Saturday (04-May-2013) — Spain

Gone to See Europe and North Africa. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop IV with Michael Mariant. Day 8: Cadiz, Spain.

Lone Poppy Flower in a Field of Wheat near Donana Park in Spain. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec).

Poppy Flower in a Field of Wheat Near Donana Park. in Spain. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage (David J Mathre)
Poppy Flower in a Field of Wheat Near Donana Park. in Spain. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage (David J Mathre)

Monday (29-April-2013) — Italy

Gone to See Europe and North Africa. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop IV with Michael Mariant. Day 3: Livorno, Italy.

Antipasto at Tenuta Lenzini, a Villa and Winery in Tuscany near Lucca, Italy. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 6.7-13 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 13 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec).

Antipasto at Tenuta Lenzini, a Villa and Winery in Tuscany near Lucca, Italy. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 6.7-13 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 13 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. (David J Mathre)
Antipasto at Tenuta Lenzini, a Villa and Winery in Tuscany near Lucca, Italy. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 6.7-13 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 13 mm, f/5.6, 1/30 sec). Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. (David J Mathre)

Friday (08-March-2013) — New Jersey

Home Cooking: Stone Soup and Hearty Rye & Whole Wheat Bread.

When I woke up this morning, it was snowing. There was 4-6 inches on the ground and still snowing. I didn’t need to go out and decided to make some stone soup with leftovers in the refrigerator.

Stone Soup and Hearty Rye & Whole Wheat Bread. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/8, 1/60, pop-up flash) (David J. Mathre)
Stone Soup and Hearty Rye & Whole Wheat Bread. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/8, 1/60, pop-up flash) (David J. Mathre)

Stone Soup Recipe: 1 Bag (26 oz) Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grains and Beans Soup Mix, Water (8 quarts), Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon (8 tbs), 2 Chopped Red Onions, 1 Chopped Celery Heart, 8 Chopped Garlic Cloves, and all of the leftover pork roast, chicken, and rib-roast in the fridge chopped into small pieces. Brought to a boil, then simmered for 4 hours. When done enough to feed an army… More leftovers to be frozen. Someday maybe I will learn to cook for one.

Wednesday (06-March-2013) — New Jersey

Home Cooking. Hearty Whole Wheat & Rye Bread.

Bread Recipe: Whole Wheat Flour (1 cup); White Flour (1 cup); Rye Flour (0.5 cup); brown sugar (2 tbs); dry milk (1 tbs); caraway seed (2 tsp); fennel seed (1 tsp); crystallized ginger (0.5 tsp); star anise (1 dry star ground up); salt (1 tsp); egg (1 medium); oil (1 tbs); water (7/8 cup). Above ingredients added to Panasonic Bread Bakery. Yeast (1 tsp) added to yeast hopper and the unit set for Whole Wheat Bread (Rapid) and started. Three hours later, the loaf of bread was removed and allowed to cool.

Hearty Rye & Whole Wheat Bread. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/8, 1/60, pop-up flash) (David J. Mathre)
Hearty Rye & Whole Wheat Bread. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/8, 1/60, pop-up flash) (David J. Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (28-February-2008) — Colorado

Elderhostel “Photography in the Southwest” Workshop. Day 4: Mesa Verde National Park.

Wild Turkey in Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7 TC-E II (ISO 200, 500 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec).

Wild Turkey looking for food at Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7x teleconverter (ISO 200, 500 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Wild Turkey looking for food at Mesa Verde National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7x teleconverter (ISO 200, 500 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)