tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52237609027579106452024-03-08T05:13:04.466-08:00Out of the BarnBEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-63936967616664412182010-12-17T11:29:00.000-08:002010-12-17T11:29:27.807-08:00A Christmas Popcorn Ball<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A Christmas Popcorn Ball<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dec 16, 2010</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When I was a small boy, oh not that long ago and living with my Aunt Cora (Cory), Uncle Everett (unk), cousin Everett (Tubby) and younger sister Carol (Sugar) there came a time when, finally Christmas was here. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And in that small war time two bedroom home we were all gathered around the Christmas tree.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There was excitement in the air and I (Dude) was shaking like a dog on point ready to pounce in an instance on those presents all piled under that tree.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Here I must insert a little note about popcorn balls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those things were about the size of between a baseball and a softball and while they were actually pretty good I had already eaten my fair share of them and was in no mood for any more.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But now the moment had arrived and Tubby, I think it was, began to pass out one by one those treasures from neath the tree.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Us kids, sis and I, were told to be patient and quite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha, fat chance of that happening as we were about to burst.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Finally, yes finally, my cousin reached in and took his time reading the name tag, and even more slowly he rose up very slowly and began searching the room for the person whose name was on that tag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looked at every person; he looked up, down, to the right, to the left, scratched his butt and just did everything he could do to stall.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Then his eyes settled on mine and just as I was to screech he reached out to me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">In an instance, as that arm stretched out I knew for sure what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart sank a little, as I looked at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gift was wrapped in red with a pretty little bow and it was about the size of a baseball or softball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just knew it was a damn, pardon me, popcorn ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood up, raised that package up as far as I could and in a loud scornful voice said, hey, any one want a popcorn ball.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alas, there were no takers and I’m not sure anyone heard me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were busy with their own wonderful gifts.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now in those days, kids didn’t get a truck load of gifts so many the times one gift is all you got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’m sure that I received more than one, probably lots, I just can’t remember them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What I do remember is that I opened up that red, round gift immediately after shouting to the world my distain for popcorn balls.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Funny thing was that this was a very smooth package and as I peeled back the wrapper a baseball was revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Made of white plastic and painted to look like a baseball it was pretty enough but what was I going to do with a plastic baseball.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A little more investigation and the ball split in half and inside that ball was a genuine Babe Ruth wrist watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Golly goldfish, this was something aright.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I jumped up and raised that watch up as far as I could reach then I proceeded to tell the world, look, look everyone I have a watch.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Nobody paid any attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If they had they may have seen a very, very red-faced little boy for I was also very, very embarrassed by my earlier demonstration.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Brush Script MT'; font-size: 20pt;">Merry Christmas to all of you,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-family: 'Brush Script MT'; font-size: 20pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-63425366783573249912010-12-14T14:03:00.000-08:002010-12-14T14:03:48.389-08:00Proveth and Zydeco<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Proveth and Zydeco<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May 22, 2010</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">I was rummaging around in my Webster's II Dictionary looking for the word Proveth with little success.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">This compact tome is very handy and I use it often, more often in fact than when they issued it to me when I attended college kind of way back when.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">But this time it failed me. There was no Proveth in it yet spell check didn't red-line it so where it the heck was its identity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">There was prove and I checked down through to proverb to where it ended at provide and continued on through to mischief and rascal but no, I say no proveth </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Perplexed I turned the little book over to look at its backside when I read this 'Brand-new entries- from acupressure to zydeco".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Zydeco, ah-ha how often am I asked “what is Zydeco”. Well, it’s plenty of times I thank you. It’s my favorite dance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Webster’s II Little Dictionary does say that it is a noun and popular music of south <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Louisiana</place></state> featuring guitar, accordion and washboard.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Well that didn’t say much so I looked up the word “washboard”.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">That was defined as an instatement for washing clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Well rats, I suppose it doesn’t know that jugs are for drinking and not a noun for a musical instrument or for those beautiful adornments of an equally beautiful adult woman (all women are beautiful)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I gathered from this kind of weak definition that spoons are for eating and not as instruments for music or for the digging of graves for rats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those rats that I had trapped in my no.1 traps as a kid.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Baited with jam from the kitchen those traps were sure death for those killers of my pet pigeons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My evil step-mother did ban me from used her good flatware for anything but eating.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Well, goodness where was I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, yes Proveth, a word that isn’t a word outside of my own little world. It wasn’t redlined because I was in another program that does have that ability and it wasn’t in my little Webster because the word wasn’t in its vocabulary. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Maybe someday I’ll write a dissertation about it in the future.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Zydeco of course is a lot more than what you found here but I am out of space and the dance and its people deserve a lot more than just a line or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or you can go see for yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There is a dance every Sunday at the Brickhouse 15th & Main in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Vancouver</place></city> at seven. There generally is a lesson before hand if enough people are interested and the dance continues until 9:00 no charge</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A bigger affair is very Wednesday at PPAA (with a big pink neon sign) 7<sup>TH</sup> &Alder in Portland Ore. With a lesson beginning at 7:15, dance at 8:00-10 $5 for non-members $ 3 for members</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Music by cds or on occasion a live band of which there will be several between the end of June and over the <place w:st="on">Forth</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check out <a href="http://www.cascadezydeco.com/">http://www.cascadezydeco.com/</a> and be sure to get your butt down to the Portland Waterfront Blues Festival over the forth for a very, very good time.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Until then I wish you well my friends,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ben</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Of course Google will give you the answer to proveth.</div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-54425852426481187032010-12-14T09:44:00.000-08:002010-12-14T09:44:31.682-08:00A Dutch Oven Adventure<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A Dutch Oven Adventure<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>July 24<sup>th</sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2010<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>page 1</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This is not a funny story.....well...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do apologize for the length of it but this is what happened.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I like cooking, nothing fancy and often not that good.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I like cooking in my Dutch oven although I seldom do and when I do it’s mostly in the summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes on the gas grill, sometimes in a campfire or even buried in the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I like to keep it simple and nothing spoils an idea like having to run to the store (s) for ingredients.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">This mourning I found in the refrigerator a beef arm roast, ha! Just picture an old cow leg sticking out of an icebox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a nice chunk, typical of a chuck roast, a lot of fat and gristle but this time not much bone.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Now this kind of meat takes a lot of time to prepare and to do that it needs lots of patience cooking at a low gentle heat. You can cook it done in an hour or so or use a pressure cooker but lordy it may be tuff, and have a tendency to stick in your teeth with no floss to be had. If your idea of cooking is akin to welding or running a blast furnace then you’d best stick to cooking chicken. Or frogs, some people claim they taste like chicken.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But if you want something that is really good, something you’d fight the dog over and eat it behind closed doors well than you do it slow and low and beef is the game.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">So I light up the gas grill, dig out one of the small Dutch ovens (I have four now that I recently acquired two from Mr. Craig Shultz, a renowned authority of D.c.s) and began.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">First a little olive oil, then a little wine goes in the pot while it’s heating up to where you could cook a hamburger in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mean while I take that old chunk of leg bone, salt and pepper it then insert small slices of garlic in the meat here, there, everywhere.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">With the meat on plate you approach that really smoking pot gingerly and carefully lift the lid.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It’s like you’re throwing the virgin in the caldron where you cast the victim (slowly) to the gods. It’s like in the movies where the monster comes alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pot is just smoking nicely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s when the liquid produces a nice good sizzle when you just touch the meat to it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the meat is good and dry there should be no spitting of hot liquid coming back at you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put the cover back on and wait 3-4 minutes then take a peak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the underside has a good browned look to it turn it over and put the lid back on, wait another 3-4 minutes.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You can look again but why bother, simply put the hood down (actually I’ve been doing this all along, it really makes things heat up.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Turn the heat way down, mine was almost out, and step aside for 6 hours)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">During this time I will listen to the pot to make sure that sometimes cooking in there and I will smell it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, will you smell it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you hear nothing or smell something scorching your heat is either to low or to high so……..turn it up or turn it down, maybe add a little hot water if you don’t see enough liquid but don’t drown that poor old tuff chunk of arm.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A Dutch Oven Adventure<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>page 2</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After the 6<sup>th</sup> hour (listen to how dramatic that sounds <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the sixth hour.)</b>, I added broccoli (stems and all) and mushrooms, the little white ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Careful, people have been known to go weak in the knees at the mere sight and smell of this marvelous beef creation.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Go quickly now for it’s loosing heat and replace the lid and hood.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Wait for another hour during which you can gather up just as much stuff as you will need to dine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please no sauces or alcohol, additional salt, pepper or other stuff that will taint the meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did put kosher salt and course black pepper on the broccoli and mushrooms before they went in to you know where.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Wow, I almost forgot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got to have sun tea. A search of the cabinet revealed 2 regular green tea bags and 2 mint medleys (whatever).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shrugged my shoulders, put the bags in a pitcher of warm water and set it on the deck railing there to remain in the hot sun brewing away for three, four or five hours.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After 7 hours I turned the grill off, removed the oven lid and placed everything thing on a platter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I brought out the ice makers box, filled a glass full of ice and tea and literally dived in, to the meal not the glass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ate my dinner where I found it, on the platter.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The meat was so tender that I removed it with a slotted spoon and the veggies were, as they say, to die for.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">And I drank glass after glass of that sun tea, with nothing added.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It isn’t allowed.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I think that tea was the biggest surprise of all as I was reasonably sure about the main and only entrée.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Clean up of the Dutch Over was a snap, pour the drippings into a container, rinse with warm, not hot water and wipe clean with a paper towel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put the left overs away, wash the platter, fork and knife and I was done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The tea went in the fridge and the glass was on standby.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I used one chuck pot roast, olive oil, kosher salt, course ground black pepper, broccoli, mushrooms, 2 bags of green tea and two bags of mint medley tea.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">While I was eating a blue jay came hopping down the deck rail towards me as if to ask for a taste of my fare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him to shoo brother, stick to your cat food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He flew off to a big fire tree and sat up there scolding me all the time for not sharing.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I can’t say as how I blame him.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ben<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Saturday afternoon the 24<sup>th</sup> of July 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-38329631272551219792010-12-13T19:08:00.000-08:002010-12-13T19:08:27.664-08:00The Kick<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The kick</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">After arriving home from an evening dance tonight I went to make myself a sandwich.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I bent over the task of sandwich making the mayo jar slipped from my hand, glanced off the counter and hit the floor with a bouncing thud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the briefest moment it lay suspended just barely off the floor. I drop kicked it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The game winning score was on its way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire stadium fell silent.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The jar sailed through the air out of the kitchen, across the living room and cleared the hearth before it landed with another muffled thud into the ashes of the fireplace.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A small mushroom cloud drifted to the ceiling and slowly circled around the room.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The ref raised his arms, a score, the crowd went wild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The team mobbed me. I was their<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hero.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I slowly put my butter knife down, ate a few walnuts, took my pills with a glass of milk, locked up the house and went to bed.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I lay there in the dark with a smile on my face and the roar of the crowd in my head as I drifted off to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, I had won the game, tomorrow will bring another.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Dedicated to the ladies that I danced with tonight, you were wonderful.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ben</div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-52414260275876239182010-12-06T13:35:00.000-08:002010-12-06T13:35:04.786-08:00In the House<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">In the house</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">1. Laundry</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">It has taken me most of the week, most of the day, most of a hour, most of my free time and a bit of humor to do one load of laundry that is mostly made up of work clothes andddddd I still haven’t put those clothes away.<span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">2. Dusting</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Talk about recycling. By the time I start dusting at one end it’s time to start over at the beginning.<span> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>The only true dust free area is the seat of my pants.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">4. Wash machines</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Ever notice the sound of the washing machines.<span> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span>There’s a rhythm there if you just listen.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">The dish washer in particular rumbles out sounds like, ‘WASH THE DISHES, EAT THE FOOD, WASH THE DISHES, EAT THE FOOD to a deep jungle tune. Makes your butt move.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">3. Writing</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Act of defiance? Despair? Delonelyness, de waste of time, should be doing something constructive like…..laundry, ugh, dusting, ugh, ugh.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">4. Dishes</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span> </span>I had just finishing washing dishes.</span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">My hands where still wet from the effort.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">In an act of foolishness I reached out my right hand to a very pretty girl.<span> </span></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">She took that hand in both of her own and rubbed mine gently with much tenderness until they were dry.</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">Then she held them for the longest time, forever I think</span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> </div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ben Dec 6th 2010</div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-53412133837725043012010-12-03T12:39:00.000-08:002010-12-03T12:39:08.909-08:00Little Brown Bird<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Nice day today this December 3<sup>rd</sup> 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked along the crek, not creek but crek that runs strong this time of year and listened to the water going over the rocks in a miniature rapid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocks that I had gathered up from the field and tossed in just so I could hear the sound the water made...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little brown bird was there in and out of the bushes and it added a little chirp now and then at the right moment.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Seems like every time I stop for a bit the little brown bird shows up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I had my gear with me for a little log cutting so I drove my ATV up in the woods to where a log lay, a victim of a windstorm in late summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat on my machine for a bit just to listen and then went to the log and started making marks on where to cut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About half way down the length I noticed my back was groaning under the effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I said to myself, that’s about enough of this.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I mounted my metal machine and off to the barn I went.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Once inside I checked to see how my miniature herd of beef was doing with their daily ration of hay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was leaning on a top board just looking when Little Cow reached up and stuck her nose close to my face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also reached out and gave her a little scratching on her face, up her cheek, behind her ears and wherever while she just stood there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was a little unusual; usually she will shake her head and maybe try to butt me.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">As I turned to leave I noticed a movement on the dark brown barn floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a little brown bird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fine feathered friend can be hard to spot in the barn but they are always moving which is a dead give away.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Well, I had seen enough of little brown birds and cows for the day so I went to put away things in the shop.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">I had my insulated coffee cup the whole time and there was still some left in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing to do but have a seat in a chair that is conveniently left in the shop entrance alcove.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barney the cat, who is always close by, came over and we both basked in the sun for a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t care for the coffee.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ben<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dec. 3<sup>rd</sup> 2010<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-41114279204425630282010-11-24T23:10:00.001-08:002010-11-24T23:10:59.617-08:00Brrrr..<div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Brrrrr.....! hope you are good and warm.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">This little old house has a few cold spots in it.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Not to bad under a blanket in front of the fire though.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Doctor said I was on a roll and Fred Meyers was packed. Didn't go in, rather do with out.... what ever it was that I wanted. Kind ah ...well, fun.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Went outside to get a few pieces of dense firewood for more b.t,u.s. Wood stack was froze and had to give 'er a few good kicks.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Think I'll crawl under by the fire then make beef barley soup.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Blue jays keep raiding the cat food dish. What the heck just let them.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Be dark soon, wonder if the stars will come out.</span></span></div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Ben Nov 23 2010</span></span></div></div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223760902757910645.post-793825848758815482010-11-22T20:14:00.000-08:002010-11-22T21:24:24.691-08:00Cat house # 2<div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cat House # 2</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Before I left this morning I noticed that the old cat was fussing quite a bit at her usual station, the sliding glass door that opens to the deck.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Suspecting that she might be cold because she kept trying to get pass me into the house I went to the shop and found a just right cardboard box that I carried back to the deck. I began to construct cat house # two.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cat house #1 was a simple shelter for the cat that I had placed on the deck during cold weather a few winters ago. That box had become to weather worn and I had thrown it away last summer fully planning to replace it with a more sturdier shelter. Somewhere between summer and now the idea was forgotten. </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Well, the past is what it is and I now turned my efforts to last summers good intentions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">Cutting up a cardboard box produces a lot of noise and flapping of scrap corrugated pieces.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">All of which are rather terrifying to an old spooky feline who made a panic induced effort to leave the immediate area. There was a hot cat scramble for sure.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">When the new house was finished I placed the structure over a small throw rug which was sitting on a heating pad, plugged the pad in and there you have it, cat house # 2.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">No amount of calling or urging would bring the old gal out of hiding so I left the premises for awhile.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">3 hours later on my return I was very pleased to see that there were still embers in the fire and a glance at the deck showed that old puss was snuggly bedded down in her new house.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">I built up the fire and the two of us settled in out of the cold.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Arial;">bg Nov 22, 2010</span></div>BEN GROCEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12394664020424737269noreply@blogger.com0