap beer, and Hamm's would be one of those beers. I will occasionally drink one, and I'm always reminded of the old commercials where they sang about the "sky-blue waters".







The trees are now firmly devoid of any leaves, but I snapped this picture of one of the last trees that was still graced with a few.







This is a close-up of a lava lamp. I thought it looked cool all lit up.






Last, but not least, is our Christmas tree, complete with gifts. NG made plenty of homemade presents, as well as all the bows for the presents we wrapped for the kids.


I hope your Friday is great! The weekend is here, and tomorrow is going to be viciously cold. I plan on spending the coldness by staying indoors and keeping the house warm by indulging in a rare event: baking. 
Until next time,
H.A.

Seeing Things Through

What is about finishing things that get people worked up? I don't just mean for the people who don't finish things, but also for the people who are waiting for some people to finish things. There are many things in life that people don't finish, or follow through on. Many people start projects that are never completed. Ideas start to fruition, then flounder into nothing. And, is the case with writers such as myself, many start books, but never finish them. 
There are two reoccurring themes in each scenario: 1. A great idea was formed, and 2. There were good intentions. This means that many great ideas are come up with, with the greatest of intentions, but for whatever reason, the idea faded into obscurity. The worst of these to fade are the ones that are actually started, halfway there, or close to completion; particularly the last one. 
I, myself, understand this failure to finish all too well. I tried quitting smoking a few times before I was actually successful. One time, I even made it a few weeks before failing yet again. My first book, Cold, sat on my computer--three chapters in--for two years before I picked up where I left off and finished it. My best intentions were there, but I just didn't have the follow-through at the time.
Finally quitting smoking was the first time I really felt like I had "finished what I had started". This feeling intensified when I finished Cold and was followed by feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction. You want to hear a confession? Cold isn't that great of a book. Look, it's not bad, but it's just...well...okay. And that's all right. Each book I've written since then has been a true learning experience, and I can see how much I've changed and grown as a writer during the process. That book paved the way for better books and better writing.
So, why don't we finish those pesky things we start? Is it because we lose our passion for that thing after we get started? Is it because we run out of inspiration? Is it because we're afraid of failing, and that the end product will be terrible? Truthfully, it's probably a combination of those things, and maybe a few other reasons. 
We need to move past those in order to finish things. Finishing things is seeing things through, and that's important for a few reasons. When we complete projects, we prove to ourselves that we can do it and that we're not afraid to fail sometimes. Every thing we see through leads the way for more things to be completed, giving us a satisfaction that would otherwise be lacking. It also means that we're more confident in our abilities, that we'll try new things, and leaves us with a sense of achievement.
So, wrap-up  that project, book, painting, guitar lesson, organizing your closet, or what-have-you. Then, complete another. I'm glad everyday that I quit smoking or that I finished that first book. I've finished more books since then, but I wouldn't have if I hadn't of finished the first one.

Regards,

H.A.

Coffee Talk: Lazy Winter Days

Good morning and Happy Monday. I just grabbed a hot cup of coffee from a freshly brewed pot, and it's already starting to perk me up. I made sure to get a good night's sleep last night as I had stayed up late the previous three nights, but had still gotten up early. In other words, I was tired and needed the sleep.
As I mentioned before, the weather has definitely gone to the colder side. We've only had a couple of light dustings of snow that melted quickly, but the cold wind is here. No matter how much I bundle up before going outside, I still get chilled to the bone. Is it any wonder then, that I've really had the urge to hibernate this year, more so than any previous year? 
When the weather is beautiful, I get outside. In fact, when the weather is beautiful, I feel compelled to go outside. I just want to be out there, soaking it all in. Then, the weather turns cold, and I want to stay inside where it's warm and cozy. Nature Girl and I have started spending our mother-daughter Sundays enjoying time together indoors, playing games, watching television, coloring, and doing some cooking. We boil water in the kettle and make herbal teas and hot cocoas while we huddle up in slippers and comfy blankets.
Inevitably, I'll get more acclimated to the colder weather and will venture outside more, but for now, I'll relish some cozy time with my family.

I finally feel like I'm ready to start talking about that other book I've metioned...the one that is different from my other work. It's called Lola and the Machine, and, instead of my usual paranormal thriller, it's a dystopian/cyberpunk story with adult content. It's a longer story than my other ones, and will take me much longer to complete. Besides, I have some other work to finish (like The Box) before I can devote any more time to the project. But, I will, and I'll be sure to keep you posted along the way.
Now that I'm well-rested and I have that first cup of coffee in me, I am ready for Monday. I hope you are too, and that your week starts off great.
-H.A.

Libations, Spirits, and other Potables

Good morning, and Happy Saturday! Ahh, I love the weekend, and mine's off to a great start. I had a pleasant Friday evening watching a television show (I know, right? Me? Watching television shows? Eh, I wanted a music break.), hanging out with my little family, and drinking some beers.

Beer is one of those things, people either love it or hate it. When I was a teenager and we found someone's older sister to buy us some booze, somehow I ended up with an Old Milwaukee one night. I decided right then and there that beer was gross and I hated it.

Fast forward about eight years later when I was in my early twenties, and began hitting the bars almost nightly with my friends. When you have a limited income, drinking whatever beer is on tap is usually your cheapest option. So, after awhile, I grew to enjoy the taste of beer. As the years went by, beer became one of my favorite drinks. Now, I enjoy beer on a whole different level, and I like to try new kinds and visit breweries whenever I get a chance.

A local grocery store chain has a "Mix a Six" deal where you mix and match a six-pack from a variety of beer singles. My husband and I love doing this as we can experiment and try new flavors. Here, then, are a few of the beers I've tried out recently.



Lucky Bucket's Certified Evil Imperial Oatmeal Stout
This is a proper dark beer. It's deep, rich, and creamy, leaving you with a pleasant aftertaste and a sense of great satisfaction. I love the gothy vibe of the bottle as well, "Dark and Brooding" indeed.


Ballast Point's Grapefruit Sculpin
This is an IPA, something my husband is fond of but I don't particularly care for. This particular IPA though is infused with natural grapefruit flavor, which my husband is fond of, and so he convinced me to give this one a try. I have to say, it's about the only IPA I'd purposely drink. It's not overpowering with the hops flavor that is standard with IPAs, and it's got a subtle grapefruit flavor that gives it a lighter finish and kind of balances out the hops.


Woodchuck's Gumption Hard Cider
I was never much of a hard cider fan, especially after consuming a few too many Reds, but that all changed after my trip to Ireland. Over there, they have Bulmer's Hard Cider, and it's fantastic. I've had good luck finding quality hard ciders, and this is one of those. I was skeptical at first because I'm not a huge fan of Woodchuck Cider, but this is different. Woodchuck's Gumption Hard Cider is absolutely delicious. It's darker than a standard cider, giving it some body, and the apple flavor is reminiscent of fresh squeezed cider. 


Stiegl's Grapefruit Radler
Radlers are also coming into vogue, and since this one is a grapefruit one, my husband brought it home one day. Radlers are beer mixed with soda, and this one, of course, is grapefruit soda. I love it. I think Radlers are fantastic, but be careful, they go down quick and easy.


Warsteiner's Dunkel
What can I say that hasn't already been said about Warsteiner. Warsteiner is one of the most recognizable beer brands in the world, and this is their Dunkel. I prefer dunkels whenever I hit up an Oktoberfest, and Warsteiner has a corner on the market. Still.


Ciderboy's Pineapple Cider
This was another hard cider I decided to try on a whim. It's very sweet and reminds me more of a pineapple soda rather than an alcoholic beverage. I won't get these again, but I'd drink one if someone handed it to me.


There you have it, some of the beers I've enjoyed recently. What kinds of drinks to you enjoy? Are you a beer connoisseur like myself? What kinds have you been drinking lately? Leave me a comment!

Recipe of the Week: Savory Oats

Recently, when I was looking for inspiration on the internet, I came across a recipe for savory oatmeal. I was like, "What?!" but thoroughly intrigued at the same time. We're so used to thinking of oats as strictly a breakfast meal that we sweeten up, that the idea of savory oats had completely escaped our realm of thinking. That is, until some creative person thought differently.
I love grains, and so I thought, "This is going to just be like eating another grain, or maybe polenta!" I decided then, to make my own version of a savory oatmeal recipe, and, boy, was it good. Here's what I made.

Savory Oats with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Tofu

Looks good, huh? Okay, so here's how it's made. This is, of course, another versatile recipe that I encourage you to put your personal touches on.

Savory Oats with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Tofu

Ingredients:
2 or 3 c. cleaned and halved (or quartered if extra-large) brussel sprouts1 block of tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces4 T. olive oil2 T. miso pastebalsamic glaze1 c. oats2 c. vegetable soup base or stock (I use Better than Bouillon)salt and peppergarlic powder

Instrustions:
1. Coat tofu in 2 T. of oil and spread out on a cookie sheet. Put in the oven on the bottom shelf and bake at 375 until brown and crispy, turning once.
2. Coat the sprouts in the other 2 T. of oil, miso paste, pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Put in the oven on the top shelf and bake until just tender. Yes, these can bake with the tofu at the same time! Keep an eye on both though, the tofu will be done first.
3. Bring the soup base/stock to a boil on the stove. Add the oats and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until done, approx. 15 minutes.
4. When everything is done, lay a base of oats on a plate, then add your tofu and sprouts. Drizzle the whole thing with glaze, or whatever floats your boat.

5. I actually felt ambitious this day, and carmelized an onion by slicing it, and sauteeing it in a frying pan with some olive oil until they were brown and soft. They were great added to the top of the dish.

And there you have it, another easy recipe for a busy weeknight or a weekend night as well. This recipe is really tasty and healthy as well. Oats keep you nice and full longer, and the combination is quite delicious.

Poetry for a Wintry Day

Good morning. We finally decorated for Christmas last night. We still have some things to find in the attic to put up around the house, but we got the tree up and that's the most important part. While the kids were putting decorations on the tree, my husband and I went ahead and wrapped presents. Yes, I shopped right before Thanksgiving, so I'm already (mostly) done! 
A few years back, I started doing my shopping on Amazon and, let me tell you, that was one of my smartest ideas ever. The reason for this is because I really hate shopping. I'm just not the kind of person that spends any significant time wandering around stores. Even grocery shopping makes my agent orange act up! Shopping on Amazon means I can order online and it gets delivered to my home. Easy peasy.
The temperature here has definitely taken a downturn this week, and yesterday I finally had to bundle up in my big winter coat when I left for work. Between the decor and temperature, it really feels like Winter. So, in honor of Winter (which always gets a bad rap but really isn't so bad), I'm posting some poetry that I've written. Enjoy!







Cemetery Gate
I halt here at the cemetery gate,standing and watching I wait.The wind blows bitter cold around,making a twisted and awful sound.Is that a shape, a form I see?If it is, will it come to me?I put one foot in front of the other,My lips are cold, they flutter.The sun has left the sky,the moon twinkles in my eye.I enter the forgotten place.


_____________________________







She Waits

She watches and she waits,while he plays a dangerous game.She waits for her time to come,while his already came.He doesn't think she knows,he believes she's in the dark.He's a fool because she always knows,as she watches silently from afar.So, she watches and she waits,while he plays a dangerous game.Waiting for her time to come.

Warren Comics and The Creeps

Good morning! I hope you had a good weekend. It snowed here and the temperature is definitely dropping. Today, let's talk about something offbeat!







My dad was a big fan of Warren Comics, Creepy and Eerie to be exact, when he was growing up. He was such a fan, in fact, that he saved almost all of his personal copies. When I developed my own love of the macabre after reading Stephen King's Pet Semetary, he gave me his stack of Creepy and Eeries, and I was quickly a fan myself after that.
I remember one day--sometime back in the 1980s--my dad and I decided to see if we could still purchase new Creepy & Eerie magazines, so we headed to the closet bookstore. We did find a Creepy magazine but it was too high-priced for my dad's taste, and after that, we never saw any more.
As I got older, I would occasionally spot a special edition vintage one on ebay but could never find the time nor the money to outbid the people who purchased them. However, I did manage to get a couple of the standard vintage ones (not the special yearly ones that would come out).
Not too long ago, it came to my attention that there is a company putting out new horror comics in the style of Warren Publishing, and it's called The Creeps. Just look at how awesome this cover is!




It looks just like the ones of yesteryear, and I think I'm going to have to purchase a few of these.

Portrait of Omaha: Black and White

I love taking pictures. In fact, I'm planning on taking the plunge over the holidays and finally getting myself a really nice camera. I've got a small, digital Panasonic right now, but, while it takes decent enough photographs, doesn't take the more 'professional' photographs that I'm looking for. That's not to say that I haven't taken any good pictures, because I sure have. I use photographs that I've taken with my phone and with my camera, with mixed results. 
Last year, I really wanted a break from all the nature photographs I take, and invested a few days into driving around the old downtown, abandoned, and industrial parts of town. I ended up with some gritty black and white photographs during the coldest time of year. This helped lend to the dark, cold, and abandoned feel of the photographs. Enjoy.

Down along the Missouri River run train tracks. This particular train just happened to be going by as I was in the area, so I stopped to take a photo or two.


This is the one of the local power plants.



This photograph was taken down the road from the power plant. It's next to some more train tracks and doesn't appear to used much, if at all.



The train tracks as they head in towards downtown.



An old abandoned auto parts store just north of downtown Omaha.



A water tower looms in the sky, more than likely a retired one linked to an industrial plant of some kind.



Another old abandoned building. The left side of the taller building has collapsed, leaving exposed bricks, giving the appearance of having been ripped.



Another old abandoned auto business.



A row of abandonded businesses in a former downtown area. It's always interesting to wonder what life must have been like back when it was a thriving area.



An old abandoned body shop along the same street as above.



An old smoke stack rises high above the air as downtown looms in the distance.



Omaha's skyline in the background, with it's sleek, vibrant aliveness is a stark contrast to the ruin and decay in the forefront.

Coffee Talk: Taking time to Relax

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a good start, I know mine seems to be going that way. I enjoy my early mornings, as it's the only time I'm truly alone. Everyone else is asleep, and I have a little while to myself in a serene house.
Anyway, I mentioned in the last Coffee Talk about how I took a much-needed day of laziness and relaxtion. I told you I'd talk more about it in another post, so grab a cup of coffee and read on.


Image courtesy of noanxiety.com. 

Ahh, relaxation. There's nothing quite like it, is there? So why is it then, that we never really get enough of it. I know I don't. My weekdays begin when I wake up at 5 a.m., get ready for work, leave the house at 7:15 a.m., and arrive back home in the evening at 6:15 p.m. This means that I now have time to relax, right? Wrong. This is when it's time to do some household chores, make a meal, then help children with homework when applicable (which is most nights). To make a long story short, my weekdays, and hence my week, are long and leave little time for relaxation.
Then, the weekend arrives, and, finally, I have time to relax, right? Wrong again. There are chores, cleaning, laundry, and various errands that need to get taken care of. This is also the time to get out and do some kind of activity, spend time with family, and maybe throw in a get-together with friends. For me, weekends also mean doing a podcast and working on The Write Life. 
Rarely, then, comes a day when I can just kick back and do nothing...well, at least not without feeling guilty. That's why a nice, long weekend like Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful for me. After the food and festivities of Thursday, everyone pitched in to clean up, and I set out paper plates, cups, bowls, napkins, and plastic dishware. Friday then, everyone helped themselves to leftovers, and, besides taking a shower, I did nothing all day. It was fantastic. 
It was really great just to relax in my jammies, listen to music, drink some wine, take a nap, and watch movies. Now, I wouldn't want to do this for days on end, but in the fast-paced world that most of us live in, we need days like this.

You ever notice how time seems to move by faster and faster? I know I sure do. I'm sure much of this has to do with routine. We do the same thing, day in and day out. Our weekdays go along pretty much the same until the weekend comes. What we do on the weekends might vary some, but we still do some things that are the same (cleaning, chores, and errands). All this routine feels like the we're just moving in sync with the hands of the clock, speeding up our sense of time. This is why vacations are important. They help us slow down time for awhile, by doing things off our routine. We're either somewhere different, or involved in different kinds of activities out of the norm.

So what do you do when you don't take vacations often, or even rarely? I think that when you have a long weekend you need to vary out of your routine and take time to slow down...relax...enjoy the moment. This is what helps us slow down time, even if it's just for a day, and helps us reset. It's an important reminder of why down-time is so important for our health and well-being. So, take some time soon, maybe one Saturday a month for example, and just relax.

In other coffee talk:

It's already December! Back away slowly Christmas...we're not ready for you just yet.

I did not finish my short story in time for the deadline. I knew I would be pushing it since the contest only ran one month, and I heard about it two weeks in. That's all right, because I'll finish it, polish it up, and hold on to it. There are other contests to enter!

In big news, I'm starting a weekly email! It will be a way for me to connect on a personal level with people and give exclusive content, information, and other fun tidbits. You can find the link to sign up on my front page of my website, on the top of the right-hand column. If you view it on mobile, if you go down to the bottom of the page, you can choose to look at the web version of my site, then you will find the link. Sign up! You won't regret it. *wink wink*

It's Friday, and I hope you're looking at a fun weekend. I have a fun get-together planned, and I'm looking forward to it. Have a great one whatever you do.

-H.A.

Recipe of the Week: Tacos

This taco is all dressed up, and ready to go!

Who doesn't love tacos? I'm sure there are a few people who don't, but we're not mentioning them in this post! Anyway, tacos are awesome in many ways. You can fill a taco with just about anything you want, they are easy & quick to prepare, they're inexpensive to make, and they're filling. Tacos are one of my go-to meals to make, especially on a busy weekend night when time is not my friend. I always, as a rule, have a large stack of small flour tortillas on hand. Breakfast tacos are your friend, too.
As a vegan, my main fillers for tacos are numerous. I can use beans, refried beans, seasoned rice, lentils, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, crumbled & seasoned tofu, etc. etc. As for myself, I typically fall back on that bastion of cheap versatility: TVP. Now, if you don't know what that is, it's short for textured vegetable protein. If you ever purchased the bright red, fake bacon bits in the grocery store, they are made out of seasoned bits of TVP. I cook with TVP fairly regularly, as it's a super-quick way to make a variety of "meat" crumbles. 
This won't be your standard recipe, as the ingredients are too diverse to list. Instead, I'll give you basic, easy, vegan taco recipe instructions. Let's get started.
1. Prepare your TVP for your filling. I have an entire post on how to cook with TVP, including recipes for TVP Taco Crumbles. Just click here.
2. While your TVP is soaking up all that flavorful goodness, start prepping the other ingredients.
3. Wrap a pile of soft tortillas (corn or flour are both fine, and a mix of the two is even better) in some damp paper towels, put them in a oven-proof container, and let warm in the oven on the lowest temperature.
4. Chop up your favorite greens and put in a bowl. I make a taco bar where everyone can put on whatever toppings they want! Repeat with any peppers, beans, or veggies you'd like. I'll often put out a bunch of greens, julienned jalapenos (jarred ones are awesome as well), southwestern-style corn, rice, onions, avocado, and some black beans.
5. Next to your bowls of delicious fillers, set out some condiments. In my house, that's typically vegan sour cream, salsa, hot sauce (I love Valentina's or Tapatio), vegan shredded cheese, nooch, and maybe a salad dressing or two.
6. After the TVP is soft, and has soaked up all the good flavors, heat up some oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the TVP and fry, stirring constantly, until warmed all the way through. Turn off heat and remove TVP from burner. Put on your taco bar on a hot pad.
7. Take your warm, soft tortilla shells out of the oven, and set them on your taco bar as well on a hot pad.
8. Assemble your tacos, grab some napkins, and chow down!


See, it's as easy as that! You can mix and match your personal favorites, or use whatever you have on hand. I can remember one time having nothing but rice, chickpeas, lettuce, green chiles in a can, and a jar of spicy, pickled carrots. They came together and made some yummy, quick tacos. Whatever you have, make it into a taco tonight.