Wild Flower Walk

Plants and flowers have long held an important role in both folk and modern medicine.  Smooth penstemon (Penstemon digitalis) has been used to treat fever and the chills.  And if you chewed the root you might find relief from a toothache.

Meet Prunella vulgaris - a plant called Heal-All. A non-native member of the mint family this plant routinely makes its home in and along the edges of the trails at The Platz. 

As an herb it plays a role in folk-medicine and alternative healing.  If the internet is to be believed a weak infusion of the plant can be used as a medicinal eye wash for sties and pinkeye.  If you ingest a tea made from the plant it can treat fevers, diarrhea, sore mouth and throat, internal bleeding, and weaknesses of the liver and heart.  There is purported (questionable) clinical evidence of antibacterial properties that inhibit the growth of pseudomonas, Bacillus typhi, E. coli, and Mycobacterium tuberculi supporting ts use as an alternative medicine internally and externally as an antibiotic and for hard to heal wounds and diseases.  Some suggest it can also cure herpes, cancer, AIDS, diabetes, and many other maladies.  Apparently I have a regular pharmacopeia of cures growing around here. 

For kicks I crushed a bit between my gloved hands and it did smell remotely like skunky mint.  But I'm not eating any of it.

They're Back!

It has been a bit longer than normal since the aliens from outer space have returned to torment me.  I was actually beginning to think that they had left for good. Alas, they're not chilling on their home planet.  They're back.

One the ever vigilant trail camera captured evidence of their recent visitation in the photos that follow.

Spaceship at rest directly in front of the camera.

As the propulsion system powers-up and fires you can see the photons hurtling from the thrusters.  With that it is gone in the blink of an eye!

If this keeps-up it's going to be a long summer.  My visitors from outer space have allied themselves with the local coyotes....

Orange Barrel Season

 If you live in the Midwest you an appreciate this PSA for the season of orange barrels...

What To See In The July Night Sky

In a warm-up to the Perseid meteor shower that gets its game on in August there is the Delta Aquarids meteor shower.  

This show began mid-July and will be peaking July 28 and 29.  

To be fair, this show is more favorably viewed in the southern hemisphere or the southern reaches of the northern hemisphere - nevertheless if you get out of bed to pee several hours before sunrise, go outside and take a few moments to cast your gaze to the southern sky.   

Locate the constellation Aquarius as this is the radiant from which these meteors appear.  

photo - Wikimedia Commons

In case you care to know these meteors are the result of debris from Comet 96P Machholz - a comet that crosses our path every five years.

 

Fish On!

Looking for fresh yellow lake perch?    

Around these parts there are a couple of local fish mongers.

The fishing is heating up on the Bay and both Bearcats and LaFonds  have wild-caught, commercially-fished Bay perch.  Fresh perch is a real treat and at about $19  a pound (give or take) isn't cheap but no more so than a good steak. 

 

And this blogger would rather eat perch than a prime rib most days of the week.  Especially with family and friends.  Furthermore, if you are frugal and like a party, the DIY fish fry is a blast with your pals and less than half the cost of a restaurant meal.

I pulled-off a big family-sized fish fry last Friday at our annual summer Rib Fest get-together.  Nothing better than fresh, lake perch as a warm-up to BBQ or smoked ribs, eh?  Here are some Pro Tips for prepping and cooking your own fish fry.

Brine your perch fillets.  If they are fresh you can brine them in a couple three hours with a solution of cold tap water and kosher salt.  Brining helps the fish to retain moisture in the frying process.  If your fish is frozen leave it overnight to brine in the fridge as it thaws.

 

Remove fillets from the brine, rinse and leave fillets in a colander to drain.  Fill a large bowl with Wondra Flour.

 

After allowing your fillets to drain give them the lightest of sprinkles of garlic salt on the inside of the fillet. Just a wee bit.  

Dredge your fillets in the Wondra Flour coating both sides and shaking-off the excess.  Set aside on a large cookie sheet. This is an important step as the Wondra flour is the glue that holds it all together.

In another bowl whisk together a wash of fresh eggs and milk and set aside.  Fill another bowl with Panko Japanese bread crumbs.  I prefer Kikkoman but most any name brand will work fine as long as they are plain.

Dip each fillet completely in the egg wash, one at a time, and toss in the Panko crumbs until completely coated.  Set aside on another flat pan or cookie sheet.

When all of your fillets are coated you can proceed to frying them or leave them overnight in the fridge until the next day.  It's OK to layer them on top of one-another as long as each layer is separated by wax paper and they're not stacked too high.

 

Bring a pan of pure vegetable oil to 350-360 degrees and fry your fillets in manageable numbers until golden brown.  Remove to drain on newspaper covered in paper towels.  Too many fillets crowd the fish and will reduce the temperature of the oil so be steady. 

 

Serve with rye bread, coleslaw, potato salad or fries.  If you are doing fries cook them in the oil before the fish, salt and hold in the oven at 225 and serve as soon as the fish is done.

 

 

All of your prep work for a fun-filled fish fry can be performed up to a day or two in-advance leaving you only to cook and imbibe in refreshing adult beverages with your guests.  Using an outdoor fryer as illustrated makes clean-up a snap and keeps any mess out of your kitchen  Besides it's a group affair.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Ribs And The Road To Peace

Another annual summer Rib Fest is complete and in the record books.

I am blessed to be a member of a large and growing family - McNultys on my mother's side and Gaertners on my father's side. Furthermore, under the guidance of our parents we've all been quite close growing-up and continued to remain so during our working years. Seven decades.  We've all been orphans for awhile yet as the oldest cohort of cousins have approached and commenced their retirement years we've continued to take great pains to get together at least twice a year.  

Once over the Christmas holiday and again in the summer. 

It is what I characterize as the Conclave of the Cousins.  And with this year's crop of newborns it has expanded to three generations.  Explain to me how first, second and third cousin once removed works again? 

I digress.

A tight family is a good thing to have.  Same for non-family friends who happen to rank on my personal friendship scale as other than casual.  You know who you are as evidenced by our history.

I lost a close friend a month ago.  Aaron and I went back more than four decades having met as middle school teachers in the late 1970s.  We quickly became fast friends.  Through divorce, remarriage and relocation we remained in-touch.  Chosen as a God Parent to his second daughter was both a blessing and a privilege. (She is now a criminal prosecutor in another part of the country). And while distance was a constant challenge we remained connected and took care to periodically meet face-to-face.  Several months ago we laid tentative plans for me to fly-out to New York to pay a call for an extended weekend.  His death was sudden and unexpected.  The visit never materialized.  Shit happened.  And I felt robbed.  I struggle to wrap my arms around the notion I'll not hear his voice or see his face again in this lifetime. I regret my inaction.  One more text, another conversation, a flight. It is surreal.  Grieving is not for amateurs.

As a consequence of this turn of events, if at all possible, I have vowed not to allow a reasonably good opportunity to spend time with family and friends slip from my grasp.  Who knows when your number is up, eh?

Which, in a round-about way, brings me to the part about ribs and peace.

The summer Conclave of the Cousins has always featured a BBQ or smoked rib competition.  Hence the Rib Fest moniker.  We eat a lot of other stuff (be sure to visit tomorrow) yet a friendly rib competition remains central to our gathering.

Which leads to the peace part of the equation.

Like many of you readers my family and circle of friends continues to remain polarized along those who are supporters of Donald Trump and those who are not.  Note that I have not characterized this as polarization along the lines of Republicans and Democrats.  From my own perspective there are plenty of conservatives and center-right individuals who have characterized themselves as the same yet are loathe to embrace Trumpism.

I count myself among them.  This is not a closely-guarded state secret.  Everyone knows this.

For as long as I have been aware of Donald Trump I have not been a fan.  I considered his television productions lame, his business dealings more hyperbole than success and his persona sketchy and untrustworthy.  Con man From Queens comes to mind.  Following his election I hoped he would become more "presidential" as he grew into the role. Disappointment (not hatred) followed.  By comparison I never cared much for Bill Clinton either.  Both of these hucksters stood out to me as turds in the punch bowl.  Yet, I prospered under both, accepted what I couldn't change and poked fun at my leisure.  The events of January 6 hardened my heart about the former guy.  It was inexcusable, but that's me and my value system.  Again, I digress.

Last weekend included several close encounters with the polarized divide yet nothing of major consequence resulted.  My theory is that I and my people have been witness to four or five generations of successful family history; and a dysfunctional political personality probably isn't gonna permanently interfere with our progress.  Blood is thicker than petty politics and those who seek to profit by sowing division.  Maybe I'm wrong, yet I am righteously hopeful we shall persist.

In conclusion, I know I have likely been a thorn in the side of some of my readers who happen to be family or friends as I refuse to demonstrate a single molecule of fealty or obeisance to former president Trump.  Note, however, that I have never done that in my lifetime with any elected individual. 

Ever.

Worship of mortals is not in my repertoire and I am much too old to change.  Give me credit for remaining consistent in that regard.

Yet, if I have been so abrasive and strong-willed so as to cause discomfort or sore feelings that amount to injury to a relationship and an otherwise worthy friendship I'm not changing my opinion.  I am going to take a page out of the Trump playbook and am not going to apologize.  However, I shall strive to be a better person about this matter.

You see, nobody wins a grudge match.  It's a waste of time.

We all share differences.  They may include deeply-held faith beliefs.  Sexual preferences. Politics.  Individual and corporate taxation policy.  Government dictating our reproductive choices. Practical stuff like vehicles, personal finance decisions and recreational pursuits.   Even dietary choices.  None of those nuances should interfere with valued relationships.  We should strive to be more tolerant.  And be judicious and erudite in our provocations.  We are all entitled to both a belief system and an opinion.

I'm going to try to not be a jerk.  So, suck it up.  You should too.

Move along now.

Peace....

  

Sunset

 

The past nine days with family have been very special and one of the best staycations we’ve shared.

Packed a lot into the agenda without frayed rope. The frosting on the cake was this evening’s peninsula sunset.

This guy in ‘flyover country’ will tell you some of the most spectacular sunsets are framed by Brussels wood lots….

Sign Of The Times

 

Wildflower Walk

 

Heliopsis helianthoides.  Commonly called Ox-eye this native plant is a member of the aster family.  

A great butterfly attractant it is also another showy wildflower.

Friday Music

Written and composed by British musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin this piece became John's firt international Top 10 Single.

It was first released by the band Three Dog Night in 1970 as John was opening for the band in those days and allowed then to record it.  TDN did not release the song as a single - deferring that to John as the original composer and emerging talent.

The original Elton John version was recorded at Trident Studios in London in 1970 and was released in April of that year. 

The tune is included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll.

One of my personal favorites from the era that I came of age.

Your Song.....

Stir Fry

Stir-fry Thursday. 

 

 

 

Chicken, onion, assorted mushrooms, carrots and pea pods and broccoli from the garden.

 

Serve over basmati rice, top with crunchy noodles.

 

Bam!

 

(Again, the secret weapon is fish sauce )

 

Mama and the Twins

There's no way to definitively know for sure this isn't the same doe appearing multiple times on the trail cameras with her twin fawns.  I suppose if you carefully reviewed the photos and videos to match the spots on the fawns you might be able to answer that question.

I'm not doing it.

Too many deer.

Too little time...

Wildflower Walk

  Meet Hieracium aurantiacum - Orange Hawkweed.   

Technically a non-native this happens to be an import from Eurasia and is an alpine plant.  It grows throughout Wisconsin in pastures, disturbed fields and along roadside ditches.  Like its yellow Canada cousin this member of the aster family takes its name from the folklore that hawks ate this plant to improve their eyesight.      

It is also called the Devil's Paintbrush as its single stem is topped with a red orange color resembling a paint brush.      

It's now naturalized all over North American and all over here.

 

Stir Fry

Stir-fry.

 

 

Shrimps, onion, assorted mushrooms, celery and pea pods and broccoli from the garden.

 

 

Serve over basmati rice, top with crunchy noodles. 

 

Bam!

 

(The secret weapon is fish sauce )

 

Fawns Are Cheap

Plenty of activity on the trail cameras lately.

So many fawns it is safe to say that fawns are cheap.

A renewable resource....

Wild Flower Walk

From our walk the other day there was this.

Meet Anemone Canadensis – the Canada Anemone.  Sometimes called Meadow Anemone or Thimbleweed this is a native perennial found in wet meadows and prairies.  A member of the buttercup family we found a rather large expanse of it blooming along Silver Creek while out for a walk.  Colonies such as this are explained by its propagation by means of underground rhizomes.  It is differentiated from the Wood Anemone by the yellow center of the flower and wedge-shaped lobes of the leaves.   

Native nurseries sell root cuttings of this plant to gardeners looking for a sturdy, perennial groundcover.  Sales include the admonition that under the proper conditions this very adaptable plant can become quite aggressive – crowding-out other species.  What is found here wasn’t purchased or planted – it is naturally occurring.  And it sure is a welcome source of food for the pollinators.

Friday Music

Written by John Fogerty and released in 1969 this tune was included on CCR's second album Bayou Country thereby identifying this genre as Swamp Rock.

It reached  the number two spot that year on the Billboard charts.  And I always liked the back beat riff.

Another couple of my favorite artists.

Born on the Bayou....

What To See In The July Night Sky

It is not unusual for a comet to pass thru our solar system as it makes its way around the sun.  This month features an opportunity to view one with the aid of a telescope or binoculars.

The comet, names C/2017 K2 is believed to have been heading our direction for several million years having originated in the Oort Cloud - far beyond our solar system.  So far away that it takes as long as a month for light originating in that location to reach us. 

Comets become active when they get close enough to the sun to begin heating-up and discarding dust and gas in the form of a tail.  As a general rule a comet develops a tail as it approaches the orbit of Jupiter.  Not so with K2.  When it was discovered in 2017 this comet had already begun the process of heating-up and glowing  far beyond Jupiter at a distance not previously observed by astronomers.

Inasmuch as K2's closest brush with earth comes at a distance of 167 million miles if you score a clear dark sky you might just catch a glimpse of this bright, fuzzy object in the night sky.

Mapping tools can be found on the web at EarthSky.org and a livestream will be available at Virtual Telescope Project's website beginning July 14.

Night Sky

From tonight's totally clear sky there was this:

A Super Thunder Moon.....

And the ISS passing directly over the house.... 

Time: Wed Jul 13 10:29 PM, Visible: 7 min, Max Height: 72°, Appears: 10° above WSW, Disappears: 10° above ENE

What To See In The July Night Sky

The names associated with our full moons are frequently derived from the names given by the indigenous peoples that inhabited North America.  The tribes used a calendar to track the seasons by means of the names given to the return of a full moon.    

In the northern hemisphere July is the stormiest month of the year and for that reason the full moon that greets us today is called the Thunder Moon.  Look for it to rise after sunset in the southeast horizon.

Bonus

This is a super moon.  This is a phenomenon in which the moon is closest to the earth in its elliptical orbit.  The July full moon will appear 15% larger and 30% brighter than normal.  This will be the brightest super moon of 2022. This also brings us to the word of the day.  Astronomers call this Lunar Perigee.  Commit this to memory.  One of these days there will be a test.

This moon is also called the Buck Moon in recognition of the rapidly-growing, velvet-covered, antlers of the whitetail deer. 

With the arrival of European settlers two additional monikers come to mind:  the Meade Moon which coincides the harvest of honey used to ferment this drink and the Hay Moon as the first cuttings of cattle fodder occur.  

Fingers-crossed for clear night skies and no skeeters.....

Photo NASA

 

The Garden Chonicles

The resident whitetails have been munching on my pea vines while we slumber - mostly helpless to their nocturnal garden raids. 

 

Cover your pea fence in drop cloths? The wind and the critters move them. Grrrr

 

In any event, between other chores I picked peas yesterday and today and began processing them. 

 

Pick, shuck, blanche, fast chill in ice water, drain, flash freeze and vacuum seal. 

 

During the shucking Blonde Dog in particular was intent-upon chasing-down the random errant pea on the porch.

 

Direct to the freezer in about 24 hours or less. 

 

 

The remaining pods are deliciously immature and I’m going to pick those tomorrow with a vision of incorporation in a stir fry. Maybe shrimp stir fry.

 

So, let the word go forth to whitetail nation - garden raiding is a capital offense around these parts.

 

Vive le Jardin Magnifique!

 

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Spizella passerina commonly known as chipping sparrow is among the most common sparrows in North America. They are summer visitors here and can range as far north as Alaska. They are both winter and year-round residents of Central America and the southern states.

Fairly tame, this bird takes its name from the sharp chip call it makes as it hops and runs on the ground foraging for seeds and insects.  It takes flight in short, rapid bursts. 

Field marks include a rusty crown and a dark eye line. 

The female constructs a cup nest low to the ground in dense shrubs and is usually lined with animal hair.  This bird fledges two broods per year.  Both male and female feed the young. 

After brushing Blonde Dog it is common to observe mama gathering dog hair for her nest. 

 

Reduce, reuse, recycle.

 

Eat Your Greens

All I can say is that not only is gardening great zen but it tastes good too. 

I went out my back door and picked fresh greens today: spinach and three kinds of lettuce (Jericho romaine, red salad and black-seeded Simpson). 

 

Add cooked chicken, bleu dressing (with crumbles) toasted croutons and a fresh baked baguette. 

 

Tomatoes need to ripen and the circle will be complete. 

My pal New Guy says this is really good with grilled venison. Medium rare.  Capital idea.  I'm gonna try that.

And if I do that would come pretty close to totally self-sufficient backyard homesteading…..

 

Belgian Days

Paraphrased from the club FB page there is this by means of introduction...

The Brussels Lions, a service club organization authorized in 1960. This local organization hosts Belgian Days, a yearly festival that raises funds for community and global causes. 

 

The Brussels Lions Club meets the 4th Wednesday in Southern Door County. The Door Peninsula is often referred to as the "thumb" of Wisconsin with Lake Michigan to the east and the bay of Green Bay to the west.

 

Brussels is located about 30 miles Northeast of the city of Green Bay, home of the 13-time World Champion/4-time Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers

 

The Brussels Lions Club was formed in 1960 and draws most of its membership from the small townships of Brussels, Union & Gardner.

 

To date there are more than 56 men and women in our club and new members are always welcome.  The club is growing!

There is one annual fundraiser of the year - the Belgian Days festival held the second weekend of July at the town park. Belgian Days celebrates the rich Belgian heritage of the locale.

 

The money raised at Belgian Days goes to support the many state and international causes of Lions and is targeted towards various community causes and needs.

 

Some of the local causes supported are three to four $2,000 (US$) scholarships to graduates from Southern Door High School, making constant improvements to our town park, providing free medical equipment to those in need in our area and providing donations when people in our community have medical or social setbacks.

 

The Brussels Lions are very proud to be active supporters of the Wisconsin Lions Camp that provides free camping experiences for children and adults with sight handicaps, hearing impairments, cognitive disabilities and diabetes. We also donate annually to the Lions Pride Endowment Fund of Wisconsin Inc. that has a goal of a $25 million endowment to keep our camp going for years to come. In addition we donate to the Lions Eye Bank of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Lions Foundation (WLF) and the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) as well as numerous other causes.

 

At the invitation of a Milwaukee neighborhood acquaintance who also happened to have retired in the Brussels community I joined this club a little over a year ago.  And as a former member, director and officer of Kiwanis I am tickled to be a part of a vibrant and giving local service organization again.  Not only has it afforded me numerous opportunities to become better acquainted with my neighbors and friends - I have been afforded an opportunity to add new friends to my very valued existing friends and acquaintances.  

 

Remember this:  You cannot have too many good friends.  Trust me on that.  Moreover I have, now, an opportunity to contribute locally and genuinely give back.

 

Not only do we join as Lions to support national and international Lions Club initiatives - but we also support our own local neighbors and town.  

 

Where there is a need there is a Lion.

 

We all put-in a terrific amount of quality time beginning Wednesday of last week to prepare for the annual Belgian Days event.  Here are some highlights.

Friday evening featured Boogie and the Yoyoz...

 

Saturday morning Homemade Belgian waffles...

 

Followed by a Corn Hole Tournament....

 

More music from two additional bands, baseball tournaments that stretched over four days, traditional Belgian fare, beer, new playground equipment for the kiddos, a bounce house for the kids and much more.

 

There is ring the bell...

Any country music for this old man's ears from the Modern Day Drifters.  My view from bartending....

Great people, great event.  

 

Brussels Lions Rock!

 

More Little Ones

The little ones have revealed themselves in the past several weeks with the resident lady whitetails dropping their fawns.

Rare photo of mama nursing her baby.

But the trail cameras are chock-full of photos and video - resplendent in their spotted camouflage....

 

The Garden Chronicles

One of the nice things about having a garden is the availability of fresh produce on a moment's notice.

Radish sandwich?  No problem.

Lettuce for taco Tuesday?  Four varieties to pick-from.

Baby pea pods for a stir-fry?  Case-closed.

 

And lately there's been spinach.  At the time of this blog post publication there have been four - count them - four cuttings of fresh, delicious garden spinach.  

On any given day you will find one or two gallon bags of washed and spun garden spinach ready for your salad, omelet or like I enjoy - sautéed in unsalted sweet cream butter.  Yum!

 

 

If you like fresh spinach salad our fave is lightly-dressed in a vinaigrette or imported aged balsamic topped with crumbled feta cheese, various fresh berries (you pick) and walnuts.

If you're looking for something bolder there is always chunky bleu cheese (with extra crumbles), fresh mushrooms and toasted homemade sourdough croutons.

Vive le Jardin Magnifique!