Happy Times Round Up!

The last two weeks have been busy. I watched my daughter graduate with honors from Kent State University. That is the proudest moment of my life. After that, Kiddo and I went to Universal Studios Orlando for a few days vacation.

It was tough on vacation. I had to endure a luxury hotel, theme parks, rides, great food, drinks by the pool, and great weather. I'm not quite sure how we did it. It was a completely foreign experience to be on vacation and not chaperoning 200+ band, orchestra, and choir kids. I wasn't quite sure what to do.

Gringott's

I have to give kudos to Universal Studios. They did an amazing job recreating Harry Potter's Diagon Alley from the movies. The details were fantastic. The Escape From Gringott's ride was a lot of fun as well. My daughter and I, both big Harry Potter nerds, had more fun than should be allowed exploring both Hogsmeade (Universal Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley (Universal Studios).

The performers and the staff did a fantastic job bringing it to life. We enjoyed the Frog Choir, Tri-Wizard Pep Rally, and Celestina Warbeck. The singer who portrays Celestina has an incredible voice. I wish she'd performed more than three songs, but in the Orlando heat, I understand why the performances are short. The kids are out there in full Hogwards uniforms - shirts, sweaters, pants, and robes. Ick! I was hot in shorts and a t-shirt!

The Frog Choir

Krusty Burger

Based upon Facebook likes from family and friends, Universal did a great job on the Simpsons section of the theme park as well. We have a dear friend who loves the Simpsons, so we made sure to get plenty of photos there.  We even picked up a couple of things at the Kwik E Mart.

Kiddo rode more rides than I did because I am kind of a scaredy cat. I have somewhat more than a mild fear of heights, so the big roller coasters kind of freak me out. I love watching people though, so I had plenty of entertainment while she was on the roller coasters.

The Beach Pool

Every evening, we struggled. It was brutal being forced to sit by the beach pool while kind waiters brought us drinks. It has been a very long time since I have been that relaxed. It was amazing to just sit back and not worry about anything. I'm not used to that, but I could suffer through it. I'd probably need to practice it over and over.

Vacation!

Just a quick update to say that posts will be sparse for a couple of weeks while I'm off to see my daughter graduate from college and take a short vacation.

I'm very proud of my daughter, who is graduating with honors from university with a degree in public health. She's still looking for a job, but I have faith in her.

After graduation, we're off to spend a few days in the sun - and yes, I am packing sunscreen! I'll practice my survival skills. We'll see how I survive by the pool with a mojito in my hand. It will be rough, but I will do my best.

Expect updates when I return!

Prepping for when the SHTF and a Good Meal!

Lemon balm drying in the oven.

I tried my hand and oven-drying some of my herbs today. I know it's pretty quick after planting, but that is the advantage of starting with some slightly larger plants.

Lemon balm, basil, and the mojito mint dried today. They have a bit more moisture in the leaves than some of my other herbs, so I didn't want to leave them to air dry. Also, lemon balm retains more of its flavor when dried quicker. I used this website as my primary reference: Garden Herbs. Almost all of them had virtually identical instructions.

Basil in the oven;
mojito mint on deck

I set my oven as low as it would go (170F) and made sure to prop the door open. My oven does have a door that stays about 6" open when broiling, but that was a bit more than I wanted, so I used a wooden spoon to keep the oven vented. Since I am only doing small batches for me, it only took about an hour to dry each herb.

I think they turned out quite well. They smell great and the color is good. Most ended up nice and dark green. Some of the larger lemon balm leaves turned a little brown, but the smaller leaves stayed nice and green.

The condo smells great now too!

Top to bottom:
Lemon Balm, Basil, Mojito Mint

May's Friday Five to Follow, Especially if You're Hungry!

I must have been hungry when I chose this month's five to follow on Twitter - hungry and outdoorsy. Neither of those is unusual. It's inevitable that eventually it will show in my Twitter recommendations. Here are five that I actively look for in my feed. You should as well.

Michelle (@browneyedbaker) has a great recipe blog you should read! While I tend to get stuck in the cupcake section, she has everything from appetizers to main dishes to vegetarian dishes to cookies. And cupcakes. I love her cupcake recipes and so do my co-workers. She even has dog treat recipes. I've tried a few of them and now Michelle is a go-to for "what do I want to eat" days or when I need something for a work potluck! This snack recipe would make a great take-along for a camping trip or day hike.

Primitive Cafe (@primitive_cafe) is a great resource for wild food foragers. Run by Hue, he'll help get those edible plants from your yard to the plate in fantastic fashion. From wild bruschetta to coconut red curry soup, you'll find great recipes as well as events to attend. There are plenty of edible "weeds" out there that could easily grace your table. All you need is to learn how to identify them and prepare them. Primitive Cafe will help you do that.

The Bushcraft Journal (@TBCRAFTJOURNAL) is a great new online bushcraft magazine available by subscription. Some of the foremost experts on bushcraftt skills and outdoor survival contribute to the magazine and it is published quarterly. The publisher's goal is great and doesn't need me to re-word it: "is to cover all you need to enhance your journey in the natural world so you will be able to immerse yourself safely and comfortably in it for longer periods of time, regardless of your age or skill level or global location." Check it out!

Chris Swanda (@ChrisSwanda) is one of the cast members of one of my favorite shows, Dude, You're Screwed. He's an outdoor survivalist, knife knut, and a techie geek too. You don't often find that package, so following him will satisfy the outdoors enthusiast and the technophile in anyone. As an added bonus, he loves bacon. (FYI, never trust anyone who doesn't love bacon.) He does have a strange aversion to shoes - he did most of his episode barefoot. 

Ultimate Survival Tech (@UST_Survival) makes survival gear of all types. Firestarters, lights, cutting tools, lights, etc. are all available. I have a few of their products. I am particularly fond of their 3" ParaKnife. Mine is magenta. The sheath fits well on a woman's figure and the handle is a nice size for smaller hands. I also have a couple of their MagBar Firestarters. Well, I had a couple. My daughter absconded with one of them. I'll have to replace that. I like to have a spare.

My Twitter: @cmstevens06