Mercury In Motion

The Making of French Bread Loaf

2012-01-02T19:36:00.000-06:00

My first venture into making bread of any sort took place today. With the help of Google, once again, I found just the right help- with this guy's video in particular.

The only thing was I wanted just one loaf to start with in case it was a flop. So I had to cut the ingredients in half. I tried to proof the yeast as instructed but it never bubbled or fizzled or did what the Internet bread "gurus" said it should. I took my chances anyway, and pretty much never really used actual measurements for anything except the flour, and even that changed over the course of the process.

This is what it takes for one loaf of french bread:

approximately 2 cups of flour

a couple dashes of dry yeast

a dash of salt

water

I really enjoyed the simplicity of the ingredients. I had no idea, actually, it could be thrown together with just a few basic things. The trickiest part was the flour and water- too sticky, not sticky enough. I had to keep playing with that until finally it became the ball you see in the bowl. The process does take a while. After you get the ball formed, you let it sit, covered, for about two hours. Then you take it out and knead it and form it, making valleys and pinching them into peaks (which the man in the video said was actually a Julia Child tip) until you get it to the shape desired. Then onto a baking pan, where you score it and let it sit another two hours or so. It is called a second rise.

After the hours passed, the bread did expand but I was worried because it never really plumped up as magnificently as the man's bread in the video did. However, I had to follow through with the process to the end. There is no other way to learn! So, after the oven preheated at 400, I turned it to 350 and stuck the pan in the oven for about 35 minutes.

A couple friends popped over just as I removed it from the oven and of course we had to try it hot so I forgot to take a picture of it in tact. It doesn't look terribly impressive, but it actually turned out better than expected in consistency and taste for the first run! My friends both had seconds so I took that as a good sign, too. More to come...

CCL (not) in da Hizzy

2012-01-02T10:19:00.002-06:00

My friend Tandy giggled on the phone as she told me she had this little "happy" for me (made by Accoutrements, which is awesome). As a matter of fact, I'd seen this before. My brother and I once gave this same token of affection to my mother, who looks startlingly like this lady- same pajamas, same hair, same amount- the level of which is sometimes indiscernible- of "rescued" cats. Sorry mom, but you know it's true, crazy cat lady! And now, evidently, I warrant it too?! No! Just because when I see a cat, any cat, I immediately must stroke its fur, or worse, allow the old-Jewish lady tone to come screeching out of my throat when I talk to cat, doesn't mean anything. (The cats love it, really.) Oh, and the nicknames and songs are normal behavior, of course, obligatory, even. The thing that makes a person a CCL, in my opinion, is the cat to human ratio. One person can have up to two cats and fall below the CCL radar. 1:3 makes a person a CCL.

It is true I happened to have three cats in my kitchen this morning:

...But one of them- "Greybeard"- was just visiting. He is a magical neighborhood vagabond, making stops around the block for food and visits. I did at one point have a plan to "rescue" him, but he wouldn't be caught dead having lived in an actual house. Therefore, he saved me from becoming a CCL.

In the photo above, I let my cat, Oscar aka Babe aka Bay, take in the Crazy Cat Lady action figure via osmosis. This is a perfectly non-CCL behavior.

My ratio is still officially 1:2.

Beware of the LEAN (when you po it in yo white cup)

2012-01-02T09:36:00.001-06:00

Ok so I picked up this can called LEAN recently (at the E& B Grocery) a few weeks ago. It looked intriguing. it said "slow motion...potion" on it, and at the bottom of the flashy, urban-art can, "Premium Relaxation." The anti-energy drink? Now I've seen everything!

In case it actually did work, I'd been saving it for a time when I had nothing to do, no place to be and time on my hands. Yesterday, in the middle of the afternoon, after a nice morning walk in the woods, seemed to be it. I had plans to visit a friend later that day but figured the worse that could come of this, after only drinking one serving size, or half a can, was I felt, you know, relaxed. Well, let me tell you, it is a slow motion potion, all right. More like a liquid tranquilizer. It knocked me on my ass. My arms and legs got heavier and soon I was glued to the couch. Which prompted me to do more than read the can this time because while I'd read there were sleepiness-inducing ingredients in the soda (such as valerian root (anti-anxiety or sleep-aid) and melatonin (naturally produced by the body; synthetic form used as sleep-aid), I assumed the super-saccharine flavored "Yella" liquid would contain only a miniscule amount. But since I had turned into a log, basically only able to use the computer from my couch, I was questioning the matter further. I Googled it, naturally. I found the Slow Motion Potion website with the following video:

The whole thing blew my mind. I kind of love the video, a lot. Aside from its entertainment value and spunkiness, I do not understand how a powerful relaxant such as this is marketed as a drink (akin to the purple drank of Li'l Wayne fame?) to go out clubbing with. Seems dangerous to consume this then go out and try to dance and socialize, much less sit up or do anything, basically. After more exploration of the site, I had to close my eyes and ended up napping for almost two hours, which I can rarely pull off. I fought the sleep as I had plans but ended up having to change them because I was too groggy. Many hours later, when I felt pretty much rejuvenated, I decided to be fair, and finish the "experiment" (ie the remaining half of the can, which is the most you can have according to the can in a 24-hour period). It was around 10:30, which is a regular bed time anyway. It took longer to make me pass out, but when I went to bed, I slept a deep, solid sleep. I woke up with a slight residual fog this morning, but at least there were no bizarre dreams like the first time in the afternoon.

Is it effective in promoting relaxation/dead sleep? Yes. But please exercise extreme caution if you come across this beverage and are planning on doing anything other than resting. I do not think it is being marketed appropriately or responsibly. I wouldn't do anything other relax and clear your schedule for sleep with this.

2012: Don't Wait!

2012-01-01T08:43:00.001-06:00

Don't wait in general (unless it's truly situation-appropriate, of course) but also don't wait concerning your new year's day helping of black-eyed peas and cabbage. Start your year off right with a bowl for breakfast! Cheers!

To health, "luck" and wealth!

***

Cabbage courtesy of a friend's fantastic winter garden up in the Jackson area:

***

And, read this: "New Year's Revolution," a retrospective from 1999, by Eric Francis

Noche Buena

2011-12-24T11:53:00.000-06:00

This traditional American Christmas-time plant, the poinsettia, is commonly referred to as "noche buena" (good night, but for Christmas Eve) south of the border, as it is actually native to Mexico and Central America. The belief of this plant's toxicity is said to be just an urban legend. If you look at the base in the picture above, you will see ice cubes, a trick passed on to me by my landlady who so kindly bestowed this vivid red-leafed entity onto me. She said to keep it away from direct heat; that it really does well when it's cold, and it's a way to slow water the plant. But is it cold where it grows ingeniously?

Catvertisting!

2011-12-23T10:18:00.000-06:00

Well, I was just geeking out to cat videos the other day....

These Rumors are Also True: The Bins Have Arrived!

2011-12-23T08:12:00.004-06:00

Curbside recycling pick-up starts January 5th for residential customers in the city of Hattiesburg!
Still, glass is not included, but I've got a bag or two of other acceptable items ready to go, saving me a trip to Kamper Park drop-off location! Yay! For more info, go to Waste Pro.

And Here's to Winter Solstice!

2011-12-21T15:46:00.000-06:00

From the classroom....

Gimme that Live Stuff

2011-12-21T15:42:00.000-06:00

The Lovely Weeds (Sam, Brad and AJ) this past Saturday night at T-Bones, with Allen Mann opening.

A lovely, serene show! Blurry pic by me, via the celly.

December Color

2011-12-18T07:42:00.000-06:00

Sidewalk-Avenues, 'Burg

The Rumors are True: Glass Recycling in Hattiesburg

2011-12-12T18:21:00.000-06:00

This weekend I verified that Hattiesburg actually does have a place where one can drop off his or her glass items- and plastic bags, etc- for recycling: inside Target on 98. Curious, yes, indeed. Maybe when curbside recycling pick-up starts, they'll take glass too? For now, behold the second bin from the left.

Windowpane Blues

2011-12-11T09:15:00.001-06:00

~Enchantment~

Into the Woods: Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf

2011-12-10T17:42:00.000-06:00

~Reconnection~

A Lighter Adventure: Hello, New Jersey!

2011-12-07T17:19:00.000-06:00

The view (with the Mississippi lighter) from Upper Manhattan: view of the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge

by illustrious and devoted Lighter Lady, Erika L.

Technology: this is what it's come to!

2011-11-30T17:23:00.000-06:00

Video chat session with a lego man (who is actually a stand-in for my friend Kendall, The Whim of the Great Magnet)!

Spontaneous Sunday Sketches

2011-11-29T18:22:00.001-06:00

Some good friends gathered around my table this past Sunday for mimosas. On that rainy, blustery day, it was a nice culmination the four-day Thanksgiving break. My drawing supplies were out setting a certain mood it seemed, so what made it even better was when everyone started drawing, unexpectedly. It was a cozy, refreshing celebration. We're pretty sure that the world would be a better, happier place if everyone took up this activity a little more.

Bottle Tree

2011-11-27T20:42:00.000-06:00

Avenues' Alley, Downtown Hattiesburg

A Lighter Adventure: Inside Riverside Church

2011-11-22T19:12:00.001-06:00

Photo by lighter lady extraordinaire

aka Keeper of the Mississippi Lighter, Erika L.

Dancing Lights

2011-11-20T10:40:00.000-06:00

Veteran's Memorial Park, Hattiesburg

OWS Live Stream in NYC

2011-11-17T17:26:00.003-06:00

*UPDATE: 11/18/11- Well, this was running live yesterday, then went blank, and now appears to be a recorded live segment from last night. So, here's another one which appears to be running video too, but not sure if it's live either, though it is from a livestream site:

Watch live streaming video from occupynyc at livestream.com

Sacred Kind of Lunacy

2011-11-17T16:49:00.002-06:00

This Aquarius astrological forecast for the week of November 17, I think applies to everyone.

image from: aikihealing

"According to my old philosophy professor Norman O. Brown, "Our real choice is between holy and unholy madness: open your eyes and look around you -- madness is in the saddle anyhow." Let's take this hypothesis as our starting point, Aquarius. I propose that in the coming weeks you make an effort to get more accustomed to and comfortable with the understanding that the entire world is in the throes of utter lunacy. Once you are at peace with that, I hope you will commit yourself to the sacred kind of lunacy -- the kind that bestows wild blessings and perpetrates unreasonable beauty and cultivates the healing power of outlandish pleasure."

-by Rob Brezsny from Free Will Astrology.

City of Hattiesburg Put on Notice for Chronic Violations of Clean Water Act

2011-11-09T20:18:00.002-06:00

Press Release

November 9, 2011
CONTACT: Raleigh Hoke
Raleigh@healthygulf.org
504-525-1528, ext. 204 or 573-795-1916

Hattiesburg, MS – Gulf Restoration Network and its members, represented by the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic, have put the City of Hattiesburg on notice that they intend to sue for numerous and ongoing violations of the Clean Water Act related to the Hattiesburg North and South Sewage lagoons. The Hattiesburg North lagoons are permitted to dump 4 million gallons of treated waste per day into the Bowie River and the Hattiesburg South lagoons are permitted to dump 20 million gallons of treated waste per day into the Leaf River. According to the city’s own monitoring reports, the city is chronically violating its permitted limits for pollutants at both of these facilities.

“For years, city leaders have failed to offer real solutions for dealing with these aging and outdated sewage lagoons even as they continue to pollute nearby rivers and stink up the city,” said Raleigh Hoke, Mississippi Organizer for the Gulf Restoration Network. “We’re committed to making sure that the city comes up with a real plan to fix the sewage lagoons, and a concrete timeline for ensuring that local waters and communities are protected.”

On a recent canoe trip on the Leaf River, Gulf Restoration Network members discovered brown, smelly water from the South lagoons dumping directly into the river, significantly changing the character of the river downstream. On the Bowie River, near the North lagoons, Gulf Restoration Network discovered floating particles of what appeared to be human waste, and some of the canoes used had a brown “bathtub” ring around them when removed from the water.

“It was just plain gross,” said Hoke. He added, “Who would want to swim, fish or boat in rivers polluted with improperly treated sewage?”

Along with losing recreational use, the wildlife and ecosystems of the rivers and downstream areas are being impacted. One of the biggest concerns is high levels of biochemical oxygen demand, which reduces oxygen levels, stressing aquatic life and potentially leading to fish kills like the one seen on the Pearl River earlier this year. Other issues include total suspended solids, which measures mineral or organic particles in the water and can impact the health of fish and other aquatic organisms, and fecal coliform, which can indicate the presence of human waste and disease causing pathogens.

“This notice is the first step in filing a citizen suit under the Clean Water Act. The lawsuit that Gulf Restoration Network can file in 60 days can ask the court for injunctive relief as well as penalties up to $37,500 per violation per day,” said Corinne Van Dalen, attorney for the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic.

To view the full Notice of Intent to File Suit, click here.

For photos from GRN’s canoe trip along the Leaf River, click here.

To read more about GRN’s canoe trip along the Bowie River, click here.

All photos are available for use with attribution to the Gulf Restoration Network.

Gulf Restoration Network is a diverse network of local, regional, and national groups and individuals dedicated to protecting and restoring the valuable resources of the Gulf of Mexico.

Murmuration

2011-11-05T20:22:00.002-05:00

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive

Amendment 26: THE BIG DISTRACTION

2011-11-02T21:16:00.001-05:00

On November 8th, Mississippians not only vote for a governor, but for certain propostitions which could change our constitution, including the Personhood Amendment, or Initiative 26. If it passes, its ambiguity ("or the functional equivalent thereof") could have some severe repercussions on birth control and women's lives, to name a couple, with long-term sights likely set on recanting Roe v. Wade.... OH yeah, kickin' it live and direct from the state with one of the highest rates of teen pregnancies as it is. But more and more religious and political pro-life advocates, including current governor Haley Barbour, are voicing "concern" or opposition to 26. How this even made it to the ballot here is boggling.

***

* Addendum, 11/9/11: This proposed amendment did not see the light of day, as it was rejected by approximately 60% of the Mississippians who voted last night! *

A Lighter Adventure: Occupy Wall Street Marches to Time Square

2011-10-15T18:22:00.000-05:00

...And the Mississippi Lighter tags along.

Photo by Lighter Lady, Erika L.