A Thanksgiving Message to my Girls

This is the first Thanksgiving we haven't been together in some years.  It's always been our favorite holiday; the sharing of food with friends, the time together in the same room, laughing, eating, watching the younger ones.

I want you  to know that my thought will be with you, as will my love, which will last as long as you live.  It isn't limited to my life,

And no, I'm not planning on kicking off anytime soon, Christmas is coming and the first tree in years will be in the front yard, thanks to the visit from our LA friend.

Tough times now, kids. In their misguided wisdom, the american people have elected a buffoon for President; a racist, woman-disrespecting, possibly rapist, con man for the highest office in the land.

You'll get through it, you'll prevail. You'll be vindicated, and I'm not talking in terms of decades later. It could be months, or a year or two.

How do I know? Because your mom and I went through it.  Tanks in the streets of our capitol, the assassination of leaders, an Attorney General who proclaimed that "we're going to take this country so far to the right you won't recognise it." John Mitchell's wife.

We went through Nixon, and a war that was some days costing us a thousand lives, and the country we were wrongly in many thousands more. Thanks to us, the war stopped.  We came out of it victorious, even if for only a decade or so.

Perhaps that's the way it is; a cycle, ups and downs.

I agree, this 'down' seems different, we have a demagogue for president, perhaps the most unqualified and unsuited for the office ever.  You have a big fight ahead of you. But you have no choice. You are up to the task.

It's thanksgiving though, and let's be happy for each other.

All my love
Dad

5 spice Chinese duck

A couple requests from last blog prompted this. I'm happy to do it, the original is not mine, I just do a couple extra things that I think add value.

I have to say, though, that it seems so trivial to be swapping fowl recipes when our country is about to be taken over by nazi's, and nearly 48 percent of the voting populace are willing accomplices.

My daughters have been affected by this, one is a TA at a university, and has been verbally assaulted by 'alt right' students, aka nazi's, for her liberal stances.

Anyway, on with the recipe.

I assume you can't get a freshly shot wild bird. So get a frozen one. Walmart has a good selection usually.

Thaw, then put in a brine, I use only salt, about one cup per 3 gallons. In the thawed bird one will usually find a orange sauce. Throw away.  Reserve neck and giblets and especially liver. Leave brining in fridge or outside if safe, overnight.

Dry thoroughly. Paper towels, over and over. Put uncovered in fridge for a few hours.

Sauce:
Soy sauce
Honey
5 spice chinese powder
sesame oil
bit of salt
pepper
Chile flakes, or chopped fresh, however you like.

you'll have to experiment with volumes. I usually start with a quarter cup soy, half that honey, couple teaspoons 5 spice, etc. you won't end up with a paste, just a thick liquid. Go easy on the salt, just a pinch, the soy adds a lot. I tend to use a teaspoon or more of the red chili flakes. I like a bit of heat.

Truss legs at the bottom. I use those plastic ties that let you form a loop and tighten.

Oven at 375

Brush breast side and inside thoroughly, put in baking pan on rack breast side down.

Brush top and back of bird thoroughly, pouring any excess over the bird.

Cook around 35 minutes, turn and cook the same again. Should be golden to dark brown.

Take out and let set for 10 minutes, carve, getting your fingers messy to get all the good stuff hidden near the bone.

Serve with wild rice, good crusty bread, whatever.

Oh, on the neck, liver and giblets. 

Neck and giblets, simmer in water and make a nice broth, great for cooking rice. The wild rice is especially good after soaked and simmered in this. 

The liver.....salt and pepper, coat well with flour, and saute on high heat for 30 seconds on each side, olive oil or butter, serve on toast points. Delicious. Tender, melts in your mouth. 

cheers, with less cheerful stuff later. 

I don't know exactly what to be thankful for in this season. My kids of course, the fact I'm still alive, etc. And that the brown shirts haven't started marching in the streets, rounding up first one group after another. 

Mike

Pre-Thanksgiving visit

My friend L. from LA was here for a short weekend visit. We had a pleasant time, one day taking a drive north of town towards Moulton Reservoir.

The view from the beginning of the dirt Moulton Rd, back over Butte.

The view North

What I had hope to show her, but we didn't see it. Picture from a previous year:

That evening I made a 5 spice Chinese style duck.  It was excellent with wild rice and salad.

I'm spending Thanksgiving here in Montana this year, instead of my traditional trip over to Seattle. Hope this finds all well and if not happy at least coming to terms with things. 

Don't trust the good looking ones at the protest, they don't have your best interests at heart.

My youngest, at a faculty ralley in Seattle University. She looks pleasant enough, Not someone I suggest the New Order fuck with. 

My Daughters Since the Election

Sent to me by Kate, the oldest.

Winter seems to be here

After a unseasonably warm late fall, winter is making it's debut, today the surrounding mountains, tomorrow we're due for 4".  Good, I'm tired of looking at the leaves I haven't raked in the yard. 

You've probably seen these, but....

My eldest sent these to me today, then I saw that some are in today's newspapers. I'll post them anyway, 'cause I think it's funny.  And I think President Obama is so much more of a intelligent human being than trump. And a better person by far.

Anyway, here's the Biden memes that are making the news: