Carnival of recipes #81

The Carnival of Danish Recipes is up over at Egoist.

Go on over and check out all the interesting recipes.

Buzz Buzz Buzz

I had a Buzzy bee when I was a child, and my children also had one.. It seemed to be the toy of choice for toddlers back in those days.

Buzzy bee - A popular child's toy. When pulled, the wings turn round and make a loud clicking noise which is probably why kids love them. Created by brothers Hector and John Ramsey, it was made in Auckland until the late 1970's. For generations of New Zealanders the buzzy bee was and is a icon of the New Zealand childhood.When Prince and Princess of Wales toured New Zealand in 1983, six-month-old Prince William was given a Buzzy Bee and he delighted the world's press by playing with the toy during an official photo shoot in the grounds of Government House in Auckland.
thanks to Kiwiana

keewee's Corner Editor

Rocket takes his job very seriously. He is chief bird watcher and my editor.

This is the view which rocket sees out of the den window. The large decals you see, are stuck on the window to discourage birds from flying in and hitting the glass.
As I was sitting here checking my email this morning, Rocket jumped up on the desk, plopped his butt half way on the mouse pad and commenced to check out the noisy jay just outside the window.
It's Rocket's job, you know, to make sure all is well outside in the critter world, and to edit all photographs I post in Keewee's corner. He gave me the Ok to use the one above, of him, as it shows his best side.

Recipe : Frikadeller

FRIKADELLER

1 1/2 pounds ground round steak
1/2 pound ground pork
1 finely chopped onion
1/2 cup bread crumbs or cracker crumbs
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
milk or water
shortening or bacon fat - for frying

Mix together the beef and pork; add onion, crumbs, pepper, salt, flour and eggs. Add enough milk or water so you can form meat mixture into balls. Fry the meatballs in shortening or bacon fat until brown. Cover and simmer slowly until meat is done.

BROWN CREAM GRAVY - Brown 3 tablespoons of flour in 3/4 tablespoons of dripping from meatballs. Slowly add cream or whole milk until mixture reaches gravy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Frikadeller, rolls off your tongue, just like a swear word.
Forty years ago, I helped my mother make, it seemed like hundreds, of frikadellers, for my after the wedding reception party we had back at the house, and quite a party it was too. If there is one thing us kiwis know how to do, it is party.
We made the frikadellers smaller than you see in the picture, so they could be eaten using toothpics, as I remember there were a couple of different sauces on the side.
They are especially tasty if they are cooked in bacon fat.

Can Creations

Museum Of Flight

Wright 1903 Flyer (replica)

Yesterday Mr. Completely and I enjoyed just under three hours walking around the Museum Of flight in South Seattle. We would have liked more time but we had another place to be at 5pm.

World war I Caproni Ca 20

World War I Nieuport Type 24 (replica)

Sputnik I

Rockwell Apollo Command module

from top left down,

Insitu Aerosonde, Lockheed Martin/boeing RQ-3A DarkStar,
Boeing 737-200,
Lockheed m-21 Blackbird.

If you are ever in South Seattle the Museum of flight is well worth a visit. Just make sure you, take a camera, and give yourself plenty of time, so you won't miss any of the wonderful displays like we had to.
I will post a few more pictures in a couple of days.

Welcome to the Blogosphere

I am very excited. My best friend had joined the Blogosphere.
Hostagirl is a great photographer and story teller, she has only just started blogging yesterday, so drop on over to Seasonsadventures and get a taste of the kind of work you will be seeing as Hostagirl goes on her blogging adventure. Leave her a comment and tell her Keewee sent you.
Have fun Girlfriend, I will be checking in on your progress.

I love Unexpected Surprises

Once in a while I have a day full of surprises, and today was one of them.

Before going to the clinic to have my blood drawn for my cholesterol checkup, I stopped by the grocery store, to buy a cup of coffee and a sweet roll to eat after my appointment with MS. Dracula.

While there at the grocery store, I remembered I had four coupons in my purse for free, That’s right FREE lotto tickets. I could get one Lotto, one Mega millions, one $1 scratch off, and one $2 scratch off.

I had a cup in my hand ready to pour my coffee, when I remembered I did not have any change in my purse, so decided to go back out to my car and grab some change from the ashtray. Before leaving the store, I decided to see what my two scratch tickets had to offer, if anything.

Imagine my surprise, when the first ticket yielded $3 and the second $10, WHOO HOO ! I had enough cash for my coffee, sweet roll and some left over, maybe for another couple of lotto tickets.

Next on to have my blood drawn, this time by a nurse who had done more than practice on an orange, I hardly felt a thing, also my mind was preoccupied with thoughts of hot coffee and a sweet roll waiting for me in my car.

After my appointment at the clinic, I drove to our senior thrift store, not one of those untidy, dark, fusty smelling stores, but a nice new, brightly lit building, with everything organized and sweet smelling.

As I wandered around, not looking for anything in particular, there it was, hanging on a rack in the kid’s department, a navy and red, pure wool, hooded jacket, and it was not a kid’s jacket, obviously it had been put there by mistake, or left there by one of those customers who do not put things back where they found them. I had been looking for a nice, semi dress jacket for quite a while, but could not find one I liked, until today.

I made a thorough inspection of the jacket noticing that it appeared as though it was practically brand new, and knew I held in my hands, the jacket I had been looking for, now if only it fit.

I made my way to the dressing room and tried the jacket on, IT FIT, another WHOO HOO ! (said, quietly to myself, I didn't want folks to think I had lost my marbles ) and the price of my treasure, $7:95

Oh how I love bargains and surprises, I had a most delightful day.

Disappointed once again

---

This picture brings back a memory from the time I worked in a retail store.

Just after the store opened one morning, I happened to be walking down the aisle through the men’s department, and noticed an elderly woman looking at one of the displays of men’s underwear. To me, she was just another customer looking at a display, perhaps trying to decide what style of underwear to buy for her husband.

The display had those, what looked like anatomically correct, male manikins clothed in the latest briefs and boxers for that season.
As I walked toward the woman, she had not noticed me yet, I was taken back when she reached up and lifted the leg of the boxers on one of the manikins and did a thorough inspection.

You can imagine my reaction, I stopped in my tracks, did an about turn and ducked behind a rack of clothes, then made my way back to my department. Thank goodness my department was just about fifteen feet away, any more and I would have exploded as I was holding in my laughter.

When I reached my department and let out my laughter my co-workers wanted to know what was so funny.

I related what I had observed and of course they all cracked up as well, I think a couple of the women thought I had made the whole story up, I told them to check with security if they did not believe my story, as all would have been caught on a security camera.

Sure enough, the whole episode had been recorded, and a friend of mine, who worked in security, later on that day, told me my reaction was one of those “priceless moments “

Maori Poi

"Poi" is the Maori word for "ball" on a cord

The Poi was used, many years ago, by the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand to increase their flexibility and strength in their hands and arms as well as improving coordination.

Wahine (female) dancers perform the Maori Poi, a dance performed with balls attached to flax strings, swung rhythmically. Those pictured to the left are using short Poi.

The Poi dance was originally used by the Maori women for keeping their hands flexible for weaving and by the men for strength and coordination required during battle. Poi are also used as a training aid for other ancient weapons like the Mere or Patu (Short club)

Tena koe to you, (welcome)

I am a Maori lady who lives in Wellington NZ. I am of Ngati Whatua descsent (primarily). Although I am in my early 60s this is considered not too old by our standards. However we have passed on our tribal knowledge of poi from our traditional sources based from Auckland and further northland.
We pass on through oure korero (or talk) of the poi genealogy as having started with our gods creation, then through the use of flax made bags to carry a moa egg. ( Moa- a very large extinct bird)

We call these bags kii. These carrying bags called kii were later used by our fighting warriors in training. The method was to put a large stone in the kii bag and swing this around to make the arms and wrists supple and strong and to test reactions. The kii bags made of flax had short ropes but when the warriors and boys trained with them they would put on extra lengths of rope.

We have a Maori game which is not much known today which uses just the kii bag so it is like a ball. This ball is called a kii. We use light stuffing inside of it, feathers or wool or clothing even. Long ago the stuffing would have been dog fur or feathers or plant fibres. When the moa birds died out the original kii bags were not needed because no other bird in our country has such a big egg. The kii were just used in our game and in training and the trainer kii became known as kiitoa or today as poitoa.

Later on the poitoa was used in action songs and this has become simply poi. So in order came the flax kii bag which had flax rope attachment for carrying moa eggs and a bit later this rope was removed so that the kii was used like a ball in a game and for trainers some extra long rope would be added and a stone within the bag.

Much later the kiitoa became poi that are seen much today.

I needed to let you know how we view the poi history. As Maori people We are not the same across the whole country, we have our own unique genealogies in not only our lives but also our implements and poi. Thankyou for this way of letting me tell you.


Arohamai

Carnival Of Recipes # 80

Taleena, at Sun Comprehending Glass is hosting The carnival of recipes this week.

There are some wonderful recipes to read, copy and try for yourself.

I am interested in making the dried apricot pie, found at Geezer's Corner.

Still Undecided

I am still reserving judgement on Steel Challenge hand gun matches. I did put in my time on the practice but am still unsure if I will take to it as I have done in shooting pin tops.

First time round, I had difficulty getting all the moves, stance, position, timing etc. to fall in the correct order in my mind. When I am pin shooting everything is now automatic, or what is known as muscle memory, so I was feeling frustrated at being so uncoordinated.

The way I have to hold the gun in one hand, with the other raised until the buzzer goes off feels strange, ( this is the way we start out in rim fire class). As you see in the photo, Al has both his hands raised, that is because center fire classes draw from a holster.

I will have to get in plenty of practice so I can quickly bring my Beretta U22Neos up and my raised hand down in one a smooth motion, at the same time aiming and hitting the first steel plate, WHEEEEW ! ! I have a feeling I will have to get my weights out and do some lifting to strengthen my arms.

My second time round, I was a little less frustrated and shot well, mainly due to the fact that I did not take advise from anyone this time which would change the way I usually go about shooting, I have decided that, sometimes changing something midstream throws you off, in other words 'If it aint broke, then don't fix it!"

To find out more detailed information on how Steel challenge works, go HERE to Mr. Completely's site.

Tomorrow we are off to our first pin top shoot of the season, I know this will be a whole lot more fun.

I sure hope the weather is a little warmer, though I am now prepared and have new, nice warm insulated underwear.

Yaaaay The Weekend Is Here

You may be asking "why is she so excited about the weekend?" well, I no longer have to work Saturdays which gives me ALL weekend to pursue my hobbies.

Originally the other Desk Diva and I shared working half days on Saturday and Fridays, meaning we were at the spa four or five days respectivly, we had a discussion and have decided that I will now work just Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.

Today Mr. Completely and I are heading out to the range to practice for the first upcoming "steel challenge". I am not sure if I am going to like shooting steel challenge as it does involve, at times, moving from target to target. I will defer my decision until I have been to a few challenges.
It will be easier to describe what a steel challenge match is all about, with a few pictues, so I will take my camera along this afternoon.

I am off to the kitchen to cook us a good warming breakfast to get us through the cold morning. I am also, going to buy some warm insulated underwear, I have never worn long underwear before, but last year I was so cold at the shoots and swore I will not be that cold this time around.

OH ! NO !

Dang, I thought we were done with this cold white stuff !

I could not believe my eyes when I opened the drapes a few minutes ago, and saw this white stuff coming down.
Yeah, I know it is pretty, but I have to drive to work in a little while.

I know how to drive on snowy slick roads, it is all the other drivers out there who don't, who care the **** out of me.

OK I have done whining, time to go out on my adventure.

Country Share For Today

Isn't it interesting to see where people are coming from to read your blog?

KIWI WORD OF THE WEEK

Corker: very good

Waiting for the Sunshine

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.

The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.

Henry Van Dyke

The blooming daffodils and crocus tell me it is spring, but todays dreary, rainy day makes me feel as though it is still winter.
Patience, Keewee, Patience.

Danish Dumplings - Æbleskiver

Makes 24 to 28

* 1 cup sour cream
* 2/3 cup milk
* 3 egg yolks -- beaten
* 2 tablespoons melted butter
* 2 cups flour -- sifted
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
* ¾ teaspoon salt
* 3 egg whites
* 1/8 pound butter
* Powdered sugar

Combine and mix well the sour cream, milk, egg yolks and melted butter.

Sift the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center. Pour liquid mixture all at once into the well, stirring until thoroughly blended.

Beat the egg whites until rounded peaks are formed. Spread the batter over the beated egg whites and fold together gently.

Set the æbleskiver or muffin pan over low heat on top of the stove and test the pan by dropping a few drops of cold water into one of the wells. If the drops dance around in small beads, the pan is ready to use. Grease the little wells in the pan thoroughly with melted butter. Pour the batter into the wells, filling about ½ full.

With a fork, turn the æbleskiver frequently to brown evenly, but do not pierce. After they have browned, insert a toothpick in the center of one or two of the æbleskiver. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are ready. Sprinkle with powdered sugar immediately after removing from the wells.

Delicious accompanied by tart jam and a good cup of coffee.

NOTES : Æbleskiver are the famous Danish dessert dumplings that are a cross between a dumpling, a doughnut and a fritter. They should be cooked in special pans, but well-buttered popover or muffin tins will do.

Number 8 wire -

It is said of New Zealanders, give them some number 8 wire and some baling twine, and they can fix anything!

The conversion of New Zealand bush into farms created the need for a lot of fences. The preferred wire was known as No 8 gauge, but it was also put to other uses such as a replacement handle of a bucket.

No 8 wire represents "Kiwi ingenuity." a quality that was born out of isolation and lack of infrastructure in New Zealand's early history. It was simply a matter of "making do" or going without. Kiwis came up with some absolute ingenious creations.

A very good example in recent times for Kiwi ingenuity came from a person by the name of John Britten. He decided to build a motor bike in his backyard shed from scratch. Britten not only developed an entirely new fabrication system using space age kevlar and carbon fibre, but designed the complete engine, making the patterns for casting himself.

In the Daytona Battle of the Twins, the Britten team completely blitzed the opposition. Rider Andrew Stroud's kilometre long wheel stands left the crowd awestruck as he passed the cream of Italian and Japanese factory machines. Britten has become an icon for kiwi ingenuity

More interesting articles HERE

This says it all