Simple Pleasures...

[solar]

Fresh strawberries from the garden. It's hard to get tired of eating them because they taste so darn good, even if you have 8-10lbs of them already pulled out for the year (and at least a few more coming)

Same here...this was year 2 for our strawberries, and they just keep coming. So good!

[davescharf]

Fresh strawberries from the garden. It's hard to get tired of eating them because they taste so darn good, even if you have 8-10lbs of them already pulled out for the year (and at least a few more coming)

Same here...this was year 2 for our strawberries, and they just keep coming. So good!

This is the 3rd year we've them. The increase from year 2 to 3 has been crazy. Our neighbors are shocked at how much is coming from a single plant

[solar]

Fresh strawberries from the garden. It's hard to get tired of eating them because they taste so darn good, even if you have 8-10lbs of them already pulled out for the year (and at least a few more coming)

Same here...this was year 2 for our strawberries, and they just keep coming. So good!

This is the 3rd year we've them. The increase from year 2 to 3 has been crazy. Our neighbors are shocked at how much is coming from a single plant

AWESOME NEWS! You just made my expectations for year 3 even higher. We had a lot this year, but could always use more.

[Kelly Red]

Fresh strawberries from the garden. It's hard to get tired of eating them because they taste so darn good, even if you have 8-10lbs of them already pulled out for the year (and at least a few more coming)

Same here...this was year 2 for our strawberries, and they just keep coming. So good!

This is the 3rd year we've them. The increase from year 2 to 3 has been crazy. Our neighbors are shocked at how much is coming from a single plant

What do you do with all of them besides eat fresh? Do you freeze or make jam? I have a great EASY jam for canning if you want. PM me and I'll send it.

[Beauner]

My team combining for a no-hitter.

[sunbone]

My team combining for a no-hitter.

Combining? What, do you have them on a pitch count? Bushwood is going to light you up!

[davescharf]

Fresh strawberries from the garden. It's hard to get tired of eating them because they taste so darn good, even if you have 8-10lbs of them already pulled out for the year (and at least a few more coming)

Same here...this was year 2 for our strawberries, and they just keep coming. So good!

This is the 3rd year we've them. The increase from year 2 to 3 has been crazy. Our neighbors are shocked at how much is coming from a single plant

What do you do with all of them besides eat fresh? Do you freeze or make jam? I have a great EASY jam for canning if you want. PM me and I'll send it.

We are freezing them for smoothies and other things. We are not big jam people but I'll pm if we decide to do that

[Beauner]

My team combining for a no-hitter.

Combining? What, do you have them on a pitch count? Bushwood is going to light you up!

Not particularly, but we have a tourney this weekend where we can play as many as 6 games in 2 days and I need the guy who started to be able to pitch this weekend. He went 6, reliever threw 1.

[Slap Shot]

Fireflies. Haven't seen them since I was a kid and the boys are chasing them nowhere near Cincy.

[dxmnkd316]

Steaks on the grill. Is there anything better? I don't think so.

[The Rube]

Steaks on the grill. Is there anything better? I don't think so.

Corn on the cob right next to those steaks on the grill, and you may be right.

[Armadillo]

Steaks on the grill. Is there anything better? I don't think so.

Properly cooked pork chops on the grill are right up there.

How do you take your steak? For every step above medium rare, I'll cut you.

[g_manpucker]

Steaks on the grill. Is there anything better? I don't think so.

Properly cooked pork chops on the grill are right up there.

How do you take your steak? For every step above medium rare, I'll cut you.

Make those Iowa Chops and I will agree with you.

[Gopher Hockey Rube]

Rare, cold in the center is the only way to go with a quality steak!

[Tee09]

Steaks on the grill. Is there anything better? I don't think so.

Corn on the cob right next to those steaks on the grill, and you may be right.

Add a couple wild trout that were alive less than a half hour ago and you're getting close.

[gator]

Rare, cold in the center is the only way to go with a quality steak!

I love my steak still mooing.

[dxmnkd316]

A properly cooked steak should be cooked in the center yet still pink. Raw and cold is a no go in my book. Gives the fat a chance to melt.

[Armadillo]

A properly cooked steak should be cooked in the center yet still pink. Raw and cold is a no go in my book. Gives the fat a chance to melt.

I agree with the cold in the middle. Good marbling goes completely to waste if not allowed to melt and lubricate the meat fibers.

So you take it medium. I'll allow it, but you're still getting cut. Sorry, them's the rules.

[The Rube]

I like my steaks like I like my women. Pink in the middle.

[Armadillo]

I like my steaks like I like my women. Pink in the middle.

And here I thought you'd riff on "lubricate the meat fibers."

[dxmnkd316]

A properly cooked steak should be cooked in the center yet still pink. Raw and cold is a no go in my book. Gives the fat a chance to melt.

I agree with the cold in the middle. Good marbling goes completely to waste if not allowed to melt and lubricate the meat fibers.

So you take it medium. I'll allow it, but you're still getting cut. Sorry, them's the rules.

No no, I take medium rare. A medium rare steak, properly cooked, should be slightly pink in the middle while still allowed to cook.

[The Rube]

I like my steaks like I like my women. Pink in the middle.

And here I thought you'd riff on "lubricate the meat fibers."

That was too easy of a setup. You have to think outside the box.

[Armadillo]

No no, I take medium rare. A medium rare steak, properly cooked, should be slightly pink in the middle while still allowed to cook.

You were saying?

[dxmnkd316]

I guess I'm somewhere between medium rare and medium according to that chart.

[Armadillo]

I guess I'm somewhere between medium rare and medium according to that chart.

Acceptable. At least you didn't say "puck-like." Steaks ordered well-done in a steakhouse get forgotten in the broiler.

[dxmnkd316]

A well-done steak is a waste of beef. I still think the same is true for a steak on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unless it's carpaccio. Different beast there.

[Armadillo]

A well-done steak is a waste of beef. I still think the same is true for a steak on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unless it's carpaccio. Different beast there.

Anywhere between rare and medium is fine. Medium well is pushing your damn luck. Blue rare and well-done are, I agree, crimes against beef.

Now, pork? Medium all the way. 160 degrees, pink in the middle. Christ in traction, it's good.

[dxmnkd316]

Pork I err on the safe side.

[The Rube]

Pork I err on the safe side.

They changed the rules on pork, you know.

[dxmnkd316]

Who changed what rules and why did they change them?

[Armadillo]

Who changed what rules and why did they change them?

Trichinella spirilis (the little f'er behind trichinosis) dies off at 135 degrees, but even better, has been eradicated from the US pork supply due to better feed practices.

About a year ago, the USDA changed their temperature recommendations for whole cuts of pork from 160 degrees to 145 degrees with a three minute rest.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news/NR_052411_01/index.asp

[The Rube]

Who changed what rules and why did they change them?

Trichinella spirilis (the little f'er behind trichinosis) dies off at 135 degrees, but even better, has been eradicated from the US pork supply due to better feed practices.

About a year ago, the USDA changed their temperature recommendations for whole cuts of pork from 160 degrees to 145 degrees with a three minute rest.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/news/NR_052411_01/index.asp

What he said.

[rowshkex]

I need my steak medium-well because I lose my appetite otherwise...

[Bertogliat]

I need my steak medium-well because I lose my appetite otherwise...

I get this. I try to cook pork to a medium well with a slightly pink center. I get how people have a hard time trusting pork since we have it beat into our heads that it should be well done.

Von Hanson's meat market sells a PORK jerky. I bought some and can't get myself to eat it.

[Jupiter]

Fireflies. Haven't seen them since I was a kid and the boys are chasing them nowhere near Cincy.

We can see hundreds (maybe thousands) of them in June/July near the pond and grass field just behind our house. It's almost like a christmas display with twinkling lights. It was even cooler last night, because it was so dark due a power outage in our neighborhood. They are just everywhere.

[gopher wes]

A well-done steak is a waste of beef. I still think the same is true for a steak on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unless it's carpaccio. Different beast there.

Anywhere between rare and medium is fine. Medium well is pushing your damn luck. Blue rare and well-done are, I agree, crimes against beef.

Now, pork? Medium all the way. 160 degrees, pink in the middle. Christ in traction, it's good.

What Dillo said. Anything more than medium is too far. Somewhere between rare and medium rare would be just about perfect in my book. Nothing like cutting into a rare steak!

[rowshkex]

The way vehicles move out of the way for emergency vehicles. I love observing the immediate chaos and the rapid reorganization that takes place afterward.

[Tee09]

Coming home to see that some of our fish are surrounded by a cloud of baby fish. If we can keep half of them alive until they're big enough to sell, that's about $100 of the cute little wigglers.

[h8red]

THE Mayo Clinic...after 6 months and my wife's local cardiologist busting her butt to get my wife healthy she sent us over to Mayo to see a Cardiovascular Specialist who specializes in pericarditis. We are now more hopeful for a recovery more than ever. The doctor we saw was confident, personable, professional, and etc.; we couldn't have asked for more. 30 years ago a doctor at Mayo made sure my dad could walk after he fell off a 2-1/2 story house, I have all the confidence in the world that this doctor will make sure my wife recovers fully from this as well.

That is great to hear. The Mayo took good care of my wife and I am hoping you see excellent results, also.

So glad to hear it. My only two experiences with the mayo were completely different. I thought that they were very inefficient & the whole thing was a "Charlie Foxtrot".

[h8red]

A well-done steak is a waste of beef. I still think the same is true for a steak on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unless it's carpaccio. Different beast there.

Anywhere between rare and medium is fine. Medium well is pushing your damn luck. Blue rare and well-done are, I agree, crimes against beef.

Now, pork? Medium all the way. 160 degrees, pink in the middle. Christ in traction, it's good.

What Dillo said. Anything more than medium is too far. Somewhere between rare and medium rare would be just about perfect in my book. Nothing like cutting into a rare steak!

A buddy of mine used to order his steak by telling the server, "Knock off the hoofs and horns, wipe it's and throw it on the plate". I'm guessing he likes his steak rather raw.

[dxmnkd316]

A well-done steak is a waste of beef. I still think the same is true for a steak on the opposite end of the spectrum. Unless it's carpaccio. Different beast there.

Anywhere between rare and medium is fine. Medium well is pushing your damn luck. Blue rare and well-done are, I agree, crimes against beef.

Now, pork? Medium all the way. 160 degrees, pink in the middle. Christ in traction, it's good.

What Dillo said. Anything more than medium is too far. Somewhere between rare and medium rare would be just about perfect in my book. Nothing like cutting into a rare steak!

A buddy of mine used to order his steak by telling the server, "Knock off the hoofs and horns, wipe it's and throw it on the plate". I'm guessing he likes his steak rather raw.

One raw Rocky Mountain oyster coming up!

[g_manpucker]

Flag Day Ceremonies put on my a local Elks Lodge. As a former member of the Elks I took part in this ritual for many years and if it's done well it is a impressive history of the flag of the USA.

[Norm]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

[gopherguy13]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

[Golden FE Ranger]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

True. It takes special talent to screw up a pizza.

[Norm]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

True. It takes special talent to screw up a pizza.

My wife makes the crust. Sometimes it's too thick, sometimes it's too thin. Last night was perfect. I put on the toppings. Any idiot could do my part.

[Zwak]

Having a nice phone conversation with the woman who put you up for adoption 46 years ago. Turns out we both like sports but she's no so much in to trivia.

[h8red]

Having a nice phone conversation with the woman who put you up for adoption 46 years ago. Turns out we both like sports but she's no so much in to trivia.

She probably feels the same way.

[Tee09]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

True. It takes special talent to screw up a pizza.

Domino's has that special talent.

[monty]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

True. It takes special talent to screw up a pizza.

Domino's has that special talent.

I worked as a manger from them in the late 1980's, there pizza was good back then. They changed a few things since then in response to competition and it has made their pizza terrible.

The best pizza's we made back then were ones we feed the staff and used items we bought at the grocery store near us.

[gopherguy13]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

True. It takes special talent to screw up a pizza.

Domino's has that special talent.

Domino's is pretty solid now, IMO.

I've never encountered a pizza that I thought was actually "bad", though. So maybe I am easy

[Gopherguy05]

Last night we had home made pizza with home made beer. Nothin better than that.

Pizza in general is always a simple pleasure.

Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good.

True. It takes special talent to screw up a pizza.

Domino's has that special talent.

Domino's is pretty solid now, IMO.

I've never encountered a pizza that I thought was actually "bad", though. So maybe I am easy

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

[gopherguy13]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

[Gopherguy05]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

In case it didn't come through, I was calling it bad pizza. If you really can call it pizza. But yes, trainwrecks are hard to avoid sometimes.

[Armadillo]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

In case it didn't come through, I was calling it bad pizza. If you really can call it pizza. But yes, trainwrecks are hard to avoid sometimes.

Oh, it came through. GG13 is what we like to call a "glutton for punishment."

By the way, whatever happened to Gopherguys 6 through 12?

[Greyeagle]

The US Open's 2PM CDT transition from ESPN to NBC.

Bye-bye Berman.

[rowshkex]

The US Open's 2PM CDT transition from ESPN to NBC.

Bye-bye Berman.

Thank goodness...

"Backbackbackbackback IN THE CUPPPP."

[The Rube]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

Little Caesar's is 10x the pizza that CiCi's is.

[g_manpucker]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

Little Caesar's is 10x the pizza that CiCi's is.

Couldn't agree more! CiCi's is only a step above Chuck E. Cheese.

[Armadillo]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

Little Caesar's is 10x the pizza that CiCi's is.

Couldn't agree more! CiCi's is only a step above Chuck E. Cheese.

...which is itself only a step above drywall smothered in spiced animal blood.

[Slap Shot]

The US Open's 2PM CDT transition from ESPN to NBC.

Bye-bye Berman.

Berman almost makes me want to break my vow of not using the word, "hate" over things trivial.

[Beauner]

Damn allergies...
Tim's Place restaurant takes a unique approach

[gopherguy13]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

In case it didn't come through, I was calling it bad pizza. If you really can call it pizza. But yes, trainwrecks are hard to avoid sometimes.

Oh, it came through. GG13 is what we like to call a "glutton for punishment."

By the way, whatever happened to Gopherguys 6 through 12?

This is correct, I will consider it a new challenge in my quest to find a pizza that I would consider "bad"

And regarding gopherguys 6 through 12: It was a mutual decision between 05 and I to... end them. They got on our bad side.

Let's just say they are living out the rest of their days on a nice farm upstate.

[st8ofhockey]

Cici's....like grease spread on wet cardboard and topped with something they called cheese, but I don't think it came from any animal on earth.

I've never had Cici's before. Sounds like I need to try it though

In case it didn't come through, I was calling it bad pizza. If you really can call it pizza. But yes, trainwrecks are hard to avoid sometimes.

Oh, it came through. GG13 is what we like to call a "glutton for punishment."

By the way, whatever happened to Gopherguys 6 through 12?

This is correct, I will consider it a new challenge in my quest to find a pizza that I would consider "bad"

And regarding gopherguys 6 through 12: It was a mutual decision between 05 and I to... end them. They got on our bad side.

Let's just say they are living out the rest of their days on a nice farm upstate.

And the sisters never laid a hand on Andy again...

[Slap Shot]

"Dad, is it true that while a Dj was warming up the crowd before a 2011 Foo Fighter's show in 2011 a storm rolled in and cancelled the concert?"
"Not sure. Are you watching a show about the Foo Fighters?"
"No, a show about a serial killer."

Wait, what?

Now my kids know I'm a huge FF fan so it prompted their interest, but it turns out they were watching, "When Vacations Attack" (in which a tent collapsed at a show injuring fans) and they corrected the serial killer angle after further questioning.

[The Rube]

"Dad, is it true that while a Dj was warming up the crowd before a 2011 Foo Fighter's show in 2011 a storm rolled in and cancelled the concert?"
"Not sure. Are you watching a show about the Foo Fighters?"
"No, a show about a serial killer."

Wait, what?

Now my kids know I'm a huge FF fan so it prompted their interest, but it turns out they were watching, "When Vacations Attack" (in which a tent collapsed at a show injuring fans) and they corrected the serial killer angle after further questioning.

That post......the hell? That's a lot of angles to be coming from!

[Snowcool08]

Not simple, but I ran (mostly ran) my first marathon yesterday. Finished in 5:42.

[The Rube]

Not simple, but I ran (mostly ran) my first marathon yesterday. Finished in 5:42.

Quite a few friends ran this weekend (mostly in the Grandma's half/whole marathon), and all did well. Congrats to you!

Simple pleasure: radar/storm-watching on a Sunday. Apt faces west, so I get the added bonus of seeing it roll in from a ways away.

[davescharf]

Drinking a malt at Annie's

[Golden FE Ranger]

The simple satisfaction of completing a large project. We put a new roof on our cabin or "hunting shack" this weekend. It rained in the location for about 8 out of the last nine days. Guess what day we had picked to put the new roof on about two weeks ago? I guess the clean living is paying off .

[rowshkex]

Drinking a malt at Annie's

If that's not one of the greatest simple pleasures in the world, nothing is.

[gopher wes]

The progression of the Top 10 Moments for the 2011-2012 Season that Gopher Sports has been releasing!

Today was #5. Here is the link: http://www.gophersports.com/blog/2012/0 ... -hero.html

[george]

The progression of the Top 10 Moments for the 2011-2012 Season that Gopher Sports has been releasing!

Today was #5. Here is the link: http://www.gophersports.com/blog/2012/0 ... -hero.html

It would be nice if the links worked correctly as both # 10 and #9 show he Warning goal and #8 is linked to #7.

[g_manpucker]

Playing a summer hockey pick up game on Sunday!

[Kelor]

Keeping track of my bro-in-law riding a recumbent bicycle with 3 others across America (a pier in California to Maryland non-stop). They finished last night in 6 days, 12 hours, 43 minutes. Of the four members of the team, all three guys are in their 50's and the gal is 47.

Their average speed was 19.1 mph (a new race across america over age 50 record). At one point going up the mountains of Colorado, they had 50 mph head winds and couldn't go fast enough to prevent their recumbent bikes from tipping over, so had to walk.