Welcome to a potpourri of fun! On this page you’ll find the latest comics by Jari Thymian, a motivational quote, a crossword puzzle contest, and whatever else we decide to throw in here. Be sure to check back for the latest!
- Earth Corner – With Pat Walsh
- Star Stories – by Kelly Ricks
- Riding the Santa Fe Trail – by Laura Brewer
- Every Day Should be Earth Day – Editorial by Laura Brewer
- Find the Differences
- Frank Mahannah – Gallery
- Exploring Climax Canyon by Mauricio Meneses
- Madi’s Kitchen
- Quotes & Riddles
Quotes & Riddles
Earth Corner – With Pat Walsh
It’s Hard to Think in an Emergency
Although it may not seem like it, wildfire season is approaching.
Hard to imagine with our recent snow, but our part of the country is becoming warmer and drier overall, and that of course leads to fire danger. The Colfax County Commission just heard a forecast that our wildfire season could be severe, starting as early as April.
During the recent wildfires in Los Angeles, thousands of people had to evacuate their homes. Perhaps during our own Track Fire in 2011, you yourself had to evacuate or got ready to evacuate. At my house, we were ready to evacuate on two different days. Fortunately, it never came to that.
But what if? What if you only had minutes to flee? Would you be ready?
Experts tell us that with more and more extreme weather because of “global weirding,” we should take a little time to prepare when things are calm.
At our house, we have a “go bag.” Following the guidance of various organizations, that backpack includes some basic first aid, toiletries and sanitation supplies, extra medications, some snacks, coins and one-dollar bills (in case the only food or drinks available are in snack machines), copies of important papers, etc. The idea is we can grab that bag and zoom out the door with many of the basics.
A CBS online news story says, “Firefighters created a phonetic list, dubbed the “6 P’s of Evacuation,” to remember everything that should go with you and your emergency kit:
- People, pets and papers
- Phone numbers & important documents (I would add cell phone to this)
- Prescriptions, vitamins & eyeglasses
- Pictures & irreplaceable memorabilia
- Personal computer, hard drive & disks
- ‘Plastic’ (credit cards, ATM cards) & cash”
When I talk to kids about emergency preparations, I try to focus on people and pets. Perhaps there is an elderly family member who will need special provisions to evacuate. As for pets, we have two dogs and two cats at our place. The dogs? Easy. Grab a leash and get them in the car.
But the cats?
There was a news story a few years ago about a wildfire where the family was evacuating their home, and the dad was carrying his daughter’s beloved cat. The cat freaked out, and when cats freak out, that means sharp claws. The kitty got out of the man’s arms and apparently ran back in the house, which burned. The daughter was devastated over her pet’s death, and her father was filled with remorse.
At my place, I have two cat carriers, one for each cat. I’ve also heard about creating a second go-bag for our pets, with some food and water. That’s on my to-do list.
There are stories about the strange things people grab from their homes when they only have minutes to flee. The truth is, it’s hard to think clearly during an emergency.
Take the time to make a go-bag before you need one. You’ll be glad you did.
Star Stories – by Kelly Ricks
Where is the Milky Way Tonight?
Posted January 26, 2025
Here in northeastern New Mexico we are fortunate to have one of the darkest night skies in the nation. We’re so used to our starry sky, it’s easy to forget what a treasure it is to go outside and see the Milky Way galaxy from our own backyards. 80% of Americans today live in places where it’s impossible to see the Milky Way and some will never see it in their lifetimes. But here, all you have to do is drive a short distance from town on a moonless night and you’ll see over 5000 stars with your unaided eye. As a comparison, someone living in Chicago can only see 35! One of the reasons people visit our area is simply to experience a truly dark sky…and especially the Milky Way.
Just as we see different constellations from season to season, our view of the Milky Way changes as well. As Earth orbits the sun we see different parts of our galaxy, and it also appears in different places and orientations across the sky. In this article I’ll be talking about where and when the Milky Way can be seen between sunset and midnight—the time most of us are more likely to stargaze.
Over the next month our sky seems focused around the famous constellation of Orion. Look for the reddish star Betelgeuse (usually pronounced “beetle-juice”) that marks the mythical hunter’s left shoulder. Harry Potter fans will recognize the “movie star” in his right shoulder: Bellatrix. Following on the heels of Orion is the brightest star in our sky: Sirius, the “Dog Star:” the “heart” of the constellation Canis Major. And don’t forget Canis Minor: the “Little Dog” with a big heart named “Procyon.” The large pattern of bright stars around Orion is sometimes called the “Winter Hexagon.” These stars are largely in our galactic neighborhood. They’re close, and bright, and a few are extremely colorful. But there is still another treasure hiding among these winter constellations. One so precious, it is impossible to see in all but the darkest of skies: the “Winter Milky Way.”
The Milky Way view most of us are familiar with is the part of the galaxy we see in summer. For us in the northern hemisphere, summer is when the brightest part of the Milky Way is most visible after sunset. The dense, starry core of our galaxy is high above the southern horizon, and the spiral arms stretching up from it are rich with layer upon layer of countless stars. In winter however, we are looking directly away from that bright core and into one thin layer of stars at the very edge of our galaxy. The Winter Milky Way is faint and delicate. It floats like vapor through the Winter Hexagon and is only visible in a moonless and pristinely dark sky. Most people have no idea it’s there.
February is an excellent month for Winter Milky Way viewing. Nights with the least amount of moonlight during prime after-sunset stargazing hours are: February 1 – 4, and February 19 – 28. Drive a short distance from town about an hour after sunset. Look for Orion high in the south and see if you can identify his reddish shoulder: Betelgeuse. The Winter Milky Way runs next to Orion and right through the Winter Hexagon. For the best view you’ll need to let your eyes adapt to the darkness for a half hour or more so dress warm!
More February Star Stuff:
- Venus, Jupiter, and Mars are still bright and easy to see. Venus is in the west after sunset. At the same time, Jupiter and Mars are embedded within the Winter Hexagon, almost straight overhead.
- February 1st: Moon & Venus make a beautiful pair.
- February 9th: Moon, Mars, and two bright stars in Gemini make a beautiful quartet high overhead.
- February 16th: Venus reaches peak brightness.
- The sun will be at peak activity through 2025 and more aroura (northern lights) events are possible in our area. Up to the minute aurora forecasts can be found at www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast and many Aurora Forecast apps are available for smart phones.
Illustrations by Kelly Ricks
Help our Earth – Editorial by Laura Brewer
Every day should be Earth Day, but officially we celebrate in the U.S. on Monday, April 22, 2024. Below is a graphic of some of the things one can do to help our Earth.
Posted February 8, 2025 – Provided by Laura Brewer
Madi’s Kitchen
See additional recipes on Madi’s Kitchen page
Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Posted February 22, 2025
With us well into winter, I wanted something warm and delicious to eat for dinner. I selected this casserole, with delicious cheesy noodles and tomatoes, as the perfect way to compliment a cold winter day. Once it’s summer, this dish will also be great to bring on picnics or to a potluck. No matter what the situation, this dish will surely be a hit with your friends, family, or coworkers.
And once it is summer, you can use fresh tomatoes and even potentially make some of your own cheese. It is not easy to make your own cheese, but it is pretty fun if you can get the ingredients. Plus, if you make your own cheese, you can customize it by adding spices and fresh herbs, aging it differently or just serving it really fresh.
The way this recipe is set up makes it a lot easier than other recipes I’ve seen. When referring to it, just add the cheese to the hot noodles instead of making a roux which usually takes me about 30 minutes to make. It does give it a different flavor though, so it’s really up to you whether to make a roux or not.
If you want, add different vegetables too, feel free to do so. I personally just like adding tomatoes because they give the dish a different color and are really tasty, especially in the summer when we have our own homegrown fresh ones. My favorite ones that we grow are the Cherokee Purple (they’re small, sweet and have a little flower looking shape on top) and the Purple Bumblebee (they’re not as sweet and are really, really good in soup. They’re also big).
I’d recommend eating the Cherokee Purples just on their own as a snack and the Purple Bumblebees making them into tomato soup or cooking them into this Macaroni and Cheese casserole recipe.
Hope all of you stay warm and have a good week. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, more to grease the pan
- Fine salt, as desired
- 8 ounces uncooked elbow or penne macaroni noodles (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, (divided, see instructions below)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup milk
- Paprika, for garnish, optional
- 1 large tomato
- Any other seasonings of your choice (I used garlic powder and some carrots)
Directions
Bake the macaroni and cheese uncovered until the cheese melts and browns, 25 to 30 minutes.
Cook 8 ounces (about 2 cups) noodles in well-salted boiling water, following the package directions. Drain well.
Return the pasta to the pot and add 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter; stir until melted.
Add 2 1/2 cups of shredded cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper, as needed.
Add 1 cup of milk to the macaroni; stir until thoroughly combined.
Spoon half the macaroni and cheese mixture into the prepared casserole or baking pan (grease the pan with butter) then add the sliced tomatoes and then add the remaining macaroni and cheese on top.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over the top along with paprika, if using.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 F / 180 C.
Find the Differences – Search by the Sea
Find the five differences in the two images above.
Exploring Climax Canyon by Mauricio Meneses
Artist Mauricio Meneses (D’MAU) is creating videos highlighting sights in and around New Mexico. Visit his YouTube channel to see more. Click on the image below to go to the YouTube video.
