What am I making?
August 31, 2016Oh – the best of social studies class! Do they still teach that?
I love these gifs of stuff being made.
Poptarts
Trombones
Chicken wire
Ice cream sandwiches
Springs
What am I eating?
August 30, 2016
Today is Toasted Marshmallow Day
And Tattoo Tuesday
Make your own marshmallows
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Directions
Combine the gelatin and 1/2 cup of cold water in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and allow to sit while you make the syrup.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Raise the heat to high and cook until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the sugar syrup into the dissolved gelatin. Put the mixer on high speed and whip until the mixture is very thick, about 15 minutes. Add the vanilla and mix thoroughly.
With a sieve, generously dust an 8 by 12-inch nonmetal baking dish with confectioners’ sugar. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, smooth the top, and dust with more confectioners’ sugar. Allow to stand uncovered overnight until it dries out.
Turn the marshmallows onto a board and cut them in squares. Dust them with more confectioners’ sugar.
How do I fly?
August 28, 2016
These photographs are a project of Spanish photographer Xavi Bou. Called chronophotographs, they capture a series of images of birds in flight, showing the net result of the motion – think Eadweard Muybridge and his photographs of human and animal motion that were taken 150 years ago.
I love this one of ducks lifting off from a lake.
What am I funny critter blogging?
August 26, 2016
This little guy garnered an award of highly commended for Yuzuru Masuda in the 2015 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards
This is the winner by Julian Rad
What am I spewing about today?
August 24, 2016
August 24 marks the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD that destroyed the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, among others. The number of casualties is not known.
Today is Tattoo Tuesday. Has someone tattooed the image of Mt. Vesuvius on their body? Yes, they have . . .
What am I noting today?
August 23, 2016Today, in 1977, the Gossamer Condor won the Kremer Prize for controlled, sustained, human-powered flight. The prize was established in 1959, but proved difficult to win . . .
“In order to win the prize, a person had to pilot a human-powered aircraft around a figure-eight course where the turning points are a half-mile apart. The aircraft had to clear a 10-foot hurdle at the beginning of the course and again at the end.”
The craft, with its 96-foot wing span, is now at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.
Gunsmoke and Knitting 