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warehouse13pod · 6 years ago

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Show Notes 106 "Burnout"

What’s that on your back, Agents?

This is the second, improved attempt for Tumblr users

As always, you can click here or you can click play on the embedded player below to listen to this week’s episode as you read through the show notes.

We kicked off this week talking about writing teams, because this week’s Writer Appreciation Corner focuses on the duo of Matthew Federman and Stephen Scaia. We’ll be issuing a formal correction in the podcast for 108, but I mistakenly said that writing teams were paid a full salary each. I was incorrect! And Stephen Scaia himself was kind enough to correct me!

This is important, because 1) we always want to give you the most accurate and complete information we can 2) this is not the only time or the only writing team we will be dealing as we make our way through Warehouse 13 together.

Miranda and I discussed how our podcasting partnership mirrors that of a writing team. Often it seems that we share a brain, and we’re always super supportive of each other.

Moral of the story? Get yourself a BFF like this.

We talked a little about how this episode had a darker, more X-Files-esque tone. We thought it worked really well for this episode but wasn’t sustainable in the long term, because who would want to tone down this fun energy?

We also talked a bit about how much we loved the whole team behind this episode for letting the mystery play out for us instead of relying on formulaic storytelling techniques. We liked how it showed a trust in the audience to be smart enough to follow a more complex narrative.

Leave a comment below about how you feel about these things!

Miranda pointed out the retro-futurist implications of the massive library-style card catalogue in the Warehouse 13 office.

My personal head-cannon is that they write information about new artifacts on cards and then the data automatically transfers to the digital display screens in front of each artifact in the stacks.

We mentioned that Artie and Claudia’s relationship as well as the conflict between his luddite ways and her more technology-driven approach to life gave us strong Willow-Giles vibes.

Yes, that is another Buffy the Vampire Slayer reference. #NoRegrets

After Claudia’s adorable *big reveal* of her hologram projection machine…

…Artie realizes that she’s used something called a “Bell and Howell Spectroscope.” You can find out more about that here. And you can learn about how that figures into Claudia’s hologram projector here! This whole website a great resource for all Warehouse 13 fans looking to learn a bit more about the artifacts we don’t get to talk as much about one the podcast.

In the episode, Miranda calls Claudia a necessary “fly on [Artie’s] butt” and explained that it was a reference to a Platonic philosophy. Miranda was referring to the concept of a “social gadfly.” It is the most perfect way to describe Claudia and Miranda is, as always, brilliant for thinking of the exact right term.

When Claudia smacks her hologram projector, she refers to the process as “percussive maintenance,” which is a term that anybody who lived through the 1990s and early 2000s would consider quite useful. (We all did this all the time)

Even though Artie didn’t acknowledge Claudia’s brilliance as she deserved, Claudia didn’t let it get her down! Listeners and readers, my wish for us all is that we have the confidence of Claudia! Let us not depend on others for external validation, but be kind enough to ourselves to recognize our own strengths.

(But also, don’t be Artie. When someone does something great, let them know! Everyone like compliments!)

Regarding another turn of phrase, we mention that Claudia says she “upgraded the whole megillah.” Here’s some information about that phrase here and more information about what the megillah is here and here.

Claudia realizes that the tattoo on the body of the as-yet unnamed warehouse agent is a marine symbol, but I’m not sure we get a super clear view of it. So here’s an image of what that symbol looks like.

Moving forward, we talked about the cool luggage carousel-like thing and how that brought up some major Star Trek: The Next Generation vibes.

Specifically mentioned the Holodeck and Moriarty.

We talk about Rebecca being amazing by offering Pete some cookies and we get this great pop of emotional brightness when Pete takes all the cookies!!!! One of the best moments of the whole episode.

Miranda used her amazing brain to highlight the amazing items on Artie and Claudia’s brainstorming board. The items are listed below and hyperlinked to more information about what they are/might be:

Babylonian Battery (wikipedia info here)

Teller’s Microfusion Reactor - Likely an artifact that they were brainstorming might exist based on the life and works of Edward Teller.

The Dayton Project

Gilbert’s Headstone Amber - This one took some digging to figure out! So, William Gilbert was 16th century physician, philosopher, and physicist (say that five times fast!) who is one of the people who invented the term electricity, and he used amber both as in his physical research into electricity but also as a metaphor for electric attraction. Whoever wrote that item on the chalkboard is a genius who really does their research!

Thunderer of the Nite—now I can’t see miranda’s notes, so it could have said “nite,” but I couldn’t find anything about that. What I could find was information about something called Thunderer of the Nile.

Magnetohydrodynamic Generator

Faraday

(this one reminds me of Fringe and all the Faraday cages)

ELF transmitted through Kennedy HH… (we couldn’t get the whole item there)��ELF likely refers to Extremely Low Frequency but I have no idea about the second part.

…and last but not least, the Egg of Columbus! Why did I save this one for last? Well, because I think it’s the funniest. Also, because there are three possible answers. The most likely answer is Tesla’s Egg of Columbus. But I talked with friend-of-the-show Tobie James, and she shared two other fun things that could be described as “Eggs of Columbus.” The first is the actual egg mentioned in the story of the previous link, and the second refers to puzzles of both the tangram and mechanical variety.

Thanks to Miranda and her amazing brain for capturing this list so we could ogle at the brilliance of whoever in the Art Department is responsible for this amazing and detailed background imagery. Thanks for being our Artie/Watcher, Miranda.

Yes, that is another Buffy reference! #TakeAShotEveryTimeWeReferenceBuffy #YoudBeVeryDrunk

After this, we figure out that this is called the “Spine of Saracen.” And we would like to wholeheartedly thank our amazing Expert of the Week, Dr. Suleiman Ali Mourad. He illuminated a lot of information about the term Saracen and its Crusade-age origins.

Dipping into some ~heavy themes~

Please be mindful of how you use the term “Saracen” in daily life. If you’re unsure of how to use it, don’t use it at all. Dr. Suleiman referred to the fact that it’s not always a negative term, but it can be as offensive as the N-word. Personally, I wouldn’t use it to refer to anything other than Matt Saracen of Friday Night Lights. (But seriously, though. Please don’t use the word if you’re at all concerned it could be misconstrued as offensive.)

Anyway, we talk a little bit with him and with each other about how the Islamic Golden Age flourished years before the European Renaissance. It didn’t make the final cut of the episode, but we talked a little bit about how the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium) led to Eastern nations of the ancient world inheriting the important cultural works of the Greco-Roman Empire—which meant inheriting the words of Galen, the originator of most medical and nutritional knowledge in the world until the modern era. We’re talking the dominant source of knowledge for literally thousands of years. So, while the nations flourishing the the Islamic Golden Age advanced medical knowledge, Western Europe lost most of that knowledge and was plunged into the Dark Ages. You can learn more about this from a source we referenced in our 101A and B Show Notes, Food: A Cultural Culinary History by Dr. Ken Albala. More purchase options linked in the 101 A and B Show notes linked above.

Dr. Mourad talked about how this Islamic Golden Age was heavily tied to the Translation Movement in the Islamic Civilization of the age. This is a fascinating subject that I did not know about before Miranda spoke with Dr. Mourad.

That’s what I have for this week.

Hope you’re buzzed for the next ep, Agents.

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imitranslates · 6 years ago

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Honjitsu no Kami Oroshi Ch. 4

Sorry for the delay, this one took me quite a bit! Hopefully the next chapters should be done, uh, not quite as belatedly! Reminder that this chapter is viewable until August 12th on the official website!

You can read this chapter at www.ganganonline.com/contents/honzitsu/ by clicking “ [4話] アーサー王公開! “ in the chapter listing!

Today's Divine Revelation Chapter 4 - The Legend of King Arthur

Page 1

Ryuunosuke: ?

Ryuu: ?

Rin&Ryuu: ........

Page 3

Ryuu: So,

Ryuu: Pull out the knife that was thrust into the pumpkin. (This sure is something.)

Rin: Sorry for bothering you in the middle of work.

My hands are tired, so I can't seem to do it with my strength...

Ryuu: No worries, it's fine! This'll be easy!

Ryuu: Being relied on by my little brother makes me happy...

Rin: I'm really...

Rin: Reeeally reluctant to ask you, but please.

Ryuu: ...Is it really that bad to let me enjoy it? (Every now and then.)

Page 4

Ryuu: Well, anyway. Take a good look at this, little brother.

This is your older brother's true power.

Ryuu: Huuh!

Ryuu: Nnnngh...

Ryuu: Gyah!

!!?

(crack)

Ryuu: My... My wrist...!

Ryuu: (It's tendinitis!!) My wriiiiist!!

Rin: ...

Alright already.

Page 5

Ryuu: Wait, one more time...

Let me try again!! (I'll be able to do it next time!)

Rin: It's distasteful to say things without basis ...Besides,

I don't want to think even less of you than this.

Ryuu: Don't look at me like that!!!

Ryuu: Isn't it bad if you can't pull it out?

Are you using it for dinner?

Rin: No,

I thought I'd make some pumpkin custard.

Ryuu: Flan?

Rin: I bought a pumpkin, but cutting it's more difficult than I thought.

I had some left over vanilla beans.

Ryuu: Ah! (From when I made ice cream!)

Ryuu: (Fushishi) Ehehe, custard!

Even though I didn't ask for it. Custard~~!!

Rin: You're so annoying. Is there a problem?

Ryuu: No, not at all.

Page 6

Ryuu: (Hmm.) Rintarou.

Ryuu: Can we try making King Arthur's pudding?

Rin: Huh? What's that?

Ryuu: Do you know King Arthur?

Rin: Just... the name.

Ryuu: I only read about him when I was a kid, but

Arthur was the king of Britain.

Ryuu: Near the end of the 5th century, the story of a legendary hero who fought with the Saxons spread through the continent.

Ryuu: The story of the Knights of the Round Table, the wizard Merlin, a sacred sword and the Holy Grail...

You could even say that Legend of King Arthur is the first real English fantasy tale.

Rin: Oh... Fantasy, huh... (Not my favorite.)

Page 7

Ryuu: When I told my editor about our divine revelations,

they said I should consider serializing it in a women's magazine.

Ryuu: The Legend of King Arthur is kinda romantic, don't you think?

Rin: Ah...

So it's like that.

(Rin: A king's pudding...)

Rin: Custard's pudding, right? Might as well.

Ryuu: Nice!

Now that it's decided, you should look up how to make pudding!

Rin: Huh? I already know how to make custard...

Ryuu: No, pudding's different!

Rin: Huh?

Page 8

Ryuu: When good King Arthur ruled this land~

Ryuu: If you look it up, you'll understand!

Mother Goose!

Rin: ......

What the heck's that?

[Library search for "Mother Goose"]

Page 9

Rin: (Lately...)

Rin: (I feel like I've become a regular here...)

(Rin: Here it is. It's huge...)

[Mother Goose is...

A general term used for nursery rhymes popular in Britain and America.]

Rin: (These lullabies began as ways to teach English pronunciation, songs to pass down history, songs meant to amuse, etc...

Children of all classes sang these songs during their education.)

Rin: So this stuff

Is what tons of people throughout history used to sing.

Rin: King Arthur appears in here, too, huh.

Page 10

[When good King Arthur ruled this land, 　　

He was a goodly king; 　　

He stole three pecks of barley-meal 　　

To make a bag-pudding. 　　

A bag-pudding the king did make, 　　

And stuffed it well with plums; 　　

And in it put great lumps of fat, 　　

As big as my two thumbs.]

Rin: ?

Rin: (Barley-meal...? Fat!?

Isn't this supposed to be custard pudding? What's the deal...?)

Book: Pudding: Best Collection

Book: There are all types of pudding!

The History of Pudding.

Sausage and dessert are both "pudding!?"

Rin: ...

Ah.

(What a pain... This is so over the top...)

Page 11

[But...]

Rin: ?

Book: King Arthur and the two swords.

Announcement: The library will be closing shorty.

Page 12

Rin: (Crap!

I was just supposed to be doing a little research, but I got really into it...)

(Rin: It's already this late...)

Rin: (I wasn't able to finish the book about King Arthur, so I ended up checking it out.)

Rin: (The book about pudding, too.

I'll make sure to read it thoroughly la...)

Man: ?

Rin: (What, no way...

What am I getting so excited over?! Come on, me!)

Rin: (This is just some annoying thing I have to do! What's wrong with me?!!)

Page 13

[Those divine revelation menus are my job.]

[Intently doing research and spending long hours in the kitchen]

[Are just part of work.]

Rin: (Right...?)

Page 14

Rin: Why are you here.

Ryuu: I'm taking notes!

Ryuu: I can't cook, but I won't be able to write about it if I stay oblivious!

I'm counting on you to explain!

Rin: (Tch.) Coming in here and demanding something like that...

If you get in the way, you're banned from the kitchen from now on.

(Ryuu: Banned?!)

Ryuu: How cold-hearted...!!!

[Explanation]

Rin: So first, the ingredients.

Wheat flour, bread flour, brown sugar,

Spices, raisins, eggs, milk, and suet.

Ryuu: Suet?

(Also known as sukiyaki fat.)

Rin: It's beef fat.

A particular kind that comes from the area around the kidney's.

Page 15

Rin: Recently using butter has been commonplace, but

Since we're making "King Arthur's pudding," I think we should make it the old way.

Ryuu: When you say old, how old is it?

Rin: 17-18th century, I guess.

Rin: Pudding originally referred to a kind of sausage.

Back then, when the fields in fall started to thin out, cattle farmers would slaughter their cattle.

It was common to use organ casing to preserve food for later.

[There are various theories.]

Rin: Only after that, hundreds of years later, did the sweet pudding we have today get developed.

Ryuu: Ah!!

In the old stories of Mother Goose, there was something about sausage pudding!!

Ryuu: I see, so that's why! (I thought that was weird.)

Page 16

Rin: Since it's an old pastry, it's simple to make.

Rin: First, grate up the suet.

(Use a cheese grater or something like it.)

Rin: Mix it together with both flours and the sugar until it looks incorporated, then

Add the raisins, spices, beaten eggs, and milk, and stir it together.

The spices are cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and coriander, stuff like that.

Rin: With that, the dough's done.

Rin: Now,

Rin: Next is the interesting part!

First I'll boil this cloth in water.

Ryuu: Huh? The cloth?

Rin: Yeah.

In the 17th century, something called a "pudding cloth" came about.

Rin: This cloth became a substitute for cattle organ lining.

With it, they could easily make pudding all year round.

Page 17

[Dust with flour]

Rin: What we call "basins" now were like private steam-cookers. (I've never seen one myself though.)

Rin: Now, I'll wring out the cloth, spread it out, and sprinkle it with the wheat flour from before.

Then I'll place the dough on top.

Rin: Tie it together into a pouch.

Rin: And submerge it in boiling water!

Ryuu: !!!?

Ryuu: You put it in there?!

Won't it get all soggy?!

Rin: I thought so, too, but

The flour I sprinkled on hardens and becomes like a skin. So it shouldn't get very wet...

[Doubtful.]

Ryuu: Re...

Ryuu: Really...

Page 18

[As the water evaporates, add more hot water.]

Rin: Well, anything's an experience.

To keep the water covering the bag halfway, I'll have to periodically add water over the 2-3 hours it boils.

Ryuu: That's so long!!

So, where's the one you boiled for 2-3 hours?

Rin: There isn't one.

I've been making dinner preparations until now.

Ryuu: ...Hm?

Ryuu: Wait, Rintarou.

What are you doing with that pumpkin?

Rin: What am I doing...?

I thought I'd steam it like this so I could pull the knife out. (Since I can't take it out.)

Ryuu: Stop! Stop!! Just wait a sec!!

Rin: !?

What's the deal?

(Ryuu: No way!!)

(Ryuu: You absolutely cant!!)

Page 19

Ryuu: That kitchen knife...

Please trust in me to pull that knife out later.

Rin: ......

(Rin: Trust in you..?)

Rin: ....

What?!

Page 20

Ryuu: Y'know, Rin...

Seeing you in the kitchen has become really common, huh...

Rin: !

Whose fault is that?

Rin: Lately, I feel like I'm always in the kitchen or the library.

Ryuu: Ahh, for your research.

Was the pudding lots of trouble?

Rin: (No.) Just looking up the recipe was easy, but...

Rin: I ended up getting curious about all sorts of things on the way...

Rin: If I remember correctly, the "English people" in King Arthur's time and the Saxons that had come from the continent were different.

Pudding was a traditional dish from those Saxons, but...

Ryuu: Hmm.

Rin: That pudding was also made by King Arthur.

...Isn't that a bit weird?

Ryuu: Haha! I see.

...Yeah, it's a bit weird, but it's not that weird.

Page 21

Ryuu: Because at that time,

Weren't a lot of things changing?

Ryuu: Former enemies became citizens. The shape of the country was changing.

Organ casings became cloth. Models changed.

Ryuu: And those things changed from history to written word.

Ryuu: A simple high school student

Ryuu: Becomes a chef before you know it.

Page 22

Rin: Just when did I become a chef...? (I'm just doing what my job entails.)

Ryuu: Before you know it, I said!

Hey, is your pot okay? (It's almost time, right?)

[But...

For just a moment]

[While researching and making all sorts of things]

[Before I knew it, I was enjoying it.]

Page 23

(Finish it off by baking in the oven to dry the outside.)

[Just a little...]

(Prepare a custard sauce drizzle onto the pudding.)

[But that's a secret.]

Ryuu: It's doooone!

[Today's Divine Revelation Menu:

King Arthur's Pudding (with custard sauce)]

Page 24

Ryuu: Thanks for the meal! My very first pudding!

Ryuu: ...

....

Ryuu: ...Ah...

It's rich... (Really rich.)

Rin: It's really dense!

I wonder if the thick texture is because of the beef fat.

Ryuu: I can smell the spices!

When I smelled the dough earlier, it reminded me of Christmas!

Rin: Yeah, me, too!

Next, I'll try it with the custard on top.

Ryuu: Ah, me too!

Page 25

Ryuu: ...Yeah.

Ryuu: This is really good.

Ryuu: Fancy meals are good, too, but

A traditional dish with a few ingredients, cooked simply,

Ryuu: I feel like I can touch history just by eating it.

Ryuu: Living alongside nature's cycle with their cattle,

Devising new ways to use their wheat and fruits as they ate.

[Ryuunosuke is]

Ryuu: A strong wind blows over the scarce soil...

[Summoning an unseen, far-off legend.]

[Turning back time.]

Ryuu: I can see the capital,

Where a king used to live long ago, in a land far away.

Page 26

Ryuu: And in that place,

Ryuu: Is a sword that only the rightful king can pull out.

Page 28

Ryuu: ...Please

Lend me your power...

Ryuu: I am also a king,

Ordained by literary circles in the future.

Ryuu: Come out!

Page 29

Ryuu: Ex-

Ryuu: cali-

bur!

Rin: Huh?

Rin: I thought that was a different sword from Excalibur?

Page 30

Ryuu: ...Eh...?

Rin: Oh, it came out.

Ryuu: Ehh?!

Book: King Arthur is given Excalibur by the Lady of the Lake.

Ryuu: EEEEH?

Ryuu: It really was a different sword. (I didn't know...)

Rin: (The blade's undamaged.)

Rin: I wonder if that was a real revelation...?

[There's multiple patterns.]

Page 31

Girl: Hey!

You!

Girl: Wait...

Schoolgirl: Kya!

What are you doing?!

Girl: I, I'm sorry...

This is grandma's...

The pumpkin I got from my grandmother...

Schoolgirl: That was close! Geez, what are you doing?

Schoolgirl2: Just drop it. Let's go.

Page 32

(Schoolgirl: What a joke... That stuff about her pumpkin...)

Mom: Urara, are you okay!?

Urara: Ah, yeah, I'm fine!

Mom: You scared me...

That's why I said it'd be better to send it by mail!

Now, can you stand? Let's get going.

Urara: Yeah.

Mom: Don't stray off, okay!

Urara: Okay.

Urara: (This is Tokyo...)

Page 33

[This is the city I'll be living in from now on!]

#honjitsu no kami oroshi #honjitsu no kami oroshi 4 #honjitsu no kami oroshi chapter 4 #today's divine revelation #manga translation

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sussex-nature-lover · 4 years ago

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Friday 22nd January 2021

Musings from under the duvet

Today’s Photos which are not my own are sourced via Twitter

If you were at all interested in my sojourn in Anglo Saxon history and the Sutton Hoo find, behold, there’s more. I won’t go into it but you can find all the information Here from Staffordshire. If you weren’t as fascinated as I am, let’s move on.

We didn’t have such an early a start as the Test Match Special team, who were on air from 04.15 but we were awake early enough and listening to the cricket from Galle again. The commentary team are all in different locations - Salford, The Oval (London) and their own homes. First comment of note, apart from the three early wickets, was a fox seen wandering right across the ground at The Oval

You can’t make them out all that well here but the grass is also covered with gulls and starlings.

Looking out at our own frosty garden we have absolutely loads of Rooks with some Crows and Jackdaws - they’re the noisy neighbours from the woods. I think I said before we’re in for a busy Spring with constant cries of rate my baby again. It’s a few years now and I think their community is going from strength to strength. Roll on leaves on those trees please.

An altogether different bird has flown here via the Royal Mail. I’m not totally sure what it is? some kind of Swallow I imagine, so it’s come early. Lovely though.

Thank you Ms NW tE x

I have to say it’s very pleasant lying in bed warm and snug, with a mug of hot tea, listening to the cricket, reading and looking out of the window. My it’s been a cold and very frosty start to the day and there was a very strange cloud this morning too. I’d better consult the book and see what that’s all about. It’s also notable that we haven’t needed a bedside lamp on today either, so that’s a pleasant change.

I was actually reading up on some recipes, aubergine (egg plant) recipes to be precise. I’ll be making this soon. But looking around lead my mind to wondering why I dislike coriander (cilantro) so much? I’ve read up on it before as I absolutely hate and detest the flavour so much that my mouth is actually shrivelling and I’m recoiling at the very thought. Crow can tolerate it, but isn’t particularly keen. Now the odd thing is, for me, it’s only raw coriander that brings about this extreme reaction. When the herb’s cooked into a dish it’s not quite so bad, when it’s used as the dried seeds or ground spice, which I use frequently in Indian dishes, then I’m ok with it - as a garnish, undetected in a salad or salsa it completely ruins my food. Usually I’m quite a fan of leafy green herbs.

So off I went again on another internet search

“It may surprise you to learn that those who dislike cilantro tend to have a gene that detects the aldehyde part of cilantro as a soapy smell and taste,” Dr. Vyas says.

Aldehydes are organic materials that possess a distinct chemical structure. The pairing of a carbon atom with an oxygen atom leaves room for two more bonds. If one of those bonds is with a hydrogen atom it’s called an aldehyde. If neither of the bonds is with hydrogen, it becomes a ketone.

The difference may be small at the molecular level, but has large implications at the olfactory (smell) level. It’s suspected that a dislike for cilantro is largely driven by the smell (and smell is directly linked to how we taste.)

“Think back to grade school science lab and formaldehyde and you can see why some people have such a negative reaction to aldehydes,” she says.

I’d looked up why I dislike the herb before, especially after finding out there are whole websites and an International Day (February) devoted to these feelings. I began to speculate whether I could eat it if I held my nose? but that article goes on...

On the flip side, one of the most famous perfumes ever invented uses synthetic aldehydes in high volumes. Chanel No. 5, a very distinct and popular perfume, contains a number of synthetic aldehydes to deliberately gear up your olfactory system.

Blame it on your genes — and your surroundings

Some people possess a gene that makes them super-sensitive to the aldehyde component found in cilantro and other foods and products. One study noted a very specific genetic link near the olfactory center of DNA in about 10% of those with cilantro aversion.

What’s even more interesting, according to the study, women are more likely to detect a soapy taste and dislike cilantro. And African-Americans, Latinos, East Asians and South Asians are significantly less likely to detect a soapy taste when compared with Europeans. Source

See I find that really strange because I’ve worn Chanel No 5 perfume for years and love it.

Chanel No 5:

A highly complex blend of aldehydes and florals - including rose, ylang-ylang, jasmine, lily of the valley and iris - layered over a warm, woody base of vetiver, sandalwood, vanilla, amber and patchouli

Coriander is just one food that may drastically differ in taste depending on your genetic make-up. What we taste when we eat broccoli for example, can also be determined by the receptors we were born with.

‘Somebody may have a great aversion to broccoli because they have the bitter taste receptors that are responsive to a specific compound in broccoli. Whereas other people don’t have that receptor variant and, therefore, don’t experience the bitterness from broccoli,’ explains Prof. Keast.

Strange again, my sense of taste favours Umami, bitter and sour, I like salty too, but not too fond of sweet. The very smell of broccoli makes me heave and gulp, so I don’t doubt that olfactory senses play a large part in the dislike, but the explanation about coriander isn’t stacking up for me.

Anyway, the upshot of all that is that any dish which calls for raw coriander has flat leaf parsley substituted and I can’t see that changing. The topic was a bit of a diversion though and topical given that a loss of smell and taste are symptoms of the Covid-19 virus. Crow thinks I’m the in-house sniffer dog whereas his senses aren’t particularly well developed and indeed his late father lost both of those senses through illness and it did prove both unpleasant and potentially dangerous at times.

As a change away from my culinary and sensory investigations I saw our old stamping ground on Twitter. Like so many others, the Reserve has had to close due to the weather.

Burton Mere I had a little browse of their website and the photo on that link made me smile. I also saw they’re featured in Nature’s Home magazine.

Going back to the photo (which you’ll have to click through to see) it reminded me how little we’ve seen of squirrels in the garden these past few months. At one time there were about eight who were the absolute scourge of our bird seed and feeders. The same goes for rabbits, who are also mainly sticking close to the woods at the bottom of the garden, although there were some up by the house after dusk the other night.

spot the odd one out

Throw-back photos from the garden

Butler (above) and The Twins (below)

I kind of miss watching them, but it’s very much a case of be careful what you wish for.

What Did I Learn Yesterday?

Ever sung the words “ I see a little silhouetto of a man, Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango? “

Well I knew that the fandango is a dance but I always assumed a scaramouche was some form of devil figure, but no, well, kind of (as per the skirmisher) the proper definition is

Scaramouche or Scaramouch (from Italian scaramuccia, literally "little skirmisher") is a stock clown character of the 16th-century commedia dell'arte (comic theatrical arts of Italian literature)

Bohemian Rhapsody, Queen

#naturephotography clouds birds squirrels rabbits wildlife senses taste smell coriander cilantro

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twinkubus · 8 years ago

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so so so with your triad of thomases, I have several questions: 1. how does this correspond to the Trinity, if at all? 2. in what ways do they help you understand aspects of being a Christ that Jesus himself kinda doesn't? (more to come in another ask, because i totally cannot fit the last question into this tiny box)

3. you have a Jesuit spiritual director, right? if so: have you told them about this framework, and what was their reaction to it? maybe it’s because I’m still extremely early in the conversion/discernment processes, but I always veer toward excessive scrupulosity and often am afraid of what Real Christians™ will think of my spiritual experiences (especially with, like, Mary and a couple of other saints)

ok SO!! i am not sure if my response is going to be in order but i WILL say some things and hopefully they will answer the questions:

I got introduced to each Thomas in chronological order funnily enough, haha. some background: i just became officially catholic last easter, but I’d been involved in “the community” 2 years prior to that. before I was an atheist and even before that i was Lutheran.

so when I first started doing Catholic things I thought it would be cool to get into, and I liked it a lot, but I didn’t think belief was possible for me. During this period Thomas the Apostle was (and still continues to be) extraordinarily relatable. this is a man who has spent the past three years being one of the 12 main apostles to jesus, and when he meets up with the gang after the crucifixion, everyone but him is going on about this amazing experience they’ve had with the resurrected christ. thomas has had no access to this. it might be something he wants, even very badly, but he cannot bring himself to believe unless he actually touches, is able to literally feel jesus’s wounds under his hand. and he does! he gets it! (I’ve used his response, “My Lord and my God” in a fuckton of poetry i feel like btw). Jesus says to him, “blessed are they who have not seen but still believe” and thomas has been great to like…look up to in both 1) certain personal experiences that I see as a sign of God and make me respond w/ astonishment & incredulity, and 2) I’m never gonna get to stick my fingers into Jesus’s side, but Thomas knows exactly the frustration I feel at not getting that, especially when it seems like so many people around me already have.

there’s also this great caravaggio img, “the incredulity of thomas”

(i really appreciate the apostles in general- judas is popular on here, and holds a special place in my heart, but he gets a little bit more exposure so let’s just talk about how the twelve are, especially in mark’s gospel, shown repeatedly to have no clue wtf they’re doing or who jesus is or why anything is happening. they fuck things up repeatedly, and are comprised of random people with no real theological training, and they’re the chosen ones. simon peter is the absolute exemplar of this. he constantly misinterprets what jesus does, goes way overboard, believes in jesus enough to get off the boat but not enough to stay on top of the water, and denies jesus three separate times to save his own skin on the eve of the crucifixion. and he’s the vicar of christ!)

thomas aquinas happened a little further down the road, when i was in RCIA and reading basically everything I could get my hands on. aquinas is basically emblematic of that time- do you want book recs? i can give them to you (i also have a word doc full of notes from things that i took from certain books that i can share if you want). but also i was on bishop barron’s website, word on fire, you may or may not have heard of it. i was extremely wary of it bc i found it from a conservative friend of mine’s fb page and was basically going on it just to be disappointed at shitty conservative things… but that wasn’t it at all and i instead got introduced to thomas aquinas. i watched a video of fr barron’s that explained thomistic theology and went :OOO because it gave me a couple new ways of thinking about God and… ok, aquinas is just great as well because he introduced me to this whole tradition of intellectual & rational catholic theology that i wasn’t exactly aware of? when I was an atheist the most “intellectual” christianity I knew was fundie apologetics which is basically shit, but there’s a lot of stuff in the catholic tradition that has faith and reason as positive complements to each other. depending on your background this coould seem an extraordinarily obvious point but it’s cool to be like “oh hey 13th century scholasticism laid the groundwork for rationality and empiricism etc”, and faith isn’t by any means exclusive of reason

also I really like aquinas as a person- he was called “the dumb ox” and people in his classes thought he was really stupid because he was quiet and didn’t talk much….. and then he became one of the most influential doctors of the church

i don’t have a good picture for aquinas so i’m going to start off the merton section with a pic of him:

one thing that struck me is how peaceful/content he looks in like all of his photographs. he looks absolutely like he has been in touch with God and that’s phenomenal.

I’d heard about merton’s most popular book, The Seven Storey Mountain, a while ago, but waited to read it until this july because I was worried I wouldn’t like it. That was an extremely bad move- I loved it. it’s a chronicle of his life from birth —> being a rowdy boy and pretentious english major —> converting to catholicism —> entering the trappist monastery Gethsemani in Kentucky. He’s really funny/witty (please read this amazing acct of him driving a Jeep) and has a lot of amusing anecdotes as well as more #relatable things. I also recently read The Sign of Jonas which covers 7 years of his journals in the monastery, and that one just, fundamentally affected me in ways I’m sure I’ll still be finding way down the line.

On an immediate level, he writes a lot of things about writing that I relate to as both someone who writes and is catholic. He had plans to become an author, and basically gave that up when he became a monk, He ended up becoming a bestselling author still, though- only after he had articulated his willingness to give up that goal. That’s amazing to me. He also worried occasionally about writing being bad for him or bringing him away from God but his superiors kept telling him to continue, that it was a good thing, etc etc. So just on a level of “person who wrote and is a convert” he is relatable but he also has a lot of very good more “spiritual” insights/struggles/etc that I can identify with, esp. written in Jonas but I’d rec Mountain to read first to just get a better sense of his life, if you’re interested.

On the subject of Jesuit spiritual directors- and Jesuits in general, I know a number of them- they’re imo some of the best the church has to offer. They’re also not necessarily an accurate representation, if you want to compare the experience i’ve had with them to like, some random parish in Nowhere, The Midwest. Like I’ve shared some things I’ve written with some of them, including a more recent poem that involved the speaker making out with the devil, and no eyes were batted. Another is also the source of all my jokes that I don’t want to say around my parents :P They’re good eggs. A non-insignificant amount of the ones I know are gay, too.

RE: scrupulosity, I have two things to say, the first being that I don’t think you have to worry about that w/ spiritual experiences concerning Mary and the saints. Those are classics. People have literally seen apparitions of Mary and the Church’s response has been “yo, cool”. Sole focus on Jesus to the exclusion of anyone else is more of a Protestant thing, imo, and there are tons of people now that are perfectly orthodox gushing over how cool the saints are.

My second thing on that is, alright, I know the feel to be overly scrupulous. I was scrupulous as SHIT when I was a Lutheran, and actually one of the processes of becoming Catholic for me has been trying to let go of that, and trying to learn that, A) it’s okay to get things wrong, and being wrong is part of the process of learning to get things right, and knowing what goodness is, otherwise we don’t have any of that and don’t truly know it, and B) God cares more about loving every part of us than any type of ostracization or punishment for “being wrong”. God is always approaching us trying to forgive us, and it’s that first approach that even enables us to ask for forgiveness in the first place. It’s not like God withholds love and forgiveness until we realize we’re caught up in something that doesn’t lead to our flourishing. The love and forgiveness is always there already, even if we’re in a situation that doesn’t let us immediately recognize it.

OKAY THIS TOOK…MUCH LONGER THAN I THOUGHT OMFG I have to go to class but, I hope this was helpful in some way and feel free to ask me any question you might have abt this!!!

#oddyknocker #askle #LONG FUCKING POST #I JUST REALIZED THAT PROBABLY WONT CATCH IN TS BUT FUCKING..WHATEVER

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peacefulheartfarm · 5 years ago

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What is A2A2 Milk

You have heard me talk about A2A2 milk. Some of you may not know what that means. You may wonder if it really matters to you and your family. I’m going to fill you in on some of that information today.

First let me say welcome to all the new listeners and welcome back to you veteran homestead loving regulars who stop by the FarmCast every week. I appreciate you all so much. I’m so excited to share with you what’s going on at the farm this week, a little bit about A2A2 milk and a great and tasty recipe. Let’s just jump right in.

Today’s Show

Homestead Life Updates

What is A2A2 Milk?

Ice Cream Base Recipe – with downloadable document with flavoring ideas

Homestead Life Updates

Cows

The cows are doing great. We have a new calf and the last one for a while. There is likely one more, but that cow is way behind the others. In fact, we are getting ready to breed some of them again in a few weeks. Cloud will deliver so late that she likely will not get bred back this year.

We are selling all of our bulls. We have six. Yes six. There is 2-year-old Sam. He is 95% Normande genetics and the sire of this year’s crop of calves. Then we have 1-year-old Ray’s Rocket – mostly we call him Rocket Man. Lastly is the group of newlings born this year. All four are for sale. Some are currently being negotiated for but I’ll put a link in the show notes to the Facebook page where all of their information can be found. If you are looking to improve the genetics of your herd, this is the bull for you.

Sheep/Goats

Lambert is so fat right now. He will be receiving his bottle twice daily until nearly all of the milk replacer is gone. Then I will switch him to once a day for a week or maybe two before weaning him completely off.

If you want to get a whole or half lamb, speak up now. It will be months yet before these are ready for your freezer. We have one lamb and/or 2 half lambs currently available. A whole lamb yields 30 to 35 pounds, sometimes more of meat. Half lambs, half that. You can see the cuts that come on a whole or half lamb on our website. www.peacefulheartfarm.com/shop/lamb-package.

Orchard and Garden

There is always so much going on around here that a lot of stuff gets pushed back. Thinks like birthing, gathering and storing milk, making cheese, taking care of animals all have the highest priority. The garden and the orchard, not so much. My garden is still overrun with weeds, though I was able to dig out my carrots and surprisingly there are lots that beat the grass. Watering the garden does have a priority or it would all simply die. Other stuff slows down or stunts growth. The bottom line is we will still get a crop, but perhaps not as large as if we had gotten the weeds out and fertilized more often.

The peas are just such a crop. They are producing like mad and I will be picking them within the week, I think. Then they will have to be processed in some way. I’m scaring myself with all of that. There are just not enough hours in the week.

I still don’t even have everything planted. The green beans need to be put in the ground. The peanuts need to be replanted; I have no idea why not a single one sprouted. And the eggplant is going to wither away to nothing if I don’t get it out there in the garden.

Everything needs to be weeded. Everything needs to be fertilized.

Scott is diligently digging out the orchard from the waist high grass. It would be great if we could graze some of the animals in there, but they all eat the trees. We are still investigating how to get the sheep in their without having them raise up on their back legs as high as they can and eating all of the leaves off the branches they can reach. The goats are a complete disaster anywhere near the orchard or the berries. They will eat the bark off of the trees, killing them. And because they like to eat woody stemmed plants, they will decimate blackberry vines and blueberry bushes. No, we don’t want them anywhere near the orchard.

On the upside, they did a really great job of clearing out the wild blackberries on the island in the big pond. It is now quite pleasant to sit out there and enjoy being surrounded by water and nature.

Quail

We are newbies with the quail. It is unbelievable how quickly those quail grew. They outgrew their brooder box a good week before we had planned. Outside they went as we were having a warm spell. There were a couple of cool nights but these are wild birds and they faired very well. They are only barely over 2 weeks old and are fully feathered. The tiny birds that were barely the size of a gold ball are now the size of a baseball – perhaps even a softball. It’s amazing. They will begin laying eggs in as little as six weeks from now. Yum, yum, we look forward to it.

Four eggs are required to equal one chicken egg. Our plan is to have about 30 laying hens and 6 roosters for breeding. We will need to continually hatch out new ones as their lives are actually quite short and they only lay for a year or two.

Creamery

The creamery – ah the creamery. So much still to do there and Scott has so little time to do it. We really need that building completed. However, as I mentioned earlier, there are priorities. First the animals, then the perishable milk and cheese, then the garden and orchard. The creamery, as an inanimate object comes in last place. There are even maintenance projects that take precedence. Fences, driveways, pathways, other infrastructure – all has to be kept up to ensure the safety of our animals.

It’s a lot but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We work long hours every day – very long hours every day. Alarm goes off at 6:00 am and though 10:00 pm is bedtime, more often it is 11 or 11:30 before that happens. And every bit of it is worth it. There is never any lack of meaning in our lives. Boredom is something very distant in the past. The constant attention to the next task makes us know that we are alive in God’s wonderful creation.

One thing that evolved through nature is the composition of milk in cows. Recently, some of the genetic content and protein structure of milk has changed.

What is A2A2 Milk?

There is a great deal of scientific gobbledygook about the proteins and how they are broken down or not. I’ll try to keep this layman friendly and skip most of the mumbo-jumbo lingo. By the way, did you know that gobbledygook is an actual word that my spell-checker knew? Who knew? Well, my spellchecker knew.

A2 milk is cow's milk that mostly lacks a form of beta-casein proteins called A1 and instead has mostly the A2 form.

A1 and A2 beta-casein are genetic variants of the beta-casein milk protein that differ by one amino acid. Casein is a family of related phosphoproteins. These proteins are commonly found in the milk of mammals, comprising about 80% of the proteins in cow’s milk and between 20% and 45% of the proteins in human milk. Sheep and buffalo milk have a higher casein content than other types of milk with human milk having a particularly low casein content. Casein has a wide variety of uses one of which is being a major component of cheese. We respect our casein.

A genetic test, developed by the a2 Milk Company, determines whether a cow produces A2 or A1 type protein in its milk. The test allows the company to certify milk producers as producing milk that does not metabolize to beta-casomorphin which is an opioid peptide or protein fragment derived from the digestion of the milk protein casein.

I know, I’m getting too scientific with the lingo there. All that means is that the chemical composition of A2A2 milk may benefit our health because it is digested without inflammation that might arise from BCM-7 produced by A1 beta-casein. Consequently, A1 proteins may be detrimental to our health. That causes great push back from the gigantic dairy industry as A2A2 genetics is rare in Europe (except France) and the US. That would really disrupt their operation if their milk was found to be harmful – while others had milk that was beneficial.

As with so many health-related topics, the science is divided on whether or not there is reason for concern regarding the A1 protein in milk – whether there are adverse health effects from its consumption. Personally, I’m erring on the side of caution, as I do with so many other foods. I’ll go with tradition as opposed to modern fads in nutrition. We are breeding our cows for the A2A2 genetic conformation.

And when I say modern fads in nutrition, I mean everything that came pouring out of the 20th century and that continues to pour out in the 21st century. I’m talking about three square meals a day, the food pyramid, and the modified food pyramid. I’m talking about low fat diets, vegan and vegetarian diets, the Mediterranean diet, the South Beach diet and so on. All of these so-called nutrition experts are literally experimenting with our health as human beings. We evolved over thousands and thousands and thousands of years eating locally grown food, whatever it was. Historically, in the tropics the diet was heavy in fruits, nuts and greens, in Alaska fat predominated. In other regions protein was the main source of dietary sustenance. You must find what works for you.

Which brings me back to A2A2 milk.

History

In the 1980s, some medical researchers began to explore whether some peptides (including peptides from casein) that are created during digestion might have negative or positive health effects.

Interest in the distinction between A1 and A2 beta-casein proteins in milk began in the early 1990s via epidemiological research and animal studies initially conducted by scientists in New Zealand. The scientists found correlations between the prevalence of milk with A1 beta-casein proteins in some countries and the prevalence of various chronic diseases. The research generated interest in the media, as well as among the scientific community and entrepreneurs. If it were indeed true that BCM-7 created by A1 beta-casein is harming humans, this would be an important public health issue.

Scientists believe the difference in genetics originated as a mutation that occurred between 5000 and 10,000 years ago—as cattle were being taken north into Europe with the mutation subsequently spreading widely throughout herds in the Western world through breeding.

The percentage of the A1 and A2 beta-casein protein varies between herds of cattle, and also between countries and provinces. While African and Asian cattle continue to produce only A2 beta-casein, the A1 version of the protein is common among cattle in the western world. The A1 beta-casein type is the most common type found in cow's milk in Europe (excluding France where our Normandes with predominantly A2A2 genetics originate). It is also the most common type found in cow’s milk in the US, Australia and New Zealand.

Let’s talk about the possible health benefits.

Health Benefits

Symptoms of stomach discomfort, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea that occur after consuming dairy products, are typically attributed to lactose intolerance. However, some researchers believe that it is BCM-7, not lactose, that affects digestion and produces symptoms similar to lactose intolerance, in some people.

A study on Chinese adults with self-reported milk intolerance compared the effects of drinking regular milk that contained A1 and A2 proteins with A2-only milk on intestinal function, stomach discomfort, and inflammation.

The participants consumed 8 oz of milk twice a day for 2 weeks. They reported worse stomach pain after they consumed the regular milk but no change in symptoms after they drank the A2 milk.

Participants also reported more frequent and looser-consistency stools while they drank the regular milk. These symptoms did not occur after they consumed the A2 milk.

So, what MIGHT be happening on the other side of the coin?

Potentially Harmful Effects of non A2A2 Milk

Notice the words “might and “potentially” there. I’m not making any claims here. Some of the effects can include:

Inflammation

In the same study mentioned above, researchers also looked at markers of inflammation in the blood. They found the participants had higher levels of inflammatory markers after they drank the regular milk.

Brain function

The research showed that milk could impact brain function. Study participants took longer to process information and made more errors on a test after drinking regular milk compared to A2 milk.

Type 1 diabetes

The potential risks associated with milk containing A1 proteins include an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Some studies have shown that children who drink cow's milk protein at an earlier age than others have a higher risk of developing type 1 diabetes. However, other studies have not shown the same association.

The research also suggests that the amount of milk a child consumes could influence their risk of developing type 1 diabetes, with higher milk consumption observed in children who develop the condition.

At least one study showed a link between the consumption of A1 protein and incidence of type 1 diabetes, although this kind of study fails to prove that it is a direct cause.

Some animal studies have shown associations between cow's milk consumption and a higher incidence of type 1 diabetes. One study in mice found that 47 percent of the mice that had A1 protein added to their diet developed diabetes, while none that had A2 protein added did so.

However, other research does not support the hypothesis that there is any association between milk consumption and a higher incidence of type 1 diabetes. There are links in the show notes for both sides of this discussion. Debate about the potential health effects of A1 and A2 milk is ongoing.

Research suggests that A1 beta-casein causes adverse digestive symptoms in certain individuals. But the evidence is still too weak for any solid conclusions to be made about the supposed links between A1 beta-casein and other conditions, such as type 1 diabetes and autism.

That said, A2 milk could be worth a try if you struggle to digest regular milk.

There you have it. The basics to the why of A2A2 milk. I’ll let you decide. Again, we like to err on the side of caution. We have two A2A2 certified cows and will be testing the rest of the herd as we move forward with our dairy operation. Go to the show notes for the links to the research I referenced.

Speaking of milk, how about an ice cream recipe for your A2A2 milk and cream.

Ice Cream Base Recipe (Download Flavorings)

When it’s warm outside, a cold refreshing dish of ice cream can really hit the spot. This is a basic ice cream recipe that can be used as a base for many different flavors. I’ve included a download link to the flavorings.

This silky, luscious and very classic custard can be used as the base for any ice cream flavor you can dream up. These particular proportions of milk and cream to egg yolk will give you a thick but not sticky ice cream that feels decadent but not heavy. For something a little lighter, use more milk and less cream, as long as the dairy adds up to 3 cups. You can also cut down on egg yolks for a thinner base, but don’t go below three.

Time: 20 minutes plus several hours’ cooling, chilling and freezing

Yield: about 1 ½ pints

What You Need

2cups heavy cream

1cup whole milk

⅔ cup sugar

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

6 large egg yolks

Your choice of flavoring (download here)

What To Do

In a small pot, simmer cream, milk, sugar and salt until sugar completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk yolks. Whisking constantly, slowly whisk about a third of the hot cream into the yolks, then whisk the yolk mixture back into the pot with the cream. Return pot to medium-low heat and gently cook until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer).

Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Cool mixture to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Serve directly from the machine for soft serve, or store in freezer until needed.

Final Thoughts

I hope your days are filled with as much love and joy as you can stand. We love our lives here. Yes, we are busy beyond belief. Yes, it’s a little stressful sometimes. I just find it so fulfilling. From the time I was a child I was told to work hard for what I wanted. I was also told that I was too smart to not be college educated and have a career. So, no physical work. That was for those not smart enough to get out of that poor and decrepit existence. Funny isn’t it? In the end, educated to the max, I prefer the hard work. And indeed, some of it is smart brain work. But the best and most enjoyable part involves sweat.

Particularly, I love our cows and our dairy operation. Check out the references I provided for the research around A2 beta-casein. Then sign on to our herd share program with our A2A2 milk and value added products, go to www.peacefulheartfarm.com/virginia-herdshare. Read, ask questions, download the documents. We’d love to do business with you.

And as this Memorial Day weekend stretches into Monday, I hope you’ll try that ice cream recipe. There is nothing more traditional than everyone taking turns operating that crank on the ice cream machine. Well, we use the electric method. Likely you do too, but the principle is still the same. Enjoy your time with your family and friends.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please hop over to Apple Podcasts, Subscribe and give me a 5-star rating and review. Also, please share it with any friends or family who might be interested in this type of content.

As always, I’m here to help you “taste the traditional touch.”

Thank you so much for stopping by the homestead and until next time, may God fill your life with grace and peace.

References

Peaceful Heart Farm Bulls for Sale

NIH published study

Nutrition & Diabetes Study

The A2 milk case: a critical review

Recipe Link

Ice Cream Base

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sherlocklexa · 7 years ago

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Finding (and Using) Beautiful Home Decorating Inspiration Photos

This post is sponsored by Houzz. As always, all opinions, ideas, and bad jokes are 100% my own.

One of the biggest frustrations we hear from our readers is not knowing where to start with a remodeling or redecorating project. Most people asking for help on our Facebook page aren't as worried about learning the techniques and mastering the tools for the projects as they are about planning the project so that it finishes well and looks great.

Planning and envisioning an “after” while standing in the middle of your “before” can be a daunting task, so it's important to take some time and establish a good foundation for what you want from the room — how you want the room to feel, how you need the room to function, and what elements (both functional and aesthetic) you like. And finding what you like in decorating is a lot like Julia Roberts' character and eggs in Runaway Bride — it takes some time and eating a lot of different egg preparations to find out that you only like eggs Benedict. When decorating a home, that process of finding who you are and what you like involves less eating and more browsing — for inspiration!

Photo by Jamie Keskin Design – More entryway photos

I've been into homes and decorating since I first decorated and re-decorated my childhood dollhouse. I don't recall exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was decorated in the style of “Full House.” Since then, as my style has grown up and evolved, and as I studied interior design in college, I've realize more and more the importance of having good design inspiration for any project — something beyond whatever is on the latest sitcom (no matter how fashionable the Tanners might have been, then or now). One of our very favorite Remodelaholic tricks for getting inspired is going to our local Parade of Homes.

Photo by Convex Development – Search exterior home design ideas

Lucky girl that I am, Justin likes touring homes, too, so during the weeks of the home show we go on lots to check out the homes in our area and soak in the inspiration, from the classically beautifully styled with space-saving built-ins (swoon!) to the newer trending features like really interesting tile. We're always on the lookout for interesting wall treatments and painting ideas, and I have a soft spot for gorgeous laundry rooms and organized mudrooms. The Remodelaholics that parade homes together, stay together… or something like that!

Photo by Rabaut Design Associates, Inc. – Look for laundry room design inspiration

We share lots of the inspiration we find there in posts like this and in our Get This Look series because there is just so much that you can learn from looking at professionally designed spaces. Really important features that make the room look *just right* — like scale and spacing and balance. Some people have a natural knack for those things, but the rest of us have to work and practice at it, and immersing yourself in really well-designed rooms is the start of training your design eye to notice those things and be able to implement them in your own home.

Photo by Rasmussen Construction – More home office ideas

Professional designers and architects also often have budgets that allow them to do something non-conventional but amazing in a space, especially in smaller spaces that can be so inspiring for those of us without soaring ceilings and spacious butler's pantries. I love finding ways to make spaces function better, and it's hard to get more space-smart ideas than looking at higher end small homes — and of course, tiny houses are a favorite of mine, too.

Photo by Starline Cabinets – Look for kitchen pictures

Not everyone has a great local Parade of Homes like we do, or the free time to visit all the homes, so that's where today's post comes in. Today we're partnering with Houzz to show you how their massive database of home photos can be the same kind of fount of inspiration as attending a home show — and you can “tour” from the comfort of your couch, while in your pajamas, while binge-watching your favorite home improvement show (and now you all know how I'll be spending my weekend, to take my mind off the mess of our in-progress bathroom renovations).

Photo by Marty Rhein, CKD, CBD – BAC Design Group – More kitchen ideas

Houzz has the world's largest home design photo and ideas database with more that 15 million photos! That's pretty houses for days and days, and that means that no matter what your style or budget, you can find inspiration and ideas on Houzz, either on their website or by using their app on your phone or tablet. And one of the best parts of their database is that their photos are all sorted and tagged based on rooms, styles, colors, features, and even by size and budget (plus so many other features, like wall color and floor color) — use the categories provided, type your own keyword if you're looking for a specific color, or just start scrolling and browsing the photos.

For example, if you're looking for ideas for a small living room but you're not totally sure what your style is yet, set your parameters and start drooling.

When you see a setup that you really like, just tap (or click) the photo to see more info about the room, save it to your Houzz ideabook, and, for most photos, to see more photos from the same room and home, as well as similar photos. You can also see the professional behind the project should you be looking for a pro to help. (In the app, tap more or swipe up to see more photos and info.)

As you save photos to your ideabook, you can review them and refine what it is you like about each space as you define (or re-define) your style. Is it the accent colors you like? The furniture style? The wall color or flooring? You can add notes to each photo you save to your Houzz ideabook to note what you like about each space. If you see a specific product that you love, Houzz also has a tool called Visual Match which lets you identify the same or similar products in the Houzz Shop and makes it easy to shop the look of your favorite rooms.

As you browse and save your favorites, you can watch for patterns and learn what you like and what you don't — maybe you're a genuine rustic farmhouse kinda gal, with neutrals and weathered wood and antique “junk” as your design-love language:

Photo by Angela Otten – Inspire Kitchen Design Studio – Look for kitchen design inspiration

or, maybe, even though your friends are all about Joanna Gaines and you like their homes… maybe you're more of a colorful mid-century modern momma:

Photo by Blake Civiello Architecture – More dining room ideas

Don't feel locked in to one particular style — remember, it's your home, and it's most important that you're happy there and that it functions for you and your family, while reflecting your likes and passions. You can select multiple styles on Houzz while you're browsing, too, so don't shy away from mixing styles to create your own eclectic mash-up style of what you love most.

Photo by Rachel Reider Interiors – Look for family room design inspiration

Once you've assembled a small portfolio of your favorite looks, then you'll be ready to follow our favorite process for turning inspiration photos into real-world design in your own home and making your own mood board to guide your decorating. You can do this on Houzz using the Sketch tool, which also lets you add text and stickers to photos. And in a few months or years when you're ready for a room refresher or for a full makeover, hit up your Houzz ideabooks again to find a new paint color… or to decide that yes, you really DO want to take out that wall (guilty!) to open up the kitchen.

Photo by Higham Furniture – Look for kitchen design inspiration

So now I want to know — what kind of inspiration are you looking for? Are you working on your kitchen? Master bedroom? I love hearing and seeing what inspires you, so leave me a comment below!

Photo by red: modern lines. vintage finds – More bedroom photos

The post Finding (and Using) Beautiful Home Decorating Inspiration Photos appeared first on Remodelaholic.

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chocdono · 7 years ago