Monday, January 31, 2011

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 1/31/2011

“Most people who want to get ahead do it backward. They think, 'I'll get a bigger job, then I'll learn how to be a leader.' But showing leadership skill is how you get the bigger job in the first place. Leadership isn't a position, it's a process.”
--John Maxwell

Visit John Maxwell's site: www.JohnMaxwellTeam.com/Focus for "A Minute With Maxwell" Powerful Minute of Daily Coaching -- a new message every day.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Show & Tell: Minerals

Hi, Jim's wife Kathi here. Jim let me hijack his blog for the purpose of show & tell.

I have been working on taking photos of mineral donations for the silent auction at the mining/engineering association where I am working, and they are just so cool I had to show someone!

The first specimen is Selenite. Selenite is a transparent variety of Gypsum.




















The next specimen is Tiger Quartz. I wish I knew more about it, 'cause I don't know a darn thing other than that it is pretty.


My favorite this week is Hemimorphite. This one is from Wenshan, Yunnan Province, China. I love the sky-blue color of it, and the smooth-bubbly texture. Wouldn't it look neat in a fountain with a little water flowing over it?

Thanks for coming to today's show & tell. I appreciate your letting me show some really neat things, and I appreciate your patience with this break from Granddad's Corner's usual stuff.

I feel much better now that I could show someone!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

DID YOU KNOW: Zorse?


This is for real, but it seems out of place for Colorado. (And in the animal kingdom, for that matter!)

We went to Gateway, Colorado, last spring. One of the places we visited was the Gateway Stables. They offer horseback riding, picnics, riding lessons, horse therapy, horse painting, pony cart rides -- just about anything horse-related that you can think of.

Before we left, the stable manager asked if we had ever seen a zorse. Uh. . . what's a zorse?! It's a cross between a zebra and a horse!

It really is.

So, she brought the zorse out so we could see for ourselves. Nobody rides it. It's more like a pet (though not easily managed and much bigger than an average pet). Here's a picture we took so YOU can see it, too!

If you ever get the chance, you should visit Gateway. Don't blink, though, or you could miss it! It's about 45 minutes out of Grand Junction. Here's a link to the stables: http://www.gatewaycanyons.com/play/the-stables/ . They are open in the winter by appointment.

A zorse is a zorse, of course, of course. . .

NOW YOU KNOW!

Monday, January 24, 2011

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 1/24/2011

"Why not go out on a limb? Isn't that where the fruit is?


-- Frank Scully, American writer

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

DID YOU KNOW: WD - 40

Here is some information I received from a friend about some uses for WD-40.

Every one should have a can or two of this stuff on hand -- at home, in the car, workshop, barn, tool shed, or even your garden shed. This stuff does more than just stopping squeaks; there are a lot more uses. Here are ideas how to use it.


Protect silver from tarnishing: Spray some WD - 40 on a rag and wipe down all your silver.

Keeps shower doors free of water spots. After cleaning the glass door, wipe it down with WD - 40 on a clean rag.

Mirrors: Just as the shower door. No fogging!

It will remove splattered grease on your stove. Do not use near open flame. Spray on a rag and wipe down your stove.

It will remove traces of duct tape and label goo.

Wipe down all of your metal tools to keep them rust free.

Spray a little on hard to loosen lug nuts or bolts.

After cleaning the blades on your ceiling fan, wipe them down with some WD -40. Dust will not collect as quickly.

Use some to get rid of them black scuff marks on your wood floor.


Thats just a few things you can do with WD -40. Look at the WD-40 Web site for lots more ideas.

I have even heard of using it on lures for fishing, but I would check with fish and game first.


I have heard of spraying fire ant bites with WD -40. Also to keep flies off of cows. I do not have a cow, and I have never been bit by fire ants , so I do not know if it really works or not for that. But what the heck, there is nothing in WD -40 to hurt you I have been told. Give it a try.

FISHING WITH MOM

How many of you out there like to go fishing? How many women do you know who like to fish also? My Mom is a city girl, raised in Chicago. When she married my Dad she had never even been camping, let alone fishing. If she only knew what she had let herself in for!

The first time that she went fishing and camping was with four kids and my Dad. We started her out on little beaver ponds. Lots of fish, and lots of action. 'Course the fish were brook trout and very fun to catch -- and more fun to eat.

So, my Dad had her setting on a little hill, right up against this nice beaver pond. He showed her how to cast her line out in the pond, and told her to watch this little bobber on the water. If it started to move or bobbed in the water, she was to give the pole a little yank backwards. He proceeded to catch a fish on her pole, gave a little yank, and reeled in this real nice brookie. He re-baited her hook and cast the line out in the middle of the pond. He then handed her the pole, and said that it was her turn. So she had the pole in her hands and my Dad said that he would be at the next pond.

One of my sisters and I were on the other side of the pond that Mom was fishing. We had our lines in the water. All of a sudden, Mom let out this sort of scream! Well, not really a scream, more like a holler and scream combined. The bobber in the water was going up and down. She was standing on this hill and she hollered at us kids, "What should I do!?" We, of course, hollered across the pond to set the hook, which means that you are supposed to give a little yank backward on the pole, which will set the hook, and then you can reel in your fish.

Well, this being her first time. . . I know how excited one can get when they get that first fish! She was at the base of the hill, and was making these little funny sounds. We found out later she was saying to herself, "Now what? Now what?" Well, we hollered at her again to set the hook.

She set the hook all right. She gave the pole a yank and that poor fish came out of that beaver pond like a rocket. It cleared the water, went over her head, went flying up the hill, and disappeared from sight. My sister and I just stood there with our mouths open. Thank God the 'skeeters were not out, 'cause we would of had mouths full.

Now she was whooping and hollering for my Dad, and my sister and I were laughing our heads off! My Dad came over and wanted to know what was going on. Mom said with pride that she caught a fish! My Dad asked where it was at. She said, "OH!" then turneds around to face uphill and proceeded to reel in her fish from the top of the hill. She dragged that fish through the dirt, the sagebrush, rocks, and maybe even a cow patty or two.

Once she had it reeled in, she held it up proudly to show Dad. He was kind enough not to laugh out loud like my sister and I were doing. He took that fish, kind of wiped it off, and told her that it was a nice catch. He cleaned it for her, and put it in his creel. We fished for a while longer, then it was time to head back to camp. After all the fish had been cleaned we decided to cook them up for dinner.

Dinner was real nice: fresh fish, rice, and cornbread. Mom said that her fish was the best that she had ever had. And our Dad couldn't keep it in any longer. He smiled, said "I love you, and I'm glad that you liked your fish so much 'cause it was spiced up by the time you reeled it in from the hill." He told her all he had to do was brush a few sticks and some grass from it, gut it, and cook it up. He told her that he had to put salt and lemon pepper on everyone else's fish.

We all laughed and Mom finally did, too.

To this day, Mom sets the hook the same way. Later, when they lived in Arkansas, my Dad had a big bass boat and would take Mom fishing with him. They would be out on the lake, with her at the front of the boat and him at the back. They would talk and laugh and they would catch fish. The only thing was -- every time she had a fish bite, she would set the hook just like she did all those years ago, except then she scared the you-know-what-out of my Dad! When she would yank the pole to set the hook, she would yank the fish right out of the water on her side of the boat, and it would land back in the water on Dad's side. That action made the boat rock really bad, to the point of swamping the boat.

But, she always got her fish. Dad said that every time she caught a fish he thought that the boat was going to tip over. He said he never ever caught his limit of fish after that. He was too busy hanging onto the boat while Mom fished.

If any of you would like to learn to fish, there is a good Web site that you can look at. They teach how to fly fish. Check them out: www.womensflyfishing.net. (It's not just good for women -- it's good for anyone.)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

FEED YOUR FACE: Beer Bread part 2

OK, I know that I posted about beer bread in early December of last year. This time it is about beer bread in a package. All you have to do is add beer of your liking to the mix, pour it in a greased bread pan, and throw it in the oven. If you do not like beer, try it with ginger ale, or seven up, or even Dr. Pepper. It's all good.



This stuff we got as a gift from one of my sisters and her husband. It came in a beer bottle. All we had to do is pop the top. (It was kind of under presure and made a hissing sound, which made Nugget crawl under the table.) It spit some fine powder out and on me. We just poured the contents in a mixing bowl with 12 oz of beer or whatever you are going to use. Mix it up, but do not beat it to death, then pour in the pan. Have the oven preheated at 375. Place in oven and start to drool some.

When it is done, set it out for a few minutes before removing from the pan. That leaves the time to get out the butter and homemade jelly. It came out pretty good, but I am having a real hard time of limiting myself to a slice every two days. 'Course the picture shows two slices, but I was kind enough to make a slice for my wife.


When you are on a diet, I do not care what they say, you cannot stay on a diet 24/7. You need to still have a little comfort food every now and then. As long as you do not go over board you will still shed the pounds. It still takes time and willpower. Rome was not built in a day. And the Isle of Belly didn't just show up one night. (Though it did seem to show up pretty quickly.)

So, try a bread mix every once in awhile. Some of them do taste pretty good and I really like them for camping and fishing trips. Makes things easy out in the field.

So, FEED YOUR FACE! And don't forget the jelly!

Monday, January 17, 2011

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 1/17/2010


"Happiness is a warm puppy."

--Charles M . Schulz, from his "Peanuts" comic strip

Friday, January 14, 2011

MONEY TREE

Every now and then we all could use a little extra money. Maybe 20 dollars, 100, or maybe 1,500, maybe more or less. And a lot of us watch our money really well. Dome of us have a hard time just balancing a checkbook. Others seem to just have a knack for money -- seems like it just kind of sticks to them, and the more it sticks it seems the more they get.


Wouldn't it be neat, as the saying goes, to just go out to the money tree and pick some money. Well, years ago, that wasn't as far fetched as it sounds. Your great, great, great grandfather and grandmother may have had a money tree or a nest egg somewhere. Back then, some people did not trust banks or the bank was too far from home.


If you lived out in the country and maybe sold some of your cows or corn you were paid in hard cash right there on the spot. So, you would take your money and set some aside for paying on your bills and then you would maybe stash a dollar or two. But, where to put it? Maybe you'd stash all of it until you could get to town. Maybe you were afraid of being robbed or were one of those who did not trust the bank.


So, some farmers would pick a good spot that they could always keep an eye on. Like that big old pecan tree in the backyard that he can see from his upstairs bedroom window. There we have our money tree! Or grandma sells some veggies out of her garden and maybe some eggs from the chickens. She takes her money and wants to have a little to put aside also. She takes and hides a little of it out in the chicken coop. There we have our nest egg. Maybe she wants to keep a closer eye on her little bit of money and stashes it in her garden that she can see from the kitchen window.


People will hide stuff just about any where they can think of. My dad used to collect silver coins. Well, my sisters and I found a whole jar of dimes back in the late 1960's. I'm talking about a whole Mason jar full! We were in hog heaven. We made a run to the candy store. We made a run to the toy store. We made a run to the ice cream store. We spent that whole jar of dimes in one day.

We found this jar in a box of junk that was in the shed in our backyard. We were told to clean out the shed. It was so full, that if you needed to put something in it it took two people. One to open the door real fast and the other to hurry and throw whatever it was into the shed and slam the door shut. If you needed to get into the shed, you stood to one side as you opened the door. Otherwise you were buried in stuff as it fell out of the shed.


It wasn't until years later that we found out from our dad that the coins were silver and had been quite valuable. Can you imagine what they would be worth today? Wow! People use to hide stuff of value all over the place. I found a old coffee can years ago on a hunting trip that had been stashed under the front porch of a old home stead place on my uncle's ranch. In the can were some silver forks, spoons, and a couple of knives, also some old Confederate paper money. The can had been sealed up in a old dutch oven. The oven was upside down and the coffee can was upright in the oven. It was not buried, but just setting under the porch. If that part of the porch had not fallen in and rotted. I would not have ever seen it.


If you're out and about yard sale surfing, garage sale looking, or maybe at the flea market look at some of the stuff they are selling. If you buy something like an old mirror that set on a dresser, take a look at the back. Has it been messed with? Or on old pictures -- check out the backs of them. I had a friend who bought some old picture in one of those oval looking frames, and when he got it home he took it apart to clean the frame and glass. When he took it apart, out from behind the frame fell three one hundred dollar bills.

For sound found items, the owners have passed on. People have found things from the Civil War or earlier. If you have lost something of value, like a ring or jewelry, look and see if you can find a metal detecting club in your area. They will be more than glad to help you find it. Lots of these people have found old class rings and such on their own and have gone to the trouble to look for and return the item to the rightful owner.


So, keep your eyes open -- you never know what you might find. You just might be lucky enough to find your own little money tree!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A NEW LOOK

This is the new look for Granddad's Corner. It is a start. I hope to add some new things and am planning to run more photos. I will also keep on with FEED YOUR FACE and other things, such as stories, from my childhood, camping, fishing, hunting, and also some things about my family and friends.

As for some of the stories with my friends, I will talk to them beforehand. I would hate to have them be upset. I could change the names, I guess. But, the main thing is that I want to be able to entertain everyone and also give out some useful information every now and then.

So, I hope that you like the new look. And I hope that I can get more people to take a look at this blog. I want to thank those of you who are already followers. So let's rock this thing!

God Bless, and have a great day.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

DIET TIME IS HERE

OK , I know that I can do this. It is time to get rid of the Isle of Belly. I am starting with a cleansing of my body on the inside, then we start to work on the outside. So I started with some Cleanz + from H.A.R.D. Nutrition. It is to clean your colon , kidneys , and liver. I drink one bottle of this every night , along with the pills in the bottle cap, for two weeks. Then I also drink a bottle of Fat Fighter every morning after breakfast. It is for weight loss & control. It also has pills to take. I will take this also for two weeks. They say that you can eat the same food you have always eaten and that you will still lose weight.

Cool if that part works. But, I am still going to pick out a diet, not sure which one quite yet, but I will get on one here this week . So I drank the Cleanz+ last night And had the Fat Fighter Monday morning after breakfast . I was surprised that after having a breakfast of milk, juice, my cup of coffee, one egg, and two pancakes (then drinking this stuff) that I really did not get hungry for the biggest part of the day, even after shoveling snow for the biggest part of the morning.

So , I am starting out at 210.4 pounds, for this week. We will also start some kind of physical work out . I want to get my BMI down quite a bit. It is much too high right now. I have talked about it, now is the time to put up or shut up. I will let you all know how it goes, maybe once a week. And I will try to not post any fat pictures. This is supposed to be a family type of blog . Besides, no use scaring you all . Maybe when it is all done I will then post before and after pictures.

I will also keep on doing my FEED YOUR FACE even if it is not quite what is on my diet. I can always give it to family and friends . Might even do some diet dishes along the way.

So, that's it for now. I hope that you follow along, if you've a mind to.

Monday, January 10, 2011

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 1/10/2011

"I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way. "
--Carl Sandburg , Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet

Friday, January 7, 2011

A new look

I am planning to have a new look here at Granddad's Corner. Our friends at Back Alley Concepts have created a new banner for me, and I'm really excited to use it. You'll see it next week.

That will just be the start of some little changes as I grow into my blog.

I'm glad you are all here with me. Now, have a good weekend, be sure to feed your face, and I'll see you next week!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

MUNCHIES


Have you ever had one of those nights when you have eaten dinner and are lounging around? You caught the news on TV and maybe you have done some reading. It is after midnight, and all of a sudden you get this craving? I mean the kind of craving that just won't go away!

Well, I had one last night. Yep, this craving just would not leave me alone. We had Chinese food for dinner. That may have been part of the problem. You know how people say that after eating Chinese food you are hungry again after a couple of hours? Well Imade it 'til about 11 last night.

All of a sudden, I had a Cocoa Krispies attack. Didn't want them with milk. Didn't want them plain. Didn't want them in a bowl. I just had to have them as Cocoa Krispie treats. I'm here to tell you that I was really Jonesing for these bad boys. My wife thought that I was just being fidgety. After I told her what I was wanting she offered to make some for me. I even told her I would share them with her. Now, talk about a cool wife! Who will make you Krispie treats late at night?

Heck, she is so cool that one time, at about 3 AM, we both decided that we just HAD to have some cinnamon rolls. Guess what? We both got out of bed, went right to the kitchen, and I watched her make these honking cinnmon rolls. I mean these things melted in your mouth! You didn't have to really chew them. They just sort of slid down your throat. And we sat there eating the rolls, looking at one another, and grinning to beat the band. 'Course, our dog Nugget was not too pleased. I guess he was missing out on his beauty rest or something. I think that we ate almost the whole pan. Then went back to bed and slept like babies.

So, Kathi made the Cocoa Krispie treats. I got me a big glass of milk, and wolfed down 3 of them bad boys. Then I set up until about 2 AM, thinking about the rest of the treats in the pan. I had to finally give it up and go to bed.

And my diet? 'Course tomorrow is another day. YUM !

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

FIREWOOD

When the nights get cold, it is nice to have a fire in the old fireplace. Are you are one of those who have one? I like to have a fire every now and then. (If there is no fire ban going on.) I also like to chop firewood, split it, stack it, and burn it. We also have one of them new fangled fire pit things that set in your backyard. It is like having a camp fire.

On some nights when we have a fire going, Nugget (our dog) likes to curl up on his bed in front of the fire. When I was a little kid, we would pop Jiffy Pop popcorn in the fireplace. (Any one remember Jiffy Pop pop corn?) And we'd have Dr. Pepper with ice cream. Or just have a hot Dr. Pepper. My sister and I would come into the house about half frozen from playing outside. We would take hot baths, were put in our pajamas, and would wrap ourselves in a big old blanket and set in front of the fireplace. Sometimes we would end up falling asleep there on the floor and the fireplace just keep on warming us all night long.

We would get up the next morning and have pancakes, eggs, bacon, and what we called homemade orange juice. The house was nice and cozy. We could not wait to get dressed after breakfast and head outside to go play again in the snow. Weekends always seemed to go by so fast when we were kids. And Grand Dad would come out and cut up more firewood. My sister and I would help carry the wood into the house. I learned how to chop wood with a little hachet that was used for making kindling to start the fire with.

As I got older and learned how to use an axe, hammer, and wedge, I found that I liked to cut wood. I got to be pretty good at it after doing it for several years. It got to the point that I was allowed to do the job by myself. I still like doing it to this day. And when I do, the memories and smells of years gone by come whooshing right back.

So, stoke up your fire, pop some popcorn, have a drink, and stay warm on these cold nights.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

Well, we made it through another year. And as custom dictates, resolutions and new goals for 2011. How many did you make, and how many are left over from last year? I still have some left over from when I was in high school. I just keep on moving them from year to year. But I will get to them one day.

One I have had for years is to drive a NASCAR. Friends in high school told me several different times that I drive like I'm at Indy or running moon shine or think that I'm doing time trials for NASCAR. I've done demolition derby at Lakeside Speedway before they shut it down. I used to take friends four wheeling before I had something with four wheel drive. I even did some jumping with a car. And who didn't like doing doughnuts in a parking lot full of snow?! Yep, I was made for speed. I'm just slower now than I used to be.

Another one is I always wanted to be a cowboy. Not the bang bang kind on the big screen or TV. But a cowboy that works with cattle on a ranch. All the other kids I knew back in the early 60s wanted to be bankers, doctors, firemen, policemen and such. Then I would tell them I wanted to be a cowboy. That led to a few rounds of getting the snot kicked out of you. 'Course, I never gave up on that dream and goal.

I got to spend time with my aunt and uncle on their ranch up in the Rockies. I got to ride horses, chase after cows, help feed the animals, help with mending fence, help with putting up hay, and taking care of sick little calves. I also just got to be a kid having fun every summer on the ranch. So, to some degree, I have been a cowboy. I learned much from the experience and would love to have a small ranch now if I could swing things the right way.

Also, I want to learn how to fly. I have had some time flying; I have 12 hours so far. I will finish up one day though. I started this adventure with my Dad. He has always wanted to fly and we had a chance for it several years ago. Things were going fine until one day he said that he was feeling dizzy. He didn't fly for a few days because of this, so he went to the doctor and found out that he has Meniere's Disease, which is a pain to have -- it makes you dizzy, sick to your stomach and what not. So he dropped out of our flying together. It's not his fault, and I feel really bad about him not being able to fly. And I WILL finish up and be a pilot one day.

A newer goal is to work on the Isle of Belly. Talk about a challenge! I still do not have a palm tree for it, so I will spare you a photo. (You will thank me for this.) There are so many diets out there, and picking the right one is going to be a royal pain in the keester. It is going to be real hard. I love to cook and eat what I make. (And what everyone else makes.)

I was told as a child, "Eat what's on your plate!" and we could not leave the table until our plates were clean. Used to be I could eat anything and everything and not gain an ounce. Now I just gain pounds instead. 'Course, I know I'm also to blame.

I mean, come on, fresh homemade bread with butter and homemade jelly? Who in their right mind can turn away from such lip-smacking good food. I can't. 'Course I know that I shouldn't eat it every day. Or every other day. All in moderation. (Now all of you, don't be running out to make homemade bread and jelly.) I joke about it and make fun of myself about being overweight. I was such a skinny guy when I was growing up. I had friends that were bigger than I was by weight and seemed to always be taller. I only weighed 130 pounds in high school. At 5' 9'' and at that weight, I even had a hard time getting on the football team. (That's another story. Ha!)

So, I will be starting a NEW diet to look better and for my health. (Drum roll.) And I think that I may blog about it. But not every day. I will still do FEED YOUR FACE. I just won't be eating it all, mistakes included. Also I will try not to post any pictures along the way. Unless I think it would show a big difference from start to finish. (Sorry, no bare skin for some of you.)

I hope that you all have a great new year and that you all make the goals that you set for yourselves. And for those who also diet this year -- let's do it!

Monday, January 3, 2011

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: 1/3/2011

"Each age has deemed the new-born year the fittest time for festal cheer. "
-- Sir Walter Scott
Scottish historical novelist, playwright and poet