"I think there should be something in science called "the reindeer effect". I don't know what it would be, but I think it'd be good to hear someone say, "Gentlemen, what we have here is a terrifying example of the reindeer effect." Jack Handy
- JUST BLOOMED TODAY
- AWKWARD VISIT WITH SANTA PHOTO OF THE DAY
- HIDEOUS CHRISTMAS SWEATER PHOTO OF THE DAY
- HOLIDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
- TWEET TREATS
- DID YOU KNOW...?
- DOG CONFESSIONS
- BIZARRE CHRISTMAS CARDS
- LETTERS TO SANTA
- PHOTOBOMBING
- GARDEN UPDATE
- JAPANESE ICE BALLS
- FAUNA
- GARDEN GIGGLE
- WHAT IN THE WORLD?
- FEEDBACK
JUST BLOOMED TODAY
AWKWARD VISIT WITH SANTA PHOTO OF THE DAY
HIDEOUS CHRISTMAS SWEATER PHOTO OF THE DAY
HOLIDAY ANIMAL PHOTO OF THE DAY
TWEET TREATS
bringing you the quirky, funniest and most interesting tweets from Twitter that we came across.
DID YOU KNOW...?
Ducks have the ability to put half their brain to sleep, and keep the other half awake.
DOG CONFESSIONS
BIZARRE CHRISTMAS CARDS
LETTERS TO SANTA
 |
| I pull up in a limo, slowly roll my window down, and wave. You approach cautiously. Drawing your face close to mine, I whisper, "Cute top." @bridger_w |
Ducks have the ability to put half their brain to sleep, and keep the other half awake.
DOG CONFESSIONS
BIZARRE CHRISTMAS CARDS
GARDEN UPDATE
Lovely weather again today and a time for enjoying the mum blooms all over the garden. Saw the first tiny green heads poking up of the narcissus on the walkways, as the fruit trees lose their leaves. Brought in the Christmas stuff from the garage, time to change!
JAPANESE ICE BALLS
Ice melt is often one of the reasons that your "homemade" drinks do not taste as fresh as bar drinks. The ice served in bars is designed to fill the glass utilizing its maximum capacity, which in turn keeps everything cooler longer and the ice from melting slower. The basic design of ice from classic cube trays does not allow for this efficient use of a glass' shape. However, the ice ball thwarts this melting by giving you one large clump that cools itself and slows the melt. If you enjoy any type of whiskey on the rocks you will want to check out this form of ice because your last sip will be almost as flavorful as your first.
Most ice balls are the size of a handball or racquetball and they fit into most highball and lowball glasses. Depending on the shape of your glass, they may not fit.The key to using an ice ball is to have a glass with a wide rim; those that taper inward at the rim will not work and your ball will just sit on top.
Lovely weather again today and a time for enjoying the mum blooms all over the garden. Saw the first tiny green heads poking up of the narcissus on the walkways, as the fruit trees lose their leaves. Brought in the Christmas stuff from the garage, time to change!
JAPANESE ICE BALLS
Most ice balls are the size of a handball or racquetball and they fit into most highball and lowball glasses. Depending on the shape of your glass, they may not fit.The key to using an ice ball is to have a glass with a wide rim; those that taper inward at the rim will not work and your ball will just sit on top.
There are three ways to make an ice ball: by hand, by mold/machine or by balloon. The Japanese masters carve theirs by hand. There are plastic molds you can purchase to make the spheres, and you can either do these manually and wait for them to freeze or use a machine which makes them on the spot from a small block of ice. Molds come in a variety of patterns as well, with small soccer balls or golf balls, etc.
How to make an ice ball with a plastic mold:
Separate the two pieces of the mold.
Fill the bottom mold to the top of the rim of the mold (not just the sphere shape) with distilled water (please don't use tap).
Place the top mold over the bottom and push it down. You will want to do this over the sink as water will come out of the two air holes on the top. This is necessary because the water displaced from the bottom tray will fill the top part of the sphere and some will be "left over" and have to come out of the mold.
Set your ice ball mold on a level surface in your freezer. "Level" is important because if the mold is tilted, water will leak out and you will not have a full ball once it is frozen.
Allow the mold to set undisturbed (again, tilting unfrozen water factor) for 3-5 hours, or until frozen, depending on how cold your freezer is. I found that this time is about twice as long as a standard ice cube tray and if you can go a little longer, it's better because you want to ensure it is fully frozen.
Once completely frozen you can separate the two parts of the tray. The ice balls may stick to the mold so you will want to be careful when attempting to remove the ice balls. If they do get stuck, run some cold water over the mold and it should release (hot water will begin the melting process and you want to avoid that).
Once formed and frozen ice balls can be stored in a freezer bag or bowl in the freezer until needed. I like to keep a cycle going of freezing and will store a dozen or more at a time so they are always available.
How long will an ice ball last?
The answer to this completely depends on the temperature of the room, the glass and the liquids poured over the ice.
The last method is to use balloons. Here is a video by Martha Stewart that shows you how. I love this one because in the mold section he places small live flowers!
PHOTOBOMBING
Separate the two pieces of the mold.
Fill the bottom mold to the top of the rim of the mold (not just the sphere shape) with distilled water (please don't use tap).
Place the top mold over the bottom and push it down. You will want to do this over the sink as water will come out of the two air holes on the top. This is necessary because the water displaced from the bottom tray will fill the top part of the sphere and some will be "left over" and have to come out of the mold.
Set your ice ball mold on a level surface in your freezer. "Level" is important because if the mold is tilted, water will leak out and you will not have a full ball once it is frozen.
Allow the mold to set undisturbed (again, tilting unfrozen water factor) for 3-5 hours, or until frozen, depending on how cold your freezer is. I found that this time is about twice as long as a standard ice cube tray and if you can go a little longer, it's better because you want to ensure it is fully frozen.
Once completely frozen you can separate the two parts of the tray. The ice balls may stick to the mold so you will want to be careful when attempting to remove the ice balls. If they do get stuck, run some cold water over the mold and it should release (hot water will begin the melting process and you want to avoid that).
Once formed and frozen ice balls can be stored in a freezer bag or bowl in the freezer until needed. I like to keep a cycle going of freezing and will store a dozen or more at a time so they are always available.
How long will an ice ball last?
The answer to this completely depends on the temperature of the room, the glass and the liquids poured over the ice.
The last method is to use balloons. Here is a video by Martha Stewart that shows you how. I love this one because in the mold section he places small live flowers!
PHOTOBOMBING
GARDEN GIGGLE
FAUNA
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
On today in American history, people in gardens everywhere were talking about:
1783 Last British soldiers leave New York
1941 A 'war warning' sent to commanders in the Pacific
1952 "The Mousetrap," a murder-mystery written by the novelist and playwright Agatha Christie, opens at the Ambassadors Theatre in London. The crowd-pleasing whodunit would go on to become the longest continuously running play in history, with more than 10 million people to date attending its more than 20,000 performances in London's West End.
1963 John F. Kennedy's funeral and laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery
1980 Sugar Ray takes his title back
1990 5 year old Elian Gonsalez is rescued at sea and becomes involved in a multi-country custody suit.
1999 International day to eliminate non-violence of women
2002 George W. Bush signs a Bill ordering the creation of the Office of Homeland Security
2012 Actor Larry Hagman dies
1783 Last British soldiers leave New York
1941 A 'war warning' sent to commanders in the Pacific
1952 "The Mousetrap," a murder-mystery written by the novelist and playwright Agatha Christie, opens at the Ambassadors Theatre in London. The crowd-pleasing whodunit would go on to become the longest continuously running play in history, with more than 10 million people to date attending its more than 20,000 performances in London's West End.
1963 John F. Kennedy's funeral and laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery
1980 Sugar Ray takes his title back
1990 5 year old Elian Gonsalez is rescued at sea and becomes involved in a multi-country custody suit.
1999 International day to eliminate non-violence of women
2002 George W. Bush signs a Bill ordering the creation of the Office of Homeland Security
2012 Actor Larry Hagman dies
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