Peculiar Resonance

A nation isn't born in a day.  It takes years of people's thoughts,intentions,and needs aligning.  There may be a triggering event or a charismatic speaker to mobilize the amorphous longing that starts the process. Threads entwine until a new pattern emerges.  From this, actions focus on fulfilling the new pattern - and other actions focus on keeping the old pattern repeating itself. There is never a clear moment when then new pattern breaks away from the old,no sharp dividing line.

But people can't sustain a year round,year long,year in and out celebration and acknowledgment of the birth of a nation, so one day is chosen to be the day that commemorates the nation's existence.

July 4th became that day for America, quietly, without fanfare, first in private homes,then in town squares all across the new country until the date was formally recognized and set aside specifically to honor America's birth.

In the early days, the date was celebrated by reading (or reciting) the Declaration of Independence, followed by perhaps a few precious gunshots (the first celebrations were held during the war, gunpowder was in short supply),and then food to celebrate how committed and happy we were to be in this land.  As the war ended and gunpowder was more plentiful, we added fireworks instead of gunshots.

And somewhere along the way, most people stopped reading the Declaration of Independence.

Now, it's barbecues, picnics, parades, and fireworks.

But not all people have forgotten how America came to be, and why.  They still read the Declaration aloud so they remember what our ancestors sacrificed so we could live here in a new country founded on the concept of freedom, of autonomy, of responsibility, of self-governance, and of respect for one another. They remember what America was and is and, yes, should be.  They are the ones who strive to keep our beloved American pattern repeating.  July 4th is the date they gather to offer inspiration via the Declaration of Independence, and support to one another as they each work throughout the year in their chosen causes to keep America great and free.

And then they party with barbecues, picnics, parades, and fireworks.  County first, party second.

America was worth fighting for to create, and she's worth fighting for to keep.

It's a small thing, reading the Declaration, but that freshness, that annual renewal, gives us the strength, courage,and conviction to carry on until next year.

Xoco's eyes are settling into being green. Rhapsody's eyes are silvery.Itzl's eyes are brown with a red overcast.

Xoco is still very much the smallest dog, finally tipping the scales at 1 pound.  Rhapsody id approaching 3 pounds.  Itzl's weight has been stable at 4.3 pounds for three years.

Rhapsody's skin condition is clearing up nicely and she's growing fur at last.  It's growing in patchy,so she's starting to look mangy when she no longer is. Xoco's fur is falling out - she suffers from the same skin condition Rhapsody had, but had a much milder case.  Or so we thought.  So she's developing bald spots along her spine and on her legs in spite of the medicine she and Rhapsody share.  Itzl has no skin or fur issues.

Itzl and Rhapsody are otherwise healthy dogs.

Xoco has hydrocephaly and patellar luxation in both hind knees. Her right knee is a 2 and her left is a 4.5 on a scale of 1-5.  The vet said she'd start having seizures and would have neurological and intelligence issues, but so far, her fontanels aren't bulging,which means there's little or no fluid build-up on her brain.  This in turn means few or no seizures and little neurological or intelligence damage.  Her knees, however, are clearly already causing her problems. She falls easily, her back legs are splayed most of the time, and she runs oddly (and oddly cute).  She likes to bounce, but when she lands,she almost always lands on her tush instead of her feet. At some point, both knees will require surgery. I can't start her on joint medication until she's heavier so for now, all I can do is keep her from climbing or jumping on things.  She's already learned the commands to be picked up ("To my hand" and "Up") and will arch her back so I can slide my hand under her easier and lift her up.  Her intelligence level seems unimpaired.

And that's the state of the dogs right now - 2 healthy critters,1 with issues.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/01/AR2009070103936.html?hpid=sec-tech

Exactly. Unless my “click” does more than merely “click” (ie, something tangible in real life happens because of the click), I see no reason to join any of the myriad online activist groups or support groups. There are a few I have joined, but only because I could either participate in a tangible result or I could see a tangible result from joining.

I believe very much in micro-charities and micro-causes. When I first heard of these “clicker groups”, I checked them out. A few, like Burmese monks group that organized a day of action and accomplished something. Most, however, are merely “feel good” sites that accomplish nothing. They are often ephemeral, in a week, membership and activity will fall off, in a month, few will remember them. No action other than the ability to parade one’s emotional outrage or support happens. The cause doesn’t receive funds, or goods, or action that alleviates the problem being highlighted. Virtual virtue happens to click through activists, and I need more than that.

I get my hands dirty in the causes I support. I face the people and creatures who need help. I make sandwiches and give them away (Yes, I know, I said I ended the Sandwich Saturday charity, but that doesn’t mean I don’t still make and hand out sandwiches, I just no longer do it formally), I keep cases of bottled water in the car to hand out to street corner beggars (even if they are scamming people, they still need fluids), I keep brochures of addresses and numbers of groups that will help people to hand out to those who are in need, I clip and give away freebie coupons that don’t require purchases to redeem them (harder and harder to find), I teach wildcrafting and foraging and guerrilla gardening, and I’ve even taken in homeless people and critters and helped them find homes.

I don’t click; I do.

For me, anyway. I dislike burgers so huge they have to be dissected to be eaten. Any burger that is too tall to fit comfortably into one’s mouth for a good bite is too big. That means that what’s perfect for one person will be a monster for another – or barely register. I have a smallish mouth. I like my burgers flat and flavorful, with thin layers of ingredients. Yes, that does mean a thin meat patty. Thin doesn’t equal leathery or crispy or dry.

In making a good burger, technique means a lot, but even the best technique falls when the ingredients are sub-par. I have a meat grinding attachment on my Kitchen-Aid, so I usually buy brisket and grind it for my burger meat. It has the right ratio of fat to lean, it has a tendency to tenderness that other cuts of meat don’t, it accepts seasoning and flavors with a remarkable readiness, and it holds its shape well. I pre-slice the brisket into grinder sized portions and freeze it slightly so it takes the grind better and doesn’t gum up the grinder with sticky fat. Then, to clean the grinder, I freeze it to peel off as much fat as possible, then rinse in cold water and degreaser to keep the grease from gumming up my expensive new plumbing.

I do add my fresh herbs to the grinder as I run the meat through it so I handle the meat as little as possible. When I shape the meat, I scoop out a half cup of meat, press it ½” to ¾” flat in a good tortilla press between sheets of waxed paper. Then I re-freeze it slightly – you don’t want it solidly frozen, just stiff. This goes on a really hot grill or griddle to sear both sides, and then – here’s my secret for extra juicy, nicely done, practically unshrunken burger patties – I finish the patties in the oven at 375ºF on quick release foil. A toaster oven or a regular oven – it doesn’t matter. Heat the meat through to your desired degree of doneness (I like mine well done and no pink showing anywhere). Four minutes makes the burgers about medium well. I cook mine about 6 minutes. While the meat is resting, toast the buns and build your burger from there.

I also bake my own burger buns when I have a chance because I prefer the size and flavor of my buns to any commercial bun I’ve ever had.

Since the buns take the longest to make, I’ll give that recipe first. I use a bread machine for the mixing and kneading, so this is the bread machine recipe. If you don’t have a bread machine, I’ll put the instructions for hand mixing below it.

Start the buns about 4 hours before you plan to grill your burgers.

3 tablespoons warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon extra gluten
2 teaspoons bread machine or quick rising yeast
1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water, beaten and reserved to brush risen dough
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (or poppy seeds or sunflower seeds)

Bread Machine: Pour the milk, water, eggs, sugar, salt, and softened butter into the liquids first bread machine (if yours isn’t a liquids first bread machine, follow your bread machine’s instructions for add the ingredients). Mix the flours and gluten together and pour on top of the liquid. Sprinkle the yeast on top of the flour. Turn the machine to the “Dough Only” setting and turn it on.

Hand Mixing: Mix the warm milk, water, yeast, and sugar together in a glass bowl and let it rest until foamy – about 5 minutes. Beat the eggs and set aside for now. In a large metal or wooden dough bowl, whisk the flours together with the gluten and salt. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your hands until the flour is crumbly. Use a dough scraper to mix the foamy yeast into the crumbly flour with the beaten eggs. When a dough forms, slap the dough onto a clean unfloured surface, scrape it up and slap it back down again until it is smooth and elastic – about 10 minutes. A dough scraper is a very useful tool to have here. If you don’t have one, a large pancake turning spatula can work awkwardly and not as well, but acceptably. Put the dough into a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rise until doubled – about 2 hours.

Both Machine Mixing and Hand Mixing are done the same from this point on:

Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Gently roll each one into a ball and flatten it to about 1 or 1 ½ inches. Arrange the flatten pieces about 3 inches apart on a baking sheet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Set a large shallow pan of water on the oven floor. Brush the buns with the beaten egg water and sprinkle with seeds. Bake about 15 minutes or until the buns are nicely browned. Remove and cool completely before splitting and toasting for the burgers.

I also like to make bacon buns for burgers - add 6 - 8 slices of crisp cooked bacon to the bread machine between the liquids and the flours or spronle the bacon on when your slapping the dough around.

Occasionally, I will make Peter Maxx buns - three to five different vegetable doughs twisted together and shaped into buns. For burgers, I like a tomato dough, a spinach dough, and a carrot/parsnip dough. I think I posted the recipe up here ages ago. I may have to wander through the archives to find it.

The Patties:

2 pounds brisket, cut and frozen for grinding
½ cup fresh parsley (1/4 cup dried)
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried garlic flakes, crushed

Mix the seasonings together and pat onto the strips of brisket. Pass the brisket through the meat grinder (I prefer a fine grind, but coarse also makes a good burger). Shape into 8 balls, flatten, then press your thumb into the middle of each patty to form a dimple. This helps cook the patty all the way through without releasing any of the juices and it prevents the patty form bulging or curling as it cooks. Sear the patties on a very hot grill or griddle, then place on a quick release (no-stick) foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a 375ºF degree oven to desired doneness – 4 minutes for medium well, 6 for very well done.

If you want cheeseburgers, lay the cheese on the burgers while they are cooling. Cheeses that don’t melt easily or well can be shredded and then formed into a “slice” to lay atop the burger. The shredding allows the heat to penetrate the cheese better and gives it a smooth melt atop the patty. Gruyere, for example, benefits from being shredded before topping the patty. Extra sharp cheddar only needs to be thinly sliced to melt well.

Assemble your burger.

I like mine with mustard, cold, crisp buttercrunch lettuce, a ripe sliced Cherokee Purple tomato, slices of dill pickle, and a dollop of sauerkraut. No cheese. How do you like yours?

So, here's Itzl and the 2 puppies we adopted. Xoco is the wee brown one and Rhapsody is the blue one in back. Itzl adores them and lets them do things he's never let other dogs do to him, not even his beloved Shika.

The puppies adore Itzl and follow him everywhere. He has to run fast and be cadgy about it to escape them when he wants to pee in peace. I help by distracting the pups until he's far enough away he can doggy blog without interruption. When he's done making a post, I let hte dogs get back together again naturally - as naturally as puppies and a dog will do things anyway.

It went mostly well.  Xoco has an inherited mange that isn't contagious and is treatable - it was barely noticeable and looked more like fleabites, so I didn't think of it as a mange.  But she's got treatment for it.  I knew her eyes were set rather wide, and the vet confirmed her eyes were set too far apart.  He also mentioned her head was rather large, but her fontanel is still wide open so he thinks she might grow more into her big head.

Other than that, she's a healthy puppy. 

I've ordered the really good holistic puppy food for her from both Wysong and Artemis, and she can eat the Hill's Science Diet Small Breed until then along with gooshy puppy food, with some baby food and cheese as treats.

And of course, being sans puppy didn't last near long enough.

On the way to the pet store for food, we came across puppies.  Lots of puppies.  Itzl zeroed in on the Chihuahua ones and I honestly was going to leave without any.

But we came home with a little Chihuahua girl, her fur marked like a field bunny's with a white star between her shoulders and a comet blazing between her ears. Her face is a much paler brown with a dark brown heart placed between her eyes with the bottom point at her nose.  It makes her look remarkably like a baby monkey from certain angles.

We named her XocotlTochtli (grammatically bad Nahuatl for  "star rabbit")  -  Xoco for short

She actually is the age the old woman claimed she was - 8 weeks, fully weaned, and apparently healthy.  I'm taking her to the vet shortly for her second set of puppy shots. I have her vaccination record and her real birth date, which is more than I've ever gotten with most of the critters that find their way to this house.  If the vet gives her a clean bill of health, it will be the first time I've ever taken in a critter who only needed a home.

And Itzl adores her, except when she's being obnoxious puppy.  They've played a bit together and slept near one another and act like they've been together since Xoco was born.  She's not going to be trained as a service dog since I only need one -and that's Itzl. She'll just be a pet, a household guardian.

That mutt puppy I rescued from starving, worms, and cramped living quarters a month ago now has a new home.

We called him a JaHua Hund because the vet said he was a mix of Jack Russell Terrier, Chihuahua, and Dachshund. He will grow to be about 10-12 pounds.

I weaned him from puppy milk replacement to dry kibble, housebroke him (mostly - he's barely 8 weeks old and if you didn't open the door fast enough, he'd have an accident there), leash trained him, crate trained him, taught him to sit, to stay, and to come. His new owner will have to take it from there.

It was love at first sight. Rafferty adored her immediately but she couldn't take him right then, she knew nothing of weaning a puppy. But she visited him nearly every day and he was always excited to see her.

Me, he tolerated because I fed him. He sort of liked me, but he wasn't cuddly or excited to see me unless I had food.

He will love his new home because he adores his owner.

A book I wrote has been listed on Amazon.com.

Color me utterly amazed.

See, this book targets a very,very small audience.It's a niche book for a minuscule niche.  For years,we circulated photocopies of this information and eventually, the price of photocopies got really expensive. As such, it was self-published on Lulu.com. I didn't pay the fees for marketing the book because I just didn't see a large enough market.  I certainly never made any effort to shop it around outside of Numenism.

And yet, there it is, on Amazon where anyone can find it.

How very odd that is. I feel like I'm getting a freebie.

Which of your birthday parties was your favourite one?
Submitted by Jack Yan.

I've never had a birthday party for myself, but I've hosted a number of successful ones for other people.  It would be hard to pick my favorite one because they range all over the place, from my sister's where she hid under the table and we had to serve her cake to her on the floor, to each of my kids' birthdays, to Itzl's Medfaire parties, to my various friends' parties, especially the one where I learned to play  Encore!, and the one where I learned to play Magic, the Gathering.

I never had a birthday party as a child because my mother didn't want to deal with planning a party for me in the same month as her own birthday.  I suppose it became a habit that was re-inforced after I married because my spouse never remembered my birthday.  By the time we divorced, birthdays no longer mattered.  A 63 year long habit is probably never going to be broken.