Jonah Lisa Land

30 minute babysitter

A little weekend gift for you.  Teach your 3-5 year old kid to hit the play button on the computer and show them this...

You're welcome.

Fun Feeding Birds

February is National Bird Feeder Month!  Betcha didn't even know there was such a thing.  But hey, if there can be a National Toilet Tank Repair Month (January) and a National Artisan Gelato Month (May) then why the hell not?

Since I'm informing you of this fact at the very end of the month, feel free to celebrate into March.  I'm sure no harm will come of it, though it might cut into your celebration of National Feminine Awareness Month.  What the hell?  You all know you have vaginas, right? 

Back to the birds... 

Huck got his first issue of High Five Magazine last week.  It was a great birthday gift from Jazz & Pop.  For those of you not familiar with High Five, it's the 3-5 year old version of Highlights, the ubiquitous magazine of most of our childhoods.  I never had a Highlights subscription, but it was the, well highlight, of any doctor or dentist visit.  I loved those hidden picture games.

Our intro issue of High Five has a few great ideas about feeding the birds for the winter.  The minute we closed the magazine we got busy stringing O's for a bird garland.

Huck was so intent on making these for the birds.  

The other idea from High Five was making bird seed coated pine cones to hang.  Those are really fun and simple.  Here's our version of that project from last year.

The other thing we did was pound a few really big nails into some of our trees.  Now all we have to do is impale an apple to provide a quick treat.  You can also impale a slice of dense bread on it.  The heal of homemade multigrain works great.

If you're a little late to the party like I am, there have been some great bird feeding collections posted around the internet lately.  Cassi from The Crafty Crow put up this one and this one.  And Rachel from One Pretty Thing put up this one.  Those 3 posts offer almost THIRTY different homemade bird feeding projects for kids.

We've got a bird book and a set of binoculars by the window at all times now and Huck has really been enjoying the show.

***WARNING***Please be careful if you live in bear country or have lots of scavenging animals about.  We only do this in the middle of winter when the bears are definitely hibernating.  We have a big dog and a cat so we don't get many raccoons or skunks, but we do have to hang anything high and secure enough that the dog can't get to it.  In general, take whatever precautions your area warrants to make sure these treats are only eaten by birds and the odd squirrel. 

Igloo Building 101

This is the kind of fun you can only have in a place that snows 6 months of the year.

We built an igloo in our yard!! 

Well, I use the word we very loosely.   My niece Julia and I watched, Jemma slept and Huck mainly got in the way and tried to play with the saws.  Stephen, our neighbor Beth and our friend Mike actually built it.  Mike is a back country expert and NOLS instructor.  He knows all about snow shelters.

Stephen went out the night before and stomped down a snow block quarry with his skis. 

That fence is usually up his chest.  That dog is waiting for a frisbee.

The next afternoon we had the stomping of the grapes.  Huck, Stephen & Mike tamped down the circle where they'd site the igloo. 

That orange contraption in the background is an old potato loader that was abandoned in the field adjacent to our property.   Who needs a playset with yard art like that?  Thank god for tetanus shots.

Next, they started sawing big snow blocks out of the "quarry."  I had always pictured igloos being made out of shoebox sized bricks but these things were more like suitcases. 

Then the stacking began.  The roof was hard and Stephen caved it in once by being a little too heavy-handed.  We don't have the perfect snow for this project right now.  It's a bit too soft and powdery.  Plus it's been a low snow year, if you can imagine, so there wasn't as much compaction as usual.

Once the basic structure was assembled it was time to chink it, dig out the inside, and dig a door.  In the end there was about 4 feet of head room inside.

So Huck had a little igloo playhouse for a day.  I didn't get any pictures of him in it though.  I told myself I had time and would get some shots the next day.  Unfortunately, the weather turned unseasonably warm.  The dome of our poor igloo just couldn't withstand 2 days in the low 40's.  That'll teach me.

Check out the real Nanook of the North building an igloo with his family in this silent film from the 20s.  Very cool! 

Next time we're doing it Nanook style and building a big one!  Maybe next year we'll even make it the warming hut beside a small DIY ice rink like this one. 

A whole little Winter Park in the backyard!  I can dream.

Sheriff's Log :: 20

FEB 10

1:17 am    Report of a fire after resident was trying to get the lint out of the dryer.  They reported that there was a pop and flames, then it was just smoky.

FEB 11

5:59 pm    Someone reported that a pigeon was trying to get into his home.  The pigeon wasn't bothering him, but he just thought it might belong to someone.

FEB 12

5:12 pm    A business owner reported a disturbance after young people were holding signs that said, "You honk and we'll drink," on Little Avenue.  The business owner was upset about the noise and said they have been doing it once a week for the last few months.

FEB 13

10:22 pm    Someone reported an intoxicated subject leaving a residence.  The intoxicated subject didn't know which way to travel.

Comfort Food :: Potato Leek Soup

I ate the photo op again.  Sorry.  But since there's no picture of the soup to whet your appetite, here's a picture of some icicles on my house to leave you in a soup-making mood.  This is perfect for a cold night by the fire.

This is a really easy, fast soup.  The exact proportions of ingredients don't even matter.  It's always good.  The prep takes the most time because leeks can be a pain to wash.  It's worth it, though.  This soup is subtle and delicious. 

Potato Leek Soup

3 medium waxy potatoes
4 leeks
4 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream (optional)
Unsalted butter
Salt & Pepper

Peel & dice the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.   Remove the tough greens from the leeks, wash them thoroughly and finely slice them.  You should have about 4 cups of leeks in the end.  If you've never cooked with leeks before you're in for a treat.  Here's a picture tutorial on how to cut and clean them.

Combine the potatoes, leeks and broth in a large pot.  Bring to a simmer and cook gently until the potatoes are easy to mash against the side of the pot.  About 20 minutes.

Puree the soup for no more than 30 seconds in a food processor pr blender.  We actually just hit ours with one of those food wands and it works great.  Add cream and bring back to a simmer.

Salt & pepper to taste and serve with crusty bread and a slice of butter. 

Vichyssoise

We really prefer hot soups over cold soups but for those of you already experiencing warm temperatures you can take this recipe a couple of more steps and have a traditional, cold French soup. 

Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill. 

Beat another 1/2 cup of heavy cream until barely stiff, chill.  

Serve soup in chilled bowls with a dollop of whipped cream and some chopped chives or watercress.

Parsnip & Leek Soup

Another great variation of this soup is to substitute parsnips for the potatoes.  Use roughly the same amount.  You might have to cook them a tad longer for them to be mushable.  Everything else is exactly the same.  A wonderful, subtle soup with two amazing but under-used vegetables.

MUSH!

We had the most awesome weekend!  We took Huck to watch a real live dog sled race up in Ashton, Idaho on Saturday.  

After reading this book and seeing this movie, Huck has been really into Balto lately.  Balto was one of the sled dogs who relayed medicine to Nome Alaska during a diphtheria outbreak in the 1920s.  He was the lead dog for one of the longest, hardest legs of the journey so he's a very famous pooch.  They even erected a statue of him in Central Park in New York City.  Here's Huck playing Balto in the living room. 

He says things like, "The children are getting sicker!" and "Oh No! The train can't get through!"  It's waaaay cute.

I highly recommend the book.  It's an early reader book but not so involved that a preschooler can't follow the story.  I do NOT recommend the movie.  It's a sillified version of the story with lots of inaccuracies and ridiculous gender stereotypes. If you're tempted to buy it, please don't.  I'll send you my copy.

Anyway, when I saw that The American Dog Sled Derby was running 30 miles from us this weekend, I knew we had to go.  So we loaded up our little pack and headed north.

They've been running this race since 1917 (I think it's the oldest dog sled race in the lower 48) and now that we've found it we'll be attending for years to come.  It was a blast.  Small town entertainment at it's finest.  Kids in parkas, brats on a stick, dogs in sweaters.  What could be better?  We milled around with the locals and watched the teams come in. Good ole' John Bunderson pulled out a win in the 60 mile event.

We even met a few mushers and a couple of the dogs.  Huck and Stanley hit it off after a wary introduction.

There were also "Mutt Races" with kids and non-pro dogs, though we are pretty sure there were a few ringers.  We're thinking of training our dog Taxi to pull a sled for next winter just so we can see him and Huck in action like this.

There was one kid in this event who was about 2 and was sucking on a pacifier.  I'm not kidding.  After the excitement died down, there were cupcakes.

And as if all that wasn't enough, we saw this on our walk back to the car.

If that doesn't just say God Bless America, I don't know what does.  It was mostly clothing and old plastic kids toys but we did spy this in window and nabbed it for 50 cents.

Huck's on skis for the first time this year.  We figure folks named Asbjorn & Olav must have a few good pointers, right?

It was an all-around great day for everyone.

We're driving to New York in April for a family event (expect posts from "The Huge Insane Family Road Trip Adventure" this Spring).  The Balto statue in Central Park will surely be a highlight.

:: Winter Wonderland Week ::

It's Winter Wonderland Week on The Toby Show because while YOU may be feeling like spring is just around the corner, out here in the hinterlands we've got at least 2 more months to go.  God help us.

An Amazing Book Winner!

We have a winner! 

#34 :: Jen Pettus!

Send me your 411, Jen, and Dallas will sign a copy to Jaden and get it sent right out for you guys to start enjoying.

And remember to keep dreaming big...

Have a great weekend!

Dress up time!

I offer hope for those who have never won a blog giveaway.  I finally won a one!  My first.  And not just any old blog giveaway either.  A real wing-dinger! 

I won a dress up set from The Little Travelers!!

Sinbad sails the sea! 

Think he likes it? 

This is the Traveler's Set.  As I pulled piece after piece from the bag, even my husband was astonished.  Huck was absolutely apoplectic.  I just can't recommend these sets enough.  They're just about the most fabulous, open-ended toys for children that I can imagine.  I have to say, while he loves his reversible knight/king costume, cowboy costume and clown things, this set is getting lots more play at the moment.  There's just so dang much to do with it.  Perhaps this will be the kick in the butt I need to finish his set of kool-aid dyed play silks. 

Now I'm looking for a good way to store all his wonderful costumes so they don't end up covered in cat hair.  I love this and this with all my heart, but don't have the room or the resources at present.  Until we outgrow it we'll be using this really cool 1940s suitcase a friend recently gave us.  Thanks, Ginny! 

And if you haven't ever checked out The Little Traveler's blog, you really should.  They are 2 young girls who travel the world with their Mom immersing themselves in foreign cultures.  Along the way they shoot and narrate videos of their travels which are also available on their website.  We have The Little Travelers in Japan (which is amazing!) and The British Isles (which we're saving for a bit).  There's also a Bali DVD and the DVD of their trip to Iran will be available soon.  These are great and truly educational DVDs for kids.

A satisfied fan.  Thanks Little Travelers!

Sheriff's Log :: 19

It was a busy week for the Sheriff, but at least we're starting to get to the bottom of the mini horse phenomenon.

FEB 2

12:04 am    A vehicle was stolen from the Mangy Moose.

FEB 3

6:29 pm     An abandoned Buick was reported.

FEB 4

4:06 pm     Teenage boys were reported riding four-wheelers after school and endangering themselves.

4:50 pm     Kids at Teton Middle School were reported throwing snowballs at passing cars.

6:22 pm     A green Chevy was reported missing tail lights.

FEB 5

10:23 am   A resident’s house was reported leaking water.

1:36 pm     Possession of firearm was reported.

4:02 pm     A swan was reported with a broken wing.

5:17 pm     Horses in bad care were reported.

6:40 pm     A small horse was reported tangled in barbed wire.

9:17 pm     Water reported on the road.

FEB 6

1:18 am     A dog was reported barking.

10:53 am   Three horses were reported on the highway.

4:15 pm     An intoxicated subject was reported.

FEB 7

8:28 am     Two dogs on the loose.

10:51 am   A Boxer was found in Victor.

4:24 pm     A man with a gun approached a resident and started waiving it at them. The resident didn’t know who the man was or why he was mad.

4:49 pm     A dead moose was reported.

7:24 pm     A lost phone was reported.

11:01 pm   A suspicious person was reported.

FEB 8

12:47 pm   E-mail harassment was reported. The reporting party was scared for their life.

1:03 pm     Stolen skis were reported.