Dez Choi

POST 150 (DAY 157, Thursday, 2021.1.14)
[Evening Entry]

Just pics today.. :)

POST 149 (DAY 156, Wednesday, 2021.1.13)
[Evening Entry]

.. today was "House Plants Day".. half-holiday.. it was super fun connecting with these beautiful beings that give us so much oxygen and aesthetic appeal around the house.. we re-potted some, made new pots for others, and pruned their malfoliage.. (not sure if that's a real word.. disturbed leaves, per say)..

enjoy the pics~!

Inge Leonora-den Ouden wrote:So you're collecting empty jars and boxes too? Is it because of the idea "maybe I can use these for .... in the future"? For me it is, and some of my friends have the same

yup.. that's totally it.. and the cooler/nicer the jar or box, the greater the temptation to "save" it~! lol.. once in a while, i have to purge my stash and it feels very bittersweet..

POST 148 (DAY 155, Tuesday, 2021.1.12)
[Evening Entry]

.. WELLNESS ASSESSMENT: today was a bit tough.. it was hard to move my body.. not sure why.. maybe i slept too much?.. maybe my mind is playing tricks on me?.. maybe its the sugar in my diet these days.. i don't want to change.. (who wants to change??).. yet i know this seeming "inability" to move kind of symptom is likely an indicator that i might be sleeping too much, that my focus is in need of exercise, and that the sugar has had its time.. i ate a lot of fruit today--and this is something rare!.. but ever since christmas, i've been feeling okay with sugar (no post sugar consumption migraines).. so i guess, in a way, i've been enjoying it while it lasts.. and perhaps that road is turning.. =D

Enjoy the pics~!

POST 147 (DAY 154, Monday, 2021.1.11)
[Morning Entry]

.. Good Morning.. its a new boot day.. Chi is here.. he likes RMH's (like me!).. we're gonna get to work and do the things that we do..
.. i thought i had my rhythm.. haha.. i will say that usually, there's a bit of a "learning curve" or a ramp-up curve once the rhythm is lost and then regained.. all this to say that i am behind on finishing yesterday's entry and this entry is a bit short because my morning went super fast..

enjoy the pics~!

Hans Quistorff wrote:

It feels somewhat wasteful to burn such beauty

There will always be new beauty showing up in the wood pile. You have not been doing it long enough. Look forward to the time you find a blue tinged one that glows in the dark.

Seriously new beauty.. Hmm cool got a pic of that by chase?

POST 146 (DAY 153, Sunday, 2021.1.10)
[Mid-day Entry]

gluten free pineapple upside down cake..
CAKE:
3-4 cups of oat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1-2 tsp almond meal (optional, but highly recommend if you have it!)
1 tsp CACAO powder (optional; fyi NOT "cocoa", forget the "cocoa".. its cacao or skip! the difference is that "cocoa" is often mixed with other things, whereas cacao is just the powdered nibs; again this is optional)
1 tsp nutmeg and/or cinnamon (optional)

1 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup coconut milk ("thai" brand is thick, with about 50% fat, this is nice replacement for butter fat)
3-4 egg whites (eggs seem to add a bit of "moisture" and a bit of "bounce" to the texture/feel of the cake)
1 egg yolk
1 cup pineapple juice (i just use the juice from the sliced organic pineapples can, it adds sweetness, pineapple-y-ness, and water, AND it has no added sugars.. marvelous~!)
1 tsp stevia
2 tsp dolcedi (apple syrup, optional sweetening agent)
2 tsp maple syrup (optional sweetening agent)
1/4-1/2 cup rum (optional)
2 tbs maraschino cherry juice/syrup
pineapple slices & maraschino cherries

1) prepare 2 loaf pans by coating inside surface with coconut oil
2) drain and save juice from 1 can of pineapple slices (fresh pineapple is awesome too)
3) mix all dry ingredients together, use a sifter if possible
4) add in the wet ingredients and then mix the batter with paddle or whisker
5) after batter is all mixed, it should be somewhat watery consistency (not thick like bread dough, but thicker than milk.. somewhere in between..)
6) oven 350 degrees, center rack, 45-60 minutes, use poke test.. pokey stick will come out dry when ready.. allow to cool 30 minutes before flipping cake

that's pretty much it.. questions or pictures of your trials are most certainly welcome and desired if takers are bakers..

before bake, i taste a bit of the batter to check sweetness for best results, but this is also optional..

.. WHY RECIPE? .. I baked a gluten free pineapple cake yesterday (saturday afternoon).. happy to report that it is gone as of now (sunday afternoon)..
.. unable to find the kind of recipe that sounds ideal to me, i decided to make my own recipe.. also it seems that the recipes i click on take me to some website that holds the recipe ransom until the reader has perused 3-10 paragraphs of storyline, and X'ed out of multiple advertisement banners.. do i sound bitter?.. i'm not bitter.. okay maybe a little bitter.. i'm just done with those types of websites is all i'm saying.. and to "BE THE CHANGE", i post the recipe then the story--HA!.. i'm such a rebel.. just kidding.. kind of..

enjoy the pics~!

POST 145 (DAY 152, Saturday, 2021.1.9)
[Morning Entry]

.. yesterday was "Finishing Friday".. the saw mill logs from the lower paddock are now staged for cutting.. this part took puzzle-solving, tractor time, and chain wielding.. so happy its finished.. the four logs for peeling are also staged, so they can ship then peel or peel then ship to the Lab.. all this to say--what a great feeling to actually finish on a friday..
.. of course there are other parts of this logging operation.. the section next to the lower paddock has logs to be cut, peel and moved.. would like to have that done by this coming friday or sooner.. that way we can get all the logs staged for install or cutting..
.. its been interesting working alone for the past couple weeks.. i didnt know how it would go, but i also wasnt that anxious.. one day at a time, one step at a time, as is the case with any new situation.. no point in spending energy on anxiety or stress.. i did get frustrated on the first couple days though because i hadnt ever really wielded a chain/pulley/snatchbox system to move thousand pound logs with heavy machinery.. in fact for a large chunk of my life, i had vowed never to go near heavy equipment (because of some traumatic events).. here i was doing all of that.. with just me.. how can i drag this log sideways along a incline, so it does not roll down the hill and trample over our nice fence?.. after pondering for some time and trying to hand-roll them, i decided i needed to phone in a friend.. paul.. we did a quick, 5-minute strategy chat session and away it went.. i got the theory of using the snatchbox system with chains and pulleys.. now it was just a matter of actually implementing the thing.. definitely a learning curve.. and some fear factor--was the chain gonna snap and fly toward my face?? i squinted cautiously.. but those things held strong as if to exclaim, "IS THAT ALL YA GOT, LADDO?!" (why a scottish-ish accent? not sure..).. nothing snapped or broke.. in fact, the more i tractored up and down the hill 10-20 feet at a time, with tension in the lines, the tension in my neck seemed to relax more and more.. by the end, i trusted the machines.. maintaining a cautious respect for their sheer power.. much like anything else challenging and worthwhile, i can honestly say that i had fun doing it.. one step at a time..

enjoy the pics~!

A super gift package from Kay in Hawaii just in time for our piña colada half holiday!!! Thanks Kay :)

Another super gift package from M Johnson.. so many cool seeds!!! Thanks M :)

Another super gift package from Daniel G... my favorite was the red fruit leather.. strawberry I think? Thanks Daniel :)

Love the boots love..!!! It’s so awesome to know you guys are thinking of us.. a package from Amazon is always exciting, BUT a personally shipped gift surprise just floors me.. in a good way..

Random factoid—chuck Norris’ tear can cure cancer.. too bad he never cries..

chi kim wrote:Thanks for posting your updates Dez! I'm going to be joining the boot this Sunday (coming from california) and I am so excited! Any tips on what I should bring? I packed the obvious stuff like toothbrush, jeans, workgloves and boots.

Winter gear and a smile !! 😊