KUMQUATS
When life gives you kumquats, what do you make? Kumquat marmalade?
Suppose you lined up all the great citrus fruits in the world and tried to put them in order. How many ways could you do it? Would you just sort by size? What if you sorted by flavor or by color or by the unusual characteristic of being entirely edible (except for the seeds)? What if you sorted by the flavor of the marmalade?
What if your essay was supposed to be about limequats and you got mixed up and wrote about kumquats? What if you thought you were mixed up and you almost changed it and then you learned it really was supposed to be about kumquats and everything was perfect?
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Incense - Aunt Susan
INCENSE
Incense marks special celebrations in the Catholic church.
Incense adds drama. The smoke, the fragrance, and the swinging censer all add to the atmosphere. The smell of incense goes well with antiques, wood, gold, and colored glass.
Certain priests are natural showmen, and people respond positively to the show in spite of the inevitable wave of coughing that follows the swinging of the censer.
Together with special music, decorations, and lighting, incense helps create a memorable experience.
Incense - Aunt Jean
INCENSE
I am somewhat put out that a faster Round Robin participant used all my clever ideas in his opinion piece. Unfair! Unfair!
If the smell of my perfume were not quite so pungent, I would speak my rage, howling loudly to the moon, rending garments, etc, etc. Unfortunately, every time I draw breath a coughing fit of epic proportions begins and I must retire.
Next time. You’ll see. Next time I’ll be so clever you won’t be able to stand it!
I am somewhat put out that a faster Round Robin participant used all my clever ideas in his opinion piece. Unfair! Unfair!
If the smell of my perfume were not quite so pungent, I would speak my rage, howling loudly to the moon, rending garments, etc, etc. Unfortunately, every time I draw breath a coughing fit of epic proportions begins and I must retire.
Next time. You’ll see. Next time I’ll be so clever you won’t be able to stand it!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Incense: Greg
Incense by Greg Manata
“What are you doing?” shouted Greg.
“Just burning some incense,” replied Greg II calmly.
“Are you crazy?! You’re driving me crazy!” screamed Greg.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to incense you by burning incense,” said Greg II.
“Yeah well, next time…oh ha-ha, very funny.”
More Incense by Greg Manata
Trees speak to each other by conjuring winds to rattle their leaves in certain ways. Trees also walk around when no one is looking.
At the tree convention all the trees of the Gugajunga Forest gathered to witness the annual incense burning ritual.
The oldest tree, Bill, spoke. “To all my fellow Gugajungians, this year we have gathered many delicious-smelling things to burn as incense in our ritual. Be merry. As usual, I will remind everyone not to get too close to the incense otherwise you shall die a most painful death and will probably inflict a similar fate upon all the rest of us. Now, let us light the incense.
Bill’s first offspring was given the honor of holding a magnifying glass over the dry dead vegetation that was the incense. The incense was quickly lighted and all the trees scampered a safe distance away from the fire.
After the incense had been burning for some time, one of the younger trees conjured some wind to exclaim how pretty the smell of the incense was. Unfortunately for the young tree, the wind caught the fire and the young tree was singed. The young tree made a bee line for the nearest stream and dove in.
At that moment the two Gregs from the first story were walking in the Gugajunga Forest.
Greg II stopped suddenly. “Whoa.”
Greg, who had been kneeling down to investigate a neat flower spun around. “What is it?”
Greg II didn’t even know what to say. “Umm…well, a burning tree just ran and dove straight into that creek. I guess?” He wasn’t sure he believed his own eyes.
Greg peered down into the creek. Sure enough there was a tree down there and a bit of steam rising from the water. “Well, I guess I was right about trees then, wasn’t I? I always told you there was more to them than meets the eye.”
“Yeah well, who would have thunk it? Hey, do you smell incense?”
“What are you doing?” shouted Greg.
“Just burning some incense,” replied Greg II calmly.
“Are you crazy?! You’re driving me crazy!” screamed Greg.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to incense you by burning incense,” said Greg II.
“Yeah well, next time…oh ha-ha, very funny.”
More Incense by Greg Manata
Trees speak to each other by conjuring winds to rattle their leaves in certain ways. Trees also walk around when no one is looking.
At the tree convention all the trees of the Gugajunga Forest gathered to witness the annual incense burning ritual.
The oldest tree, Bill, spoke. “To all my fellow Gugajungians, this year we have gathered many delicious-smelling things to burn as incense in our ritual. Be merry. As usual, I will remind everyone not to get too close to the incense otherwise you shall die a most painful death and will probably inflict a similar fate upon all the rest of us. Now, let us light the incense.
Bill’s first offspring was given the honor of holding a magnifying glass over the dry dead vegetation that was the incense. The incense was quickly lighted and all the trees scampered a safe distance away from the fire.
After the incense had been burning for some time, one of the younger trees conjured some wind to exclaim how pretty the smell of the incense was. Unfortunately for the young tree, the wind caught the fire and the young tree was singed. The young tree made a bee line for the nearest stream and dove in.
At that moment the two Gregs from the first story were walking in the Gugajunga Forest.
Greg II stopped suddenly. “Whoa.”
Greg, who had been kneeling down to investigate a neat flower spun around. “What is it?”
Greg II didn’t even know what to say. “Umm…well, a burning tree just ran and dove straight into that creek. I guess?” He wasn’t sure he believed his own eyes.
Greg peered down into the creek. Sure enough there was a tree down there and a bit of steam rising from the water. “Well, I guess I was right about trees then, wasn’t I? I always told you there was more to them than meets the eye.”
“Yeah well, who would have thunk it? Hey, do you smell incense?”
Kumquats: Greg
Kumquats by Greg Manata
“In the morning I eat kumquats.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, that is definitely right.”
“Do you only eat kumquats in the morning?”
“Yes, I only eat kumquats in the morning.
“That’s interesting because I eat kumquats at any time during the day.”
“Okay, well that’s your own personal choice. I certainly only eat kumquats in the morning.”
“There must be some reason in particular that you only eat kumquats in the morning…”
“In fact, there is a reason I only eat kumquats in the morning.”
“I’d love to know said reason.”
“Great, because I was planning on telling you. I only eat kumquats in the morning because I am on a strict diet.”
“Diets are goofy things that I would never consider.”
“I see.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you by saying that though. I’m curious about your diet.”
“I can tell you about my diet, if you’d like.”
“I certainly would like that.”
“Very well then. My diet is very strict. I only eat kumquats in the morning. I don’t eat anything else in the morning and I don’t eat kumquats at any other time of day. I actually don’t eat anything else at any time of day except for at 6:45 PM I have a kiwi and a bit of frozen turkey. I wash that down with a refreshing glass of iced tea.”
“That sounds very harsh; how long have you been on that diet?”
“A few days now.”
“How long are you planning on continuing with that diet?”
“Just a few more days I suppose.”
“I see. Did a doctor choose this for you?”
“No, not at all. I just come up with these things by myself. I’m convinced that they are the reason I’m still alive at 105 years old.”
“Holy cow! You’re 105 years old? You look 40.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I guess I should get going; I need to use the restroom. It was nice meeting you.”
“Nice to meet you as well.”
“In the morning I eat kumquats.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, that is definitely right.”
“Do you only eat kumquats in the morning?”
“Yes, I only eat kumquats in the morning.
“That’s interesting because I eat kumquats at any time during the day.”
“Okay, well that’s your own personal choice. I certainly only eat kumquats in the morning.”
“There must be some reason in particular that you only eat kumquats in the morning…”
“In fact, there is a reason I only eat kumquats in the morning.”
“I’d love to know said reason.”
“Great, because I was planning on telling you. I only eat kumquats in the morning because I am on a strict diet.”
“Diets are goofy things that I would never consider.”
“I see.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you by saying that though. I’m curious about your diet.”
“I can tell you about my diet, if you’d like.”
“I certainly would like that.”
“Very well then. My diet is very strict. I only eat kumquats in the morning. I don’t eat anything else in the morning and I don’t eat kumquats at any other time of day. I actually don’t eat anything else at any time of day except for at 6:45 PM I have a kiwi and a bit of frozen turkey. I wash that down with a refreshing glass of iced tea.”
“That sounds very harsh; how long have you been on that diet?”
“A few days now.”
“How long are you planning on continuing with that diet?”
“Just a few more days I suppose.”
“I see. Did a doctor choose this for you?”
“No, not at all. I just come up with these things by myself. I’m convinced that they are the reason I’m still alive at 105 years old.”
“Holy cow! You’re 105 years old? You look 40.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I guess I should get going; I need to use the restroom. It was nice meeting you.”
“Nice to meet you as well.”
Friday, April 11, 2008
Kumquats
Kumquats for 2
I sat down to write a story – something witty about a kumquatism. The problem is, all I could think about was how delicious these little fruits are. So, instead of a story, you get a recipe:
Dinner for 2
1 lb Sturgeon
6 kumquats
Sea salt
Soy sauce
Onion
Ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
Brown sugar
Arugala
Lemon olive oil
Balsamic
Bake the kumquats in a parchment paper with olive oil, soy sauce, chopped onion and ginger to taste.
Slice the kumquats to 1cm width pieces. Sear the sliced kumquats in an olive oil brown sugar sauce until the fruit is crunchy.
When the sturgeon is cooked through, put the sturgeon on a dish with the kumquats on top. On the side, toss the arugala with lemon olive oil and balsamic to taste.
YUM!
I sat down to write a story – something witty about a kumquatism. The problem is, all I could think about was how delicious these little fruits are. So, instead of a story, you get a recipe:
Dinner for 2
1 lb Sturgeon
6 kumquats
Sea salt
Soy sauce
Onion
Ginger
1 tbsp olive oil
Brown sugar
Arugala
Lemon olive oil
Balsamic
Bake the kumquats in a parchment paper with olive oil, soy sauce, chopped onion and ginger to taste.
Slice the kumquats to 1cm width pieces. Sear the sliced kumquats in an olive oil brown sugar sauce until the fruit is crunchy.
When the sturgeon is cooked through, put the sturgeon on a dish with the kumquats on top. On the side, toss the arugala with lemon olive oil and balsamic to taste.
YUM!
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