El Burro (aka.. "Hands on Joe")

As a web developer you sometimes run into people that have "The Idea" that they want you to build.  They commonly won't put in more than 10 minutes it takes to think about it.  They then hope for a remarkable amount of time from the person who can turn it into a real thing....  

I keep track of listings on craigslist from time to time to see if there are any good opportunities for networking.  Sometimes you can find great people - but you also get at least one daily posting like this Cheeser I stubmled across today... Look at this guy's pitch (and my interpretation below):

Craigslist Listing:
Serious Opportunity for the Development of a Revolutionary New App and Concept

 We need a connection to allow us to seriously market an idea that could be very lucrative once implemented to Apple applications. (JM - said as if this "revolutionary idea" already exists in other, non-Apple realms!)

 Candidate must have knowledge of and access to Apple Iphone development tools. App will incorporate video as well. 

 This opportunity is only for those willing to put in a little bit of work for a potentially large payoff. Compensation will be negotiated i.e. royalty opportunities. (JM: Oh darn!  Looks like the strict standarards they have do not include me, who would alternatively prefer to put in a LOT of work for an assured TINY or non-existent payoff.. Wait - did I get that right?)


Minimum time investment for potential HUGE gain.
How could I not be their donkey when such high potential is at stake!  I'll make sure "El Burro" is listed as an alternate "nickname" in the resume I send them... I'll surely need to make my resume stick out among the huge pile of resumes will have to sort through...


This is a seriously innovative idea that could revolutionize the industry and have a massive following.
Could you imagine nebulous group of people of a denominiation I am not aware of following my work!!!!  How flattering! I  may not be able to sleep tonight due to the explosion of ideas that stimulate from this goal! Oh wait - that isn't excitement... it is just pain from a pulled muscle in my back...


Please respond with resume and cover letter to address above. Thank you for your input on this project!
"El Burro" is certainly looking forward to carrying your garbage around!!!  Any time!

Halloween

Hello Family,

The end of October brought some pretty scary folks to our front door!!!



Lucky for me.....Amy (with all her kindergarden teaching experience) knew how to handle the situation... requiring each "little creature" to explain their costumes before getting their treat ;-)


Thankfully.....we survived the night....because the next day we hosted a "birthday girls" celebration for Polly (Nov 1st) and Julie (Oct 16th)!!!!

Birthday girls sharing the cake!


Polly and Julie examining
the hand made dish cloths from Estelle.



Julie's "birthday bowl" from Salida.

Love to everyone in our families!

Greg and Amy

NOVEMBER BIRTHDAYS

POLLY, KIRBY & NORMA , WE LOVE YOU!

Scorpios are the most intense, profound, powerful characters in the zodiac. Even when they appear self-controlled and calm there is a seething intensity of emotional energy under the placid exterior. In conventional social gatherings they are pleasant to be with, thoughtful in conversation, dignified, and reserved, yet affable and courteous; they sometimes possess penetrating eyes which make their shyer companions feel naked and defenseless before them.

Scorpios have an inner harmony, a facility to accept themselves as they are and especially to make others accept their personality. This structure makes of the Scorpio native a remarkably lucid being and a perceptive observer. Decoding mysteries and searching reality to extract its essence is an activity Scorpios like. But they also have a certain humor and a sense of derision behind which they can protect their natural sensitivity.

Being so gifted, they can find fulfillment in many employments. Their inner intensity can result in the ice-cold self-control and detachment of the surgeon, the concentration of the research scientist, and the heroism of the soldier. Any profession in which analysis, investigation, research, dealing with practicalities, and the solving of mysteries are relevant, can appeal to them. So police and detective work, espionage and counterespionage, the law, physics or psychology may attract them, and they can become masters of the written and spoken word. They may be most persuasive orators and find fulfillment as diplomats or preachers and, if they make the Church their profession, their inner intensity can express itself in the spiritual fervor of the mystic or the thaumaturgy.

POLLY, November 1st, with Amber


KIRBY, November 3rd


NORMA, November 9th, with Uncum Paul

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

May We Celebrate, For Many Years To Come,
Our Beautiful October Babes: JULIE & JOSH,

WE LOVE YOU!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE, aka: Jumie, Panchita, M'hijita, Jian
10/16

Libra Zodiac Sign
September 23 - October 22
Element: Air
Quality: Cardinal
Ruling Planet: Venus
Symbol: Scales
Keywords: Sociable, Pleasant, Fair, Refined

Libras need balance and harmony. The Libra person is extremely sensitive to his or her environment and does not function properly when surrounded by chaos and disorder. These people are charming and pleasant, possessing a strong disliking for confrontation. Libras often refrain from speaking their mind and have a tendency to say what people want to hear in order to avoid conflict. Libra needs a partner who has good manners, good tastes and a romantic nature.







HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH, aka: Chimey, UA, Wake Up Crying
10/26

Scorpio Zodiac Sign
October 23 - November 21
Element: Water
Quality: Fixed
Ruling Planet: Pluto
Symbol: Scorpion
Keywords: Intense, Focused, Penetrating, Secretive, Possessive

The Scorpio person has a tendency to be reserved and focused. This person is an expert at getting others to reveal their secrets, although he or she rarely opens up to anyone. Scorpios devote 100% of their energy to everything they do and rarely give up. The Scorpio person expects complete loyalty and devotion from a partner. The Scorpio individual needs a partner who is as passionate and willful as he or she is and finds it difficult to respect a person who is weak-willed or passive

The end of the summer....

Hello family,

Couldn't resist sharing a few pictures of the changing seasons....

Our summer flower pots bginning to fade with
the changing season.........

Changing of the "flower guard" in Amy's front
porch pots....

The first snow of the season decorating
our flower pots...

Our backyard neighbors wondering where
summer has gone....

The cold and snow covering the garden and
signaling the end of the growing season....

and finally....we drove Fritz, Estelle, and my
mom to Estes Park last week to hear the Elk
bugling which is my favorite "fall sound" in Colorado.

Love to everyone in our wonderful families!

Greg and Amy

PS----> for those of you who don't know what "polenta" is and would like to know more about polenta..... the following web-link provides some interesting facts. http://www.lifeinitaly.com/food/polenta.asp

The polenta maker machine at work!

La Dolce Vita

Colder temperatures have descended upon Colorado and with their arrival, Fall has disguised herself under a veil of white. We don't claim to be caught unaware. She has teased us a few nights of late.

Because of an abundant supply of hungry and destructive deer, gardening has been somewhat frustrating in years' past. At the end of June, Greg solved our problem by making barriers that have proven to be deer proof! Despite a late start planting and a July hailstorm, we actually harvested some produce this year. Early Saturday, we gathered what remained. Deer do not like herbs, so they have always been a winner. In our memory, a few strawberry rhubarb crisps, in our freezer 20 quarts of sour cherries and still on our taste buds juicy and sweet grapes! I am already looking ahead to next year!

The aroma of Tuscan Stew, made with elk and parsley, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, sage, and mint from the garden filled our home today.
We served the stew with polenta made in my Uncle Amelio's automated copper polenta pot and a glass of chianti. La Dolce Vita

(PS) My nonna's task as a young girl was to make the daily polenta. Her duty was to stand and stir the mixture of cornmeal and water until done. Polenta has a tendency to bubble up in the initial phase of cooking. I think Nona's trademark spot, (my definition) just below the collar bone resulted from a burn that occurred while stirring this traditional Northern Italian staple.

Final Harvest

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." --Aristotle

Before this year, I had never grown a garden. Not even some herbs in the windowsill. After some yard construction and a busy spring Joe and I built three wooden boxes in the front yard and filled them with dirt and some compost we got for free in the Whole Foods parking lot. Besides water, there wasn't much else to do but wait.

Joe has made other posts throughout the summer about the bounty and the progress, and there was much of both. This post, however, is about today.

Three months later, and the frost is upon is. We spent tonight outside in our pajamas in the dark picking the final fruit from the vine. Most of it isn't fully ripe (the ripe ones usually turn into lunch on the same day), but the weather has forced our hand. My mom has given us some instructions on how to ripen our tomatoes inside, we've got a plan for roasted pepper paninis, and I suppose I need to do some research on pickling jalapenos.

This was our first garden. Something about it has made me understand my mother better, Aunt Susie better, people better. It isn't complicated actually. At all. Stacy Johnson told me a few years ago to just plant it and water it.

It's not about being a foodie, a hippie, an organic and local-only yuppie. It's about eating, and realizing that it doesn't take much to grow a plant beyond desire and a good pot.

Next year we will probably do more, earlier. Maybe not more tomatoes? I only bought two plants. I think they were $10 each. Check. It. Out.

Fall Harvest Green Chile

Dad here is my "flora" part...

Picked a lot of chiles from the garden last week to make veggie green chile. Really easy to skin them when they've just been picked.

Fresh Picked

The harvester

Straight to the grill (we did rinse them first)

roasted.. you could already see the skins seperating which makes it 100 times easier.

Steam them in tupperware for 15 minutes so skins seperate more.



After steaming, peel 'em and gut 'em

Meanwhile Julie was inside putting the rest of the recipe together in the dutch oven. I will post this shortly. This is just about done.

More nature pictures

Hi everyone,

Just spent two days in Salida and took some photos I wanted to share.

Colorado is so beautiful.....and I think Sept-October is the best time of year to be "out in the woods."

Greg

Autumn Colors at Kenosha Pass

Hey Guys,

On the way back from Salida last week we saw some really nice fall colors over Kenosha Pass. I forgot I had these on my iPhone... Enjoy!