Apple Fritter Bread

Country Apple Fritter Bread

Serves 8

1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 apples, peeled and chopped (any kind), mixed with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon {I grated the apples instead of chopping them just because it was quicker}

Old-Fashioned Creme Glaze
1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1-3 tablespoons of milk or cream- (depending on thickness of glaze wanted)

Instructions
1-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a 9x5-inch loaf pan and spray with non-stick spray or line with foil and spray with non-stick spray to get out easily for slicing.
2-Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl. Set aside.
3-In another medium-sized bowl, beat white sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
4-Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until blended in; add in vanilla extract.
5-Combine & whisk flour and baking powder together in another bowl and add into creamed butter mixture and stir until blended.
6-Mix milk into batter until smooth.
7-Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan; add half the apples and half the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
8-Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.
9-Pour the remaining batter over apple layer and top with remaining apples and brown sugar/cinnamon mixture.
10-Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using knife or spoon.
11-Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, approximately 50-60 minutes.
12-To make glaze, mix powdered sugar and milk or cream together until well mixed.
13-Let cool for about 15 minutes before drizzling with glaze.

{I didn't add the glaze because I thought the flavor was wonderful without it. This is a recipe that really doesn't need any changes or tweaking as it is excellent as written }

http://www.thebakingchocolatess.com/awesome-country-apple-…

Eating a 7 year old pop tart

http://www.teotwawki-blog.com/2011/03/blogger-eats-5-year-old-survival-ration.html

    Well a few months ago I ate a 7 years past best by date pop tart not the fruit ones that would be death by mumba. No it was a brown sugar one and other then a definite this is really an old pop tart taste not really pleasant but I would have ate them in a I'm starving/survival situation. I have tried the datrex bars and they are pretty good and have been recommended by the US Coast Guard for a survival food and they do have a 5 year +  shelf life  so just my 2 cents on these survival foods. 

Baked Apples in a Bag

Baked Apples in a Bag.
Quick and easy snack when you're craving something sweet but want something decently healthy.
1 apple, 1tsp sugar, 1tsp water, 1/4tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp cornstarch. Put in bag and microwave 2 min. tasty treat! Only 59 calories! Quick an easy and a great snack.

Orange Dreamsicle Cookies

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2014/10/orange-dreamsicle-cookies/

How to make ginger ale link

http://wellnessmama.com/8945/ginger-ale/

What if ? It is a biowarfare weapon Link

http://johngaltfla.com/wordpress/2014/10/02/what-if-it-is-not-ebola-but-a-biowarfare-weapon/

Ebola article from 2012 by Jeff R. from Survival Blog older but not totally out of date

Ebola for Beginners, by Jeff R.

Permalink | Print

CentOre’s February 7, 2012 article “Signs of the Times: What are the SHTF Tipping Points?” briefly touched on one point that I would like to expand on: Ebola and Marburg viruses.  I am not a physician--I’m not even in the medical field, but I have had the occasion to learn a little more about these viral hemorrhagic fevers (or VHFs) from a research project while pursuing my Bachelor's degree in Emergency Management. The information available on this subject is constantly changing and involves advanced knowledge in a number of scientific disciplines, so what I can provide is just sort of an Intro to Ebola 101.  I know there are people out there who are better trained and more knowledgeable on this topic than I, but maybe this will get the conversation started.  God forbid that one of these plagues should ever come to our shores, but should that happen, I hope this will help SurvivalBlog readers be a little better prepared for it. 
An Ebola Primer
Most of the viral hemorrhagic fevers in the Ebola family originate in sub-Saharan Africa.  The only exception is variant Ebola Reston, which originates in the Philippines. Ebola Reston causes only asymptomatic infections in humans, but devastatingly lethal infections in other primates.  As we will see, it is important in this discussion because it is the only known variant contractible via airborne transmission.  Ebola viral hemorrhagic fevers all begin with fever, body aches, and chills, but soon progress to vomiting, hematemesis, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, hemorrhaging, and often, death.
Marburg virus
A cousin of Ebola, this virus is fatal in up to 90% of human infections.  First identified in Marburg, West Germany in 1967, it came to Behring Laboratory in a shipment of African Green Monkeys. Lab workers became infected while using the monkeys and their tissues in polio research. The outbreak spread into Yugoslavia before it was halted.  In 2007, the Egyptian Rousette, a species of African fruit bat, was identified as the reservoir of the Marburg virus (Institut de Recherche, 2007).   It is a wide ranging, migratory species found throughout sub-Saharan Africa and the Nile River valley, which brings the primary reservoir into the same area as the major metropolitan areas of Cairo and the Nile River delta (Egyptian Fruit Bat, 2003).  These cities are a mere six hours by air to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, and twelve to New York’s JFK airport. Or as Dr. Robert Swanepoel of the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases stated in 2006, "Los Angeles is as close to Ebola as Kinshasa [Democratic Republic of the Congo] with air travel," (Stoddard, 2006).  Air travel has already brought Ebola to our doorstep. 
Ebola Zaire
Identified in 1976 during an outbreak around Yambuku, Zaire, this variant killed 88% of those infected, making its lethality virtually equal with that of Marburg. The reservoirs of this and all other known variants of Ebola have not been identified, in spite of decades of effort.
Ebola Sudan
Near simultaneously with the above Ebola Zaire outbreak, a second Ebola outbreak occurred in the Nazara and Maridi areas of Sudan in 1976.  The infective agent in this outbreak was also identified as Ebola, but a less aggressive variant, killing only 53% of those infected.
Ebola Bundibugyo
The first outbreak of this variant occurred in the Bundibugyo district of Uganda in December 2007 through January 2008. Ebola Bundibugyo differs significantly from other Ebola variants in that it causes more vomiting and was fatal in only 25% of infections.  Its presentation departed so much from previous expectations that only after laboratory analysis was it identified in August 2008 as a new Ebola strain (Powhall, 2007).
Ebola Tai/Cote D’Ivoire/Ivory Coast
 In November 1994, a Swiss ethologist contracted the fever while performing a necropsy on a chimpanzee found in the Tai National Forest in Ivory Coast. She had used poor barrier protection, and was most likely infected by aerosolized fluids during the necropsy. She was later transported to Switzerland for treatment, and made a full recovery after six weeks. In spite of transportation and treatment without strict isolation, no other human cases occurred (Waterman, 1999).
Ebola Reston
As noted above, Reston causes only asymptomatic infections in humans. Researchers discovered it during a 1989 outbreak at a primate quarantine facility in Reston, Virginia. A second outbreak occurred soon after at another primate quarantine facility in Alice, Texas.  No human illnesses or deaths resulted from the few human infections that occurred.  During the outbreaks, primates housed in different sections from the infected primates soon contracted the virus as well.  Since there was no contact between these groups and the second group had been in quarantine beyond the incubation
period for Ebola, it appears that this variant is communicable through airborne transmission.
Complications
Recombinant viruses
Samples of Ebola Zaire obtained from six dead gorillas and a chimpanzee were found to have different genetic sequences.  In other words, Ebola viruses are capable of recombination, a capability seen rarely in RNA viruses and never before seen in filoviruses (Mackenzie, 2007). Remember the “milder” Ebola variants Bundibugyo and Tai, and airborne but asymptomatic Reston?  Should any of them find their way into a common host with one of the fiercely pathogenic Zaire, Sudan, or Marburg variants, recombination could occur and result in a slower burning but just as deadly new variant of Marburg, or a murderous and airborne variant of Zaire. Had that been the case in Reston, Virginia or Alice, Texas, instead of a few dead Macaques, the result could have been much worse, perhaps even TEOTWAWKI. 
           
Increasing risk to North America
Ebola has long been in intermittent scourge in sub-Saharan Africa, and has extended it reach into Europe once.  It has not been a major concern to North America for a couple of reasons: 1) outbreaks tend to occur deep in the African bush, and 2) the disease is so aggressively pathogenic that it kills its carriers before they can spread the disease further.  As illustrated above, the potential for an emerging, less aggressive variant is an ever-present risk.
Sub-Saharan Africans have been immigrating to Europe in record numbers. Such immigration to France doubled between 1982 and 1990. By 2005, the African immigrant population of metropolitan France was an estimated 3.6 million (ISEE, 2005). This growth has triggered a rapidly growing demand for illegal bush meat, any of which could carry one of the Ebola viruses or some as-of-yet unidentified hemorrhagic virus.  And it isn’t just Europe’s problem. The black market bush meat trade is a growing problem in the United States and Canada (BCTF, 2009). Anyone who handles Ebola-infected bush meat is likely to contract that disease, and likely to transmit it to others as it progresses through vomiting, hemorrhaging, and death.
Carrier states
According to the Special Pathogens Branch of the Centers for Disease Control, Ebola viruses have no carrier state; that is that there can be no “Typhoid Mary” of Ebola—no person who carries an infective form of the virus yet has no symptoms (CDC, 2009).  While it may seem like sophomoric hubris for one to differ with the CDC on the issue of disease, research indicates that their position may not necessarily be accurate.
Research performed during two outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in northern Gabon in 1996 discovered that “asymptomatic, replicative Ebola infection can and does occur in human beings” (Leroy et al, 2000, p. 2210). This same research demonstrated that there were no genetic differences between the Ebola strains found in symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, indicating that that the cases were not the result of viral mutation.  This raises the ugly probability of the Ebola version of Typhoid Mary; persons without the disease but still infected and very much infective.  A further complication arises during convalescence after acquiring Ebola, as viable virus has been isolated from the seminal fluid of convalescing Ebola victims two to three months after the disease has resolved (Leroy et al, 2000, p. 2210).  It is therefore only prudent to assume that Ebola is also sexually transmitted.

Another potential carrier of Ebola viruses are dogs.  During the Ebola outbreak in Gabon in 2001-2002, research was conducted on pet dogs in the area of the outbreaks. Blood samples were taken from dogs living in areas where outbreaks had occurred, major cities, and as a control, dogs in France. In short, testing on the dogs showed an increase in seroprevalence of Ebola as a function of their distance from the outbreak areas. Villages in the outbreak area with an animal source, such as a dead primate, also had the highest level of seroprevalence when compared to villages without an animal source, major cities, and the dogs in France (Allela, Bourry, Pouillot, Delicat, Yaba, Kumulugui, 2005). The researchers concluded that the dogs had been infected with the Ebola Zaire virus that circulated in that area, and that the infections had been either extremely mild, or completely asymptomatic. During these asymptomatic infections, dogs “may excrete infectious viral particles in urine, feces, and saliva for a short period before virus clearance” (Allela et al, 2005, p.389). Ebola is a highly infective pathogen requiring exposure to relatively few virus particles to produce symptoms.  An affectionate lick from an asymptomatic dog might be all it takes to contract the disease.
Implications for the Prepper
The sooner you can pick the truth out of the media noise the more time and distance you can put between the generally diseased public and yourself.  Amidst all the media sensationalizing and the government bowdlerizing, listen for a confluence of these reported symptoms. Parenthetical figures are percent of known historical cases reporting each symptom.

• Fever (90%-100%)
• Headache (40%-90%)
• Chills
• Muscle pain/joint pain (40%-80%)
• Malaise (75%-85%)
• Pharyngitis (20%-40%)
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting (59%)
• Vomiting blood (10%-40%)
• Non-bloody diarrhea (81%)
• Blood fails to clot (71%-78%)
• Abdominal pain (60-80%)
• Dry and sore throat (63%)
• Chest pain (83% of Ebola Sudan infected patients; uncommon in Ebola Zaire infected patients)
• Abnormal susceptibility to bleeding—hemorrhagic diathesis (71%-78%)
• Maculopapular rash—flat, red rash with raised bumps (5%-20%)
• Hiccups (15 %)      (Waterman, 1999)

 Your first order of business should be to create distance between you and the GDP as you can as quickly as possible. If ever there was justification to withdraw to your retreat, this is it. The CDC and local health departments will be scrambling to isolate and identify this beast, but it could be weeks before they even know what they are dealing with.  If you don’t have your own piece of the American Redoubt, then quarantine yourself and yours from the rest of the population as best you can. Barring some god awful mutation, Ebola is not airborne, so if you can keep people from coughing, sneezing, bleeding, vomiting, secreting, or doing any other kind fluid-slinging on you, you will be safe. 

Since dogs are likely capable of becoming “Typhoid Mutley” and carrying Ebola, keep stray or feral dogs away from your location. Obviously you don’t want anything that is infected spattering or bleeding around your retreat, so if you can passively exclude dogs and any other carnivores and omnivores from your location with fencing or other measures, it might help prevent you having to kill them within your perimeter.  Also, take care to keep your animals away from strays or wild animals, and don’t let them nose around animal carcasses or droppings. I could not find any information regarding Ebola and native North American wildlife, but the possibility of other animals becoming carriers is a real concern.  Keep this in mind as you go about your daily routine.
If Ebola hits home:
With an incubation period of up to three weeks, going into retreat mode and taking Ebola with you is a possibility.  What if, in spite of all your precautions and preparations, somebody in your group develops Ebola?
At the time of this writing, there are no set treatments for acute Ebola, aside from supportive care in managing hydration, electrolytes, oxygen, and blood pressure. Maintaining the comfort of the patient as best as possible is important, as is doing what can be done to improve their chances of survival and recovery. Due to the extreme pathogenicity of Ebola, extraordinary care must be taken to avoid contamination or infection of others.  Below are the bare minimum of what precautions you should take to protect yourself and the rest of your group while there is an active Ebola infection.

• Isolation
• Quarantine
• Barriers
• Bleach
• Burning

Isolation of the symptomatic Ebola patient from the rest of the group. Time in the isolation “ward” should be  minimized as much as possible while still maintaining humane and compassionate care.
Quarantine of exposed persons until the maximum incubation period for Ebola has elapsed (21 days). This means any person believed to have had any direct contact with any amount of bodily fluids from the patient.
Barrier protection for any person caring for the patient or handling anything used by the patient.  The bare acceptable minimum of protection is a face shield that covers the eyes, nose, and mouth; mask, gloves, gown, foot covering, and hood.  You don’t have to have a positive pressure biohazard suit (although that would be ideal). The goal is to keep bodily fluid from touching you being inhaled or ingested.
Bleach the soles of the shoes when leaving the ward by walking through a pan of bleach solution. Spray down the barrier protection with bleach solution before removing it.
Burn contaminated clothing, medical waste, and anything else not reusable. This is not the time to try to conserve medical supplies by reusing disposable supplies. Re-use of disposables was a primary vehicle of spreading Ebola in the earlier African outbreaks.

The CDC has a detailed manual covering infection control procedures for Ebola. It is available as a PDF download from its web site, as well as are other resources. It might be a good idea to have that manual saved on your TEOTWAWKI flash drive and a couple of hard copies printed out, just in case. The manual can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/vhfmanual.htm.

Putting familiarization with Ebola and other possible agents of pandemic on your preparation list, and adding some basic barrier and infection control supplies to your stockpile should help you gain an edge over any such outbreaks. With adequate preparation and help from the Almighty, you can make it through an Ebola crisis.

Bibliography

Allela, L., Bourry, O., Pouillot, R., Delicat, A., Yaba, P., & Kumulungui, B. (2005). Ebola virus antibody prevalence in dogs and human risk. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 11, Retrieved April 15, 2008, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol11no03/04-0981.htm
Bushmeat Crisis Task Force, (2009).  United States and Canada in “Regions affected.” Retrieved February 18, 2012 from http://www.bushmeat.org/bushmeat_and_wildlife_trade/regions_affected/us_and_canada
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2010, April 9). Ebola hemorrhagic fever information packet. Retrieved February 18, 2012, from CDC Special Pathogens Branch Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/Fact_Sheets/Ebola_Fact_Booklet.pdf
Deadly Ebola virus can mutate, French scientists warn. (2007, November 30). Agence France-Presse. Retrieved February 20, 2012 at http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jVqkLb-RTvPTOkzEkrovrzFYqeJg
Egyptian fruit bat. The centre for the conservation of specialized species. (May, 2003). Retrieved on April 10, 2007 from http://www.conservationcentre.org/scase2.html
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (2007, September 11). Marburg virus identified in a species of fruit bat. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 17, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070909205527.htm
INSEE, (2005). Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques - France - statistiques. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from Le recensement de la population Web site: http://www.insee.fr/fr/home/home_page.asp
Leroy, E. M., Baize, S., Volchkov, V. E., Fisher-Hoch, S. P., Georges-Courbot, M-C, & Lansoud-Soukate, J. (2000). Human asymptomatic Ebola infection and strong inflammatory response. The Lancet. 355, 2210-2215.
Mackenzie, D. (November 2, 2007). Ebola evolves deadly new tricks. Virgin Media, Retrieved March 26, 2008, from http://www.virginmedia.com/digital/science/ebola-evolves.php
Parker, J. N., Parker, P. M. The official patient’s sourcebook on Ebola hemorrhagic fever. Icon Health Publications, 2003.
Powhall, K. (2007, December 6). Ugandan health workers hit by Ebola, causing panic. The Seattle Times, Retrieved March 28, 2009, from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2004056966_webebola06.html?lid=seattle_times&lpos=day_txt_ap_report
Stoddard, E. (June 19, 2006).  Ebola could follow bush meat trade routes to west. Reuters, Retrieved February 19, 2012, from http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1651716/posts
Waterman, T. (1999). Tara’s Ebola site: Honors thesis Stanford University. Retrieved on February 15, 2012 from http://virus.stanford.edu/filo/filo.html . This site is also a good source of information on Ebola.
World Health Organization, (2007). Ebola haemorrhagic fever. Retrieved April 12, 2008, from WHO Media Center Web site: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs103/en/index.html

Got Seed Bank

http://www.healthfreedoms.org/doomsday-seed-vault-in-the-arctic-bill-gates-rockefeller-and-the-gmo-giants-know-something-we-dont-2007/

My early life and what we didn't keep

Someone on facebook mentioned about a motorcycle they had owned when they were young and wished that they still had. This jogged my memory and of the 7 motorcycles I owned back in the 70's and 1980's I guess my shiny 1968 Honda 305 Dream was a favorite. It was a work of art,shiny and reminiscent of an earlier age. Comfortable and eye candy at least to my eye it had a real leather seat an only had ~ 1500 miles on the odometer. Why did I sell it? Needed money I was in my twenties and always needed cash back then for what ever. My other bikes were 2 Honda trail 90, Yamaha DT250, Honda CB350 and a Honda 450 I think it was called a Nighthawk. All nice bikes and really dangerous to ride on Phoenix streets.  Still wished I had them and guess I never will again but it is fun to look back and remember those wild days of our youth and think about what was. 

Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.

http://vedabase.net/bg/2/12/en

9-11 a day of infamy

     For many of us that Day will always be remembered. I was at home suffering from spinal cord injuries that had me living in a lazy boy recliner and popping pain pills trying to live with the pain. My wife called me from work an told me to turn on the TV. She was at work at Piper Jaffray and had been on the phone with people from Dean Witter at the twin towers when the first plane hit the building and the phone line went dead. They turned on the TV in the office in Scottsdale,Az where she worked and were horrified to see what was being broadcasted at that time. This was several minutes after the first plane crash and she called me at that time,I turned on the TV and watched while I was trying to figure out what was going on ,the second plane hit and I knew as many did at this time that it was no accident. There was no positive news that day and everyone was trying to figure who,what and why.  To this day I wonder how much to believe and what if any conspiracy to believe or was it just a lot of stupid people who should have known better? Did the CIA or other alphabet agencies just let it happen? I really don't know. Maybe it just happened as they the media tells us but I wonder. That is convenient and maybe to much so! Just my 2 cents worth.

Stopping terrorism sitting at home

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2014/08/defeat_isis_in_the_comfort_of_your_own_home.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

Yummy Pumpkin Cupcakes Link

http://58daydreams.com/2013/10/08/pumpkin-pie-cupcakes-ohhh-yeah/

All American Sun Oven and Solar Energy

           Recently ordered one of these ovens from Amazon an have to admit it seems to be well built. This was a no brainer since I live in Arizona in the desert an as you all know sunshine is still free. Have not set it up yet since the desert monsoon season is in full swing here and to be honest just haven't set aside the time to mess with it. I have seen these working before at solar shows an I know they work well. Alternative energy is not the only answer but last year we set up a 9.3 kilowatt system from Solar City an it has been the best investment in our home. Our APS electric bills have dropped dramatically since the solar panels have been in use. We actually had 1 month we owed only $16 an our summer bills which were touching $400 a month during July an August have dropped to about $150 for those months. I still think leasing is a better option at this time for solar panel systems but if you feel you only need a 5kw system or smaller buying the system outright makes more sense. Living in the sunbelt states helps a lot too. I think within the next decade there will be a strong shift to alternative energy sources. They can save you a bit of dough $$ an whats not to like about that. The sun oven if your unfamiliar with them uses the green house effect in a insulated box to generate oven temperatures under the glass cover. Typical highs of 350-400 degrees F are possible with a clear sky an summer time. Northern latitudes an winter can still net 250-300 degrees F.     

No bake cookies what we use to call oatmeal fudges

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-peanut-butter-no-bake-cookies-recipe.html

Fifth wheel for sale

         Going to be selling my 2003 Forest River 37SP . It is fully self contained with 1 slide out. I would need to buy a 1 ton or larger truck to tow and a 40' fifth wheel with a 350 or larger truck is a lot to tow around. My wife an I want to travel some an need something more manageable. I'm looking at class C or a class A motor home. Probably 26' to 31' tops. The wife says she can't drive a class A so more likely a class C is in our future. I need to clean it up some an put it in Craigs list an maybe the RV classifieds.

Invasion USA

           If you doubt that America is being invaded, I would advise you to read the news. The Government has a death grip on the press but some stories are very difficult to suppress. This is nothing new an has been tolerated for decades by the public an our elected officials. The only way to topple the Constitutional Republic created over two hundred years ago will be from within. Yes it is an inside job and both major parties are involved. Yes I know there is a handful of Congressman raising a stink but they are few an far between. All illegals should be sent back to there Country of origin, no exceptions! That is the first action that needs to be taken. More an better fences an electronic surveillance with a buildup of Border Patrol and/or National Guard needs to be done. No driver licenses or ID's for any illegals. Oh and no sob stories, yes I feel their pain but you need to protect and serve our Country. If we don't like what is happening down South,in Mexico,Guatemala etc we either support actions to overthrow said Governments,nothing new here. Or possibly invade this has happened before earlier in the past century so it is not like we the USA have not done it before. This is my view on this invasion going on right now. We need to start calling it what it is an invasion. This will probably not happen but I'm getting old an just feel like putting my 2 cents in this what I feel is the biggest problem facing our Nation.        

Secede America Map

             Just one example of how to split up the pie.

Border Crisis

                 How I learned to stop caring an embrace the H-bomb. That quote from Dr Strangelove in the 60's is still alive just the names have been changed. Yes Russia is just a ghost of the mid 20th Century but there are other ways to bring our Home and Country to its knees. Yes the invasion of the United States started back in the late 60's has grown and unless the Southern  border is forcefully defended and secured this will not stop. The true deception by political parties both for in reality there are only 2 at this time, is to turn there backs an in a subversive manner allow this crisis to continue.  Is voting the answer in my mind no, a tipping point was reached probably in the 90's that defeats any chance to bring this Constitutional Republic back to all 50 states. Secession by mostly Southern and Western states is probably the only way that I see to save part of the Republic. To many leeches vote,they live off of the system created by some of our elected officials and all 3 branches of Government are affected. That is so many liars ,cheats, and thieves have been elected or infect the agencies put into power by these same liars an cheats. It is a vicious cycle an too far gone to reclaim or fix. So in reality only a portion an the lion shares of states needs to secede. The answer if we want to stay a Constitutional Republic is the only way to go. I don't know of any other way at this point in time. The obvious conclusion for our Republic is it ceases to be a Republic an ends up a Socialist Democracy. Glad I'm old this will probably work itself out soon and I'm getting to be to old to care. Just my two cents

 

Rv'ing time of year

That my son Cameron about 2003  and our RV I believe a 1983 class A with a 454 v8 chevy. One of the biggest problems was the rodents that use to make nest in the engine compartment and other places. Constant battle out here at the ranch. We never used it as much as I would have liked and lost a few thousand $ on fixes and when we sold it. The 25' Nomad trailer we have now is sealed tight so no problems with the rodents. I just hate towing it because of it size. It is kind of like traveling in a tractor trailer truck with the truck it is about 45' long so difficult to get around and park. I'm still thinking of something shorter like a 16' trailer or class C. Time and money will tell.

This is my daughter's Ram truck with my trailer getting ready to leave for up North to go camping. She uses it a lot more then my wife an I which is fine. I instilled a love of camping in a couple of the kids.  God knows it was our main pastime back in the 80's and 90's.

Lemon Brownies

Lemony Lemon Brownies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour {King Arthur All-Purpose Flour}
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt {Sea Salt}
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
MAKE IT->http://www.bestyummyrecipes.com/lemony-lemon-brownies        For the tart lemon glaze:

    4 tbsps lemon juice
    8 tsps lemon zest
    1 cup icing sugar

Directions:

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
    Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
    Zest and juice two lemons and set aside.
    In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the flour, sugar, salt, and softened butter until combined.
    In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until combined.
    Pour it into the flour mixture and beat for 2 mins at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
    Pour into baking dish and bake for 23-25 mins, should turn golden around the edges.
    Allow to cool completely before glazing. Do not overbake, or the bars will dry.
    Filter the powdered sugar and whisk with lemon zest and juice.
    Spread the glaze over the brownies with a rubber spatula and let glaze set.
    Cut into bars and serve.

Lemony Lemon Brownies

Bacon Cranberry Almond Paleo Bars

Cranberry Bacon Almond Energy Bars

Makes 8 bars.

The Players

    1 C. Almonds
    1 C. Dried cranberries
    1 C. Dried date crumbles
    1 Tbsp. Organic unsweetened coconut flakes
    3 slices Thick-cut bacon, cooked, cut into 2 inch strips

The How-To

1. Put all ingredients into a food processor or heavy-duty blender. (I use my Vitamix.)

2. Blend at low speeds, pulsing, until you get a sticky mass that starts clumping together and/or forming a ball.

3. Remove from food processor and shape into an 7? x 7? square on a cutting board or flat plate.

4. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least an hour. Once chilled, cut into 8 bars. To store, wrap bars in wax paper or plastic wrap.

Thanks to the bacon fat, they keep just as well at room temperature as they do in the fridge. We usually gobble them up within a few days, but they theoretically ought to keep for weeks (or even months) since animal fat is such a good preservative and the remaining ingredients were all dried/preserved to begin with.

ENJOY!       from foodrenegade.com

 

Apple Cinnamon Bread so good it deserves to be repeated

Recipe of the Day!! Apple Cinnamon Bread!

Don't forget to share on your timeline so you always have this yummy one.

1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 apple, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and

set aside. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1

at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.

Combine flour and baking powder together in another bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until

smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Next add half the apples and half the brown sugar cinnamon

mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Lightly

pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-cinnamon-white-cake/photo-gallery.aspx

Global Warming

  Just noticed on TV another propaganda film about Earth changes aka major weather changes. There is no doubt that the weather is changing because for the last 500 million years the Earth has been doing exactly that. I use 500 million as a starting point for that is ~ when major lifeforms stared to exist on Earth. There are many reasons for climate change they start with the major reasons such as volcanic activity,solar factors ie the Sun and it output ,to continental drift which over million of years causes some major shifts. What I consider more minor/short term reasons could be major meteor strikes on Earth to the methane production of grazing mammals or reptiles/dinosaurs here is where you insert Man and the industrial and population expansion of the 20th and 21th century. Yes mankind has an impact but my opinion it is minor and short term. Population control should be the deciding factor since the uncontrolled breeding in third world nations seems to contribute the most increase in population. This in no way negates the high impact of first world nation citizens it is high but I believe over time that science will help lower that impact and that major nations inherently control their population. The major exception is the uncontrolled illegal immigration into North America and Europe has upset the balance of mankind's impact on the environment by corrupt government officials and greed for cheap labor. The destruction of the middle class seems to be the agenda. So the next time some politician or Hollywood star tells you, we need to tax you for carbon credits. Think about it? They really don't mind using thousands of tons of fuel to jet to some social event! Yes I'm all for hybrid and electric vehicles plus solar power for homes and wind power and all the rest. But don't tax me to make you people that run the show, RICHER!  my 2 cents on climate change.   

Kindness and Compassion

Whether one believes in a religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn't anyone who doesn't appreciate kindness and compassion." - The Dalai Lama     I think drinking the koolaid  speaks to itself. Listen an read leads to wisdom it takes years, but life after it smacks you around leaves you with a persona that if it wasn't rotten at birth can become a nice person. I've known quite a few. My wife I've learned in recent years is a true angel on Earth. A saint if one believes in such things. I don't ,at least not the religious kind but yes some people can become true saints on Earth and really believe in helping others. Sometimes I wish I could be that social but being a little lone wolf  with a class A persona these days makes it difficult. But enough about me just had to post the Dalai Lama quote because he is a religious leader I respect and believe in since some people should be on a pedestal. Because they are great people and make mankind more human and do things that few people do. That is what will keep mankind alive, kindness and compassion and the few saints and really good people out there. Oh and don't play follow the leader and drink the koolaid ,that is for kids not good people.

Zero Hedge link

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-04-11/guest-post-real-americans-are-ready-snap

Link to Olongapo City my homeport in 1972

http://dennisclevenger.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/liberty-call-olongapo-city/

Military-Industrial complex an misplaced power

The standoff in Nevada this past week has wound down with massive support from numerous groups and individuals. The BLM was told to back off within hours of the release of info linking  Senator Harry Reid with the Chinese and a land grab for a solar energy generating plant on the BLM land. The tortoise story was a ruse from the get go an the cattle an excuse for the BLM to go in with force "excessive force" to evict the Bundys from the ranch.  One has to wonder if this is just the tip of an iceberg for the Feds to start harassing citizens an may have been initiated as a test to see how hard they can push their Draconian methods on US citizens.   A pattern of dystopian tactics has been used by the US government over the past couple of decades Waco and Ruby Ridge come to mind. State rights versus Federal rights was the flame that ignited the Civil War of the 1860's but anyone who believes it was all about slavery should read about the history of the time an study what occurred after the end of the Civil War. A grab for all the industrial and agriculture properties took place with the Industrial might of the North as the sole beneficiary of the South. Thus the War of Northern Aggression as it is known in the South. Washington DC is on track for similar power grabs at this time. All our rights under the Bill of Rights is under attack and are not going away just because the powers that be stood down in Nevada.  They have usurped our election process and the warning echoes from President Eisenhower warning: 

"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist."

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Poplar Grove grade school

Many moons ago I did the 6th grade in this little country grade school. Both grade 5 & 6 were held in the same room as was 1&2 also 3 & 4. One grade was taught while the other was studying. It actually worked quite well. That is me just to the right of the center ID patch,white shirt bow tie an no glasses? Not sure why no glasses. My 2 cousins were both in the picture also our teacher was Mrs. Geckle who also had my father as a student. Lots of good times back then it was 1961/1962 and America in a small rural town was the place to be. Kennedy was in the White House and NASA was working on getting the USA to the Moon. I use to get up early to watch the Mercury and Gemini space launches and even run a small trap line for musk rats. I use to get I believe between $1.50 to $3 for each fur I shipped off. It wasn't much but even a penny could buy you candy. I remember one of the stores "Walts" in Connellsville had a pretty good selection of penny candy my favorite was the chocolate, they would break of a 1" square for a penny. A regular candy bar was a nickel an pop was a dime a bottle. Lotta cola was one of my favorites since it came in a bigger bottle. We were pretty poor so we didn't get a lot of soda pop or candy. Made 2 cents a bottle to recycle these bottles. Around Christmas time we would go around after Christmas an drag trees down to East Park. They were piled high and I think we got a quarter per tree. Use to make a few bucks doing that. East Park would light on fire all the stacked Christmas trees and the community made a big deal out of that  back in the 50's and early 60's. Amazing how fast and hot those old dried up Christmas trees  would burn.  East Park use to show movies and once in a while shows on a small stage they had right next to the baseball field. There was wooden benches no backs to sit on and it was fun. They had drive-in theaters back then but didn't get to go much until I grew up and got my drivers license. We did have the Orpheum  theater which I just found out closed down in 1969. I remember seeing the "Night of the Living Dead" they actually had some of the actors for the movie to greet us at the opening. I can also remember the 3 Stooges coming to the theater twice I believe for a little show and then a movie they were in. One was Have Rocket will Travel in Space,don't remember it well I'm trying to forget. I remember thinking how old they looked. You have to remember I saw them on TV in 1930's and 1940's shows and this was in the early 60's. Now that I'm in my 60's it seems like another world and you know it really was back then.  

Dicey night up North, Vietnam, Link to story an my ship in Subic Bay

http://www.dd782.org/A_DICEY_NIGHT_UP_NORTH/a_dicey_night_up_north.htm

Travel and the afterlife

My wife an I in the jungles of Belize a few years back. I was lucky enough as a young man to have joined the Navy and seen the World as they say. Off the top I'm not sure how many countries I have visited but it is in the dozens. Been to Europe most of Northern not the Southern countries.Central an South America. The Caribbean most of it including Cuba twice "Gitmo" and the Philippines and  Hong Kong, China and Vietnam. So I have seen a lot would like to check out India,Africa and Australia some day. Wait an see. I have had knives pulled on me several times in Columbia and in the Philippines luckily I survived and don't get me started on all the strange an sometimes dangerous activities I had the pleasure to survive. I've been lucky did a lot of crazy stuff,have a lot of things I'm sorry about but you have to go with the flow. When my time comes I will go with only the sorrow of missing all the people in my life,it has been and still is a fun ride for the most part. Really feel sorry for all the people who go through life and never get a chance to explore all the possibilities. My greatest love at this time is my wife Lorraine she is a true angel and if there is a heaven I know she will go there. As for myself? make that a big Question? But I don't worry about that too much for no one alive really knows where the afterlife takes us if any where ? I have faith that it is probably one with the Universe and that is fine by me.    

OMG my garbage disposal bit the dust an is bleeding out

Nothing like sitting home watching my favorite show "The Walking Dead" an this week  Mika an Lizza are gone. Shocked my God at least 4 or 5 kleenex tissues this was one of those shows that really hits hard.You know like last seasons Sons of Anarchy or Game of Thrones you get wrapped up in characters an boom they are dead. Anyway during this breakdown my wife rushes in to the bedroom I'm deep into The Walking Dead show and boom horrors. our floor of the kitchen sink in the cabinet has collapsed and smells of mold and is leaking water from the garbage disposal. Whats a man to do but 1. turn off the water don't use the kitchen sink 2. Plan how to fix this mess. Decisive plan is still up in the air for I feel the faucet an garbage disposal need replaced an still thinking about the reverse osmosis system. I think I just need to replace the filter but these things take time when your just a half ass plumber at best. My bad knees and back prevent me from doing much so sweet talk the #1 son to do the heavy lifting. Life goes on but damn did it have to be plumbing.   

RVing an what to do for the right RV at my age

This is our 25' Nomad we picked up a little over a year ago for a pretty good price. It is roomy even without a slideout can sleep 6 in a pinch and even has a heater and  AC. It has one problem and that is that it is big. It is not something I want to tow very far. For the local lakes an Arizona camping spots no big problem. It just not something I want to drag to Kali or even other close states,so what to do? I would really like to have a camper they are easy to maintain easy to drive around and I have owned several  in the past. My other choices would be a shorter trailer or maybe a used C class. Since I own a Toyota Tundra truck with a 5' 6" bed my weight an length are limited an nice campers for short beds cost big $$. A 16' trailer is going to be a lot lighter an easier to travel with, no problem on towing I'm good for up to 10K pounds for towing. The price range is a lot more to work with both new an used so the minor problem is parking it. I need to practice backing into spots. Now for the class C RV this is basically a truck with a camper mounted on the frame and it doesn't come off. Kind of like the Class A RV that is like a bus but a truck cab is apparent on the class C. Sometimes you can get a little older well maintained Class C for a good price only problem with Class C is that unless you tow a small car you have to drive the Class C everywhere so why not just get a trailer to begin with? I'm hoping to do a little traveling when my wife retires, and hoping I can stay healthy enough to do it. I'm already handicapped an tire out pretty easy so this gives me something to chew on till we decide which RV to go with.    

Easy cinnamon rolls

Directions:
• Make a dough recipe for one loaf of bread
• Divide it into 12 pieces
• Roll each piece flat (any shape works)
• Brush one side with plain water
• Sprinkle on a cinnamon/sugar mixer onto the wet dough (I used ¾ cup sugar and 2 tbs cinnamon for 2 loaves)
• Roll it up
• Let it rise for about an hour
• Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

When placing on the baking sheet place the end flap of the dough down against the pan so it won’t open up. Cinnamon rolls are an easy an inexpensive snack, enjoy.

Chocolate pudding recipe

Pudding Ingredients:

1. 1 can black beans
2. 2 ripe bananas
3. ½ cup ground flaxseeds
4. 1 cup raw walnuts
5. ¾ cup distilled water
6. ¾ cup cocoa powder
7. 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
8. 1 and 1/2 cup medjool dates (pitted)

For Garnish

1. 2 ripe bananas, sliced
2. berries of choice (I used raspberries and blackberries)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat walnuts and water in the microwave for 45 seconds to soften walnuts. Place heated walnuts and water in a high powered blender or vitamix with black beans, 2 bananas, pitted dates, flaxseeds, cocoa powder and vanilla extract and blend until completely smooth. Place mixture into two medium sized glass pan or one large glass pan. Top with sliced bananas and berries. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Eat warm or chilled the next day. I like mine soft and warm. It’s so comforting in the winte

1964 "Get a haircut"

            The year 1964 was like 1969 a cultural pivot year many social norms were being challenged and American social life was being changed forever. LBJ won the election against Barry Goldwater. A Muslim Cassius Clay aka Mohammed Ali became the Heavy weight champion in boxing. The silver in our coins was changed to copper nickel coins in 1965 but the law approved by LBJ happened in 1964. The Beatles came to America on the Ed Sullivan show in NYC that year and music was never the same again what Elvis had started with Rock an Roll the Beatles capped with their music revolution.  The female opportunity as a human an a person really started to change for the better. Smoking was tagged with cancer and the Ford Mustang car was magic. Along with all this change was a record high  in wealth for most of America. LBJ introduced the "Great Society" we all know how that worked out 50 years later and 21 Trillion $$$ dollars the drain. Vietnam was starting to heat up as was rights for blacks in the South. Civil Rights was soon to become law and segregation in the South would end soon. There was Good and Bad an many way to look at this pivotal year. To me quite a few of the bad stuff came about because of  LBJ, yes change was needed and the South had to change but the Civil Rights Act was not a cure all and the demonstrations and riots to come well just read your history. Rebellion was the way of life yes we needed change but society needed time. Idealism abounded  in all of the baby boomers "right" was more important than the radical means being used. 1964 is history now I was 14 years old and a conservative, my hair was short, a crew cut and in 4 years draft bait for a War in South East Asia that made no sense to me. I went did my duty but would I do it again. I'm not sure. Would I like to relive 1964 you bet loved the music an life was so much simpler in  South West Pennsylvania at that time it was a great time to be alive an all the change coming was not all bad.   

Tortillas

My    Aunt Gertrude who lives near Winkleman,AZ sometimes makes tortillas,my late Uncle Edwin use to call them blow out patches. They are a lot of work and yes much easier to buy some at the local grocery store but for those who love that homemade flavor they can't be beat. The following Link http://www.nativeseeds.org/community/208-recipe-for-fresh-corn-tortillas   gives one method of making your own. The growing of native seeds is something my wife is going to try, our biggest problem has been the local fauna raiding the garden. That my friends is a story unto itself. If you try to make these tortillas  you will find them great tasting an have respect for the pioneers an natives who grew an make their own food.

False Messiah

            I could write volumes possibly encyclopedic libraries of why Liberal/Progressive trends in the USA have driven a stake through the heart of the Constitutional Republic created on Sept 17,1787. I won't for the simple fact I'm to old to do the research,I know it exists an believe I understand how it is happening but WHY still eludes me although I believe it to be just a lack of knowledge.The death grip certain groups have been given as a way of life. That is the simple fact, if your brought up to accept so called Government handout which in reality is stealing from the somewhat richer middle class to give to the low class. Only the middle class which was at one time the majority have/had the population base to support the handouts,relief,food stamps or outright theft of our Country's wealth to support the masses in low income societies throughout the country. Since LBJ 50 years ago we debased our $ dollars an inflation ie quantitative easing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_easing   has been a way of life for politicians. Make no mistake decades of lies an theft of our wealth and from all our future generations has created a false messiah complex for many groups.         There exists no E Pluribus Unum  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_pluribus_unum  within the USA. I see at least 5 distinct groups 1.Ultra Liberal  2. Ultra Conservative   3. +/- Moderates   4. Don't Know   5. Don't Care . I know there are shades of gray for each groups an we all have our axes to grind but that is how I see the political voters in the USA today. The way someone like Obama got elected falls under the false messiah complex which the Blacks,Browns an Jewish voters supports.This includes illegals or emancipated illegals that vote, for no controls ie positive photo ID are required. In 2008. The quantity  of voters in groups 1,4,5 an the splits in groups 2 an 3 who do/not vote now exceeds the conservatives and right leaning groups.The same thing happened in 2012 just to many voters vote for Government handouts or as they believe Entitlements! So many are unable to work or find it more lucrative to just live off the entitlements since over population an poor education are the norm for late 20th Century and early 21st Century in the United States. Not sure how this will shake out over the rest of this century but one thing you can bet on is the fact that China and India will be major players I only hope we get enough leadership to tied us over and that leadership will not be found in false messiahs.                                

Irish car bomb

Ingredients:
.5 ounce of Jameson's Irish Whiskey
.5 ounce of Bailey's Irish Cream
half pint of Guinness Stout

Layer the liquor, Jameson's first, in a shot glass.
Pour the Guinness and let it settle.
Drop the shot glass in the Guinness and chug.
Repeat as necessary. good for what ails you!

Mead a link to how it is made

http://www.leeners.com/mead/recipes/drymead.shtmlThe Renaissance Festival is the best place to try out some mead it is different but not so bad. I really don't drink much anymore but thought I would post this link to how to make mead.

Cold remedies

    Ever watch those stupid cough an cold remedies on TV? You have someone sick as a dog an they take oh what a relief it is or something similar and then they are running around an giving everyone else their germs. For God sake if your really bad sick get well and don't run around an see how many other folks you can get sick. No matter how well you feel. That is how flu seasons an pandemics get started.   just my 2 cents

Our Granddaughter

So much change in just a year the top picture is a Ultasonic from a year ago an the bottom from today, she likes to sit under her mothers desk. She is our one an only Grandchild so far an love her to pieces.

Sherlock

                 Finally got to watch the "Empty Hearse" season 3 ep1 of Sherlock the 21st Century BBC version of Sherlock Holmes. ? Not sure I enjoyed it or not, I will not go into a sycophant short of the show. That has been done on Amazon an just Google the reviews and get your fill. The characters of Sir Author Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes stories are the stuff of legends. They need no introduction. My favorite up till a couple of years ago were the Universal/Fox versions done with Basil Rathbone. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes_%281939_film_series%29  These shows were my favorites for many decades until the new BBC Sherlock series started a few years back. Now we have the start of season 3 and has the BBC http://www.examiner.com/review/bbc-home-entertainment-solves-sherlock-s-death-sherlock-season-3 started off with a bang or a whimper. I'm not sure yet an will have to watch it again. The display of making the "way" Sherlock survived his death a major portion of  "The Empty Hearse" was to me a disappointment . I didn't care for all the flash and glitter used for what? I guess it was really a case of poor or maybe mediocre Direction of the show that I did not find amusing. Yes I want my Sherlock to be human  but not at the expense of entertainment. I enjoyed Rathbone's Sherlock because he was not superman an yet his deductive reasoning was vastly superior to normal men. Cumberbatch's Sherlock was a breath of fresh air he arrived intact to the 21st Century an yet seemed on top of his game by being aloof an smart. Now he seems too smart an sometimes the aloof comes off as being too distant. Maybe I'm being to harsh and I will purchase the series from Amazon soon as Season 3 is available an watch again the childhood hero I have enjoyed for most of my life. Lets hope that a return of the magic in seasons 1&2 is present because I really loved those characters an do not need so much a wink an a smile from them. I know they are not real an don't feel a need for them to display it.   My 2 cents

Ariel Sharon RIP

Ariel Sharon passed away a few days ago. Former Israeli Statesman,General an 11th PM of Israel. RIP

French Toast w/Maple Bourbon Butter of course Bacon

French Toast with Maple Bourbon Butter

Bacon - buy a lot. Fry it. Set aside covered on counter or rock to keep warm You're set.

For the french toast

Whisk two extra large eggs in a shallow dish or pan with 1/4 cup milk. Add in one capful of Penzey's vanilla, 3 dashes of good quality Cinnamon, and a couple of pinches of sugar (perhaps 1/2 teaspoon). Slice day bread in 8 thick pieces and place in egg mixture, turning to let a little soak into it on both sides (but only for a few seconds, so it doesn't get soggy). Cook in a lightly greased fry pan over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides.

Serve with maple bourbon butter and bacon

Maple bourbon butter

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup good quality bourbon (avoid anything called "Monster Mash" and costing $7.99 for a gallon)
Pinch of salt

Melt butter in a sauce pan over campfire or medium heat on the stove until just bubbling, stir in bourbon, maple syrup and salt and bring to a full simmer, whisking constantly until golden colored and thick. About 5-6 minutes.

Serve over french toast, biscuits or pancakes. Excellent drizzled over any breakfast meat that goes with those.   With thanks to: http://mausersandmuffins.blogspot.com/

The day Apache Junction burned down

           Many years ago I drove my truck an camper to Roosevelt Lake for the annual AiResearch fishing derby. Long story short we had a good time drank a lot of beer an did very little fishing. Our children were very young at the time but I know they had a pretty good time. The problem was that I had a defective muffler on the truck a rusted out hole while not very large it was on the top of the muffler. Normally this would not be a big problem but the old chevy truck had a wooden bed. To compound the problem an actually cause the fire I had a qt of motor oil stored in the cubby hole between the camper an the bed and it had broke open an leaked onto the wood bed of the truck right over where the hot gases hit the wood bed from the defective muffler.Perfect Storm is what you call this series of gremlin activity. I was driving back an had my buddy "Rich" from work an my 3 year old daughter in the cab of the truck. I thank God that I didn't have any one in the camper driving back. We were driving back through Apache Junction when I noticed I could not see behind me in the rear view mirror as I was driving,normally the rear window of the truck lined up with the camper front window and rear door of the camper so you could see behind you while driving. This was due to the camper filling up with smoke since the bed an the bottom side of the camper had caught on fire. Just about the time my brain was putting this all together a motorist pulled up along side the truck beeping his horn an yelling fire. I couldn't here him but lip reading FIRE is not hard. I pulled over an Rich my work friend grabbed my daughter Samantha an I yelled at him to keep Samantha away from the truck because the fire was on the driver side of the truck an a propane bottle for the camper was on that side an I feared it would blow. I had a fire extinguisher which I grabbed an quickly open an touched the propane tank which was still cool to the touch not hot an ran back to open the rear door.Bad idea since the door knob on the camper was hot enough to give me second degree burns on my hand. someone handed me some rags or their shirt which ignoring the pain in my hand I used to open the door standing off to the side since I had some training from the military fighting fires an knew it could blow out when I opened the door. Soon as I could, I used my fire extinguisher to get about half the fire in the camper out,luckily someone had 2 five gallon bottles of water which we used to put the rest of the camper an truck bed fire out. The only problem left was at least half a dozen of field fires behind us which sparks an pieces of the bed on fire had dropped off as we drove down the road and caught quite a bit of Apache Junction fields on fire with at least a dozen fire trucks an emergency vehicles were in the process of getting put out. It looked like Armageddon an all consuming war with all the fields on fire an by the time I saw this the second degree burns on my right hand were really starting to hurt since the adrenaline rush was wearing off from fighting the fire. So off to emergency for me to get treatment for my burns an the Arizona DPS took my truck to find out what caused the fire.  few days later it came back as an accident an as luck would have it I was the only person who had injuries an property damage. They ruled it an accident and that ends the tale of the day I "accidentally" tried to burn down the town of Apache Junction which in the 1970's was not a very big town. Luckily all the fields needed the excess brush burned off although that really was not something I wanted any part of.   

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Recipe of the Day!! Apple Cinnamon Bread!

Don't forget to share on your timeline so you always have this yummy one.

1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1 apple, peeled and chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Mix brown sugar and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated; add vanilla extract.

Combine flour and baking powder together in another bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture. Mix milk into batter until smooth. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Next add half the apples and half the brown sugar cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apple mixture into batter.

Pour the remaining batter over apple layer; top with remaining apples and add more brown sugar/cinnamon mixture. Lightly pat apples into batter; swirl brown sugar mixture through apples using a finger or spoon.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.

Pet Theory

         One of the most prevalent yet most misunderstood plagues saddled on mankind has been the blindness toward psychopaths. This willingness to embrace all mankind as incapable of Evil they are just misunderstood people is ludicrous in the extreme. They make up a large percentage of the population. My belief that 6% is probably close to the truth ,throw in 30 or 40% of blind followers an you get the forever wars an major crimes that have been the bane of mankind since our existence on planet Earth. The following Link:  http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2013/01/05/the-top-10-jobs-that-attract-psychopaths/     from Forbes last year gives a outline of the types of jobs such people tend to gravitate too.    Since quite a few of these jobs block any real resistance to ending the strangle hold they have on society it should be impossible to end there reign any time soon.  The only thing that I see as a means of combating this is knowledge on how they operate an trying to checkmate their agendas as much as possible. Unless a cure is found which is unlikely since it is pretty much hardwired into their brains. They will be around like it or not, genetic manipulation before birth probably at conception  is the only sure fire way of control that I can see and an all out warfare against this type of person is unlikely.  So know who you are dealing with and brush up on there ways for they tend to be charming until they gotcha. Your only hope is knowing how they work,what they do,and how/why they do what they do. Cheers an Happy New Year.