respublica

Icy night

It's quiet tonight, dark and yet glittery.  We took a walk after dinner, here's what we saw. 

Across from the seminary library the trees absolutely shine.  This photo doesn't enlarge well, the others look even better when made bigger.

On DeMun, the streets and sidewalks were still, no one out walking or driving.  Kaldi's was closed, Jimmy's on the Park looked to be closed, one wait staff person in Sasha's.

Dale and Ferdie had DeMun all to themselves

Behind Sieck hall, more white silvery trees which should not be silver.

No one's out, but security is on duty.  Thanks, guys.

Charter bumping up the speed

According to Charter spokesmen, effective today the company is increasing internet speed for home customers from 8 megabits-per-second (Mbps) to up to 12Mbps.

Well.  Now this is interesting and welcome.  But over the weekend our Charter internet was really dragging so much so that even the original 8 mbps would have been welcome. 

Maybe it all had to do with the new upgrade. 

Now if only the ice doesn't bring down the cable lines.

Chocolate cookies!

The sleet is coming down freezing as it hits cars and walkways.  So, it's time to bake cookies and these are the best cookies ever. 

Chocolate Expresso Chews.  Got the recipe some years ago from Diane F who lives nearby and make them periodically for special occasions and today with winter taking aim, is special.

Recipe

Preheat oven to 325

1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided.  I use Gharadelli’s

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped  Use Valrhona or some other 70% chocolate bar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon finely ground dark-roast coffee beans or Instant expresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine 2 cups chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and butter in a
heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Melt over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Set aside.

Spread walnuts on a baking sheet; toast in oven about 6 minutes, just until
they start to darken. Watch carefully; nuts burn quickly. Turn off the oven.
Let nuts cool, then chop coarsely.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs, sugar, ground coffee and vanilla
on high speed until thick ribbons form and the mixture has doubled in volume.  This part is very important, getting the egg mixture increased in volume

By hand, stir in melted chocolate until thoroughly combined, then add dry
ingredients, chopped walnuts and remaining 1 cup chocolate chips. Cover and
refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.  Overnight is ok too, but it will have to soften just a bit before putting them on the cookie sheet.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking sheets.

Make golf ball-size scoops of dough, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the
baking sheets.  Dough will be very dense, use 2 spoons.   Don’t try to use your hands, it’ll be messy.  Bake,  in batches,  10 to 12 minutes; the tops will crack, but the
cookies should be gooey inside.

Let cool on the baking sheets for some minutes before transferring to a wire
rack to cool completely.   If you try taking them off too soon, they’ll crumble.  

The nice thing about this dough is that it freezes well, you can make the cookie balls and freeze them in freezer bags  to take out and bake a few at a time whenever you have a craving for them.

Working the tree line

Since the 2006 storms which saw limbs take down power lines, Ameren has contracted with tree trimming companies to clear overhanging branches from power lines.  Last week the tree guys were back, spending every day along the lines from DeMun to Dartford which is the line behind our house. 

They were back today, working way up high even in what is now a cold rain. 

One guy stays on the ground as a spotter and a collector of branches which fall.

While the other goes way up high.  How high?

This high.  Way up there. 

One thing about this, the company really did put forth a concerted effort the past few years to get those trees away from the lines.  Ice may bring the lines down, but limbs won't. 

The sun will come out tomorrow

Another flash mob in a Florida mall.

Here in the midwest with an historic winter storm heading our way, we need this one.  Fun fun fun. 

Makes me feel like dancing.

Clearing the driveway

Channel 5 in St. Louis has an unintentionally humorous bit of advice for homeowners ahead of the major winter storm. 

How to keep plows from pushing street snow across the entrance to the driveway. 

Doubtful this will work.

Fireworks? Seriously?

9 o'clock on Sunday night. Suddenly explosions. What is going on? Has the ice storm come early and popped the power lines so soon? No, a 20 minute fireworks display clearly visible from our back yard. Who does this? Probably Wash U but why?

Ferdie-two years later

Two years ago today we adopted Ferdie from Dirks Fund Golden Retriever Rescue.  His story had all kinds of twists and turns, beginning ironically, in Collinsville. 

I doubt a day goes by that I don't silently thank Tracy up at Collinsville City Hall for getting him to safety that cold January. 

Now Ferdie is able to go with us to Collinsville without panicking, something he did for at least a year.  The other day I took him over there to do some work inside the house.  He was fine with it. 

He's been a great dog, a loyal companion, good with young children and all around fine guy. 

Ice plus snow

Equals snowmagedden for St Louis this week. Weather looks to bring a day of ice and 8 to even a foot of snow on top of that. Depending on which station you listen to, the area will be crippled or paralyzed.

A cattle drive in 2011

San Antonio held its annual Stock Show and Rodeo today featuring a Longhorn cattle drive through the streets of downtown.  Katie and Charlie happened to be in San Antonio this weekend and captured the fun of the cattle drive on film.

Here they come.

There they go.  Thought Texas had more cattle.

Here's a short video they took with the Longhorns mooooooving.  Some had a bit of giddy up others more of an amble.  Pamplona it's not.

Hee Yah.