Empty Nest in the Midwest

How do you stay active after your children have left the nest?

Outdoors

Biking on the Katy Trail – Dutzow to Augusta

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We got our new Rad e-bikes over the summer. And we are loving them! With the Katy Trail in our area, we decided that our first “long” ride would be from Dutzow to Augusta. We sampled some wine in Augusta. 🙂 And then rode back. With stops and side trips, this ended up being about 18 miles round trip. It was a great way to get comfortable on our bikes.

We had lunch at our favorite winery in Augusta – Nobelis. It was fun to have some wine and pizza and enjoy the beautiful scenery. And during the pandemic we could still be socially distant and safe. A perfect way to spend a September afternoon in Missouri!

Ample Harvest – A Good Use for Excess Garden Produce

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Our garden is really producing right now. I have way more tomatoes and yellow squash than I can use. Every day, I go out and pick more. So I was excited to hear about Ample Harvest. They promote sharing excess garden produce with local food pantries. This reduces unnecessary food waste.

Food pantries can register with Ample Harvest to indicate that they will accept garden produce. I went to their website and put in my zipcode. There were quite a few pantries within a 10 mile radius listed on the site. The site states that you should call to find out donation procedures before heading out with your garden goodies.

I called one and found out they don’t take produce. So I informed them that they were listed with Ample Harvest and might want to have themselves removed.

On the second call I had success! It was a pantry about 7 miles away and they accept produce. So I hopped on the e-bike (more on that later) and I rode over there. They were happy to have the squash and tomatoes and told me I was welcome to bring more. And the bell peppers which are about to come on strong in the garden.

I don’t like throwing away food and the garden has a few weeks every year where it just produces a bonanza of food. So having a place to take the food where I know it will go to good use was worth the time it took to get it over there.

Koi Cam

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Just for fun we put the GoPro in the fish pond in our front yard. We got a “fish-eye” view of all of them swimming around. This isn’t the most exciting video in the world, but I do find it soothing and relaxing. We are already talking about which angle we want to see next.

So if you want to see koi, goldfish, bluegill, and minnows swimming around in our front yard pond, here you go…

How Cold Is Too Cold To Go Outside?

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“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.”

Aristotle

I can be a little hyperactive. That is no surprise to people who know me. So movement helps me focus and settle down. Sitting still for too long makes me feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Don’t ask me why. That is just how I am made.

One thing I like to do is walk to church every morning. I attend 8am mass at my parish most weekday mornings. (More on that later.) Except when we are out adventuring in our RV. 🙂 And even when it is cold or there is snow on the sidewalks, my preference it to walk if I think it is safe. There is something about the movement and the outdoors that brings me peace. And I can appreciate what I see right in front of me no matter the season. During winter it is the snow on the ground or the bite of the wind.

So I put on my hoodie, my coat, my scarf, something to keep my ears warm, a pair or two of socks, sometimes my long Janes, a pair or two of gloves, and whatever else I feel is necessary to keep warm.

I always laugh when people slow their cars and say “Do you want a ride?”. I do have a car. 🙂 I appreciate the offer, but the walk is good for me. And I know someday I won’t be able to do it. So I walk while I can and enjoy the cold.

How cold is too cold to be outside? It is rarely too cold for me to walk to church.

Goodbye Garden: Cooking Up the Last Fried Green Tomatoes

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I cooked up the last of the green tomatoes a few days ago. They keep pretty long in the refrigerator, but it was time for them to go. And with that we say goodbye to our garden produce this year. I made fried green tomato sandwiches with bacon, pickles, and chipotle mayonnaise.

First I sliced the tomatoes about 1/2 inch thick.

Then I put some flour in one bowl and some egg (slightly beaten) in a second bowl. In a third bowl I mixed some cornmeal with some salt and pepper.

I dipped the tomatoes in the flour, and then the egg wash, and then the cornmeal mixture.

Next I heated up a little canola oil in my cast iron skillet. And I fried the tomatoes to a nice golden brown on both sides. I drained them on paper towels.

While they were frying I microwaved a few slices of bacon. I also mixed a little chipotle sauce with some mayonnaise. And I got out the dill pickles.

To make the sandwhiches, I toasted some bread. Then I put on two or three of the fried green tomatoes, a little of of the chipotle mayonnaise, and a couple of slices of bacon. The Husband and I really enjoyed these. Yum!

Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches

I prefer flavorful heirloom tomatoes in this recipe. Use tomatoes which are not at all ripe. They should be firm and crunchy.

Ingredients  

  • 4 green tomatoes
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • canola oil
  • 8 slices bacon
  • 1/4 cup mayonaise
  • 1 tbsp chipolte sauce
  • dill pickles
  • 8 slices sandwich bread

Instructions 

  1. Cut the green tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices.
  2. Put 1/2 cup flour in one bowl.
  3. Put the beaten egg in another bowl.
  4. In a third bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, the cornmeal, and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Heat the canola oil in a heavy skillet.
  6. Dredge the tomato slices in the flour and then the egg. Dredge in the cornmeal and flour mixture.
  7. Fry the tomatoes in the hot oil until golden brown.
  8. Cook the bacon.
  9. Mix the mayonaise and chipolte sauce.
  10. Assemble the sandwiches, using the bread, chipolte mixture, several fried green tomatoes, a couple of pieces of bacon, and dill pickles.
  11. Enjoy!

Notes

If your tomatoes are large, 2 or 3 might suffice.

When Should You Winterize Your RV?

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October extinguished itself in a rush of howling winds and driving rain and November arrived, cold as frozen iron, with hard frosts every morning and icy drafts that bit at exposed hands and faces.

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Well, that seems to be what is happening here in Missouri. I had to cover my ears and hands and even put on the scarf for the walk to church this morning.

So The Husband winterized our Micro Minnie Winnie last night. We are not planning to go out again until we head south for a week in February. So for now, our travel trailer is hibernating next to our house. And we count the weeks until our next adventure!