Photo-Shoot Today with Alysa

Alysa, my husband's almost 15 year old daughter flew in from Spokane for a photo-shoot here in Nampa today. She is just starting out in the modeling world; signed with Urban Talent: see her pics here: http://www.urbantalent.com/ We spent the day with Craig of C. Frame Photography & had a really great time! It was freezing cold & snowing a bit, but got some great shots :)
The first location was Rocky Mountain Steel here in Nampa: one of the places I go to buy steel for special projects...we wanted something industrial, & their huge steel warehouse was perfect; comeplete with the train tracks out back :)

Check out those shoes :) The train cars were lots of fun :)

After spending a few hours at the steel yard in the freezing cold, we headed across town to the Brass Razoo: my fav. place to shop :) Owner Elise was kind enough to let us take over the shop for a few hours & let Alysa & Annie play dress up. (Annie is also with UT-just starting out) We had a ball looking through all the fun & funky clothes & accessories; it was really more like shopping...I think that was Elise's plan all along, cuz we left the store with a few new things :)
It was a fun day & the preview pics that Craig showed us turned out amazing! Will post some when we get them back.

Thanks again to everyone at Rocky Mountain Steel; special thanks for making sparks for us :) And the Brass Razoo; it was perfect! We'll be in soon to show & tell with the finished pics!!

More later....it's been a long day: fun, but long. Thanks so much Craig, for all your time & hard work: the pics are amazing!

Amber

AGC Project; the last piece :)

Yesterday, we added the final piece to the AGC wall; another set of plaques listing the boards of directors.... All in all, I think the whole thing turned out great :)

Now the wall looks full & finished...

Apples & giant steel springs...

You wouldn't think apples & steel springs go together, but in my world they do...
So, for the last month or so I've been canning stuff; extra tomatoes & cukes from the garden, pickled some beets, made a few jams, etc. A few weeks ago, I decided that I need to expand the collection, so after finding a Craigslist add for farm apples, I bought a bunch. Made some sauce, some apple butter, & some apple pie filling out of the 1st batch with pretty good success: loved the way the pie filling looked in jars, & the apples were crisp & delish! Must get more apples, I decided; thinking about holiday gifts: back out to Marsing to get 2 more bushels... For the last week or so, I've been making small batches of apples & canning in the evenings. One night the syrup was too thin; watery in the jars, the next night it was way thick-like caramel thick; had to mix the apples in the syrup & spoon into jars. Took forever, but the jars look pretty. The next night, I learned about why one must mix cornstarch with cold water--not hot...then I learned about over-filling of the jars, under filling of the jars, apple peeler malfunctions, etc etc.
Finally, I used up every last apple; then it was onto designing cute labels for the jars--of course I can't be satisfied with buying pre-made labels; had to spend hours on photoshop making my own custom labels so the jars look good... Labeled the jars, including all the pickles & everything else I made earlier. The jars all look great, but one small problem: my dining room table is completely covered with jars stacked 3 high....pantry is already full, hmmmmmm...need a cabinet for all this stuff.

Found a country-ish looking cabinet thing at a cute store in Nampa; & convinced husband to help me load it up & bring it home...Filled with jars; looks really cute & works great. Now the kitchen table doesn't really fit. Kitchen table got demoted to the patio outside. Which brings us to the steel spring....the base for my new small kitchen table that I made today :)
The spring is from a train; it's huge & way heavy; been sitting in the garden for a year or so... I just happened to have a lovely concrete saw blade thats the perfect size for the table top; weld to the spring, add a base of plow disk & nifty bolts & whalla! New table :)New dining room :) Its got a bit of a country vibe right now, not sure about that: but with some more industrial art & accessories I think it'll be ok. Maybe different chairs...hmmmm...

Yes, everyone is getting jars of apples for the holidays :)

Amber

New Nampa Discovery-Karcher Ranch Market

About a week ago, I convinced Husband to drive me out to Marsing to buy fresh picked apples for canning...we stopped in at the Karcher Ranch Market to check it out & OMG: what a discovery!! I always thought it was just the produce under the tent out front: but not so: there is a whole store full of local & organic goodies, canning supplies, old fashion soda pop & candy, & lots more!
We must have spent an hour at least, wandering about---lots of time was spent in the bulk spices section, where Husband discovered the powdered soup bases & dehydrated butter & such (for the emergency food supply). I scored some nice pickling spice mixes, an assortment of whole peppercorns (for a custom blend), & organic cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger for baking.
I also picked up an old fashion apple peeler/corer/slicer thing (which works great, btw), a few bags of organic flours in different varieties, & a hand cranked juicer thing :)
If you haven't been in before, I highly recommend stopping in to browse. If you are into organic/local, baking, canning, or anything related: this is the place for you :) They also carry local milk, eggs, cheese, & a selection of meats in the freezer.

I'm so glad we discovered this place: with the bigger garden this year, I've been canning the excess, & also adding in some locally purchased fruits--for the pantry & holiday gifts.... With the new gadgets, the job has been way faster...I might even have to go get s'more apples :)

-more on the apple canning saga later-

Karcher Ranch Market is located at: 2302 W. Karcher, just past the Edwards Cinemas, driving toward Marsing.

Allan Burnett

Diana Rimel writes:

There will be a Memorial Service for Allan (who died in July of this year) on Saturday 7 November at 2pm, the Welling Baptist Church, Axminster Crescent, Kent - www.wellingbaptist.co.uk

Allan was for many years a Customs Officer with the PLA, hence his love for and knowledge of the River Thames and the City. After he retired he became a qualified City of London Guide Lecturer. He gave talks and guided tours both round these areas and also Highgate (his former home area). Many of us in Greenwich, the river boroughs and Kent have heard his well-researched, humorous and fascinating studies of the places he loved.

I have a list of books in good condition, mostly of London and some of Greenwich, which he left which I can send to anyone interested. Also a screen, stand, 8 carousel drums of slides (City of London and Highgate areas) and slide boxes. Proceeds to Allan's named charity, the Mildmay Hospital Mission. Anyone interested please contact me on diana@historytalk.fsnet.co.uk

Just arrived today - history of Siemens Engineering Society

First I should explain to any readers under 60 that Siemens was a large factory near where the barrier is today. Like so much of Greenwich and Woolwich industry it was a world leader in expertise and innovation in its field of electrical engineering - much of what we take for granted in telecommunications today was pioneered there. After the factory closed in the 1960s the group of young apprentices continued with a programme of lectures and technical visits - and now, all OAPs, have published a history of their Society.

The book is fascinating - but I am just going to quote some of the letter that comes with it from Secretary, Brian Middlemiss.

"The Engineering Society was founded in October 1897, its first President being Alexander Siemens. The Society flourished until 1968 when the Company was taken over by GEC and closed. The feelings of loyalty, memories and fellowship were such that reunion meetings began in 1969. The 40th Anniversary of this reformed Society has provided the spur to produce this history.
Ever since the Society embarked on this project our object has been to recored, as far as has been possible, the pioneering research, development, engineering and manufacture of Electrical Cables, Telegraph, Telephone, Signalling, and Measuring Apparatus, Wireless Equipment, Lamps, Lights and Batteries undertraken by Siemens Brothers and Co., Ltd for over 100 years.
The age profile of the members of the Society suggests we will not be undertaking any more major projects.
I hope you find reading our history informative and enjoyable."

The history is indeed amazing - and it is very very touching to find the devotion they have to the achievements of an employer which went out of business over forty years ago! The book will be on display at the GIHS meeting next week - and would be available to loan to anyone who promised to bring it back. And the Heritage Centre has a copy. I do not think copies are to go on general sale - but we are happy to pass contact details on if anyone asks for them.

Current archaeology - Sub Brit

On the last page of the current Current Archaeology is a note about Subterranea Brittanica. This is headed 'Odd Socs' - which suits Sub Brit - I remember a meeting when the Chair announced himself as 'an odd sort of chap - aren't we all' - to general approval.

It also notes that Sub Brit contains many women - and was founded by Sylvia Beamon - who I once heard describe how she persuaded the NHS to let her take her chronic bronchitis to a hospital in a Polish salt mine where the main treatment was a lot of energetic communal singing.

Several Greenwich blogs have referred to underground features locally - and we would love some of their protagonists to come and talk to GIHS. Paul Sowan - for many years Sub Brit Chair - has been to talk about Gilbert's Pit. Their web site is www.subbrit.org.uk