H.A. Larson's Blog, page 59

Weekend Adventure, Part One

Good morning and Happy Wednesday! This last weekend was such a perfect weekend that it was hard to believe it was November. The Sun was shining and it held steady in the low 70s, temperature-wise, both days. Many trees still have their Fall-colored leaves, and the ground is littered with fallen ones. If it weren't for the many barren trees, I could have sworn it were early October. Indeed, it does feel as though the seasons are all a month behind. Summer came late, Fall came late, and now Winter seems to be coming late. I'm okay with that, as I'm definitely more of a fan of Fall than of Winter. 
I will admit that I haven't gotten out and done any serious hiking in quite some time. Summer is horrible for hiking as it's hot, but mostly because you can't hike without being swarmed by mosquitoes. I had every intention of hiking a lot in Fall, but so far that hasn't really happened. October was a busy month, and I just didn't get out like I had wanted. In fact, I've been a bit lazy outside of that, and I can feel it.
This month isn't so busy for me so, this last weekend, I was ready to do some serious hiking. With the glorious weather we had, it wasn't a problem. We--my husband, Nature Girl, and myself--did five mile hikes both days in two different places. Today, then, is Saturday's hike, or Part One. Look for Part Two on Friday!





My second-favorite place to hike in my area is Hitchcock Nature Center in Crescent, Iowa. Just across the border from Omaha, and straddling Council Bluffs, this park sits resplendently amongst the Iowa Mountains. (For those of you unfamiliar with them, it's my loving term for the Loess Hills.) 
We started off on Badger Ridge Trail, which affords a stunning view of the land from the peaks of the Hills. 









The number of trees with yellow leaves were more than any other tree with colored leaves in the park. As we walked, several chunks of trails had these leaves freshly fallen (and falling as we hiked), making me think of the movie "The Wizard of Oz". Follow the Yellow Brick Road!




A yellow-leaf tree peeks out from amongst the barren trees of pre-Winter. One thing I like about hiking when the trees are bare, is that it gives me a much further view of my surroundings. This means I can see so much more than I can see when everything is overgrown. I also don't have to deal with the person-high weeds and grasses that abound in the warmer months.





There's always fallen trees in the forest. We saw this one as we walked along the Wildwoods trail that leads through the forest and connects the major hilly parts of the Center.










A shot down Wildwoods trail as it closes in on it's end, turning into another trail.





A view down the Heritage Trail. This short section of trail connects the easy Wildwoods trail with the hard The Chute trail.





The tall grasses looked alive and glowing under the brilliant sunlight as we began our ascent up The Chute.




A shot of one yellow-leaved tree amongst the pretty clouds. No turning back as we're now in the first part of The Chute.





After surviving one of the harder trails in the park, we ended our hike at the actual Nature Center. You've seen the photos I've taken from here before as I stood on the large deck that surrounds the center. From this vantage point are breathtaking views over the park's landscape.





A view from the deck of the Center of Fox Ridge Run. One of my favorite trails in the Park, it meanders along the ridges as an easy trail. A few years back, they expanded the length of the trail, making my heart happy.





The Center has a lookout tower that you can climb and really get a view. I have vertigo though, and have never made it all the way to the top.






One last look as we made our way to our car. The sun shines down over the landscape gorgeously. Ahh, what a perfect hike this was! We got five miles in of easy, medium, and hard trails, giving us a nice workout, and giving me an energy I haven't had in quite some time. As you know, Nature gives me a boost, it resets my batteries, and washes away my worries and stress (as well as being a great form of exercise). This hike was a capstone to a great day, even if it did kick my butt (in a good way).






Afterwards, we stopped in Crescent at the Loess Hills Winery--as is my tradition--where we sipped some samples, and grabbed a bottle of wine. It's a small winery with a small, but delicious, selection of wine. The gentleman working there is gracious and humorous, and they have a frequent buyers card. M next bottle is free!   


It's Wednesday, which means we're halfway through the week, and one day closer to another gorgeous hike. Until then, enjoy your day, and look for Part Two on Friday. 
-H.A.

Recipe of the Week: Cheezy Cauliflower Bake

Good old cauliflower. It's one of my favorite vegetables, and it's very versatile. I've used it to make a variety of things, and I'm always trying to figure out new ways to make it into the main event at a meal. This was my conundrum last week, as I stared blankly at a head of cauliflower, trying to decide what to do with it. So, I did what I've done so many times in the past, and that's to wing it.
What I came up with turned out fantastic! I made a cheezy cauliflower casserole, and served it with miso-roasted brussel sprouts. Here's the recipe.




Cheezy Cauliflower Bake with Miso-Roasted Brussel Sprouts



Ingredients:
For the brussel sprouts:
3 c. cleaned and halved brussel sprouts2 T. oil (I used canola)2 T. miso paste2 t. soy sauce
For the cauliflower:
1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and broken up into florets2 T. coconut oil (any oil will do)1/3 c. flour, I used whole wheat, but any will do. You can use chickpea flour for gluten-free.1 1/2 c. almond milk, unsweetened & unflavored, or any vegan milk3/4 c. of vegan cheese sauce, you can substitute using an extra 1/2 c. of vegan milk and 1/4 c. nooch1 t. each: granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika, Old Bay, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper1 T. each: parsley flakes and chives1/3 c. vegan bacon bits (I used Louisville Vegan Jerky's Bacon Bits)

Instructions:
1. Warm oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix together the brussel sprout ingredients until well incorporated. Pour out into a baking pan or cookie sheet.
3. Warm coconut oil on the stove in a sauce pan until melted on medium-high heat.
4. Add flour and whisk until incorporated.
5. Add the milk, in thirds, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. If it's too thick for your liking still, add more milk.
6. When all the liquid is whisked in, add the cheeze sauce (or extra milk and nooch) and seasonings. Turn off the heat and mix well.
7. Add the cauliflower and bacon bits to the sauce, mix well, and turn out into a greased casserole dish. Cover with tinfoil.
8. Put the brussel sprouts on the bottom part of the oven, and the cauliflower on the top part of the oven.
9. The brussel sprouts will cook fastest, so check them after 30 minutes. Take out when they're tender, then cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
10. Bake cauliflower for about an hour, then take off the tinfoil and broil for 5 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
11. Serve and enjoy!


This is a great recipe for a meatless Monday, and pretty simple to put together really. I really loved this dish, and will make it often!

Recipe of the Week #3

Good old cauliflower. It's one of my favorite vegetables, and it's very versatile. I've used it to make a variety of things, and I'm always trying to figure out new ways to make it into the main event at a meal. This was my conundrum last week, as I stared blankly at a head of cauliflower, trying to decide what to do with it. So, I did what I've done so many times in the past, and that's to wing it.
What I came up with turned out fantastic! I made a cheezy cauliflower casserole, and served it with miso-roasted brussel sprouts. Here's the recipe.




Cheezy Cauliflower Bake with Miso-Roasted Brussel Sprouts



Ingredients:
For the brussel sprouts:
3 c. cleaned and halved brussel sprouts2 T. oil (I used canola)2 T. miso paste2 t. soy sauce
For the cauliflower:
1 head of cauliflower, cleaned and broken up into florets2 T. coconut oil (any oil will do)1/3 c. flour, I used whole wheat, but any will do. You can use chickpea flour for gluten-free.1 1/2 c. almond milk, unsweetened & unflavored, or any vegan milk3/4 c. of vegan cheese sauce, you can substitute using an extra 1/2 c. of vegan milk and 1/4 c. nooch1 t. each: granulated garlic, granulated onion, smoked paprika, Old Bay, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper1 T. each: parsley flakes and chives

Instructions:
1. Warm oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix together the brussel sprout ingredients until well incorporated. Pour out into a baking pan or cookie sheet.
3. Warm coconut oil on the stove in a sauce pan until melted on medium-high heat.
4. Add flour and whisk until incorporated.
5. Add the milk, in thirds, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. If it's too thick for your liking still, add more milk.
6. When all the liquid is whisked in, add the cheeze sauce (or extra milk and nooch) and seasonings. Turn off the heat and mix well.
7. Add the cauliflower to the sauce, mix well, and turn out into a greased casserole dish. Cover with tinfoil.
8. Put the brussel sprouts on the bottom part of the oven, and the cauliflower on the top part of the oven.
9. The brussel sprouts will cook fastest, so check them after 30 minutes. Take out when they're tender, then cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
10. Bake cauliflower for about an hour, then take off the tinfoil and broil for 5 minutes until the top is lightly browned.
11. Serve and enjoy!


This is a great recipe for a meatless Monday, and pretty simple to put together really. I really loved this dish, and will make it often!

The Night Sky of November

My dad has always been fascinated by the stars. I can remember, growing up, when my dad would say, "Come outside with me." We'd lie in the grass and stare up into the heavens, while my dad pointed out the constellations and any planets that he could see. I found myself being just as fascinated by them as my dad was, a love that I still carry with me today. It's no surprise then, that I pore over interesting articles about anything celestial, and try to keep up-to-date with any sky events that might be happening. I thought it would be fun, then, to share some of them with you.

I'm sure some of you, if not most of you, have heard about the Supermoon that will occur this month, but do you know when it's happening? It turns out that this month's Supermoon is only one of a few cool things that we'll get to see in the night sky this month. Here, then, is a list of some of the things that you will be able to see and when. I've included relevant links within the list that will give you more details about the sky events, how to watch them, and any other pertinent info.


1. Saturday, November 5th (tonight!): A crescent moon, one of the lunar phases, has graced our skies this month, and tonight you will be able to see it in close proximity to the planet Mars. 

2. Friday, November 11th: The Taurid Meteor Shower will be on display until the following morning. The shower will reach it's pinnacle at about 5 a.m. Saturday morning, but one can expect to see several shooting stars per hour.

3. Sunday, November 13th -  Monday, November 14th: I see a Supermoon a-risin'! After sunset, gaze upon the largest Supermoon, and closet one to Earth, since 1948. Cool, huh? You won't want to miss this one. 

4. Tuesday, November 15th: The Bull's Eye. The crescent moon will be parked near the eye of the constellation, Taurus. The eye of Taurus is actually Aldebaran, a red giant star. 

5. Wednesday, November 16th: Not to be outdone by the Taurid Meteor Shower, the Leonid Meteor Shower will be on display. Late night, into early morning, keep an eye out for the apex of this meteor shower, and see many shooting stars.

6. Monday, November 21st: The Lion's Heart will be visible in the early morning hours. Look towards the southeast for a view of crescent moon as it situates itself next to the constellation Leo's heart. Leo's heart is the star Regulus. 

7. Friday, November 25th: The Moon and Jupiter. About an hour before sunrise, look southeast (again) to see the crescent moon dangling below Jupiter. They will only be two degrees apart, so should be particularly amazing to see! 



There are other sky events to be witnessed this month, so click on this link at space.com for more information. It's not reasonable, I understand, to see everything that the skies have in store for us this month, but I hope that you'll catch one or two. As for myself, I wouldn't miss that Supermoon or those meteor showers for nothing! 
Have a fantastic weekend, 
H.A.

Edinburgh Manor Revisted - A Study in Black & White

Happy Friday! I don't know about you, but I'm really glad the weekend is here. You all know that amateur photography is one of my hobbies, and this post is dedicated to that. 
Last month, as you know, I spent a fateful night at Edinburgh Manor in Scotch Grove, Iowa. I had a blast, and spent time with some of my favorite people. I made a big post about it, which you can read about here, but I didn't show all the pictures I took of the building.
I like black and white photography, so I did several of my photos from our time there in black and white. I think it lends to the creepiness and really accentuates the dilapidation. I hope you enjoy these, and, as always, feel free to leave me comments letting me know what you think!

Recipe of the Week #2

Good morning! It's time for the recipe of the week! I would have done this Monday, my chosen day for this series, but that was Halloween so I figured I should stick with an October-themed post. Anyway, I actually have two recipes for you. They went together for this meal, and they're both pretty easy. Let's get started.
I like tofu, I absolutely do, but it has to be cooked a certain way. For me that means pressing it, then getting it nice and crispy on the outside. This usually involves a fair amount of frying, which is not only tedious, but takes up a fair amount of oil in the process. I really wanted to do a stir-fry with tofu, but after a long day, the last thing I wanted to do was spend a ridiculous amount of time in the kitchen. I wondered, then, was there an easier (and healthier) way to get crispy tofu? 
The answer is yes. I cut up my tofu into bite-sized pieces--without pressing--then sprayed a cookie sheet with cooking spray, spread out the tofu on it, then sprayed the tops of the tofu with more cooking spray. I then baked it at 350 degrees while I prepped all the other ingredients. I turned the pieces once so they'd brown on both sides, but I cooked them around 25 minutes. They came out perfectly! Nice and crisp outside, and the moisture baked out. I just added it to my veggies and sauce, and it was done.



Teriyaki Tofu and Veggies over Rice

Ingredients
1 block of tofu, cut into bite-sized piecescooking spray1 lb of brussel sprouts, cleaned and cut into halves (quarters if it's a particularly large one)1/2 bag of California MixTeriyaki Sauce (I used half a bottle of Soyaki's Hawaiian Island Teriyaki)1 c jasmine rice (you can use your favorite, but if it's a brown rice, cook it according to package instructions)2 c water

Instructions
1. Marinate the vegetables in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of teriyaki sauce.
2. Bake the tofu as I described above, or fry it if you prefer. If you fry it, drain it on paper towels and set aside.
3. Bring the rice and water to a boil in a sauce pan, then cover and reduce heat. Cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
4. Put the vegetables, including sauce, in a dutch oven or large pan, and cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
5. Add the cooked tofu to the veggies, and mix well to coat the tofu.
6. Serve over the cooked rice.




Hibiscus Tea
Hibiscus tea is something I have been wanting to make for quite some time. I found some, for a good price, in the bulk section of Natural Grocers, but you can find this in Hispanic Markets as well. It came out delicious, and it makes quite a lot. This is easy to make but involves some prep time, so don't wait until right before you want it to make it.

Ingredients
1/2 c of dehydrated hibiscus flower10 c boiling waterSugar, agave, or other sweetenerWater

Instructions
1. Add the hibiscus flower to the boiling water, and steep until the water is a deep, dark, reddish-purple color. I would say wait at least an hour, but I put it in the fridge overnight.
2. Strain the hibiscus leaves and throw away.
3. The remaining liquid is condensed, and half of it, combined with enough water to make one gallon, makes the perfect tea. I have a two gallon pitcher so I mixed all of it with enough water to make two gallons. If you make one gallon, put the rest of the mix in the fridge where I would use within a week.
4. Add sweetener to taste. I had sugar, so I added a cup and a half for two gallons of liquid, and I thought it was perfect. Sweetness is a preference though, so start small then add more if needed...your preference!
5. Enjoy.



A few things to point out are: you can use whatever veggies you want; you can sub in whatever protein you prefer for the tofu, or add more veggies!; oven times vary, so keep an eye on things; and if you add sugar to the tea, let it rest a bit so the sugar dissolves, then stir again.
So, there you have it. Two easy and delicious recipes. I served them together and it was a winning combination. I hope you try this. 

A Day at the Pumpkin Patch

Happy Halloween! This Saturday, we indulged in one of our yearly traditions: the pumpkin patch. It's one of my favorite Fall activities. There are a handful of pumpkin patches to pick from where I live, but my favorite is Vala's. They started in 1988, I believe, and, since then, have grown into quite the place. Going to Vala's means spending the better part of an afternoon there, which is all right by me. The place is huge, and there's so much to do! Some of the activities there are: bounce pads, a train, bunny town, a petting zoo-type area (camels, goats, llamas, and sheep), duck races, a corn maze, a haunted house, an obstacle course, and hay rack rides. Whatever you decide to do, you're surely going to have a great time. 
I picked some of my favorite pictures from our afternoon there, although they don't capture all the fun stuff there is to do there. I picked these more for aesthetic purposes. If you're interested, check them out on the web. 




 Right outside the main entrance.




Fall colors were completely on display, lending to the ambience. 




A shot of a covered bridge.




They have beautiful arrangements like this scattered throughout the place.




The barn just peeks out over the corn fields.




Inside the haunted house. It's a tame haunted house so that even the kiddos can go through it.




A skeleton in the haunted house.




Haunted house head.




Dracula's mausoleum.




This llama wanted food, and was completely miffed that many of us were offering mere head scratches. Tsk!




Mr. Camel was also looking for food.




A goat!




This goat had a pretty goat and some devilish horns.

A Beautiful Fall Evening

I love Fall, we all know this, but there is a downside. This time of year, the daylight hours decrease, which means it gets dark earlier and morning seems to take forever to arrive. Since I don't get home during the weekdays until 6:15 p.m., getting out into the forest isn't that easy. I usually rush to somewhere close and try to absorb as much of the Fall colors in the 20 minutes I have between the time I arrive somewhere outdoorsy and the time the sun sets. I've, then, resigned myself most evenings to just staying at home and doing things I need to get done anyway.
Thursday was a gorgeous day. I walked out of work and into 75 degrees of sunshine. Nature Girl and I rushed home as quickly as we could, changed clothes, and made a beeline for Wild Heron Haven. Wild Heron Haven is a small wetlands located in Northwest Omaha. It's a place for the herons to stop during their migration and many geese make their home here for awhile while they hatch their young.
I've been here a handful of times, but, for the most part, I avoid it. It's not that I don't like it, it's just that it's not a place to get a hike in (which is what I'm usually looking to do when I get outside) as their trails maybe total 3/4 of a mile. Their forested trails are pretty though and the haven also includes swamps, wildlife watching blinds, a flower garden for the bees, and a few pretty wooden bridges. 
I had a crappy day Thursday--as did Nature Girl--and since it was close, I figured this would be a good place to spend enough time in some pretty nature to elevate our mood and reset our batteries. Nature Girl and I took our time, getting about 45 minutes worth of nature time, and ended having a good time to boot.




Flowers from the Bee Garden.




The last of the pretty blooms still alive in the Bee Garden.




A view looking out into a part of the wetlands that runs into the main wetlands area. We didn't actually venture into the main area, because we've been to that part plenty of times. Besides, we saw it from a different view, which you will see coming up.




Nature Girl stops to admire the beauty of the approaching wetlands as we wandered the short trails.




Tucked away in the back area of the Haven is a blind where one can sit and watch the herons when they are around. You can also use it to view the wetlands themselves and check out the variety of life that lives in the wetlands part- and full-time. They have some animal charts to help you decide what kind of wildlife you're looking at. Nature Girl and I thought that was pretty cool and tried to figure out which one of the birds we saw in the pond was. This was the waterfowl chart.




Another of the bird charts. This one was of regular birds, and Nature Girl had fun admiring the different kinds.




A view of the main pond from our seat in the blind. The birds out there in the distance, on the water, looked like geese to me. Many geese flew away as we walked through the Haven.




Nature Girl taking Nature Notes on a seat in the blind.




Nature Girl and I admired the gorgeous sunset as we prepared to leave. Look at tho se colors!



Wild Heron Haven is dedicated to wetland preservation, and is a great place to take a light stroll, admire nature's beauty, and learn about wetlands. They have special events and a nature center to explore as well. Great for families with little kids. For more information, go to their website.

October's LVJ Subscription

Good morning good people, and TGIF!
 Every month I get a shipment that contains my subscription to the Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. In it I receive two of their standard flavors and one of the test flavors that they're working on. Here's what I got this month.





Like the other sub I get, Ipsy, this sub comes with a card, Their's doubles as a postcard and has an interesting picture from history. This month's picture, fitting for Halloween month, was from the movie "Freaks". I about fell out of my chair, because I had just watched this movie about a week prior! I even talked about it in my post Horror Films of Yesteryear ! What are the chances that an obscure movie from the 1930s would pop up in my life--twice in the span of a week? Life is strange sometimes. 




So here are the two standard flavors that I received: Smoked Chipotle, and Smokey Carolina BBQ. This is the first time I've received the Smokey Carolina BBQ one, as they recently made it a standard flavor. It was, by far, my favorite test flavor, so you can imagine my excitement that it's now one of their standard jerkys! As you can see, the package didn't make it, as it was consumed right away. I regret nothing.




This month's test flavor is Chorizo! I'm actually pretty pumped for this one as well. Instead of nibbling on it, I intend to cook with it. I'm going to add it to my breakfast scramble this weekend, and I'm anxiously hoping it turns out well. I'll keep you updated on it.

I'm so glad the weekend is here, because I have some fun plans which you will no doubt get a post about. I hope your weekend is shaping up to be fun as well! 
As always,
H.A.

The Morphing Stairs

In Omaha, where we live, there's a park that sits on the Northeastern edge of town called Hummel Park. Now, I've talked about Hummel Park before as I've hiked there several times. It's a beautiful place to hike as it's surrounded by forest and filled with hills, a creek, and plenty of interesting foliage. It's also a popular frolf course, which is always evident by the number of people I see there playing it on any given day.
Hummel Park is also well-known for a third thing: the paranormal. There are so many legends surrounding Hummel Park, and it's been investigated by the local paranormal group, as well as others. I myself tried to investigate it one night with my son, but it's also known for a fourth thing--a place for people to get up to no-good--so we gave up trying to investigate it. 
It's been rumored that lynchings occurred here in the early 1900s by racists. It's the purported site of many suicides. It's believed that a prostitute was assaulted and murdered by other prostitutes here. A story that's perpetuated throughout time is about an early settler to the area was murdered by his wife at their home next to the park. While none of the rumors have any real evidence to back them up, the murders of the prostitute and the early settler--among others--have been substantiated.
One of the more interesting, yet benign, tales I had heard of was that of the Morphing Stairs. Located at the topmost area of the park, these stairs were built during the Depression Era. Legend says that you can count these stairs as you go and you will get a different number whether you're going up or down. I always found this intriguing, but had never actually sought out the stairs to test the legend for myself.
This last weekend, my folks were here from out-of-town for a visit. Saturday was a gorgeous day, so I took them up to Hummel Park, before they left town, for a leisurely hike. Since Hummel Park is located on their way out of town, we parted ways after the hike. Being that it was so nice outside, I decided the rest of us should go into the main entrance of the park and enjoy the beautiful drive through its winding roads. My husband suggested we find the Morphing Stairs, and my face lit up. Of course!
We made our way to the top of the park where there's a shelter house, a playground, and several trails for hiking located in any direction. There's a beautiful view to the East, while the shelter sits to the West. I figured the stairs were probably past the shelter house, and so we set off on foot to find them. Indeed, we found them a ways past the shelter, between two foot trails.



A view from the top of the stairs, looking down.






A view of the stairs as you're looking up. 



We decided to test the theory by counting the stairs going down and coming back up. We got a different count each time. I don't think that's necessarily from any paranormal reasons, but rather natural ones. The stairs are old and degraded in several areas, and I think this can keep you from getting an accurate count. Still, climbing up and down them twice, you would think we would have gotten the number the same at least one time. 
We weren't the only ones there testing this out. A young girl and two young gentlemen were also climibing up the stairs when we arrived, and they were counting out-loud. They then climbed back down, back up, and back down again. I have no idea how long they might have been doing this before we got there, but they were obviously coming up with the same results as ourselves: inconclusive. As we were leaving, three young gentlemen were arriving, and told us that the stairs were haunted. I chuckled and told them we had counted them. 
The stairs may or may not be morphing (or haunted), but it sure is interesting how the legend seems to be true...at least for some of us. If you ever get a chance, and you're in Omaha, go test it out for yourselves one day. You'll get a workout if nothing else.