tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70848601408026066942024-03-05T03:24:54.490-08:00Wagon WheelsWhatever I feel like writingRhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-50213898323719152872015-08-24T08:45:00.001-07:002015-08-24T08:48:08.159-07:00Dragon cake<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I made a dragon birthday cake, and since I liked the final result, here are some pictures.<br />
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It's a 4-layer <a href="http://www.cakecentral.com/recipe/7445/the-original-wasc-cake-recipe" target="_blank">chocolate cake</a>, filled with with cream cheese chocolate buttercream and covered with <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8164/easy-vanilla-marzipan" target="_blank">marzipan</a> and chocolate ganache. I used Callebaut chocolate, yum yum. The dragon's molded marzipan, and the words are white chocolate and milk chocolate candy melts (I was tired of tempering chocolate by then). </div>
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Here are some in-progress pictures:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScHkynXqjN8hB4FehNVZCZIb-Qwyx-CnjN5AP1ktgowtRUAV455ogbwj6mx3rWqFp9dQou26EgGxfxO5MLPlHe0AyDcTATQ5M4lnWVgoAAbiMhKZTRZ4O0ZlxvlBfoXfXR25TY_LpLYts/s1600/IMG_4842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiScHkynXqjN8hB4FehNVZCZIb-Qwyx-CnjN5AP1ktgowtRUAV455ogbwj6mx3rWqFp9dQou26EgGxfxO5MLPlHe0AyDcTATQ5M4lnWVgoAAbiMhKZTRZ4O0ZlxvlBfoXfXR25TY_LpLYts/s320/IMG_4842.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby dragon with no head or wings</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWrNDihzBN9yKPFkx0-5F7Mu_UdGAj7ZgisSJHS4mCXKVElzyXHSjydTo2s5cDwC4tn7Ds-MB2rB4LPHNnUy2d7Z_GADeIwawqAqKLjVEjiq8Acb0vAnL5dXtFLwmJQpjPx_TRc3CNgui/s1600/IMG_4843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMWrNDihzBN9yKPFkx0-5F7Mu_UdGAj7ZgisSJHS4mCXKVElzyXHSjydTo2s5cDwC4tn7Ds-MB2rB4LPHNnUy2d7Z_GADeIwawqAqKLjVEjiq8Acb0vAnL5dXtFLwmJQpjPx_TRc3CNgui/s320/IMG_4843.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Putting the head on (supported with dowels and toothpicks), and the front legs</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished unpainted dragon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melted Jolly Ranchers for eyes and claws; also did this<a href="http://www.sewcakemake.com/2012/05/volcano-cake.html" target="_blank"> for lava flames</a>.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished dragon! Luckily he fit on the cake. Next time I'll measure first.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAFzs-8ZWhf4C1xTXrm3omkUcnHHjUk2KWjSuPD1qKcm93zEPjUfM4N7OxPIfNjjdvV7B6HfgN10IygNe65pEHGTFAikirupKUDeNXiOL-7PonPKkb82fjg9F1jjtwM4C4cs1LH9siwoe/s1600/IMG_4858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVAFzs-8ZWhf4C1xTXrm3omkUcnHHjUk2KWjSuPD1qKcm93zEPjUfM4N7OxPIfNjjdvV7B6HfgN10IygNe65pEHGTFAikirupKUDeNXiOL-7PonPKkb82fjg9F1jjtwM4C4cs1LH9siwoe/s320/IMG_4858.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I like this view, that shows the wings leaning on each other. By the way, he was inspired by many online pictures, especially <a href="http://www.geeknative.com/43790/fires-marzipan-smaug/" target="_blank">this one of a marzipan Smaug</a>. And a picture of our friend's dog really helped, too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZWgYSNGZNyAt49a0O-iCdwaCBT_EKYdCmkCKOc0kZwiLVKSoBw-fBhA03wEcYvyBs1Q8I9fvi1Y_8MNnPMf0qrF1Xw9qO3eD_peDV_oRaUYJAcTy7H1Lyk91vgcAopTZvGhr4N5kSc8R/s1600/IMG_4827.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZWgYSNGZNyAt49a0O-iCdwaCBT_EKYdCmkCKOc0kZwiLVKSoBw-fBhA03wEcYvyBs1Q8I9fvi1Y_8MNnPMf0qrF1Xw9qO3eD_peDV_oRaUYJAcTy7H1Lyk91vgcAopTZvGhr4N5kSc8R/s320/IMG_4827.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the cake covered with marzipan -- it was my first time doing it, and the marzipan cracked, but I was going to cover it with ganache anyway so I didn't worry much.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2nH3CHyiVBliEiFhBmaJkSHnsJQqWlBTZqjW-3HDg3HaNnsiUssGKhb6EbUZdqvjuCIw-q-XfrRzgzNVsGPdigukzhp95eourIMYfrOA1bCiHqFonI4185N8-BHnhjx0ovyxif6r0ZtA/s1600/IMG_4838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2nH3CHyiVBliEiFhBmaJkSHnsJQqWlBTZqjW-3HDg3HaNnsiUssGKhb6EbUZdqvjuCIw-q-XfrRzgzNVsGPdigukzhp95eourIMYfrOA1bCiHqFonI4185N8-BHnhjx0ovyxif6r0ZtA/s320/IMG_4838.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I painted the cake with red food coloring (dissolved in butter flavoring), and stuck lava flames in it. </td></tr>
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Note to self: don't use butter flavoring if you're painting tons of stuff. I got a huge headache from the fumes. Next time I'll just use vodka. And don't put the eyes in so early -- they kinda melt. But he really needed eyes.</div>
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Cake-making time -- Day 1: Make cake and frosting, cut and stack. Day 2: Make marzipan, cover cake, paint cake. Day 3: Sculpt and paint dragon, melt Jolly Ranchers for accents, assemble cake. Worrying time, planning time, and failed experiments not included.</div>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-89339213845702672122015-05-13T21:42:00.001-07:002015-05-13T21:42:44.424-07:00Scavenged 100x micro lens for smartphone<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been having the most fun time! In addition to obsessing about playing guitar, I found a<a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/10-Smartphone-to-digital-microscope-conversion/" target="_blank"> website that shows how to take apart a laser pointer to make a really spiffy micro lens for a smartphone</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That clear spot in the wood is the lens from the laser pointer</td></tr>
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I drilled a hole in some wood and pushed the lens into it, then put it up to my iphone camera. I do have a pretty good microscope at home, but this one is portable in the extreme and cheaper than I could ever dream. I'm hoping it might be useful for TM's school, since I don't know what kind of access they have to microscopes. It should work with iPads, that the school already has...<div>
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Here are some pictures!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivIfZpgM4JUyZ9DvAGdhUtpKm6FVD14xJyNxkRQcp5I87HKQ8J_kreip3e6ubpZtDizDG0KFtXWGxM6yDv-gvIpdgHkWsvrF_pM-EebgrbNFUj_CYCAAs2XfCzqx9JhX_QmJyL19FKX7m/s1600/IMG_2247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivIfZpgM4JUyZ9DvAGdhUtpKm6FVD14xJyNxkRQcp5I87HKQ8J_kreip3e6ubpZtDizDG0KFtXWGxM6yDv-gvIpdgHkWsvrF_pM-EebgrbNFUj_CYCAAs2XfCzqx9JhX_QmJyL19FKX7m/s320/IMG_2247.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jersey-knit pants</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This moss was really tiny!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very cute operculum!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I knocked off the operculum, millions of spores flipped out</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another capsule pic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKKmXt_yB9I072LXCngjRF89ay-5xworqVNwFdkSePleLkmeS8GO7h2vZrvoXSDn2llT59EiFhENGJO5PmrN9AorAfU-VooA49CICZTEXc59BpsNlliI5qPmza__9HYYlS_nERiLF8chX/s1600/IMG_2310_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKKmXt_yB9I072LXCngjRF89ay-5xworqVNwFdkSePleLkmeS8GO7h2vZrvoXSDn2llT59EiFhENGJO5PmrN9AorAfU-VooA49CICZTEXc59BpsNlliI5qPmza__9HYYlS_nERiLF8chX/s320/IMG_2310_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked Bugs (what I found in the light fixture while changing light bulbs)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2PER1MiIvISXjXW2CX2Z3-2zai8XcvnNvszpkADUFXIWTeVnED_IAaum7NGoccLE8NrLHL7SO4iqfBpGdLmgbDYUDukgMaSyr27MTqq-q4TMedgRlxZF2IH1ARm6tHJTVN9mL3XEoiT8/s1600/IMG_2311_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio2PER1MiIvISXjXW2CX2Z3-2zai8XcvnNvszpkADUFXIWTeVnED_IAaum7NGoccLE8NrLHL7SO4iqfBpGdLmgbDYUDukgMaSyr27MTqq-q4TMedgRlxZF2IH1ARm6tHJTVN9mL3XEoiT8/s320/IMG_2311_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I really wish I knew more about insects</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCdYVOopURQ9iYeseteRsSEJj7PkiV8M467oZv_3fiR4MVDgG9DDsgO5ViN0_uewiPq-8gieCOUb5TN8OpH7yOrqjizEYoo1AU-1MJA0fuOq6eId7GYoPyRtFDVql6q7GO6vNojME4WKE/s1600/IMG_2329_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGCdYVOopURQ9iYeseteRsSEJj7PkiV8M467oZv_3fiR4MVDgG9DDsgO5ViN0_uewiPq-8gieCOUb5TN8OpH7yOrqjizEYoo1AU-1MJA0fuOq6eId7GYoPyRtFDVql6q7GO6vNojME4WKE/s320/IMG_2329_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But I can't even come close on these</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyy25vbDRE6yaBXokOcY1eD5Ez0BRrR4Yd0jgJA3f9jI-cUSZ-qQvT0bkdtqDX2of5Z8jLIyfFx00SdDZgXlaQN840M51ktk0iFe9tJovlRw99VQBb_L4EvtrcIfE73DngTsnLk4dKsui/s1600/IMG_2328_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyy25vbDRE6yaBXokOcY1eD5Ez0BRrR4Yd0jgJA3f9jI-cUSZ-qQvT0bkdtqDX2of5Z8jLIyfFx00SdDZgXlaQN840M51ktk0iFe9tJovlRw99VQBb_L4EvtrcIfE73DngTsnLk4dKsui/s320/IMG_2328_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looks like a fly to me, but so many things do. It was tiny tiny tiny!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLy6iChLlREq0IKcDw8oEQNvLia7OlIz_HgT0GQUSK2USxzWAJVwitCJQKAyag_0bK3B8eGo9_6_epIVuwp8e_PicM2uNk8vfhzpDUbCCWhlJwh76SJM4nDhv5IbVucO0GPtYqJO8_YiD/s1600/IMG_2322_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnLy6iChLlREq0IKcDw8oEQNvLia7OlIz_HgT0GQUSK2USxzWAJVwitCJQKAyag_0bK3B8eGo9_6_epIVuwp8e_PicM2uNk8vfhzpDUbCCWhlJwh76SJM4nDhv5IbVucO0GPtYqJO8_YiD/s320/IMG_2322_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And these things are flying around my house! Just a few millimeters long.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8UtVs0l6SD1fWu4M5LZa-Pk4jtiz8QDe90lD7C9oagHP21sktXu8yTHkyz739_RC1TvU1fhM9AaUo7llOJ8_f0lVyVKultWEzrI9ZglujjEqV2h_MIscZjrib1EDH3RPlQxrTOmHKTBf/s1600/IMG_2319_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8UtVs0l6SD1fWu4M5LZa-Pk4jtiz8QDe90lD7C9oagHP21sktXu8yTHkyz739_RC1TvU1fhM9AaUo7llOJ8_f0lVyVKultWEzrI9ZglujjEqV2h_MIscZjrib1EDH3RPlQxrTOmHKTBf/s320/IMG_2319_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I might have actually figured this one out, maybe -- a kind of flying aphid, invaded from another continent. Maybe.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCwGw4Lj_Mn8_waOSzf2aN6h0ufloNWdyHEmCfNuhR7MsrkSZ6sRPtKT20WCrr75m7NDhOHiqMU3WoI4SkVDIS8gXZt1SxmOB6Sx3q6z8J9abvYj7szxX6Q95X5UMqPI82kXHpWwjW56L/s1600/IMG_2318_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioCwGw4Lj_Mn8_waOSzf2aN6h0ufloNWdyHEmCfNuhR7MsrkSZ6sRPtKT20WCrr75m7NDhOHiqMU3WoI4SkVDIS8gXZt1SxmOB6Sx3q6z8J9abvYj7szxX6Q95X5UMqPI82kXHpWwjW56L/s320/IMG_2318_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This doesn't look like something that could get up that high. Weird.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VerWfeLaDmlo4s190WPoTUwzsm-QNTSuKiylPw15oOED3w_sRwQ2J18BkMXclafLEDgUR_cL6gH8G7hStkYioQnqWBbJcW4DKWjaUk6anYaEOHaBYbx1F0pKLLx8EXKvJ7Sas_olpZ6z/s1600/IMG_2316_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VerWfeLaDmlo4s190WPoTUwzsm-QNTSuKiylPw15oOED3w_sRwQ2J18BkMXclafLEDgUR_cL6gH8G7hStkYioQnqWBbJcW4DKWjaUk6anYaEOHaBYbx1F0pKLLx8EXKvJ7Sas_olpZ6z/s320/IMG_2316_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks waspy, no?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNI4JC5WVo9v6nGJH8a9ulfxj0if4ylEdMn1QincgFeWI4uS0Q5MPQhapZZB5Bg823cTwzbKq17Ojstw-gRr7BajCdGoDr_HQDnrWIk4eKn0Wg8ZmhYgzvTOKC7R8QBE4CIUwB8mLgOERz/s1600/IMG_2314_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNI4JC5WVo9v6nGJH8a9ulfxj0if4ylEdMn1QincgFeWI4uS0Q5MPQhapZZB5Bg823cTwzbKq17Ojstw-gRr7BajCdGoDr_HQDnrWIk4eKn0Wg8ZmhYgzvTOKC7R8QBE4CIUwB8mLgOERz/s320/IMG_2314_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dead insects galore. Almost the size of dust.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3iyn21fa_j_B8SEJ056xyId6o-MZPbvET1HaratD6X3vna1k5et5p9fJHlgeSKyUqQhwaptkIy_4eVQo9mj-ic0gprwOWJ5jkVU56_GcL1bbTc-JkJkOSNe-9pBwsc8OEsYMTuGu-nQy/s1600/IMG_2331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3iyn21fa_j_B8SEJ056xyId6o-MZPbvET1HaratD6X3vna1k5et5p9fJHlgeSKyUqQhwaptkIy_4eVQo9mj-ic0gprwOWJ5jkVU56_GcL1bbTc-JkJkOSNe-9pBwsc8OEsYMTuGu-nQy/s320/IMG_2331.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2ximo_DfHNNgRbN-arnOEVteusB3EElsLeFQk8iF20Ig6UqtYSZqTdjonjcCRk7yU_md3XoNoX2iBpXSHVzjTavo62J2sdqD8TjGUy1ZGQTG_CFi4mvsbHtgUHUqLD6sVrlVH60sH12z/s1600/IMG_2332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis2ximo_DfHNNgRbN-arnOEVteusB3EElsLeFQk8iF20Ig6UqtYSZqTdjonjcCRk7yU_md3XoNoX2iBpXSHVzjTavo62J2sdqD8TjGUy1ZGQTG_CFi4mvsbHtgUHUqLD6sVrlVH60sH12z/s320/IMG_2332.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI_AGO3Thie4p6nvnpZ9XeK6xLylyb_gLSwF-g_6zt019Cy5ynD0aG7E4QNYljN1fG3XtMD9MWpc_8gyDLf3egEQIRc7VDQ7EPoKvgBfW3A76PCkV0827MPS6amJSXCPCTQr26hUJHmzv/s1600/IMG_2333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpI_AGO3Thie4p6nvnpZ9XeK6xLylyb_gLSwF-g_6zt019Cy5ynD0aG7E4QNYljN1fG3XtMD9MWpc_8gyDLf3egEQIRc7VDQ7EPoKvgBfW3A76PCkV0827MPS6amJSXCPCTQr26hUJHmzv/s320/IMG_2333.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCA9qaGIAlJTkEk8DvrsrTvBreDTsjgcyd3rEVSSphA80KmcunDLf5qeh__wYi_jDmIR2_L3wzzDoPsD2uosnq8UonO5idw9C5EhHebxBdVluYSiMUv8I_Ou2-lZJ0qZDpGwiJSXSX0vh/s1600/IMG_2335_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCA9qaGIAlJTkEk8DvrsrTvBreDTsjgcyd3rEVSSphA80KmcunDLf5qeh__wYi_jDmIR2_L3wzzDoPsD2uosnq8UonO5idw9C5EhHebxBdVluYSiMUv8I_Ou2-lZJ0qZDpGwiJSXSX0vh/s320/IMG_2335_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we go, something more familiar! A hairy leaf vein (species unknown).</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMliFcAR3iStS3Av0W9GPQbk8q0cYzQIolTYD0-W1hH7zUp9_456qsqlYzirSTRkOE2Q3iFFC-mv58uVxrPvKTXDOh6QU6E7h3dfgHSnjh6iI6yGuRDIDq3JzT_0dt4c7drMK82Fyzt8-D/s1600/IMG_2337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMliFcAR3iStS3Av0W9GPQbk8q0cYzQIolTYD0-W1hH7zUp9_456qsqlYzirSTRkOE2Q3iFFC-mv58uVxrPvKTXDOh6QU6E7h3dfgHSnjh6iI6yGuRDIDq3JzT_0dt4c7drMK82Fyzt8-D/s320/IMG_2337.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried to do an epidermal peel but this magnification is really not even close to high enough.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4oh2n2alYUddkMvL1HNRlRPEjYXgfMszUnWe7xzqw2hzN4dYYsPFc2syif3n_ad-Yjt4m2lDHsDHA4RF7P_Kdum2zOw8Gheld-QUlU9DsMjPSuOTAIiInahra9Cq2yhQfQ4oyHE5D_yR/s1600/IMG_2346_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht4oh2n2alYUddkMvL1HNRlRPEjYXgfMszUnWe7xzqw2hzN4dYYsPFc2syif3n_ad-Yjt4m2lDHsDHA4RF7P_Kdum2zOw8Gheld-QUlU9DsMjPSuOTAIiInahra9Cq2yhQfQ4oyHE5D_yR/s320/IMG_2346_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closeup of a sunflower petal</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTqAU-2LyVidqdUJO19q8dB5mMhdPQUDxBfYOYAJELGWMgdRMdbyxNegJ7oPE7hVmGzJx2ZAh-ruFtX90QQ5TULOXRqV2vSofNgvd4v1vYkqoUzd4iRNKWwea5B67l4PBb4b_hd4RSbq2/s1600/IMG_2347_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTqAU-2LyVidqdUJO19q8dB5mMhdPQUDxBfYOYAJELGWMgdRMdbyxNegJ7oPE7hVmGzJx2ZAh-ruFtX90QQ5TULOXRqV2vSofNgvd4v1vYkqoUzd4iRNKWwea5B67l4PBb4b_hd4RSbq2/s320/IMG_2347_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bottom of a sunflower petal (it's a flower of course)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjr-SHG8RH_YinDmRnSx-D02YtWKXSzBL-3c93t2llQ4mDum2iNPBxIIdnPdeWx6faj3MBNdfXAowxiGhxXK2l4e6qHv_7xjIiuid_3lAoyuhr27CNKjJbJPvrdEQK9pTZnv5UETDO4w0b/s1600/IMG_2353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjr-SHG8RH_YinDmRnSx-D02YtWKXSzBL-3c93t2llQ4mDum2iNPBxIIdnPdeWx6faj3MBNdfXAowxiGhxXK2l4e6qHv_7xjIiuid_3lAoyuhr27CNKjJbJPvrdEQK9pTZnv5UETDO4w0b/s320/IMG_2353.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An inner flower of that same sunflower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKwnfBYTNBv_f_2aKYH08RvANXCu96CTy57bXOBvG1eG6PM3H0mZUW8ArNKIVN81Ge7z5J-2A2OdRkN10ZwP9DTSl0XfdXhVb6MbPE_oYpT54aNhyphenhyphenXwM8ZZh6OpK7dFs56gf65RPyx3hr/s1600/IMG_2364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKwnfBYTNBv_f_2aKYH08RvANXCu96CTy57bXOBvG1eG6PM3H0mZUW8ArNKIVN81Ge7z5J-2A2OdRkN10ZwP9DTSl0XfdXhVb6MbPE_oYpT54aNhyphenhyphenXwM8ZZh6OpK7dFs56gf65RPyx3hr/s320/IMG_2364.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheerios! :)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtAMhKPegoWKsD8JjMdyruM61sppjkcfXLlgOnNKHn_OHDz9T2a9t-IgbsA3Y76_feBYPgeQh-EavfBZJLuUQh6XnmvL2M826aPwtrLX6IM2xUedTkw0RLTrqD_IN7YlNF-aXEHYBY9sB/s1600/IMG_2366_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtAMhKPegoWKsD8JjMdyruM61sppjkcfXLlgOnNKHn_OHDz9T2a9t-IgbsA3Y76_feBYPgeQh-EavfBZJLuUQh6XnmvL2M826aPwtrLX6IM2xUedTkw0RLTrqD_IN7YlNF-aXEHYBY9sB/s320/IMG_2366_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thread!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MQFVyHVSuevtbclcV21SMlNq1s9EQ3p6dzlqYRl8M18p8Ks4pW9pj9T99Di37AhAwAtj-jaEnWJtGpJP9VugefbPILdbZQgk11bneal3btX8UpuQuQkhCxXyA6jE5_oDsuKU_5xF-Hha/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5MQFVyHVSuevtbclcV21SMlNq1s9EQ3p6dzlqYRl8M18p8Ks4pW9pj9T99Di37AhAwAtj-jaEnWJtGpJP9VugefbPILdbZQgk11bneal3btX8UpuQuQkhCxXyA6jE5_oDsuKU_5xF-Hha/s320/IMG_2373.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pencil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbzLxLXX1JElKn8-IPZvCcYH0oUscx_hmIGxH16sT18BUdYQUdquNDzGvkAPYwyb_V9LeLAhyphenhyphenJ65XMq0yfOBfKFugva1so4lIhZ0YUBlHi-74eHlKEliSdl6Qae8mz12JH4hqFKILVg0Z/s1600/IMG_2376_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbzLxLXX1JElKn8-IPZvCcYH0oUscx_hmIGxH16sT18BUdYQUdquNDzGvkAPYwyb_V9LeLAhyphenhyphenJ65XMq0yfOBfKFugva1so4lIhZ0YUBlHi-74eHlKEliSdl6Qae8mz12JH4hqFKILVg0Z/s320/IMG_2376_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tablecloth (which reminds me I should have put up pictures of things normal size for comparison)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfa4nPBzXc2CcooEDbD2EH5q1FIRaNBTgXFKHdXQmhd5hvPCUVrBKa0GDbJTIP-JPxyZwQcx29f69c6bl7gzGYGXXfw5mwzupHhOJSTYgbVEQShFiJ7L_3QS0lR-eQcMJbaHQC5v6WluJ/s1600/IMG_2380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlfa4nPBzXc2CcooEDbD2EH5q1FIRaNBTgXFKHdXQmhd5hvPCUVrBKa0GDbJTIP-JPxyZwQcx29f69c6bl7gzGYGXXfw5mwzupHhOJSTYgbVEQShFiJ7L_3QS0lR-eQcMJbaHQC5v6WluJ/s320/IMG_2380.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">onion peel</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5s2cAPTpyhWtNIevIBwOUWlIhXEPp-O8zrqrneXs3HYZDAmm_4-irarp1l5N1hySzVHVm3AEF7Iu7vjeiGjkOPClkjzH46aAuirum1svT0xenonGlWyrmsXeN5n8ZfPWYfMXDoOoHvP/s1600/IMG_2385_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5s2cAPTpyhWtNIevIBwOUWlIhXEPp-O8zrqrneXs3HYZDAmm_4-irarp1l5N1hySzVHVm3AEF7Iu7vjeiGjkOPClkjzH46aAuirum1svT0xenonGlWyrmsXeN5n8ZfPWYfMXDoOoHvP/s320/IMG_2385_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apple skin (some things work better than others...this is bland)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUX0J_4J3S2ooxQK9y-HKbjfulu01kCuveIagsv_s9V0mqQTnhZYuINwwpjBL7j_K2jSrzKY5PpjDnF7IxmG07HcQzrelFd-IAtjw5sUlIXK5fb-prCFyM_S7h1wlTEgSNk26tXwXFKpx/s1600/IMG_2387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUX0J_4J3S2ooxQK9y-HKbjfulu01kCuveIagsv_s9V0mqQTnhZYuINwwpjBL7j_K2jSrzKY5PpjDnF7IxmG07HcQzrelFd-IAtjw5sUlIXK5fb-prCFyM_S7h1wlTEgSNk26tXwXFKpx/s320/IMG_2387.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cat is bored</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRzA27kirCFlfCYu1k0ztD5eNbGDwPYhUW8Z5Fbm-QA22n0cNiYjr1F4mTVo9pF6v-fOJcjLtc1b97pDErBAcLOS_1IowENzJHcYXRb8NGxCuyNukP98O9-XQOImPM83kziVlF4GkuMXE/s1600/IMG_2391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRzA27kirCFlfCYu1k0ztD5eNbGDwPYhUW8Z5Fbm-QA22n0cNiYjr1F4mTVo9pF6v-fOJcjLtc1b97pDErBAcLOS_1IowENzJHcYXRb8NGxCuyNukP98O9-XQOImPM83kziVlF4GkuMXE/s320/IMG_2391.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mold on an old apple I found </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWL8u7NfosYHKdMiRfqkBRuwuDcLGy_IKCS7mhhJBiAfnH7ozT3dFL6K1SdZoCh-Y37Fnit9oPRDMDYNeTfwq5lQxPuHqK31XIRKYyAsAO4qJ4jT3-1VdTyj6oU4uJiLDxv1bHPe2yTxp/s1600/IMG_2412_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKWL8u7NfosYHKdMiRfqkBRuwuDcLGy_IKCS7mhhJBiAfnH7ozT3dFL6K1SdZoCh-Y37Fnit9oPRDMDYNeTfwq5lQxPuHqK31XIRKYyAsAO4qJ4jT3-1VdTyj6oU4uJiLDxv1bHPe2yTxp/s320/IMG_2412_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird poop :)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvSM76eZbeb4Nvr1k0fn8SYYtJlhQbEfVPq9KLbRrMIMDVUziotH7Fzs_hUef6Q8kce8sLZSOE5kV50zRJ-nurWiaAZRr9T-3SJTrEnd5ZuGs3EkHrY4_9LYMhsRvOCgVBrkDD4NQCz-l/s1600/IMG_2459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtvSM76eZbeb4Nvr1k0fn8SYYtJlhQbEfVPq9KLbRrMIMDVUziotH7Fzs_hUef6Q8kce8sLZSOE5kV50zRJ-nurWiaAZRr9T-3SJTrEnd5ZuGs3EkHrY4_9LYMhsRvOCgVBrkDD4NQCz-l/s320/IMG_2459.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shell from the beach</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaUZ3yvBoBpdlkL5s1V8ZrVcZ85QiMhH49RFMpPHbQLqDKegpukVGir_VSOofHwC6J6T06c3O8M3XiO77WgiZM_FyG79yM9YuwckL1n5XufHtbQelrj9AqsgfdL-4ES9g4HLm9rtQ9Bsi/s1600/IMG_2487_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaUZ3yvBoBpdlkL5s1V8ZrVcZ85QiMhH49RFMpPHbQLqDKegpukVGir_VSOofHwC6J6T06c3O8M3XiO77WgiZM_FyG79yM9YuwckL1n5XufHtbQelrj9AqsgfdL-4ES9g4HLm9rtQ9Bsi/s320/IMG_2487_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More protective leaf spines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzQUvF1PS7KH0AUbe5Grmz7VUDUCKcUs__sZhjekPrR_wIlAbtUlQ4HRbAdE5GeI0riYVCL6feZ95p-lKJMtDQ9HdzfhyphenhyphenvXn-PouBEa3RsqOqvI6-PyQW8dZM1oaUNxj_j-9FdgHtq6fn/s1600/IMG_2507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUzQUvF1PS7KH0AUbe5Grmz7VUDUCKcUs__sZhjekPrR_wIlAbtUlQ4HRbAdE5GeI0riYVCL6feZ95p-lKJMtDQ9HdzfhyphenhyphenvXn-PouBEa3RsqOqvI6-PyQW8dZM1oaUNxj_j-9FdgHtq6fn/s320/IMG_2507.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">leaf hairs</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixdZjCkxYFgW9k0fZWqxD810VyhzeaqweLvo_xkoD-QCKeP8Pur4IbY97g8Z5vhSjVshz4IbaZyK3lHMbOIc9Du_9uyEWpGnADgO9J7URwttxQVYCqjcCxAcngtuoPf7ArJOc629K3iIr/s1600/IMG_2538_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiixdZjCkxYFgW9k0fZWqxD810VyhzeaqweLvo_xkoD-QCKeP8Pur4IbY97g8Z5vhSjVshz4IbaZyK3lHMbOIc9Du_9uyEWpGnADgO9J7URwttxQVYCqjcCxAcngtuoPf7ArJOc629K3iIr/s320/IMG_2538_2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kleenex</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXfXQZJxZpnDOPsZPYTat6V_xsrGLf64USAiesTtRCNivInYov_U0nDxRGC6_lirK8Eq51fAWEpqFRFk4liT7d50MLclh5H1cDZ3nmihwLTcdhbh9cXCjmQnBn5FIT9SiZFEJPAVnpJIp/s1600/IMG_2564.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTXfXQZJxZpnDOPsZPYTat6V_xsrGLf64USAiesTtRCNivInYov_U0nDxRGC6_lirK8Eq51fAWEpqFRFk4liT7d50MLclh5H1cDZ3nmihwLTcdhbh9cXCjmQnBn5FIT9SiZFEJPAVnpJIp/s320/IMG_2564.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Really bad lighting on my purple sponge...</td></tr>
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</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-12214404878247644702015-04-24T07:08:00.001-07:002015-04-24T07:08:37.654-07:00The love of my life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I finally got a piano! Well, that's how I justify the cost, anyway. Q took me to a luthier's shop and I played some basic classical pieces on this beauty. It was stunning. The sound is amazing. It's clear and deep and mellow. We decided it was way too expensive, and we'd wait to buy it. It was our 15th marriage anniversary on Wednesday, and Q phoned me from the mall where he was "looking for some perfume" for me. I hate perfume. What a joker. What he'd really done was pick up this guitar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGkpZ-dqI9Ly1iYb2LWDZ_UVMAwaxEJ85Yfv9s_sDGz_tIMejbstOm5maMXL5xwP5xgyLoq8czejOcFDsYA5LK3nbUwrw2MJszWo8jsFszC5_b812A7bQnIAqf1ZCbo9j3oaH6Nbu0HuN/s1600/11114268_10152815723612966_6658503727226819608_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGkpZ-dqI9Ly1iYb2LWDZ_UVMAwaxEJ85Yfv9s_sDGz_tIMejbstOm5maMXL5xwP5xgyLoq8czejOcFDsYA5LK3nbUwrw2MJszWo8jsFszC5_b812A7bQnIAqf1ZCbo9j3oaH6Nbu0HuN/s1600/11114268_10152815723612966_6658503727226819608_o.jpg" height="320" width="132" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNDEH8VGBCk71GR3E0LXDfnfGgg2cmZLhzjuHSz12l-DPxAv-pRI8foTfGnKqrbp3j9ImXEly-nQsyitkxqfXYHvpghZYEP2ooov3ja1mujpPHOrtX7V-Qbf72fD0k2awN5IdS6sIol0f/s1600/11156167_10152815723972966_6446677221773317527_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJNDEH8VGBCk71GR3E0LXDfnfGgg2cmZLhzjuHSz12l-DPxAv-pRI8foTfGnKqrbp3j9ImXEly-nQsyitkxqfXYHvpghZYEP2ooov3ja1mujpPHOrtX7V-Qbf72fD0k2awN5IdS6sIol0f/s1600/11156167_10152815723972966_6446677221773317527_n.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></div>
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Not only is it beautiful, it's amazing. Wonderful, stunning, and intimidating. It has a 500 year old Colorado Blue Spruce top, blister Koa back, and an ebony fretboard. The builder focuses on wood and sound rather than finish, so it's not ornamented much, which suits my personality perfectly.<span style="background-color: #f6f7f8; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, 'lucida grande', sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.0799999237061px;"> </span>All my musical mistakes stand out like sore thumbs when I'm playing this, but it sings like an angel. I'm really excited to finish Frederick Node Book One and move on to book two!</div>
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Q and I played Summertime together with my guitar playing bass and he with the lead on his spruce top. It was so much fun! When we get it sounding good, we'll put up a recording. So so much fun!</div>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-89932992298294977832015-04-15T12:50:00.000-07:002015-04-15T12:50:06.161-07:00CH's "Elsa cake" from Frozen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnE4Llbjz9zCjb1yK7phzjmgH07R2ptiMG5LYfzXZ33xWmUR0cAXmo02WpjpPLHJOZaUL5kx48-X7z4wVyed4x4xkKCOI5990InGsAu9VdPLzXfRXPvctnvU28mB1mQJy2q_6ag-s9EeS/s1600/IMG_1681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCnE4Llbjz9zCjb1yK7phzjmgH07R2ptiMG5LYfzXZ33xWmUR0cAXmo02WpjpPLHJOZaUL5kx48-X7z4wVyed4x4xkKCOI5990InGsAu9VdPLzXfRXPvctnvU28mB1mQJy2q_6ag-s9EeS/s1600/IMG_1681.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">Birthday cake with Frozen figurines and Frozen Fever flowers<br /></td></tr>
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I just love making birthday cakes. It's so much fun! My last one was for <a href="https://harrypotterbirthdayparty.wordpress.com/portfolio/hagrids-hut-cake/" target="_blank">TM's 9th birthday</a>, and we loved it, so I had a job coming up with this one. I was really really excited to see flowers on a cake in Frozen Fever, 'cause it was perfect for a birthday cake! Here's how I made them (using info and suggestions from all kinds of videos and blogs online). It was my first time making realistic (sort of) flowers like this.<br />
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These are made with marzipan, since I don't like fondant. I added some meringue powder and powdered sugar to the marzipan to make it easier to work with. Colored it with gel food coloring and rolled it out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDpJr2JOhVRYJ2cc690za0i0AF0EdT-pVE1J2163WNZ_MPLfIrGXChLpQ2vTPWfkZ6upDgzYCreoUriBfQ5Nq2b_RgbDup1X_aulYbQo3aYRjsfp5cM6Fu8wZDczxb9-Fe2A1RAD6YMHA/s1600/IMG_1633.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMDpJr2JOhVRYJ2cc690za0i0AF0EdT-pVE1J2163WNZ_MPLfIrGXChLpQ2vTPWfkZ6upDgzYCreoUriBfQ5Nq2b_RgbDup1X_aulYbQo3aYRjsfp5cM6Fu8wZDczxb9-Fe2A1RAD6YMHA/s1600/IMG_1633.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plunge cutter sunflower for fondant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-ApqYKjQOk39fnifoiX-iBQx65F0Bou5tV2sSCLwfgmzXeRkNUJrxxVYD8wijvBbcxJR2Dgvg-KHiAy0JG0IJgdocZ_EgV5o5CSnQSbG8sMJGSuc6ICTimoOFoC03VcbROZZC8J-KHLW/s1600/IMG_1634_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-ApqYKjQOk39fnifoiX-iBQx65F0Bou5tV2sSCLwfgmzXeRkNUJrxxVYD8wijvBbcxJR2Dgvg-KHiAy0JG0IJgdocZ_EgV5o5CSnQSbG8sMJGSuc6ICTimoOFoC03VcbROZZC8J-KHLW/s1600/IMG_1634_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Flower from sunflower cutter</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqv8jrzctjEHxArMdNlNUtt5sXI7TT_2X6BhZBNBsMnYmDZLwZnsWa3YEulQb0f8zCWGJmvH9FsKwoZ4nGCTDEzRdFPBAmmQqqKTGUqOrDWPqxrBq88Fgfo5fe0w970dwv3WU875knvMW/s1600/IMG_1635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqv8jrzctjEHxArMdNlNUtt5sXI7TT_2X6BhZBNBsMnYmDZLwZnsWa3YEulQb0f8zCWGJmvH9FsKwoZ4nGCTDEzRdFPBAmmQqqKTGUqOrDWPqxrBq88Fgfo5fe0w970dwv3WU875knvMW/s1600/IMG_1635.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smushing the flower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBf6E6HpuWfsE3xGqOL9P-wRsz9ksToZoGMFbM7i_1ia0iBHrqkOBQz9XVizS-c4EBnPWN9HLmZTo5iYLCPFkETKwH1Hc2L2hpOTe_5Iagv5fjlyzDDvVbOVBgbv35ZkgoZmRqbgDdD44W/s1600/IMG_1637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBf6E6HpuWfsE3xGqOL9P-wRsz9ksToZoGMFbM7i_1ia0iBHrqkOBQz9XVizS-c4EBnPWN9HLmZTo5iYLCPFkETKwH1Hc2L2hpOTe_5Iagv5fjlyzDDvVbOVBgbv35ZkgoZmRqbgDdD44W/s1600/IMG_1637.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squashing (shaping) the flower further and adding veining with a Wilton texture dealy bob</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9l8jOkPDIy0eylhrhS8cFlXZ8myQwKSRcIIgDyKCkOpZrPo0Wt5fw87Ctr9WAJxc4nHcfegJgOYnknJDbRKsP0osWPq5A3FOpsZP6HQVER4BiIyTi25gxyNFfrUtbH1aBAkRrAUzinaV/s1600/IMG_1638_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN9l8jOkPDIy0eylhrhS8cFlXZ8myQwKSRcIIgDyKCkOpZrPo0Wt5fw87Ctr9WAJxc4nHcfegJgOYnknJDbRKsP0osWPq5A3FOpsZP6HQVER4BiIyTi25gxyNFfrUtbH1aBAkRrAUzinaV/s1600/IMG_1638_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The flower petals with veining</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ3-PZtN97eW2cdUvF6V35fHCbynf5F8pd3MmQYxDnxYsFSiVo1cqIZu8_KJ0h5bMl4Cma_zDf8QAK8hE9fTm6Xkkz5sSk0umjiDOyoPCoMyhk_NozuTkJAZoGo4DVc6en93tYjs-VuxM/s1600/IMG_1639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ3-PZtN97eW2cdUvF6V35fHCbynf5F8pd3MmQYxDnxYsFSiVo1cqIZu8_KJ0h5bMl4Cma_zDf8QAK8hE9fTm6Xkkz5sSk0umjiDOyoPCoMyhk_NozuTkJAZoGo4DVc6en93tYjs-VuxM/s1600/IMG_1639.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is my flower former, made out of aluminum foil :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJDQnBXferb_P8c0DF630KhmbcFME22AdPU0YFXOk1CesNXtDccJ_jryD2R-nNEiB7mrJ9SXU8ADkqdCR_eH8sN4bgRuhLfCzJgiuL2yJS6kCwwRo3YIp0vVsR24Z0BBhX4p7kiZiTLDL/s1600/IMG_1640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJDQnBXferb_P8c0DF630KhmbcFME22AdPU0YFXOk1CesNXtDccJ_jryD2R-nNEiB7mrJ9SXU8ADkqdCR_eH8sN4bgRuhLfCzJgiuL2yJS6kCwwRo3YIp0vVsR24Z0BBhX4p7kiZiTLDL/s1600/IMG_1640.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the flower in the flower former thing. It broke, but it was fixable with water and finesse</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KSfxR_3EbuqkaP-DnpKPeo_PwPfQXd5ax5UeeMLsYxAqMTyn40hZThxp4_P0_5AKYel3koADu6rrplZP3t-S7olWt554Xm7SDF3QDcOigvwoDulL1wUJFH48-vWYEo0tF9lLazsAFNPU/s1600/IMG_1641_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KSfxR_3EbuqkaP-DnpKPeo_PwPfQXd5ax5UeeMLsYxAqMTyn40hZThxp4_P0_5AKYel3koADu6rrplZP3t-S7olWt554Xm7SDF3QDcOigvwoDulL1wUJFH48-vWYEo0tF9lLazsAFNPU/s1600/IMG_1641_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See, I fixed it...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh7NJIHT6fdafFRpl5ruvQGvnztaASUXJguqXTdgOxxxMgbV-37UfYlG-qTBI-vG5vAc0A23RoKfPHX40DUvqQPhWr0AYsJ721bT0GQ-tgNGtehnL-ZDLOMzdZMXp-V9YX-BNICQIWQUA/s1600/IMG_1642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGh7NJIHT6fdafFRpl5ruvQGvnztaASUXJguqXTdgOxxxMgbV-37UfYlG-qTBI-vG5vAc0A23RoKfPHX40DUvqQPhWr0AYsJ721bT0GQ-tgNGtehnL-ZDLOMzdZMXp-V9YX-BNICQIWQUA/s1600/IMG_1642.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added another layer of petals from the large cutter, then used the small cutter for a 3rd layer of petals</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoQF51D8ZgeZoswftJjI2kn5OoD_OiK46-M6schD9PTiHQ7bKZOsCmgbAzZilEMZ1fSvcFew9U1eWJiy1vDgORw8IhkhkcGWs0YwxByI2yTPq_RWxdbfFzOgBns9jr8GgP12VTAbQ_9MD/s1600/IMG_1643.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIoQF51D8ZgeZoswftJjI2kn5OoD_OiK46-M6schD9PTiHQ7bKZOsCmgbAzZilEMZ1fSvcFew9U1eWJiy1vDgORw8IhkhkcGWs0YwxByI2yTPq_RWxdbfFzOgBns9jr8GgP12VTAbQ_9MD/s1600/IMG_1643.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the flower middle, I used another Wilton fondant texture kit pad thing</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOoxVX8zm1NS_oh6iSAtx1pQH65FK3sOd-hRlUyq5ky4xAyj1WNRZdSvwg45LAqP4K0Nlxp8Ip77RACw4bOMCE6uTght31jsP4IcDvCOZh2544ih8VZz7tVld5ni6agY2akePjK98Srzj/s1600/IMG_1644_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiOoxVX8zm1NS_oh6iSAtx1pQH65FK3sOd-hRlUyq5ky4xAyj1WNRZdSvwg45LAqP4K0Nlxp8Ip77RACw4bOMCE6uTght31jsP4IcDvCOZh2544ih8VZz7tVld5ni6agY2akePjK98Srzj/s1600/IMG_1644_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the middle from the mold</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1loO54EkJJpJqsGRaQJUbRhK0gQihx8iYErWo90cojXUrGhAS_aGQ2kMZTfC_a_ZFeDGdursAhZ1YTp4PfQj4417RKpOhoODkeKoeGpPkCYjo-g4veaDxNRx8rTbQV4dPKCYHPWZ5QC-c/s1600/IMG_1645_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1loO54EkJJpJqsGRaQJUbRhK0gQihx8iYErWo90cojXUrGhAS_aGQ2kMZTfC_a_ZFeDGdursAhZ1YTp4PfQj4417RKpOhoODkeKoeGpPkCYjo-g4veaDxNRx8rTbQV4dPKCYHPWZ5QC-c/s1600/IMG_1645_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I glued it in with water and added more bumps, and squashed it a bit into the flower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwMUP9U6IVa_Sl2YNZ9eRYNKTfp4CJnXJTcwDE37fAIXq7qVJQ2wpV8e6esYTIiX1mdzccBB7kG7gYyh0Pafp6jbIlWOUy3SaGh2H3sCsHSmWJ__9K6lLsHHKRdA-PXiPu4cm97-4T0_M/s1600/IMG_1646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdwMUP9U6IVa_Sl2YNZ9eRYNKTfp4CJnXJTcwDE37fAIXq7qVJQ2wpV8e6esYTIiX1mdzccBB7kG7gYyh0Pafp6jbIlWOUy3SaGh2H3sCsHSmWJ__9K6lLsHHKRdA-PXiPu4cm97-4T0_M/s1600/IMG_1646.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the flower with its middle</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqsQkguwZ5ezFM_RWOMGp_m0-_wI4r7Ez2lVN4TdyJm008DLHaoo6XQALjreATuww1HEkz9HRL-336SDUj9AP5xUN8P1JqIH-IKRZsAreXgfUIEQTtt2xnSd6nH-PjBw221n1OdbQgaqZ/s1600/IMG_1647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLqsQkguwZ5ezFM_RWOMGp_m0-_wI4r7Ez2lVN4TdyJm008DLHaoo6XQALjreATuww1HEkz9HRL-336SDUj9AP5xUN8P1JqIH-IKRZsAreXgfUIEQTtt2xnSd6nH-PjBw221n1OdbQgaqZ/s1600/IMG_1647.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added some more veins to the petals with a fondant texture tool</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1l6qimw_LBvWYwyqTTWgUHv5nFKv8gDpPMGTihA79L2p5ZrZmo4_RRFXqMlSrJswtYyPylbF4Qu2aytVR_ftbpZ3YV7zurFMXYE3-sfQ0ewLBjaLWMZduNaEe3jSHCgV_aIquEOZdbm5/s1600/IMG_1648_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR1l6qimw_LBvWYwyqTTWgUHv5nFKv8gDpPMGTihA79L2p5ZrZmo4_RRFXqMlSrJswtYyPylbF4Qu2aytVR_ftbpZ3YV7zurFMXYE3-sfQ0ewLBjaLWMZduNaEe3jSHCgV_aIquEOZdbm5/s1600/IMG_1648_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting orange on the petals</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTK2NHS_OUDLt1FihYoRLyMmLqYANTFWj8v2Kc0WKxwt65X3sfObxGwNSoZZYrWCMs9jOnSAubt5uzc4Fv4B9dFGkcBx2TKUZqzFc1uTlR87rXUApf3D4WhNv4KQTQu5hrGsFbsCpPSUg/s1600/IMG_1649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTK2NHS_OUDLt1FihYoRLyMmLqYANTFWj8v2Kc0WKxwt65X3sfObxGwNSoZZYrWCMs9jOnSAubt5uzc4Fv4B9dFGkcBx2TKUZqzFc1uTlR87rXUApf3D4WhNv4KQTQu5hrGsFbsCpPSUg/s1600/IMG_1649.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The paint is orange gel color with butter flavoring as a base (the alcohol in the flavoring evaporates fast so the marzipan doesn't turn gooey)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54v_1dCPK7FXK6PDrppgPtQmtukrqdjAcDNM_one5LnquAEnAJdCCaUVIRhxfy6Mg3r7NfvvBq3ors1QoW3M3bKJ3rirrRcgy7gfa1KkiLGRuTjuf81mQlC3L1WWZ38UcrbpwJeGZNXNK/s1600/IMG_1652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh54v_1dCPK7FXK6PDrppgPtQmtukrqdjAcDNM_one5LnquAEnAJdCCaUVIRhxfy6Mg3r7NfvvBq3ors1QoW3M3bKJ3rirrRcgy7gfa1KkiLGRuTjuf81mQlC3L1WWZ38UcrbpwJeGZNXNK/s1600/IMG_1652.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark brown "paint" to color the center of the flower</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHFliEj1dtJ0g1VksOMvCdN7EFFgG99KqSpqfcO3eRIeIe1RfpozYYu3LHsZ61u7z9FONg9usmeaF3XQIptcXb9pZI7v_MMcJT_n_8TuWWD0uWuzQUtymLQbRBS6v0bvDAJc4wQBH2JxJ/s1600/IMG_1659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoHFliEj1dtJ0g1VksOMvCdN7EFFgG99KqSpqfcO3eRIeIe1RfpozYYu3LHsZ61u7z9FONg9usmeaF3XQIptcXb9pZI7v_MMcJT_n_8TuWWD0uWuzQUtymLQbRBS6v0bvDAJc4wQBH2JxJ/s1600/IMG_1659.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting the center of the flower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn16Sv8m_NRH9pl1FfLmMEWl8GjoF-LXboSq2fSab-inWTnlQnAl5inJTxdMF9iDdZBW22hRJ1bSkW45HWSiJtB7wwohJDfZZAOds690J3TjMGFoklUzgMPy7FFth7_kw04TuqZVydAf2q/s1600/IMG_1660_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn16Sv8m_NRH9pl1FfLmMEWl8GjoF-LXboSq2fSab-inWTnlQnAl5inJTxdMF9iDdZBW22hRJ1bSkW45HWSiJtB7wwohJDfZZAOds690J3TjMGFoklUzgMPy7FFth7_kw04TuqZVydAf2q/s1600/IMG_1660_2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished flowers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvscm5mR6yGw2-POPdKnLz_BMZSPn8GbNOL9Ai7MfDEXj0jzBCQsq0kAXrnDq-YUv9Th2bDANsyAmfkG2IN8gjKX-cs9sECNpDGejGdo4fAdDUcQfbbhEZLTThmCXbkxLRoO78Rj-uu0l/s1600/IMG_1662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkvscm5mR6yGw2-POPdKnLz_BMZSPn8GbNOL9Ai7MfDEXj0jzBCQsq0kAXrnDq-YUv9Th2bDANsyAmfkG2IN8gjKX-cs9sECNpDGejGdo4fAdDUcQfbbhEZLTThmCXbkxLRoO78Rj-uu0l/s1600/IMG_1662.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I needed leaves, so printed out a sunflower leaf. The flowers are more like a Rudbeckia than a sunflower, but despite my botanist-side aversion, I stuck with a sunflower leaf</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEWZSnj4ElVuEZqDRdp0uqq1hohDiTzzL29zb4lA7kJY3-dYFVQcD2ykw_6HTc9l2DsXTjYI_K339-ZL_CrjljX26wiKCgMJ9njxqrqZlVy9vN8E8HLlN8uQohRNgc9UCPSgTSGWJEX1x/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXEWZSnj4ElVuEZqDRdp0uqq1hohDiTzzL29zb4lA7kJY3-dYFVQcD2ykw_6HTc9l2DsXTjYI_K339-ZL_CrjljX26wiKCgMJ9njxqrqZlVy9vN8E8HLlN8uQohRNgc9UCPSgTSGWJEX1x/s1600/IMG_1663.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squishing the edges of the leaf</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH7Bi16noXBXbU418wGt35oUHmMWqUMlOKp1-6K1Gfv5djEC4QgBKb3JqgZ0OfYD40sfjkTIP707juM3i-Gd8RH6Q2h-xgUkueUzsVJ0pERa0wU_8uc2h3w5i921_y1Tg1JiUhg4n8BPd8/s1600/IMG_1664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH7Bi16noXBXbU418wGt35oUHmMWqUMlOKp1-6K1Gfv5djEC4QgBKb3JqgZ0OfYD40sfjkTIP707juM3i-Gd8RH6Q2h-xgUkueUzsVJ0pERa0wU_8uc2h3w5i921_y1Tg1JiUhg4n8BPd8/s1600/IMG_1664.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding veins to the leaf (not botanically correct, again, but hey, she's only turning 4 yrs old...)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fbGAMaTurgHOsNQdwkADuErV2sGPeGlwaz7lB5gGqXFk9HLPR-dQftptvwlwB71b8qqo_9OoggBSFBYMBbivoVsMCSxILRtqK-JZKhHz1ZU35OywasrmXdv0VNTzIhu_MQeg_N1vDvpa/s1600/IMG_1665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-fbGAMaTurgHOsNQdwkADuErV2sGPeGlwaz7lB5gGqXFk9HLPR-dQftptvwlwB71b8qqo_9OoggBSFBYMBbivoVsMCSxILRtqK-JZKhHz1ZU35OywasrmXdv0VNTzIhu_MQeg_N1vDvpa/s1600/IMG_1665.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">finished leaves</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpvFoymhyR2NCQE8vGqPjNyqPopnZKSu76hyphenhyphenzBjd85mRnyf57EJePjjYPNxgZNcE8QpXEoL27DiNZJos9W9szTm9Dbk5rAPJdrLJ8jnlscWTCMANxwTNsX9S5greEWxfXfoCgQIWdH_n_/s1600/IMG_1679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpvFoymhyR2NCQE8vGqPjNyqPopnZKSu76hyphenhyphenzBjd85mRnyf57EJePjjYPNxgZNcE8QpXEoL27DiNZJos9W9szTm9Dbk5rAPJdrLJ8jnlscWTCMANxwTNsX9S5greEWxfXfoCgQIWdH_n_/s1600/IMG_1679.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the cake base -- I use whipped cream/cream cheese filling and a cream cheese buttercream frosting with butterscotch flavoring. I stuck on the flowers with toothpicks, which worked well! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-90656854436940766132015-03-11T09:51:00.001-07:002015-03-11T09:51:24.121-07:00Some thoughts on Barbie movies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="p1">
I feel like I'm coming out of the closet when I say I love the early Barbie movies. But I banned Barbie movies after they got super commercial (ironic, no? Of course Barbie is commercial). When I saw Barbie had a hero movie (Princess Power), I couldn't resist, and I bought it. But I guess I'm too opinionated -- I didn't like their body type for girls. I quickly wrote this letter to <a href="http://service.mattel.com/us/ContactUs.aspx" target="_blank">Mattel</a>, and it'd be nice if they got opinions from other people too. It's probably silly for me to have such a strong reaction to an animated series that's always been a bit exaggerated when it comes to female body representation, but I decided to write a letter anyway. Here it is:</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Dear Mattel,</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
This is a comment on the Barbie movies. I loved Barbie Princess and the Pauper, but swore off Barbie movies after the Fairytale series was too blatantly commercial. Yesterday, I was excited to see a hero Barbie movie, and bought it for my 3yr old today. But I'm now completely horrified at how exactly she looks like an anorexic teen. I'm okay with adapting realistic proportions for artistic presentation, but the starvation figure of the current Barbie version is too much.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I have two daughters, one 8yrs old and one 4 yrs old. When my older was about 3, my brother suggested that Barbie movies were a good choice. I was horrified at the thought, but after watching the Princess and the Pauper, early Fairytopia movies, Nutcracker, and other early movies, I was a fan. Barbie was independent, intelligent, and resourceful, everything I wanted for my daughters.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
The later movies started focusing more on shopping and fashion than on intelligence and resourcefulness. The first such I saw was the Fashion Fairy Tale; the wisest fairy in the world had magical portals to the best shopping places. Not libraries, not forests, not even sports arenas, but shopping. Other movies didn't help my opinion, and I banned Barbie.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I was so excited to see Barbie take a powerful role again that promised to showcase her capabilities as a thinking, powerful girl. But the improved storyline came with a highly exaggerated starvation body type, complete with sharp jawbone, extruding neck ligaments and nonexistent pectoral muscles in the armpits.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
I don't know who's responsible for designing Barbie, but I'm hoping that you get feedback from other women that reflect my reaction, so maybe you'll try to make her either more doll-like or more human-like. The current accurate representation of a starvation body type is scary.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Sincerely,</div>
<div class="p1">
Alisa</div>
</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-55782201517218024932015-01-28T17:59:00.000-08:002015-01-29T09:26:56.677-08:00More Harry Potter crafts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNQgVdPIr2iTSShzNdPdgOfeBqLN-gvdSc_E5ArSXNhmJuEd5v8TIqmomxHo6U2Vfwuh4Y2puauHbwJRGKEVgdzMg4HayE86xNuQfoDEmXO5mlqGNWGIiDiohfSTvB4H7ijb9O9YI_8vo/s1600/IMG_1167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJNQgVdPIr2iTSShzNdPdgOfeBqLN-gvdSc_E5ArSXNhmJuEd5v8TIqmomxHo6U2Vfwuh4Y2puauHbwJRGKEVgdzMg4HayE86xNuQfoDEmXO5mlqGNWGIiDiohfSTvB4H7ijb9O9YI_8vo/s1600/IMG_1167.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harry Potter Places signpost (I printed the names<br />
on brown paper and glued them on. Not great, but easy)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32cnukcMesTcFQwWiHXBeTI6_j6bxOCri_g4Q_cC-puc7b4PgDaIT73_-Zyy3x_-WSyqXxKQkUgmG9_zuqVDRfg8u22qoJC5JvJA0OZxrSv5xYWhZO96MnuEOMvZqv4IOf1qsfxnQUzKK/s1600/IMG_1168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj32cnukcMesTcFQwWiHXBeTI6_j6bxOCri_g4Q_cC-puc7b4PgDaIT73_-Zyy3x_-WSyqXxKQkUgmG9_zuqVDRfg8u22qoJC5JvJA0OZxrSv5xYWhZO96MnuEOMvZqv4IOf1qsfxnQUzKK/s1600/IMG_1168.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chocolate frog box from a tutorial by <a href="http://www.chicaandjo.com/2011/07/08/harry-potter-chocolate-frogs/" target="_blank">Chica and Jojo</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRhNb7_Vd2qxOGPHrLzVeoZPrIaXr4yyFtl_UVoZtgmgDcbis68B-rCWu7rdNeGi8nlzw_uIqdSUWIYVKcYuVK6CqIS2QwlWWhjOWqnMv1vs4SHO8rDDYMBn3WVDgsd5iNl4oEzIjgIs8/s1600/stuffed+snakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRhNb7_Vd2qxOGPHrLzVeoZPrIaXr4yyFtl_UVoZtgmgDcbis68B-rCWu7rdNeGi8nlzw_uIqdSUWIYVKcYuVK6CqIS2QwlWWhjOWqnMv1vs4SHO8rDDYMBn3WVDgsd5iNl4oEzIjgIs8/s1600/stuffed+snakes.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuffed ball pythons by TM's special request</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FuMLe4H5_boho0kko-U8aG_pdyl_NCDcgCPaS08cK-esGbP2tGmtKrMMgtSYceqDyfpQrlj8v8Vq5LkWZmXEYvg-4hsbl3mDFyHtjAeE2xWwb5HtqmVRsWGfkMzVWx8BDH-Sib05elpB/s1600/IMG_1174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FuMLe4H5_boho0kko-U8aG_pdyl_NCDcgCPaS08cK-esGbP2tGmtKrMMgtSYceqDyfpQrlj8v8Vq5LkWZmXEYvg-4hsbl3mDFyHtjAeE2xWwb5HtqmVRsWGfkMzVWx8BDH-Sib05elpB/s1600/IMG_1174.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I covered one of our human anatomy books with<br />
snakeskin from the stuffed pythons :).<br />
If mom were here, the lettering would be awesome.<br />
I used stickers. Could be worse! Barely. But hey.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-49539218676781692012015-01-28T17:46:00.003-08:002015-01-28T17:46:38.742-08:00Harry Potter crafts -- wands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
One of my friends and I have been making stuff to decorate a la Harry Potter. It's so much fun!<br />
<br />
#1 <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-an-awesome-Harry-Potter-wand-from-a-sheet-of-/" target="_blank">Wands from rolled-up paper</a><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqu8d__mVs_FRFGtjzKKXRlNN6fHchO4BxO2enTNkDMCg8y8xmqWGEvuuhBtLrSczK6kh_LNkAMDyiegRCpv7_0y6Do6RmkKUlQrWz6i-R4B98Ft6HWNJSkwzB6aSP-Zp2Gq6XKbBQo8m/s1600/wands1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqu8d__mVs_FRFGtjzKKXRlNN6fHchO4BxO2enTNkDMCg8y8xmqWGEvuuhBtLrSczK6kh_LNkAMDyiegRCpv7_0y6Do6RmkKUlQrWz6i-R4B98Ft6HWNJSkwzB6aSP-Zp2Gq6XKbBQo8m/s1600/wands1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolled up paper filled with something horribly toxic I'm sure</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja36YSzvoZGWUjYFqQ_9shS6PUIotA27XC2-u27JfTz-E4-KDB0SUKEE5tN9kcs70hDdu__AEkNs47pKlQ6RrNhm4nQe6fJ1sxft7sq1IU3pIbwLm8hNUGjJM8EGPUTutH83eIp1-IQled/s1600/wands2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja36YSzvoZGWUjYFqQ_9shS6PUIotA27XC2-u27JfTz-E4-KDB0SUKEE5tN9kcs70hDdu__AEkNs47pKlQ6RrNhm4nQe6fJ1sxft7sq1IU3pIbwLm8hNUGjJM8EGPUTutH83eIp1-IQled/s1600/wands2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">hot glue decorations</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLVTxD09v7RK-FOpWFzl1Xro0rRyCdgGqwDAmUL5xiGi7UScSZIRuyFa7KVQYPSgG3KKhfwMLtHCO2ziBL9nm3wFrnxcwFylUFP2cW90-w5pmXtUSKf7qUD42OSgKI7EwuM0hka2aZue_/s1600/wands3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLVTxD09v7RK-FOpWFzl1Xro0rRyCdgGqwDAmUL5xiGi7UScSZIRuyFa7KVQYPSgG3KKhfwMLtHCO2ziBL9nm3wFrnxcwFylUFP2cW90-w5pmXtUSKf7qUD42OSgKI7EwuM0hka2aZue_/s1600/wands3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">painted with primer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mfuZo0JsGqk4rPhdqGVbfYGtR98yKezooyU4YumNVhMF2Cg6oHrIEAmqPbhBD25NUA5k_pLLNnRatHAABaa0E4FtNDE-vrXysSsALjQ4at1LYofV1fLcBmoCLXgMgAzG8Q_cJ8p-JBq8/s1600/wands4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-mfuZo0JsGqk4rPhdqGVbfYGtR98yKezooyU4YumNVhMF2Cg6oHrIEAmqPbhBD25NUA5k_pLLNnRatHAABaa0E4FtNDE-vrXysSsALjQ4at1LYofV1fLcBmoCLXgMgAzG8Q_cJ8p-JBq8/s1600/wands4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">painted brown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtcWhZsxZ0T0UlQEKNHsq6hhVedN7qH9gpkgjNphGyP-mvKmChwt32SwJ1StxzBKltgoQoLSVLL-NZk6D0UtwkzyrmDJ2_BTLNlVJkYvlODQLffOTP2ENvZRX8-aG_yrwXbc15Gk5NW9G/s1600/IMG_1173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAtcWhZsxZ0T0UlQEKNHsq6hhVedN7qH9gpkgjNphGyP-mvKmChwt32SwJ1StxzBKltgoQoLSVLL-NZk6D0UtwkzyrmDJ2_BTLNlVJkYvlODQLffOTP2ENvZRX8-aG_yrwXbc15Gk5NW9G/s1600/IMG_1173.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some decorated wands</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyLEEzrKdMovdXY4xBx7nCtnbiiYg363jTwKPddmEm34T6CfozffjP3WNGPmlv7I5YReHfSFVbItAMzTTtxmPFdlova0lVYf39TX-GBqX0bqf3XtTX4uD4aMxgdcGc5VRsPINuGC9FpMO/s1600/IMG_1172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyLEEzrKdMovdXY4xBx7nCtnbiiYg363jTwKPddmEm34T6CfozffjP3WNGPmlv7I5YReHfSFVbItAMzTTtxmPFdlova0lVYf39TX-GBqX0bqf3XtTX4uD4aMxgdcGc5VRsPINuGC9FpMO/s1600/IMG_1172.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CH and her exuberant wand</td></tr>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-19186682950410098462014-07-06T08:40:00.003-07:002014-07-06T17:36:39.077-07:00Berry seeds and bathroom shelf<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have enough pictures for another post! And since Q broke his arm last week, we're spending a lot of time at home.<br />
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I collected some huckleberry, salmonberry, and Indian plum seeds! I'm really excited to get them germinating in the fall. I've wanted these plants on my balcony since we moved here. Here are some pictures of my seed-cleaning method:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8-Ew2J0ViMP0lcn3OmplmVNja7ZFPmnMeEIgI3Y26G-8ZYLcqrXwvbYmwp6sxjoxziMsyCno8nRFqi8gr4t9EqbH-SPaoJE9f85VNhUIYqzSq0ULttE0TLhyphenhyphenbeiuRTmeP-ISGQXQlsfO/s1600/DSC02864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8-Ew2J0ViMP0lcn3OmplmVNja7ZFPmnMeEIgI3Y26G-8ZYLcqrXwvbYmwp6sxjoxziMsyCno8nRFqi8gr4t9EqbH-SPaoJE9f85VNhUIYqzSq0ULttE0TLhyphenhyphenbeiuRTmeP-ISGQXQlsfO/s1600/DSC02864.jpg" height="209" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huckleberries</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKOncVYgQkoCR2h570LJSiW6_bmCcJ8X-Px3LG8_DY_8n0dD17e4DSB3DnXVPFNzdFyJnW9_cJs2oXj4Mq7Olw87zn48utulHLoIS_fwDjddD_8Vw2S2RdHp_UeJdNLY99YxCGGczqXXw/s1600/DSC02865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKOncVYgQkoCR2h570LJSiW6_bmCcJ8X-Px3LG8_DY_8n0dD17e4DSB3DnXVPFNzdFyJnW9_cJs2oXj4Mq7Olw87zn48utulHLoIS_fwDjddD_8Vw2S2RdHp_UeJdNLY99YxCGGczqXXw/s1600/DSC02865.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mashed seeds</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRITDU2lusnGkO9iZ4RC4D_gvhu0k1YAA1rps00bug-GI1-1_F6kWvtXt6YRCpXcg9Fr1Df4Dh1919eR0VqVh3xgp4uhMo5X0P2r4Uha0Qp0RFJBZtjjFZwLOczILZZ8E4lwpphz0FckA/s1600/DSC02866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPRITDU2lusnGkO9iZ4RC4D_gvhu0k1YAA1rps00bug-GI1-1_F6kWvtXt6YRCpXcg9Fr1Df4Dh1919eR0VqVh3xgp4uhMo5X0P2r4Uha0Qp0RFJBZtjjFZwLOczILZZ8E4lwpphz0FckA/s1600/DSC02866.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaned seeds</td></tr>
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These look nothing like the seeds I ordered from VanDusen Garden a couple years ago, which explains in part why those didn't sprout, and why the Saskatoon berry seeds I ordered turned into willow trees. At least the bald-hip roses I grew from VanDusen seed are growing nicely and do look like bald-hips, though I won't really know 'till they flower.<br />
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I have them in packets in a drawer to after-ripen, and in Sept or so I'll put them on wet ppr towels in little boxes in the fridge to germinate.</div>
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I finished building an over-the-toilet shelf for the bathroom! I made it almost completely from scraps, gluing together some of them for bigger pieces. It was my first attempt at using my new Kreg Jig, which was pretty cool! And I got to use my new orbital sander, which was really fun. My new-to-me miter saw made the cuts a lot easier but they weren't quite as clean as I would like. Here's the final picture (it's attached to the wall to keep it from tipping over):</div>
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And here are various in-progress pictures:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJXojIXBCDvLXBc1nwQKJI9XC6Qw7qjprUUFU996cjejT0Bh_6p7VXzT8tBPzXxZCJcPA7KMxOeaxlgFRuICRKjnOOUc6dUFdkThiImyqb0mEKQ57zFBhvytV6tB64DTHFHsWNhmMymPk/s1600/DSC02868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGJXojIXBCDvLXBc1nwQKJI9XC6Qw7qjprUUFU996cjejT0Bh_6p7VXzT8tBPzXxZCJcPA7KMxOeaxlgFRuICRKjnOOUc6dUFdkThiImyqb0mEKQ57zFBhvytV6tB64DTHFHsWNhmMymPk/s1600/DSC02868.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planer shavings! I love planing, so long as I keep it sharp.</td></tr>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-72300608368569198142014-07-05T12:58:00.000-07:002014-07-05T12:58:46.028-07:00Mormon Women and the Priesthood<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px;">Now that the excommunication of Kate Kelly (founder of “</span><a href="http://ordainwomen.org/" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 13.333333969116211px;" target="_blank">Ordain Women</a><span style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px;">”) is headliner news, I’d like to make a few comments on the issue in addition to what my sister said </span><a href="http://miekesmusings.blogspot.ca/2013/01/womanhood-and-priesthood.html" style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px;"> and </span><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/15sWV6dXnelKYB0RVz-1VWZyTeMTW1g_KNsanng3Q-yY/edit" style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-size: 13.333333969116211px;">. First, the basic news: Kate Kelly’s organization’s goals are: “Mormon women seeking equality and ordination to the priesthood.” She was excommunicated. Thousands of other women who think the same way were not excommunicated.</span></div>
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As I read people’s facebook posts and blogs for and against women being ordained, there are several things I don’t see. The first is that the wider and much more complex issue of gender identity is largely ignored. Second, actually, women do have the priesthood, but they exercise it differently. Third, men can’t hold women’s positions either but that doesn’t seem to matter. Fourth, putting women into men’s organizations would require a complete restructuring of the church. Maybe that should happen, maybe not.</div>
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The observation that not all humans can easily be assigned a gender is one that our current society is just beginning to accept. Finding the best way to incorporate that into my church will take awhile. And it’s a little beyond the scope of this little post. I will say, though, that my thoughts probably mostly (only?) pertain to people who genetically, physically, and socially identify as being either male or female.</div>
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I’d like to clarify something. Women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (or Mormon or LDS) <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/the-keys-and-authority-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">do hold the priesthood</a>. Yes, we do. But we’re not ordained to the office of bishop, deacon, or apostle. That’s why the Ordain Women organization is called “ordain women” instead of “give women the priesthood.” The problem seems to be that women don’t hold the same offices as men.</div>
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Men can’t hold women’s positions either. Yes, women have important positions in the Mormon Church, and no, men can’t have them.<a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/women-in-the-church?lang=eng" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Women run the Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary, and they sit on various councils</a>. It seems to me that if women should have men’s jobs, then men should have women’s roles too. It’s only fair, right? If women and men are the same and should do all the same things, then there’s really no need for gender-separated meetings or organizations at all, right? So everyone does everything. That’s “fair.”</div>
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But it’s diametrically opposed to a lot of basic church doctrine. Changing that would require complete restructuring. It would be a different church. Maybe that’s what should happen, yes, but maybe not.</div>
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The LDS church believes that men and women have fundamentally different strengths and challenges, and that assigning different gender roles in the church allows us to strengthen each other better than lumping everyone together all the time. I hate to use this statement, but <a href="http://scholar.google.ca/scholar?hl=en&q=gender+differences&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_sdtp=" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">scientists agree</a>. It’s one of the things I really like about my church. I like being recognized as different than men, and as having my own set of challenges that most men wouldn’t be able to help me with.</div>
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It’s not just in my church that women like to be together for support and encouragement. Wikipedia lists <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_women%27s_organizations" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">over 50 women’s organizations</a> of all shapes and sizes. And oh my there are <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Men%27s_organizations" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">tons of men’s organizations</a>. So let’s say that men and women do indeed like to have their own separate groups sometimes.</div>
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You might say that has nothing to do with holding “priesthood” offices in the church. The church could retain gender-divided groups but still allow women to be bishop or apostle or church president, right? Okay, let’s see how we could do that. The only way I can see it working is to keep women’s organizations at status quo, but change the men’s organizations so they have to include women. Then we’d need to add several more organizations so the men could hang out together. That’s a major restructuring. Maybe it’s justified, maybe not.</div>
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If women must be ordained to priesthood offices in order to have equal weight in how the church is run, then a total reorganization is the only solution I can come up with. If men and women are equal but hold complimentary roles, then maybe we could just keep things as they are and make sure that women are included in policy decisions. That sounds a lot simpler.</div>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-84766534762816747222014-06-25T06:13:00.001-07:002014-06-25T06:29:01.620-07:00Shelves, trees and summer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After the cake and Easter madness of Feb through April...<br />
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And after playing with my dremel and vice to make several maple, walnut and rosewood rings so I wouldn't worry about cutting off my gold wedding band....<br />
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I moved on to woodworking once the weather was warm enough to do some finishing work. Actually the rings were done while I chiseled dados and rabbets (grooves), since they drove me crazy. Thank goodness Q told me to make a set of shelves before embarking on a larger project (not begun yet), a wardrobe. I think I can safely say, "Never again," if someone asks me about chiseling dados.<br />
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There are lots of mistakes and less-than-perfect details but it was done in time for Father's Day! I asked TM to draw some flowers for the sides. I'm really glad I used a fast-drying finish because wow, putting on coat after coat on all those surfaces took a couple weeks.</div>
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Now I need a shelf for the other bathroom, and after hemming and hawing with myself for awhile, I bought a <a href="http://www.lowes.ca/drill-accessories/kreg-jigreg-pocket-hole-jig-system_g1195107.html" target="_blank">Kreg Jig</a>, an orbital sander and a compound miter saw. I have the best husband for letting me buy toys :D. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl00Tk1wf9dKeVtlzxNTpjLVloxrdD-WZoSyKmwImrfiv1Z3OqUwAj5pE4X5bzO1l52PExjiwMRWnkceABB5hZy9nB7heUyVqsmoUNqByjXsR2x5cBo-P2q4dargN7PPqRPTh9hGwRbTdk/s1600/current+workspace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl00Tk1wf9dKeVtlzxNTpjLVloxrdD-WZoSyKmwImrfiv1Z3OqUwAj5pE4X5bzO1l52PExjiwMRWnkceABB5hZy9nB7heUyVqsmoUNqByjXsR2x5cBo-P2q4dargN7PPqRPTh9hGwRbTdk/s1600/current+workspace.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I moved my car out of the garage and claimed the space as MINE</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are the kreg jig joints, filled with dowels. I didn't get the holes quite nice enough so I'm having to put filler around them but I think it'll still look nice once they're sanded and finished.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnbWKn1D50zEG0foFRrzPHF2W9THOwG05QMyYGSfkdp2HXkVVlmjQeteh_reJF0ZMveH2fDIGwYTvQ417j1wojA0OcVkGXHci4jdwsMKU3vphSuMFS-p0FzV7OZk5zDuvYRwjDYa0nDw6/s1600/new+saw+and+sander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnbWKn1D50zEG0foFRrzPHF2W9THOwG05QMyYGSfkdp2HXkVVlmjQeteh_reJF0ZMveH2fDIGwYTvQ417j1wojA0OcVkGXHci4jdwsMKU3vphSuMFS-p0FzV7OZk5zDuvYRwjDYa0nDw6/s1600/new+saw+and+sander.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's my new-to-me saw (heaven!) and brand new orbital sander (dreamy!). Also my custom dust collector that hooks up to my vacuum, since the saw spews sawdust like mad.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadtbtXwysayuSWm_lcZcbQ0ACQNrWInsHtwsaeqJNpqGkBZ2RoAFD3GIFoHlDuqRSTvq5_s97I6IkGEpvGwOHxc0iHlPBZA2e2dS7V_cJZll5FfxbemN_z3qNb_RSs7l432cKZ52BNcOc/s1600/shelf+on+its+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadtbtXwysayuSWm_lcZcbQ0ACQNrWInsHtwsaeqJNpqGkBZ2RoAFD3GIFoHlDuqRSTvq5_s97I6IkGEpvGwOHxc0iHlPBZA2e2dS7V_cJZll5FfxbemN_z3qNb_RSs7l432cKZ52BNcOc/s1600/shelf+on+its+side.jpg" height="223" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I threw this shelf together a couple years ago, pre-kreg-jig, so now that Vivek has a nice shelf I'll make this one better and use it for the girls' bathroom. I countersunk the screw holes and am filling them with dowel pieces, added fir stops to the sides and back, maybe putting some more fir on the front, then I'll sand and finish it, then I'll put it on the stand I'm making to raise it over the toilet.</td></tr>
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I'm loving playing around with wood. And the kids play in the driveway with chalk, water, blankets, and other things while I plot, sand, drill, and saw. I'm going to have to get another set of ear protectors so I don't have to send them to the stairs every time I use the power tools.</div>
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The other thing I've been doing lately is rallying [very few] troops to save the trees behind TM's new school. Take a look at my blog, <a href="http://sunnysidetrees.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Save Sunnyside Trees</a>. I don't have much hope for it, I sadly admit, but someone needs to say something. No-one's happy about the development around here, and TM kept asking about what we could do for the trees, so I figured I'd better try to do something. But it feels like a lost battle, I'll admit. Sorry to seem to down about it (not the best way to run a campaign, is it?) but it does just feel that way. Lately I'm thinking that I might change my rallying cry to something that might have more reach -- like, "Please Follow the 2005 Neighborhood Plan" which is what they claim to be following but the reality is nothing like what they said they'd do way back then. Ah well. Check out the blog if you're interested. </div>
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My motto lately is "<a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/second-wind/201206/anything-worth-doing-is-worth-doing-badly" target="_blank">If it's worth doing, it's worth doing badly</a>" and it's saving me from a lot of misery, self-depreciation and boredom.</div>
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Now summer's upon us, which means children wake up and say, "What are we doing today, mom?" a phrase that strikes terror into my heart. Luckily, they don't mind playing in the driveway, or at the several parks kinda nearby. And the next sunny day that comes along, we'll go berry picking. And to Fort Langley and the beach and if I bribe them with chips and lollypops, they might even let me go to Home Depot.</div>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-89224127420892610962014-03-19T08:36:00.003-07:002014-03-19T08:36:58.492-07:00Sharpening chisels and knives with sandpaper!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have several woodworking projects waiting for me, but I got stymied at the "tool sharpening" stage. And our kitchen knives are dull dull dull dull. I happened to mention it to my amazing luthier friend, who showed me his very cheap method using automotive sandpaper! His is prettier, using a block of marble I think it was. I didn't have any extra marble pieces lying around but he said glass is nice and flat.<br />
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This is a piece of glass from a picture frame, taped on to an old cutting board for support. Then I taped 800 and 1000 sandpaper to it, and used the paper clip to help me keep the same angle as I sharpened the knives. Spit is the lubricant to use. It works great!! I still have to sharpen my chisel, but I'm so happy with this!<br />
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It's cheaper by millions than sharpening stones. Thanks, luthier friend :).</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-62580179400047608412014-02-25T13:40:00.001-08:002014-02-25T13:40:37.167-08:00Eating gluten and dairy hooray!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here's a long overdue update!<br />
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Since we moved to a newer place, TM's allergies have calmed down surprisingly. She doesn't seem to have trouble with gluten or dairy anymore, which is marvelous!<br />
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I had a blast making her birthday cake:<br />
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TM also is absolutely loving taking horse riding lessons. She's quite passionate about it.<br />
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This Christmas season was taking up with learning how to make chocolates. One of my friends makes hundreds and hundreds of chocolates every Christmas and sells them. He taught me the basics of fancy chocolate making. Very cool! He gets Callebaut chocolate shipped straight from Belgium, and he sold me about 20 lbs to play with. Very yum. Everyone loved them!<br />
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For our Christmas portrait I decided we should paint! TM chose butterflies, CH and I worked on the background, and Q contributed here and there. Our handprints are on it as signatures -- it was ever so much fun! Definitely due for a repeat next year.<br />
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The Fall here was full of fungi, which was absolutely marvelous. The two that stand out in my memory were the orange fairy cups (who wouldn't fall in love with those?)<br />
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and the shaggy manes were ever-so scrumptious!!<br />
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<br />
In other Fall news, we won the who-can-let-their-pumpkin-rot-the-longest contest (warning: picture not for the faint of heart).<br />
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<br />
I forgot to put in our Gingerbread House that we did before Christmas with my sister, who came to visit!<br />
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<br />
I'm teaching myself classical guitar, as well as anyone can teach themselves anything so insanely complicated. It's gloriously fun and very challenging, but mostly all I can do is teach myself to read notes and not get my fingers in the way of each other.<br />
<br />
I also made some cute swim shorts for us girls out of great swimsuit fabric. Very fun! TM still needs a swim shirt, so I'd better get on it.<br />
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<br />
None of this is news for my FB friends, but I thought I'd put up a post anyway.<br />
<br />
Cheers!</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-90778390321814884572013-07-30T14:56:00.000-07:002013-08-01T10:54:08.174-07:00Sandwich bread!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
At last! Glory be! I've found a sandwich bread recipe TM will eat! I'm so so so excited, you have no idea. It's worked 3-4 times now, so we're good to go!<br />
<br />
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<br />
It's modified slightly from http://www.landolakes.com/recipe/3074/sandwich-bread-gluten-free-recipe<br />
<br />
I tried the recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Gluten-Free-Baking-Classics-Annalise-Roberts/dp/1572840994" target="_blank">Gluten Free Baking Classics</a> multiple times, adding extra flour, rising it super-slowly, or twice, or not at all...it always fell a little, and turned dry at the drop of a hat, and TM never liked it. I even got a kitchen scale so I could weigh the flours. Well, maybe she liked it once, right out of the oven. I think I tried it about 15 times. FAIL.<br />
<br />
But when I found the Land-o-Lakes recipe, hooray, it actually worked!! I've adjusted it by using canola oil instead of butter, and I'm very sloppy on the starches. I re-calculated measurements based on weights listed in <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Allergy-Free-Cook-Bakes-Bread-Gluten-Free/dp/1570672628" target="_blank">The Allergen-Free Cook Bakes Bread</a> so I could get the amounts right. And I added a little more milk (almond milk).<br />
<br />
1C +2T warm almond milk<br />
1/4 C sugar (don't skimp...it needs this much)<br />
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast<br />
2 1/2 C gluten free flour blend (see below) = 403g<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/4 C canola oil<br />
2 large eggs<br />
<br />
From Land-o-Lakes:<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; outline: none;">
<span style="color: #7c7267;">Combine milk, sugar and yeast in small bowl; set aside 10 minutes. <br style="outline: none;" /><br style="outline: none;" />Combine flour blend and salt in large stand mixer bowl; beat with stand mixer on low speed, gradually adding yeast mixture until well combined. Add </span>[oil]<span style="color: #7c7267;"> and eggs; beat, scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed. Increase speed to high; beat until batter is very smooth (about 3 minutes). </span><br />
<br style="outline: none;" />
<span style="color: #7c7267;">Cover, let rise in warm place 1 hour. </span><br />
<br style="outline: none;" />
<span style="color: #7c7267;">Grease 8x4-inch loaf pan [</span>Or use parchment paper folded into the pan, it's awesome]<span style="color: #7c7267;">. Stir dough; pour into pan, leveling top. Loosely cover with greased plastic food wrap; let rise until just above top edge of pan (20 to 30 minutes). </span><br />
<br style="outline: none;" />
<span style="color: #7c7267;">Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Bake for 42 to 50 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. </span><br />
<br style="outline: none;" />
<span style="color: #7c7267;"><em style="outline: none;"></em></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; outline: none;">
<span style="color: #7c7267;"><em style="outline: none;">Gluten-Free Flour Blend</em>: To make flour blend, combine 2 cups rice flour </span>= 316g<span style="color: #7c7267;">, 2/3 cup potato starch</span> =128g<span style="color: #7c7267;">, 1/3 cup tapioca flour </span>=40g <span style="color: #7c7267;">and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. </span>So basically 168g starch...I just dump in whatever I have on hand. Lately it's been cornstarch and tapioca starch. <span style="color: #7c7267;">Use appropriate amount for recipe; store remainder in container with tight-fitting lid. Stir before using.</span></div>
</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-38565888743348650582013-07-15T18:50:00.001-07:002013-07-15T18:52:48.204-07:00Pancakes and waffles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Something happened lately and everything I cooked, especially my fail-safe pancakes, was gummy and gross. Maybe it was because I was trying to substitute for eggs using flax seed, and baking soda/lemon juice for baking powder since TM and Q don't like the taste of baking powder.<br />
<br />
Talking to my brother, I finally got it right! He suggested using yeast, so I did, and I also used an egg, and they were great! I think I'm done substituting. I have the worst time finding egg substitutes.<br />
<br />
Here's the recipe I used:<br />
125g flour mix (316g rice flour, 168g starch...I ended up using cornstarch this time)<br />
1T sugar<br />
1 1/2 tsp yeast<br />
3/4C water<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
It's adapted from <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/milk-free-egg-free-pancakes-92647#ixzz1FYknAi5Y" target="_blank">this recipe</a>. I tried a similar recipe to one from <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Gluten-Free-Baking-Classics-Annalise-Roberts/dp/1572840994" target="_blank">Annalise Roberts's cookbook</a> but TM and Q said it was bitter. Probably because I didn't do what <a href="http://graduategrumblings.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">one of my friends did</a>...I didn't add lemon.<br />
<br />
I think I'll try adding lemon to it next time anyway, even with yeast.<br />
<br />
I've tried cutting out eggs and it doesn't really work if using GF flour, not for me. I'll try it with yeast sometime...see if I can cut out eggs if I use yeast....<br />
<br />
WAFFLES<br />
Yes indeed! I love waffles. But TM doesn't. At least, not 'till now! I used <a href="http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/breakfast/r/GFBeliganWaffle.htm" target="_blank">a yeast recipe</a> and substituted canola oil for butter, and simply left out the 1/4 tsp baking soda. She's actually asked for these waffles! Oh, hooray! I made them with whipped coconut cream on top of semi-frozen berries, and yum yum yum it was scrumptious. I'll put pictures in the next time I make them :D.<br />
<br />
Next Monday (pasta night), <a href="http://graduategrumblings.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">I'm going to make my own pasta!</a> How exciting! Thanks, Brian!</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-43014105217213132572013-06-26T12:18:00.001-07:002013-06-26T12:23:29.234-07:00Fryums<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've made these before to great success, but today I made rice fryums with once-ground rice flour and a mix of canola/coconut oil. Usually I double-grind my rice flour. I also added coconut oil to the frying oil (usually canola), thinking that it would raise the smoke point for the frying oil -- my canola oil starts to smoke when I'm frying these guys.<br />
<br />
The fryums were hard, not delicately crunchy like usual, and they didn't expand as much. Was it the oil or the flour???? I dumped out the oil and fried another batch in straight canola, like usual. And they turned out fine. PHEW! 'Cause I'd made a double-batch.<br />
<br />
I'm using this recipe: http://www.4thsensecooking.com/2012/09/rice-flour-fryums-vadaam-odiyalu.html<br />
But mine don't come out as nicely as hers. Maybe I need to add more water... Still, my kids like them, which is great!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZGPQArD8YYfuijSIlySX_Gr0e_BP6RGfBp9_sqnCl9rrRiGZSEGUnWtza-yWE3SqQCBhTHhaRUJwyPzDuFbGSMhAOtUziFD5hn40zL4Dqsi9es9N_moyA8WSwkLyyEuARlnhyphenhyphen8fYPNGl/s1600/rice+batter+for+fryums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZGPQArD8YYfuijSIlySX_Gr0e_BP6RGfBp9_sqnCl9rrRiGZSEGUnWtza-yWE3SqQCBhTHhaRUJwyPzDuFbGSMhAOtUziFD5hn40zL4Dqsi9es9N_moyA8WSwkLyyEuARlnhyphenhyphen8fYPNGl/s320/rice+batter+for+fryums.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the batter</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCMOb5bwZJ6I3BH5RcuKtixEJGIL8ILsR7r162rQdEstVKxMe3fcLkqemg9xCDH9HBhf7ooX2YtEOd6DV737faB7LmlMzPxk4PA8zEoxjfQ3yfYnks0Et1SshBKgAjuUEVEG1I3ETsBGj/s1600/drying+fryums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCMOb5bwZJ6I3BH5RcuKtixEJGIL8ILsR7r162rQdEstVKxMe3fcLkqemg9xCDH9HBhf7ooX2YtEOd6DV737faB7LmlMzPxk4PA8zEoxjfQ3yfYnks0Et1SshBKgAjuUEVEG1I3ETsBGj/s320/drying+fryums.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here they are on a drying rack for<br />
my dehydrator</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFRN9nOJSrwo7U5qhvrzcyasBT_S1BpUS0X63uYX1MUmV2TVzIG9ezLOIvkW7ayiHpmn21bfzdYGc9O9asPQdm5ItgbhC4MPSUVHDntbgO-S2J2eAhIDZuSKRBeN9mX2SPr6o9rhs4Kpq/s1600/dried+fryums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIFRN9nOJSrwo7U5qhvrzcyasBT_S1BpUS0X63uYX1MUmV2TVzIG9ezLOIvkW7ayiHpmn21bfzdYGc9O9asPQdm5ItgbhC4MPSUVHDntbgO-S2J2eAhIDZuSKRBeN9mX2SPr6o9rhs4Kpq/s320/dried+fryums.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here they are dried and ready to fry</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg366cxD-Yx2ziFJ2DdyxSbepLbBB9A7YOkBVgIrxl1BOghvJK6ShYd64epRi9exZRHvBIiaDSvLfaVUHdHwOdAF1SwmJvug-wkXe5sQnTqKUWJZkDsE7Ir1ss37Gt619LDK627Ugpaj93p/s1600/fried+fryums.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg366cxD-Yx2ziFJ2DdyxSbepLbBB9A7YOkBVgIrxl1BOghvJK6ShYd64epRi9exZRHvBIiaDSvLfaVUHdHwOdAF1SwmJvug-wkXe5sQnTqKUWJZkDsE7Ir1ss37Gt619LDK627Ugpaj93p/s320/fried+fryums.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And here they are fried. Yay!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-49558658629492157352013-06-21T07:42:00.001-07:002013-06-21T07:42:09.696-07:00Oopsies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Oopsies!<br />
<br />
I tried making these http://yourlighterside.com/2009/05/gluten-free-low-carb-buns-aka-oopsie-rolls/<br />
<br />
But with tahini instead of cream cheese to make them gluten free. I think they turned out okay. I don't know if TM will like them or not. Will they last in her lunch as a sandwich or will they turn mushy? They're airy like meringues and I doubt their stability.....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjCTPVkCmdbSlT3Hnvo6dU1ybPwZgncRe3fHuMg3pXCTkL6Kmd3Q31B6nMH9kcOlj8SZLaJwX1hn8kpz7gLTz07WKejaw__C2CSLRjrg2vEqpVTLEXKJ7DJZMMwWELYcWOj_KtTSc92bE/s1600/oopsies2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjCTPVkCmdbSlT3Hnvo6dU1ybPwZgncRe3fHuMg3pXCTkL6Kmd3Q31B6nMH9kcOlj8SZLaJwX1hn8kpz7gLTz07WKejaw__C2CSLRjrg2vEqpVTLEXKJ7DJZMMwWELYcWOj_KtTSc92bE/s320/oopsies2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
The verdict is out -- TM doesn't like them. Neither does Q. So yet another fast and easy recipe is gonzo for me.</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-20546818717586246682013-06-14T04:57:00.000-07:002016-04-05T07:47:11.564-07:00Do you ever use your education?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
2016 update (because this is one of my most popular posts): I just found out about <a href="http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/05/07/opting-out-about-10-of-highly-educated-moms-are-staying-at-home/" target="_blank">opt-out moms</a>! Highly educated women who decide to stay home for awhile with their kids. I think I fit the profile pretty well. And after reading <a href="http://time.com/92463/stay-at-home-moms-not-who-you-think-they-are/" target="_blank">an article in the New York Times</a> that says I'm in about 1% of moms who are highly educated and well-off financially who decide to stay at home, I understand better why people would wonder what in the world I'm doing. There aren't many of us. And most of us plan on going back to work, and most of us do. I've started working very part-time myself. At the same time, I'm SO happy that I can deal with my kids' sicknesses, teacher development days, and extracurricular activities without missing grant deadlines or going insane from lack of sleep.<br />
<br />
2015 update: It's two years later and I have a couple updates for this -- I've given several Botany presentations to my girls' classes at school, and I'm really excited about joining Girl Guides next year as a leader. I plan on doing at least a few science projects with them! I also wrote a blog about development in our area from an ecological point of view. I'm a member of our neighborhood stewardship organization that helps guide city planning (though I don't go to meetings). And finally, I really enjoy answering people's questions -- usually parents at my kids' school, and usually about GMOs. It's great fun!<br />
<br />
Here's the original post, and it's one of my most popular posts.<br />
<br />
----------<br />
I got asked something like this a few months ago, “If you’re just a stay-at home mom, do you ever use your education?” It made me want to write down some of the ways in which I do indeed use my extensive education, even though I'm "just" a stay-at-home mom. Avoiding the several snarky comebacks that come to mind...<br />
<div>
<div style="min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
Here’s a list of some of the ways I use my PhD in Evolutionary Biology and Plant Genetics:<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Personal enjoyment</b>. I get an immense feeling of accomplishment knowing I finished what I started. I dreamed of being a scientist from the time I was in elementary school. Some people spend thousands of dollars on cars, houses, and vacations. I spent my money on education, and I love it.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Answering questions</b>. I am a font of instant information for anyone wanting to know more about evolution, plant breeding, and population genetics. I’m ready and waiting to explain anything anyone asks me. What a benefit to society, to have highly trained people living next door to you (or on social media or whatever) ready to explain controversial topics like GMOs, ancient human migration patterns, evolution, and so on. I'll also ramble on about things like ecology, native plants, green roofs, population genetics, molecular markers, and so on, if I think I have an interested audience.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Continuing contributions to academic publications</b>. My progress may be slow compared to full-time researchers, but I take my responsibilities as a scientist seriously. I feel it is my duty to make the data I've collected public, and I will keep publishing until I run out of datasets. After that, I’ll beg datasets from people who don’t have time to write them up.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Job security. </b>When I re-enter the workforce, I’ll probably be able to find a job I like.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Editor. </b>I’m a valuable, convenient resource for my family, especially my husband, if they need proof-reading or editing of important emails, resumes, cover letters, etc.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Researcher. </b>I've plowed through thousands of scientific articles, so I am very familiar with scientific jargon. I can (and have) found answers to many kinds of science questions quickly and accurately. This is especially helpful when looking for medical answers, such as which drugs or herbs have bad side effects or interactions. I can also tease out what is not written or claimed by a particular paper, since that is often just as important as what is written down.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Critical analysis</b>. Because my scientific writings and analyses have been critiqued hundreds of times, and because I’ve had to critique other works just as often, I’m very good at identifying drawbacks or caveats in arguments. I've been using this lately to identify potential contamination sources in processed foods, oddly enough. Critical analysis doesn’t often appeal to my children when I’m intent on proving the importance of what I need them to do. I find my 7 year old daughter learns well from example – she’s getting quite good at finding logical fallacies, to my occasional dismay.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>I’m constantly surprised by how little we know.</b> That same 7 year old asks questions incessantly, and I’m shocked to find that even with all my education, there is always (yes, always!) at least some part of the answer that I don’t know. If she asks a simple question, like, “Can I get a blue rose?” there are many different reasons she [probably] can’t, and sometimes they’re complicated, and then I start remembering something I read about bird feathers reflecting light and how there are few true blue pigments in nature and on and on and on and on…<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Learning to learn.</b> This is one of the most valuable things I gained from my education – the absolute knowledge that I can learn anything so long as I’m willing to put in the time. My current goals are to learn music theory, jazz piano, Tamil, Hindi, Arabic, and computer programming.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Learning how to cook for people with allergies</b>. My older daughter can’t eat dairy or gluten products. My long hours and many mistakes in the laboratory have taught me not to be afraid of failure. When something doesn’t work, I change it and try again. Ad nauseam.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><b>Converting units. </b>All my experience in the lab means I'm really good at converting units. With a conversion factor and a pencil and paper I can convert anything into anything else (units, not animals). At home it's liters to gallons and ml to tsp and things like that.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Anything is possible. </b>When my daughter asks if she can go to the moon or be an entomologist or a pop star, I can honestly tell her that it’s certainly possible. It just depends on how hard (and smart) you’re willing to work. I’ve done something that I thought was almost impossible, so I have no fear in telling her that the only limits are [usually?] the ones she creates.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Educational counseling.</b> I’ve had friends talk to me about wanting to go back to school. My long experiences in academia enable me to give them a clear picture of the sacrifices required, as well as the potential benefits (or drawbacks) to various fields of study.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Computer savvy.</b> Long hours learning new programs and troubleshooting PC and Mac computers means I'm pretty good at fixing computers. No, I can't program much yet, but I can replace my iMac hard drive, which is pretty cool.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>•<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Questions questions questions.</b> My mind is constantly occupied. I’m rarely actually bored. My PhD advisor let me choose any question to answer provided I could come up with a research project to do it. I wrote a proposal and received a large grant to complete the research. That honed my natural curiosity more than anything else in my life. I’m always asking questions. It’s very entertaining.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 36px; min-height: 14px;">
<b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: 36px; min-height: 14px;">
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-68625249387148316082013-06-12T09:24:00.000-07:002013-07-13T08:22:22.439-07:00Cooking is a lot like labwork (almond cookies, chocolate pudding, mini hash browns)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You labfolk will agree that cooking can be just like labwork, except the laboratory notebook is not critical in the kitchen. As I find more time to play with food, I'm realizing that I need to include negative controls for my nut yogurt experiments. I had the great idea this morning of starting to approach my cooking experiments more like lab experiments, and I'm really excited! It probably won't materialize for a little while, but it's a good thought.<br />
<br />
I just ordered a <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1570672830/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">vegan yogurt cookbook</a> and a new <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1570672628/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">gluten-free baking book</a>, so those will be on my experiment list once they get here. I have to find a sandwich bread Maya likes, and how to make nondairy cheese.<br />
<br />
Since I plan on posting many failures, today I wanted to share some recent successes:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://minimalistbaker.com/almond-meal-cookies-with-chocolate-chips-and-coconut/" target="_blank">Almond meal and coconut cookies</a>! BOTH TM and Q like these! Miraculous.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRihRiZuQ0HOTZZ6R2eMlUYYXi5_-KdL0wAGjn6LsuIKy9o2gNnHRbDD_iYJkOkjgqgOuF58nM6ZRQEqNciAaoACx3QbIofB2eBXqeAHNjBQhj-oQnedmi7g3gwTffgmcQUEMJCcKXd_Xv/s1600/SAM_1521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRihRiZuQ0HOTZZ6R2eMlUYYXi5_-KdL0wAGjn6LsuIKy9o2gNnHRbDD_iYJkOkjgqgOuF58nM6ZRQEqNciAaoACx3QbIofB2eBXqeAHNjBQhj-oQnedmi7g3gwTffgmcQUEMJCcKXd_Xv/s320/SAM_1521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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July 13, 2013 update: I've tried these so many various ways now. Originally, I used almond meal left over from making almond milk. That's labor intensive, and no-one likes the almond milk I make. So I tried just soaking the almonds and grinding them and using that. It had too much of a (unnoticable to me) bitter taste and no-one ate them. So it's back to extracting the water from soaked almonds. I'm guessing that some bitter compounds end up in the aqueous extract...</div>
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<a href="http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/custardspuddings/r/chocpudding.htm" target="_blank">Chocolate pudding </a>(dairy and egg free) using my homemade almond milk left over from making almond meal for the cookies. I didn't cook it long enough and it's too rich for TM. I've eaten half the batch already. Yikes. Pretty creamy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavo7RGfxaiesGrSWwgxsb1cWqNKeZyWb21mDhacLBSwafd8huv5XZ8elis2pdt1_pi0VW5uR1HzI4cas81omSHbFebdSh_jvKlrVFmAHc-5CmiRvsXp5m7fWfzYykpYle9HXWdEAnovzS/s1600/SAM_1523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavo7RGfxaiesGrSWwgxsb1cWqNKeZyWb21mDhacLBSwafd8huv5XZ8elis2pdt1_pi0VW5uR1HzI4cas81omSHbFebdSh_jvKlrVFmAHc-5CmiRvsXp5m7fWfzYykpYle9HXWdEAnovzS/s320/SAM_1523.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
AND...little mini-hash browns. I've only recently discovered hash browns, believe it or not. I baked the potatoes a few days ago, then shredded them this morning, added salt and pepper, and fried them! I know, I know, everyone but me knows how to make them. I'm just happy that both TM and CH like them! Yay!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS0Ad-dIuGbY2azWBTY4r-6Fbtk2wq6fJlcewHoOHdQRgfXyJs0Rm-11VFwE1d39v5uBAx6ITkZLeFgHqNmLjKVh-IeNQpvZRNZ8tOAgZrzQdtfgOlyOCPTwqPrzyeXf-W-TwIA0rFmUV/s1600/SAM_1519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrS0Ad-dIuGbY2azWBTY4r-6Fbtk2wq6fJlcewHoOHdQRgfXyJs0Rm-11VFwE1d39v5uBAx6ITkZLeFgHqNmLjKVh-IeNQpvZRNZ8tOAgZrzQdtfgOlyOCPTwqPrzyeXf-W-TwIA0rFmUV/s320/SAM_1519.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-38341780502192591882013-06-10T06:31:00.000-07:002013-06-10T06:33:52.654-07:00Mom's thoughts on music<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My mom wrote up what I think is a really cool look at Christian scriptures and the importance of singing. I asked if I could post it and she said I could! If you're interested in hearing actual starsongs, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7687286.stm" target="_blank">click on the link at the end of the post</a>.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I thought
today was going to be Father’s Day so I was thinking about my father this
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was a professional singer with
a beautiful baritone voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That led me
to researching about singing in the scriptures, and I discovered some interesting
things.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">After God
parted the Red Sea, and after Pharoah’s army drowned when the sea went back ,
and the Israelites were safe on the other side, their leader, Moses, sang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the first things he did was sing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The song he sang is written down in Exodus
15.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath
triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord is my strength and song, and he is
become my salvation, etc.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Forty years
later, after going through the wilderness camping and complaining, the
Israelites had reached the Promised Land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Moses was pretty old by now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God
called him into the tabernacle to talk to him about the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told him that the Israelites, once they
got around the unbelievers, would fall away and begin to worship idols and
forget all the lessons they had been taught in the wilderness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said it was inevitable, but he (and this
is Jehovah we are speaking of) gave Moses another song.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is in Deuteronomy 32, the whole
chapter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Verse 10 of
the song talks about the last 40 years –</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He found him (meaning the Israelites) in a
desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he
instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Did you ever
wonder where that expression came from?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s something like 4000 years old or more, and it came from God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jehovah told
Moses to teach the song to all the people and he told him why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Moses did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And he repeated what Jehovah had told him was going to happen. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I know that
after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves and turn aside from the way
which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So God has commanded that you memorize this
song and teach it to your children <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>so
that even when you all became wicked and sinful, this song will remain in their
hearts to remind them of God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And so Moses
taught them, it’s a long song, but back then the people were an oral culture so
memorizing wasn’t as hard for them as it is for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Moses
sang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He set the tone way back then for
the importance music has in the Jewish and Christian faiths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">We are people who sing in praise, in joy, in
sorrow.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That same Jehovah,
obeying God the Father, created the earth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember that because I’m coming back to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, though, there’s a conversation between
Jehovah and a good man named Job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Job had gone
through some tremendously troubled times that would daunt any of us, and his
friends were sitting around lecturing him about how he wasn’t faithful enough
and, well, he didn’t know God well enough, etc. etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally God, Jehovah, got fed up and in
chapter 38 had his say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is only 4
chapters from the end, so it’s God having the final word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Basically,
he tells these men, “Who are you, speaking all these words and knowing nothing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where were you when I laid the earth’s
cornerstone . . .<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>while the morning
stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, Job
and his friends were probably there, as were we all, but maybe he wasn’t paying
attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God goes on
with a pretty funny put down of them all, using a good amount of sarcasm that’s
well worth reading (chapter 38), but the relevant thing for us right now is
that the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">These days,
most Americans, even us out here, don’t see the stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Street lights and city lights wipe the
heavens clean or else we’re inside our houses at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But back then, in Job’s time, the stars on a
night with a new moon would come right down to the horizon, 360 degrees of a
sea of starlight!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Could those
stars really sing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hold onto that
question. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jesus,
this same Jehovah who told Moses to sing, was born, a heavenly choir sang for
him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even before then, Jesus’s mother sang
to him while he was still in her womb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s something we women do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
not just people -- <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A friend of
mine, Susie, lives in a gentler climate and has two finch couples nesting
outside her back door in separate trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At least one of the couples has nested there before, so they are used to
her spying on them as long as she doesn’t get too nosy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, this year Susie heard the mama bird
murmuring soft little lullabies to her four tiny eggs (which have now
hatched).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mother and sometimes the
father birds sit on the eggs singing quietly, and when the eggs hatch, the
babies know their voices from all the hundreds of other finches around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It reminds
me of the verse where Jesus says, “My sheep know my voice.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">So Jesus was
born into a Jewish family that sang the songs of Moses and David and other
Psalmists because that’s what Jewish families do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he grew and learned, the songs grew in
meaning for him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They might even have
seemed familiar to him since, as Jehovah, he was the one who either wrote them
or inspired others to write them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Some thirty
years after his birth, when Jesus knew the end was near, he gathered his
disciples to Jerusalem to have one last meal with them and teach them for the
last time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was Passover, a
ritualistic meal going back to Moses’s time when the destroying angel passed
over the houses of the Israelites before they left Egypt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was and is celebrated by practically
everyone in Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">During and
after this meal, there are specific Psalms to be sung, called the hallel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s Psalms 113-118, with the most important
one being 116 which is generally sung by the leader of the feast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this Passover meal, that leader was Christ
himself, the same one who had inspired the writer of the Psalms to put these
exact words down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Picture the
scene.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His closest and dearest friends
are gathered around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have eaten
their meal, heard some amazing teaching about the gospel and about his coming
death, and understood little. Everything he has done throughout his life has
been for the glory of God, not himself, and he knows what will happen later
that night, so he sings this psalm 116–<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I love the
Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because he
hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I
live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then called I
upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gracious is
the Lord, and righteous; yeah, our God is merciful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Lord
preserveth the simple; I was brought low, and he helped me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Return unto
thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For thou
hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from
falling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will walk
before the Lord in the land of the living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What shall I
render until the Lord for all his benefits toward me?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will take
the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will pay
my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Precious in
the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">O Lord,
truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid; thou
hast loosed my bonds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will offer
to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I will pay
my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the
courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Praise ye the Lord.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">-----------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then he
and the twelve friends walked through the dark night, lighted by stars, to the
Garden of Gethsemane.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Do you think
Jesus had a fabulous voice like Pavarotti?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is written that he was an ordinary looking man, so maybe he had an
ordinary voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he sang with unequaled
understanding and feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Remember how
the book of Genesis recounts the Creation story?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time something had to be done, Jehovah
says “Let there be . . .”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would
take an extraordinary voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A voice is
sound, and sound is a wave pattern.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deep
sounds have a longer distance between the hills and valleys, while high sounds
have short distances. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Light is
also a wave, but it’s in a spectrum we see in colors rather than hear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because our ears are tuned to the light,
doesn’t mean there isn’t sound. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe
one morning star wouldn’t have been more than a little “tweet” in the heavens,
but all the stars singing together, wow, that would have been something to
hear!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This wave
thing fills the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything in
the universe, planets, bugs, us, moves and creates waves, big and tiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We, as people, are privileged to be finding
out more and more about this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 500 BC,
the Greeks, well two of them anyway, theorized that all matter was made up of
tiny particles they called atoms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
was good, but it took 2300 years before scientists began to figure out the
structure and uses of atoms, and they are still finding out more and more as
the poor little atoms are smashed around in huge cyclotrons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">OK,
everything moves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sound is a wave. and
each tone has a different wavelength, with lower sounds having a longer
distance between peaks and valleys than higher tones. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Light is also a wave (and a particle but don’t
ask).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Colors are waves of light
reflected in various spectrums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cooler colors
(the blues and greens) have a shorter wavelength than warm colors (reds and
yellows).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Earlier I
asked if you thought stars could really sing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They emit light in different colors, and light is a wave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You find out the wavelength and assign a
pitch to it and voila, you have a sound, even music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How about
plants and rocks and mountains and all those inanimate things around us?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scientists are finding out that plants send
out teensy little vibrations to each other in a language we don’t know but
which means something to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I quote,
“Our results show that plants are able to positively influence the growth of
seeds by some as yet unknown mechanism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The research adds to growing evidence that plants “talk” via
sound.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Vibrations
can be sounds if your ear is attuned to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We don’t know how a plant hears, but they do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t know how stars hear, but they
do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Doctrine and
Covenants 128:23 is one of my favorites – “Let the mountains shout for joy, and
all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of
your Eternal King!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And ye rivers, and
brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye
solid rocks weep for joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And let the
sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God
shout for Joy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And let the eternal
creations declare his name forever and ever;”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we sing
together, we all have different voices, some really good like Bro Rochelle and
Sis Worland, others not quite so good, but put us all together and we sound
wonderful!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like that choir in verse 23
that I just read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mountains sound
different from valleys; seas from dry lands; rivers are different from brooks,
and under it all the wonderful solid rocks <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-- that we think are so solid but are made up
of moving atoms -- weep for joy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Music is
more than sound, it is light and is in everything that God created.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jehovah told
Moses to sing, </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">and he sang.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">When Jehovah
came to earth in human form, he sang, and he knew absolutely, that all Creation
was singing.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Everything we see is
somehow singing even when we can’t hear it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">--------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Addendum:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later, I was amazed to find this study of the
actual music of the stars --<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7687286.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7687286.stm</a><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-51573682058043753302013-06-09T07:41:00.000-07:002013-06-21T07:41:10.643-07:00Substitutiary Locomotion (cooking experiments)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today my experiments are: How To Make Gluten/Dairy-Free Muffins Moist<br />
And: Another Almond Cheese Failure<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Muffins</span>:<br />
TM has very sensitive taste. She doesn't like quick breads. I think it might be the baking powder. The one I use doesn't have aluminum in it, but it still might be off for her. The last time I made muffins she actually ate them! I mean, like, ate 6-7 of them! Absolutely astounding. I'd substituted soda for powder and balanced the pH using lemon juice to taste. But they were very dry.<br />
<br />
I read some suggestions <a href="http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreebreads/ht/tipsformakingbetterglutenfreebread.htm" target="_blank">here</a> about how to make them moist. So today I:<br />
Substituted homemade mayo for canola oil<br />
Substituted soda water for almond milk<br />
Added 1tsp pectin<br />
Used baking soda instead of powder; lemon juice for pH<br />
<br />
The flour mix I used is 50% washed double-milled basmati flour, 25% millet flour, 25% tapioca starch. I decided not to use more starch this time, though that might make them moist too. I wanted to try these first. But I didn't add 1T coconut flour like I did last time. Oops. And I couldn't find my chocolate chips! Sigh.<br />
<br />
Then I ran out of muffin cups, and I have no baking spray, so I used the last of my parchment paper to make <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/quick-tip-use-parchment-paper-95309" target="_blank">liners</a>. They're in the oven! Here's hoping! .................Nope, they're still dry.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H6suQsOCYV-4Y87XnLKDK4TqUxEWEIaiB_JefUjWeV9pI5hyphenhyphen53JENl-7q5tr53GxG7MXy8QuYenrbO2VX30xenryALj9z3QldnifmMUFCYiVNQPRczBPbxhZJPKESeivGkUxNm3ctChQ/s1600/SAM_1512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H6suQsOCYV-4Y87XnLKDK4TqUxEWEIaiB_JefUjWeV9pI5hyphenhyphen53JENl-7q5tr53GxG7MXy8QuYenrbO2VX30xenryALj9z3QldnifmMUFCYiVNQPRczBPbxhZJPKESeivGkUxNm3ctChQ/s320/SAM_1512.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
GRADE: C-<br />
<br />
UPDATE June 15 2013<br />
I think I got it! I used flour with 50% starch (mix of corn and tapioca), used 1/2C mayo and 1/4C oil instead of the listed oil amount, 1T coconut flour, 1tsp baking soda, and 1/4C lemon juice, no baking powder. Yum! Still a tad dry so I'll give it a B+. TM liked it! :)<br />
GRADE: B+<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJc34XBKWzj1am41f30M5qDLeueL9soc8FM3jwWFdtAu_i70cTinFAiae3Mh5tzJpRaCervC8kQltZnum742vT3qoOWlTdpXI-HKvJO85fZcsp0qkbsX7OSqF7salqqUUu_BhqZFcgbRr/s1600/muffin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOJc34XBKWzj1am41f30M5qDLeueL9soc8FM3jwWFdtAu_i70cTinFAiae3Mh5tzJpRaCervC8kQltZnum742vT3qoOWlTdpXI-HKvJO85fZcsp0qkbsX7OSqF7salqqUUu_BhqZFcgbRr/s320/muffin.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Almond cheese</span>:<br />
Last time, I tried making almond milk, then heating it and coagulating it with lemon juice. I added tons and it didn't separate, so I added vinegar. Then I chilled it a couple days, then drained it. Turned out great! Except that it tastes like vinegar. Sigh.<br />
<br />
Yesterday I made almond milk and just left it under a heating pad. It separated but I just got a tiny bit of goo out of it.<br />
<br />
GRADE: F<br />
UPDATE: I used lemon juice instead of vinegar. It's a little mealy but other than that, it's passable. I'll use it in lasagne.<br />
GRADE: B</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-33648618959393037562013-06-07T12:47:00.001-07:002013-06-07T12:49:22.523-07:00One Year Later: Transition from Postdoc to Full-time Mom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tuesday, June 4, 2013<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s been almost exactly a year since I last wrote!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much has changed since then. I might just
use this post to describe my change from Postdoc Mom to simply Working Mom.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When CH was immobile, I could bring her with me to work. But
as she started standing up, it became impossible. I remember the day I was
labeling plants in the growth chamber. I turned away from her for half a second
and when I turned back, her hand was in one of the pots. My mind leaped to our
probable future: CH happily picking yellow flowers and playing in the dirt. She
was happy but my experiment was not.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To rescue my study, I tried out a couple daycares, and both
were horrible. I decided that I didn’t want to trust a stranger with my
daughter unless someone I knew could be there too. That wasn’t going to happen.
At last I asked one of my best friends to babysit on a regular basis, and she
agreed, thank goodness. Now CH could play in the dirt while I worked without
destroying my small corner of science. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life was fine until other family demands became unavoidable.
TM started getting bullied at school, and she was terrified of her teacher.
That’s a story for another post. Her weight also plummeted, in an unrelated
issue – the doctors diagnosed her with celiac. At the same time, Q was
travelling quite a bit. I started having trouble keeping up my practical child
psychology studies, gluten-free and dairy-free cooking experiments, and all my
regular house/family duties. I finally dropped my work hours to one day a week,
handing my work responsibilities off to various marvelous colleagues at work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Doom and gloom started following me around. I escaped by
flying down to CA to see my folks with the kids and the cat while Q went on an
extended trip for work. We had a great time with my family! Sunshine and
happiness were my constant companions. We came back with smiles and skipping
feet, until we skipped right into two inches of water on the floor of our
basement apartment. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Q quickly found a townhouse in a suburb with more space and
more sun. We packed up our things as fast as possible, dried what was wet,
threw out what was ruined, and left our former lives behind. It was a great way
to purge our stuff. Power purging! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a huge struggle for me to realize that I couldn’t
both work and be a mom. Some people can – I couldn’t. Over the last year, I
realized that I’ve always put a high value on being successful in the
workforce. I didn’t appreciate the work I did at home, and I always imagined Q
not appreciating it, either. It took me months to come to grips with the idea
that the work I did at home was valuable. I had to completely change my
expectations for myself, expectations that I’d built up since first grade. Luckily
I had very supportive friends and family, and my advisor at the university was
also extremely supportive, as I gradually understood what I really wanted to
focus on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Now that I’ve updated my blog with my current path in life, hopefully
I can use the next to tell you what we’ve been up to lately.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-90440938136525844072012-06-10T22:04:00.001-07:002012-06-10T22:04:55.531-07:00June 2012 -- older kids, pawpaws, and monkeyflowers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Blog update
Sunday, June 10, 2012<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s
amazing! Tonight CH was asleep by 7:45pm, TM was asleep before then (or
pretending well enough that it was true soon after), and now it’s just me and
the cat on the sofa! Q is travelling again, but he’s away for just a short trip
this time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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CH is almost
14mo old now! In the last two weeks she’s really grown up. It’s quite obvious now
that she’s definitely a toddler, not just a 1-yr old. Seeing her grow up is exciting
and sad at the same time. TM is looking forward to being in 1<sup>st</sup>
grade next year, which is good. We’re working on her math, but I keep
forgetting to keep quizzing her, and without constant practice, she slides
backwards rather quickly. Her reading is much better, which is fun. Q keeps
threatening to go to business school, which is something he’s always wanted to
do. I’ll be interested (very) to see what he finally decides…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Work is
going well – or at least it’s fun, which is close enough to “going well”. There
are so many things I wish we could do with my projects that it’s easy to get
sidetracked and disheartened, but I have to remember that “it is what it is”,
and we’ll do what we can with what we have. Thanks for the reminder, Dad <span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span>. Meanwhile, it’s fun! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week
was a pawpaw week – I collected some leaf tissue for DNA extraction and basic
genotyping, looked at some results from my last experiment, and messed around
in the greenhouse some more. I absolutely love going to the greenhouse! Pawpaw
plants are wonderful. The leaves are big (huge!), they have a delicate green
smell, and the new shoot tips droop strongly downward, then straighten out as
they get older. It’s such an interesting plant! They’re in the Annonaceae,
family, along with the custard apple, which was one of my favorite fruits in
India. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Asimina triloba</i> is the
northernmost genus of the family (I think I’m safe saying that), which explains
its oddly tropical appearance. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week I
also went to the large commercial nursery with whom we are collaborating on the
pawpaw grant. What an amazing setup they have! They can propagate hundreds of
thousands of plants in a week or two. It’s absolutely astounding. And of course
the smell is wonderful – green growing things abound. They also use mostly
biological controls to keep infestations at bay. I hope I get to learn more
about that as time goes by, because it’s fascinating to hear about pathogenic
insects and their predators. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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My favorite
part of the trip was an infrared temperature gun – you point it at something,
squeeze the trigger, and it tells you the temperature of whatever you’re
pointing it at! My hand was 31C, the pots and the floor were at 25C, my purse
was a little lower… oh so much fun! I want one.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week
was pawpaw week, this coming week is Mimulus week. I’ll be collecting tissue for
RNA extraction! I hope I get it done well and quickly. There are over 200
plants, and I won’t be collecting from all of them, but from as many as I can
(the plants with fully expanded but not dying leaves). Once we get all the RNA
extracted, we’ll ship samples off to be sequenced! I’m excited and a bit
nervous about that – data from sequencing this sort of thing can be around a terabyte.
How in the world does one deal with that much data? I’ll find out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m so lucky
to be working on these projects. They’re fun and interesting and take up
whatever extra energy I have left over from mom-life. Speaking of mom-life, why
in the world is it okay to pay someone ELSE to take care of your kids, but if
you take care of your own kids, you’re unemployed (with all the associated
stigma)? How is that logical? Huh? Not that I want to leave my job, no, I’ve
just been pondering the logistics of raising kids.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-85182638509389200392012-04-07T07:59:00.000-07:002012-04-07T07:59:45.914-07:00Pawpaw, Mimulus, cats and kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's been forever, so I'll send out a small update. Someday I should start putting photos here, but that would mean actually taking photos and posting them. For some reason, since soon after our new baby (CH) started walking at 10mo, my free time has substantially dwindled. One of my good friends happens to have enough time to come watch her for a few hours a day, thank goodness, giving me time to get some work done.<br />
<br />
Work is great! Well, other than the fact that I had to replant my Mimulus guttatus project because the growth chamber settings were off. That was a bad day. But now they're off to the races again and this time I have high hopes that we'll get nice big healthy leaves for some RNA-sequencing.<br />
<br />
And the pawpaw project is moving along -- they've ordered some plants, and I've written protocols for inducing polyploidy in shoots and seedlings. Now all we have to do is give it a try! I'm excited to see what happens.<br />
<br />
TM just woke up -- it's nice having a 6-yr old around to help with CH. And by the way she finally learned to ride her bike! Thank you, Pedalheads. It's marvelous.<br />
<br />
I've been making fondant roses, a few at a time, for an Easter cake. They're easy and SO beautiful! It's nice to be able to make something pretty that doesn't take very long. Of course, when I say it doesn't take very long, that doesn't mean I have time to make 2 dozen cookies with roses on them...no, this is just for Easter.<br />
<br />
And Yay Easter! I just love Easter.<br />
<br />
And now the craziness starts again -- kids, kids, cleaning, kids, trying to fit in work time... yup. But I love my life. </div>Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-49694930363314185832011-12-06T14:10:00.000-08:002011-12-06T14:10:00.204-08:00immigration<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Just a heads-up -- we're almost done with all our paperwork to become permanent residents in Canada! For our application, I mean. It's been a little hairy, but luckily Q's job pays for it. We had to get police clearance certificates from India (and Spain for me), and do blood tests and chest x-rays and extensive background checks. Here's hoping it all works out!</div>Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7084860140802606694.post-38475897433841840562011-12-01T16:40:00.000-08:002011-12-14T05:15:34.699-08:00Post-doc land with kids<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">It's been MONTHS since I posted. Yeesh. Lazy slob. No, actually, I've been busy!<br />
<br />
I got lucky, and one of my PhD advisor's friends had a little funding for a half-time postdoc! And the project is awesome. Did I already talk about this? Oh well, I'll say it again. I might get to work on breeding <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimina_triloba" target="_blank">pawpaws</a>, which are native to North America! That would be <i>too</i> fun, breeding a native edible plant! But the funding hasn't come through yet -- maybe next year.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, to keep me busy, they've had me become a pseudo-expert on potato genomics. I say pseudo-expert because it's somewhat ludicrous to think that one can become an expert in potato genomics in 4-6 months. But hey! I'm giving it a shot, and I've been working with a couple other people at UBC to come up with a decent review of marker-assisted selection in potatoes. It's been lots of fun!<br />
<br />
AND yes, there's more! My current experimental project is designed to give me 200 F2 progeny of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimulus_guttatus" target="_blank">monkeyflowers</a>. Then we're going extract RNA and sequence the entire transcriptome of the progeny! Can you imagine the astounding amounts of data that's going to be???????? (?!?!?!?). I'm really excited, though it sounds like quite a feat to get it all analyzed...<br />
<br />
All this on part-time. "And what in the world do you do with the rest of the time?" you ask? Oh my, I don't have an acronym for my 2nd daughter! What to do. Did I already make one up, and I've forgotten? Ah, yes, it's CH. Anyway, I stopped breastfeeding around 3mo. Obviously I didn't manage to correct any "nipple confusion" that resulted from having to supplement in the hospital. Or something. But anyway, it's better than I did with TM! CH is now crawling around like mad. She's adorable. We're sleeping on the floor, so when she wakes up from her nap, she just crawls out the door looking for me. It's absolutely adorable. She's quite the grinning froggy, very happy and adorable.<br />
<br />
TM is enjoying kindergarten, as we knew she would. She's making lots of friends, and mentions about once a week how she doesn't want to move from here. I agree -- anyway, we won't be moving 'till the housing market dies down a bit, or we get desperate and have to move south. TM is also doing well in Aikido, and will start up with swimming and ice skating in January. And she has an art class on Saturdays. Overscheduling? Perhaps. But she's SO social and active that she loves it.<br />
<br />
Q and I are enjoying our expanded family, and Christmas is almost here!<br />
<br />
That's all for now...<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Rhamniteshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08648401637446497580noreply@blogger.com0