Biking the Southern Towpath in Summit County=Amphibians & Reptiles

Look closely, those are 2 turtles on a log

Frog: I almost ran him over

Apple cupcakes

After a super long day,  I made apple cupcakes. I was in the mood to make a fall cupcake.

However, after a morning of working and training, I biked during my lunch. Only 9-10 miles, seems like nothing now, but it was a good lunch workout between the rains of the day and the week.

McIntosh apple

peels

grated apple

Brown Sugar Buttercream Icing

APPLE CUPCAKES

Makes 2 Dozen.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

                        2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

            4 cups coarsely shredded apples, such as Macintosh (about 1 3/4 pounds)

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Buttercream

•                1 stick unsalted butter, softened

•                1/4 cup shortening

•                1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

•                1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

•                3 cups powdered sugar (varies based on temperature/humidity)

•                3 tablespoons half and half (varies based on temperature/humidity)

In a large mixer bowl, combine the butter and shortening. Whip together with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy.  Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and whisk until well combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time. Alternately add the half and half, whipping the icing on medium-high speed after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.

Oberlin to Kipton: Corn, sheep, goats, squirrels, leaves, & a history lesson

me

goats

sheep

Kipton, Ohio

corn

Apparently, there was a train wreck in Kipton, Ohio in 1891 before trains and tracks had timing mechanisms. As a result of this train wreck, one Mr. Ball invented timed train tracking to prevent future disasters. Also, according to the community of Kipton, his name led to the colloquialism, "on the ball," but upon further investigation, there are many other stated origins of the saying.   

Also, I had a memorable interaction with crotchety old man. He asked me where the a local farm store was and when I didn't know he asked me if I lived around there and when I said no he angrily flung his hands in the air and started grouchily mumbling......

old man

I want a goat and her name will be Marie Curie

Handsome goat

So on Wednesday, I serendipitously came upon a goat farm. I was taking a new route coming home from Oberlin for fun (pretty exciting, I know weeeeeeeeeeeeee) when I saw THIS!

Yeah, that's right. You are looking at 4 goats balancing themselves on giant spools. This made my day.
So I decided that the next time I had to go to Oberlin, I would stop by this farm, buy some honey (they sell honey) and meet the goats.

Today I did just that. Unfortunately, the goats were not in the mood to hang out on the spools, but I still got to meet them, a couple pigs, a few dogs, chickens, geese and a nice older gentleman.

pigs!

The goats were super cute and quite curious. They wanted to eat my phone while I was taking pictures of them. Also, I was taken by their jeweled eyes. They had that beautiful mixture of beauty and evil. 

Look at those eyes!

Goat eye close up, weird right?

After some research, apparently, goats have rectangular pupils. Apparently, so does the octopuses, sheep, and toad. Apparently, I like to say apparently today. Apparently, the rectangular pupil increases depth perception.



I bought very good honey here and met some awesome goats......
Krone Farm 7557 Root Rd North Ridgeville, OH 44039

So I think Coda, my friend that just
bought a little farm, should adopt a little goat.
I will build a custom made spool for her.

goat nose

If 'Marie Curie' (that's right, I named Coda's goat already) is good,
I might build her a spool amusement park