Voluntary Poverty Hardcase Survival Pinto Bean Sludge

1. Take one 50-lb sack Dipstick County pinto beans. Remove cockleburs, stones, horseshit, ants, lizards, etc. Wash in cold clear crick water. Soak 24 hours in cast-iron kettle or earthenware pot. (Do not use Teflon, aluminium, or Pyrex. This warning cannot be overstressed.)
2. Place kettle or pot with beans on low fire, simmer for 24 hours. (Do not pour off water in which beans have soaked. Very important.) Fire must be of juniper, pinon pine, scrub oak, mesquite, or ironwood. Other fuels may tend to modify or denigrate the subtle flavor and delicate bouquet of Pinto Bean Sludge.
3. Do not boil. Add water when necessary.
4. Stir gently from time to time with wooden spoon.
5. After simmering, add one gallon green chilies. Stir gently. Avoid bruising beans. Add one-half quart pure natural sea salt. During following 12 hours stir frequently and add additional flavoring as desired, such as, for example, ham hocks. Or bacon rinds. Or saltpork, corncobs, kidney stones, jungle boots, tennis shoes, jockstraps, cinch straps, whatnot, old saddle blanket, use your own judgment. Simmer additional 24 hours.
6. Ladle as many servings as desired from pot but do not remove pot from fire. Allow to simmer continuously thru following days and weeks, or until contents totally consumed. Stir from time to time, gently, when in vicinity. (Do not abuse beans.)
7. Serve Voluntary Poverty Hardcase Survival Pinto Bean Sludge on small flat rocks that have been warmed in sun. If flat rocks not available, any convenient fairly level surface will do. After serving, slather beans generously with salsa, ketchup, or barbecue sauce. Garnish with sprigs of fresh sagebrush. (Your guest will be amused and pleased.)
8. One cauldron of Pinto Bean Sludge, as specified above, will feed one starving artist for approximately two weeks. A grain supplement, such as rice, wheat, or maize, is needed for full protein complement.
9. The philosopher Pythagoras declared flatulence incompatible with thought and meditation. For this reason he forbade the eating of beans in his ashram. We have found, however, that thorough cooking ameliorates the condition, and custom (or solitude) alleviates the social embarrassment.
   

the last 48 hours...

at our local park - this always cracks me up - a little reminder that we're in the lowlands now - along the same lines as roadkill gator

we made an afternoon trip to the salt marsh - about a ten minute drive from our house - Levi helping Joe tie down the canoe

we accessed the salt marsh via the boat ramp at Fort McAllister - an easy put in near the house - getting Levi into his life jacket

on the water - in a protected cove - perfect for getting Levi out - not to choppy

pointing out birds - Ossabaw Island is in the distance

spotted 'em

absolute joy - no fear - no idea of any risk - he will literally keep on going out if not stopped, which terrifies me - he does this at the beach too - must do swimming lessons soon

sunset on the salt marsh

before leaving for Montessori yesterday morn for his first day at school - he's like "why are we up so early & where are we going?"

Autumnal Equinox

Today is the fall equinox - day and night are equal - and the sun passes over the celestial equator - it's a lovely day here, sunny right now with a touch of cooler weather that feels like fall is on it's way - Levi and I are going to the park soon - he begins Montessori tomorrow - he will be going 3 days a week (Tues-Thurs) - we spent the weekend in Cairo, Ga visiting with Papa Bill

the spider lilies are in bloom at his house - one of my top two favorite flowers

an afternoon snooze before the Georgia football game

frying grouper on the carport... mmm

ripening satsumas

pretty

on the way home (after popping the lenses out of my sunglasses!)

Thursday

Some random pictures from the last few days...the local scenery. None of Levi, sorry...we'll get those in the next post!! These first few pics are from a property in Evans County along the Canoochee River.

Big, white sandbar along the river. Notice all the turkey tracks in the sand......

The Canoochee River....feeds into the Ogeechee. A beautiful little river that is protected from development along most of its length. Good redbreast fishery begging for a Mo and Joe canoe trip.

Young, lone cypress along a sandbar on the Canoochee.

Heading out Red Bird Creek toward Ossabaw Sound.

Two fishing buds from a tripletail/redfish trip the other day.

A view of Ossabaw Island from Ossabaw Sound.

Catching up....

Had some good family time this weekend.....playing in the yard, eating boiled peanuts and watching football. Been awhile since we posted any pics (the batteries are dead in the camera), hence the cell phone pics.

This is Levi man with his hollywood smile....right after turning up and chugging a solo cup full of dirt.

My old lab Sadie and some little kid. As an aside, these two are inseperable buddies....which is how a little boy and a dog ought to be.

Hard to beat drinkin milk naked in a frog lounge chair on the patio on a hot day.

Some black coastal plain dirt. Nice and easy to dig in compared to the eroded red-clay concrete of the piedmont.

Instead of going to Tybee Island with Mo and Levi, I chose to go to the swamp to sweat, swat mosquitoes, and bowhunt. Didn't run across any deer, but I did see 6 turkeys, a gopher tortoise, and two beautiful canebreaks...the smallest of which had 15 rattles and a button and is pictured here. Gorgeous snake. He is laying against a massive water oak that's dropping a ton of acorns in the swamp. The deer are hitting them pretty good....Since I made friends with this guy I'm hoping he'll keep anybody else out until I can collect a little fresh venison.

Women

...handle 75% of family finances.

...control 2/3 of the nation's disposable income.

...make 85% of all buying decisions.

...make up 43% of those with assets over $500,000.

...still only make 75 cents to a man's dollar (USA).

pet peeve

When a smaller quantity or size cost more per unit than the larger size

I *love* it when an item is a set price per unit/pound - the individual needing less is not paying more

The Green Guide

Ever heard of National Geographic's GREEN GUIDE? Check it out by clicking HERE.

It's a great everyday resource - for making smart green consumer choices - everything from what fish to choose in the grocery store (fish guide click HERE) to how to save money and the earth in your laundry room (guide to a 'lighter load' HERE).

I always find something new... some small act that makes a great impact.

Tons of Pics from the Pig Roast!