Number 31 Learn to make Pumpkin Pie

My mom makes really good pumpkin pies and I really have never had to know the skill.  However I figured that I am now old enough to see if I could do it.  So during Thanksgiving I asked for crust making lessons.  My mom has made so many pies that her lesson is to put about 'this much shortening in' and then 'about this much flour' and then cold water.  The cold water is 'hold the bowl under the faucet' and 'one time in, two times in, and a third time in and that is about right'.  So needless to say it is hard to duplicate her crusts.  My home teacher, Bro Ange, said that his wife loves pumpkin pies and they usually just get the frozen ones, which in my mind is as gross as you can get, because pumpkin happens to be my favorite and I can't even eat the Costco ones, just the homemade for me and really just my moms.   So I thought I am going to make him and her a pie.  So I got all the ingredients and went for it.  The crust as I was making it looked about right so put it in the pie pan and put the filling in and started baking it.  I had quite a bit of the crust dough left so make crust, which is the leftover dough flattened out and then butter and sugar and cinnamon and bake it.  So that baked and I pulled it out and to me it didn't taste good so I thought the pie would be a flop to.  So the pie finished baking and I pulled it out but I didn't try it because I was disappointed because I thought that the crust didn't work out.  Then the next day I thought I should try the pie just to see if the filling at least tasted good.  So I cut a small piece out and ate the pie crust included, and miracle of miracles, it tasted good.  The crust even did.  I was so excited.  Now it wasn't as good as my moms but it was tasty and held together and everything.  So I cut two big pieces out and ran it over to Bro Ange and his wife to try.  I told them I am going to keep practicing and give them a better one when I perfect my crusts.  They were fine with that idea.  

The reason that it took me so long to try to learn to make crusts is when I was about 12ish, my mom wanted me to learn to make bread.  I wasn't really into it and she was so insistent about it.  I kept asking why all the sudden I needed to learn.  She would say because someday she wouldn't be there to make bread and it was something I needed to learn.  I will come back to that story in a minute.  

When I was really young and we read in schools  out of the reader books in a group there was a story about a Navajo kid who needed to finish weaving a cloth, however she didn't want to finish because she knew that when the cloth was finished her grandma would die because the girl would have learned the skill of weaving.  Somehow in my mind the day my mom wanted me to learn to make bread and her insisting that I learn in my mind was the same as that story.  So I figure that if I didn't learn how then she would be there forever.  That thinking continued to other skills that my mom had like making pies.  If I couldn't do it then she would always have to and stay around forever.   I am still a little paranoid but am trying to get beyond it.  I think the lesson I take away from this is some stories that teachers make kids read are not healthy and give kids phobias they spend the rest of their lives trying to overcome.  Unfortunately one story that might effect one kid, another kid probably doesn't even remember.   Through all of this I did make a really tasty pumpkin pie.   So Number 31, make a pumpkin pie...check.

Number 24

Number 24 is "Learn how to make Rissoto".  I often watch Chopped and other cooking shows and they always talk about rissoto.  I wanted to know what the big deal was.  I love rice so I thought that it would be fun.  I got the recipe and all the ingredients and just made it.  It turned out really great.  I have become kinda a pro at it now.  I like to cook chicken chunks and then it is an entire meal.  The last time I put too much chicken bouillon in so it was too salty, but other than that Rissoto....check!  I will add a picture later. 

Number 12 Skinny Dip

This was on the original list.  I didn't know when I would get the opportunity.  I knew it had to be soon because it is getting colder and I am not chunky dunking during the ice fishing season.  So we went to visit my parents in Wyoming and my dad took us fishing on Jackson Lake.  It was quite the eventful weekend.  We came late into the valley Friday night and were passing a car head on when there appeared two cows in the road and the oncoming car didn't see them at all and hit them both head on.  Fortunately the cows died instantly but we were seconds away from having one of the cows land on our windshield and seconds later would have hit the car head on as they swerved into our lane.  We were first responders.  Danielle went and helped the people, who were Chinese and couldn't communicate with on-star, as I called 911 and directed traffic coming up south end until the emergency people could get there.   So that was tramatic.  Then fishing on Jackson Lake a big storm came and my dad being more concerned with catching the fish on the line then the huge wave coming up over the boat.  We almost sunk.  So after we caught the fish, pulled the lines in, and found a quiet place out of the storm on the North end of Donohoe Island, I knew my chance to skinny dip had manifest itself.  So I went for it.  I took everything off except my tevas.  I didn't want to have to worry about walking in and out of the water quickly.  I thought the water would be freezing but it wasn't.  I jumped in and then hurried and got out.  But then I didn't feel like I got the most out of the experience because it was so fast so I jumped in again for another few minutes.   Now skinny dipping might not be for everyone, but you feel so one with nature.  It is so liberating.  It is really hard to describe unless you try it, especially in such a beautiful place as Jackson Lake.  I kinda knew that I would accomplish this one in Jackson Lake.  A lot of years ago, my dad and I went camping at Jackson Lake on the South shore.  It was an out of the way spot and we stayed in his gross camper.  I think one of his friends were with us but other than that we were seemingly all alone in nature.  In the early morning I got up early and went down to the shore to wash my face and brush my teeth.  It was just me and the trees and the lake.  It was a spiritually experience.  It was so peaceful.  The lake was like glass and there weren't any noises.  I washed up and it literally felt like I was the only person in the world and one with all that was around me and so apart of the greater whole.  I was at such peace.  I often visualize that as my "happy place", when I need to.   So skinny dippy there just seemed right.  When I returned to the boat my mom said "Did I see Courtney's white bare butt out there".  I guess it is easy to spot. 

The pile of clothes

Nature shots

Nature.  I liked how the rock was caught up in the roots. 

Number 30

Not pretty but enjoying the moment. 

Morning View

 To enjoy a sunrise and sunset in one day is number 30.  I made this one up at Zions.  We were at a friends house in Springdale and we had arrived when it was dark.  It is up a hill where the road really winds around so I wasn't sure which way was east to enjoy the sunrise.  Come to find out the house was designed to see to the east off the balcony and then shielded from the west because of the heat in the afternoon.   It just happened to be the day of the Fall Equinox which made it all the better.  It was fun to get up early to see the sunrise and just bask in the beauty.  As I sat there waiting for the sun to crest over the mountains I thought routine of the earth and how the sun comes up every day and how now after the equinox we will be having less sunlight and get colder.  How perfect really all that is planned out.  In life there is so much craziness and indecision and change that it is nice to know that somethings are constant and unchanging.  

To the North

First peek of the sun. 

Sunset.  It was beautiful, but not as cool as the morning. 

Number 14 Hike the Narrows

 I have wanted to hike the Narrows in Zions for a long time.  I had planned it with friends a couple of years ago but that was the rainy year so they closed the Narrows down for flash floods.  So this year Danielle and I made a quick weekend trip to Zions and hiked the Narrows.  We stayed in a house of a friend.  That made the trip even nicer with a big house to ourselves.  We started out about 9 am.  We walked the river hike and then once you get to the end of that you just start walking in the water.  The water was cool but it wasn't a big deal to be in the water.  The highest the water level was was about to our waists but mostly mid calf.  There were some people up there but not overly crowded.  Everyone was friendly and enjoying themselves.  I think for me the best part was just the beauty of it.  The cliffs were incredible and the canyon so deep.  It was amazing to think it had been carved out by the rivers constant flow for millions of years.  Then as the sun would peek through the canyon and reflect off the red rocks it was really just humbling to be there and experience the beauty.  Around every bend it just got better.  We hiked until we almost reached the second fork joining the main river.  There was a huge boulder and we would have to really get wet to get around it so we decided we better head back.  The hike out was easier and quicker (as always) but we were tired by then so we took it slow.  We got back to the trail head about 5:30 and then out of the park about 6ish and ordered a delicious pizza from Pizza and Noodles and took it home and enjoyed.  I am really glad that we made the effort to do Number 14 Hike the Narrows. 

Danielle and I at the beginning of the trail.

Me about half way up. 

So amazing.

Us on the first fork coming into the river.  We hiked just a little way up this one and then returned to the main part. 

Just loving it. 

Understanding the flash flood warnings.  No where out. 

Just cool. 

At the finish.  Wet, shriveled white toes.  Next time I will rethink pulling my socks up all the way. 

Our accommodations, Thanks Clark!

 

Update to Number Six

This is one to finish off Number Six which is to pee in both oceans.  The Atlantic was chilly, but the Northern Pacific was freezing.  It took all I had to get waist deep and do my business.  As you can see from the picture the weather wasn't great and even out of the water, you needed jackets.  Most people at the beach were wrapped up in blankets.  There were a few little boys that were playing in the water and later a couple of paddle boarders came but for me to damn cold to do anything but accomplish my goal.  I will say I love the ocean and even though we weren't really prepared for the beach and especially the cold we stayed there probably two hours and then went to another one for about an hour.  Beautiful coasts in Northern California, makes me really appreciate the world.  

Number 28....hug a Redwood Tree

Same trip to California.  We wanted to go to the Redwood National Park, but it was just a little to far out of our way.  We however drove through redwood forests.  We stopped along a windy road from Ukiah to the coast and hugged a tree.  The tree to me was really soft, the bark I guess.  I always thought redwood was a harder tree because it is great to build decks and stuff and retains it's color and form, the bark however wasn't hard but like fur.  They smelled so good though.  We didn't see the biggest one in the world but it was neat to see them and enjoy the trees.  Although I loved the redwood when we got into a cyprus forest....wow those trees are awesome.  They smelled so good.  I loved them.  Check....number 28....hug a redwood tree.