"I invited my neighbor Miss Jodie over this morning for a Squash Blossom Breakfast," she blogs. "I've had a hankering for weeks now since Mona Esposito fed me one on my delivery route in Aspen, and boy was I hungry for them. I stuffed them with a mix of Haystack Smoked Chevre and James Ranch Belford, put in a sliver of roasted Jalapeno, rolled them in egg whites and then I dipped them in flour. Next a few minutes of saute on each side in a hot pan with a little ghee and grapeseed oil."
Post Blogger Wharf Rat has been mulling the notion of a wall along the United States border with Mexico. "Down in the pit of my stomach," he blogs, "the idea of a border fence festers like the remnants of spoiled milk downed with reckless disregard for the carton's expiration date. In fairness to the Con One, he is not the originator of the idea--just the most recent and most vocal local advocate. Why does this seemingly practical idea not resonate with me? I may have finally wrapped my arms around the reason why, and it all stems from the constraints of recent human population increases.... As the area defended and number of intruders increases, the use of physical barriers becomes much more problematic and certainly less effective."
I invited my neighbor Miss Jodie over this morning for a Squash Blossom Breakfast. I've had a hankering for weeks now since Mona Esposito fed me one on my delivery route in Aspen, and boy was I hungry for them. I stuffed them with a mix of Haystack Smoked Chevre and James Ranch Belford, put in a sliver of roasted Jalapeno, rolled them in egg whites and then I dipped them in flour. Next a few minutes of saute on each side in a hot pan with a little ghee and grapeseed oil. I had made a marinara the night before out of garlic, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, olive oil, sage and fresh Heirlooms. That served grandly as a dipping sauce. A squeeze of lemon, a dusting of sea salt and Voilla! Crunch, Crunch. Two very happy, fat ladies, Miss Jodie and I!
According to Katie Couric, Brian Williams and Charles Gibson, the United States surpassed 300,000,000 people in October 2006. Their current demographic predictions, based on immigration-driven growth levels, show America adding 100 million people by 2040. (Source: Fogel/Martin March 2006 “US Population Projections for 2050)
For those asleep at the wheel—that’s 33 years from now—a blink in time.
To place this kind of horrific growth rate into perspective, it resembles a “Human Tsunami.”
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLORADO (Post Time News)--Crystal methamphetamine has come to the Roaring Fork Valley in a big way.
A combo platter of local and federal law enforcement officials announced Wednesday the first major drug bust for crystal meth in the Roaring Fork Valley, one with major implications for the tide of Mexican immigrants sweeping the valley.
"What we're seeing is indicative of the trend the guys who used to deal coke are now dealing coke and meth," one law enforcement official familiar with the roundup told Post Time News. "People are saying I'll take the meth. We saw meth in Rifle, Silt, and those places but we never saw it here in Basalt and in the valley."
Barbara was last here in January, so our valley looks quite different to her now. Coming from New Jersey where spring is a little farther along than ours must seem like she has stepped back in time.
Our focus for this week is to prepare valley high school student composers' pieces for this Friday's free Family Concert performance at 6:30 pm in Harris Concert Hall. First rehearsals can be nerve wracking for the composer, especially young ones. At last night's evening rehearsal, local professional musicians gave their concentration and musicianship to make sure everything was just right, and keep to the wishes of these young composers. Many of the musicians work at the Festival, and I am enjoying this added dimension to our collaboration.
Giving the elementary students in our PLUS (adopted) schools a chance to taste 'the composition process' is the other part of our week's goals. Taking a familiar story, we worked with 3rd and 4th graders on adding music that propels the plot. They used small hand percussion and melody instruments that I had brought (see photo) as well as body sounds. Barbara was very impressed with their concentration, and after one 'performance,' they had many suggestions how to make the 'composition' better--which it always was! Great start to a wonderful week!
Written by Deborah Barnekow, director of the Aspen Music Festival's educational outreach programs.
The best thing about Aspen Post as it rounds the corner toward its second year is not the snot of unsubstantiated personal opinion or the occasional railing against the snot-nosed richer than thou. The best thing about Aspen Post, without a doubt, is that we have been able to keep the tone on the level of civil discourse, to borrow a phrase from the Aspen Institute.
All but all of us who have written or commented on or about the blog you now hold in your hands have managed to get in our two cents without descending to the level of he-sucks/she-sucks. That's not just an achievement--that's a miracle, and not a small one.
Something small stuck with me after someone had something to say the other day about Missouri Heights. They said that people who live in Missouri Heights at night still turn their house lights down to a minimum so as to see the stars above in all their brilliance.
God, I hope that's true.
Can it be true that a small outpost of people in the United States of America in the 21st Century would care so much as a group about the natural world that they would adjust their habits just to see the beauty of nature?
