Home from ILA North

DSC07922
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

I attended (and presented) at the ILA regional conference in Moscow. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to book a room that evening in Moscow because of graduation ceremonies. I finished the conference and drove to the Super 8 in Coeur d'Alene. Next moring I headed for home. There was so much to see on the way home. It was fabulous!

On the way home I stopped at the lake and took a few pictures, and I stopped at the Mission and took a few pictures. I did not go in the Mission, I've been there before and I didn't want to take the time. Heading south I got to Missoula around 1:00. I headed into the city hoping to find somewhere interesting to eat. With Nick's long distance (thank heavens for cell phones) help. I did find a great lunch place but it was packed and there was no parking in the downtown area and there were people everywhere so I gave up and headed south. That little detour (which still didn't get me lunch) took an hour. Anyway, I ended up at a roadside diner south of Missoula.

As I passed Camas wildlife refuge the urge to go birding was overwhelming so I stopped in Roberts and did a drive by through market lake. There were tons of birds! It was early evening and I found the Short-eared owl out hunting. I just assumed it was a RT hawk, still it was sitting on a post and I might as well look and once I got my binoculars up I realized that this was no hawk. It posed for awhile and then took off to find more food. It was very cool.

I saw a LOT of birds over the 3 days including:

Short-eared owl, Golden eagles, Bald eagle, Red-tailed hawks, Swainsons hawks, Turkey vultures and Kestrels

American-white pelicans, Long-billed curlew, Kildeer, Mallards, Western grebes, Double-crested cormorants, White-faced ibises, Sandhill crane, American avocet, Black-crowned night heron, Wilson's phaleropes, Great-blue herons,

Ruddy ducks, Cinnamon teals, Coots, Lesser scaups, Northern shovelers, Readheads,

Franklins gull, California gull, Common tern
Crows, Ravens, Magpies, Stellars jay

House sparrows, Rock doves, Mourning doves, Robins, Western meadowlarks, Ruby crowned kinglet, Yellow rumped warblers,

Red-winged, Yellow-headed, and Brewers blackbirds

Bank, Cliff, Tree, Barn, and Rough-winged swallows

Red fox, Antelope, and Mule deer.

For more photos see the flickr set at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157618913280236/

Driving to Moscow

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Originally uploaded by J Semenza

There are two ways to get from Pocatello ID to Moscow ID. The first is via I15 to Couer d'Alene then South on US-95. According to Mapquest it takes 9 hours 7 minutes (612.64 miles). The second way is to drive to Boise on I84 then North on US-95. According to Mapquest it takes 8 hours 42 minutes (558.94 miles).

However, the first route is mainly on Freeway so it goes rather quickly. The second route (after Boise) is on two lane highway so it can go much more slowly. Then there's also factors such as weather to take into consideration. I'd rather do the long fast way if there's a chance of snow.

In any case, I decided to go the short slow way for the first time as an adult person this month. I had a speaking engagement at the Idaho Library Association - Northern Region in Moscow. And so began the drive. US-95 is very scenic!

See more photos of this drive at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jsemenza/sets/72157617844962542/

I drove the long fast way home. Since I compulsively stop and stretch my legs or take photos or what have you, both drives take the same length of time... 10-11 hours.

Jenny

April in American Falls

DSC07650
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

April to me is about springtime. Birds start returning, trees begin to bud. This April I spent a lot of time in Utah. On one of the few weekends I was home I went out to American Falls. Here I found many birds and much water.

Birds included:
Robins, Pelicans, Magpies, R. doves, M. doves, N. flickers, A-w Pelicans, Common mergansers, DC cormorants, Ring neck ducks, Great blue herons, Northern harriers, A. crows, White-crowned sparrow, Common loon, Coots, Mallards, California gulls, Swainson's hawk, R-t Hawk, House sparrows, Red winged blackbirds, and Red-breasted mergansers...

I loved finding an osprey near the fish hatchery. I know it was trying to find a way past the protective netting.

Best of all was surprising two bald eagles in the trees in the cemetary. The American Falls cemetary is set on a cliff above the river and the trees were on the cliff side. I'm sure those two birds were hunting/fishing. I was probably more surprised than they were. I did not expect them to be there.

Lentil Stuffed Zucchini

This post on "This is why you're thin" blog made me create my own lentil stuffed Zucchini recipe. The image is from their post.

I am using old lentils (don't ask me how old, I have no idea). I cooked 1/2 cup lentils in vegetable broth till they were just done. For me this was approx an hour. Your timing may vary. There is very little in the way of liquid remaining in the pot.

Saute 1/4 yellow onion till almost translucent in olive oil
Add 1-2 cloves minced garlic
Add 1/4 diced red bell pepper
Stir fry till onion is translucent and peppers are almost done.
Add this to the lentils in the pot
Add 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste
Add 1/4 cup tomato based pasta sauce
Simmer briefly to reduce the liquid (I simmered it while prepping the zucchini).

Set oven to 350 degrees F
Scrub 2 zucchini,
Cut in half
Hollow them out putting the scooped parts into the lentil pot

Put zucchini in an oiled baking dish (I used olive oil)
Stuff them with the lentil mixture (If it is too soupy use a strainer to remove the excess)
Excess lentil mixture can be placed around the zucchini

Bake in oven for 15 minutes

Shred parmesan cheese approx 1/2 cup - 1 cup
Sprinkle over top and return to zucchini to oven for another 5-10 minutes.

I like to leave my zucchini quite crunchy so I only bake for 20 minutes. You can bake longer if you like.

I was surprised by how much Nick & I liked this. I'm not that fond of zucchini, and Nick isn't that fond of lentils.

Sisters & Birds

I left work a few minutes early and headed home. I was still not certain if I would drive down to Salt Lake City that evening or the next morning. As I started packing and getting things together I got more into the idea of getting there Friday night and NOT trying get up at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday. With the car loaded I took off, arriving at Rebecca's downtown apartment at 8:00 p.m. She met me downstairs and we headed for Sawadee Thai Food.

Sawadee has amazing food. For the first time I really, REALLY enjoyed the tofu parts of my pad thai. Rebecca says the trick is to drain the tofu, chop it up in cubes, and let it sit for awhile to finish draining (approx 1hr). You then fry it and add to whatever you want.

If you want to go to Sawadee it is located at:
754 East South Temple
Salt Lake City UT
http://www.sawadee1.com/

Hung out with Rebecca and her daughter + friend for awhile before going to sleep.

Woke up early, had too. Really wanted to go birding with the Great Salt Lake

Audubon group http://www.greatsaltlakeaudubon.org/ on their Inland Sea Shorebird Reserve (Kennecott Mitigation Property) field trip. It was really amazing the area is HUGE and normally off limits to people. I didn't count, but it seemed like hundreds of Avocets were present, along with the trifecta of teals and more:

American Avocets
Cinnamon Teals
Blue Winged Teals
Green Winged Teals
Great Blue Herons
Western Meadowlarks
Sage Thrashers
Northern Harriers
Northern Shovelers
Coots
Willets
Savannah Sparrow
Yellow Headed Blackbirds
Red Winged Blackbirds
Canada Geese (surprisingly few)
Eared Grebes
LEsser Scaups
Long Billed Curlews
Logger Head Shrike
Ruby Crowned Kinglet
Golden Eagle

And best of all a new species for me: Barn Owl!!

Outside of the field trip I also saw:
American Robins
Red Tailed Hawks
Starlings
Rock Doves
California Gulls
House Sparrows
Trumpeter Swans

And the cutest Wood Duck.

For Mammals, there were Pronghorns on the reserve and dozens of Mule Deer along I15.

I met some great people and ended up carpooling with a Yvonne from the Utah County Audubon group http://www.utahbirds.org/. She was very congenial and interesting. She has a spotting scope and so I got more information about them from her. The best surprise was the fact that there are Bird Festivals where there are field trips and classes and vendors and I gotta go to one!!

After birding I cleaned up and headed for Jessica's.

Jessica is very pregnant right now. She's having a girl and the little baby Rachel is expected to make her debut within the next few weeks. Thank heavens for Rebecca, she let me pay for half of a great present. She found a gorgeous sterling silver necklace with coin like monogram charms for each member of Jessica's family.

It was one of the best baby showers I have ever attended. Jessica's friends had set it up as an open house so people could come and go. There were presents and cake and veggies and it was only friends and family. I wish I coulda stayed longer.

More later...
Jenny

Shanna's Honey Vanilla Granola

Dry
4.5-5 cups oats (the big rolled oats, not quick oats)

Liquids and Flavors
1 tbsp vanilla

3/4 c honey
1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 tsp salt

1. Toast the oats
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Put oats in even layer (maximum 1 inch deep) in roasting pan or baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes stirring every 2-3 for even toasting. Oats will be a bit less chewey. Be careful not to over-toast as this wills scorch them and make them bitter.

After removing from oven put in large bowl, add the almonds and sunflower seeds and stir together.

Leave oven on, you'll be using it again in a minute.

2. Warm the liquids and flavors
Over medium heat mix together the remaining ingredients, stir till it is warm and thoroughly mixed. You do not need to bring this to a boil. I recommend you don't let it go to a boil, after all, you're not making candy.

3. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir till thoroughly coated.

4. Spread into 1 inch deep layer in roasting pan or baking sheet (I usually have to use two). Put in oven for 20-25 minutes (still at 325 degrees F). Every 5 minutes stir and re-spread.

5. Remove from oven, press into even layer and allow to cool in a solid mass (this will make it more clumpy).

6. Once cooled, break it up and store in tight container

Birding - March - Camas, Market Lake, Mud Lake...

Two days of birding, Camas Wildlife Refuge, Mud Lake, Market Lake, the Snake River North of Idaho Falls, and my house. I was able to find the Long Tailed Duck on the Snake River, though it took two days of hunting. It was very nifty!! I was also able to plot a path outside of I15 from IF to Market Lake to Mud Lake to Camas. I ended up seeing so many more birds because of this change of path. I really liked the fields filled with ducks (northern pintail mostly...)

Golden eagle	Rough legged hawks
Swainsons hawks	American kestrels
Red tailed hawks	Northern harriers
Red winged blackbirds	Yellow headed blackbirds
American robins	Dark eyed juncos
Western meadowlarks	California gulls
Ring billed gulls	Northern flicker
Horned larks	American crows
Rock doves	Mourning doves
House sparrows	House finches
Lesser goldfinches	Pine siskins
Red breasted nuthatch	Magpies
Canada geese	Snow geese
Starlings	Red naped sapsuckers
Trumpeter swans	Tundra swans
Common goldeneyes	Gadwall
American wigeons	Northern pintails
Coots	Ring necked ducks
Long tailed ducks	Blue winged teal
Mallards	Lesser scaups
Cinnamon teals	Red breasted mergansers
Red headed ducks	Kildeer
Sandhill cranes	Great blue heron
Chinese pheasants	Great horned owls
Bohemian waxwings	Cedar waxwings
Porcupines	Captive bison

Birding around American Falls

3/20/09

I had planned on going to Mud Lake, Camas, and Market Lake, but slept in and missed the timing. Instead I headed for American Falls. There are many great birding spots around this reservoir and the Snake River. Of particular interest is the birding trail that the Audubon society has marked near the fish hatchery.

At my house:
1. House sparrows
2. House Finches
3. Pine siskins

On the road:
4. Rock doves
5. Magpies
6. Western Meadowlark
7. Red tailed hawk

By the marina:
8. Song sparrow
9. Mallards
10. Crows
11. California gulls
12. Ring billed gulls
13. Robins
14. Starlings
15. Tree swallows
16. Goldfinch
17. Kestrels
18. Norther 'red shafted' flickers playing mating games

By the dam:
19. Northern pintail

By the fish hatchery:
20. Red breasted mergansers
21. Yellow rumped warblers
22. Norther shovelers
23. Common mergansers
24. Common goldeneys
25. Barrows godleneyes
26. Dark eyed juncos
27. Canada geese

It was a gorgeous sunny day and lots of fun to be out and about.

Birding in Utah

Melinda and I went birding in Utah, around Antelope Island and the wetlands nearby.


Day 1 3/7/9

kildeer
robins
canada geese
northern shovelers
eurasian wigeon
bufflehead
northern harrier (male)
american kestral
mallards
western meadowlark
common ravens
whooping crane
red winged blackbird
american tree sparrow
long eared owls
white breasted nuthatch
crows
chuckar
magpies
mourning doves
rock doves
starlings

coyote (heard the pups too)
pronghorn

Day 2 3/8/9

european house sparrows
american kestral
robins
starlings
rock doves
magpies
red breasted nuthatches
crows
common ravens

Jenny's Gingerbread Granola

Dry
9 cups oats (the big rolled oats, not quick oats)
2-3 cups sliced nuts and seeds (I used 2 cups sliced almonds and 1 cup sunflower seeds)

Liquids and Flavors
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp cardamom

1/2 c molasses
1 cup honey
1 cup canola oil

1 tsp salt

1. Toast the oats
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Put oats in even layer (maximum 1 inch deep) in roasting pan or baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes stirring every 2-3 for even toasting. Oats will be a bit less chewey. Be careful not to over-toast as this wills scorch them and make them bitter.

After removing from oven put in large bowl, add the almonds and sunflower seeds and stir together.

Leave oven on, you'll be using it again in a minute.

2. Warm the liquids and flavors
Over medium heat mix together the remaining ingredients, stir till it is warm and thoroughly mixed. You do not need to bring this to a boil. I recommend you don't let it go to a boil, after all, you're not making candy.

3. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir till thoroughly coated.

4. Spread into 1 inch deep layer in roasting pan or baking sheet (I usually have to use two). Put in oven for 20-25 minutes (still at 325 degrees F). Every 5 minutes stir and re-spread.

5. Remove from oven, press into even layer and allow to cool in a solid mass (this will make it more clumpy).

6. Once cooled, break it up and store in tight container

Ravioli with Veggies in a Lemon Cream Sauce

Just had this for dinner, it was FABULOUS. Yes, I just made this up. -- Jenny

Steam the veggies
1 big floret of broccoli approx 1 - 1.5 cups + 2 medium carrots chopped

Cook the ravioli/tortellini (I just buy the packaged stuff)
2 of the smaller packages from the refrigerated section of the grocery store

Mince 2 cloves garlic and 1/4 yellow onion
Sautee in olive oil over medium heat in a mid sized sauce pan

Add:
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1 brick Parmesan shredded (5 oz)
1 cup whipping cream

Cook over medium heat till cheese is melted and thoroughly blended.

Stir all ingredients together and serve

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Created a new recipe yesterday and loved it enough to write it down.

Stuffed Bell Peppers
4-6 red, yellow or orange bell peppers.
Slice off top (retain)
Scoop out seeds and membrane

1 lb pork
1 Tbsp canola oil

4 green onions chopped
1/2 head cabbage chopped
1/2 cup bean sprouts chopped
Mix chopped ingredients together and set aside

1 tsp minced ginger
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp serrano pepper powder
1 Tbsp rice wine Shao Hsing (cooking sherry is an acceptable substitute)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp honey
Mix the seasonings together and set aside

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Begin by sauteeing the pork, when it is mostly done, add the remaining ingredients. Allow to cook a few minutes partially wilting the cabbage.

Stuff peppers with mixture and place on pan (I use a glass casserole pan). Leftover mixture can be put around the peppers. Use toothpicks to secure pepper tops back onto peppers.

Bake in oven till peppers are the done to your taste. 20 minutes will leave them with a bit of crunch.

This was surprisingly yummy.

Solstice

DSC07507
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

We had a solstice party at the Aura Soma conference center in Lava. The best part was that we didn't have to leave that night and drive home, but could wait till the next day.

Who knew that 2 feet of snow would drop that night.

It was gorgeous outside.

Teton Dam, December 2008

DSC07452
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

In 1976 the Teton Dam broke open and flooded the Snake River Plain. I remember dad trenching around the houses on the ten acres with a backhoe. I remember planting trees in the morning. I remember listening to the news on the radio as the water headed south. I remember the news programs of sandbags being filled and placed on the Snake River in Idaho Falls (near where we lived). I remember dad talking about how they decided not to allow the diversion of water into the small canals but to keep it in the main river. This meant our house wasn't flooded.

I had been to the site before, but this time I went with Evelee. We went looking for interesting rocks. The Teton river is fed by Bitch Creek. This runs through a mountain range that has a layer of nephrite jade. The hope is always to find a chunk or pebble of the gorgeous dark green jade. I was not so lucky this time. It was cold and windy and beautiful.

The start to the day began with being pulled over by the cops in Rexburg for speeding. Evelee forgot to change her cruise control. The nice young man took pity on us and let us go with a warning. After all we do not look like we're up to trouble. - bummer that.

The end of the day was a fabulous dinner at Jakers restaurant in Idaho Falls.

I so love being outside.

Thanksgiving in Sacramento

DSC07443
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

Shanna moved to Texas in August to work for her grandfather. She started out as part of the grounds crew but ended up as an interior house painter.

The weather was good and we were missing Shanna so we loaded up the car and headed for Ellisa's house. Wells NV makes a good place for an overnight stop.

On the way down we stopped at Winnemucca for the best Mexican food. Melinda and I found this restaurant a couple of years ago.

Ellisa decided not to do a traditional Thanksgiving feast and served Italian food instead. Yummy, though I did miss the turkey. It was really nice to hang out with them for a few days! I volunteered to watch In Bruges, a show which is totally ridiculous. There are some truly funny bits, and some terribly tacky bits too. Not my cup of tea, but certainly something I'll remember. I definitely like to stretch my cinematic point of view now and then. This qualifies as the stretch for 2008.

I started and mostly finished the book "Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise" by Ruth Reichl. It was a fascinating look into food criticism, restaurants, food, newspaper publishing and New York.

We didn't get out and do any bird watching. I was still fighting with the chronic migraine issue.

Loved hanging out with the family though.

Jenny's Maple Cinnamon Granola

Watch out, this makes a lot of granola. It is easy to halve this recipe though...

Dry
12 cups oats (the big rolled oats, not quick oats)
2 cups sliced almonds
1 cup sunflower seeds (salted)

Liquids and Flavors
1 cup honey
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup canola oil
2 tbsp vanilla
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt

1. Toast the oats
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Put oats in even layer (maximum 1 inch deep) in roasting pan or baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes stirring every 2-3 for even toasting. Oats will be a bit less chewey. Be careful not to over-toast as this wills scorch them and make them bitter.

After removing from oven put in large bowl, add the almonds and sunflower seeds and stir together.

Leave oven on, you'll be using it again in a minute.

2. Warm the liquids and flavors
Over medium heat mix together the remaining ingredients, stir till it is warm and thoroughly mixed. You do not need to bring this to a boil. I recommend you don't let it go to a boil, after all, you're not making candy.

3. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir till thoroughly coated.

4. Spread into 1 inch deep layer in roasting pan or baking sheet (I usually have to use two). Put in oven for 20-25 minutes (still at 325 degrees F). Every 5 minutes stir and re-spread.

5. Remove from oven, press into even layer and allow to cool in a solid mass (this will make it more clumpy).

6. Once cooled, break it up and store in tight container

Walnut Italian Salad

This salad was deduced from the fabulous salad that Annie and I had at an Italian restaurant. Ours is definitely different though the idea is similar.

Walnut Italian Salad

• Romaine lettuce
• Spiced walnuts
• Dried cranberries
• Crumbled gorgonzola (or other blue cheese)
• Sliced sharp green apples
• Good Italian dressing

This is a great salad, Nick and I add grilled chicken and call it dinner.

-- Jenny

Spiced Walnuts

Just made another batch of these today. We use them in a salad, I'll post next. -- Jenny

Spiced Nuts
4 cups walnuts (I keep an additional 1-1.5 cups of walnuts on hand in case the syrup will cover more) Also, other nuts can be used. I've even mixed walnuts and pecans together.
1.5 cups sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbsp water (this is equal to 1/4 cup and 1/8 cup water)
1 tsp vanilla

Put 1/2 of the nuts (2 cups) into a large bowl (metal or glass). Keep the other half in another container.

Cook the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and water in a small-medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously till the temperature reaches 234 - 240 degrees farenheit (soft ball stage).

Poor over nuts and stir, continue adding nuts and syrup till all is mixed well. Sometimes we have added more nuts to sop up the excess syrup.

Spread onto wax paper to cool. As it cools you can break the walnuts into smaller pieces if desired. I do this if I am using it on salad. I don't do it if I'm giving them away as candy.

Dome Tours

B.T. Dome
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

I arranged for a bunch of us to go see the dome homes in Menan. We started at Randy's house, stopped at Cliffdome, the Boyd residence and ended at Andrew's house. It was a lot of fun. At Cliffdome, I was able to tell the new owners about the beam mounted heater. (Okay they've been there almost 20 years now, but they are still the new owners to me). Regina, her husband & daughter, Krista & Terrial, and Cheryl went with us. Afterwards, we (minus Regina's family) went to lunch. We tried to go to the cajun place, only to find out that it was closed for lunch. Ended up at Olive Garden in Idaho Falls. I really want a dome again now.

Riverwalk

DSC07342
Originally uploaded by J Semenza

I have mentioned in other blog posts that I am obsessed with the Bonneville Flood. When I discovered that the Riverwalk was to be led by Geoscience Professor Paul Link and he would be discussing/pointing out geology related to the flood I HAD to go. As expected it was very interesting.

This was the same morning as the homecoming parade. So after the fruitless attempt to help with the library float, I dashed over to Mocha Java for a bit of Chai to warm me up for the second morning walk. Somehow I managed to get there before Nick and Barkley. Barkley loved hearing about the flood, or maybe he just liked being outside with so many people.

This is a picture of one of the many boulders that the Bonneville flood ripped out of the basalt lava, tumbled till smooth and deposited all over Pocatello. Dig anywhere in downtown Pocatello and you find monstrous black boulders. Apparently, these are much coveted for landscaping...

My other entries on the Bonneville flood are here:
http://jsemenza.blogspot.com/2006/04/geology-lake-bonneville-timeline.html
http://jsemenza.blogspot.com/2006/04/geology-lake-bonneville.html

After that walk, we returned the doggie to the house and went to the baglery for lunch. A pleasant day, I walked 5 miles before lunch.