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“We Have Met the Enemy . . .”

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I was looking back at some older posts and ran across one that still resonates with me. At that time our national “leadership” was threatening to invade Mexico, and these were my thoughts:

Soap Box: Violence in Mexico

Nothing about the current situation with Venezuela or any other country has changed my mind about the real reason behind the problem.

Walt Kelly is credited with the phrase “We have met the enemy and he is us” in his Pogo comic strip in 1970 or so. According to https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Walt_Kelly, he also had this to say back in 1953:

Traces of nobility, gentleness and courage persist in all people, do what we will to stamp out the trend. So, too, do those characteristics which are ugly. It is just unfortunate that in the clumsy hands of a cartoonist all traits become ridiculous, leading to a certain amount of self-conscious expostulation and the desire to join battle.
There is no need to sally forth, for it remains true that those things which make us human are, curiously enough, always close at hand. Resolve then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tinny blast on tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us. Forward!

Squash Gratin

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When I was looking at the posts I have put up regarding food, I realized that I had never written about one of my most favorite and often made dishes: Summer Squash Gratin. This is an impressive looking and delicious dish; it takes a little time, but it is not at all difficult.

Here are a couple of pictures from the internet:

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 small leeks (1/2 pound), white and tender green parts thinly sliced into rounds
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, preferably
    on a mandoline
  • 3 medium yellow summer squash, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, preferably on a mandoline
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 cup finely shredded Gruyère (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 plum tomato, very thinly sliced crosswise
  • Flaky sea salt and crusty bread, for serving

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 425°.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over moderately high heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Spread in a 9-inch round baking dish
  • Meanwhile, on 2 large baking sheets, spread the zucchini and yellow squash and brush with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the cheese and let sit until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
  • Tightly roll 1 piece of zucchini and set it on the leeks in the center of the dish. Working
    outward from that center slice, continue rolling and coiling additional pieces of zucchini and yellow squash until you reach the edge of the baking dish. Season the tomato slices with salt and pepper, then tuck in intervals between the zucchini and squash. Scrape any cheese off of the baking sheets and sprinkle on top.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, until the zucchini and squash are tender and browned in spots. Sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool slightly, then
    serve with crusty bread.
  • Source: http://www.foodandwine.com

I find that using a springform pan makes it much easier to cut wedges for serving.

National Kindness Day (and Week)

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November 13 is National Kindness Day although it really is International Kindness Day and part of Kindness Week.

Kindness Week came into being when several humanitarian groups came together on November 13, 1997, and made a Declaration of Kindness. What started as Kindness Day turned into Kindness Week, where everyone is encouraged to make a similar declaration of kindness and charity. The week is celebrated by donating books, food, or clothes to local communities and pledging to empathize with other people. Even the smallest act of kindness can go a long way, and you should never pass up an opportunity to help someone in need. Kindness Week aims to create a society where everyone can live a dignified life. https://nationaltoday.com/kindness-week/

It’s rather sad that we need a week to remind us to be kind; the older I get, the more I think we should declare a Kindness Year or Kindness Decade.

November’s Nails

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I went with an autumn feel for this month: multicolor maple leaves:

Although it has been over a year since I was first introduced to gel polish and was able to start growing out my nails, I am still astonished that after all this time, I actually have nails! Nails that I even have to trim!

Another thing that has surprised me about having them is that I thought, for instance, it would make things easier to pick up; not so. It’s actually harder to pop open cans, harder to put on earrings, harder to lift things up off the floor, and so on.

One other oddness about having nails is that I feel the rest of me has to live up to them. I can’t go out in baggy shorts or wrinkled tee shirts. My nails demand a certain standard of dress and decorum.

Nevada Road Trip: Around Caliente (Day 7)

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This day started with another trip to the Side Track restaurant, which, fortunately for me, was open for breakfast on Friday (as well as Saturday and Sunday). It did not disappoint, and I headed out for my morning with a nice protein fix.

First stop: Cathedral Gorge State Park. There is a nice visitor center here where I was finally able to buy my annual senior pass to Nevada State Parks. Better late than never. Of all the state parks I visited, this was the only one where I saw an actual park employee. The other parks all had fee stations, but you can’t buy annual passes at those. In the parks I was in earlier, I resorted to leaving a note in the windshield giving my phone number and saying I wanted an annual pass. It never came to that, however.

Here’s the blurb from the park’s site:

Cathedral Gorge State Park is located in a long, narrow valley in southeastern Nevada, where erosion has carved dramatic and unique patterns in the soft bentonite clay. The park’s beauty began with explosive volcanic activity that, with each eruption, deposited layers of ash hundreds of feet thick. Great walking trails abound for exploring the cave-like formations and cathedral-like spires that are the result of geologic processes from tens of millions of years ago. A photographer’s dream, the park offers stunning views of the scenic canyon and visitors can enjoy hiking, picnicking, camping and nature study. https://parks.nv.gov/parks/cathedral-gorge

If you have kids, you most definitely should go here with them. It is full of “slot” canyons for them to explore with little risk of them getting lost or hurt (same for us grown-ups). The “canyons” are all short, but you can go from one to another to another to another . . .

The view from Miller Point is supposed to be very nice, but unfortunately the road to it has been closed for months. I thought maybe I would hike up to it instead, but the trail was closed too. Once I saw the number of steps that would have been involved, I figured that was just as well. You can just make out some of the steps in this photo:

I very much enjoyed my brief visit here and would definitely go back, especially when they get the road to Miller Point open.

Beaver Dam State Park was the last of my planned sites to visit. It is 28 miles down a dirt road from US 93, eastward, almost to the Utah border. The park did not have much in the way of signage and I did not find many of the places that were listed on the map. An example of the type of problem: the map lists campgrounds “A” and “B” but the signs at the site itself only lists the campgrounds by names.

So, although I never did find any of the listed hikes, I did find one of the main sights I was hoping for on this trip: autumn foliage:

I got back from Beaver Dam State Park in the early afternoon. I had booked my motel room for two nights, but I realized I was only 2-1/2 or 3 hours from home. I called the kennel, and they could have Brindy bathed and ready for me by six, so I took off for Henderson.

Naturally, after all the hours on empty roads, I hit a major accident the minute I got into North Las Vegas. Turned the radio back on and rejoined civilization. Picked up the dog and was home before seven.

I had planned this trip to coincide with the “anniversary” of my little stroke last year which happened just before I was supposed to go on a long trip by myself. Although I had been on a cruise in June with a friend, I just felt the need to do something on my own and (with my doctor’s blessing) I am so glad I did it; I had a wonderful time and got a lot of confidence back. I want to explore more of Nevada soon: after all, I don’t want to let that annual state park pass go to waste!

Nevada Road Trip: Ely to Caliente (Day 6)

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This drive was all on US 93, The Great Basin Highway. A part of the highway is a Nevada scenic byway as well. I covered 135 miles or so (plus some side trips) on another fairly empty road.

In city driving, I always have the radio on and mainly switch among five different channels on Sirius XM. For some reason, listening to music while driving in town seems necessary. However, the minute I left the outskirts of Las Vegas, I turned the radio off and did not turn it back on until I got back to Vegas the evening of my last day.

There was something about being out in those broad expanses and on those empty roads that just called for silence. I also found that I was much more attuned to the actual driving experience: the sound of the tires on the road, the feel of the steering wheel under my hands, etc. Driving was a joy again just for its own sake during the whole trip.

I drove through the town of Panoche as it has a couple of historical sites and buildings, but the town just didn’t appeal to me and I drove on.

My first stop, then, was Spring Valley State Park. Here is the sign that greeted me at the lake within the park:

If you’re like me, at first glance, you assume it is warning you about fire danger. Look more closely and you will see that it is a “Harmful Algal Bloom Advisory”. Here are the four zones:

  • Clear
  • Watch: Keep Pets Away from the Water!
  • Warning: Keep Pets Away from the Water!
  • Danger: Keep Pets Away from the Water!

What I find interesting is that while the sign explains that the algae and cyanobacteria can be harmful to humans, wildlife, and pets, the main emphasis is on protecting your pet: “HABS can be deadly to pets. Don’t let pets swim in or drink water that shows signs of HABS.” Nothing about when humans should stay out of the water!

The park is named for the large number of springs that irrigate lush pastures in a historical ranching area. Volcanic tuff and sediment make the hills a light-gray, pink, and white backdrop. 

The next scenic spot of the day was Kershaw-Ryan State Park:

Situated in a colorful canyon, with towering walls up to 700 feet high and a long, verdant valley in between, Kershaw-Ryan State Park is an oasis in the desert, a sharp contrast to the rugged landscape that surrounds it. Natural springs grow a garden of wild grapevines, white oaks, fruit trees and willows, and a spring-fed pond provides a seasonal children’s wading pool. It is not unusual to see wild horses, deer and other wildlife come to the water. With plenty of places to picnic and a series of trails that wind throughout, the park is a great choice for hiking, camping and nature study. https://parks.nv.gov/parks/kershaw-ryan

If you ever find yourself in Caliente, I can highly recommend the Side Track Restaurant. I had a great turkey sandwich. When I asked about what the fries were like I was told to imagine if McDonald’s fries and Wendy’s fries had a baby; that would be their fries. And, yes, they were terrific!

Day 7 is more state parks around Caliente.