Sunday, August 23, 2009

Creatures From Our Garden

I opened up a pumpkin flower and to my surprise, peering at me from a tiny thing were two great big eyes.


This Cabbage Butterfly weary from play, found rest on a wide, green, corn-leaf runway.


This butterfly mommy looks playful and fun, but unfortunately our cabbage had no where to run.


With a view of the world from this corn up high, perhaps looking for knights, perched this red dragon fly.


Safe in the garden from danger and strife, this Pacific Chorus Frog sits and ponders life.


Enjoying some sun before having to run.


Quickly fly off while you have time to play! As you can see it's already mid-day!

P.S. --I think these pictures turned out pretty neat...thanks to my wife who performed this great feat.

Sunday, August 9, 2009

A Bug's Eye View (photos by C--age 6)

My six-yr-old son wanted to take some pictures, so I challenged him to take pictures of from a bug's perspective. I prompted him on some ideas, but he took the pictures all by himself. We had a lot of fun together. I thought several of the pictures turned out pretty well:


Some bugs crawl on our back steps.

Some bugs climb up on the fence.

Some bugs climb up trees.


Some bugs crawl through a garden forest. This bug is entering the corn forest.


Some bugs crawl sideways along the back fence.


Some bugs run into scary, poking giants.


Some bugs become suddenly acquainted with the tread on some shoes.


Some bugs just congregate.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Tillamook or Umpqua Ice Cream?

We threw two of Oregon's own popular Ice Cream brands together, side by side, in a Tupperware coliseum to fend for themselves against a pair of sweets-starved Ice Cream lovers and their unrestrained stainless steel spoons.

The Teams:

In the first corner, the heavy-weight, farmer-owned Tillamook County Creamery Association was formed in 1909 when 10 independent Cheese plants joined forces with each other. Celebrating their 100-year anniversary this year, they continue to produce quality cheese and ice cream products. Tillamook recently won the Ice Cream Sweepstakes award in the 2009 Oregon Dairy Industry's dairy products contest after their Chocolate, Vanilla Bean, and Oregon Strawberry Ice Creams won first place. (www.tillamookcheese.com)


In the second corner, Roseburg-based and family-owned and operated Umpqua Dairy was formed in 1931 when Ormond Feldkamp and Herb Sullivan started producing milk, butter and ice cream and selling it to railroad passengers stopped at the Roseburg Railroad Station. Since then generations of family members have maintained the high-quality standards yielding many awards over the years including 2009 Judges Award for best Strawberry Ice Cream in the nation at the Quality Chekd National Convention, 2008 Judges Award for best Chocolate Ice Cream in the nation at the Quality Chekd National Convention, and Oregon Dairy Industry's Ice Cream Sweepstakes award in 2008. (www.umpquadairy.com)

The Contestants:

Tillamook Cookie Dough vs. Umpqua Cookie Dough

Tillamook Chocolate Peanut Butter vs. Umpqua Chocolate Peanut Butter

Round One: Creaminess

The first indicator of each team's creaminess was revealed when we scooped the ice cream about 10 minutes before consumption began and it began to melt. Tillamook, had a smooth, even glaze compared to the textured surface of the Umpqua. Slipping off the spoon into your mouth, the Tillamook Ice Cream melted consistently with a fluffy, creamy, consistent texture and flavor. Umpqua put up a valiant fight with a smooth melt, however, it lacked the fluffy texture and had a hint of graininess. In round one, Tillamook ice cream puts the 'cream' in 'creamery'.

Round Two: Cookie Dough Flavor

Umpqua had a nice rich, full flavor fitting its packaging description, "A touch of golden brown sugar added to our vanilla ice cream..." Tillamook has a light, natural cookie dough flavor. Although I personally prefer Tillamook's cookie dough flavor, we'll give round two to Umpqua because they include little tiny chocolate chip squares to complete the cookie dough characteristic.

Round Three: Cookie Dough Bits

The cookie dough pieces in the Tillamook ice cream have the consistency of a frozen mini marshmellow and very creamy texture when you bite through them. The flavor of the cookie dough is also very much like homemade cookie dough. Umpqua's cookie dough bits were a bit grainy, as if the sugar grains weren't dissolved into the batter. For leaving the grainy cookie dough bandwagon for its own, unique smooth orchestra, we give round three to Tillamook.

Round Four: Chocolate Flavor

Umpqua had a rich chocolate flavored ice cream. However, it was on the more bitter, chalkier side of the chocolate spectrum for ice cream. Tillamook on the other hand had a sweeter chocolate flavor which, for me, gives Tillamook a sweet victory in Round Four.

Round Five: Peanut Butter

Tillamook's peanut butter ribboning through the chocolate ice cream tasted like natural peanut butter. I liked the stick-to-the -roof-of-your-mouth texture and saltiness of Tillamook's peanut butter. Umpqua's peanut butter ribbons were sweeter than Tillamook's, but still had a natural texture and flavor. In addition to the peanut butter ribbons, Umpqua also had large, thick chunks of peanut butter flavored candy, the consistency of a super-thin chocolate bar. Although the flavor of the peanut butter 'chips' was on the waxy-side for my tastes, it helps Umpqua win round five.

Round Six: Price

At about $.40 less per container, Umpqua wins this round.

The winner: Tillamook Ice Cream

After a strong fight, to mirror the 2009 Oregon Dairy Industries' ice cream contest, Umpqua takes second in this close battle. Tillamook ice cream had the creamiest texture and the best natural flavors in this taste test.

That doesn't mean Umpqua can't make a future come back. In fact in your own showdown, maybe your palette prefers Umpqua.

Both Tillamook and Umpqua are very worthy ice creams from very good local companies with solid Oregon histories.

What's the verdict of your taste challenge?