Long time ago, when the produce used to be  seasonal, young garlic was one of the first signs of spring. Young garlic is just that – the garlic plant before the bulb forms. At that point the whole plant is edible top to bottom; in a few weeks it becomes rough and the season is over. For years I was on the lookout for the young garlic and once even signed up for a CSA just because they listed it among the produce they grew. Last Saturday I finally found some at the River Market; the lady even repeated “garlic” twice to make sure I know what it is. I knew. Young garlic tastes a lot milder than the real thing and I just eat it with meals. There are some recipes out there, I don’t bother, it’s perfect the way it is and only needs to be peeled.

The way to tell the young garlic from, say, green onions is by its flat leaves.

Young garlic for me always means spring. Hurry up and get your spring started.

One day I was researching looking at pictures of Michael Jackson’s 1984 Victory Tour which launched in Kansas City and then I saw this:

This piece of art was published in a special issue of the Billboard Magazine where everyone from Michael’s accountant to the company which made his tapes took out ads to congratulate Michael Jackson (and slap their own backs in the process)on becoming the King of Pop.

After the first picture I just couldn’t stop. Sorry…

Cue the State Song of Kansas

Were buffalo used to roam there is now the Glacial Hills Scenic Byway where no one roams anymore, just an occasional car with passengers who didn’t find anything better to do on a gloomy Sunday. Scenic Byway officially starts at Ft.Leavenworth, passes through Atchison, twists and turns through Troy and stops right before the Nebraska border at White Cloud – a place still recovering from the housing bubble of 1929.

White Cloud is home to the 4-State lookout – a place where you can see Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska at the same time.

Panoramic view from the lookout can be seen here.
Miss Teen Kansas lives here (at least until 2010):

White Cloud was voted the best place to dispose of a dead body:

Just don’t forget to “dispose of all head and guts” and leave the work area clean for the next person.

North of the White Cloud you will find an Indian Casino adorned by the symbols of past glory: Eagle Feathers, Eagle without feathers and an unfinished tepee:

At the casino zombie-looking white people are sitting in the clouds of smoke, mistakenly hoping they can fool the Indians again. Instead, their money is financing the modern-day tepees.

On the way back you can cross the river, drive past the Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge,and return home via I-29.

Overall, this is a pretty nice weekend trip, but it will probably look more picturesque during the spring and summer months. There is a lot more to be seen in Atchison and there is a 10-mile auto route around the Refuge.

For the longest time a trip to Argentina has occupied the top spot on my imaginary bucket list, patiently waiting for its time. Talking about my dream to visit Argentina became such a part of my life that after finally getting it done, I might be at a loss of subjects to discuss in a polite conversation. In any case, the trip and the country of Argentina turned out to be everything I imagined it to be and much more, and became the longest, the most expensive and the best trip of my adult life.

Before you bring old folks to your house make sure their shots are up to date and they are toilet-trained. Old folks like to sit around and watch TV, read newspapers or pretend to solve puzzles while secretly peeking into the back page for the answers. Leave your old folks plenty of room to walk and play. Keep your house temperature around 75F, old folks tend to feel cold. They will let you know they are hungry by shuffling around the house and aimlessly opening and closing the refrigerator. If you want to feed your old folks, there is no food they like better than “Old Folks” Country Sausage Gravy, and it says so right on the box! It’s fatty, nutritious and doesn’t require chewing. Remember to scratch your old folks behind the ear while they are eating, they will enjoy it.

After 4 weeks of feeding your old folks with the Country Sausage Gravy you will notice a youthful spring in their movements and a healthy shine in their hair. They may try to use their gravy-fed youthfulness to escape. Keep your doors locked at all times. If you properly care for and feed your old folks they will provide many years of fun and companionship.