~ Back to the Garden Again... ~
~ My BLOG Page ~ Number Twenty-Five ~
~To Add a Comment Click Here~
~ To My Parkville Home Page ~
~ Friday ~ April 30, 2010 ~
~ We Got a Jalapeno! ~
~ It Just Can't Wait ~
~ First One of the Season ~ On the Way ~
Another Gorgeous Day... Warm and sunny... Went out to take a look... Hey lookee there... Ain't that Cute! little jalapeno pepper eager to get with the program...
a little over an inch long... How long will that take to get it in here and consumed... and this one fresh off the plant...
Will be some time before I get enough to pickle... Now where are those tomatoes?
Well a nice day for doing something... anything... but very windy... The wind was sighing in the trees through the night... But was sunny and in the 80s... I need to oil up my bike
chain and get down to the park for a ride around... Was supposed to have a slight threat of T-Storms this morning but all quiet so far... And cooler for tomorrow when I plan
to BBQ again... But in the 60s, that won't be bad... Will it?
So, today, one more day of poverty, IBM and SS should pay off tomorrow... Then bill paying and off to spend the rest again... Hoping to last all month... Maybe SOMEDAY!
~ and Now ~ On to What the Day Will Bring! ~
~ Thursday ~ April 29, 2010 ~ Addendum ~
~ BBQ Dry Rub ~ El Pato Style ~
~ More Food Talk ~
~ Spicy Dry BBQ Rub ~
Actually talking Food in Kitchen Chat this morning among many other things... I told Jake my BBQ sauce was on my BLOG today and he went to look... Then was asking if
you could use my Dry BBQ Rub on things done in the oven.. Sure I do that... Especually with chicken that I roast instead of smoke... It goes good on a lot of different
things... Also the sugar in it helps to put a glaze on things that would improve some with that touch...
Well, many BBQ rubs are quite similar, mostly sugar and salt with your choice of herbs and spices... I have tried several prepared rubs and don't see they are any better
and certainly are more costly than mixing up some yourself at home... And you get to savor the aroma as you add and stir the various ingredients...
Looking for one online, I found this one that with a couple minor substitutions seems to fit my taste...
A quote from Jonathan: "The most requested recipe is for my dry rub. This can be applied to ribs (pork and Beef) chicken (whole or in parts.) The best cooking method is
grilled or smoked on wood, but roasting also works. This rub will keep, sealed in a jar. for as long as the spices are potent."
~ Jonathan's Dry Rub ~
2 Tbsp Salt (I use garlic salt with parsley)
2 Tbsp white sugar
4 Tbsp Brown sugar (I use dark brown)
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder (more if you like)
1Tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
Mix and funnel into a sealable container... Start the fire.. dust onto the meat and get ready for some smokin delight...
And of course El Pato KC Style BBQ sauce on the finished product... Dee Lish! Oh yeah!
My Way to Smoke Ribs (or whatever)
ONE: Brush with Worcestershire Sauce, Marinate overnight in fridge
TWO: Dust good with Dry Rub
THREE: Into the smoker at 220F for several hours
(depending on what cut)
FOUR: Splash on KC Style BBQ Sauce, cover with foil. Finish in a 250F oven for another hour or two...
~ and Now ~ One More Day til Pay Day! ~
~ Thursday ~ April 29, 2010 ~
~ Salsa de Barbacoa ~ Kansas City Style ~
~ Still No Tech Talk Today ~
~ Hey Gringo... That's Some Spicy Sauce! ~
Well now, pretty nice day, got some more sun and warmed up some... Almost thought of going to the park but was a bit breezy for a ride on the river...
I did some work on the Sanctuary web pages... Seems I got a couple of the new links messed up... Always something... So after playing with that...
and at TV catch-up time... No cooking projects so why not stir up some more of that super El Pato KC Style BBQ Sauce... So I started off with that...
Made a couple substitutions and additions along the way... But it came put super last time, still have a smigeon in the fridge... Hope this is just as good...
Should be, looks as good, same recipe... Smells as good... I now have about a pint, bottled and chilling in the fridge...
This week they have that sliced pork shoulder on sale again at the Price Chopper for $1.38 a pound... Maybe get some more of that on Saturday and smoke some up
with the new sauce...
Anyone want a recipe for some Spicy Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce? Here it is...
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
2 Tbs Butter
2 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
16 Oz Ketchup
1/2 Cup Molasses
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
4 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Cup Mustard
3 Tbs Cider Vinegar
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp salt
Stir together and simmer over very low heat for a couple hours... Stirring now and then and checking it does not boil or stick... Cool and store in the fridge asnd ENJOY!
~ and Now ~ One More Day til Pay Day! ~
~ Tuesday ~ April 27, 2010 ~
~ More Garden Catch-Up ~
~ OK Jake ~ No More Tech Talk Again Today ~
~ News of the Day! One More Cuke Popped Up! ~
Well you see how I am hurting for a BLOG subject if this is the biggest thing going on here today... The sun did peek out for a few minutes... Looks brighter today but will be
partly Cloudy and the tomatoes and peppers and cukes want some sun... A lot of sun... This little cuke peeked out yesterday morning, needs some warmth to catch up with
the early poppers... I want to see some growth here so I can get them climbing up the trellis and producing some nice fresh cucumbers...
No cooking yesterday, just more thawing and warming... None planned for today... Kinda like to do some chicken quarters or turkey legs out in the smoker... Be a good day today
for that... looks like... but won't do that today...
And I got a nice email from the son of a member of our Van Club (Vancil Bell) back in the 70s... He was about 10 then, so I guess over 40 some now.. How time does fly... He saw my Van Club
pages and asked if I had a copy of SuperVan... They lost the VCR tape copy I made for everyone back then... I even lost the original tape and have a poor DVD copy...
I just found it has been re-released in high quality on DVD and I'll order a copy of that... But I just made Jason a copy and will send that off for now...
See... some people do look at my boring old web pages... HAH!
"El Gringo, I would definitely love a copy, I was browsing through your sites last night. Enjoy them tremendously, brought back some memories.
I will tell Mom hello, Dad passed in 2002, of a heart attack. Kevin and Aaron are doing well. Just let me know ...and thank you... I work in Saint Joseph at the University now.
Talk to you soon, Jason Bell"
~ A Truck In at Perry Lake, Junction City, Kansas ~ Circa 1976 ~
~ Forever! ~ Onward and Upward ~
~ Monday ~ April 26, 2010 ~
~ Garden Catch-Up ~
~ OK Jake ~ No More Tech Talk ~ (Today) ~
~ Better Boys Tomatoes ~ Cucumbers ~ Oregano Basil ~ Tomato Peppers Cukes ~
Well now... A long drab rainy Sunday... Enough with the rain... But it brightend up a bit and I got some catch-up pics... Everything looking good. The Better Boy Tomatoes
in the bed and the Rutgers tomato in the pot look really healthy... Peppers doing Ok but look like they would like some sun... Seven cukes came up, doing good and looks like
one more may be popping up yesterday... The marigolds holdoing there own, two more blooms but they look like wanting some sun too... But actually I am three weeks ahead this
year... Planting time for tomatoes is usually first of May to be safe...
So what else? Bought $20 worth of scratchers just for the Heck of it... HAH.. Won $15... Not a total loss anyway... I'll try again today with a Bingo and Crossword...
Then what? No cooking projects... Just nuked up another piece of that Smoked pork shoulder and did some chunky fries in the oven... Really tasty that way... Cut the tater in
six to eight segments... Sprinkle with dill... Into a Pyrex dish with a little loive oil... Roast at 375 for a half hour, turn over and crisp the other side and VOILA!
Less oil and no spattering that way.. and tasty!
So that was about it... Tv and then bedtime.. Now it's a New Day and a New Week and New Adventures... maybe...
~ Ever Onward and Upward ~ and Eagerly ~
~ Sunday ~ April 25, 2010 ~
~ And It Works! ~
~ Sorry Again Jake ~ Still More Tech Talk ~
~ Almost All Copied ~
And more complaints! From my chat friends... First Jake, then Bridget, then ChefRaw and then Beamer... anyone else? Well darn... Seems like Varoom was slightly interested,
maybe just being polite... But my favoite BLOG subjects... are Photo, Video, Web Pages and High Tech Toys... Not especially in that order... OH! I forgot COOKING...
that seems to be what most people like best... The FOOD! Well, I only have been putting on what I think is special stuff... I cook most every day but nothing much to write
home about...
And I forgot... the Gardening too... I am going to get some catch-up pics of that but it is still rainy and drab out there today... Maybe when we get some sun...
Anyway, back to my almost favorite subject... I got the new Media Drive and tried to get it started backing up the Windows 7 computer... But after a few starts and stops,
I couldn't get it going right so I abandoned it until this morning... And woke up at 3 a.m. and got right to it...
The program was not acting right so I deleted it... Re-Downloaded it and tried again... And this time I got it going right... Started the back-up around 5 a.m. and on
through chat and finally finished about 10:45 a.m. Well, there were 245,887 files to copy... that's 111,204,317,010 bytes... or 111GB... That's a hunk, the entire
contents of the Windows 7 computer... now all backed up nicely...
So... All backed up and everything working ...Except... Like the XP Computer... will not boot from the External Hard Drive like the Sales pitch says... But so far... Worth the
effort to have the entire Internal Hard Drive on the computer backed up... Now what? Some professional help to get these things to boot from the Media Drive?
~ Ever Onward and Upward ~ But Carefully ~
~ Saturday ~ April 24, 2010 ~
~ It Arrived Today! ~
~ Sorry Jake ~ More Tech Talk ~
~ See ~ It Fits Right in There ~
Well, Jake likes my Food blogs better than Tech Blogs... Didn't want to see my Marigolds yesterday... Well, no cooking today, no need... But I will have some real nice
ham and bean soup with cornbread later... So today it's the new 1 TB Media Drive
Anyway... I have been tracking the shipment on the FedX web site... Ariived in Kansas City on Thursday but says estimated delivery Monday the 16th... But... Today here
comes the USPS mail man and knocked on my door with it... FedX turned it over to them, looks like... Anyway, something to do on a drab rainy boring Saturday...
So, as you see above, the two drives are identical, only way to tell them apart... One says 160GB on the bottom and the new one says 1 TB... And as the with other one,
it comes with a power adapter and USB cord so it will work on any computer... but it fits nicely into a slot in the Newer HP computer... Real handy that way...
Just push it all the way in to connect and turn it on...
OK now... at nearly 2 p.m. I will start backing up the Windows 7 hard drive... then doing something else as it will take a couple hours at least... Then I can check to
see if it will boot the computer from the External (now internal sort of) Hard Drive... In any case, the Windows 7 Hard Drive will be completely backed up... if it works...
~ Ever Onward and Upward ~
~ Friday ~ April 23, 2010 ~
~ Las Flores son Más Hermosas! ~
~ Marigolds ~ April 9th ~ 8 Blooms
~ Marigolds April 23 ~ 18 Blooms ~
Well now, moving right along... Has it been two weeks since I planted those? They will fill that pot by June... And a few more cucumbers popped up...
The peppers are looking good, the tomatoes in the bed are OK.. And the Rutgers tomato in the pot is looking extra good... Would be nice to have a little
more sun, been rainy the last few days... Was looking nice yesterday, I pumped up the bicycle tires... thought about heading to the park.. But
then backed out...
Nice chat this morning... But I didn't have voice on Chat... Checked the other computer.. Fine there... Tried rebooting, signing into chat again...
even redownloaded Messenger... Still no voice... So later, after breakfast I tried again... Checked the sound on Control Panel... Huh? Was saying no Web
cam or USB microphone... Oh Oh ... Look there... I unplugged the web cam yesterday when I added the new card.. Didn't plug it back in... The Mike is in the cam ya know...
So that is fixed now... No current tech problems but just wait a few minutes...
I see that new external Hard Drive I ordered is in Kansas City, but they say delivery Monday... Oh well... Maybe I can mess up something on the Windows 7 computer
when that gets here... Was wondering about that "Bill Me Later" deal I bought that on... I was thinking, I'll pay that off when I get the first bill... Then see if I
could buy that new computer using that? But then, that would be 16 times as much money... Checked out that HP Pavilion Elite 180t again yesterday, checked the
configuration I want.. Man... I am ready to go on that one... Worth a try to see if they will take a gamble on me anyway...
So, what else? Ham and eggs and buttered toast with cranberry sauce for breakfast... I am dressed and fed and ready but no place to go... Ain't that the way it always is?
~ Things are looking Good Around Here... Oh Yeah! ~
~ Thursday ~ April 22, 2010 ~
~ More Computer Troubles! ~
~ New D-LINK Network Adapter ~
Well now what? I just got all issues with BounceBack resolved... EXCEPT... It won't boot from the external hard drive... Maybe I'll sove that sometime... But I do have
the entire HD of the XP machine backed up on there and available in case I lose it sometime... And it works as is on any computer to plug in and use the data or programs
stored on that hard drive... I am eager to see (Monday Maybe?) how the Windows 7 programs will look on the XP box when I get that new HD...
BUT... NOW WHAT! Always ~something~ as they say... I spent the morning chatting in the kitchen and writing my BLOG and all as usual... But then later went back to check
something online... But I couldn't sign in to Messenger or the Internet... NO CONNECTION it says... Well I had one all morning... So I checked the Windows 7 computer...
works fine... Internet connection good there and it comes from the same Modem/Router from AT&T...
So I troubleshot that to no avail, with Windows help and Network Magic Troubleshooting... Bad cable? Bad Network Adapter? Well an adapter is cheap enough... So Off to
Office Max to get me a D-LINK PCI Network Adapter card for $14.99 plus tax... Back to the ranch to load the driver from the CD and then install the adapter and
plug it in... AND.... NO! it didn't work... Now What?
Well, before... I didn't have the blinking light on the back of the router or on the back of the computer socket.. Now I had that... So I tried a couple things and then
just gave up as it was time for a libation of sorts... What today? I was kinda in the dumps not getting my Internet going on the XP box so why not celebrate with a
(now rare) manhattan... And I had just enough bourbon left in the bottle that Can gave me and one cherry left... Also ample Sweet Vermouth so I mixed up a dee-lishess
manhattan to watch TV and start cooking up a storm.. That took the edge off of my defeat
So.. This morning... I got back to tackling the problem... Tried this and that, changed the cable... I had a spare... Still no go... So now what? Well, get out the
Install CD and reinstall the driver... That done... Then a message popped up.. Says new hardware found and operating properly... Really? Well yeah... Signed in to
Messenger and the Internet... And we are back in business... For now.. What's next?
~ It IS Always Always Something ... Oh Yeah! ~
~ Wednesday ~ April 21, 2010 ~
~ New Tech Toy ~ On The Way! ~
~ HP 1TB Personal Media Drive ~ External Hard Drive ~
Well, it is internal (sort of) and external too... It fits in a slot in my newest HP computer but also will connect with a USB cable... The one in this pic is the 160GB
I have now... Just 0rdered an identical one from HP.. except 1 TB capacity... That should be plenty for some time to come... I think I paid about $250 for this 160GB a
couple years ago but the new 1TB one lists for $129 but on sale now for $103... very nice... HDs coming down a lot now that SDD drives are on the way...
But they are still a bit pricey...
So... I got BounceBack installed and working... And very interesting... The entire contents of the internal Hard Drive on the XP computer have been copied to it
including Operating System and Programs and Data... When you connect with the USB cable, you can copy files from it or run the programs that are on it...
Or if the original HD gets damaged or wiped out... You can restore the entire System to a new internal HD if you have to replace one... Just the BEST kind of back-up available...
So... I copied the entire HD from my XP computer... Then I plugged it into the Windows 7 computer... and ran programs in the external drive on the Winodows 7 computer...
Now what I want to see is when I get the new one and copy the Windows 7 and Data to it... what it looks like when I connect it to my XP computer... Actually i should
be able to run the Windows 7 programs in the external drive on the XP computer... VERY interesting... HUH?
And wondering... Using the restore process in BounceBack... if I could load the contents of that Hard Drive into the XP... And in effect clone the entire system...
What ya bet it might be possible? Format the Hard Drive in the XP... and then restore the Windows 7 OS and Data into that computer? If so, I am sure that MS wouldn't like that much...
But... There is always a 'but'... isn't there? Well... You are supposed to be able to boot from the external drive with BounceBack... So I tried that...
You connect the external drive and power up... It gets to the Boot Screen and offers a choice... Boot with Windows or boot from the external drive... So I selected the external drive and what?
The screen goes blank and does nothing... So I rebooted and got back to Windows...
Next I got online to BounceBack and printed off the Users Guide... It had helpful procedures to get the external drive rocognized in case the Boot selection didn't wotk...
It gives a couple changes to be made in the BIOS... What's that? well basic settings that makes the computer work... So I did that... But I couldn't find the choices it said I should make...
But I was poking around in there anyway and did something wrong... Now the computer would not boot at all... OH WOE! So I gave up and went to bed after a nice glass of wine and dinner...
So... woke up real early with an idea... Check the settings in the BIOS on the Windows 7 box and set the XP to the same... BUT~ Always a but... The setting screens were different...
Now what? Well... I got back into the settings in the XP BIOS... Then set all the selectons to DEFAULT... Hit F10 to save and exit and... VOILA... I got my Windows back!
But I still have to figure out how to boot the computer to boot from the external drive... Everything else in BounceBack is great.. Only that one feature that I need now...
~ Always Something NEW!.. Isn't There? ~
~ Tuesday ~ April 20, 2010 ~
~ Downloaded 'Bounce Back' ~
~ Back-Up and Boot from an External Drive ~
Saw an ad for this program in PC World magazine and the specs look good and the price not bad... Makes a mirror image of your Hard Drive including all data
and programs and settings... Then in case of failure you can reboot from the external drive and restore all your files... At least they say you can...
But of course you have to have a USB external HD to do that...
Well, I have this 160GB Personal Media Drive that fits in a slot on my Windows 7 computer and also has a power supply and can be attached to any computer
with a USB cable
But, as I have more than 160GB on the Windows 7 computer to back up, this drive is now a bit small... So first I am using it to back-up the Windows XP
computer that has less than 160GB to back-up... Started that going, and looks like it will take awhile... And I just saw an ad for a 360GB external drive at Office Max
on sale.. online for $69... Now that would to the Job... A larger HP Personal Media drive would cost much more than that... Only thing is you hook it up with a USB cable
instead of slipping in into the pocket on the computer.. No big deal... So, it looks like another item on my want list.. another external HD...
~ It's Always Something.. Isn't It? ~
~ Monday ~ April 19, 2010 ~
~ The Cukes are Up ~
~ Well... a Few Peeking Through ~
~ Look Close... There They Are! ~
Coming right along... These few poked through on Saturday morning... Took this pic Sunday morning... The seed packet says germination in 8 days... These were planted last Monday...
What's that... 5 days for the first few? Well we have had some nice warm days and I kept them moist...
Not much new on the food front... Working on that Easter smoked ham.. Pretty tasty... Was in the mood for some broccoli, haven't had that for ages...
I bought a few heads of florets... Simmered lightly, don't want to go too long, keep that bright green... Drain and in with some butter and Velveeta cheese...
Pretty good at that... Then the next day, Saturday, an experiment... I had some deli deep fried chicken left... Diced the meat and then broccoli over that with butter
and more Velveeta to melt on top... Must be a name for that dish... Quite delish! How about Chicken Florentine with Broccoli?
So... Headed up to the Fast Stop for a Bingo and Crossword... Won a $3 Bingo... Then some gas at Kicks 66 to trade that for another loser Crossword... Later stopped ny the Chopper
for a gallon of Vino Tinto and just for the heck of it... another Bingo... Back at the ranch, worked that for a $10 line with a three times multiplier,
that's better... a $30 winner!...
Then for a quiet afternoon with the TV... A glass of Vino Tinto and then a baked sweet tater to have with ham and more tater salad...
~ How Sweet it Sometimes Is! ~
~ Sunday ~ April 18, 2010 ~
~ A Page for R.L. Chitwood ~
~ Who Works at a Casino in Las Vegas ~
~ Another Web Page Added to the Collection ~
Hah! Got an email from friend R.L. asking why no BLOG for two days? Well... nothing much going on as usual... But I have been busy correcting web page
links on my new site the last couple days... That is a lot of pages and a lot of links... But I think I have most if not all done... If anyone runs
into a link that doesn't work... Please advise...
And... after a run over to the Casino for some new pics... started on a new web page... Like I need one... so except for some night pictures that would be nice...
I just finished and uploaded that new page at 7 a.m. this morning... Wanna see?... it is at:
~ The Argosy Casino ~ Riverside, Missouri ~
And... another cooler night and I covered the plants again... But it is only 44 this morning and should be no problem... And I saw a few of the cucumber seeds sprouting yesterday...
Might check them again, get a pic and make a BLOG of that event... Other than that... Not much going on...
~ Now Another Blog for Later Today? ~ Maybe ~
~ Thursday ~ April 15, 2010 ~
~ Fine Weather for Smoking ~
~ Warm, Sunny, Kinda Windy Though ~
~ Sliced Pork Shoulder ~ Before ~ With BBQ Dry Rub ~ Smoked and BBQ Sauced ~
We sure have had nice weather the last couple weeks... As I remember, last spring was nice too, but after a late cold spell that set the tomatoes back some...
This year I am about two weeks ahead of schedule on that... And also last year, the deer had lunch on my early plants and it took some time to catch back up...
So, what yesterday? after a couple dud scratch tickets, what to do? Nice day so I headed over to the Casino to take a few pictures (outside)... Working on a web page with
them now and adding a few of their photos and a few I took earlier inside...
So, I picked up the Price Chopper ad in the mail box... Says come and get your new REWARDS card... Starting that again.. Got some nice freebies last time... So I headed on up
there to get mine and check out the meat counter... Nothing much interesting on sale but I bought a nice pack of sliced pork shoulder... Got back to start the smoker. rinse and
BBQ rub the pork and into the smoker just about 1 p.m.
Nice slow afternoon, TV and a glass of wine... Watching the smoke out the window... Took the pork out about 4 p.m. Slathered good with the last of the El Pato BBQ sauce
and into the oven for another hour... Let cool, now that is waiting in the fridge for tonight... Well some of it is anyway...
~ Now on to Another Wonderful Day! ~
~ September 30 to October 23, 2008 ~ Page Number One ~
~ October 23 to October 31, 2008 ~ Page Number Two ~
~ November 04 to December 19, 2008 ~ Page Number Three ~
~ December 24 to March 23, 2009 ~ Page Number Four ~
~ April 01 to May 26, 2009 ~ Page Number Five ~
~ May 30, 2009 ~ Page Number Six - Click Here ~
~ May 31 to July 02, 2009 ~ Page Number Seven ~
~ July 02 to July 18, 2009 ~ Page Number Eight ~
~ July 20 to August 16, 2009 ~ Page Number Nine ~
~ August 16 to August 26, 2009 ~ Page Number Ten ~
~ August 27 to September 11, 2009 ~ Page Number Eleven ~
~ September 12 to September 30, 2009 ~ Page Number Twelve ~
~ October 02 to October 28, 2009 ~ Page Number Thirteen ~
~ October 29 to November 09, 2009 ~ Page Number Fourteen ~
~ November 09 to November 24, 2009 ~ Page Number Fifteen ~
~ November 24 to December 10, 2009 ~ Page Number Sixteen ~
~ December 10 to December 25, 2009 ~ Page Number Seventeen ~
~ January 01 to February 01, 2010 ~ Page Number Nineteen ~
~ February 02 to February 16, 2010 ~ Page Number Twenty ~
~ February 17 to March 02, 2010 ~ Page Number Twenty-One ~
~ March 03 to March 17, 2010 ~ Page Number Twenty-Two ~
~ March 18 to April 01, 2010 ~ Page Number Twenty-Three ~
~ March 18 to April 01, 2010 ~ Page Number Twenty-Four ~
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