Three Beautiful Things 12/17/11: Beef Curry Soup, Photo Strolls, Yi Shen and Sixteen Tons

1.  Not only did I enjoy the Beef Curry soup at Maple Garden, but I was tickled when the woman working the cash register commented on my Nikon camera, told me about her own, and happily answered my questions about the kinds of pictures she likes to take. 

2.  I had a fun day taking pictures.  Here are two of my favorites.  The first is from the neighborhood west of the University; the second at 5th and High while waiting for a train to finish going by.

 

3.  On good soup deserved another.  After taking pictures in the cold fog of Eugene, Russell and I went to Yi Shen and my body and spirit were warmed by the combo noodle soup.  (While I was savoring this soup, the Deke called and we decided to meet at Sixteen Tons where my body and spirit were further warmed by a pint of Hale's Supergoose IPA and some half pints of Flat Tail De La Rose.  I'm really enjoying the De La Rose.  I don't have words for why I enjoy this unusual beer so much.  Here's how the brewer describes it: 

This 100% oak barrel fermented and aged blonde ale is
spiced with a unique blend of rose hips, birch bark, and
coriander. Fermented 3/4's with a trappist ale yeast, and the
remainder with an authentic Sake yeast Aromas of
rosewater, clove, and subtle mintyness precede a pallet of
delicate pilsner malt and spicy yeast character.

Three Beautiful Things 12/16/11: Millrace Again, Fun Beers, Chicken Dinner

1.  I went back to the Millrace to take pictures (and look for my eyeglasses -- a lost cause).  The environment was foggy and gray and the water was black and gray.  I enjoyed, as best I could, setting the colors along the shore against the dark backdrop of the water.

2.  I tried two new beers today.  First, at Sixteen Tons, a half pint of Gilgamesh's Chocolate Mint Stout, a pleasant beer, but not one I'd eagerly return to, but would gladly accept if offered to me.  After grocery shopping, I tried a half pint of Deschutes The Stoic at the Supreme Bean.  A half pint was all I would want.  It's a strong ale and full of more different flavors than I can describe.  For me, it was kind of like bleu cheese:  I love bleu cheese, but I'd never sit and eat a bunch of it at one sitting.  Same with The Stoic:  interesting, unique, flavorful, strong, and something I would only drink in small doses.  

3.  I thought I fixed a pretty good dinner tonight:  I baked five chicken drumsticks and, in the meantime, I fried sweet onion and mushrooms, combined last night's leftover basmati rice and make a salad that the Deke dressed.  Add a baguette and it was a good meal. 

Three Beautiful Things 12/15/11: Rest, Abstract Photos, Medicinal Squash

1.  I stayed home to rest my sore throat and runny nose and cough.  Yes, I wanted to get back out and take more pictures, but I didn't.  I rested. 

2.  Back on Monday and Tuesday, I took my favorite kind of photograph. Today I posted them on both Facebook and at Flickr.   I love water surfaces and the way things not only reflect on the surface, but the way breezes, ice, and light affect the surface and what's reflected.  My favorite style of art is abstract, and these surfaces make abstract pictures available in fun and, I think, beautiful ways:

3.  The Deke took over the kitchen tonight and made the finest acorn squash stuffed with rice and spaghetti sauce.  It was not only tasty, but medicinal. 

Three Beautiful Things 12/14/11: Coffee, Dreams, Jazz

1.  MB, JH, MM, and I had a spirited conversation over coffee today.  I think more than anything, we would like to enjoy our discipline with our fellow instructors by spending more time discussing poem, stories, novels, plays, essays, movies, etc.  In every department I've worked in, most of my conversation, in meetings, with other faculty has been focused on the business of how the college operates.  Or on how the state is lowering the boom about something.  I'd like to spend some time discussing Jane Austen.  Or Shakespeare.  Or a poem.  I could be a stimulating way to spend professional time together.

2.  The Deke and I dreamed today at 16 Tons.  We'll see what dreams come true.  For the record, I enjoyed a pint of tasty Heater Allen Coastal Common and then I was entranced by Flat Tail's De La Rose and enjoyed three half pints of it. 

3.  I had fun listening to Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, and Chase on YouTube, all inspired, somehow, by hearing Diana Krall sing "Popsicle Toes" on XM Radio.

Assorted Beautiful Things 12/7-13/11: Conferences, Roast Beef, Like Eating in Kellogg, Sixteen Tons a Blessing, Water Photos

1.  Conferences continued with WR 121 students and they continued to be gratifying.  Improvement in writing is an erratic and slow process.  It's unpredictable.  I wouldn't go so far as to say I find it miraculous as students grow in their writing, but I do find an element of wonder in it -- especially because for most of my students, school simply cannot be their first concern and they can't give their best energy to the work I require.  Their school experience is so different than mine was.  Mine was much easier. 

2.  The highlight of my cooking week?  A beef roast that marinated in olive oil, Montreal seasoning, garlic, and thyme for a couple of days and that I cooked in Firestone Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout with potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and, the clincher, the height of good tasting food, Brussel sprouts.  The Deke made stupendous gravy and two of us groaned with pleasure as we ate this pink beef, the tender sprouts, the potatoes, mushrooms and onions swimming in the rich, thick gravy.  Neither one of us could believe our good fortune that we were capable of cooking such good food.   Bonus:  it might have been even better the next day when enjoyed as leftovers!

3.  Ye Olde Pancake House has become my go to place for experiencing something sort of approximating eating breakfast at Sam's or the Silver Spoon in Kellogg.  It's not cool.  The food is good.  It's busy.  The faces of the customers remind me of home.

4.  Hmmmm....could going to Sixteen Tons to talk be among the best things that's happened to me and the Deke over the last fourteen years?  I love their beer.  The Deke loves their wine.  We go when it's quiet.  We wind down, talk about the day.  We dream stuff up.  We went there to recover from losing Snug.  We chat with Emily.  Jesse and I talk up NBA stuff.  Sometimes we have a drink with the Troxstar.  Whenever I get a text from the Deke suggesting we meet at 16 Tons, it makes me very happy.

5.  On these clear sunshiny and even icy days I've been drawn to water surfaces, the Delta Ponds, the Willamette River, the Millrace, to take pictures of the water surfaces, especially as they reflect the colors and shapes of what's on the shore.  I'll be posting albums soon.

Three Beautiful Things 12/06/11: Improvement Continues, IPA!, Hot Drumettes

1.  As my individual conferences with my writing students continue, I'm heartened by seeing admirable improvement in many of my students' writing.  I enjoy being able to tell these students in person what they are doing that's better and seeing them beam, if only a little bit.

2.  I called the Deke to see if she could meet at Sixteen Tons for an hour of wine and ale and she could and the joint was really quiet and we relaxed and I enjoyed two pints of Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA, the first IPA I've drunk in many many months.  I enjoyed them.  The IPA was a nice change of pace and possibly IPA will return on occasion to my personal tap rotation.

3.  I fried those floured drumettes carefully, attentively in canola oil and some butter.  I made them crispy and then slowly cooked them through and combined butter and Frank's hot sauce in a saucepan and coated the chicken and Samantha and the Deke were blown away by how good these Buffalo drumettes were.  I liked them, too. 

Three Beautiful Things 12/05/11: Shooting the Breeze, Clooney and Odyssey, Pleasing the Deke

1.  Several of my conferences with WR 121 students went beyond discussing writing to shooting the breeze and I learned a lot about mutual acquaintances, the new Wild Duck establishment, and what students learn in various courses about writing -- some good stuff, some stuff that was worthy of my inward cringing.

2.  I had never seen "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and since it's loosely based on The Odyssey, I made it available as an optional hour and a half or so of fun for my World Lit. students.  Three showed up!  No problem.  I loved watching the movie and especially enjoyed George Clooney, whom I enjoy more and more every time I see him perform.

3.  I fried up a couple strips of bacon, onion, diced potatoes, a pound of ground beef, mushrooms, green beans, and corn and seasoned them and created a dinner the Deke proclaimed as the best ever.  I beamed.

Three Beautiful Things 12/04/11: Troxstar is Everywhere, Deke's Soup, Sweet!

1.  After picking up some groceries and other stuff at Safeway, Hiron's, and the Kiva, I decided I wanted a pint of Hopworks What the Helles, but I had an empty stomach so I went to Dickie Jo's and picked up a burger and an order of fries and took them to 16 Tons, strolled in, and there was the Troxstar talking to Wolfie.  Bonus.  I had planned on a eating and drinking a beer alone, but got to have some Trox-o-Time instead.

2.  The Deke made a pot of tasty turkey soup that she started to prepare last night and it tasted really good, especially with the Pugliese bread I bought at the Kiva.  


3.  I made an early evening ice cream run and brought home two kinds:  Drumstick and French Silk.  Samantha said, "Sweet!"  I took that to mean she liked my choices.

Three Beautiful Things 12/03/11: Packed Pancake House, Shakespeare Showcase, Winding Down

1.  I enjoyed being a part of the crowd packing Ye Olde Pancake House on West 11th and ate my corned beef hash, hash browns, eggs, and English muffin with the hope that this breakfast would sustain me through the matinee performance of the Shakespeare Showcase.

2.  I don't have a great eye for this sort of thing, but, from my perspective, the performances at the 2:00 Showcase were much better than the same performances at dress rehearsal yesterday.  Then, at the 7:00 show, with a full house (yes!  a full house!), the level of acting, tech smoothness, and lighting proficiency was even better.  The 7:00 show had snap.  It's thrilling to see how gorgeous all these students look in their costumes and how their eyes radiate and sparkle under the theater lights.

3.  It was relaxing to cap off a full day of narrating at the theater with a half pint of New Belgium Snow Day Ale followed by a half pint of Pelican Tsunami Stout.  Sixteen Tons was quiet.   I drank the beers slowly, thoughtfully.  I wound down.  Ahhhh.

Three Beautiful Things 12/02/11: Flexibility, Dress/Tech Marvel, Sizzle

1.  Some simple flexibility worked today and helped put one of my most anxious students at ease and we had a good conference because she was relaxed.

2.  I marvel at all the details that must be attended to during dress/tech rehearsal for the Shakespeare Showcase and marvel even more at how many things need straightening out and at how rough and chaotic things are and I marvel the most at the confidence everyone has in the midst of the chaos that everything will fall together and there will be a good show.  The mess will get cleaned up.

3.   That dress rehearsal was over five hours long and I was pretty hungry afterward.  I decided to try a chef special at Jade Palace and ate a plate of sizzling shrimp and scallops.  I especially enjoyed the bites when the ginger asserted itself. 

Three Beautiful Things 12/01/11:Gratifying, Impressionistic, Rib Eye

  1.  I started conferences today with WR 121 students and particularly enjoyed working with a student who had been estranged from her biological father and wrote about their reconciliation -- it was especially gratifying to know that reading Louise Steinman's The Souvenir was important to her in helping her sort out her situation with her dad.

2.  I've been reviewing the photographs I took on Friday, a week ago, down by Autzen Stadium, and I'm really happy with the way, to me, some of my pictures, taken of the Millrace and of a heron, look like watercolors.  I think people who have looked at my heron pictures like the naturalistic ones best, but I really like the impressionistic ones best.  Here's an example: 

 

3.  The rib eye steak at Billy Mac's really hit the spot and I was especially intrigued by tonight's conversation, especially as we talked about teaching.  

Three Beautiful Things 11/30/11: Nourishing Lit, Catching Up, Sixteen Tons Stillness

1.  I'm very happy that for one of my students the World Lit course was nourishing.   Very happy.

2.  As far as holding class, the fall term is over.  It's all individual conferences and paper grading from here on out.  Time seemed to open up for my this afternoon and I got caught up in grading WR 121 papers.  It's a great feeling to be getting caught up.

3. I rewarded myself for getting those papers graded by going to 16 Tons for a pint and half of beer.  It was relaxing to sit and ponder things.  The beer was good.  The music was good.   I sat near some people who brought all kinds of finger food and were having animated conversation.  The woman from that table spoke to me as I was settling my bill:  "You must have had a great time eavesdropping on our conversation.  We were talking about some pretty wild stuff."  I replied, honestly, "I was really absorbed in my own little world.  I didn't hear anything you talked about."  We had a good laugh and I promised that if the same situation arose again that I'd eavesdrop next time.  We laughed more.  But, for the duration of those three half pints, I wasn't interested in anyone or anything.  I just wanted to be quiet and think and remember and let association happen, with no real purpose except to be still.

Three Beautiful Things 11/29/11: Bigger than School, Imagining Soup, Comfort Soup

1.  I tried to explain to my WR 121 students how the work we've been doing is bigger than school.  Yes, they earn credits and grades along the way, but to explore age old questions like happiness and reconciliation is to enter into a realm of thinking that goes way beyond earning credits, earning grades, or writing assignments.  A few students voiced agreement.  I wish they could see the whole of their education this way.  Plenty of pressures in their lives make seeing studies this way very difficult, though.

2.  Sometime this morning, maybe while driving to school, I began to imagine a beef barley soup.  I began to long for it.  I decided I'd make one up and see if it worked.  I imagined beef pieces, browned with Montreal seasoning, beef broth in a box, mushrooms, onions,barley, and thyme, and so I browned the meat, sauteed the onions and mushrooms, and put it all together and slow cooked it.  Later, I fixed the barley and dumped the pearls into the soup.  I'd also imagined thick crusted bread and bought a loaf and it all came out great and the Deke and Samantha and I had a wonderful soup and bread dinner together.

3.  I was feeling physically and psychologically worn down by the end of the quarter and this soup relaxed me with its thick flavors and comforting warmth.  It soothed me and inspired me to go to sleep early again.

Three Beautiful Things 11/28/11: Rumi Readings, Pork Chops, Rest

1.  My World Lit. students arranged themselves so they could all see each other and, one by one, different students volunteered favorite poems of theirs by Rumi and we worked to come to a better understanding of his mysticism and mysteries.

2.  I'd asked the Deke what she'd like for dinner and she requested pork chops and quinoa and green salad.  I bought thick pork chops, with the bone, and found a box of quinoa with a spice packet in it and thought I'd give it a try.  It worked.  The Deke and I both liked the boxed quinoa and, Samantha, who said she doesn't usually like pork, really enjoyed her pork chop.  That made me very happy.

3.  About this time, the weight of the academic term begins to assert itself and so I need to get some extra sleep and tonight I went to bed really early and welcomed the added rest.

Three Beautiful Things 11/27/11: Soup Prep, Temple of 16 Tons, Devouring Dinner

1.  I've been in the mood for chicken soup so I bought a couple pounds of chicken legs, bones removed, and started making broth last night.  Today I put the soup together, let it slow cook all day.

2.  The Troxstar and I met at 16 Tons for some honest strong winter ale.  It was delicious, especially the Belgian beers, but when it comes to strong winter ales, I'm not that strong.  We cut ourselves off, fearing we were about to speak in tongues in the temple of 16 Tons and went to the TroxCrib and watched the early part of the lousy Pittsburgh/Kansas City Sunday night football game.  We thought having an amped down beer, a Cool Grand from the kegerator would be nice.  That last beer made me really eager to go home to my chicken soup.

3.  Once home, I boiled egg noodles to the edge of being of soft and put them in the soup.  Meanwhile, I fixed myself a toasted sharp cheddar cheese on Dakota bread sandwich and the soup and sandwich were so good that I made myself a second toasted sandwich and had a second bowl of soup.

Three Beautiful Things and a Bonus 11/26/11: Saturday Breakfast, Mary Goes Macro, Yi Shen Combo, BONUS: Belgian Ales

1.  People just kept coming and coming, over 250 in all, but we had enough eggs, potatoes, link sausage, and toast on the serving line to give each person a full breakfast.  I don't know how the oatmeal, grits, gravy, juice, coffee, and milk held up at the other serving tables, but we were happy, and a bit relieved, that we were able to meet the demand in our area of the Saturday Breakfast at St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

2.  Mary joined Russell and me for a photo walk on the southeast part of the U. of O. I tried to capture my nostalgic feelings for Mac Court by taking picture after picture after picture, but it never seemed like the images ever matched my feelings.  Mac Court held mythic significance for me when I moved to Eugene 32 years ago and I hoped I could capture some of its grandeur, grandeur that was mostly in my head, but grandeur all the same.  I'll look at my pictures soon and see if I even sort of succeeded.  Mary, by the way, went macro mad on our photo walk, with special attention to a ladybug on a gravestone.  It was really fun to bear witness to her enthusiasm.

3.  Mary, Russell, and I went to Yi Shen after we were done shooting.  Russell and I enjoyed sharing our favorite Eugene place to eat with Mary and she seemed delighted with her meal.  I was beyond delighted with mine.  I ordered Yi Shen's combo soup -- bbq pork, shrimp, scallop, beef (I think) with bok choy and Vietnamese noodles and I can't remember what else.  My inability to remember details is directly related to the euphoria I felt eating this soup:  I don't think I've ever tasted a more satisfying, flavorful, complex broth. 

BONUS:  After doing some shopping, I enjoyed two particularly tasty half pints at 16 Tons.  I decided to focus on two Belgian ales and they pleased me completely.  I can't write beer review language.  All I can say is that I sat there, by myself, and stared, speechless, I enjoyed these beers so much.  The first came from Hopworks, and is called Muscles From Brussels; the second came from Japan: Hitachino Nest Barrel Aged  Commemorative Ale.  The second is a Belgian Strong Ale.   I could only drink a half a pint of it because of its 10% alcohol by volume. 

Three Beautiful Things 11/25/11: Ye Olde Corned Beef, Solo Photo Walk, The Deke is Back

1.  It was a solid way to start the day:  corned beef hash, three eggs, hash browns, English muffins with strawberry jam, a pot of coffee, and lots of water at Ye Olde Pancake House on west 11th. 

2.  I had a very satisfying solo photo walk today down by Autzen Stadium.  The light was wonderful, the fall colors reflected appealingly off of the Mill Race, heron and geese cooperated, and dogs were happy and handsome at the dog park. 

3.  The Deke is back after a couple of weeks in Georgia to see Molly, Hiram, Olivia, and David.  She gave my Thanksgiving leftovers a try and liked them, a plus, and then we went to her office (the Cornucopia) for an hour or so and spent some time getting our bearings.  I had really enjoyed my solitude at home from Wednesday afternoon until the Deke returned; at the same time, I really enjoy the Deke being home again.

Three Beautiful Things 11/24/11: Prep, Shove, Cook and Eat and Drink

1.  I read that the cut of roast I bought, the eye of round, is not, on its own, very flavorful.  So, salted it, peppered it, garlicked it, and rubbed it with olive oil, rosemary, and ginger.  I let it sit all day at room temperature.  I was bound and determined to draw flavor out of this roast!

2.  I browned the roast on all sides in the cast iron Dutch oven, let it cool down, and then poured a pint of Guinness Extra Stout and a bit of water, forming a malty-yeasty-hoppy-stouty puddle for the roast to cook in and added Brussel sprouts, potatoes, onions, and mushrooms to the pot, covered it, and shoved it in the oven. 

3.  I kept a close eye on my dinner as it cooked:  good thing.  The Brussel sprouts were done first and I took them out and covered them.  I didn't want mushy sprouts.  The roast was done before the other vegetables and I got it out of the pot just in the nick of time, maybe even a little late.  The roast was more medium than medium rare, so I wish I had removed it about five minutes earlier.  No harm, though.  The potatoes and onions needed more time and the mushrooms stay in the pot for the ride.  All that liquid from the Guinness stout was now really beefy and oniony and musroomy and sort of spuddy, so I brought that liquid to a boil, mixed up some cold milk and flour, dumped it in the juice and, after a few minutes, I had gravy, the first I've made.  I had also decided that I would crack open my bottle of Black Butte XXIII.  I could have let it age, but I decided to go for it and it was a rich, complexed flavored complement to the roast beef dinner.  It took me about an hour to drink the Black Butte XXIII and I decided to top it all off with about three oz of Figgy Pudding Strong English Ale.  I hope recorking that bottle works.  I enjoyed that small amount of Figgy Pudding, but the bottle still has over a pint left to be enjoyed. 

Three Beautiful Things 11/23/11: Chickpeas, Beef, Stout

1.  I was really happy that one of my students chose Rumi's "Chickpea to Cook" as a poem to study together in class today.  Those of us in the class who love this poem had a particularly good time with these lines:   

Eventually the chickpea

will say to the cook,

"Boil me some more.
Hit me with the skimming spoon.
I can't do this by myself.

 2.  I figured out what I want to cook for my Thanksgiving dinner, went to the store to buy a small beef roast, potatoes, Brussel sprouts, onions, and mushrooms.  I began to imagine this cut of beef being roasted in a pool of Guiness stout, so I'll need to do a little research to figure out how to make this happen.

3.  Well, imagining a roast beef in a puddle of Guiness stout made me think that they sure have some nice stouts and porters on tap at 16 Tons so I dropped in and enjoyed a half pint of Upright Barrel Aged Stout of Monte Fisto, a half pint of Bison Baltic Porter, and finished my evening with two half pints of The Abyss.  My 16 Tons evening was enhanced by sitting with Beverly and Wayne, whom I hadn't seen for a couple of years.  Wayne lived in the Silver Valley and worked at the Bunker back in the mid-sixties and we have a particularly good time talking about the good old days in Kellogg.  We did some of that and the three of us talked about a variety of other things, too.  Good times.

Three Beautiful Things 11/22/11: Ponder, Reconcile, Pork

1.  I had a classroom situation where I could have reacted defensively, and instead I replied to a confrontational remark, "Well, ponder that some more.  I don't really have a response."

2.  The book The Souvenir is helping A. sort out things in relation to her father and giving her insight into their developing reconciliation. 

3.  I marinated a three pound pork shoulder roast for over twelve hours in Stubb's Smokey Mesquite BBQ sauce and then slow cooked the roast for about twelve hours.  I poured the sauce that bubbled around the roast over my baked potatoes and over the pork and complemented the meat and potatoes with green beans.  It was a delicious dinner.  Samantha ate baked potato only.  No problem.

Three Beautiful Things 11/21/11: Barks, Essays, Steaks

1.  Every time I watch and listen to Bill Moyers interview Coleman Barks, I'm stimulated by the vision of Rumi and by the music of the Paul Winter Consort.

2.  I'm still working my way through a large number of student essays for World Lit and WR 121.  I didn't finish the pile today, but I made significant process.  Tomorrow's another day.

3.  Samantha seemed pretty happy to learn I was frying up a couple of petite sirloin steaks with caramelized onions.  I think I was happier with the broccoli than she was -- but we were both happy with our delicious dinner.  The steaks were really good. 

Three Beautiful Things 11/20/11: Tom the Librarian, Back to The Abyss, Chicken Dinner

1.  It was a lot of fun to see Tom Beckstrand give his symposium on the church library.  He was animated, happy to be the library guy, and eager to let us know what is what in the library.  His talk was good, too.

2.  After the symposium, the Troxstar and I spent some time at the 2nd Annual Eugene Winter & Strong Ale Festival at 16 Tons.  These beers are strong and we were careful.  I sure enjoyed two 3 oz. tasters:  first, Block 15 Figgy Pudding Ale and, second,  Terminal Gravity Bucolic Plague (2009).  Then I could not resist returning to The Abyss and enjoy two half pints of Deschutes' The Abyss, a deep, dark, mysterious, and tasty Imperial Stout.  It's my favorite, although I really enjoyed that the Figgy Pudding Ale had been matured in brandy barrels before conditioning with mission figs, Ceylon cinnamon and nutmeg.  These beers were really fun to drink and required all the caution I exercised.

3.  So tasty, so easy:  a tray of chicken legs with potatoes and onions popped into the oven for an hour or so resulted in a satisfying dinner for Samantha and me. 

Three Beautiful Things 11/19/11: Meeting Dan, The Abyss, Spontaneous Soup

1.  I've been a friend on Facebook for quite a while with Russell's longtime friend, Dan, and this morning I got to meet him.  Russell, Dan, and I met at the Glenwood for an excellent breakfast and a lot of fun conversation about taking pictures and food in Hawaii and a number of other things.  I hope we have the chance to spend time together again soon.  It was really fun.

2.  A while back I read about a beer that Deschutes brewery releases seasonally called The Abyss.  Here's what Deschutes says about The Abyss:  "A deep, dark Imperial Stout, The Abyss has almost immeasurable depth and complexity. Hints of molasses, licorice and other alluring flavors make it something not just to quaff, but contemplate."  The Abyss came on tap today at 16 Tons and I ordered a half a pint, cautiously, because the ABV is 11%.  Oh, my.  Indeed, it moved me to contemplate and moved me to order another half pint.  It's a magnificent beer.  I had read another review of it elsewhere where the person simply said, "Yay molasses!"  My sentiments exactly.  (I also bought a 22 oz bottle of The Abyss and I'm going to let it age.  I've never let a beer age before and I'll crack it open sometime in 2012 and see what I think.)

3.  The other night I browned about a pound of ground beef.  I needed to use it.  I looked around the kitchen.  Mmmm.  I've got onion.  I've got potatoes.  I've got two 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes.  I've got a 14 oz can of Bush's navy beans.  I've got garlic powder.   I have salt.  Water comes out of the tap.  SOUP!  I haven't done this for a while -- that is, I haven't combined whatever is in the kitchen into a pot and made soup and I've got to say, this ground beef tomato navy bean soup is really good!

Many Beautiful Things Over the Last Few Weeks

1.  David Alejandro Diaz was born to Molly and Hiram on November 2, 2011.

2.  I had a great time making Lebanese lentil soup and cheese/fruit dessert plates for over fifty people at St. Mary's Episcopal Church when Dr. Loren Crow gave a talk about his sabbatical to Israel.

3.  Ed and I had a superb time in Pendleton where I enjoyed a superb rib eye steak at Hamley's, a most scrumptious Reuben at the Prodigal Son, cold Buds at Whistlers Pub, and a couple of fine breakfasts at the Rainbow Cafe. 

4.  The beers continue to be fun and delicious at 16 Tons.  I wish I had kept a record of all the fine beers I've sampled.  It's been especially fun to have the Deke join me at 16 Tons.  She enjoys a glass of wine and I try another new kind of beer.  In addition, I've begun to join her from time to time at her "office" at the Cornucopia.

5.  Carolyn and I had a great time as co-teachers at church, leading different groups in discussions of beauty.  

I'll leave it at that.  I just wanted to get back into action and get back to posting Three Beautful Things with the hope that I don't let how busy I've been stop me any longer.

Three Beautiful Things 10/22/11: Brails Again, Feeding the Poor, Photographing an Empire

1.  I got myself ready to serve breakfast at the church by eating breakfast at Brails beforehand.  I switched things up.   Rather than my usual corned beef hash, I ordered ground round and eggs and hash browns and English muffin.  I really needed my breakfast so I could be strong at the church.

2.  Nearly two hundred-fifty people ate breakfast this morning, all in some state of poverty, many without teeth, some drunk or high, few clean, all hungry.  It's intense, but behavior was very good.  People we served were grateful.  Our work in the kitchen and on the serving line was full of good cheer.  We fed everyone who walked through the door.  Our church provides this meal every other Saturday.

3.  Russell and I took quite a few pictures east and northeast of the main campus at the Univ. of Oregon.  I'd never stood close to the Matt Arena or the Ford Alumni Center or the John Jaqua Academic Center for Student Athletes.  Here's one view of the latter:

Three Beautiful Things 10/21/11:Brails Was Just Right, Good Essays, Monschambacher Lager from the Firkin

1.  Everything was just right at Brails this morning:  the service, the newspaper, the corned beef hash, eggs, hash browns, and English muffin.  Nothing fancy.  A common day at the cafe.  And just right.

2.  My students did a good job recounting what I hoped they would see in The Odyssey and did very good work summing up what they learned from the Joseph Campbell videotape.  I read those papers this afternoon and it was really good to read their fine work.

3.  I was checking in on FB and a notice came up that Sixteen Tons had just opened a firkin of Monschambacher Lagerbier.  I pulled myself together, got a call from the Deke saying she'd like to meet at Sixteen Tons and, wow, it was fun to have some time with the Deke and that Monschambacher Lager drawn from the firkin was -- well, it wasn't Lucky Lager -- or as the Germans might say, Glucklich Lager -- well, that Monschambacher Lager was a treat: a smooth, tasty, easy lager that helped make conversation with the Deke mega-enjoyable and, when she left before I did, put me in a deeply meditative state.  The great lagers:  my wheelhouse.  What a pleasure.

Three Beautiful Things 10/20/11: Lively WR 121, Sixteen Ton-Billy Mac's Retreat, Cards Break Cardinal Cut Off Rule

1.  I was happy and a bit fired up by how my two sections of WR 121 tore into passages that stood out to them as particularly important in "Buffalo for the Broken Heart".  By the time my four hours of conducting class ended, I was beaming -- and wrung out from fielding so much good discussion.

2.  It's been a draining week.  I'm sure it's the aftermath of losing Snug.  I welcomed a retreat into the sanctuary of Sixteen Tons.  Emily was working the taps and it was fun yakking back and forth.  Oakshire had a beer I'd never tasted before on tap:   Big Black Jack Imperial Chocolate Pumpkin Porter.  I loved it.  The best bonus:  the Deke joined me.  We yakked it up for a while before heading over to Billy Mac's to eat and gab some more with friends.  Great prime rib sandwich.  Superb company.  The retreat continued.  I was beaming.

3.  The top of the ninth inning of Game 2 of the 2011 World Series re-invigorated my love of baseball.  Kinsler dunks a lawn dart into shallow left center field.  He steals second, safe by a hand, despite Yolina's bullet to the bag.  Andrus singles, but his hit doesn't score Kinsler BUT the Cards botch the cut off and Andrus advances to second.  The Rangers will not get another hit this game, but on the strength of two pretty lazy fly balls, the first by Hamilton, to right field, not only driving home Kinsler, but advancing Andrus, the second by Young, scoring Andrus, the Rangers win.  A dinky single, a bold stolen base, a solid single, a botched cutoff, and two fly balls.  Chicks dig the long ball?  I dig the ball small.  I wish I could have watched this last inning with Dad.  When he coached our IOOF Little League team, he stressed, like no other Little League coach in Kellogg, the cut off.  Keep throws low.  Cut off throws and don't let runners have bases they don't earn.  The Cards broke the Cardinal Cut Off Rule and it cost them Game 2.  I haven't decided who I want to win this World Series.  Tonight it was fun to not have a rooting interest and to watch this small ball drama unfold.

Three Beautiful Things 10/19/11: Happy Birthday, Foul Mood Lightened, Day Old Pasta Sauce

1.  Samantha did a lovely thing:  she went to Sweet Life and, to celebrate her deceased father's birthday, bought herself a piece of the best cake she'd ever tasted in her life.

2.  I fell into a foul mood today and I'm not quite sure why.  It almost felt like I might be dropping into the black hole again, a place I haven't been since March, 2009.  I told the Deke and Samantha that I was out of sorts and not to take anything personally and they understood.  What a relief.  My dark mood had nothing to do with them and that they accepted this and that the Deke asked me a few questions about my condition helped me lighten up.  So did going to bed really early.

3.  I made a really good pasta sauce yesterday, but our family decided not to eat it and tonight the Deke and I dove into it, spooning it over penne.  Having it age a day made this tasty sauce really tasty today and we savored its multiple flavors and textures.

Three Beautiful Things 10/18/11: Beauty Group, Red Barn, Burrito

1.  Carolyn and I facilitated another fine discussion with another group, at the church, about beauty.

2.  I enjoy shopping each night for the vegetables we need, doing it at Red Barn, and then dropping in for a pint at Sam Bond's Garage.  I like shopping at the Red Barn and enjoy how quiet it is at Sam Bond's between 4-5 or so.

3.    I ate this massive burrito from Taqueria Mi Tierra.  It lasted me the whole rest of the day…and it was really good.

Three Beautiful Things 10/10/11-10/17/11: Catching Up

For much of the past week, my thoughts and feelings have been focused largely on the loss of Snug.  During this time, I've lacked the energy to keep up with posting Three Beautiful Things each day.  These days have been hard, but not lacking in beauty or in goodness, so I'm going to go back and try to pin down Three Beautiful Things for each of them.

Three Beautiful Things 10/10/11:  Conferences, Beef Stew, T'ao Chien

1.  I had my first WR 121 conference and it felt really good to work closely with the two students I met with.  I feel like a more authentic teacher in these situations when I'm working one to one or one to two with students.

2.  That beef stew I put together last night?  It sat in the icebox all night and today and was ready to be warmed up and eaten tonight.  Rave reviews.  We all loved it.

3.  I always enjoy getting underway with old Chinese poetry and the nostalgic vision of T'ao Chien.


 Three Beautiful Things 10/11/11:  Chicken Noodles, Beauty Group, It Could Have Been Worse

1.  I enjoyed figuring out how I would combine meat off of chicken thighs, egg noodles, mushrooms, and broccoli into delicious dinner.

2.  Carolyn and I held our first group meeting on the subject of beauty at the Hockley's home and had a great discussion.

3.  Snug's bit Sam hard.  It could have been really bad, but Sam protected herself with her arm and Snug bit into her elbow.  The good news?  Sam is going to be all right.  The wound is serious, will require stitches, but Samantha will heal and be fine.

Three Beautiful Things 10/12/11:  Art Project, Snug's Last Outing, Leftovers

1.  My students did art projects with "Drinking Alone by Moonlight" and had a lot of fun and did good work.

2.  I had to get Snug out of the house and, as it turns out, it was our last outing.  It was a gorgeous one.  I kept him on the leash, but we went to a huge field on Willow Creek Road and Snug filled his nose with grass and ground scents, stuck his nose in little burrows and the roots of things, and had a great sensory experience.  He was really happy.

3.  That beef stew and those chicken noodles?  Great leftovers.

Three Beautiful Things 10/13/11:  Grief, Help, Sleep

1.  The Deke and had decided in a short, decisive conversation that Snug would have to be euthanized.   We both knew it before we said it and then my crying began, the deep grief.  I didn't at all want to let Snug go, but I knew I had to.

2.  The Deke helped me out.  So did Adrienne.  I was unable to call the vet to make an appointment to end Snug's life and their help helped me a lot.  I'm eternally grateful.

3.  Snug and I slept closely together all night.

Three Beautiful Things 10/14/11:  Support, Debrief, Dinner and More

1.  The Deke and Dr. Jones could not have been more sensitive to my grief nor more supportive of the decision to put Snug down.  This meant the world to me.

2.  After we left the vet, the Deke and I went to 16 Tons for drinks.  It was a perfect way to sort out what had happened and was happening.

3.  Later, the Deke, Sam, and I joined Jon and the Troxstar at Billy Mac's and the food and drinks and conversation were perfect:   just what I needed.  I'd seen the Troxstar earlier with Marla and our 16 Tons pal Emily at Brails.  All of this was very good.  So was going back to 16 Tons with Jon and the Troxstar for another couple of beers before going home.  I really needed to talk and laugh and be with good friends.  It all happened Friday afternoon and evening.

Three Beautiful Things 10/15/11:  D. B. (Beak, Boney), Whiteaker Again, Return to Yi Shen

1.  It was great to see Dale Bachman at Appleby's, helping keep dishes clean at the Springfield Lions' benefit pancake breakfast for a man about to have a kidney transplant.

2.  Russell and I enjoyed our photo stroll.  We returned to the Whiteaker neighborhood and when we were done, both of us thought returning for the third week in a row would be great.

3.  Russell and I were back to our favorite post-photowalk dining spot:  Yi Shen.  My lemongrass fish plate was superb and I sure hope that today was the next of many weeks in a row that we are back at Yi Shen. 

Three Beautiful Things 10/16/11:  Symposium, Goddess, 16 Tons Get Together

1.  Jared Talbot gave a fine symposium at St. Mary's on his faith experience as a scientist.

2.  Emily is a beer goddess.

3.  The Troxstar, Marla, the Deke, and I had a really good session at 16 Tons with Emily pouring.  It was a really great time.

 Three Beautiful Things 10/17/11:  Campbell, Steak Sandwich, Stouts

1.  I introduced my World Lit students to Joseph Campbell.  I sure hope it worked for them.

2.  I'd never been to Burgers on the Run down by the Wandering Goat on Madison and I had the steak sandwich.  Great food.

3.  I'd never tried either Southern Tier's Creme Brulee Stout or their Choklat Stout.  Loved them both.  Fun beer. 

Snug 2005-2011

On Friday, October 14, 2011, Snug was put to rest by his veterinarian.  Snug snapped on Tuesday evening in the kitchen and seriously injured Samantha with a deep bite in her elbow that could have been a deep bite in her neck or face.  Samantha's wound is healing really well.

Snug was always an unpredictable dog.  His unpredictability made him a dangerous dog.  It was part of his DNA.  We couldn't do anything about it.  Throughout his life, I did everything I could to keep him out of situations where he might attack people as well as other dogs.  For the last two and a half years, after he bit a friend at our front door, until last Tuesday, I was successful, essentially protecting Snug from himself and others. 

I've been distraught.  Snug and I had a deep bond, a deep friendship, unique from any relationship I've ever had.  With me, in our life together, he was sweet, tender, animated, and comforting.

I love him dearly.

I hated letting him go.

It tore me up.

I'm going to post more remembrances and thoughts and feelings about Snug here in my blog as time goes along.   

Three Beautiful Things 10/09/11: Quiet/Heart Attack, Stew, Beer and Brass

1.  My time of worship was meditative, one of those Sundays when I sat in the back of the church and was quiet most of the time.  I was fully participating, but mostly in silence -- it's a way I like to do things.  Across the aisle, in another row of pews, a guy who is more rambunctious was seated and I heard him telling another guy that he often feels like yelling "Amen" and "Alleluia" during the service but he figured it would cause people in the church to have a heart attack. I chuckled.  I'd be one of the heart attack victims!  I worship where I do because I enjoy the solemn quiet.  But, I've been fairly forewarned and if this guy decides to let a loud "Alleluia" rip, I'll try to stay out of the cardiac unit.

2.  Finally the weather has cooled down enough so that I can assemble and cook beef stew and I spent a few hours in the kitchen putting one together for dinner Monday night.  It's one of my very favorite cooking projects.

3.  The Troxstar and Madam Marla and I descended upon Sixteen Tons at five and it was great to see Emily in charge of the taps and the cash register.  It was a lot of fun talking and laughing and Emily was kind enough to play a vinyl version of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass's "South of the Border".  I tried a new beer and was very happy with Cascade's Fresh Hop Porter.  I then returned to two favorites, a pint of 8 Ball Stout and a half pint of the Porterhouse Wrasslers XXXX Stout. 

Beer

To me, beer is photogenic.  Here's what I mean, without further caption or comment:

Three Beautiful Things 10/08/11: Breakfast at St. Mary's, Photo Walk, Casserole

1.  We served about 150 or more hungry people at the St. Mary's Saturday Breakfast.  I served bacon and sausage and toast and a number of those who came for a plate of eggs, potatoes, meat, oatmeal, grits, gravy, juice, coffee, and, for some, pancakes, expressed sincere gratitude.  I'm sure I've mentioned before that this free breakfast is a twice a month occasion.  We don't turn anyone away.  Troublemakers get served outside.  The church has been offering this breakfast for about twenty years.

2.  Russell and Samantha and I went on a photo walk in the Whiteaker neighborhood, starting at the Wandering Goat and making out way to the Red Barn area and back to the car again.  I tried out my new lens and had an exhilarating time and hoped that Samantha enjoyed touring this neighborhood and all of its vitality.

3.  The Deke was going to make meatloaf for dinner, but she decided to take the pasta sauce I had just made and some frozen leftover sloppy Joe sauce I made long ago and combine it with some macaroni.  It was a superb casserole.  I love meatloaf, but this casserole was even better on this day. 

Three Beautiful Things 10/06/11: Group Fail/Conversation Success, Pint and a Half at 16 Tons, Nerd Games

1.  Carolyn and I got ourselves all prepared to lead a group discussion of the chapter on beauty in Bass's "Christianity for the Rest of Us" and only the group's host, Shelly, showed up.  So, Shelly, Carolyn, and I had a really enjoyable conversation about the Ducks, the city of Eugene, flowers, painting, and a host of other things and left hoping that the Friday group is for real and not a mirage!

2.  I popped into Sixteen Tons late in the afternoon and had my mind made up that I wanted two beers I'd never tried before and that I would limit myself to a pint and a half (rather than my usual two pints).  I enjoyed my first winter ale, a half pint of Oakshire's Ill-Tempered Gnome, a tasty brown ale, combining sweetness and hoppy bitterness.  For years, I've seen the label on bottles of Lost Coast 8-Ball Stout, but never bought one.  Seeing it on tap at Sixteen Tons and being on a stout kick lately inspired me to try it out.  I really like 8-Ball a lot.  I think many like the Porterhouse Wrasslers XXXX Stout better because it's a dry Irish Stout and hoppier.  I really like the Wrasslers XXXX Stout, but I might have enjoyed the 8-Ball a wee bit more.  I'm not as crazy about the hoppy finish as a lot of people around here are.  About 8-Ball, I must borrow an old bit from Tony Kornheiser:  Rack 'em!

3.   Samantha found out that the 'Wich House hosts nerd game night on Fridays, and so the Deke and Samantha and I went to check it out.  As expected, I saw a couple of my former students and I think Samantha found out what she wanted by observing the games from our table.  The food?  Superb!  My tuna melt on wheat  focaccia tasted great, as did the cup of ginger chicken soup.  The three of us had a wonderful time together. 

Three Beautiful Things 10/04-06: Learning, Savoring, Cooking/Eating

1.  It was a good three days in the classroom:  I think the way the story of Gilgamesh unfolds to portray the refining and strengthening nature of suffering started to make sense to my World Lit. students, I had fun subbing for Sparky in her Acting Shakespeare class, and I think I have finished frontloading WR 121 with more information and significant aspects of research and writing than any single person could possibly remember.  So, now the reviewing, the repeating, the reniforcing, the practice really begins.

2.  These were three good days for trying some different beers.  One was an old friend from over ten years ago that I hadn't enjoyed for a long time:  Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout.  I also enjoyed a pint of Hopworks Urban Brewery's Survival "Seven Grain" Stout at Sam Bond's Garage, a flavor-packed delight.  The next afternoon I returned to Sam Bond's and had a pint of the first stout I ever drank, in May, 1975, in London:  Guinness -- and it's always fun to be reminded of its creaminess and fine taste.  Guinness is also a memory-packed beer for me, whether I think about London, Max's (years and years ago) or fixing a delicious black and tan at home.  I also enjoyed a bottle of Sheaf Stout from Australia.  Brill. 

3.  It was a good food week, too:  I fixed a rump roast with carrots, celery, sweet onion, and potatoes;  I used the leftover beef two nights later and fixed a ginger beef and garlic stir fry with brown rice; I baked four chicken legs, stripped off the meat, combined the meat with stir-fried vegetables and brown rice and topped it with Thai peanut sauce; last of all, I fixed a ground beef/sweet Italian sausage tomato pasta sauce, enhanced by a ton of basil, and we all had spaghetti and chunks of baguette. 

In conclusion:  classroom enjoyment, some good beers, and great fun cooking good food added up to three good days in early October.

Three Beautiful Things 10/03/11: Gilgamesh, Union Cafe, Sixteen Tons with Troxstar

1.  What appears to be an external journey is an inward one:  Gilgamesh. 

2.  A wonderful sandwich at Union Cafe accompanied by a cup of three cheese tomato soup from Soup Nation and a gorgeous pint of Oakshire's Landtrust Lager. 

3.  The Troxstar invited me out for an evening beer about 8 o'clock and I enjoyed a refreshing Oakshire Triune Fresh Hop Pale followed by a Wrasslers XXXXX Stout which is becoming my favorite beer at Sixteen Tons, although I doubt it will last long.

Three Beautiful Things10/02/11: Small Groups, "Abraham's Land", Stout Blanche

1.  Carolyn and I got the way we are going to deal with beauty in the small groups figured out.  We also had a fine lunch at High Street.

2.  I was happy to be an audience to the reading of "Abraham's Land", but as a read play, it didn't do much for me.  I'm ready to believe that I would find it more compelling were I to see it staged and acted.  The subject matter is as important as any subject matter can be:  the tensions between Jews and Palestinians.  I'm not totally sure that the particular play treats those tensions convincingly.

3.  I stopped in at 16 Tons after the play reading and enjoyed aWrasslers XXXXX Stout.  It was a very pleasing stout on the coffee end of the taste spectrum, but its hoppiness surprised me.  I didn't like how hoppy it was for about three sips, but then, for mysterious reasons, the hoppiness grew on me and I enjoyed the last, what?, dozen or so pulls from the pint.  I then drank a half pint of a much sweeter beer, Mort Subite Blanche. As often happens in my explorations up and down the tap list at 16 Tons, this beer provided me with a different experience than I'd ever had before.  It was the sweetest beer I've ever tasted.  It wasn't like drinking Hi C or anything like that.  But its sweetness and its Belgian qualities combined to be not only pleasing, but, for me, unique (in a good way).

Three Beautiful Things 10/01/11: Jiffy, Meeting, Amber

1.  I like going to Jiffy Market and today I picked up my first cinnamon doughy Pershing sort of thing for many months and grabbed a cup of coffee and enjoyed the slow manner of the checker and relished the junky, casual environment of the store.

2.  Our English department's full time faculty met at Jeff's house to talk about department stuff away from campus and at a time when nothing related to school could interrupt us and before I went to Jeff's I bought a bag of six bottles of wine for the Deke and Scott W. saw me and wondered if he could come to my house and I told him I was headed to a department meeting, letting him believe that's what the wine was for, but even though the wine wasn't for the meeting, the meeting did feature a case of Ninkasi IPA (I didn't drink any...it's not the kind of beer I enjoy) and I knew that Scott got the right impression of our meeting, even though he didn't see the right form of alcohol. 

3.  When I got home from the meeting I wound down a bit with a 22 oz bottle of Oakshire Amber Ale, a gorgeous beer to look at when held to the light and an easy, pleasing, tasty beer to drink.

Three Beautiful Things 09/30/10: Neil Simon at LCC (A Conflict for Me), The Office, Two Retired Professors

1.  It's hard for me to go see a play by a playwright I don't really enjoy.  I don't enjoy Neil Simon.  I went to see Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" at LCC, put on by the incredible Student Productions Association.  The production was splendid.  It was very pleasing to the eye.  The actors brought great energy to their work.  It was great to see Sarah and Tanner, whom I worked with in "Taming of the Shrew".  They did wonderful work, as did the rest of the cast.  I was very happy for Tim who was the assistant director of the production.  I sat two seats down from him in the audience and enjoyed his delight in seeing his hard work come alive on stage.   I found myself, however, wishing at many points during the play that all of this talent and beauty and energy had been devoted to a playwright I enjoy more.  I have this experience consistently with two often produced playwrights:  Anton Chekhov and Neil Simon.  However, unlike the last several times when I saw a Chekhov play and wanted to run screaming out of the theater or movie house, I never felt this way at LCC's production "Brighton Beach Memoirs".  There was too much to enjoy.   And it was wonderful to see so many people in the audience and  to hear so many big laughs.  As someone who doesn't care much for Neil Simon, I was definitely in the minority -- in a big way.  Nothing wrong with that!

2.  I enjoy my work as a teacher the most when I work with students individually and two students came by during my office hours today and it felt great to be of help and to get better acquainted with these students.

3.  I stopped into Todd's Place this morning for breakfast and seated at a table together were two professors from the University of Oregon whose presence brought back a ton of memories of research/bibliography (James Boren, English) and breakfasts at the Glenwood and the introduction of a couple of friends of mine into Wings (Will Davie, Philosophy).   Both professors are retired, are emeritus, and were two men whom it seemed like I saw every day, one way or another, when I spent almost every waking moment in the halls of old PLC, starting thirty years ago.