Blueberry Bran Muffins

I'm not sure when my geezerhood began, but I reckon it's in full swing now. Never is it more apparent than at the grocery store, where I sing along with the Muzak. And give tips to the shoppers. And talk in the check-out line.

Yeah, that's me.

It's a rare treat when I get a friendly cashier. Okay, so I'm hard-up for social interaction, I realize, but there it is. In general the conversation is kept to the rainy weather or to whatever drivel is on the tabloids. But every so often, someone feels the need to comment on the stash of stuff in my cart. "You got a lot of kids?" they'll say. Or "Hosting a big party?" Or "Planning a week in the john?"

Just kidding about that last one.

But recently, I sent a big ol' box of All-Bran down the conveyor belt followed by a 16-pack of Quilted Northern. Have you tried that stuff? It is a piece of three-ply heaven sent from above!

Not so much for the All-Bran. I mean, really. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the cereal and the box it came it. But seein' as I'm old, I bought myself some TEN GRAMS OF FIBER per HALF-CUP serving, fully intending to hide it in some muffins.

And that I did. These blueberry bran muffins are so doggone WHOLESOME and TASTY it will make you forget all about the fiber.

Enjoy your old age. I know I do.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups All-Bran

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/2 cup blueberries

1 apple, cored and shredded

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup honey or molasses

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper liners. Beat the egg and milk in a bowl, and mix in the bran cereal. Let the mixture stand until the cereal absorbs the liquid, about 5 minutes. Gently mix in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, melted butter, blueberries, shredded apple, mashed banana, and honey, and stir a few times to mix. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Yield: 12 muffins.

More food talk and recipes over at Ann's Food on Fridays!

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How To Organize Support For Someone In Need -- Online!

When someone has a new baby, an extended illness, or any other crisis that renders them out of commission for a bit--there's usually a slew of people who quote the phrase, "Let me know what I can do to help."

Well, that line is helpful and all to folks who aren't, say, in a crisis. We all know that the first thing we do when things get tough is make up a spreadsheet and click down a phone tree.

Or not.

But there is generally one person who does like to coordinate help for someone in need. And since I happen to be that type of person, SURPRISE, SURPRISE, I've found a trick along the way to make the process a little easier.

Now while coordinating volunteers is a rewarding adventure, repeating the same story and communicating via "reply all" e-mail is not. 

That's where the Care Calendar comes in. It's a free, online service that provides a central location for help to be organized. One coordinator (you!) sets up a simple calendar and lists needs as varied as meals, childcare, errands, housework, rides, visits, or yard work. There's a (secure!) place to list contact and other pertinent information about the person in need, as well as space for photos and updates as needed. Once the calendar is set up, it's as simple as notifying the caring volunteers of how they can sign up online to help. Easy peasy.

I've used this website myself to coordinate meals for a new mom, and it saved me quite a bit of time--and yet! The needs were met just the same.

Do you know of other sites for organizing support for someone in need?

For more tips head over to Works For Me Wednesday!

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Lewis And Clark National Historic Trail: The Salt Works

One thing I've learned about homeschooling is that no trip is simply a trip, it is an educational experience. Or it darn well better be! Otherwise, what's the point? You don't expect me to simply have fun...or relax, do you? Stuff and nonsense.

So when it came to my attention that there were Lewis and Clark sites by the gazillions in and around where I live, I asked myself, "Self? Should we make a special trip to the coast to go see some of those?" And you know what I said in reply?

"YOU BETCHER BUCKSKINS AND SAVE YER MOCCASINS FOR SUNDAY!"

Shouted it, that I did.

So strap up your boots, bloggy readers. We's goin' on a history tour of the Oregon Coast! Highlights will be the Salt Works, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Clatsop. If I'm feeling especially nerdy, I'll throw in some bonus posts after that. 

We'll start by getting salt from the Pacific, or as Clark called it, "the emence ocian."

The Salt Works

All right. Here's the bottom line. By the time the Lewis and Clark Crew made their cross-country trip, they were PLUM OUTTA SUPPLIES. And by gum those boys needed some salt! Salt in their shakers! Salt for their meat! And salt to throw over their shoulders to fend off bad luck!

Okay. I might have made that last part up.

So the ocean. It has some salt. And we know that men like fire, and hauling heavy things, and goodness knows they had some time to kill while they whittled away the winter on the Oregon coast.

Enter:  

The Salt Cairn. Pronounced like a hick saying "I'm carin' about ya."

Basically it's a pile of rocks and some buckets of water over a fire. See? I am awesome with the history.

Due to the passage of time, the original salt cairn disappeared, but fortunately a replica-esque has been built near the original site. History buffs and those they drag along with them rejoice. I know for a fact that my kids could not have lived knowing there was a salt cairn nearby that they hadn't seen.

Keeping future tourists in mind, Lewis (or Clark, who knows?) made sure to set up a plaque describing the cairn. Or maybe it was the Lions Club in 1955. You know. One of those.

I made my four-year-old pose in front of it. See? She adores a good salt cairn. She also adores a good moisturizing lotion, and could have used some to ease that itch on her back.

I'm guessing by now you are busting to know what's written on that sign. Well, wait no longer! 

On January 2, 1806, the salt works was established by the three "salt makers" of the Lewis & Clark Expedition: Joseph Fields, William Bratten and George Gibson, who remained here until February 20, 1806. These men, assisted at times by hunters and packers, were able during this period to tediously extract approximately four bushels of salt by boiling seawater day and night in five metal "kittles."


The Expedition had run out of salt before arrival at their winter camp at Fort Clatsop, 10 miles to the northeast, and it was very necessary for curing meat and preparing for the return trip to civilization.


This actual site was established by a committee of the Oregon Historical Society in 1900, on the testimony of Jenny Michel of Seaside, whose Clatsop Indian father remembered seeing the white men boiling water, and had pointed out this place to her when she was a young girl. She was born in this vicinity about 1816 and died in 1905.

I leave you with a photo of the men in action. A true historical document. (Click to enlarge.)

Next up: Cape Disappointment. You'll not be disappointed. Or maybe you will be. Wait and see.

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Books I'm Hogging From The Library: The March 26, 2011 Edition

I didn't intend to let months pass between blog posts. Then again, I didn't intend to get pregnant, which led to a miscarriage, which led to surgery, which finally concluded with a big ol' case of postpartum depression. I also didn't foresee my brother having a big ol' seizure which led to a big ol' surgery where a big ol' tumor was removed from his brain. And shortly after that, my Dad had a stroke, and wow, those are just the highlights from the past six months.

So.

I've never been someone to emote all over the blogosphere, and in general, prefer my online self to be helpful and upbeat. Well, as helpful and upbeat as sarcasm can be, ya know. So my plan is to simply blog when I can, and when doing so, rejoice in the relative 'calmness' that allowed that to happen.

I've had so many books I've wanted to tell you about during my latest bloggy absence. As an aside, I often talk about what I've been reading over on my facebook page, so if you "like" me, please circle yes, no, maybe so click on over.

This is what's currently on my shelf.

My Stroke of Insight: Hubs is always listening to this geeky thing and that, and he was the first to mention this book to me. And then lo and behold, my Dad had a stroke, and Jill Bolte Taylor's story was the first to pop up in my mind. Essentially, she's a brain scientist who had a stroke, so her perspective is unique and enlightening. It's not all "sciency," though, as she shares quite a bit about the loving support she had which was so important during recovery. I listen to the audiobook while washing dishes, with the volume turned one notch above "THREE KIDS IN THE HOUSE."

Lark Rise to Candleford: I've caught this show once or twice on my local public TV channel, and have always wanted to watch the series from the start. Well, whoa darlin', I finally got season one in my library-loving hands and I love, love, LURVE it. I've tweeted that it's like the British version of Little House on the Prairie--only better. In this stressful time of my life, the show has been a soothing balm on my nerves. What would also be a soothing balm on my nerves would be having season two on hold and ready for me to pick up lickety-split. But alas, I will moan and groan patiently wait til it arrives.

Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History: I chuckle every time I see this book on my shelf. I guess all my overactive imagination can picture are plants giving epic monologues, climbing tall mountains, or shuttling into space. Nevertheless, just when you thought "plants" + "history" = a walk through a field full of poppies . . . you'd be wrong. And you'd also be surprised! There's more than illegal drugs on the list. Yippee! Go plants!

The Teenage Liberation Handbook: I have no clue how long I'll homeschool my kids, but I gotta tell you--I've tasted enough freedom that I could see us riding the hippie train and alternate-schooling the whole way through. This book is an eye-opener for the teenage years, daring to imagine that there might be something to "school" besides regurgitating for a test. Huh.

American Idol: The Untold Story: This behind-the-scenes book does not include the current season of Idol (um, DUH), which I should mention is a far better season than I've seen in the past, thanks to Nigel Lythgoe and the new batch of judges. But it does include stories about the older, crazier judges, the contestant's typical schedule for the week (schedule! love!), and other things that happen in "reality" on a "reality" show.

And there you have it. Reading anything good this spring?


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