Sunday Randomness #387: Wookies and Muppets

Sarah take took mom’s my phone wookie!

Jessica

(Don't ask what it means-I asked, received laughter as a reply, that it doesn't mean anything and then more laughter. And yes, the face at the end of "Wookie" is a lot like the martian muppets from Sesame Street: http://www.sesamestreet.org/muppets/martians yip, yip, yip,yip!)

New Year's Day Meal

Alton Brown has a great recipe for turkey that's been in a brine solution overnight prior to roasting. Find the recipe at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/good-eats-roast-turkey-recipe/index.html We're glad that we can purchase (and we did!) the peppercorns, whole allspice, and cinnamon sticks at our local Rancho Market which just opened a few weeks ago in a brand new bigger location. We were really happy with how beautiful the turkey looked after a trip in a 500 degree oven for a 1/2 hour (that was later reduced to 350 for the duration of the journey of an additional couple of hours.) Such a Norman Rockwell golden brown! And, just as promised, the turkey was moist, tender and flavorful thanks to the brine mixture from before baking and the red apples, onion and cinnamon stick that roasted in the turkey.


We also made a batch of stuffing. The next day we fixed some baked yams with brown sugar and mini-marshmallows, toasting them under the broiler for a few minutes and served them with the turkey and stuffing leftovers. Perhaps we've stumbled upon a new tradition for the new year! It all depends on if we follow through with the idea next year and the next and the next...

Bountiful Baskets in December of 2011

For $15 we received 2 heads of butter lettuce, 2 orange carrots, 3 yellow carrots, 3 oroblanco grapefruit hybrids, 1 personal size watermelon, 6 corn, 1 bag red seedless grapes, 1 5-lb. bag butter gold potatoes, 1 bunch celery, 3 avocados, 5 small pears, and 6 bananas. We got an extra carrot and an extra lettuce (included in the picture and the count) for being volunteers and helping to unload the truck and sort the food into baskets.
We also bought the hostess pack for an additional $15 which contained 1 10-lb bag russet potatoes, 3 lemons, 1 bunch rosemary, 1 bunch cilantro, 2 parsnips, some chestnuts, 1 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 2 yellow onions, 11 tangelos, 6 small sweet potatoes, and 1 bunch sage. In addition, we also paid $10 for a winter squash pack (not pictured) with 3 butternut, a turban, 2 acorn and 1 spaghetti squash.

Once every month or two seems to be good spacing between orders and gives us adequate time to consume most of the items we've received in our basket. I have to say, I was quite pleased and surprised with the variety in the hostess pack-that's one we'll look for in the future.

Libraries-more than books! pt 5 : Online and in the library

Our local library offers a large number of helpful items online such as free music downloads through Freegal (available by clicking on the movies and music link on the home page), classes through Universal Class, legal forms, genealogical resources, and many more by clicking on the Research Room link on the homepage of the library webpage at: http://www.slcolibrary.org

If you choose to visit your local library, you may be surprised to find more than just books, magazines, movies, audio books and music. There may be computers for surfing the internet, cubicles with free WI-fi and outlets for surfing the internet with your own laptop, computers for searching the library database, reading spots for adults and children, study tables for research and tutoring, story-time activities, story-time and/or conference rooms, copiers (remember that it's okay to copy items for individual use for private study, research and or scholarship within reason), current newspapers and periodicals, microfilms and readers for perusing old newspapers such as the New York Times and colorful displays of current and upcoming activities at your local library. Don't forget that your helpful local librarians can aid you in locating an old favorite or directing you to a new gem. They can help with research projects, proctor tests, and offer assistance with that hard to find item.

From top left:

1. flags of the Menorah and Santa and page from the storybook walk book all on the windows of the story-time room
2. activity table-right now you can write a letter to Santa and put it in the mailbox (notice the alphabet carpet letter-we have all the letters plus colored carpet blocks scattered throughout the carpet in the childrens area)
   
3. giant books that children can play on-notice more red arrows and another page from the storybook walk on one of the giant book pictures
4. reading carousel with displays for the new release picture books on the shelves outside the carousel
5. current newspapers: both local and national with copying machines behind the newspaper display cases
   
6. microfilm reader and file drawers of microfilms for back copies of the New York Times and some local papers
7. reading area with comfortable chairs and lots of natural sunlight from the huge windows
   
8. one sample of the banks of computers for patrons to access the internet at the library
9. wood cubicles with outlets for patrons to access the free WI-fi on their own laptops at the library

From online resources to in person story times at your local library, there's a lot more than just books! Be sure to look into all the programs and offerings available and feed your mind with the new, the classical and the just plain entertaining thanks to your local library!

Libraries-more than books! pt 4 : Music

And music? Well, the library's got something for just about everybody.










Country, Jazz, Folk, Sound Effects, Soundtracks, Worship, Holiday, Childrens, Pop, Easy Listening, Rock, Classical, New Age, and World Music such as the Japanese CD featured in this post. Don't forget to check out all the great musical choices the next time you visit your local library!

Libraries-more than books! pt 3 : Audio Books

Short on time to read traditional books? Then check your local library for many wonderful books on CD!



Childrens, non-fiction, classic, mystery, best-sellers, biography and many more!




Featured in this post are The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare (very good!), Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl (interesting story of the life of a food critic), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (made me wonder if it was loosely based on real stories...), The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens (listening too now), and Driven by Larry H. Miller with Doug Robinson (next on my list to read/listen to).

There are also dozens of language learning books on CD like Complete Irish (which just looked like fun.) So, whether you want to learn some travel Italian, Russian grammer, Japanese street slang or teach yourself Urdu, just check your local library to see what world-wide options are yours!