Monday, September 14, 2020
Tuesday, August 11, 2020
Bruce's Trip To Montana -- August, 2020
Overview: Grapevine, TX to Portland, OR to Flathead Lake, MT
July 28, 2020 - August 10, 2020
Posted: August 11, 2020
So, two weeks ago I began my two-week trip to the Pacific northwest to see my wife, daughter/son-in-law, and the two new twins, now four months old.
On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at 9:00 p.m. (late evening), I
departed Grapevine, TX, in the Dallas-Ft Worth area, I drove northwest
to Albuquerque, NM, via Amarillo, TX.
Somewhere between Amarillo and Albuquerque I caught a couple of hours of sleep. Until this trip I did not know that I have been mis-pronouncing Amarillo and armadillo all these years. They are pronounced as if they end in an "a" rather than an "o."
It takes about twelve hours to get from our home in Grapevine, TX, to Albuquerque.
Traveling northwest from Albuquerque, I arrived in the four corners area around noon, I suppose. I drove through Farmington, west to Shiprock, and then north towards Aztec, Colorado. There was road construction south of Aztec, and after waiting about 30 minutes in a line that was getting longer and longer, I turned around, drove south back towards Shiprock and then took back roads west into Arizona, and turned north into Utah: Blanding, Monticello, and then Moab before passing Arches National Park.
Up to I-70 which I took for a few miles west before turning north at Green River, taking a state highway, to catch I-15 in the Salt Lake City area, which was smooth sailing all the way to I-84, near Tremonton, Utah, and then west to Boise, Idaho, and then, all the way to my destination, Portland, OR.
I arrived in Portland, OR, early in the afternoon on Thursday, July 30, 2020.
The following Tuesday, August 4, 2020, I departed Portland, OR, at 4:00 a.m. (early in the morning), driving east on I-84. About two-thirds across the state of Oregon, I turned north toward Kennewick, Washington, where I caught I- 82 (for a short few miles) and then I-90, toward Spokane.
Of the entire two-week cross-country trip, the only somewhat-boring segment was from Kennewick to Spokane. Even that, however, was a nice drive. But then after Spokane, incredibly beautiful all the way to Lakeside, Montana, on Flathead Lake.
From Spokane, I drove to St Regis, on I-90, where I turned north, taking some Montana back toads north and east to Flathead Lake, hitting MT highway 93 and then turning north to Lakeside, MT. I arrived at Lakeside, at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, the same day I departed Portland, earlier that morning.
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
First Week In August, 2020 -- August 5, 2020
Bruce arrived out at Flathead Lake at 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 4, 2020. He has no plans to ever leave Flathead. He will send for Sophia as soon as possible and she will begin school out here. LOL.
Wow, it is really, really, really nice out here.
Did I mention that it's nice out here.
Jesus and Sophia were here; Kevin and Anna were here with Avery who turns five months old August 9; and Kathy was here.
Jan was here, and Connor was here.
A great, great first evening.
Big on the list: Connor has an electric golf cart and he tools around giving folks scenic tours of the area. Lots and lots of fun Videos will be posted later.
As a reminder:
Avery's birthday is March 9; Laura's twins, Levi and Judah birthday(s) is/are: March 3.
Sunday, June 14, 2020
Family Reunion: 2020
Updates
August 11, 2020: an incredible visit. Nine adults at a time seems to be about the right number of people at the house. Add in children and that might be the max that should be considered out there at one time. First week in August:
- Jan and Connor
- Kathy
- Kevin, Anna, Avery (four months old)
- Jesus, Sofia
- Bruce
Karla and her grandchildren were out there earlier but did not want to be there with the large group due to Covid-19.
Dave went back to Portland during this week for similar reasons.
Original Note
Jan plans to be out at Flathead Lake all summer.
It appears the family is shooting for a family reunion the first week of August, 2020.
Avery, Kevin and Anna plan to be there the first full week of August, 2020.
Kiri, Josh, Arianna (16), Olivia (13), and Sophia (6) plan to be out there: they ended up not coming due to the pandemic.
Bruce plans to attend
Jennifer's family plans to attend: they ended up not coming due to the pandemic.
Monday, March 23, 2020
Recipes: Pulled Pork
This recipe will “carry” the taste of the barbecue sauce one uses. One may want to try various barbecue sauces. The thyme may or may not be necessary. My first try at this I used Kraft Hickory and Smoke flavored barbecue sauce; maybe that's why it was so sweet.
Pulled pork recipes appear to all use apple cider vinegar (helps tenderize the pork).
This one may be a bit sweet; other recipes do not call for brown sugar.
See spices used in other recipes. I'm not sure how important the thyme was. I like thyme so it was nice to see it in the recipe.
For really tasty “burnt bits,” consider searing the pork shoulder in a skillet before placing it in the crock pot.
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/92462/slow-cooker-texas-pulled-pork/.
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 (4 pound) pork shoulder roast
1 cup barbeque sauce
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 extra large onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
8 hamburger buns, split
2 tablespoons butter, or as needed
Step 1
- Pour the vegetable oil into the bottom of a slow cooker.
- Place the pork roast into the slow cooker.
- Pour in the rest: the barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, and chicken broth. Stir in the brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, onion, garlic, and thyme.
- Cover and cook on High until the roast shreds easily with a fork, 5 to 6 hours.
Step 2
- Remove the roast from the slow cooker.
- Shred the meat using two forks.
- Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, and stir the meat into the juices.
- Spread the inside of both halves of hamburger buns with butter.
- Toast the buns, butter side down, in a skillet over medium heat until golden brown.
- Spoon pork into the toasted buns.
*************************
Another recipe: this one is easier; powdered spices; no chopping;
https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a51267/slow-cooker-pulled-pork-recipe/
1onion, finely chopped
3/4 c.ketchup
3 tbsp.tomato paste
1/4 c.apple cider vinegar
1 tsp.paprika
1 tsp.garlic powder
1 tsp.mustard powder
1 tsp.cumin
1(3- to 4-lb.) pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher saltFreshly ground black pepper
Coleslaw, for serving
Buns, for serving
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)