Darwin and Dating

Tonight I went to hear David Quammen on Charles Darwin. You may remember Jon mentioning his National geographic artical, Was Darwin Wrong. To my great releif, no he was not. Anyway, I went to hear David Q speak with my geeky birding friend whom I'll call Lynn. It was a great place to meet babes. Lynn goes for the tall lankey men, I go for the completely unavailable women. We were trying to think of some avenues where we would both find success. Tonights lecture, while great fun, was a good place to meet U-Dub Biology Professors Ameritis types. One retire biology professory I thought had died. He was only asleep though.

Next month E.O Wilson will be here. I am very excited. You may remember reading about him in Jon's blog looking for a similar hair cut.

Golly, that is one heck of a trip

I don't know that I am more facinated with athletes than I usually am, but I seem to be. Check this out. A gal gets in her kayak, paddles to San Diego, rides her bike across to Texas, hops back in kayak, does the same all the way around the US, across the top and got back to Seattle last Friday night.

It took her 439 days to kayak and bike around U.S.

From the Seattle PI: Saturday, September 16, 2006

Renata Chlumska paddled into Moss Bay to a hero's welcome Friday -- friends draped in flags of her native Sweden, others waving miniflags, holding signs, clapping loudly, holding champagne bottles waiting to be popped.

After 439 days circumnavigating the continental United States -- thought to be the first time this was accomplished -- kayaking through ocean swells, biking through desert conditions, witnessing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Chlumska was overjoyed to have reached her journey's end.

Bumper Crop of Akane

tomorrow we will try our hand at apple butter
4 lbs of good cooking apples
1 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups water
Sugar (about 4 cups, see cooking instructions)
Salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

A chinois sieve and pestle or a food mill

1 Cut the apples into quarters, without peeling or coring them, cut out damaged parts. Put them into large pot, add the vinegar and water, cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cook until apples are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

2 Ladle apple mixture into a chinois sieve (or foodmill) and using a pestle force pulp from the chinois into a large bowl below. Measure resulting puree. Add 1/2 cup of sugar for each cup of apple pulp. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add a dash of salt, and the cinnamon, ground cloves, allspice, lemon rind and juice. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

3 Cook uncovered in a large, wide, thick-bottomed pot on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust is not forming at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth when a bit is spooned onto a cold plate and allowed to cool (1 to 2 hours). You can also cook the purée on low heat, stirring only occasionally, but this will take much longer as stirring encourages evaporation. (Note the wider the pan the better, as there is more surface for evaporation.)

4 Pour into hot, sterilized jars and seal. If you plan to store the apple butter un-refrigerated, make sure to follow proper canning procedures. Before applying the lids, sterilize the lids by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them. Wipe the rims of the jars clean before applying the lids. I use a hot water bath to ensure a good seal.

As an alternative to stove cooking the puree you can cook uncovered in a microwave, on medium heat to simmer, for around 30 minutes.

Makes a little more than 3 pint jars.

Same Sex Ed- - Now I am confused

Today on KUOW's Weekday they had a story about the pros and cons of single sex education. I was surprised about how strongly against single sex education NOW (National Org. of Women) was and quoted thed research done by AAUW (Am Assoc of University Women) study on Single Gender Education


I had been thinking about single genered edcucation for Ellie, expecially for middle school Now I don't know. The research certainly doesn't seem to support it.

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Is coming up this Sept 18th...I hope you are all ready. Click here to find a ringtone and everything else to celebrate the day. Here is a song you might want to learn.

I am also sending you a link for the pirate name generator. My pirate name is:

Pirate Azriel the Cash-Strapped

MS 100

I found it better to ride 100 miles rather than 150. Ya know, ya do what you can.

The ride was spectacular. The first day I got on the bike and planned on riding 50 miles. I did. To my great surprise, I rode 50 miles. The next day, to my great surprise, I got back on the bike. I rode standing up as long as I could, I tell ya. The weather was stunning, the elevation gains were modest. The day before we gained 5000+ feet. I didn't know what that meant in a 50 mile ride. Now I do and know. 5000 feet gain in 50 miles means endless hills that will kick your butt. Day two was just beautiful. I wish I had a camera. There were some really cute little sheet on the top of a truck. Lots of little villages, farm land, mud flats...just stunning.

The MS 150

I have been raising money using the carrot and schtick method. The Carrot is, I will no longer email limmericks if you pledge now. The stick, or schtick, are the limmericks that I send. Like the following:

The bike I'll be riding, it weighs a ton
If I get my dough in, it'll be fun
to enter to win
a new bike I could spin
I could ride like and wind and then be done

Today's Fundraising's been a hoot
The children contributed to boot!
My cousin in LA
And in Phoenix they say
Sure Sal, for you - - here's my loot!

The MS 150, it draws near
Our heroine knows nothing but fear!
With the money she raises
She will sing such sweet praises
To her friends, her family far and near!

The limerick from Sal caused distress
Its meter was really a mess
I now need some quiet
In hopes I could buy it
I pledged to help her cure MS.



You could say I've reached my limit

Both in fundraising

and with your gimick

I'll give you 10 bucks, and wish you good luck

but please send me no more limericks

These are the People in my Neighborhood

In the neighborhood, in the neighborhood, in my neighborhoooooood...

Thank you Matt, who went up into a space and took this photo for all of us.

The other news is Ellison got her first 5 stiches on her chin today. Ouch. She was, is a trooper. She was slippin' on slipery rocks on Denny Creek