Oh Baby Face!

Baby face

You've got the cutest little baby face.

 

 

There ain't nobody can ever take your place

Baby face

My poor heart's jumping
You started something 

 

 

Baby face, I'm up in heaven 

when I'm in your fond embrace.

 

I didn't need a shove, 'cause I just fell in love
With your pretty baby face.

 

It's that time of the year. And we don't envy the job that Tye and Todd are going to have to accomplish in the next few days of sub-zero wind chills. It's calving season for our cow herd. The Polar Express is a rude "welcome to the world" for any babies born in the next few days. 

While we aren't involved in the day-to-day operations any longer, we do still own cows and calves. But we definitely remember the days of 'round-the-clock checks on mamas in the maternity ward. And we salute Tye and Todd - as well as other livestock stewards - who will be braving winter weather to care for their animals.

 

As I've mentioned before, Tye and Todd have liberal visitation policies when it comes to our visits to see the new babies. A bunch of them are already on the ground. Some arrived during the last storm and didn't seem particularly bothered by napping on snow-covered ground.  

Back in our active farming/ranching days, we always spread out straw. The Millers do, too. But that doesn't mean the mamas or babies take advantage of it.

 

 But some do!

 

 

The mamas also provide a ready "warm milk bar." That's sure to warm babies up quickly!

 

 

It's self-serve, all-you-can-eat.

 

Visiting the cattle also provides a ready genetics lesson. Some babies look an awful lot like their mothers. 

 

Others must resemble their dads. 

 But they are all pretty darn cute.

Shoutout to all those producers who'll be braving the extreme cold during the next few days. Be careful out there!

Winterscapes

A panorama taken February 2, 2025

Winter's sky is an old blue soul, 

weaving dark clouds with wonder.

Angie Wieland-Crosby 

With snow in the forecast, my devoted summer-loving friends are lamenting another round of winter weather and longing for their flip flops. Personally, I prefer sweatshirt weather to 100-degree humid summer days. And these days, when I no longer have the daily climb into the feed truck, I can enjoy the scenery for what it is ... in a word, beautiful.

 

February 2, 2025

 

 

Sunsets were particularly colorful a few days last week. I guess AI is good for something: When I "asked," here's what the the AI Overlook spit out:

 

Winter sunsets often appear more vibrant and colorful due to the combination of colder, less humid air, which means fewer particles to scatter light, resulting in cleaner air and bolder colors, especially when compared to the more humid summer months. This phenomenon is called Rayleigh scattering, where the longer wavelengths of light like red and orange travel further through the atmosphere at sunset, creating the vivid hues we see.

 

February 3, 2025, south of Stafford

No matter the reason, the sunsets have been worth getting out of my warm house and driving down the road for an unobstructed look.

 

Later on February 3, 2025, Zenith branch, Kanza Co-op

 

The sky at dusk wasn't the only beautiful thing last week. We also had freezing fog and hoar frost. After seeing friends' Facebook photo posts, we likely missed the day with the heaviest hoar frost, since we were in Topeka a couple of days for our granddaughter's sports activities. 

 

Hoar frost is a type of feathery frost that forms as a result of specific climatic conditions. The word 'hoar' comes from old English and refers to the old age appearance of the frost. The way the ice crystals form makes it look like white hair or a beard.

 

Rattlesnake Creek along 4th Street near Highway 281 north of St. John, looking north, February 4, 2025. I made Randy stop on the bridge on our way to the accountant in Great Bend.

 

Looking south from the same bridge on 4th Street near Highway 281

The winter landscape scenes around here looked a little like Andrew Wyeth paintings with the stark scenes offset with fog and frost.

 

We had a little time between getting home from the accountant and my 2 PM meeting in Stafford, so we drove around so I could take more photos. The photo above was taken down an oil field road at our Rattlesnake Pasture. I've taken a lot of spring and summer shots at that same location, but I think this was my first winter scene.

I do have a confession for my summer-loving friends: I'm not sure I ever warmed up the rest of the day after hopping in and out of the pickup into the frigid air. 

 

 

But I think the photos were probably worth the bone-chilling cold. 

The snow drift is still lingering along this tree line. We are supposed to add more to it in the next couple of days.

With another winter storm set to move in, we'll see if there are any other winter calendar contenders in the days ahead.

 

 It is the life of the crystal,

the architect of the flake,

the fire of the frost, 

the soul of the sunbeam.

This crisp winter air is full of it.

-- John Burroughs

 

 

Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites

I love chocolate chip cookies as much as the next person. But sometimes, a little fancier cookie option is required. 

Such was the case when I was to bring cookies for a new exhibit opening at the Vernon Filley Art Museum in Pratt. At about the same time, I saw a recipe for Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites during an inevitable Facebook scroll. The recipe looked like a potential contender. They were pretty on the outside and had a hidden surprise - a maraschino cherry. They reminded me of those boxes of chocolate-covered cherries that invariably take up shelf space at discount stores during Christmas time. But I thought they could be equally appropriate as we approached Valentine's Day. 

 I ended up combining them with a couple of other small, bite-sized cookies - Peanut Butter Cup Cookies and Pecan Tassies. I arranged them on a heart-shaped platter that I'd gotten for Brent's and Susan's rehearsal dinner supper.

They would be a "Treat for your Sweet" this Valentine's Day. I am more into homemade gifts than spending beaucoup bucks on whatever's trendy this year. If you are too, give them a try!

Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites

From Butter with a Side of Bread 

1 box brownie mix (9X13 size)

Eggs according to package directions 

Water according to package directions 

Oil according to package directions
1 - 10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained (reserve juice for frosting)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
5 Tbsp butter, softened to room temperature
3 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp reserved maraschino cherry juice

 

Mix brownie mix according to package directions with the required oil, eggs and water. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the batter into a well-greased mini muffin pan. Bake brownie bites at 350° for about 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Immediately after removing the brownie bites from the oven, press an indention into each one, using the back of a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon. While the brownies are still warm, place 3 semi-sweet chocolate chips into each center. Let the chocolate chips sit for a few minutes until softened, then gently press a maraschino cherry on top of the melted chocolate in the center.

Let brownies cool completely. Carefully remove from muffin cups, then frost. To make the frosting, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar. Once the mixture is well combined, add the reserved cherry juice and beat until smooth. Frost the brownie bites using a decorator's tube, if desired. 

 

 

Lasagna Soup

We don't go to Topeka so that Jill can feed us. But, come to think of it, it is a bonus. On our most recent trip for basketball and tennis, Jill served us a Lasagna Soup. Both Randy and I thought it was delicious. Turns out, it was a recipe from one of her favorite cooking sites, Carlsbad Cravings. 

It was a frigidly cold weekend. We watched Brooke play three basketball games during a tournament. 

That evening, we took Kinley and watched her compete in tennis match play at an indoor tennis facility. I'm sure she wasn't cold, but even indoors, Randy and I were chilly and half hoped that leftover lasagna soup would be on the table when we got her back home.  (It wasn't, and Jill served an equally tasty evening meal that night.)

A birthday shopping trip to Kansas City for a recent 13-year-old was also on the weekend agenda. If Jill is going to KC, she usually takes a cooler so she can take a side trip to Trader Joe's. I always enjoy tagging along with either Jill or Susan because it's so different from what I'm used to. 

On this trip, I kept my eyes out for items that might survive the long trip back to south central Kansas. Because the lasagna soup was so fresh on our minds, both Jill and I thought Trader Joe's gigli pasta would be a great substitute instead of breaking apart lasagna noodles that was suggested in the original Carlsbad Cravings recipe. (Jill had used wagon wheel pasta, which was great, too, but we thought the gigli pasta even resembled miniature lasagna noodles.) 

So I bought a bag of that, plus the Trader Joe brand of spaghetti sauce to use. I also bought a loaf of tasty-looking focaccia bread. (I can make my own - and have - but this looked too good to pass up. Click HERE for the recipe I've used in the past.)

I was only home a day or so before I made the recipe myself. Even though it MAY have tasted better when someone else made it, it was delicious yet again, and I know it will be a go-to recipe during soup season. The leftovers were just as tasty.

Easy Lasagna Soup

From Carlsbad Cravings via Jill

 

1 pound lean ground beef or half Italian sausage (I used hamburger)
1 yellow onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
¼ – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (opt. - I didn't use)
1 24-oz. jar good quality tomato-based pasta sauce
8-10 cups low sodium chicken broth, divided
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried oregano, salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 whole bay leaf 

10 uncooked lasagna noodles, broken into approx. 1-2 inch pieces*
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

 

Cheese Garnish (optional)

Shredded or shaved mozzarella cheese

Freshly finely grated or shaved Parmesan cheese 

Ricotta cheese

 

** NOTE:

You may use 2 1/2 cups of smaller shaped pasta instead of broken lasagna sheets. I used gigli noodles that had the look and curve of lasagna sheets without having to break apart noodles. If gigli noodles aren't readily available - like they aren't here - any pasta shape will work.

To make soup: Heat large Dutch oven/large soup pot over medium high heat. Add beef and onion and cook, stirring occasionally until beef is browned and onions tender. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat.

 

Add spaghetti sauce, 6 cups chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, spices, bay leaf and lasagna noodles. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer until lasagna noodles are tender, stirring occasionally (approximately 20-30 minutes). 

Discard bay leaf and stir in heavy cream (optional) and 2-4 cups chicken broth to reach desired consistency. Garnish individual servings with desired amount of cheeses. Note: I did use the cream.

 

To reheat, you may have to add a little more chicken broth - or even a splash of water. Pasta in soup tends to soak up the moisture after sitting.

 

 

 

Celebrating 15 Years on Kim's County Line

February 2024 - the other side of sunrise

A lot has changed in 15 years. There's been a pandemic. Smart phones have gotten smarter. Politics have changed. "Zoom" isn't simply a description of traveling fast, but rather, a way to have meetings with people from your home office or living room. Personally, we've added two granddaughters and a daughter-in-law to our family during those 15 years.

January 21, 2025 sunset

Today, Kim's County Line is celebrating its 15th anniversary. I first pressed the "Publish" button on January 24, 2010. During that time, Kim's County Line has helped me track our lives on a five-generation Central Kansas farm. Having this avenue to collect words and photos has helped me to connect with our heritage and this life in a new way - even though I've been a part of farm life since birth.

January 1, 2025 sunrise

It's also been a "road" to connect with other farm folks like us - and with people far away from the plains of Kansas .

 

 

It's been a way to tell our story. It isn't just my story and Randy's. We stand on the shoulders of our ancestors who came to Kansas for the promise of land ownership and a desire to dream big and work hard on the Kansas plains. (More about our family history at these links - Moore family, Neelly family, Fritzemeier family (Click HERE and HERE and HERE and a whole lot more blog posts since 2010). 

 

Remembering our ancestors seems fitting as we approach Kansas Day next week on January 29, celebrating 164 years since our state joined the Union. 

 

The subtitle of the blog is Camera Clicks from a Kansas Farm Wife. I've always described its content as the four Fs and a PH - farm, family, faith, food and photography. These days, the "mission" of my blog is probably as cloudy as a frosted windshield. With our retirement from active farming in August 2022, the blog has evolved. I'm still writing, but the frequency and the content have shifted. But that's been happening my whole life. I remember "writing" my first story at a women's church meeting (WSCS) in the basement of the Byers Methodist Church. My mom handed me a little notebook and I scratched out a few words and pictures on the lined sheets of paper. With Kim's County Line, I've substituted my crude hand-drawn illustrations with clicks of the camera shutter. 

 

January 1, 2025

Yes, the world has changed in 15 years. Most blogs have given way to Instagram and Tiktok and vlogs. Kim's County Line has changed along the way, too. But of all the changes, maybe I've been changed the most of all. It has given me the eyes to see how small, simple things are really the most important things of all. Even the most mundane, everyday things can cause us to pause in wonder. 

It's my 15th blogiversary, but to celebrate, one person will get a gift from me ...

• a selection of my photo notecards, or ...

 

•  a copy of "Count on It! Adventures from a Kansas Farm" my rhyming, farm-themed counting book, ...

• OR a revamped version of my farm alphabet book

To qualify, either comment about this blog post in the comment section of the blog or on my Facebook page, Kim Moore Fritzemeier. If you use the blog for comments, you'll have to type in your name or it will show "anonymous." Or, if you have trouble with either of those avenues, you may email me at rkjbfarms@gmail.com. The winner will be chosen at random from the commenters. Enter your comment by Kansas Day - January 29 - for a chance to win.

Again, I thank you - especially the ones who've stuck it out on this rural Kansas county line road for a 15-year adventure. 

UPDATE: Bonnie Claypool is the winner of the blog anniversary prize. Thanks to all for participating! 

One Photo a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

 

Brent and Susan gave me a book for Christmas: One Photo A Day Keeps the Doctor Away by Joost Joossen. The subtitle is Inspiring Ways to Slow Down and Look Around.

When I opened my gift, they both said they know I take lots of photos already. But when they saw the book while they were on a work/pleasure trip to Maine, they bought it for me anyway.

  "I've always found myself searching for more peace, more structure and a more conscious life that is truly lived in the now. Over time, I began to realize that looking and seeing, and by extension photography, was the key to all these things. ... Taking pictures is like shining a spotlight on your subject, temporarily making it or them the most important thing in the world. Together, we stop the clock and share a moment."

--Photographer Joost Joosen

 I used one of the photo prompts several days last week. It said: Take a few pictures today to describe how you are experiencing the weather.  

I didn't even have to go outside for a few of the photos. The howling wind deposited snow inside our old farmhouse.

Maybe Old Man Winter took my front door decoration a little too literally. I didn't really mean for it to "snow" inside the house.

And then there were memes from several people on my Facebook feed during the winter weather:

If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life, but still the same amount of snow.

 

So I ventured out, keeping in mind the quote that Joossen included on that photo prompt page:

Learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience.

-- David Foster Wallace

 

Time to Think

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake it is necessary to stand out in the cold."

—Aristotle

(From a Guideposts devotional)

 

Yeah, so much for the "one photo" a day. And the photo prompt did say to "take a few pictures." 

I've always been an overachiever.

An important note from the author:

Whenever you're feeling overwhelmed, like the day is getting away from you, and you know you need to take a break: That's when it's time to grab your camera and open this book. ...Most importantly: You can only do one photo challenge a day. We already multitask more than enough as it is. Tomorrow is another day and another photo. Today, just do one, and be done. ... You will continue to see new things. Keep looking. Keep seeing. Keep photographing.

--Photographer Joost Joosen