Chowder "To Die For"

Chowder is a funny word. Folks in the north-east use it as a compliment (I believe this because chowder is such an awesome item.) They might call someone a chowder-head. (But phonetically they would chow-duh head).

Anyway, simply because someone asked for it - here's a recent recipe I came up with that is really a seafood chowder.

DW Seafood Chowder

1 c. chopped celery

1 medium onion diced

1 clove garlic minced

4 – 5 strips bacon chopped

1 c. flour

4 oz butter

4 med potatoes peeled, cubed and boiled until tender

5 c. milk

8 oz clam juice

1-2 c. cocktail shrimp

2 cans minced clams

Cubed or sliced fish (optional)

8 oz heavy cream (or half & half)

Salt/pepper

Cut bacon into ¼” cubes. Fry until cooked and slightly crisp. Remove bacon to a separate dish and keep drippings. Add chopped celery, onion, garlic and butter. Cook until tender. Reduce heat and add flour. Stir until all flour has been incorporated. Slowly stir in milk, cooking over med-low heat until mixture boils for 3-5 min. This cooks the flour – much like a gravy rue. Add fried bacon, clam juice and juice from the canned clams. Bring to a low boil. Add shrimp and fish. Continue to cook until fish is cooked. Lower heat and add cream and clams. Do not boil, but heat until hot through. (overcooked clams get tough). Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with croutons or parsley or chives. (If you want thicker or thinner results, adjust the milk. You can always add some to thin it and heat to eating temp.)

Note on the fish – I made this concoction to use up fish I had on hand. I used crappie that I sliced (probably about 12-15 fillets). This nearly disappeared in the chowder because it is a soft fish. If you want the fish to be more prominent, use a white fish like cod, or eliminate the fish all together.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy

T-H-A-N-K-F-U-L

Isn't that what Thanksgiving is for? You would think (due to current commercialism) that it revolves around "black-Friday". Or football. Or getting a jump on Christmas. The decorations and music began this year right after Halloween.

I guess there is no MANDATE about what Thanksgiving is supposed to be. However, I'm choosing to go old school, and think a little about what the original settlers experienced those first few years and why they would have a gathering and be thankful. I don't know exactly how the "party committee" got together back in those days and organized something like a Thanksgiving shin-dig, but let's go back and imagine . . . . . .

Within the past couple years, you might have lost one or more family members due to some nasty disease or a relatively minor injury that got infected and proper medical treatment wasn't available. (Even proper for THAT time.) Your log cabin (that lets cold air in like CRAZY) is being shared with three other families, one of which has two small children that NEVER stop crying and fussing. The teenage son of one of the other families has gotten into the "drink" and never gets out of the house. The bugs were particularly bad last summer because of all the rain. AND because of all the rain, the planting of corn failed to produce and food was short. This is an election year, and all we ever seem to hear is VOTE FOR GEORGE - or VOTE FOR WILLIAM for the governor of the settlement. The local Indian tribe is ticked about the fact that some of the boys have been going out and shooting up things over by the deer and elk sanctuary, making it hard to get an easy kill (like back in the old days). They are on the war-path and don't mind taking a small child or helpless maiden during one of their raids. (Wish they would take the two screamers from THIS cabin . . . . )

These are real, life changing, trying issues that faced the good folk so long ago. You just get relief from ONE Of those heartaches, and you have something to be thankful for. Change more than one, and you have a party on your hands. Their issues were daily and they were often life-threatening. And even in that existence, they chose to be thankful.

I'm thankful that my biggest issues are cleaning up cat vomit, or scraping frost off the windshield, or needing to empty the dish washer, for pitty-sake.

Look around. It's more than football and shopping. Have blessed Thanksgiving.

Say, but it's C-O-L-D

Well, if you've been following this blog (and that would be pretty easy, because I haven't posted since July) this would be a perfect time to post about how cold it is. Pretty cold. We are wondering, what were we thinking, when we decided that Indiana would be a good place to land when leaving VA. It has already been single digits with some below-zero wind chills, and it isn't even Christmas yet. WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!?!?!

But that has been off-set by time with family which warms the heart - nearly compensating for throbbing fingers and toes. I'm convinced that I suffered some frost bite as a child growing up in Wisconsin. The following story would be a sample of multiple experiences of similar situations . . . .

It was either a Sunday afternoon, or we were on Christmas break. I was younger than 9, because we were still living on our farm near Ontario, WI. My older brother, Harvey, and sister, Nancy and I were going ice skating on a nearby pond in a swampy area not far from our farm house (unless walking through the bitter cold and snow). I would venture to say that the pond would be about 1/2 mile from our house, but maybe slightly less - the young mind tends to make things bigger than they turn out to be in adult life. There was at least a foot of snow on the ground, so walking through the woods was difficult for short legs.

The pond was covered in the same foot-plus layer of snow, so shoveling had to occur before any skating was done. My recollection is that there was only one shovel to use, and Harvey was the obvious choice, or we would have done no skating, whatsoever. So, what do you do while someone works on clearing that much snow so you can ice skate? You stand around in the snow and watch, while your fingers and toes begin to go numb. After a little of this action, you decide you are bored and had better put your skates on and begin moving before you freeze to death. The skates are so cold you can hardly pry them open enough to insert your already stiff toes. They probably have some snow in them because you set them in the snow - there isn't any place that isn't snow-covered. I distinctly remember how difficult it was to manipulate the skates and laces, both of which were leather and became very stiff in the cold. Now, anyone who has done much ice skating knows that the tighter you get your skates, the longer you can skate, because weak ankles flop over after a bit and you are skating on the sides of your feet - not on the blades, so make them TIGHT!!

Already cold fingers and feet now are exposed to the really cold air and skates. But once the skates are on, now you can begin moving!!! Imagine trying to skate in the space of a twister pad. Given that you can't really do much skating on tiny island of clear ice, what do you do? You stand and watch the shovel work - all the while getting colder and colder. Don't forget how tight your skates are - generally cutting off all circulation that might have saved your toes. Your hands and feet are now simply mercifully numb, but headed in the wrong direction. The person with the shovel seems to be doing pretty will with the cold, but annoyed that others are complaining about how cold it is and how there isn't enough ice to skate on and how s-l-o-w-l-y the process unfolding. I'm guessing that in an attempt to skate on the available ice, more snow was getting dragged onto the ice by bumping into the sides of the still the small space. Generally, everyone is having a pretty lame time.

I have no idea how long this continued, but to the young mind - it seemed like eternity. Well, finally, Harvey had cleared enough ice so the three of us could skate a little in the relatively tiny rink created by heroic shoveling of that deep snow. I'm going to guess that Harvey was able to skate a grand total of 5 minutes. But, by then the damage had been done. I was beyond cold. My feet and hands felt, literally, like blocks of ice. When Harvey and Nancy acquiesced and it was time to head for the house, I couldn't even consider removing my skates and exposing flesh to the cold. My fingers wouldn't work anyway. I began walking through the snow with my skates on. I didn't care. By now I was beyond complaining and was crying in the fashion that makes any communication impractical, unless you can parse together the broken utterances of partial words and phrases. I was in sad shape.

Now - of all the times I have been cold . . . . and there are many, this may have been the worst. Harvey and Nancy even showed concern for my situation. That was uncommon, so I believe that they really thought I was in trouble or at least they were going to get in trouble when we got home for letting me get so cold. Either way . . . . .

Which is worse, the slow progression of the freezing process, or the reverse of the same? At least in their frozen condition, MOST of the feeling was gone. As they warmed, all that feeling returned. My fingers and toes were screaming at me as if they had been slammed by a sledge hammer. More unintelligible, broken attempts at communication. Warming of extremities was done in warm water. It hurt worse than you can imagine.

Fast forward to today. Those damaged phalanges respond to cold more quickly than I would like. Simple activities like hanging lights or snow removal or hunting result in aching fingers and numb toes. The thought of ice-fishing gives me the heebie-geebies.

Bottom line . . . . "what were we thinking?"

Say, but it's HOT

I'm tired. Really tired. Really . . . . . T-I-R-E-D!

The work schedule is crazy, but it's the heat. I think it is affecting me somewhat like hypothermia would - just over a longer period of time. Words come harder during conversation. I drop things. (This isn't so new, just that I drop MORE things and catch less.) It is a pure exercise of will to get up and go do something.

Perhaps the dead air space between entries in this blog is more of an indicator. My last posting said that change is in the air. Given enough time - everything changes. And since my last post - apparently I've allowed enough time. Our move to IN has begun. It really began in February when we started house-hunting in earnest. We purchased a home in May and began moving some items there at the end of May. Now we have only left in VA mostly things that are needed to have this home show well and a my tools and camping stuff. There will be another small load of goodies heading out when Kenneth clears his room and the washer and dryer go in August. The balance of things or "the big move" as we like to refer to it has grown smaller and will go when the house sells.

A new chapter has begun. You know, people sometimes ask silly questions. There is a game the kids play where I work that says, "if you were invisible, what would you do?" They asked me that question, and it was so far from my thinking processes at the time, I couldn't come up with an answer. Others inquire, "if you won the lottery, what would you do?" Or, "if you didn't HAVE to work, what would you do?" I'm thinking - if I won the lottery, please kick me and shut my fingers in the car door. What would I have been thinking to ever play the lottery? BUT the 2nd half of the question is the real key - what would you do? Change becomes relevant, because if I were under those circumstances, would I change anything? Hopefully not much. Shouldn't I be doing the same thing in both cases, whether a monthly paycheck was headed my direction or not? Hopefully.

Now is the chance to carve that masterpiece. Someone commented to Michaelangelo about his incredible talent for creating images from granite. His response was that in each piece of stone was a beautiful work, all he did is release them. Is it sad that I'm now 51 and just sort of 'getting my stride'? Maybe, but I'm discovering that the past 30 years of varied career paths, job and life-interests has made my career-legs longer. Some people refer to the school of hard-knocks. Life is an awesome teacher. Where I am and what I'm about to do has taken TIME. There is no academic substitute for that.

So, I'm hot and tired, but I'm also looking forward with great anticipation to this new chapter in book that's hopefully only about 1/2 done. Maybe you feel like you are stuck in a spot and not moving like you wish. Maybe it's hot (literally or figuratively) and you are tired and don't feel like moving. Read this and smile and then get up and GET GOING!!!

Butt Prints In The Sand

One night I had a wondrous dream,

One set of footprints there was seen,

The footprints of my precious Lord,

But mine were not along the shore.

But then some stranger prints appeared,

And I asked the Lord, "What have we here?"

Those prints are large and round and neat,

"But Lord they are too big for feet."

"My child," He said in somber tones,

"For miles I carried you alone.

I challenged you to walk in faith,

But you refused and made me wait."

"You disobeyed, you would not grow,

The walk of faith, you would not know.

So I got tired, I got fed up,

and there I dropped you on your butt."

"Because in life, there comes a time,

when one must fight, and one must climb.

When one must rise and take a stand,

or leave their butt prints in the sand."

author unknown

Change is in the air

Wow - has it been that long? It is now officially SPRING!!

My last post was about the Super Bowl. And that is now a faded memory. Certainly things move along, and we must move with them.

I've recently been reading the CaringBridge posts of Chuck McCallum regarding their journey through this difficult and yet somehow blessed time. (http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joymccallum) Clearly, Chuck is a more prolific writer than I, and there have been seasons in my own life when I wish I had written down my thoughts and feelings, much as Chuck has. Not so much to share with others, but just to remember it better, to feel it again better. Those difficult times can be a little like child-birth, I think. There are powerful hormones at work - memory diminishing hormones. You can talk to a new mother within hours of delivery and she will colorfully tell and re-tell the excruciating, pain-filled details of the delivery. (Some are worse than others.) But, then, weeks later (and perhaps the sleepless nights are to blame) she will likely say, "That wasn't so bad. I would consider having another." I recall how astonished I was at the lack of recall as to promises that were made about not having another, and general glossing-over of those pain-filled hours.

I think and believe that our Creator designed us in some regards with some protective boundaries to help us through the difficult times. If not, we might be more prone to prematurely stop trying in this life. But there is also a deep-rooted comfort for Christians who truly understand the relationship between this life and the next and the fact that whatever we experience now is only PREPARATION for our eternal home. A little like bread being baked in the oven, getting ready for what bread is to become.

Keeping those things in mind, we can help ourselves not become bitter, resentful humans when the difficult times come. I think of the three Hebrew boys - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who had decided long before the pressure to "conform" arrived had already made their decision to remain true to their commitment to God. Their resolve held true, even though their last chance to recant would have saved them from the fire. "Our God can save us from the fiery-furnace, but even if He does not, we will not bow down." (My paraphrase). Now there's a testimony to steadfastness. And that whole process was made easier by deciding in advance.

My prayer is that I will remain faithful, should the fires of testing come. And will those fires be made easier by making those choices now? Not easier, but I believe my choices will be made true and right by deciding in advance what my answer and attitude will be. We often think of peer pressure and being an adolescent as it pertains to making good choices. But later in life, it becomes about WHO we will be. Will I be a bitter, resentful person because things got tough or didn't go as I had planned? Or will I remain pliable in the hands of God - trusting the He can save me? BUT EVEN IF HE DOES NOT . . . . I WILL (OR WILL NOT) . . . . (fill in the blank).

Thanks, Chuck, for your example of loving, caring, true thinking and right relationship. You are a blessing - more than you know.

I suggest that you read the entire story or Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Daniel.

truly SUPER Bowl

It's an hour before the start. It could be worse . . . . I'm in FLA (not AT the super bowl, but still), the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing. AND I'm about to eat the best fish (pronounced f-e-e-e-sh) on the planet - compliments of Paul J Bardsley. I have my Colts t-shirt and Colts hat on.

I missed the space shuttle launch this morning, but not for not having tried. At 4:20 am my cell alarm screamed to life and I got dressed and trotted across the street to watch this amazing event with about 20 other hardy spectators. Brenda surprised me by showing up too!!! The launch was scrubbed due to cloud cover. Maybe tomorrow will have better results.

I think all the family will be watching this game from SOMEWHERE. I think I can safely say that all, save Kenneth, will be rooting for Indy. Kenneth - don't let cheering for different teams ruin the great weekend you have been having so far.

Pundits are forecasting a Colts win. The hearts of America seem to be leaning toward New Orleans. Who can blame them? What a great story of a rise to the top. Especially with all the difficulty from Katrina just a few years ago, and the realization that the area affected is still not back to 100% years later. This game is pitting perhaps the two best quarterbacks in the league. Both teams seem to have avoided much of the bad publicity that professional athletes seem to bring on themselves because of poor choices and not thinking. It is hard to choose. At this level, the game could go either way.

There will only be one team holding the Lombardy trophy this year. But there will be no losers. Anyone who makes it this far is truly a winner - regardless of the point total on the board. And players who continue to do the right thing and help those less fortunate are winners. Jesus said, it is more blessed to give, than to receive. It is now 45 minutes to game time. I'm getting pumped for a great game - regardless who wins. (ARE YOU KIDDING???? - GO COLTS!!!)

Life is Good

We just got back from a wonderful family gathering in Gatlinburg, TN. It has been years since I've been there. We stayed in a wonderful house/palace that allowed each to have enough space and yet a home-like atmosphere for "together" times. Our fun activities included skiing, laser-tag and indoor skydiving. (That last one you can look up under http://flyawayindoorskydiving.com/pf.html) We also ate ourselves silly with awesome home-made meals of white-chicken chili, breakfast casserole, lasagna, fried fish, fried chicken and finally biscuits and gravy.

There was safe travel to and from the event. This trip was not without its difficulties. It snowed some, making getting up our street challenging. The snow also made it slippery walking down the steps and around the cars. Brenda messed her back up the day before we traveled to Gatlinburg, TN so she was kind of gimpy throughout the entire trip. She is still not 100%. A window broke in our 1997 Expedition, requiring way too much time and money to get it fixed.

And yet, today I began getting the full blast of all the issues going on in Haiti as a result of the devastating earth-quake that hit there yesterday. The presidential palace is in ruins. Bodies of the dead are being stacked in the street. A hotel we visited on numerous trips was destroyed. I cannot begin to imagine what conditions are like there right now.

A friend of ours sits tonight with her mother who is in critical care following a major surgery followed by a ruptured ulcer causing lots of infection and pneumonia.

Thank you Lord, for all your blessings. I pray that we enjoy the mountaintop as it may not be long until we also are in the valley.