Monday, January 3, 2011
Monday's Music Moves Me: Happy New Year
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Welcome to Monday's Music Moves Me... the rockin' meme hosted by me, Marie of XmasDolly, Larry of Cakeblast and Collette of Jamerican Spice that showcases YOUR music choices! We want to know what kind of music gets you movin and groovin! Here is what you need to do to join us:
First step: Head on over to You Tube, or anywhere you get your music videos and post them on your blog!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Happy New Year
Well, here we are in 2011. I've been seeing articles in the paper and online about how terrible 2010 was. I'm happy to say that 2010 was my best year yet in many ways. I left a job that was stressful and harmful to me, found a job that is enjoyable, saw my husband's play sell out every show, and watch my children grow as young adults. 2011 will be even better!
I usually don't have the typical list of new year's resolutions. I don't say things like, "going to lose 15 pounds, make more money, etc." That said, I do like to put an intention on a year. I've found that this really helps me keep my life in focus and affords a small benchmark for personal growth. For example, two years ago I decided to try to focus on family needs specifically. I made more regular contact with my sister in Florida, helped my kids whenever I could, and took my mom on her dream trip to Alaska. At the end of the year, I felt like I'd accomplished a few little things that made my family's world a little better. The next year, 2010, I decided that I needed to leave the abusive environment at my workplace. This was a scary one, since I ultimately was pushed to quit before I had another income source. Although we had to tighten our belts for a few (um, seven) months, I was able to re-center, get regular exercise, improve my mental and physical health, and eventually find a job that I really enjoy.
For 2011, I think that I'll practice not worrying, and its corroborative focus on wellness. For a few months last year I worked out 2 hours a day, six days a week. I was in great shape and it spurred me on to generally take care of myself. Then, I started my new job. Now, I really like my job. But, I'm feeling that old nemesis Stress creeping in around the edges. Less time at home, less time with my friends and husband, less exercise, high expectations, new job so I don't really know what I'm doing yet, you know. In 2011 I will set Stress aside and try to let the days unfold without worry. I'm struggling with the fact that I'm struggling to decide what decisions to make. Huh?
That said, I will try to employ a Buddhist detachment (oh, hey, look at how "monkeymind" I'm being, jumping all over the place...interesting) and just go with the flow. It's easy for me to become distracted by possible lifestyles and paths, wondering if I've made the right choices. This is a daily thing for me! While it's OK to question, sometimes it can get in the way, too. So, quit worrying and enjoy life.
Mental and physical wellness will be the order of the day for 2011. Wish me luck!
I usually don't have the typical list of new year's resolutions. I don't say things like, "going to lose 15 pounds, make more money, etc." That said, I do like to put an intention on a year. I've found that this really helps me keep my life in focus and affords a small benchmark for personal growth. For example, two years ago I decided to try to focus on family needs specifically. I made more regular contact with my sister in Florida, helped my kids whenever I could, and took my mom on her dream trip to Alaska. At the end of the year, I felt like I'd accomplished a few little things that made my family's world a little better. The next year, 2010, I decided that I needed to leave the abusive environment at my workplace. This was a scary one, since I ultimately was pushed to quit before I had another income source. Although we had to tighten our belts for a few (um, seven) months, I was able to re-center, get regular exercise, improve my mental and physical health, and eventually find a job that I really enjoy.
For 2011, I think that I'll practice not worrying, and its corroborative focus on wellness. For a few months last year I worked out 2 hours a day, six days a week. I was in great shape and it spurred me on to generally take care of myself. Then, I started my new job. Now, I really like my job. But, I'm feeling that old nemesis Stress creeping in around the edges. Less time at home, less time with my friends and husband, less exercise, high expectations, new job so I don't really know what I'm doing yet, you know. In 2011 I will set Stress aside and try to let the days unfold without worry. I'm struggling with the fact that I'm struggling to decide what decisions to make. Huh?
That said, I will try to employ a Buddhist detachment (oh, hey, look at how "monkeymind" I'm being, jumping all over the place...interesting) and just go with the flow. It's easy for me to become distracted by possible lifestyles and paths, wondering if I've made the right choices. This is a daily thing for me! While it's OK to question, sometimes it can get in the way, too. So, quit worrying and enjoy life.
Mental and physical wellness will be the order of the day for 2011. Wish me luck!
Cartoon of the Day: I Guess ALL Men are the Same?!?!?!
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Doesn't matter what species you are I guess.....
{Click to Enlarge}
'Nuff said!
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Doesn't matter what species you are I guess.....
{Click to Enlarge}
'Nuff said!
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Brewing with Grapes
Over the last couple of years I've seen professional craft brewers experimenting with different varieties of grapes or grape juice. A few that come to mind are Dogfish Red and White, Allagash Victor, and Victoria. A few weeks ago I had a bottle of the Stone 10.10.10 vertical epic and it was a) fantastic and b) made with a variety of white wine grapes. Despite this experimentation on the professional side of brewing, I have not found much in the way of homebrewing information on how to brew with grapes, nor seen that many people have been using grapes in their homebrew. This is somewhat odd because homebrewers usually lead the charge in all directions as far as experimental brewing goes. So it looks like it's up to me to give it a try, without the benefit of training wheels. Last week I brewed a recipe from Randy Mosher's Radical Brewing (not exactly the same but close to Randy's Mr. Boing Boing Cherry Barleywine recipe without the cherries) as a basis for brewing a barley wine that was to have merlot concentrate added to it 7 days into the primary fermentation. That beer was brewed to a gravity of approximately 1.083. A few days ago I added three pounds of merlot juice concentrate to the already fermenting beer, bringing the starting gravity to 1.097.
The following is the recipe, exported from iBrewmaster (which I just got over the Holidays and haven't figured out how to input everything correctly yet):
Barley wine wine
Style: American Barleywine
Type: Partial Mash Calories: 274
Rating: 0.0 Efficiency: 75 %
IBU's: 45.68 Boil Size: 6.50 Gal
Color: 19.0 SRM Batch Size: 5.50 Gal
Boil Time: 90 minutes
Estimated Actual
Brew Date: - 12/24/2010
OG: 1.097 1.097
FG: 1.020 -
ABV: 10.09 % - %
Serve Date: 06/29/2011 (null)
Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 14 days @ 68.0°F 12/24/2010 12/24/2010
Secondary 180 days @ 72.0°F 01/07/2011 12/31/2010
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Gravity Color
2.00 lbs 17.68 % Melanoiden Malt 1.037 20.0
3.00 ozs 1.66 % Special B Malt 1.030 180.0
2.00 ozs 1.10 % Carafa III 1.032 525.0
3.00 lbs 26.52 % Amber Dry Extract 1.044 12.5
6.00 lbs 53.04 % Light Dry Extract 1.044 8.0
Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 20.71 Northern Brewer 90 mins 9.40
1.00 ozs 19.36 Northern Brewer 60 mins 9.40
1.00 ozs 5.61 Goldings, East Kent 20 mins 4.50
1.00 ozs 0.00 Goldings, East Kent 0 mins 4.50
Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Neobritania Wyeast Labs 0000
Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
46.00 oz Merlot juice 07 days Primary
Mash Profile
(none)
Notes
Partial mashed melaniodin, special b, and carafa3 for 60 mins at 155 degrees.
This barley wine is brewed more to an English barley wine style at an og of 1.080 and then 7 days into primary added 46 ounces of merlot juice. After adding merlot juice the gravity goes to 1.097.
When the merlot juice is added you pitch one packets of us-05 yeast.
I plan to add 1 oz. of medium roast french oak during secondary. I'll keep you posted on the progress of operation barley wine wine (or Red barleyWine).
Brew something new this month. Happy Brew Year,
Holz
The following is the recipe, exported from iBrewmaster (which I just got over the Holidays and haven't figured out how to input everything correctly yet):
Barley wine wine
Style: American Barleywine
Type: Partial Mash Calories: 274
Rating: 0.0 Efficiency: 75 %
IBU's: 45.68 Boil Size: 6.50 Gal
Color: 19.0 SRM Batch Size: 5.50 Gal
Boil Time: 90 minutes
Estimated Actual
Brew Date: - 12/24/2010
OG: 1.097 1.097
FG: 1.020 -
ABV: 10.09 % - %
Serve Date: 06/29/2011 (null)
Fermentation Steps
Name Days / Temp Estimated Actual
Primary 14 days @ 68.0°F 12/24/2010 12/24/2010
Secondary 180 days @ 72.0°F 01/07/2011 12/31/2010
Grains & Adjuncts
Amount Percentage Name Gravity Color
2.00 lbs 17.68 % Melanoiden Malt 1.037 20.0
3.00 ozs 1.66 % Special B Malt 1.030 180.0
2.00 ozs 1.10 % Carafa III 1.032 525.0
3.00 lbs 26.52 % Amber Dry Extract 1.044 12.5
6.00 lbs 53.04 % Light Dry Extract 1.044 8.0
Hops
Amount IBU's Name Time AA %
1.00 ozs 20.71 Northern Brewer 90 mins 9.40
1.00 ozs 19.36 Northern Brewer 60 mins 9.40
1.00 ozs 5.61 Goldings, East Kent 20 mins 4.50
1.00 ozs 0.00 Goldings, East Kent 0 mins 4.50
Yeasts
Amount Name Laboratory / ID
1.0 pkg Neobritania Wyeast Labs 0000
Additions
Amount Name Time Stage
46.00 oz Merlot juice 07 days Primary
Mash Profile
(none)
Notes
Partial mashed melaniodin, special b, and carafa3 for 60 mins at 155 degrees.
This barley wine is brewed more to an English barley wine style at an og of 1.080 and then 7 days into primary added 46 ounces of merlot juice. After adding merlot juice the gravity goes to 1.097.
When the merlot juice is added you pitch one packets of us-05 yeast.
I plan to add 1 oz. of medium roast french oak during secondary. I'll keep you posted on the progress of operation barley wine wine (or Red barleyWine).
Brew something new this month. Happy Brew Year,
Holz
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Dreaming of a White (Day-After) Christmas
The day after Christmas, we got 22 inches of snow within a few hours - and it kept snowing. It was completely insane around here for a while, but everyone is finally dug out. Gary and I used the weather as a good excuse to finish our Harry Potter marathon (all 6 movies) and then braved the snow covered freeways to see the 7th film: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which was fantastic.
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Mai-Li is in a Photo Contest - Would You Vote for Her?
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The above photo has been entered into a photo contest at Photo Artomation and I could win $1,000 - WooHoo!! I know it's a long shot, because there are lots of other really cute and artistic photos submitted, but I have a favor to as of you, my dear readers... would you be so kind as to head on over to the site and vote for my little Mai-Li? You have to click on the Pet Photo Contest page
HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2011
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To all my friends and readers, thank you so much for all your love and support over the last year. I have appreciated every single comment and email, especially the ones of support for my son while he was in Afghanistan. I look forward to our continued friendships in 2011 and beyond. From our family to yours, wishing you a very happy new year with nothing but love, laughter and good health!
To all my friends and readers, thank you so much for all your love and support over the last year. I have appreciated every single comment and email, especially the ones of support for my son while he was in Afghanistan. I look forward to our continued friendships in 2011 and beyond. From our family to yours, wishing you a very happy new year with nothing but love, laughter and good health!
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