Forgot a flashlight

Walking from studio to home with no flashlight on a dark cold night brings out the primitive. It's exhilarating to feel one's feet balance on the uneven earth, each step a slight surprise. Winds bend and brush the trees. Stars sparkle but not enough to see the path. Thoughts of the creatures who feed at night spring to mind. What was that sound?

Ice Cream

We are going through a hot spell up here in the woods. Today it's 104 deg. Fahrenheit (40 deg. Celsius). I don't remember when I last had ice cream - some years ago - if you don't count the malt Michael made some months back. The last several days ice cream has been on my mind. Vanilla with fresh blue berries. I have the blue berries. The ice cream maker I bought maybe two years ago has never been used. Until today. What a great and simple thing to make. The texture is so smooth and velvety on the tongue, compared to purchased ice cream. The way it tastes, it couldn't be called anything but 'ice(d) cream.' Yes, the ingredients I used are "rich," but so soul satisfying, one doesn't need much of it to feel very content. Actually, 3 or 4 bites. And you know what Julia Child says, "We musn't be afraid of our food."

Here's the recipe: Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream - the ingredients make 6 cups.

scant 3/4 cup (175 ml) sugar, 1/8 teaspoon (.625 ml) salt, 1 and 3/4 cups (425 ml) whole milk, 2 large eggs beaten, 1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon 5 ml) vanilla extract.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and milk. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until mixture is steaming. Reduce heat to low.

In a medium bowl, slightly beat eggs. Slowly whisk half of the hot mixture into the eggs and pour back into saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until slightly thick, about 3 or so minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to freeze, stir in heavy cream and vanilla into the chilled custard mixture. Pour into the ice cream maker and follow its directions (which vary from maker to maker).

Wild Turkey

Before I moved the studio from San Francisco to rural northern Mendocino County, the only wild turkey I saw was in a shot glass. The first time I saw a wild turkey up here was at sunset. It was trying to roost in a madrone tree. What an effort. It looked like a full laundry bag trying to launch.

However wild turkeys don't necessarily spend the night in trees. At her mountain top home, my friend Suzanne Grande feeds the turkeys. She feeds them twice a day. If she's late, they show up at her front gate and call to her. During the day, they come; they go. At dusk they arrive back for the night. They surround the house and bed down. The Grande's dogs used to bark and chase, but no longer. Dogs and turkeys have gotten used to each other. Nobody's scared. When husband Gregg arrives from work, the turkeys make way for his car. Then they settle right back down. Suzanne says they keep the snakes away.

Music in the studio?

Today I'm wondering about work transitions in the studio.

When I'm working on the visuals and general theme of a website, I listen to music in the studio - and the ideas flow out through my hands like a smooth-running stream. Where do they come from?

But when it's coding/programming time, I need it stone quiet. This part of a project is like building a brick wall, brick by brick. If one brick is wrongly placed, the wall begins to fall apart. Like Sidney Pointier building his chapel in Lilies of the Field.

Why the dichotomy?

On another subject entirely, I just learned that Charlie Chaplin said, "A day without laughter is a day wasted." Maybe we could publish this around the world?

Inspired by buttermilk waffles

Design work is the core here. The studio doors are flung wide open today. Good morning sunlight. I use slow mo devices to get into gear. This morning, it's waffles. Slow food, handmade. Sit down to savor those waffles; next sit down to savor design. Keep that deep side of the mind rolling open. Waffle recipe below. Design work on-going.

Jokela's Slow Mo waffles, evolved over time:
Ingredients:
2 eggs, 1 full cup good quality buttermilk, full 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 cup flour, 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, scant 1.8 teaspoon sea salt.

Method:
Whisk eggs + liquids together, then add dry ingredients (no need to sift). Let sit for a few minutes before cooking. (This amount of batter serves 2-3 people, with left over waffle for dogs.)

Accompany with real (slightly heated) maple syrup. Yogurt, blue berries, lingonberries, sliced banana, fresh pineapple, walnuts or pecans are also on the table from time to time.