An Old Dream, Part 2

Our dreams die hard and we watch them erode but we cannot be denied the fire inside – Bob Seger.

When I went to work for LCS, Jeff had these words written in the upper right hand corner of the large white board in his office.  I am reminded of the words today.

Today I sold my “doll house.”  You can read about the purchase here (http://agriana-lewis.blogspot.com/2015/06/an-old-dream.html).  It was a dream come true and my husband made it happen for me.  

The funny thing about dreams . . . just because they come true doesn’t mean they work exactly the way you thought they would work.  

After purchasing the home, I showed it off to many friends.  Everyone ooh-ed and aah-ed over each detail I showed them and we talked about how wonderful it would be restored.  Everyone was supportive and excited for me.  They called it my “Doll House” because Jeff bought it for me to play with and make it my own.  

But one friend in particular was different.  We walked up those steps, chatting about the history and the great shape of the house.  When we walked inside, before I could point out the detail of the beautiful built-in corner cabinets, she gravitated to them like they pulled her in with a magnet and exclaimed “look at these cabinets!”  From that moment on, we were like little school girls with a new toy that we were sharing.  We touched and talked about every detail from the cabinets to the floors to the walls to the door knobs to the dirt under the house.  We talked in detail about the restoration and ideas about the rooms.  When I got home that evening, I started researching some of the details we discussed – like the old sink and the owl door knocker – only to have my email pop up with a note from her that she had found more details about the same items because she also started researching when she got home.  I didn’t think anyone could love the house more than I did, but I was wrong.

Then I met her sister and she also shared our passion for the house.  We danced around the subject for over a year, but she and her sister decided her sister should buy the house.  It was a hard decision to let it go, but I know it was the right decision.  As much as I wanted to restore it and had the vision, I couldn't seem to make it happen.  

I cannot wait to see how she lovingly restores this beautiful home and makes it hers.  I am behind you 100% and excited beyond words to see my dream come true as one of your dreams.

An Old Dream

When I was about 13 years old, I rode the school bus everyday to and from school.  I always made sure I sat on the side of the bus that passed this particular home in Covington.  I was infatuated with this home.  It had a beautiful porch and character in the architecture.  I looked out the bus window and day dreamed about it being mine.  I would be wrapped up in a soft white robe with a mug of hot chocolate in my hand (13 year olds didn't dream about coffee, I guess), walking toward the fireplace.  Looking at the beautiful fire, I would sit on the sofa with my legs tucked under me and reach for a favorite book.  Today, I can still recall that day dream as if it were yesterday.

Here is the house in a current photo from Google Street View:

Well, time marched on.  I stopped riding the school bus when I got my driver's license.  I finished high school in Covinton and moved to Baton Rouge to attend LSU.  It wasn't long after graduation that I realized I wanted to stay in Baton Rouge to live.  I started house hunting.  I was 24 years old.

I found this beautiful brick home on Government Street.  Talk about character!  From the arches to the brick to the glass door knobs, I fell in love with this house.  I had a vision of renovating it and making it mine.

After conversations with several people in my life, I realized I really didn't have the money or the time needed for this vision.  I was just starting my career and wanted to spend every moment toward that goal.  There really wasn't room in my life for this house.  I was disappointed, but I am a realist.  So I bought a modern townhome and didn't look back for at least 15 years.  I had a brief period in my life when I considered moving back to Covington.  This great home was on the same street as my first dream and it was for sale! 

(the photo is current; it wasn't a business back then)  I looked long and hard, but ultimately decided against the move.  My career came first and, to this day, I am happy with that decision.

We are settled in Saint Joseph now and this beautiful home came up for sale.  That day dream in Covington was over 35 years ago, but it came rushing back to me when I saw this place.

I told my husband, Jeff, that I really wanted it and he made it happen.  Several friends gathered around when it came time for the purchase.  I was a little weak in the knees watching Jeff handle it all, and a friend brought me a chair.  Next thing I knew, my husband bought me a house as my "project".  I feel like a princess who's prince made (yet another) dream come true.  

I honestly do not know what the future holds, but I know we will enjoy bringing this home back to it's former glory.  We will figure the rest out after that.  Stay tuned for updates and more pictures!

*doing the happy dance*

Karen

An Agriana Tamale Weekend

We had a tamale making party this past weekend.  Our group made 1,153 tamales.  Yes, over a thousand!  To properly tell you the story, I have to go back in time to over a year ago.

When we process our ground venison for the year, we like to add seasonings to the meat mixture and then vacuum seal portions in 1 to 2 pound packages.  We have tried several, with our favorites being Italian seasonings and green onion seasonings.  These mixtures are staples each year.  We purchase these seasonings as venison sausage seasoning mixes, but make ground meat rather than sausage using 100% venison.  The process of vac sealing really pulls the spices together and infuses them into the meat.  The Italian, for example, makes excellent spaghetti and lasagna without having to add any spices while cooking.  We haven't purchased ground meat from a grocery store in over 8 years.

Two seasons ago, we tried a chorizo sausage seasoning.  We weren't sure what to expect, so we did a small batch of 25 lbs and shared with some friends.  One friend made chili and raved about it, so we had to try that.  It was delicious!  And oh so easy . . . just browned the meat with some onions and added crushed tomatoes and beans.  Voila!  Chili.  Hands down some of the best chili we've had.  When we served it to our neighbor, a light bulb went off and he declared that we had just discovered the perfect tamale meat.  Neither of us had ever made tamales, but we were sure we had discovered the perfect tamale meat.  And with such perfection, surely we should make 1,000 of them to store in our freezer.  An idea was born.  Wine may have been involved.

We used the following recipe as a guide, and perfected it after several attempts:

Original Recipe for Hot Tamales

Meat Mixture:
3 lbs ground meat
2 onions, finely diced
12 oz can tomato puree
3 oz tomato sauce
1 cup yellow corn meal
3 tb salt
1 tsp black pepper
1.5 tsp red pepper
3 tsp cumin powder
3 tb chili powder
1 tb garlic powder
1 tsp oregano

Boiling Mixture:
48 oz tomato sauce
4 tb salt
2 tb cumin
4 t chili powder
2 tb red pepper
1 tb oregano
chicken stock/water as needed

For rolling:  2 cups corn meal, tamale wrappers, cotton string

Combine all Meat Mixture ingredients and mix well.  Form into logs.  Roll logs in cornmeal then wrap in tamale wrappers.  Tie 6 tamales tightly together using cotton string and place all bundles in a boiling basket.  Combine all Boiling Mixture ingredients and bring to a boil.  Lower basket into Boiling Mixture and simmer for 2 hours.

******

We like spice, but found we had to back off on the red pepper a little in the Boiling Mixture.  We preferred 4 lbs of meat for this recipe and with the chorizo venison didn't need any of the spices in the Meat Mixture that are listed after corn meal.  We also found some great food grade parchment papers online that were cut specifically for tamale making . . . so much better to work with than the corn husks we tried the first time.

After several small batches, we were confident that our tamale making skills were honed and ready for mass production.  Again, wine may have been involved.  

During this past season, we put aside enough venison to make 100 lbs of chorizo.  No turning back now!  Our shopping list included such things as 12 gallons of tomato sauce and 7 cups of chili powder.   We settled on the following recipe, which makes about 3 dozen tamales, and multiplied it to make 1,000:

Meat Mixture:
4 lbs chorizo seasoned venison
2 tb minced garlic, browned
4 tb dried onions, rehydrated and browned
1 can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
1 cup corn meal

Boiling Mixture:
58 oz tomato sauce
4 tb salt
2 tb cumin
4 tb chili powder
1 tb red pepper flakes
1 tb dried oregano
chicken broth as needed so boiling mixture covers the tamales

3 cups corn meal for rolling

******

We used a commercial mixer for the Meat Mixture in (approx) 30 lb batches.  We spent about 6 hours (5 people) forming the meat logs, rolling and wrapping.

We divided the tamales into 3 batches for boiling.

After the tamales cooled, we added a cup of sauce to each bag of a dozen tamales.  The vacuum sealing was time consuming, but working in batches helped the process.

It was a tremendous amount of work, but so much fun with our group of friends and family.  Now, if we can eat all these tamales before the end of the year, we will do it again next Spring!

Thanksgiving 2014

As I made my way around the kitchen last night and this morning, preparing our Thanksgiving meal, I was reminded of myself five years ago.

Cooking was not my thing (you can read more about our first Thanksgiving here at Agriana in this blog post).  I was mortified at the idea of cooking a Thanksgiving meal back then . . . not only did I think I couldn't do it, but I wasn't interested in doing it.  My choice was my career and I put everything I had into that.  There was no room for cooking, and who needed it anyway with so many outstanding restaurants nearby?  My life without cooking was just fine, and not for a second have I ever regretted that choice.

Fast forward to today.  I move around the kitchen easily.  I made a delicious venison breakfast sausage cornbread dressing . . . with venison we processed ourselves.  I tried a corn casserole that really tasted good (although I might use a different cheese next time).  Using a pumpkin "butter" made of cream cheese and pumpkin and other good stuff, I made stuffed crescent rolls.

I did cheat by ordering the turkey and ham.  Our local school had a fund raiser and, well, I just had to support them and order those items.  Both were very good.

So I guess I was a little surprised at myself this morning.  What a difference!  Maybe I shouldn't be surprised . . . afterall, I put all my heart into home making these days, just like I did with my career back then.  I was very good at one, so being good at a second makes sense.

Now that we are all stuffed full of food and just happy to be together, I am reflecting on how happy I am.  Having the opportunity to live a different life has been very rewarding.  I loved life before Agriana.  I love life at Agriana just as much.

Happy Thanksgiving to you.  My hope is that you have a moment to reflect on your life today and realize the same happiness.

An Exciting Morning in Hunting Season

*WARNING.  If you are not a hunter or do not enjoy hunting stories, please skip this post*

This morning started off easy and lazy.  We were just moving around, making a late breakfast, with the doors and windows open.  It was a beautiful morning.  That’s hunter “code” for “not seeing any deer” and we certainly were not seeing any deer inside the camp.  Out the window, we saw Cory coming back to the camp from his morning hunt.  Considering Cory usually stays out all day during this time of the season, Jeff immediately knew he got his deer.  We anxiously awaited his story.

Cory had been watching this atypical buck for weeks.  This guy had points everywhere and a big body, but his antlers were short, stubby and strangely shaped.  Cory is an excellent and diligent hunter.  His patience paid off this morning when he finally got a shot on this guy.  However, he was not confident in his shot . . . it only took a little investigation to see it was not a good shot, which is uncharacteristic of Cory.  All-day hunts do make for a tired hunter by the end of the weekend.  He was disappointed in his shot, but he knew to leave the area and let the deer bed down.

We ate breakfast and got the play-by-play of his hunt.  We were all excited to track the deer.  After the deer had about two and a half hours to be still, we suited up.  Roux (our tracking Lacy dog) started jumping around wildly when I picked up his GPS collar.  Off we went!

I am always excited to take Roux for a tracking adventure.  Today, our friend, Clifford, was in the area and stopped by for coffee.  Clifford breeds Lacy dogs and, secretly, I was really excited to show him that Roux is an awesome tracking dog.  Jeff’s grandmother used to say that all crows think their babies are the blackest . . . and even that is probably an understatement when it comes to how I feel about Roux.

At the spot of the shot, before I could give the command to track the deer, Roux picked up the scent and took off.  Just for good measure, I yelled “Find It!” in the direction of Roux’s tail.  Hey, I had to act official . . . we had spectators.

From my handheld GPS monitor, I could see that Roux was about 100 yards into the woods.  He has a different bark when he has an animal bayed and that is the bark we heard.  We knew the deer was still alive and we stopped moving forward.  Roux had him bayed (the GPS showed he wasn’t moving), so we started moving in again.  The deer wasn’t willing to challenge Roux, but Jeff and Cory got to within 10 yards and the scent of humans was too much . . . the deer bolted before Jeff could get there with his gun.  Oops.

It is interesting to stand in the woods, surrounded by palmettos as tall as you are, listening to your dog chase a deer.  The buck was crashing through the palmettos making lots of noise.  We can’t see a thing, but you learn so much from the sounds.  The deer ran through the waters of the slough and over a ridge.  Along the way, he slowed down from his injuries.  Roux was with him the entire time.  Then silence.

We were about 150 yards from Roux.  By the time we got there, the deer was down in the water of the bayou and Roux was with him.  The water was deep (for Roux), so he would swim to the deer but turn around to the shore when he couldn’t bite or pull on him while swimming.  Cory got there first, just in time to see the current start carrying the buck down the bayou.  When I arrived seconds later, I saw Cory emptying his pockets and taking off his shirt.  Before I knew it, Cory was in the water . . . in January!  He made more noise than Roux when that water hit his chest, but he made it to the deer and pulled him to the shore on the opposite side.  

Talk about dedication!  I was in awe of Cory.  Roux wanted to be there, but I kept him on our side of the bayou.

Cory was wet and cold, but smiling big. 

Here is the atypical buck.  He weighed 226 pounds.  An excellent cull buck.   

A great Agriana adventure and a truly beautiful morning.

Life is just too busy

In our "previous life" in Baton Rouge, a computer was an extension of our arms.  Neither Jeff nor I were ever far from a computer.  We had monitor stations at the office, at home and at the camp with high speed internet connections.  It is not an exaggeration to say we were always behind a keyboard.

With that mindset, we started this blog when we moved to Tensas Parish.  Surely that aspect of our life would not change.

WRONG.

We've been living here over 3 years now, and we find we are more and more disconnected.  And this is a good thing.  We are outside more, or in a tractor or other equipment, and find we do not spend much time inside at the keyboard.  We use our smartphones more and more . . . and we all know how frustrating it can be to type a long message on your phone.

So I guess I am saying all this to give us an excuse about why we do not blog much.  We do like to share our experiences, however, and we found we posted more on our personal Facebook pages.  It's easy to do that from a phone.  So we started an open Facebook page for Agriana and will be posting there as much as possible.  Even if you aren't on Facebook, you can see the page at www.facebook.com/pages/Agriana/196982200325223.  If you are on Facebook and "like" the page, our posts will show in your news feed.  We welcome your comments and look forward to interacting with you about life here at Agriana.

We do plan on blogging when we can.  I hope you will stay with us :)

Jeff & Karen

Thoughts on LSU's leadership

Jim Brown wrote an essay on LSU's current leadership change (view here). They are getting a new president. Jim faults LSU for not permanently and strongly establishing itself as the state flagship university. I was a contributor for a number of years and had a wee bit of an inside view. One word comes to mind. Arrogance.

They made this big in-your-face push of "flagship" that didn't go down well with many people associated with the other universities of the state. My opinion is that if they wanted that status they should just be it. But be it by an damned big margin that can't be legitimately argued against. Otherwise it's a big mistake. I've seen it many times in business. Start bragging and the knives come out. If it's just a PR war then you might need to make some claim to be noticed. But it better be a claim that can't be challenged. The "flagship" status might have made everyone inside LSU, and their "boardly" bodies feel good at home and around the country. I thought the "flagship" push was bad not only for bringing out the Louisiana knives in the Louisiana legislature, but also didn't likely help outside Louisiana. When I was president of my company I had no need to brag because I was Mr. Lewis. I had respect because of what I accomplished and my company's reputation. We never revealed revenue or profit, both of which were underestimated outside my company. We kept having record revenue year after year. Revealing that would have only caused problems with no upside unless I had wanted the bitter pleasure of letting people think, including competitors, that I was "better" than them. Well the LSU community seemed to have enjoyed that pleasure. Maybe they got the "pleasure" but the other universities certainly got the "bitter" from LSU. So where's the surprise that the knives come out in the legislature? And why the surprise at how many knives and how sharp they are and how determined they are to draw blood. And why the surprise at how much blood flows until LSU is just about slouching with the rest of the state which they see as inferiors? So now LSU is slouching and stumbling. I don't know much about the direction of the "inferiors" but I would guess their momentum is not on the bad downward trajectory of LSU.

The problem with the new president is that he likely got the job by making all kinds of assurances that he would quickly turn around the failing "flagship" mission. Don't be surprised to see more blood spilled.

I have not liked any of the recent presidents or chancellors. They are all from outside Louisiana. Sure they look good. But Michael Martin was the only one I ever heard anyone like. The rest were described as backstabbing and untrustworthy. Do you remember Sean O'Keefe? The search committee, as I heard it, stopped looking when they interviewed him. Stopped looking? Really? What in the world did they fall for? But they got what they bought. And could not get rid of him fast enough.

To be sure, William Jenkins was the real deal. I think what made him different, along with his special skills across the board, was that he was not a Yankee. He was from South Africa. And another thing that made him special was that he had been with LSU since 1988, only becoming chancellor in 1996 after eight years of getting the lay of the land. That is important.

One of the wisest things I learned about selecting leaders, coincidentally from someone I served with in the College of Science at LSU, was that when things are going good you promote from within. But when things are going bad you bring in new minds. Jenkins fit this rule. O'Keefe and John Lombardi failed this rule. The new president is coming from California. I think that's a big mistake. I think they need a local good-ole-boy for the turnaround. And by turnaround I mean in the actual operation of the university. Sure it's not as sexy to the outside world to introduce your local President Bubba, but President Bubba can get the knives back in their sheaths in time because he knows all the offended knife holders. He knows the "inferiors" can't be asked to decline while LSU arrogantly steps on them trying to become their superior. I've been away from Louisiana politics for about 20 years now. (Sad to say, but I now regret every single dollar I ever contributed.) In that time I only met a couple men who could be President Bubba. I'm pretty sure they are both in their eighties by now.

I wish the new President Alexander the best. If he calls me I will be glad to go see him. Yet you and I are pretty sure he's not likely to see things my way. Nor would his "security" screen want him to consider my approach. They will likely go with some sort of "bigger knife" strategy. Bad plan. A tiny blade in the right place will kill you. So will a hundred in even some "safe" places.

My advice for President Alexander: Find somebody to take your calls. Get a really good assistant and spend the rest of the summer visiting every single legislator in their personal homes. And especially visit ever other university President the same way. Chancellors too. (Together if you can arrange it.) They are all expecting you to be the latest enemy leader. Change that expectation before you make a single big decision. Win them over.

One last thought: If they suddenly have to fire President Alexander don't start thinking Jeff For President. My official resume is weak, well actually negative, from a university viewpoint. I'm just a wanna-be strategist. We never get evaluated so our thoughts are not to be trusted.

Jeff's deer hunt this afternoon

Jeff really enjoyed his hunt this afternoon . . . the only shots he fired were from the camera.  You can enjoy the hunt with Jeff here:  Agriana Photo Album

You can also "like" our Facebook page here:  Agriana 

Jeff & Karen

Merry Christmas!

We would like to wish you a very wonderful holiday season, and all the best in the new year!

Jeff & Karen Lewis

(and Roux!)

Pimiento Cheese

I've tried several versions of pimiento cheese over the years . . . some store bought, some from the farmers' markets, and some at friends' parties.  One thing that is consistent with all versions is that all versions are different.  The same holds true for recipes I have researched.  One recipe said it best:  pimiento cheese ingredients are quite personal.  I am sure she was referring to ladies in The South.

I gathered several recipes and melded ingredients together to come up with our personal recipe.  We think it is pretty good . . . however, I am open to other ingredients you may use.  Take a look and let me know what you think.


Karen’s Pimiento Cheese 

1 package cream cheese (8 oz.), room temperature
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
½ cup mayo
1 teaspoon garlic pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
10 tablespoons diced pimientos (8 tablespoons blended)

Use electric mixer to beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.  Add all other ingredients and beat until well blended.

Blending the pimientos will make it seem watery, but refrigerating the mixture will improve the consistency.

Today's adventure with a fawn

My blog entry today should read:

I saw a beautiful young fawn today.  I stopped momentarily to gaze upon it with wonder, then continued on my path as the fawn bounded through the field to meet it's mother in the woods.

Unfortunately, that's not what happened.

We have a fenced-in area we call The Pecan Orchard.  While it has pecan trees, it is mostly a large field, and I take Roux there several times a day to chase birds and get his exercise.  This morning, I had already opened the gate and Roux was off running after birds . . . and I was outside the opened gate standing by the golf cart when I heard what sounded like a baby's cry.  I looked to my right and saw a beautiful young fawn bounding toward me.  I assume something else in the grassy field alarmed it, as we were too far away to cause a cry for it's mother.

I was contemplating taking a photo with my phone, but as the fawn got closer, I started to get alarmed as it took a hard turn into the fence.  I should have quickly left . . . but I didn't recover fast enough and the poor thing was so upset about the fence, it ran toward me instead of away . . . and ran right by me and directly into The Pecan Orchard.

This is a bad thing, as the gates are always closed unless we are working in the area or I am taking Roux for a run.  The fawn was running away from the only way out.

The fawn knew to go to the woods, but it was now inside the fence and couldn't get there.  It kept running into the fence and crying.  I immediately went into "mother mode" and had to do something.

I drove into The Pecan Orchard, trying to stay away from the fence, to get ahead of the fawn.  I had to go through a low area, which was full of mud and water thanks to Hurricane Isaac.  I got ahead of the fawn, and thought I could chase it back out the gate to safety.

It did turn around and start back, but it was still trying to get through the fence and was wearing itself out running into the fence.  Then Roux decided to come see what all the fuss was about . . . oh boy . . . he immediately went after the fawn.

I got out of the cart and started running toward the fawn, yelling at Roux to stop.  I lost a shoe in the mud, but I was able to get to them both and Roux did stop.  The fawn was in shock and had bloodied it's nose on the fence.  I picked it up and held it to my chest.  I've never held a fawn before and I have to say it was so awesome to hold that beautiful animal . . . but the circumstances certainly dampened the awe.

I am so proud of Roux for getting in the golf cart and sitting in the seat while I cradled the fawn and drove outside the fence.  That took a lot of restraint for him, but he did it.  If only he could have maintained that discipline . . .

I brought the fawn back to the grassy area outside the fence.  It was breathing hard, which I took as a good sign.  At least it was alive.  Looking back, I like to think being held against a warm body helped calm it a little.  I laid it in the grass and went back to the golf cart.  The fawn jumped up and started back for the woods, and that's when Roux lost his discipline.  He went after the fawn and knocked it down before I could stop him.  He knew I was mad when I approached him and he quickly assumed that submissive position on his back like he does when he's in trouble.  I dragged him away and we went back to close the gate . . . oh, and to find my shoe.

I handled it all rather calmly, except the yelling at Roux, but now my heart was pounding and my hands were a little shaky.  After giving Jeff all the details, which were confirmed by the mud all over me and in my hair, and the deer hair all over my shirt, he assured me how tough deer are and that the fawn was probably fine. I also knew from our state wildlife biologist (thank you, Johnny!) that it is better to leave the fawn because the mother does leave it at times and it is not abandoned, despite your instincts telling you to "save" it because it was abandoned.

Despite all assurances, I went back to the area about an hour later to check.  I am happy to say the fawn was not there . . . therefore, it had not died but made it to the woods and it's momma calmed it down, cleaned it up, found a safer place to hide, and all is well.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

And next time I see one of those beautiful creatures bounding in a field, you can bet I will not stop for my own pleasure, but enjoy the glimpse and keep going so nature can do it's thing.

The cats of Agriana

Before there was Roux, there was Gracie Lou.  I found her at a shelter in Baton Rouge and immediately knew I had to take her home.  I struggled with a name, and finally came up with Gracie . . . she is gray and white . . . yeah, I know, not that creative.  As she got used to her surroundings that first week, she woke me up during the night to "talk".  I was particularly frustrated one of those nights and gave her my best chastising voice . . . "Graaacieeeee . . . " and at that moment I had a flashback to my childhood . . .

I was always just "Karen" growing up . . . unless I was in trouble or aggravating my parents . . . then I became "Karen Sue".  Using my middle name made me perk up and pay attention.  Plus it's a good Southern thing to do.

So as I drawled out "Graaacieeeee . . . " something in my brain told me I had to use her middle name.  She didn't have one, and "Gracie . . . Lou" just came out.  I think maybe I was thinking about that Sandra Bullock movie.  Anyway, it stuck and she was Gracie Lou after that.

This is Gracie Lou that first week at home.  This was about a month or so before Jeff and I started dating.

For the next four years, Gracie Lou made weekend trips to Agriana with us.  She didn't like the car ride so much.

The white towel in the picture was for when she got car sick.  Happened almost every time.  After four years, we moved up here and she hasn't been in a car since then.  Yes, she is very happy about that.

After we moved here, we had to send a piece of equipment to Monroe for repair.  When the machine came back, it had a cat in it.  It took me six months to get her to come within a foot of me, and eventually I was able to pet her.

We had her checked out at the vet and then spayed (catching her required an inventive scheme a la Jeff), and she has become our "Outdoor Kitty".  She is a great predator and definitely keeps the field mice in check.  One of my friends gently suggested that maybe referring to her as "Outdoor Kitty" wasn't appropriate and I should name her.  Coming up with another name is easier said than done.  We finally settled on Jamie, after the man (James) that owned the repair shop in Monroe.  He is a cat lover, too.

So Gracie Lou is in the house with us, and Jamie is all alone outside . . . and I decided she needed a friend.  I put a note on my facebook page, asking if anyone had a feral cat that needed a new home.  Jamie was still very skittish around humans.

A high school friend answered the call and gave me Purdy.  Kristen is much better at names than I am . . . she named Purdy after a brand of paint brushes because her coat color reminded her of soft paint brush bristles.

Purdy and Jamie became fast friends, and Jamie would even hang around the porch with all of us.  I think Purdy taught her to be more social and less afraid of humans.

Then we got Roux . . . and it all changed.

Purdy decided she likes the dog door and hangs around inside more than outside.  Jamie is scared of Roux and prefers to hang out at the shop these days.  Gracie Lou doesn't like Roux and prefers to stay on her high window perch.  Roux has definitely changed the cat dynamics around here.  Ah, but those are stories for another time.

Roux and the Black Bear

We were working outside this weekend near the lake.  Roux loves that area, as there are lots of birds for him to chase.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a black figure running along the lake, and I thought "there he goes again" . . . then I saw another black figure right behind that one . . . and I knew immediately one of those figures was a bear.

You can imagine my relief when I realized it was Roux chasing the bear and not the other way around.  However, that relief was short-lived . . . I quickly went into "momma mode", fearing the bear would turn around and get my dog.  He was in such hot pursuit, he couldn't hear my screams of "No!" or "Here!" or even his name.

Side note:  The Dog Whisperer says they can't "hear" you when they are in that prey mode . . . but I still think they hear just fine and choose to ignore you :)

The bear was an adolescent bear, small but larger than Roux.  Roux had absolutely no fear and, as it should be, the bear had fear.  He ran fast and Roux chased him up a tree.

It was definitely one of those "wish I had my camera" moments.  No, I haven't learned that lesson yet.

Here are some iPhone photos, which are not that good.

In the first photo, you can barely see the bear's ears between the branches.  In the second photo, the bear is climbing down the tree.  He didn't wait long . . . we walked far enough away and he quickly came down and high-tailed it back into the woods.

Later, Roux spent some time retracing the bear's path by the tree.  I think he was learning the scent . . . at least that's what he did the first time he found an armadillo.  He chased the running creature, then came back and learned the scent . . . trotting all along the ground, nose to the ground.  Now he can smell an armadillo before he sees it.

My Maw-Maw's Pie

I am making a pie today . . . my Maw-Maw's pie she used to make when I was a kid.  I was a Guest Blogger a while back, where I shared her recipe.  Here is the post:

There are many things from my childhood that bring back sweet memories . . . this particular memory comes with something I can still touch (and taste!) today. I was a teenager when I watched my Maw Maw (that’s “Grandmother” to us in the South) make this pie. It was never written down, and I remember calling her while I was in college so she could tell me how to make it over the phone. My friend, “Make Roux”, inspired me to take pictures and document this wonderful memory. Maw Maw would be proud to share her recipe with you.

Maw Maw Odette’s Banana Pie
My Grandmother made this pie when the bananas were too old to eat and, of course, she didn’t want to waste them. She made this with butter and sugar and a homemade pie crust. I modified it slightly to make it a little healthier using spray margarine and Splenda and a little faster with a pre-made pie crust. 

I hardly ever measure ingredients, so I took a few pictures to help with the recipe.



6-9 very ripe bananas (brown, almost black bananas that are very soft)
Splenda
Spray butter
Cinnamon
Pie crust (I use the pre-made Nilla Wafer crust, and sometimes the graham cracker crust pre-made pie shell.  A regular pie shell works well, too)

1. Spray butter in the bottom of the pie shell. 
2. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon and Splenda.
   
   
3. Add a layer of sliced bananas.
4. Repeat the layers again.
   
   spray butter
   cinnamon
   Splenda
   sliced bananas
5. Repeat again!
   
   
   
   The bananas are mushy; you can pack them down a little after each layer. Each layer is 2-3 bananas. The pie is about 3 layers.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes until a gel forms along the sides.
7. Let it cool slightly and harden a little before serving. 

Sometimes we like it hot out of the oven. We call it “banana bisque” and eat it from a bowl with a spoon. 

It is great cold for breakfast, as well as reheated.

In the recipe pictured, I used 1 or 2 bananas too many, so the gel ran over the crust. Fewer bananas would also allow the gel to cover the center of the pie.

It isn’t a “pretty” dessert, but it sure tastes good! 

You can see my Guest Blogger post here:

http://makearoux.blogspot.com/2009/04/guest-blogger-karen-and-maw-maw-odettes.html

Thanks, Erica, for allowing me to share this recipe with your readers.

UPDATE:  Here is my pie from today.  I used 6 medium bananas and baked for 40 minutes.  The "gelatin" part looks great!  As soon as it cools a little, we are digging in!

I'm in love with a dog

Jeff and I have always been dog people.  Our lifestyle, however, has not been conducive to dog ownership.  Since moving to Agriana, and to the detriment of our cats, we now have a lifestyle that is perfect for a dog.

Since we moved here, Jeff has had a vision of me with a dog . . . walking to the garden to collect veggies, riding around in the golf cart, and protecting me from some wildlife.  We weren't sure about the breed, though.  Jeff started researching dog breeds last year to see what would make a good fit for us.  We wanted an active dog to enjoy Agriana, a companion breed, and especially wanted a tracking dog for deer hunting.  We also knew we did not want a dog that likes water (for swimming) due to the alligators around here.

We settled on the Texas State Dog, the Blue Lacy (sometimes called a Lacy Dog).  Jeff spent hours on the phone with different breeders . . . and one thing was for sure . . . Blue Lacy owners love the breed.  Even if the breeder didn't have any puppies available, they would spend 30 minutes on the phone with Jeff, praising the breed and telling stories.  We learned so much, and we felt confident in the breed.  

At the end of November, we spoke to a couple outside of Beeville, Texas that happened to have a puppy available.  They were thinking of keeping the puppy for their own family, but after talking to Jeff and thinking we had a great environment for a Blue Lacy, a deal was made.  We took off for Texas the day after Thanksgiving to pick up our new family addition.

He was such a cute puppy!  He is a tri-color Blue Lacy . . . mostly "blue" with "red" markings and a patch of white on his chest.  He was about 12 weeks old when he took his first plane ride to a new home in Louisiana.  We named him Roux (pronounced ro͞o) -- a good South Louisiana name.

Hunting season was in full swing when we got home.  Even at such a young age, Roux had the instinct to track deer.  Here he is with one of the first deer he found.  The doe was about 130 lbs. and Roux was barely  4 months old.

We gave him the tail as a reward and he quickly buried it, like the treasure it was.

Roux is fast and enthusiastic.  With all the palmettos here, we quickly realized we needed something to track HIM.  A light on his collar worked a little, but the thick palmettos blocked the illumination if he got too far ahead . . . which he did.  We bought him a GPS collar that works great . . . and we have two handheld monitors.  Why two?  One for me to track Roux and the other for Jeff to track me!  Roux takes off after the deer, I take off after Roux and . . . well . . . sometimes we get turned around and get lost in the woods.  With the second monitor, Jeff can track us :)

Here is Roux wearing his GPS collar after finding a deer, and another picture in a deer stand waiting patiently.

Yes, I took the trouble to bring one of his dog beds with us.  Am I spoiling him?

Needless to say, Roux has been an excellent addition to hunting season. 

He is also a great companion.  He goes most everywhere with us.  We took a trip to Texas to visit family not long ago.  He got along great with our nephew, who is just over a year old.  Here they are playing.

One of his favorite pastimes is chasing birds.  Roux bounces and runs and barks, but hasn't caught one.  I learned that his Momma also chases birds around her house in Texas . . .she hasn't caught one yet either.  This is one of my favorite pictures of him chasing birds:

He's in the middle of our growing sunflower crop amid the pecan trees.  Is he having fun, or what?  After such a workout, he enjoys a little time in his pool:

I'm sure you can tell I am totally smitten with this dog.  He is such a joy to have.  And, yes, I spoil him.  Maybe I spoil him too much . . . Jeff just purchased The Dog Whisperer series on DVD for training.  Not that Roux needs much training . . . Jeff seems to think I need the training.

Crawfish!

We have really been enjoying crawfish this season.  Our "special seasoning blend" consists of a spicy Swamp Fire mixture from Oak Grove plus our friend, Wayne's, blend he uses for catering.  Yummy!

But you know when crawfish taste the best?  When they are caught here at Agriana.  We do not have a crawfish farm or anything like that . . . but we do have a few spots that have proven to be great crawfish holes. We have found that mid-April to early May is our Agriana Crawfish Season.  That's not to say we do not try earlier in anticipation.

We tried something different this year . . . we put hay in one crawfish area to attract bugs, hoping the crawfish would come out early to eat.  We put some traps out last weekend, but caught only a handful.  They were a good size, but not even enough for an appetizer.

The first year, I learned just how "dangerous" crawfishing can be.  Jeff is usually the one picking up the traps.

As you can see, he made it look easy.  So while he was out working in the shop one day, I thought I would go run the traps by myself.

One of the first traps I tried to lift with my pole was heavy.  I thought about all the crawfish that must be in it!  Imagine my surprise when this is what I found:

Not a snake.  Not quite an eel.  Just a heavy, ugly, slimy thing called a mud-puppy.  Yeah, not cute like my real puppy, Roux!  Because my pole is long, I was able to move it to the ground without fear of it touching me or getting out.  I took a quick picture of it, then pushed the trap over into the water.  The thing slid off into the mud and I decided I wouldn't put my traps in that area anymore.

Side note:  Jeff thought it would be fun to catch another one and try to cook it.  Thank goodness there are no mud-puppy recipes to be found online!  Trust me, I wasn't going to eat it.  I wasn't even sure I could watch him prepare it or eat it.  Thankfully, we have not caught another one.  Yet.

The next area had an even bigger surprise.  I picked up the trap and heard this interesting "eek! eek!" sound.  In my trap was the cutest baby alligator.  It couldn't have been more than 6 inches long.  I didn't get to admire it long . . . did you know that "eek! eek!" sound is a baby's way of calling it's Momma when it's in distress?  Momma not only heard, but was coming to it's rescue.  Mouth opened, swimming fast on top of the water.  Talk about a scary sight!  I dropped the trap and the pole and ran.  Thankfully, the trap landed on it's side and the baby gator crawled out.  Momma was appeased.  I didn't go back.  I went straight to the shop and chastised Jeff for letting me go on such a dangerous mission on my own.  We get a good laugh about it now . . . but it certainly wasn't funny at the time.  Not to me, anyway.

My favorite crawfish hole is a cypress swamp.  Some friends from Virginia came to visit last year and Jeff took Joan for a ride to check the traps.

This is our best to catch them.  We can put out about 30 traps and catch a sack of crawfish easily.  This is the area where we put the hay.

I am really looking forward to the next few weeks!  And, yes, I will be careful this year.

Spring Deer Season

Next week we are taking about six more deer. Sort of a one-day gun season.

And we're not going to be outlaws.

Our local department of wildlife biologist, Johnny Berry, is coming to work with us in harvesting some does for biological analysis. Pretty much to assess their overall health and reproductive activity.

I have never seen an official deer autopsy. But next week I get to participate in six of them. Apparently Johnny is going to do it all except for some special liver analysis that will later happen in Baton Rouge.

The actual deer will remain in our cooler to age. Then then meat will be charitably donated by a party other than us.

Johnny and another state biologist will do the actual shooting. Roux, our tracking dog, will be on standby to help with the retrieval.

It sounds like another learning adventure.

Cooking a la Karen

Those of you who have known me for many years, know that cooking is not my best quality.  Growing up, my Mom did all the cooking.  It never occurred to me to help out in the kitchen to learn and, hey, she didn't ask.  Bless her heart.

So I go off to college and there's this great option your parents can purchase where someone else cooks 3 meals a day for you in a cafeteria.  Awesome.  Count me in.

After I moved off-campus and got my own microwave, I quickly became friends with Budget Gourmets (remember those?) and cereal bars.  There was always cheap fast food for lunch.  See?  Who needs cooking? I'm over 21 years old at this point and I haven't seen a need for it yet.

In my first job out of college, I learned about business lunches.  I was making money and spending it at restaurants.  That became a way of life . . . and I liked it.  I still had the occasional heat-n-eat, but I preferred restaurants.  Nice ones.

As part of the business world, Jeff and I traveled a good bit.  We dined at some fabulous places and, let's just say, we were a little spoiled.

Fast forward to Agriana.  Did I mention we live in a rural area?  Even if we had all the restaurant offerings of Baton Rouge or Lafayette, we are still 10 miles from the nearest small town (St. Joseph),  35 miles from the nearest fast food place, and an hour and a half away from any sizable restaurant.  I don't mind telling you, I was a little panicked.

It was touch-and-go at first.  As an example, I will share with you our first Thanksgiving up here.  For just the two of us, I decided on a turkey breast rather than a full turkey.  I didn't notice it was already cooked.  Trust me, you can't add flavor to a store-bought, already cooked, generic turkey breast.  I found a sourdough and sausage dressing recipe . . . doesn't that sound good?  I used venison sausage and was so excited about making this dish (the excitement was before I knew the turkey was precooked).  The recipe called for something like 3 teaspoons each of fresh sage and thyme and something else.  Did you know that if you didn't have fresh herbs (which I didn't find at the local grocery), you could use dried . . . in about a third of the amount?  A THIRD.  Yeah, well, I didn't know that.  I dumped 3 teaspoons of each dried herb in there.  It was horrible.  I tried to fix it but it only got worse.  It was inedible.

And it's not like I could easily run to the store for more supplies, or to a restaurant for take-out.  We suffered through it, and I got a new attitude about cooking.

Cooking is on my terms.  Not some recipe.  I've decided that recipes are only suggestions.  I was never good at following directions anyway.  I'm definitely one of these "a little of this, a little of that" cooks.  I buy lots of cookbooks and magazines and scan them for ideas.  Then I improvise with what I have on hand.  And so far it's working for us.

Our freezer is full of venison.  We plan ahead and season it when we package it, so it's ready out of the freezer.  I have a vacuum sealer, so I may buy several rotisserie chickens at a time to pick and seal . . . I have seasoned chicken ready out of the freezer for gumbo or soup or whatever.  I also have sealed packages of creole seasoning (chopped onions, celery, bell pepper and garlic) to pull out as needed.  And when I cook, I cook big batches . . . then vacuum seal portion sizes for dinners later.

So I'm figuring it out.  And actually enjoying it.

One friend asked for a recipe . . . I can't give you exact measurements, but I can give you my suggestions on venison spaghetti:  I start with browning my creole seasoning in olive oil.  I like to leave the bell peppers in larger slices for spaghetti.  Then I add my Italian venison (1/3 ground pork, 2/3 ground venison and Italian seasonings) to brown it.  Sometimes I do it in small meatballs, sometimes just bulk.  I gave up on sauce . . . too heavy.  I use a big can of diced tomatoes and a little tomato paste with water.  After tasting it, I generally add a little garlic powder.  Spaghetti needs garlic!  I've been known to add a little Tony's, too.  The lighter sauce brings out the flavors of the seasoning and venison more.  A friend taught me that.  I let it all simmer a while in my big cast iron pot and serve over pasta.

Not bad for someone who never learned to cook :)

A Black Bear Adventure

It looks like at least one of our black bears is a little camera shy.  Or maybe he's just playful.  While Mom and Cub #1 check out the feeder, Cub #2 dismantles the camera.

Friday night

I often tell Karen on Friday nights to get out our boogie shoes. It's a joke because there is nothing to do up here.

Many years ago I was on a dive trip in Maui. (I was working, alright!) While looking at Pacific fish I'd never seen before it hit me that those fish and that reef are there every day of every year. Even though I never plan to return, beautiful fish are there waiting if I ever do wish to return. They are there. It's up to me to get there.

A similar thought comes to me each Friday night. The French Quarter is there, as loud and festive and alive as ever. It's up to me to get there.

As I sit here around seven PM writing this, my truck is full of gas. The credit card in my pocket could book a room at the Royal Sonesta. Karen would need about 30 minutes to pack. Donna could probably look after Roux, our dog, for the weekend.

It's Friday night. Thrills and joys are mine by eleven tonight. They are there. It's up to me to get there.

Post Script:

The only real vacation Karen and I ever took was to the French Quarter for a weekend. Every other trip had a purpose that drove the agenda, the schedule, and the mission. But on this one trip we had a wonderful time that Friday night. The kind of fun where you ask yourself why we don't do this every night.

Fast forward to five AM Saturday morning. I woke with a near-panic. We had no business being in New Orleans that day and the rest of the weekend. There's work that must be done. We must pack immediately and get back to my office as soon as possible. I have so many obligations and just plain doing the work is the only way to meet those obligations. I consoled myself and agreed with myself that I would at least let Karen sleep until she woke on her on.

Well bless Karen's little loving heart, she didn't buy into my panic at all. "Let's at least go have breakfast first." Fair enough. And maybe one of those champagne orange juice things. Then find a cafe for more coffee to discuss all of the projects. Then on to lunch with maybe a rum drink.  The next thing I know, we're singing along with the band in some club and the sun has long set. "You men are so easy", Yolanda Rabalais once scolded me.