Big Sky Mid-Summer

If you've never spent time in Big Sky Country during mid-summer, I highly recommend it. You'll often catch perfect weather with a view of the sun setting in the west and the moon sitting high in the sky. This sepia'd photograph is facing Bozeman from beyond the outskirts of town - not long before the pavement comes to an end. The wide-angle really dwarfs the mountain range, especially with the haze, which is quite common this time of year.

Shot with Nikon D60, f/10, ISO-200 at 32mm

Nail

Here's a photograph of a nail. There was an odd artifact at the top, so I cropped it down to a wider format, but left it otherwise untouched. Although it's completely un-obvious from the photo, the backdrop is the Bridger Mountain Range fading into the blue sky. What I enjoy most about this shot is the raw cross-section of metal breaking its way into the wood.

Shot with Nikon D60 at f/5.6, ISO-200 at 200mm

Montana Wild Grass

The sun hadn't set yet, but was heading behind a few clouds, creating a dark backdrop in an otherwise bright evening. This stem of wild grass held on to the sunlight and wasn't going to last long, so I took a few shots just before it turned dark. There is washout from the sun, and I will alter the shooting angle to prevent that effect in the future.

Shot with Nikon D60, ISO-100, f/11 at 55mm with a warm-tone filter.

Barrel Hay, Mountains and the Moon

Barrel Hay, Mountains and the Moon

South of the dusty combine was another ranch that offered neatly stacked hay and an assortment of trees. I didn't think much of the scene until I noticed the moon above, hiding behind wispy clouds that added just the right accent. The moon is centered, which my apprentice photography instincts tell me is a no-no, but I kind of prefer it that way since everything else is off just a bit.

Shot with Nikon D60, f/10, ISO-200 at 60mm

Kickin' Up Dust

As the sun quickly set, Montana farmers were hard at work as always. This combine was kicking up dust in ideal summer weather this evening.  I feel like a lens with a wider angle might have captured just a bit more landscape, although I am happy with the hint of blue that accents the classic hay-colored farmland.

Shot with Nikon D60, f/10, ISO-125 at 55mm

Photo Drive with Tim and Eric

 

Just north of Bozeman, west of the Bridger mountain range lies an abundance of scenic farmland. In fact, there's not much more up that way, making it an ideal place to shoot decrepit barns, scenery and landscapes. I'm a total novice when it comes to scenic photography, so I joined friends Tim Leonhardt and Eric Barnes for an after-work photo drive.

Shot with Nikon D60, f/9, ISO-100 at 55mm

 

Cuisine experiment - Mexican Sushi Rolls

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Many definitions of the word sushi exist, and for this particular application the Mexican dishes have been prepared and presented in a maki sushi style. Considering the abundant use of rice and fresh fillings in Mexican cuisine, it's puzzling why Mexi-Sushi isn't readily available. What follows is the documented process used to create exceptional, mouthwatering Mexican sushi rolls.

Prepare a batch of fresh guacamole

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Store-bought guacamole is often too salty or garlicky and homemade is quick and easy enough to make - see the recipe.

After sketching out four separate rolls to prepare on a sheet of paper, it was apparent that the process of creating Mexi-Sushi from scratch was going to take a while, so I got the mini homemade photo studio set up to take some pictures.

Assemble and test photo studio
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After cooking up a batch of white and seasoned short-grain Arborio rice, we're "ready to roll."

Assemble the rolls
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Without going into the intricate details of sushi rolling, a trimmed square tortilla was used in two of the rolls, while the spicy and saffron rolls were created with rice walls. Although the saffron roll is included here, the longer-grain rice was not sticky enough in the end, thus creating a saffron rice bowl.

El Tradicional
A bridge between common Japanese sushi and Mexican cuisine, El Tradicional incorporates visual and flavorful elements from the traditional California roll.
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Small-batch seasoned Mexican Arborio rice, fresh avocado, julienne-cut orange pepper and white onion on a baked flour tortilla. Served over chipotle red sauce with complimenting chipotle salsa.

El Rollo Picante (Spicy Roll)
Inspired by the heat of wasabi, the heat of the picante roll is inescapable. The fresh jalapeño inside and spiced crust create a bold taste.
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White Arborio rice, julienne cut tomato, fresh jalapeño, and white onion with a spiced crust.  Served with a mixed jalapeño-tomato salad.

El Burrito
Perhaps the most mistakable dish is the burrito. Deceivingly similar to its true Mexican form, the burrito has an excellent mouthfeel and is easy to enjoy piece by piece.
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Flour tortilla layered with traditional refritos and small-batch seasoned Mexican Arborio rice. Stuffed with seasoned wedges of baked potato, thick cut orange bell pepper, and white onion. Topped with a traditional red sauce, sour cream, and fresh guacamole. Served with an additional side of seasoned baked potatoes.

Outcome
All things considered, the goals of the Mexican sushi experiment were achieved. Each roll accomplished a blend of uniqueness and flavor that was enjoyable to the last bite.

¡Muy delicioso! (Mmmmm!)

Wah-wah aka The classic muted trombone of sadness

  
(download)

I require this sound sometimes, so hopefully Posterous will keep it forever!

Send a 5x7 Folded Mother's Day Card via Hallmark for Free!

I was tipped off on this year's great mother's day promotion by none other than - my mom! Hallmark now lets you customize and mail cards online from your computer. It's easy, and the first one (using code CARD4MOM) is on the house!

  • Upload your own photo(s) - optional
  • Add photos to the front and back
  • Write personalized text in the color you choose in a few different locations on the card
  • Address, stamp and ship the card... all from Hallmark.com!
And.. all for less than $4 a card (about the price of a card at the store). Don't forget to use the code above and the first one is free free free!

Adding photos and text is super easy, check it:

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Card front - "Yoh Happy Motha's Day"

You get to choose delivery date and everything! I've been hoping for a similar service for years, because by the time I remember an event is coming up, I usually fail to run to the store, pick out a decent card and get it mailed on time. In fact, I have a bunch of un-mailed cards sitting around because by the time I was ready to send them, they were wayyy to late - yarg!

Give it a shot because I hope it catches on :)

Make your free card @ Hallmark soon, I doubt this coupon code will last very long!
Link to Hallmark free cards: http://tinyurl.com/c6swl4

Purchase receipt:
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Craig Dugas