Hey, Bud...

I loved our trip to Mexico. That's very true, and maybe you can tell that from the pictures I took. I could not stop photographing everything I saw--people, plants, animals, ruins...There were lots of opportunities to capture picturesque scenes. But, we have some beautiful stuff right here in front of our faces in Very-Republican-Town, Illinois. You just have to look.







Hey, Bud...

You Are Welcome, Joe.

During the presidential campaign, I gave to the obama candidacy. I gave and gave. Additionally, I gave to the Democratic Party, because in order to get Obama policies through the congress, we would also need Democratic Representatives and Senators.

I guess it worked...

Look how President Obama took the oath of office.




Look how Vice President Joe Biden wrote me a nice thank you note for contibuting to the Democratic Party.


See? It's personally addressed to me.


Vice President Biden signs it.

My pleasure, Joe. Any time...

Today I Attempt to Make Kimchi

Yep, I'm going to finally try and make this. I love kimchi, but I don't like the $8 or so price per jar of the very good stuff I get from Whole Foods. That's too much for flavored, fermented cabbage, don't you think?

I couldn't find nappa cabbage, but I did find bok choy and a head of regular green cabbage. So, that's what I'll use, and considering I read that you can make kimchi out of all sorts vegetables and even fruits, I should be OK with my bok choy.

I'll add carrots, scallions, daikon radish, ginger, garlic, red chili paste and salt. Really, how can any of that go wrong? I'll let you know how it turns out.

What are you doing today?

Is it Kefir, or is it a Pet?

My son, through a long and increasingly earnest list of comprehensive questions, has discovered that kefir is a living organism. Oh my God!! That is soooo exciting. He has decided to brew his own jar. Yesterday afternoon, I gave him some of my grains and I showed him how to gently swirl it in the milk and explained that in the morning or early afternoon, the milk will have converted to kefir. Amazing!

Later in the evening I asked him if he'd like to swirl the jar. "No. You can do it. Thanks." And he went back to happily playing with his sister.

Typical.

He even drank a glass of my kefir, not hidden in a fruit smoothie as usual. I was so impressed. Kefir can be quite tangy and not at all sweet, unless you sweeten it. Which we did with honey, maple syrup, and then flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. He liked it and thinks he will be able to drink kefir more often. (!!!!!!!!!) My daughter tried it and didn't like it, but didn't mind eating a grain, which will also impart good stuff to her gut.

I have Kefir Kids!

Now, how can I get them to eat liver...