Stuffed Portobellos just the way I like them

I just love mushrooms; they can be cooked just about any way. 

Last week at the Farmer's Market, I came across these beautiful portobello mushrooms, discounted because they were picked the day before. Gotta love that kind of value.

I looked through cookbooks to find a recipe to use for stuffing them, but none of them appealed to me. Since none of them quite fit the bill, I decided to improvise.

First, I cut off the mushroom stems, and put them into the freezer for soup stock. I brushed the caps to ensure they were clean. Using a spoon, I gently scraped out the gills, which makes more room in the caps for the stuffing. I brushed them with olive oil and placed them into the oven, cap side up at 350º for 10 minutes while I made the stuffing.

I used a tomato, diced; a garlic clove, finely diced; a few fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips; 1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar; a splash of Extra virgin olive oil; a handful of Panko bread crumbs, enough to balance the liquid consistency; some salt and pepper.

Depending on your taste, any of these ingredients can be varied. 

Upon stuffing all of the mushroom caps, I topped them with shredded Mozzarella cheese and shredded Parmesan cheese. 

I returned the mushrooms to the oven to cook until the cheese melted. 

These were so delicious. Now that my tomatoes are starting to ripen, and the basil is growing well, I think it will be back to the Farmer's Market this week for more mushrooms. 

Visit the caves--a must see

My daughter, Jenny and her fiance, Mike came to visit us from Illinois this week. 

One of the places we had to visit was Blanchard Springs Caverns. They had never been there before, though my husband John and I are frequent visitors. Just about whenever anyone comes to visit, the caves are always a must see.

The caverns are spectacular, but they aren't the only draw. The scenic drive on  AR 5 from Mountain Home is so beautiful. 

I have lived in Arkansas for nearly seven years, and I will never take for granted the beauty that is all around me. It abounds here in the natural state. By the way, I love calling Arkansas by its moniker because to me, there is nothing better than 'natural.' I am honored to live in a state that prides itself in being natural.

The caverns' environs were even more enticing than normal, since we've had  such an abundance of rain. The creek was rushing and was so typically Arkansas--beautiful. I truly love Blanchard Spring and Mirror Lake. I wish such a setting was in my own backyard. We have the forest, and even a similar water feature, but only when it rains. It has been pretty spectacular lately, keeping the window open at night as the water rushed rapidly down the hillside and on to the river. 

I feel such a sense of pride when I visit this government facility. Our national parks and its amenities are something to be heralded, especially in these times of economic stress, foreign intervention and all other national issues. 

I think Jenny and Mike were surprised by what they saw. A living cave is not something that is easily imagined. The tour is always informative, professional, and interesting.  

The Ozarks has endured a very rainy season

Despite the sunny skies and warm temperatures, north-central Arkansas is still reeling from the effects of a series of torrential rains. Flooding continues.

Debris floats in the murky floodwater; a public dock is too far away to access

The White River basin has experienced so much rainfall that the flood-retention potential of the reservoirs on the White River system have exceeded their capacity. There has just been too much rain resulting in too much water.

Following one of the many articles in the local newspaper, The Baxter Bulletin recently, I noticed a comment about the dams not having any effect at all on flooding. The commenter suggested that it is almost like there aren't any dams at all.

I have to take issue with that. The dams have worked well. Yet, when they were designed, it was impossible to predict the kind of rain that has been experienced this year. I cannot imagine how horrific and widespread the flooding would have been without them. More lives would have been impacted and undoubtedly more lives would have been lost.

Controlling the White River basin is complicated, but basically, it began at Beaver Lake. With so much rain, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to release water from the spill gates from the dam at Beaver Lake (near Eureka Springs, AR). The rush of water compromised the storage capacity downstream at Table Rock Lake, (Branson, MO) which also experienced record rainfalls. Those flood gates too had to be opened. When that occurred, people living along Lake Taneycomo, near Branson, endured major flooding. Because of the economic impact to Branson, affecting numerous homes and businesses, this became a huge news event.

The torrent continued to make its way into Bull Shoals Lake, which caused a need to open the spill gates at the dam there.

As I write this, the flood gates remain open at Bull Shoals, allowing 58,000 cubic feet of water per second to rush into the White River below. All 17 flood gates are open. It is a sight to see and hear.

Bull Shoals dam releases water into the White River

Awesome power was evident in sight and sound

Sadly, the result is high water in the generally tranquil waters of the White between Bull Shoals and Norfork. Homes and docks have been inundated by the swiftly rushing, but crystal clear, cool water.

We had almost 40 inches of rain in a less than two-week period. The rain was amazing. I have never seen anything like it.

While I feel for all those whose property is in a low-lying area, I have no sympathy for the arrogant and/or foolish people who built homes practically on the water's edge. The smart people, such as the pioneers who built the Wolf House, built it on a bluff overlooking the river. They still had their view of the river, but were protected by the nearly annual occurrence back then. They knew then and we should know now that rivers will always flood despite man's efforts. Man cannot overpower, out think, or out maneuver Mother Nature, so he shouldn't even try.

Except for the last day of this rainy spell, I have to say I enjoyed every minute of the rainy weather. Before this started, we were suffering from mild drought conditions. Rain was not something that came easily last summer. I used to watch out the window as clouds formed and then poof--they dried up and disappeared. It was depressing to watch all my plants shrivel and die. Flowers failed to bloom. Trees went into early dormancy. We even lost some. The vegetable garden was the worst of all. So, when the rains began this spring, it was time to rejoice. I had just planted the garden. It was thriving; everything was lush and green. We needed the rain.

Somewhere along the way, we crossed the line. I recall being just a little cranky on that last rainy day. I'm not sure if it was because I knew the rain was going to end, I missed seeing the sunshine, or if I had just reached a personal limit. I'm sure I would have continued my enjoyment of those dark, moody days, had it not been for the severe storms that accompanied  the heavy rain. The severity of the weather hit way too close to home, as we are only 80 miles from Joplin, MO where the death toll continues to climb, a week after the storm.

I have always been fascinated with flooding which hearkens back to when I was a small child, living on the south side of Chicago. My family lived on a street that dead-ended at a set or railroad tracks. A pedestrian viaduct below the the tracks allowed access to the other side. It was the way my brother and I walked to school every day. When the viaduct was flooded, we had to walk over the tracks instead. That was normally tabu, but was the only way during a flood. Such a forbidden trek was very exciting to a six-year old child. Apparently, that stimulation has followed me to adulthood.

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• Lucky to have survived this Ozarks springtime (rural01.blogspot.com)

Lucky to have survived this Ozarks springtime

It was so dry earlier this year that the water level in the lakes nearby were so low that watery coves dried up. Some boats, like these at a marina in Udall, MO still moored at their docks, sat in the mud.

It all began to change in mid-April, when the rain began.

Image via Wikipedia The rain promised to aid the annual resurgence of flora and fauna. Trouble is, it didn't stop raining. At one point after a night of heavy rain, the rain gauge read '14 inches.' That was followed by four inches and then three inches. That continued for almost two weeks. I've since lost count. Suffice it to say we are now close to 40 inches of rain in a little over a month. Because we live on a hillside, we have had no ill effects from all that rain. In fact, I loved every minute of it. Our backyard resembled a tropical rain forest. To me, there is no better smell than the woods after a rain.  
  
Such heavy rain combined with a huge snow melt in the northern states, all draining into the Mississippi River, caused record-setting flooding in the nation's largest river and its tributaries. The great flood of 2011 has claimed thousands of acres and produced millions of dollars in damage in several states. 

In mid April, heavy moisture rising from the Gulf of Mexico with unseasonably warm temperatures collided with the cold dry air from the north. Fueled by an ambitious jet stream the result was an outbreak of severe storms.  
Image via WikipediaOn April 26, a tornado aimed at a major population center. Severe damage occurred in St. Louis, MO. Though there were no serious injuries or deaths reported, the 22-mile storm path devastated property. Even Lambert Airport took a direct hit. Both the airport and the interstate highway that feeds it were closed for a time.

A day later, a severe weather outbreak wreaked havoc on the southern states killing 232 people in six states. It seemed to zero in on Tuscaloosa, AL when an EF4 twister claimed 131 lives.

On Sunday, May 22, Mother Nature's destructive side spawned the devastating EF5 tornado that decimated huge chunks of Joplin, MO. To date, 126 people are known dead with hundreds still missing or unaccounted for. The Joplin tornado now eclipses the death toll from the 1953 tornado in Flint, MI, making it the eighth-deadliest U.S. tornado on record. More than 500 people have been killed in tornado outbreaks this Spring.

 

A rain-swollen White River downstream from Bull Shoals dam

In my locale, the tremendous amounts of rainfall has caused local flooding in low-lying areas. Dams built throughout the White River basin to store flood water until it can safely be released have filled to their brim as heavy rain has been relentless. Just a few months ago we couldn't wring a drop of moisture from the sky. Now it seems as if a spigot is stuck in the 'on' position.

Even though our little acreage has been relatively untouched by the most severe weather, these events have been too close for comfort. It has been unnerving to be suddenly awakened during a sound sleep by the blare of the weather radio toning its many warnings. From flash flooding to severe thunderstorms to tornado watches and warnings, the nerves are frayed by this very active season.

I am grateful for the technology that warns us, allowing enough time to take action to protect ourselves. In Joplin, there was about a 25-minute warning before the storm hit. Undoubtedly lives were saved.

During a severe weather event, I monitor the events all around. As long as the satellite receiver can retain a signal, the television is tuned to the weather channel. When the weather is severe, the local stations break into regular programming and provide minute-to-minute coverage. Even though we are in Arkansas, our local channels originate in Springfield, MO. I have to give a shout out to KY3 which seems to do the best job for us. I noticed that even some of my favorite stations returned to regular programming once Springfield was out of danger. We were still threatened however. KY3 continued its weather coverage until the threat had passed. I also keep my laptop computer on Intellicast, my personal favorite weather site. It updates the radar regularly and allows me to zoom into my own backyard. I can literally watch the radar as the storm approaches our house. My personal preparedness also includes a portable police scanner, so we can monitor local emergency traffic.

I am not complaining. For me, the more than thirty inches of rain that has fallen over our little five acres on a hillside has brought nothing but personal pleasure.

Trees once ailing from drought conditions are no longer stressed. In fact, all of the plants in the yard this year are thriving. The vegetable garden shows great promise.

There was one storm during these numerous events that produced gusty winds and quarter-sized hail. Even as we cringed at the ice balls hitting our windows, we know we were lucky.

The damage was obvious, but not severe. The bleeding hearts come to mind. Beneath the eaves, I would have thought they would have been protected. Instead, their once show-stopping beauty was marred by the overnight storm. They looked as though they were trampled upon. A beautiful crop of purple iris and their neighboring Mock Orange and Azalea bushes were broken and more horizontal than vertical. Some of the tomato plants in the vegetable garden had been broken and battered. A few petunias showed some battle scars on their otherwise velvety-textured petals. Fortunately a quick pruning was all they needed. Since it is early in the growing season, they will easily compensate for the damage.

Probably the most obvious resultant was the scattering of new and fully-grown oak leaves. The trees had finally fully dressed with its neon foliage--in a process that seemed to last an eternity after their long winter of nakedness. The hail pelted the trees as the wind whipped the tree tops. Small branches were broken. Leaves, filled the yard. No single area was spared from the lawn, to the gardens, and even onto the covered porch.

We have been lucky. Tornado season is not yet over. I hope that luck holds out for the rest of the season.

Computer functionality at risk

A facimilie of a motherboard with the CMOS battery at right...image via Wikipedia Things got worse in computer land this weekend. Once my new hard drive was installed in my dinosaur of a computer, things still weren't quite right. 

I have been having problems on startup--serious problems. Saturday morning, when I attempted to turn on the beast, the startup sequence was interrupted by itself--again and again and again. Windows wouldn't boot.

I couldn't diagnose the problem with safe start or check what was in the BIOS (basic input/output system) because I couldn't use the keyboard. It plugged into the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port, making it a function of Windows. Because the startup hadn't progressed as far as Windows, it wasn't yet accessible.

I had read that computers sometimes have a problem with their battery, much like that which operates a wrist watch. They don't last forever. 

When I told John, my husband/computer guru that the startup routine reminded me of a dead or dying battery, he listened intently. Then when I told him the date was incorrect on my desktop, he knew right away that the problem was the CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) battery, which is located on the motherboard.

John located a place to purchase a new one and went on his way.

When he returned, once again he braved his way back into the nether region of my computer. The fix was easy. Once again, he successfully repaired the thing. I am happy to report that all is well, it is running better than it had in months.

Solving computer woes

Image via WikipediaBeing a long time computer user, one thing that never ceased to amaze me is how people with virtually no technical expertise gets by. 

Owning a computer is a hands-on operation that requires maintenance, and some expertise, unless of course you don't mind paying someone else to keep your computer running efficiently. Personally, I'd rather do it myself.

There is no question that it has been a challenge to keep up with the constantly changing technology.

That is exactly what my husband John and I have done.

We have used a computer for decades. I've lost count of how many computers have been in our household, starting with the old Commodore Vic 20 in the 1980's.

Even greater is the number of keyboards I've purchased, replaced due to excessive use. At the end of their working lives, the letters had long been worn off the keys.

We've likely had every version of Windows; including its precursor, Commodore's Geos Operating System. The exception is the latest--Windows 7. We figure it is just too costly to upgrade, especially when our Windows XP--second edition--works just fine. There has to be a point where the old adage, "if it ain't broke don't fix it," makes the most sense.

Over the years, through a combination of diligent study, and learning from a multitude of mistakes, we are pretty proficient at maintaining our computers. We now have four working computers in the house, although only two that are working well. We refuse to trade up if we don't have to. Rather, we are eeking out the most from what is fast becoming our vintage machines.

I had begun to have trouble with my hard drive. The problems were subtle at first, but performance was increasingly diminished. At times, it would refuse to boot Windows without a couple of attempts. Software ran slowly. I got messages that there wasn't enough space to download email. I did whatever maintenance I could. John installed a second hard drive. I moved as many files onto the backup drive as I could. Still, my initial hard drive was dangerously full and growing every day. I could no longer defragment my drive, because there wasn't enough space to move files. A large number of files on the disk added to the system's instability.

My hard drive was old, and way too small. That is hard to fathom, especially when my computer life began even before hard drives had been invented. Our first computer stored data on a tape drive. It was like a tape recorder.

So to me, the 25 gigabyte (GB) capacity I had was huge. But that was using standards from 30 years ago. By today's standards, it was tiny. My drive had only 16 percent capacity left. That translates into big problems with performance.

We tried to think of an easy fix, using a variety of resources. 

I've taken the back off my computer only once to install additional memory. I don't like messing with all those components, so John is the official hardware guy.

We used a process of elimination to come up with a plan. An external drive was out because most of them use a more advanced Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0. We were still running USB 1.0. We considered upgrading the USB, but to do that, we would have to at least revamp the processor as well as  additional components. Buying a new computer would likely be cheaper.

It appeared that our only option was to clone the hard drive onto a larger one. I was unaware that such a thing could be done easily. Yet that would be much more effective than reformatting the hard drive and attempting to reinstall software. 

John found an 80 GB drive for sale online. It was pretty cheap because it is basically obsolete. I downloaded Easus, a free disk copy program that would do the job.

I was a nervous wreck. Nothing could be that easy. I started reading testimonials online by people who have cloned their drives. I realized, cloning a hard drive is a fairly common practice, especially in a situation like mine.

It took more than eight hours, during two attempts. Finally the process was finished, We turned on the power switch and to our amazement, Windows booted; my desktop picture loaded; all the icons appeared. It looked the same. We were finally able to exhale. It worked. I'm still stunned.

One of the first things I did was to defrag my hard drive for the first time in months. I was so excited by the process that I took a screen shot of what my new hard drive looked like before and after the defragging process. It is no wonder my system was unstable. My system is running great now; Crisis averted and there isn't even any tweaking necessary. 

Lake Norfork before, after spring floods

What a difference a few months makes. These photos of Lake Norfork in north central Arkansas were taken from the same approximate location.


The first, taken in January, uses a zoom effect to detail the shoreline and nearby hills. The second was taken in April after the area was inundated with rain, causing catastrophic flooding in numerous states, including Arkansas.


Approximately 20 inches of rain fell in a span of less than two weeks.


Note the shoreline in the first photo, is non-existent in the second. Also, the size of the hills that protrude above the water is far less in the second photo.


The water was still rising at this point.


What a difference in these before and after pictures. Despite the horrific flooding that has occurred, one thing remains constant however, the Twin Lakes area, no matter what the condition, is breathtakingly beautiful.