steinkamp.us

Saw a CalTrain locomotive dumping sand while parked. Wondered why. Who knew? http://t.co/DieOAUEq

Sorry, but I just can't do historical re-enactment documentaries.

Backyard B&W

More warm weather fun!

More iPhone Macros

I took a quick trip through the backyard this afternoon with my iPhone and 10x B&L Hastings loupe. The small world is amazingly detailed!

Backyard Goggles

When the sun is out, the hose gets unwound and the swimsuits and goggles go on!

Big Moon Hike

I took an evening walk up the good old Horse Heaven Trail to get a view of the extra-large full moon.

New Shocks for Arti's Car

I spent the bulk of yesterday replacing the shocks on Arti's car -- a 2007 328i wagon. We bought the car new, and it has about 90K miles on it now. Overall, it's been a great car and still looks and drives very nicely. I've noticed though over the past year or so that it feels a bit "wallowy" in some situations. Usually I felt that in in sweeping turns with some undulations -- the car felt like it was moving around more than it should, and felt less stable than it should. Sounds like the shocks are done!

Bee

I found a bee on my car today, so I brought it inside to take some pictures of it. Pictures are from an iPhone 4 and 10x B&L Hastings Loupe.

Rio Vista's Perpetual Storm

In the weather app I use on my phone, there is a map view with configurable overlays. One of the most useful is the Doppler Radar overlay, which usually shows precipitation level on a colorful scale. One thing I've noticed on the radar overlay is that there is an area in the north bay, near Fairfield and Rio Vista that appears to always have storm-level activity over it.

DIY: iPhone Macro

It's easy to capture amazing close-up photos with your smartphone. All you need is a nerdy motivation and a little magnifier...

Today's word du jour of the day today is "turd burglar".

RT @to_morrow: Nice move Twitter http://t.co/Bdz3pGWP

When an eel eats your eyes / with two fangs and surprise / that's a moray...

New Hike: Black Mountain

Today I decided to try something new, since I'm pretty sure I've gone up and down Mission Peak, Mt. Allison, and Monument Peak every possible way now. Looking at Google Earth and talking with Arti, I decided to see how to get up Black Mountain. It's a 2800 foot peak to the west of Mountain View and Los Altos. Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve is the closest park, and provides a great route up.

And so begins the inevitable reassembly of the PAAS box to read the instructions...

Crepes!

Crepes are surprisingly simple and quick. They don't take any special skill or equipment to make, and they don't need to be prepared the night before. Here's the recipe we use:

1 cup flour
A little more than 1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp salt

Just mix all that together in a bowl with a whisk. Make it as smooth as possible. This will be enough for 2-3 people. Increase the amounts as appropriate -- I use 1.5x for our family. Get a skillet pancake-hot (350F), and spread a thin coat of oil on it with a paper towel. It takes only a tiny bit. I use a stainless skillet -- no need for nonstick here. In fact, I think stainless makes it easier. Get a plate ready to receive the cooked crepes. Put a piece of foil over the top to keep them nice and warm. Take a scoop of the batter with a 1/2c measuring cup and pour it in the center of the hot skillet. Grab the skillet handle and spread it out to a uniform thin layer. Let it cook for 45 seconds or so, then flip it. Another 15 seconds, and it's probably done. The first side should be golden brown. The other side will be less golden, but obviously done (not wet looking). Serving suggestions:

Spread butter, ceylon cinnamon, a bit of salt, and maple syrup on the crepe. Roll it up, and eat the delicious spiral log of joy.
Put a scrambled or fried egg with salt and pepper in the crepe. Add grated cheese, and wrap up like a burrito. Microwave it for 15-30 seconds if need be to melt the cheese.
Slice strawberries, and add yogurt or whipped cream. Some toasted sliced almonds are delicious with this.

What else do you put in your crepes?

Castle Rock

The girls and I took a chilly morning hike to Castle Rock, then had some hot chocolate to warm up afterward.

"ls -lrt" may be the world's most under-appreciated debugging tool...

Naomi, giving me a hint in a guessing game: "It starts with 'banan'."

Naomi: "Does anyone have a rainbrella?"