here's a couple of pictures of what i sell at where i work...put together during some spare time to make.....MR. BANJO MAN!!!!











he's made out of Banjo camlock fittings, poly pipe fittings, and Kanaflex hose

Sunday's Recipe

Very Berry Bundt Cake

2 cups flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 TBSP baking powder, 1 + cup sugar, 3/4 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup slightly beaten eggs (2 large or 3 medium), 1/4 cup oil, 2 cups (16 oz) frozen mixed berries(i used blueberry/raspberry/blackberry mix)-thawed OR 2 cups fresh mixed berries

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, dump thawed berries and add 2-3 TBSP sugar-set aside. Combine flour, b. pdwr., soda, and salt in 1 bowl. In another bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, buttermilk, eggs and oil-pour into dry mixture and stir just till mixed. Drain & reserve juice from berries, then fold them gently into cake batter. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake 55-60 minutes till toothpick comes out clean. Invert pan over cake plate and cool.

For the glaze, use 1-1/2 TBSP of reserved juice, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional) and combine with 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar... glaze should be a bit runny, not like a frosting. Drizzle over cake.

Early Kansas morning

it was early Friday morning, the big day of INVENTORY at work. i knew it was going to be a long, stressful day. after a kiss & a hug from my wonderful wife, i headed out the door wide open and gearing up...but God had other plans. as i turned east and got to main street, this is what God sent me to calm my day. you'll have to click on it and enlarge it to get the full effect. a thick ground fog covered this little pasture and the sun highlighted it as it started to rise behind the trees. i was so awestruck that i turned around & went home to get my camera. by the time i got back it had lost a little of the effect, but i still snapped off this one. that was just what i needed and all that i needed...the day went smooth. Thanks, God!

HANGIN' WITH SUTTON

everyone stretched out on the couch for a nap...Sutton at 1 end, and Diesel didn't want to be left out so he joined in at a comfy spot, with Grandma "supervising"....
this little guy is all full of smiles, you just need to know how to set him off.......

Boy I hope I get out of this funk! Friday I dropped our crockpot and broke it, Saturday while draining the hottub, I hooked the stand of our chimnea and pulled it over and broke it...its to the point I don't want to touch anything breakable!

SUNDAY'S RECIPE

Pizza

For The Sauce: 8 oz. can tomato sauce, 1 medium onion-fine chopped, 1-2 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1 tsp dry basil (fresh can be used-adjust amount up), 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper. Combine all in saucepan, simmer 20 minutes, then cool.

For the Dough: 1 pkg dry yeast (2-1/4 tsp), 3/4 cup warm water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 TBSP oil, 2 cups flour (we use some whole wheat-some white), 1-2 TBSP cornmeal-optional. Dissolve yeast in water with sugar, then add salt & oil. Mix in almost all the flour and some cornmeal, knead in enough flour to make nice, barley-sticky dough. Place in greased bowl and cover with towel, let rise 20 minutes. Add favorite toppings and bake in 425 degree oven 15-20 minutes

Will make 1 large or 2 medium thin crust or 1 "hand thrown" medium pie. Our favorite toppings are browned & crumbled bratwurst and lots of fresh mushrooms.

RAW PASSION IN OUR BACKYARD!!!

some beauty in amongst my ramblings...the neighbor planted passion flowers this spring (she says it is an annual..I HOPE) and they have promptly grown over the top of her privacy fence, down over our side and into our snowball bush. notice the tendrils on this shot.
they produce absolutely gorgeous flowers that look almost artificial and we have 2 passion fruits hanging on the vines. they look really nice, but i hope they go away this fall...at the rate they are spreading, out whole garden would be covered in a few more weeks. anyone know when to pick passion fruit???

Going to the K-State/Mizzou State game

all ready to head to my alma mater in Manhattan for the football game...cooler of beer & tomato juice, bags of chips, and flying my colors. The tailgating was great (hot) and we won 48-24, but the game sucked! Our defense allowed Mizzou State over 400 yards offense...you don't do that and win ballgames in the Big 12.







can we go along, Dad? Huh, can we? We promise not to bark while
K-State has the ball! we can even nip at the heels of our d-backs so they do a better job of coverage....







at the tailgate in the Agronomy lot just north of Bill Snyder Family stadium with my dad (really inspired, huh!)and mom and my good friend Tom Thull and his wife, daughter, and grandson. Had a great tailgate with awesome jalapeno brats, cold beer, and good fellowship! How do like that "head of hair" i'm sporting?!

THE PLACE WHERE DREAMS COME TRUE - James Horner - Field of Dreams Soundt...

SUNDAY'S RECIPE

Brisket & Rib Rub

3 TBSP white sugar 3 TBSP powdered sugar
3 TBSP table salt 3 TBSP black pepper
2 TBSP paprika 1-1/2 TBSP dry mustard
1 TBSP onion powder 1 TBSP garlic powder
1 TBSP allspice 1/2 TBSP red pepper(cayenne)

Combine all and mix thoroughly, store in airtight container. Sprinkle liberally
onto rack of ribs or brisket, wrap in cling wrap & store in fridge 8 hours or overnite.
Smoke on low heat with fat cap up, touch up any areas that don't have rub on them.

We went to a wedding too (m & s!) over the weekend...an old friend of ours who lost his wife to cancer a couple of years ago found a widow who had the same ordeal, and they got married sunday nite. it was a great time! the suare' was at the hilton suites on the waterfront in east wichita. the ceremony was outside under a tent, then we adjourned inside (out of the wind!) for a champagne toast for the couple. then it was back outside for open bar and hor' doeuerves. after a while they called for us to our assigned table and we had a delicious meal of mixed greens, your choice of salmon and a cream sauce with capers or roast tenderloin of pork with a burgundy mushroom sauce. afterwards, they fired up a chocolate fountain, then it was "sit around under the tent with more open bar & the Boeing Jazz band playing their tunes". we ran into other old friends of ours, Rick & Jo Wooderson, that we were in Lamaze class together with 27 years ago when Michael & their daughter were born. a good time was had by all!

these pictures always print in reverse order, so i'll start my story from the back and go forward. here is Annie...either bored with the plum-picking or waiting patiently to resume the walk, whatever is your perspective.
nanc resting on a bench along the trail with the "fruits" of my labor...a hat full and a tupperware container full of sand plums.
okay, now we're to the beginning. this started out as our Sunday morning worship hike on the trail at East Lake. the day was beautiful but a bit windy. i had in mind that we might find some plum thickets on the hike and sure enough, we rounded a bend and spied a bush full of the tasty fruit. i couldn't pass up the opportunity, so off came my hat and picking commenced. i filled the hat, then decided we should have more, so we went back to the truck and brought back the plastic bowl we brought along for dog water, and i filled that too. now if i can only get mother-in-law norma to make jelly with these....

its been a wonderful labor day weekend so far...friends over friday nite for a fire on the deck, my special five star breakfast sat. morning, building the lean-to on the shed, a K-State win!, and a wonderful meal of chicken grillers & rice sat. nite. a wedding in wichita tonite, baking a pie tommorow morning and the kids and Sutton coming over for lunch will round out the weekend. mix in shrimp cocktail & Rolling Rocks during the game and...It doesn't get any better than this!

*five star breakfast- basted eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast, and coffee

SUNDAY'S RECIPE

Graham Streusel Coffee Cake

2 c. graham cracker crumbs
3/4 c. chopped pecans
3/4 c. brown sugar
1-1/4tsp cinnamon
3/4c. melted butter

Mix ingredients and set aside. In large bowl combine:
1 full size yellow cake mix
1c. water
1/4c. oil
3 eggs

Blend all, then beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Grease 13" x 9" cake pan, pour in 1/2 of batter, sprinkle on 1/2 of crumb mix, repeat. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with 1 cup powdered sugar mixed with 2 TBSP cold water.

Labor Day Weekend Project

Nanc & I make a good team. She comes up with an idea, then I get to draw up plans, figure/buy materials, construct the project, and then "we" have a great project in the end. She decided we needed a place for a sandbox when Sutton and his brother(?) get older, so we moved the kennel off the slab i poured 15 years ago, and construction began Sat. morning on a "lean-to". It got to be hot work, but with some help from my dad and Nanc to hold/level things, I/we got a lot done today. I had a real struggle attaching the header to the building 'cause it had a severe bow in it, but using my superior physics knowledge, I persevered. The rafters weren't too much of a challenge, other than I had to take a break to watch K-State beat UCLA on the football field today. Tommorow or Monday I will put the stringers up and attach some fiberglass corrugated sheets on for the roof. It was a hard day, but a hydrocodone and several beers helped me thru!