Homestead At Ash Creek

Category: Uncategorized

  • 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.

  • 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

  • Timeline for Steve

    Starting to collect & consolidate information on Ralph Stephen Osborn — as I go through old files, etc. downsizing our “stuff.” I think this’ll be a fun way for our “progeny” to have some family history. “Grandpa,” Dad, husband of 47 years. Yikes.

    Education

    2000 Completed Master’s coursework in Special Education, Western Oregon University

    1991 Graduated FBI National Academy, 163rd Session

    1987 Graduated Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command

    1985 Graduated U. S. Army Officer School for Military Police Staff & command

    1976 – 1982 Masters of Science, Police Administration, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ

    Law Enforcement Work History

    1991 – 1999 Lieutenant in charge of Leadership and Management Program, Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (Certified/Sworn Police Officer with full arrest powers).

    1979 – 1991 United States Marine Corp, Military Police, Captina/Provost Marshal (Full military arrest powers.) Honorable discharge from USMC (Caption) with service connect 20% disability.

    1976 -1978 Coconino County, AZ Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Sheriff; Jail and Patrol, member of department pistol team (Certified/Sworn Deputy Sheriff with full arrest powers).

    First row on left, Ralph S. Osborn, Flagstaff, Arizona, 1976
    Guitars for Vets course at the VA Hospital in Prescott, AZ

  • Fishing in the Mid Willamette Valley

    St. Louis Ponds Recreation area.

    Ponds 3 and 6 adjacent to the main parking lot are stocked with trout. The road to the parking lot is open year-round with a new automatic gate on Tesch Lane, which leads into the ponds from St. Louis Road.

    CAUTION: The new gate is open from 6 am until 7 pm Oct. 1 through March 31/ 6 am until 9 pm from April 1 through Sept. 30. Be sure to be out before the gate closes.

    St. Louis is unique because it offers fishing year-round for both stocked trout and warm water species.

    To get to the St. Louis Ponds complex, take River Road N out of Keizer about 12 miles, then turn right on St. Louis road. Take Tesch on the right just after crossing the railroad tracks.

    Or take Highway 99E north to the light at Douglas Avenue NE and turn left through Gervais, after that it turns into St. Louis Road. Turn left on Tesch just before the tracks.

    Weekly trout stocking schedule from Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife.

  • A Step in the Kitchen

    Bubba was at the house in Independence.

    There is a problem.

    Our daughter’s friend had the answer!

    Thank you, Cana! Love, Bubba

    Disclaimer: There were no Old People harmed in the filming of this video…

  • Snow — the Day After Christmas!

    Grown ups: Part of “rural life” is checking on the “living things” first — chickens, rabbit and timber bamboo. Tip: It is always a good idea NOT to stand under the bamboo when brushing off the snow.

    The Fairy Garden

    Down the hill to the pond

    The bell

    A cowboy snowman. Or person.

    Did YOU have fun in the snow? What did YOU do?

  • Merry Christmas Eve!

    Merry Christmas!

    Do you sing songs at Christmas? Tell me one you like.

  • Bubba’s First Post

    Welcome! My grand daughters call me Bubba. Sometimes they get B-O-R-E-D!!

    I think that is great!

    Because that is when I have always learned the most!

    Oooops. Demonstrating my advanced media skills. I was practicing taking an iPhone photo in my new lightbox. Accidently “flipped” the camera and shot myself in the face with the flash. 🙂