Categories
Internet Libraries

Back from vacation

I went to New York City last weekend, and then came down with a cold. Airplanes and lots of walking can do that.

I’d never been to New York City before, but always have been a fan of the city. Finally going there was incredibly exciting in the way that going to a long admired place always is- seeing the places you’ve read about, living the local lifestyle, and finding out things you didn’t know or expect. I’ll put up some pictures once I manage to reboot my life from being sick and at the same time working a lot.

On a completely different subject, this post by Meredith Farkas describes my feelings exactly. This post is about the dangers of relying on free or outsourced web 2.0 applications for important library functions, and I would suggest that it applies equally to individuals. If you completely rely on other companies or people for your technology solutions, it’s more likely than not that you will run into trouble. The lowered learning curve of web 2.0 is great for starting out, but if it really does get to the point of being essential, it’s a good idea to educate yourself about ways that you can take control of the technology. Maybe it’s putting it on a local server rather than a remote server, backing up data, or coming up with a Plan B for what you’ll do without that service.

Categories
Gardening Internet

My back porch gave me a t-shirt

Recently my back porch made it into Apartment Therapy’s Great Outdoors 2009 contest. I took five not great pictures of the deck and wrote excessively long copy, but they posted it anyway. The other people on the site make me jealous with their yards and orange tomato cages and whatnot.

Now they tell me that they are sending me an Apartment Therapy book and a t-shirt. How often does your back porch get you a t-shirt? I need to start entering those HGTV reality home shows and start making real money.

The contest is still open for another week if you have a great outdoor space and want to enter.

Categories
Cooking

Springtime Soup Recipe

Last weekend at the farmer’s market we picked up some spring garlic and some French breakfast radishes (the CSA starts next week). We ate the radishes cut in half and spread with butter and salt. The tops we saved to make soup. There are a number of recipes available, but I improvised and came up with my own. Here it is, delicious and despite my photography, beautiful.

Springtime soup

Springtime Soup

3 TB butter (or neutral oil)
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1-2 lbs potatoes Note: I used about half a large russet potato, because that’s what I had, but you could use whatever amount looks right. I also didn’t peel mine, because I love brown vitaminy flecks in my soup, but that would be more elegant.
6 cups water
1 lb green peas (a whole bag of frozen peas works well)
1 bunch radish tops (maybe 1 cup or so)
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh dill to taste
1 cup milk/yogurt/cream, or a combination thereof (optional)

Melt the butter in a soup pot or large saucepan. When hot, saute the onions until translucent. Add garlic and potatoes, and saute for a few more minutes until potatoes start to become tender.

Add the water to the pot. If the peas were frozen, add them now. If not, wait until the water begins to simmer. In any event, bring the water to a boil, and salt it generously. Once the water boils, lower the heat to a simmer, add the radish tops, and cook for a few minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Add as much fresh dill as you like, torn up. Then puree the soup, either using an immersion blender or transferring to a regular blender. Taste and adjust seasonings. If you like, return the pot to the heat to warm it, but it’s fine at any temperature. Stir in milk, plain yogurt, cream, or a combination.

Garnish with some fresh dill, and serve!