My daughter is a junior this year at Grantsburg High School, and she is in Biology 2. This class is always held in the second half of the school year so the students are able to identify birds in breeding plumage as part of their coursework. I have been a birder since I was in … Continue reading Birding Burnett County
One of my fondest memories of my Grandma Gerrie (my mother’s mother) was when she taught me how to make homemade egg noodles to use in chicken noodle soup. My grandma was raised during the Great Depression and was exceedingly thrifty AND a great cook. What I remember the most is helping her string the … Continue reading Homemade Egg Noodles
I love soup. I always say that one does not make a soup, one builds it. Chicken Noodle Soup is a basic and easy soup to build. Of course the best way to make chicken soup of any kind is to start with a whole chicken or the carcass (bones and some of the meat) … Continue reading Chicken Noodle Soup
An omelette is a great medium to try out different flavor profiles. Just about any savory sandwich or main dish can be turned into an omelette. Think BLT omlette using spinach instead of lettuce, Gyro omelette with gyro meat, feta cheese, tomatoes and tzatziki sauce (one of my favorite late night after-bar breakfasts in Superior … Continue reading Reuben Omelette
I was invited to a childhood friend’s 50th birthday party last weekend (yes, I’m soon there myself)! The party was a pot luck and was in Minnesota, land of the hotdish, so I decided to bring a dish to share that incorporated things I had harvested myself from the wilds of Wisconsin. I rarely start … Continue reading Venison Wild Rice Hotdish
I took a walk one recent afternoon and saw some interesting early signs that spring is not too far off! There was a small pool of open water along the shore where dozens (maybe hundreds?) of tiny bullheads and a couple larger ones were hanging out. A pair of Trumpeter swans flew in just before … Continue reading Late Winter on Phantom Lake
It was a beautiful sunny day today, perfect for a winter walk. The snow is too deep for my short-legged companion Annie to accompany me on an off-road snowshoe hike, so I took advantage of the marvelous gravel roadways on Crex Meadows, not far from home and blessedly unplowed after the latest 3-4 inch snowfall … Continue reading Wolf Sign on a Winter Walk
I recently bought a case of pears from my daughters school fruit fundraiser. They were not yet ripe when I got them (this is normal for pears), but they all ripened at the same time earlier this week. We can only eat so many fresh pears, so the best way to make them last is … Continue reading Canned Spiced Pears
Each year around Christmas time, groups of birders across the country and around the world participate in a winter count of the birds in their areas. They spread out over an area 15 miles in diameter to count their observations. The data is compiled by the Audubon Society and a report is issued each year. … Continue reading Christmas Bird Count
I had a pound of hot Jimmy Dean sausage in the fridge that I had planned to make wild rice pie with, but my son said he would prefer some wild rice soup. So, I adjusted my plans to accommodate his wishes. (I still plan to make that pie soon!) The results were fantastic, with … Continue reading Spicy sausage wild rice soup
