Thanks for coming along on the ride. Bubba’s Blog is written to preserve family memories, explore life in Polk County & have some fun with the Wee Grand Girls.
Blog
-
Welcome to Bubba’s Blog!
One of our “hired hands” thought this little license plate was pretty funny since the four wee grand girls call me Bubba. -
Neurodiversity
Starting to gather information on “learning disabilities.”
dyscalculia
dysgraphia
dyspraxia
dyslexia
-
Giant Pacific Octopus
Scientific Name: Enteroctopus dofleini
The giant Pacific octopus has been recorded at 30 feet across & more than 600 pounds. Average size is 16 feet and 100 pounds.
The octopus lives along the Oregon Coast.
Dorymen in Pacific City, Oregon know that the octopus have a special interest in crab pots.
Terracotta pottery American folk art ornament by Ash Creek Nativities™ -
Play Music on the Porch Day 2022
When: Saturday, August 27, 2022 10:00 am to ?? Drop in when you can…
Where: The Kitchen Porch (& garden) at the Homestead at Ash Creek, 922 Olive Way E., Monmouth, Oregon 97361
What: A time to get together & sing old songs that celebrate the love of God.
Who: The First Baptist Independence Church family & anyone who would like to join us! All levels, all ages. Remember, if you feel you can’t sing “good,” sing LOUD!
Hymns & Gospel Song Lyrics
On the Wings of a Dove — Mai practicing her video skills -
Dallas Aquatic Center Summer Hours – 2022
Monday
5:30 am – 1:00 pm
REC 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
4:00 pm – 8:00 pmTuesday
5:30 am – 1:00 pm
4:30 pm – 7:00 p.m.
REC 7:00 pm -9:00 p.m.Wednesday
5:30 am – 1:00 pm
REC 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
4:00 pm – 8:00 pmThursday
5:30 am – 1:00 pm
4:30 pm – 7:00 pm
REC 7:00 pm -9:00 pmFriday
5:30 am – 1:00 pm
REC 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
4:00 pm – 8:00 pmSaturday
8:00 am – 1:30 pm
REC 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm
REC 7:00 pm – 9:00 pmSunday
REC 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm -
Instant Pot Authentic Mexican Rice
Steve makes this often for all of us at the Homestead!
Steve’s Mexican rice is a weekly staple for our family It is great included in a bean burrito. That’s the way I like it best — or as a side.
The author Lauren Allen says she perfected it while living in Mexico — very authentic — and we agree!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
1/4 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 medium onion, finely diced
1/4 cup tomato sauce, or 2 pureed tomatoes
2 tomato bouillon cubes, finely chopped, or 2 teaspoons granulated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 carrot, diced
1 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup frozen peas (Steve will throw in any frozen veggies)
Steve likes the Knorr brand of tomato bouillon — also available at Fred Meyer if you live in the Pacific Northwest.
Go to Lauren’s website, Tastes Better from Scratch for the full recipe.
And as we all remember from Home Ec days — beans + rice = a full protein.
-
Make Music Day 2022
Polk County, Oregon — on The Kitchen Porch at the Homestead at Ash Creek
Thanks to the Monmouth Independence Chamber of Commerce for “putting Polk County on the map” for the global Make Music Day event — always on the first day of summer!
It was the second event we’ve held this spring on our unfinished Kitchen Porch…and the second time we’ve heard the comment, “You guys need a bigger porch!”
We called ourselves “Old People Singing Old Songs” — hymns from the past & country gospel.
We were glad to have the verses on our phones! Looking forward to next year! #MakeMusic2022 #MakeMusicDayPolkCounty #ComePolkAround
-
Olive Way E. Block Party
Group shot of just some of the neighbors gathered on the Kitchen Porch during the downpour. On May 28, 202 folks living on Olive Way E in the Gentle Edition Neighborhood of Monmouth, Oregon closed off the street with barricades. Brooke, Teresa, Erin & Ellen had been texting over the long, wet winter and wanted to be able to celebrate Brooke & Tim’s wedding — turned out it was also Leo’s (Teresa) 50th Birthday!
Wedding cupcake baked by Sharon. Decorated by 4CousinCrew 
Flip side of the “wedding decoration.” Happy Birthday, Leo! Wished I’d taken photos of everyone who walked down the street through the downpour during the day to join the Block Party — I want to share with the Olive Way Neighbors who wanted to be there but couldn’t attend due to work schedules, travel, etc. Next time!!
Steve & Christopher with his amazing contribution created from eggs donated by the hens at the Homestead at Ash Creek. 
Thanks to Cristy we got the garage cleared out enough for ping pong in the rain! 
Charlene enjoys Leo’s pineapple birthday cake baked by Erin & watches the table tennis action! 
Hanging out in the Kitchen Porch pass-through window! 
Awwwh. Maya and Jim seem to tolerate each other right well! 
Love the accents! Linda (New Zealand), Grieke (The Netherlands) and Terry (Minnesota). 
Inside the Kitchen at the Pass-through window. Attended: Tim & Brooke & Violet; Leo, Teresa & Charlene; Erin, Jason, Declan, Sharon & Terry; Steve & Ellen; Colin, Cristy, Addie & Eva; Claire, Maile & Olivia; Christopher, Linda (Cheyenne at work); Grieke; Maya & Jim; Al & Jayne; Helen & Jan; — aaaand, I’m going to have to get the names of a couple more folks!
Erin & our Name Tag Maker & one of the 4CousinCrew
Rumor has it that the next Olive Way E Block Party is already being planned for the summer by friends/neighbors!
Seed donation for Little Free Garden #378 from Teresa.
Looking forward to meeting more folks.
Violet shakes hands
Watch for your invitation with more details — delivered by the 4CousinCrew!
Mai makes the party. -
John Addison Zook
John Addison Zook Biography
Biography
JAZ
born Cedar Rapids, Iowa 1950
graduated Cortez HS Phoenix AZ 1968
entered John Muir College, University of California, San Diego 1968
employed as “ASUC Technical Operations Assistant” Berzerkey CA
graduated BA Psychology, College V, University of California Santa Cruz 1973
employed “Staff Research Associate I” UCSD Medical School Department of Psychiatry
then as “GS-7 Biological Laboratory Technician” Veterans’ Administration Hospital; San Diego
employed as “Psychiatric Nursing Assistant” Mesa Vista Hospital, (city of Linda Vista CA}
Maitre es Arts: Universite Laval, “Analyse des Politiques” 1983 Quebec (Canada )
my mentor, correspondent, & confidant for many years was Professor Theodore Melnechuk MD, who retired as “professor emeritis” in BioBehavioral Reseach, University of Massachusetts (Amherst)
I also enrolled for some post-graduate credits in computer engineering and also Public
Policy Analysis at Arizona State University, Tempe AZ 1984-1986…
Additional info:
sailing, skiing, surfing, bicycle touring, two 10-day Sierra backpack hikes and so on…
Notable memories include: navigating a Corvair Corsa for Sports Car Club of America (SCCA); ponsored “Rallymasters’ Revenge” event in San Francisco and vicinity circa 1971; AND the Tajo Canyon/Sea of Cortez expedition in my much-modified VW Baja jalopy.
Things I miss about “the good old days.”
my dark lime metaflake SUZUKI 350cc two-stroke six-speed twin-cylinder “street” motorbike w/ amber auxiliary fog-lamp & also racing-style handlebars…with
modified gearing it was capable of over 110 m.p.h.!
-
Apple Trees at the Homestead
We have four apple trees (two varieties for cross-pollination) planted in the the hugelkultur berm along the back fence line nearest the Middle Fork of Ash Creek.
Tending the hugelkultur berm
Recently I made sure I removed the deteriorating plant tags — really injured a poor cherry tree in the front garden by not paying attention & girdled a limb when it grew into the tag. Before I tossed the tags and got them off my desk I wanted to record the info. The trees are doing well for us (and even better for our daughter in nearby Independence, Oregon with full sun in her garden) but I have to laugh at the marketing/branding — as I’m learning the code to insert trademark, copyright, registered symbols on a blog post — I think this might be a record! (Anyway, as always, I’ll post this….and then get back to it later to add more info….hmmmmm)
Golden Treat™ Urban Apples© Garden Debut are “Tall on Taste for Limited Space™” They grow straight up, creating an elegant tree for small landscapes and patios. Golden Treat™ has sweet, golden apples and fruit in the first year planted. A choice of two varieties is required for cross pollination.
Golden Treat™ Urban Apple Patio Tree Tasty Red™ Urban Apples make a great cross-pollinator
Tasty Red™ Urban Apple® According to the plant tags, “Garden Debut (R) is a Superior Landscape Collection made up of Great New Plants™ and Trusted Selections™ that have been thoroughly tested for long-term performance.” Find them on Facebook and Pinterest.
Plant details
Growth Habit: Reaches an average size of 8-10 feet tall by 2 feet wide
Use: Perfect for patios and containers.
Exposure: Sun
Soil: Wide tolerance of soil types and moistures. Grow in loam, sand or clay.
Hardiness: Cold Hardy to -20 to -30F/Zone 4
Care: Feed plants in early spring and again in early fall with all-purpose fertilizer. New plants require more frequent watering than established plantings.
Where to find
Available online when in stock at Gurney’s Seed and Nursey Company (since 1866). We were able to buy ours locally.
-
Making Giant Bubbles
Steve and I are having so much fun sharing Giant Bubbles with the kiddos at the Monmouth Music in the Park Series Summer 2022 sponsored by the Monmouth Business Association!
I make up a batch of the bubble solution each week.
Perfect Giant Soap Bubble Recipe
1 heaping tsp guar powder, food thickener (2-3 grams)
7 tbs rubbing alcohol (100 ml)
8 cups of distilled water (2 liters)
1 tsp baking powder (4 grams)
7 tbs Dawn Professional Detergent (100 ml)
Directions
Mix the guar powder with the alcohol and stir until there are no clumps.
Combine the alcohol/guar slurry with the water and mix gently for 10 minutes. Let it sit for a bit so the guar hydrates. Then mix again. The water should thicken slightly, like thin soup or unset gelatin.
Add the baking powder and stir.
Add the Dawn Professional Detergent and stir gently, to avoid causing the mixture to foam.
Dip a giant bubble wand with a fibrous string into the mixture until it is fully immersed and slowly pull the string out. Wave the want slowly or blow on it to create giant soap bubbles.
Click on the link for a version that’s easy to print —
A PERFECT RECIPE FOR GIANT SOAP BUBBLES