Monthly Archives: April 2019

Nature, Photography, Project, Wildlife

AS THE WATER RECEDES | Part 2 – Bay City, WI #plasticpolution

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AS THE WATER RECEDES | Part 2

I wanted to provide an update on a previous post, AS THE WATER RECEDES – Bay City, WI #plasticpolution.  Earth Day seemed like a great time to do so.

The water was receding and making progress, but snow melt in Northern Minnesota and recent rains has the water level on the rise once again.  I’ve made several trips to Bay City since cleanup effort on Saturday April 6th, watching and waiting for the water level to go down.  The Village of Bay City has made great efforts in cleaning up the debris that washed ashore at Saratoga Park.

Before
After

It was happy to see that only traces of garbage remain.

Before
After

If you were ever looking for a bit of driftwood, I would think now would be the perfect time to find whatever shape/size you desire.  There are numerous piles that have been gathered up.

AS THE WATER RECEDES
Driftwood

What boggles my mind though is there was a fresh Mountain Dew can laying on the side of the road.  I still struggle with what goes through the mind of the individual that discards a soda can.  It isn’t that difficult to recycle.

AS THE WATER RECEDES
Discarded soda can

It was encouraging to see that the campground area was mostly devoid of trash.  During the mechanical clean up, more worm and snuff containers turned up.  There is a whole lot of natural debris; cleaning that up will take some work.  If only one could snap their fingers to change the hearts and minds of those who seeming don’t give a hoot.  It’s a process.  Tell people how you feel about this sort of thing; make your opinion known whenever and where ever you can.  Plastic pollution is terrible, it’s ugly and it horrible for the wildlife.

Views: 315

Photography

A HAPPY PLACE – Hay Creek, MN

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A HAPPY PLACE

We all have one, or many; at least I hope so.  I have a happy place.  It is one of many.

Hay Creek is a small trout stream in southeastern Minnesota. It has its headwaters west of Goodhue and empties into the Mississippi River just to the north of Red Wing. It runs 25.1 miles (40.4 km), over half of which is a Minnesota designated trout stream. Like the Vermillion River, Hay Creek receives extensive fishing pressure due to its proximity to Minneapolis–St. Paul.

Hay Creek was named for the hay meadows near its banks.  A railroad once ran along Hay Creek from the clay banks near Goodhue to the pottery and stoneware factories in Red Wing, which also made use of the water from the creek. The railroad was torn up in 1937, but traces such as trestle pilings remain.

A HAPPY PLACE

~mntu.org

The red dot [on the map above] on the western end of 320th Avenue is one of my happy places.  Minnesota Trout Unlimited has done a tremendous amount of work on this stream over the years.  It is truly a gem and a pleasure to fish.

The valley is so peaceful; a beautiful display of nature.  This morning was exceptionally beautiful with the fog settled in the spring creek valley.

A HAPPY PLACE

A HAPPY PLACE

A HAPPY PLACE

A HAPPY PLACE

A HAPPY PLACE

A vertical panorama looking upstream from the bridge on 320th Avenue.

 

Views: 410

Food, Suace/Dip

Creamy Jalapeño Dip

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Ingredients

16 oz Sour Cream
1 11 oz Can of pickled Jalapeño Peppers + Juice in can
Juice of a 1 lime
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning
1 bunch of Cilantro, trim most of stem off
Fresh jalapeno peppers or serrano peppers to taste/heat

Instructions

  1. Add pickled Jalapeno peppers  and juice in the can to food processor or blender; blend
  2. Add sour cream, ranch seasoning, lime juice and Cilantro and blend some more.
  3. remove from food processor or blender and store in air-tight contain.

Enjoy with tortilla chips, on a taco or burrito and a whole lot more.  This is a very versatile dip.

Views: 27

Food, Foraged Ingredients

Ramp Butter

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Ingredients

  • 1 lb butter – salted or unsalted
  • Approximately 25-30 ramps – leaves and bulbs
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Clean and trim raw ramps
  2. Bring pot of water to a boil; blanch ramps for 30 seconds
  3. Drop them in cold water after and pat dry
  4. Rough chop the ramps.
    A food processor will make the rest of the process much easier.
  5. Add half the raps to the food process and pulse. Add the other half and pulse again.
  6. Add butter a chunk at a time, pulsing after 2-3 chunks until all butter is incorporated.
  7. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse some more
  8. Remove mixture from food processor and pack into storage containers of your choice. I simply wrap a good amount in parchment paper and then store in freezer bag.

Ramp butter is excellent on toast or a grilled baguette. I also use ramp butter in scampi; simply add some white wine to the butter. A pat of ramp butter atop you favorite steak is especially delicious.

Views: 53

Food, Suace/Dip

Basic [Hot] Vinegar Sauce

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How to Make Basic [Hot] Vinegar Sauce

The basic formula for a homemade hot sauce is usually a combination of peppers, white or apple cider vinegar, spices, other fruits and vegetables, and salt. Making your own sauces can be a great way to experiment and create new flavors.

Basic steps:

  • Clean and roughly chop peppers
  • Combine 2 parts vinegar with 1 part water in a pot
  • Add peppers and other desired ingredients to vinegar (we like adding sweet fruits and sugars)
  • Boil for 5-10 minutes
  • Allow to cool
  • Blend until desired smoothness is reached
  • If sauce is too thick, add a few tbsp of water at a time and blend until it is the right viscosity

Recommended Ingredients to use in Hot Sauces:

  • Peppers (Habaneros, jalapeños, bell peppers, and ghost peppers are great)
  • Garlic & onions
  • Tropical fruits (pineapple, mango, peach, apricot)
  • Apple cider (for sweetness)
  • Cumin
  • Turmeric
  • Olive oil (for texture)
  • Any other fruits and vegetables!

Views: 23

Brine, Food

Basic Fish Brine

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FIRSH BRINE

  • 1 quart cool water
  • 1/3 cup Kosher salt {about 2 ounces)
  • 1 cup brown sugar

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds meat
  • syrup or sauce for basting
Instructions
  • Mix together the brine ingredients and place your fish in a non-reactive container (plastic or glass), cover and put in the refrigerator. This curing process eliminates some of the moisture from the inside of the meat while at the same time infusing it with salt, which will help preserve it.
  • You will need to cure your meat at least 4 hours, even for thin cuts from fish. Larger pieces of meat may need 8 hours; a really thick piece might need as much as 36 hours in the brine. Never go more than 48 hours or your meat will be too salty.
  • Take your fish out of the brine and pat it dry. Set the meat on your cooling rack. Let the meat dry for 2 to 4 hours (or up to overnight in the fridge).

Views: 58

Destination, Drone, Panorama, Photography, Steam-scapes

SERENITY LINGERS – Esdaile, WI #aerialphotography

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SERENITY LINGERS

SERENITY LINGERS
Esdaile, WI Circa 1918

In a March 28, 1985 edition of the Leader Telegram, the story of Esdaile, WI, entitled Serenity Lingers, featured in Section C, The Road Less Traveled by Chuck Rupnow.  Esdaile is no longer what it once was back in the late 1800s/early 1900s.  Back in its hay day, there may have been upwards of 500 resident in this small village nestled in between the bluff land along  either side of the Isabelle River.  Today, there are no more mills, general stores, hotels, or much else.  All that remains are individual residences along with Eidsvold Lutheran Church and the Rally Bat Company.

SERENITY LINGERS
West View – Eidsvold Lutheran Church in the foreground

SERENITY LINGERS
East View of Esdaile Village

SERENITY LINGERS
South View of the Isabelle River meandering through the valley; Bay City Water Tower on the horizon

North View, the Isabelle River meandering through the valley

In the photo above you can see a small parking lot at the bottom of the image.  There is a public park right along the river.  A great place to wander, fish for trout, have a picnic or simply relax in the serenity of Esdaile, Wisconsin.

Esdaile is also home to the 500 Feet of Mean!  Valley Springs, a trout farm, also has motorcycle hill climbs.  There are three events on the 2019 calendar.  If you have never been, check it out.

Views: 440

Photography

DUST IN THE WIND – Minnesota/Wisconsin #dust

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DUST IN THE WIND

The weather on Wednesday afternoon (4/10) into Thursday (4/11) across Minnesota was terrible.  There was some dust in the wind that brought this lovely weather our way.

My normal community route, Hwy 52 North this a.m.  Glad I stayed home

While out snow-blowing, shoveling this a.m.; when I was out for a short drive this afternoon as well, I noticed that the snow and sleet had a different hue to it.  This is why.  Dust updraft from West TX and Southeast New Mexico made its way into the snow/sleet that fell overnight here in the upper Midwest.   Now that is some dust in the wind!

DUST IN THE WIND

You can plainly see the difference in hue of the dust in these images taken this afternoon.

DUST IN THE WIND
The color difference is subtle, but you can still see it.

DUST IN THE WIND
The color of dust is easily discernible here.

DUST IN THE WIND
…here as well

Dust in the Wind 😀

Views: 315

Destination, Drone, Panorama, Photography, River-scapes

AS THE WATER RECEDES – Bay City, WI #plasticpolution

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AS THE WATER RECEDES

As the water recedes there remains an unfortunate scene.  If it were only driftwood and leaves, no worries would there be.  The plastic though – six pack rings, soda and booze bottles, snuff and worm containers and butane lighters litter the shore in Bay City Bay.  You can see the line of debris on the road in the photos below.

AS THE WATER RECEDES
Lake Pepin Blvd – Bay City Park

AS THE WATER RECEDES
Lake Pepin Blvd – Bay City Park

It’s troubling to see.  The Styrofoam chunks.  The flip flops and sandals missing their other half.  Unbroken light bulbs even.  The trash.  It’s an ugly sight in such a beautiful place.  A very small sample of 2,320 miles of Mississippi River shoreline.

Plastic pollution is terrible.  Everyone has seen what is happening in the oceans.  I see this a lot in the local trout streams I fish.  My fishing net is most often full of cans, bottles and plastic worm containers each time I leave the stream.  My wife and I constantly retrieve plastic bottles from the Bay City area while kayaking.  Each and every time I encounter this, I utter to myself, “what the hell is wrong with people?”  I understand that plastic is extremely useful – especially in healthcare.  How some can so carelessly discard it is beyond comprehension.   This is only going to get worse unless people start thinking beyond the convenience of today.

Give a hoot! Don't pollute!
Litter is every town’s dirty little secret. No one wants to admit how ugly it is, or the fact that it is getting worse despite decades of anti-litter education such as those early-’70s posters and commercials whose taglines were “Don’t be a litterbug” and “Give a hoot. Don’t pollute.”

The dirtiest part of this dirty secret is that many if not most litterers are young. They’re not so young that they don’t realize what they’re doing. They’re cognizant enough to acquire the snacks and cigarettes in the first place, to choose from a selection of products and brands and pay for their selections. When they litter, they know they’re littering.
~www.psychologytoday.com

The bulk of the problem in my estimation

Some people litter because they’ve come to believe that whatever they do, others will pick up after them. They have no sense of responsibility. This idea was confirmed by a veteran California highway patrolman who reported that in his twenty years-plus of pulling drivers over for tossing litter out their car windows — a misdemeanor punishable by fines of up to $1,000 — not once had an offender ever apologized once caught. They either denied having littered or shrugged off the act as insignificant ~ Rob Wallace, Keep America Beautiful

Plastic pollution links

National Geographic 
WE MADE PLASTIC. WE DEPEND ON IT. NOW WE’RE DROWNING IN IT.

phys.org 
Beyond the oceans—microplastics pollute rivers and lakes, too

inlandwaterwaysinternational.org 
Prevent plastic pollution in waterways

Adopt-A-Drain 
A initiative to keep trash out of the waterways

Other links

The Irish Times
Talking rubbish: what makes people litter?

End Littering
Keep America Beautiful

Views: 761