The Way We Roll 5

Seven Bean Ham Stew

This 'common man' stew was made possible by the fact that, after eating turkey dinners for five days in late December and after the company had all gone home, we still had a tonne of food left inside and packed around our old Frigidaire. It was made necessary because I couldn't see the back of the fridge and I knew week-old eggnog was in there somewhere and I wanted to have at it before the expiry date flew by in a dangerous manner.

Seven Bean Ham Stew is dead easy for a guy like me to make and, at suppertime, I feel like a champ. I just grabbed the slow cooker and filled it to the top with the following:

     1/3 to 1/2 of a cooked ham, diced into small cubes

     5 or 6 white and sweet potatoes, cubed

     1 can of six-bean medley

     2 cans of brown beans

     extra chick peas leftover from an earlier salad

     plenty of diced carrot, celery, onion, red or orange pepper,
     mushroom, turnip, zucchini

     a bit of Mrs. Dash, chili powder and pepper

     1/2 glass of Honey Mead wine

     1/2 glass of hoppy IPA

I turned the slow cooker to 'High' and spent the afternoon sniffing the air and lickin' my chops.

["Even better on the third day, I say"]

Especially after Christmas, that's the way we roll at our house.

FYI I had cauliflower on hand but didn't use it because it gives me gas.

Link to The Way We Roll 4

Photos GH

Bird Watching: "a place to rest"

We all need a quiet spot to lay our heads from time to time. A place to think, rest a bit, digest seeds, sleep.

Mourning doves like my blue spruce.

(I like the futon in my study above the workshop.)

Photos by GH

Got a favourite quiet spot?

Link to more Bird Watching

Design Flaws: "a better solution re bike lanes"

London does not need to design or build many new bike lanes. The city is already covered with them, they're in just about all sections of the city, they are staring us in the face. They are called unused or under-used city sidewalks. They just need to be painted blue. Blue for bicycles.

["Red and blue go so well together"]

This brilliant cost-saving idea came to me while reading a recent letter to the editor. It says, in part:

     "...there's far less risk of injury to cyclists and
     pedestrians involved in a sidewalk collision than
     that of a car and cyclists, due to many simple
     scientific facts such as speed, mass, etc. and
     therefore, the safer option (sidewalks) should
     prevail until a better solution is found."
     [by K. Swallowell, Nov. 30, London Free Press]

I thought, better solution? I've got it. Why, there's almost no risk of injury at all if riders and walkers are on opposite sides of a street, e.g., cyclists on their designated blue sidewalk (aka bike lane) and pedestrians on the other one.

What makes this a brilliant solution to the 'we need more bike lanes'/'bicycles on sidewalks' debate?

Several things:

     There are under-used sidewalks in all corners of
     the city because most people travel by car. 

     A car's speed and mass make streets unsafe for 
     bikes. But, empty sidewalks are often steps away.

     Sidewalks follow almost as many desired routes
     inside the city as busy streets.

     The city does not have to paint half the sidewalks,
     just certain select routes through town.

     Putting bike lanes on busy streets seems like an
     expensive design flaw to me.

["My idea saves tonnes of dollars, but makes sense!"]

     Blue paint is cheaper.

     We could likely get it on sale at Wal-Mart.

     I'll paint the Wortley Rd. sidewalk myself (west
     side, from Askin to Elmwood) for free.

What do you think about this idea?

How long would it take people to develop new habits re sidewalk use?

Where can we get blue paint at the best price? : )

Psst. While we're thinking about design flaws. Does any brand of peanut butter come in shorter, wider jars? I hate having to work so hard to get the last bits of pb off the bottom of these tall ones.

Photos by GH

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Please click here to read dusted off your bike yet?

Live Small: $362 Christmas toaster? “Automatic turnoff”

The way to this man’s heart is through ‘socks and underwear’. So, kids, put them on your Christmas shopping list - for Pa.

Of course, many will feel bombarded by tonnes of advertising concerning countless types of gifts. One must be strong and bear in mind that 98% of the stuff is unnecessary.

Kitchen Luxuries: Photos - QMI Agency

FYI. My first car, a ’64 Volkswagen, set me back $400. The high end toaster, plus tax = more than that. What a turnoff.

"Reduce spending. Pay down debt.

Save money for tough times"

Photos by GH

***

Are you going to cut back on Christmas shopping?

Please click here for more Live Small

Live Small and Prosper: “Soup du jour moderne”

Modern technology has its place. And new efficiencies must be pursued at every turn. 

[“Harrison homemade turkey soup. Five Star”]

But let’s also find a place for simple, hands-on work in the kitchen. Let’s not forget that leftovers can be fit for a King.

[Photos by G.Harrison. Soup by P.Harrison]

***

Did something homemade fill your bowl or plate recently?

Please click here for more Live Small

Is winter here to stay?

On the first day of winter so cold I feel the need to put on longjohns you’ll find me a very happy man - for more than one reason.

First. I get to wear my old red longjohns and experience a special feeling, i.e., after owning them for about a dozen years, I’m finally feeling I’m getting my money’s worth.


["Fresh snow stays longer upon the rooftops": photos GH]

Second. The cold weather that drives me to put on a second layer might also allow the snow to stay on the ground and upon rooftops, tree branches and fence posts and railings.


["My walk to the Roaster is a squeaky event"]

When the snow piles up in the backyard I tend to cut back on my hours in the workshop and increase hours on other pursuits.

I’ll read, write, draw, think and stay a bit longer in a snug corner of a local coffee shop. Winter is a time to hibernate, after all.

Once Christmas is over, hear me snore!

***

Please click here for information about one winter time project I am enjoying each day.

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The Simple Life: “Coffee beans, hot java, Irish stew”

I like getting up in the morning. Any other time of the day would be too late, and I’d feel like I missed something.

This morning, as soon as my feet hit the floor, my mind turned to a few simple - but very enjoyable - tasks at hand:

pull two pots of Irish stew from the fridge

turn on two slow cookers

and brew a pot of coffee.

Members of my hockey team are visiting my workshop for supper after the game today, thus the Irish stew.

(I suppose it could be called Scottish stew as well. There likely aren’t too many differences between the two kinds, though the Scots would likely throw in a pint of Scottish pale ale instead of the Guinness I used for this latest batch. Sorry, I digress).




["Irish stew will fill the house with its delicious aromas": photos GH]

Ahh, coffee. I love the ritual. Take one or two kinds of beans from the freezer. Grind them in the little electric gadget my son gave me for Christmas many years ago. Put some on to brew.

Then, whilst the kitchen starts to smell and feel like it’s inside the finest home in all the land, grind more beans - enough for a second pot later in the day, maybe some for tomorrow and Friday.

Sure, the economy and global financial scene are in crisis mode and we all may soon have to change our expectations in life - at the very least in the material sense - but, with my two feet firmly planted in a warm kitchen, I now feel ready for another day.

You?

***

The simple life. Live small. Live slow. Add coffee. Not a bad recipe.

Please click here for more about the simple life.

And here too.

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The Workshop: “Slow the pace. Get more done.”

Who first said ‘slow and steady wins the race’?

Was it a race-winning turtle? A tired rabbit who had learned his lesson? A dust-covered retired guy in his workshop after checking another project off his to-do list?

Whoever it was, they were right.

Sometimes ‘the hurrier I go the behinder I get’. (Who first said that? The cock-eyed grammar is hard to place.) But lately, I’ve just been taking my time, thinking and reflecting as I go, and more work seems to be getting checked off. I like it.


I’ll head outside after lunch and complete two 10-minute tasks, a warm up before starting heavier work. I.e., I’ll wipe a bit of linseed oil (w a titch of maple stain) onto the frame of my last cupboard door (the bottom one), and whilst I have the linseed oil out, wipe a smooth coat onto another piece of funky outdoor decor that is getting bleached by the sun. Twenty minutes, tops.


["Another Slab of Mulberry": photos by Dusty Jeans]

What I call “Another Slab of Mulberry” (“A Slab of Mulberry” appears on the front porch) will perk up a bit with its second coat of oil and my backyard neighbour will surely gain a new appreciation for the decor that cost me $18, not including tax.

If I take my time, I bet I’ll be finished in 15 minutes.

PS Those who know I primarily work with and write about rescued lumber may be surprised to learn I actually paid $18 for the mulberry. So am I! I bought two slabs when it was a dark shade of lime-green - I'd never seen anything like it before and the image of an outdoor table came to mind. The slabs became outdoor decor instead, my way of "showing it off."

***

Please click here to read more from The Workshop.

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Zen and the Art of Lawnmower Maintenance

[“When you want to hurry something, that means you no longer care about it, and want to get on to other things.” pg 24, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance]


4:45 p.m. It started to sprinkle rain while I was cutting grass this afternoon. I continued to work carefully - no thought of running - knew I’d get damp and that my cleanup would take longer.

5:00 p.m. Finished cutting my lawn and the weeds in the shared back laneway. Shirt was sticking to me. I unplugged the electric cord. I bent down, turned the lawnmower onto its side in the rain - no thought of putting it inside The Annex where it is stored - and saw that a deep pad of wet, shredded grass was stuck to every nook and cranny inside the mower’s under carriage.




See, my electric mower, half the mower my retired 3.5 hp Tecumseh gas-powered used to be, needs to be cleaned after every use (Made in China: what a piece of crap) or else its thin metal will rot out within a few years. So I keep a garden trowel with a bad handle just inside the door of The Annex for the scraping and cleaning job.

5:10 p.m. The mower is clean. The clods of grass are spread about the back lane. My lawn mower maintenance job is done.


["I toss clods of grass and saw dust (from a well-maintained workshop) into the back lane.": photos by GH]

I think, it's time for a glass of red wine.

***

Please click here for “IT STRIKES Again”

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Zoom w a View: Rain drops, thoughts change

I stepped outside, empty travel mug in hand, saw the light rain, felt the cool temperature, and thought, what a miserable day.

Rows of raindrops on slender branches prompted another, and more positive reaction.




Gord, hush the first thought that comes to mind.


[Photos GH]


Open your eyes.

***

Please click here for more Zoom w a View.

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Newspaper Clipping: Want to live to 100? Forget the meds

We have a winner - two of them actually.

The oldest twins in the world, at 100-years of age, are now Ena Pugh and Lily Millward of Wales.

The previous record holders, Raymonde and Lucienne Wattelade, both 98, are from France and some sharp-eyed census taker must have spotted they just weren’t keeping up.

The two pairs of twins cited the following for their longevity:

whisky

pastis

laughter

Not a bad recipe, eh!

I know about whisky and laughter and learned the following re pastis at Wikipedia.

“Pastis is an anise-flavored liqueur and apéritif from France, typically containing 40–45% alcohol by volume, although alcohol-free varieties exist.”


["Photo of Pastis from Wikipedia"]

I’d say, buy the bottle that has alcohol.

“Pastis was first commercialized by Paul Ricard in 1932 and enjoys substantial popularity in France. Pastis emerged some 17 years following the ban on absinthe, during a time when the French nation was still apprehensive of high-proof anise drinks in the wake of the absinthe debacle.”

For more information re the debacle, I bet we could talk to the Wattelades!!

***

Please click here to read more Lite News.

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Deforest City Blues: Is it the summer of your discontent? Pt 7

We are masters of consumption. We have been groomed well for the job since the 1940s.

Though our homes and cars are likely our largest expenditures, making us the target of many applicable taxes, I’m sure (if we are willing to admit it) our monthly budget books are filled with a long list of other habitual costs, thus making us an even bigger target for any consumption tax (e.g. the HST) or eco-fee.

Groceries, TV cable, phone bills, entertainment, restaurant meals, makeup, clothing, items for the house (e.g., plants, pets, art work, out-door furniture, ottomans, etc.), and other ‘wants’ and needs, etc., etc., don’t come cheap and taxes add up, thus making for a real summer of discontent for some people in Deforest City.

Oh, what should we do if not reduce the size and cost of our homes and cars and many other essential and non-essential items?

I’d recommend we should at least educate ourselves about taxation and its benefits so we know more about where our money goes.

Then we should make a better effort to reduce spending in order to escape fees and levies and taxes. Then pay down debt, and save money for tough times ahead.

From a personal point of view, i believe that peace of mind and relative calm is connected not only to our financial well-being but also to our social, emotional, intellectual, even spiritual well-being.

Personal finances may only be a small piece of the pie but it has certainly been getting a lot of press lately. The other areas of our lives surely deserve as much attention and if they received it perhaps the next time a new or higher tax comes along (and it will, it surely will) many people won’t see red as quickly or blame whatever level of government is closest at hand.


We should be prepared for more costs and subsequent fireworks from some observers because the North American lifestyle is a totally unsustainable addiction and a humble retreat and recovery from continuous consumption may be a very healthy option.

In closing allow me to say the following:

This is 2010 and many Londoners, like many other North Americans, have developed an overblown sense of entitlement during the last 50 - 60 years.

Mention the HST and you’ll hear, “Shite!”

Mention an eco-fee, you’ll hear, “Shite!”

Mention the government and you’ll hear, “Triple shite!”

I say the HST is a consumption tax and if you want less tax then consume less.


I say the eco-fee might pay for some of our recycling costs and if you want fewer charges then use fewer resources.

I say we get the government we deserve.

I also say we are entitled to city council’s best effort and the same from MPs and MPPs, but it means we must also put forth our best effort within a modern society.

And we must think - what is our water resource entitled to?

Our best effort to conserve, perhaps?

What is our air entitled to?

Are not our forests, fish stocks, lakes, oceans, farm fields, and other countless natural resources entitled to our best effort as well?

Have we been giving anything close to our best?

We seldom talk about reparations to the environment our generation has squandered and abused.

We seldom discuss the cost of environmental repair and who is responsible.

Still, we’ll bitch and moan and write 100s of words about a $2 eco-fee on a bag of cement.

How long will we continue to believe that we’re entitled to so much from our surroundings while giving so little back in return?

Until the last strike of our environment’s clock? To our last breath?

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Memory Lane: Friday’s adventure took me back to 1955. Scary.

Scary is right. I remember a great deal about my first childhood home and first school. I recall my first teacher, several friends, certain antics and even a spot of trouble I got myself into at the age of 5 or 6 years old.

I liked school so much I once stayed to play at noon hour rather than head home for lunch. My mother arrived 10 minutes later, with a very worried and angry look on her face, and dragged me home by the ear.

My teacher, Miss Brooks (not of Hollywood or TV fame), called on me to escort Rhonda Wettlaufer home early in my first school year because she wouldn’t stop crying during our lessons. Rhonda and I were after-school playmates (her folks owned and operated the general store at the main corners of the village of Burgessville), I knew the way to her house and I was more than happy to get out of school.

Rhonda and I re-connected in high school and later attended the same teachers’ college. Small world.


["The broom sticks out from the back of the bike": photos GH]

Some readers have likely been holding their breath in suspense, wanting to know why I was delivering an old corn curling broom by motorcycle to Rick Lees last Friday.


["One broom, signed and sealed"]

(I like keeping people in suspenders, eh.)

My family moved to Norwich, just 5 miles down the road from Burgessville, and I became good friends with Rick during our early school years together in the 1950s.

While at Teachers’ College in London in 1969 I joined a curling team and remembered that Rick’s dad made corn curling brooms, so I bought two of them at my next opportunity.


["Three members of our Olympic Gold Curling Team"]

I had one of them, still wrapped in its original plastic sleeve, signed by Canada’s Gold Medal Olympic Curling team last spring and thought Rick might like to have it. He wasn’t home on Friday but I gave it to his oldest daughter.


["Now, this is a real curling broom, boys."]

She recognized it as her grandfather’s broom even before I made it to the front door of the house and was quite excited to see the signatures of our gold medal winners.

Hopefully, Rick will get a kick out of it too.

And this concludes my stories about my Friday motorcycle adventure.

***

I’ll save other stories (e.g., I saw a dead cow once behind our home in Burgessville, I tasted a cow’s salt lick, made a great sword out of real tin and won an award for perfect attendance at the local Baptist church - how exciting) for another time.

See, I do like keeping people in suspenders.

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From The Workshop Pt 3: Just a titch of maple stain, please

I feel a definite buzz whenever I find a piece of discarded lumber that has some life left in it.


["Small bits become homes for humble birds": photos GH]


["12 small bits equals one house"]

While cutting, sanding and assembling I feel another buzz, somewhat muted though, because I’m working, dust is flying up my nose, hammer strikes are occasionally off course.


Finally, I add a coat of linseed oil with just a titch of maple stain and - voila - another great buzz.




Wood grains pop out, colours deepen, what was once a scrap is now a rich-looking, long-lasting home for any bird that can cough up the monthly rent.

And when a chickadee or sparrow starts moving in - buzzzz.

***

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Next project - four- and six-plexes from rescued barnboard.

The workshop will be busy next week.

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Paint or stain? Paint or stain?

So, a short time ago I stirred the pot of linseed oil and asked myself, "Should I paint it white instead?"

"Maybe paint the roof red?"


["Red would look better than brown, eh": photos GH]

"It would show up better for purple martins, right? They have small eyes."

"And white paint is recommended on several birdhouse web pages. White keeps the birdhouse cooler than the natural cedar - with oil."

"And of all the purple martin houses I've seen, white and red is my favourite. Right?"


["My favourite... so far. Pt. Bruce."]

I put the brush and linseed oil away.

I'm thinking.

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Pt 2 Can we develop a deeper appreciation for Nature?

As I said when I initially asked the question - of course we can.

And after watching and reading reports about ongoing environmental and economic damage in the Gulf of Mexico, we should.

And we should start immediately.

After you’ve started or expanded your garden and purchased a few packets of vegetable seeds (please click here to visit Pt 1 and some delightful context), try the following so your appreciation for Nature can deepen:

Eat local food. And if you have children, take them to a farm where some of their food is grown. Point at a cabbage, tell your kids what it is, and be proud you can still identify a living plant.


["Kids, are these turnips or red peppers?": photo by GAH]

(Hey, even if you don’t have kids, go to the farm. Learn how to spot a turnip from 50 paces).

Going to a farm and growing our own vegetables is a step forward, not backward, as some would have you believe.

Any step back from heavily-industrialized, fertilized and fossil-fueled agribusiness is forward thinking.

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It Strikes Me Funny: Are you stressed (#!&#!!) by slooow technology

There’s a good chance that you are.

Sorry about that, I’ll type faster.

According to a wee item in last Saturday’s London Free Press, 66 per cent of computer users say they are at least ‘somewhat stressed’ by slow technology.

23 per cent say they are extremely stressed.


["Ann Landers would say - chill"]

At the time I wondered, what about the other 11 per cent?

So I asked some of my neighbours about technology.

2 per cent were reading a book and told me to come back later.

3 per cent were busy in their garden.

And a full 6 per cent (I fit into this group) still find that slow technology is faster than, for example, writing an actual letter and walking it to the nearest mailbox.

We’re good, thanks!

***

Maybe more people should switch to decaf.

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Live Small and Prosper: Pt 1 The Money is Still Out There

I wrote and wrote and wrote about Canada’s national debt recently, so much so that some people likely started to think I’m trying to become a brilliant budding economist.

(Trust me, I’m not. However, I included the series of posts, entitled ‘National debt, a silent, deadly avalanche’ and ‘Politicians are silent about debt’ and ‘Is the money out there’ in the right side margin with other ‘Series of Some Significance’ - and I thought that was a brilliant idea).

In part, I touched on the following main ideas:

Our national public debt will soon be above $620 billion

Our provincial public debt will soon be above $205 billion

Our collective private debt is higher than the above

It is uncharacteristic for the federal government of Canada to pay down debt

Since 1960, 80% of the federal budgets added to the national debt


It is uncharacteristic for the provincial government of Ontario to pay down debt

Since 1985, 69% of the provincial budgets have added to Ontario’s debt

There are several real dangers associated with growing debt, e.g., ever-higher debt charges.

Federal debt charges now swallow all revenue gained from corporate taxes, and more

Canadians burn up billions of dollars per year on non-essentials, e.g., bottled water, cookies, candy, soda pop, cigarettes, etc.

Canadians pay billions per year on secondary and tertiary costs related to bottled water, cookies, candy, soda pop, cigarettes, etc.

I mentioned these topics and more and concluded with the following:

We may be spoiled rotten in a lot of cases and have far more goods than we actually require.

We also have more debt than we require.


["Smile. The pig ain't dead"]

What must we do to pay down national debt in this vast land of essentials and extras?

Should we consider a fairer income tax system, higher consumption taxes?

I also mentioned several of these topics and more in three weekly columns and concluded them with the following:

In summary, the money seems to be out there to pay down debt, but I think the majority of Canadians would say ‘no’ to attacking it head on.

Out of several interesting responses I’d like to share two with you.

The first, from DP, directed me to Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis and I learned that we might be worse off than we think we are.

After visiting the link I said, yipes.

The second comment came from an acquaintance, and I quote:

“If I had known I was going to live this long I would have been a little more thrifty.”

To that I said, “Unfortunately, we can’t turn back the clock.”

Though we seem to be squeezed tightly inside a pickle jar of our own making, I still think the money is out there to solve our monetary problems.

***

More to follow.

No, I haven’t invented an all-new, invisible, painless revenue stream.

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Live Small and Prosper: Things going North ($$$) Pt 2

I have the feeling that monthly expenses for North Americans will be going north for many years to come.

I suppose if I valiantly did research everyday into all the things that make us debtors in our own land I’d be one busy boy, so I won’t.

I’ll just keep a list for people of the province of Ontario and Canada as major bills come to my attention.

Please realize, of course, that I don’t always pay attention to any one thing for long.

1. Canada’s national debt will pass $620 billion in 2014, according to Canada’s Dept. of Finance.

2. Hydro bills will rise once we switch to the new ‘smart meter’ rates.

3. Oil recently past $81 US per barrel. That can’t be good.

4. Canada’s average household debt to income ratio just went from 140 to 145 percent (predicted to be soon at 160).

5. Experts predict that higher interests are on the way, so mortgages and lines of credit will cost Canadians more.


6. The HST (Hiked Sales Tax) will be starting in July and many shopping purchases and monthly bills will cost Canadians more.

7. Ontario’s provincial debt is approaching $200 billion. I’ll be out of town when it happens so someone please pop a balloon for me.

8. A copy of Batman’s debut in a 1939 comic book sold recently for $1.075 million US. So, if you’re into rare comics (and I say, why not), start saving up.

Okay, that’s enough good news for one day.

***

Did I miss anything else going North ($$$)

Is it too late to buy a piggy bank?

Is it too late to add the following? Reduce spending, pay down debt, save money for the tough times ahead.

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From the Workshop: Slow days, time to think

Finished projects piled up in the workshop in December and January, and a few still need a coat of double boiled linseed oil before bringing them indoors for storage.

While applying oil and stain recently I was struck by the difference between what I want in life and what I really need.


["Oh, it's drying time again... and it's cold out": photos GAH]

For example, the thought of a bigger workspace often comes to mind, so that I could have a wood-burning stove, a proper dust-collection and ventilation system, more tools, etc.


["Linseed oil is lovely, but it smells up the shop"]

But I get 99.99% satisfaction out of my small shop (18.5 ft. by 8.5 ft.) the way it is, and if I adjusted my schedule somewhat (cut wood or apply stain outside from spring to fall, work on the lathe or other easy jobs in the winter) I likely wouldn’t think about the shop’s size at all.

Most of its charm comes from the fact it’s less than 170 sq. ft. in size and I get so much done in that amount of space.


["Don't stain indoors? Leave it 'til spring?"]

Why, really, I could live out there.

(And I think my wife would be happy about that 99.99% of the time).

I won’t live out there, however, and I think once I make a small increase in size to the outdoor work-deck (just outside the door of the shop), I’ll be as happy as peaches.

***

Do you ever get caught between thoughts about what you want and what you really need?

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