Categories
Blogging How to(s)? Science

Banana Bread Kids

So starts the second week of Summer Vacation, and it is raining…

Since vacation has started, my kids have eaten more bandwidth than food!

What to do?

Well, being the frugal person that I am, and seeing that we had 5 ripe bananas…

I Googled three recipes, printed them up, and had the kids review the recipes, and create a common ingredient list:

5 Ripe Bananas
2 Cups Flour
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Large Eggs
1 Stick Melted Salted Butter
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Preheat Oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, mash the bananas; Mix in the Eggs, melted butter, brown sugar, baking soda/powder, cinnamon and vanilla. Pour mixture into buttered loaf pan, and bake until center is cooked and crust is deep brown (60+ mins).

This helped Logan with this reading, while Madison learned more about units and measurement conversions!

What was also fun, was to comparing ingredients, such as white vs brown sugar, and deciding which one to use.

They also gotten to use a mortar and pestle to ground the fresh cinnamon, which was finished off in a coffee grinder.

I encouraged them to taste it, and explained why it was not a good idea to try the fad trick of trying to swallow a tablespoon!

And let us not forget the mashing of the bananas!

During clean-up, we also had the chance to “test” the classic Baking Soda vs Power with vinegar trick!

As I set up and measured, the kids kind of knew what was going to happen, but they were still very eager to see what would happen!

Finally, as the bread pan went into the oven, we used some of the leftover flour, to test our drinking glasses for fingerprints!

Update

I have since started this post, and the lights in the house flicker off and on because of the storm passing over us.

The house is beginning to smell good!

Update 2

The loaf is out and the smell!

The kids don’t seem to understand ‘cool down on a rack’…

Homemade Banana Bread
Homemade Banana Bread

Update 3

“I like the taste, but the texture is weird…”

All the more for ME!

A belated Father’s Day ‘gift’ to myself!

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Categories
astronomy Blogging Chester County Downingtown Lakes Long Exposure Marsh Creek State Park Photo Journal Photography space Sunsets Tone Mapping Water

Hot Dam Night

I have always enjoying looking up into the night-time sky, and following the rhythms of our solar system is something I follow daily online.

Lately, I have been keeping my eye on the rare alignment of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury in the west-northwest about 30 minutes after sunset. The next time this will happen, is in 2026.

Being Friday night, I had to go out and try to see this!

The whole week has been hotter than normal for this time of year, and I hoped the cover of night would help.

The dam parking lot had two other cars when I arrived, and as I unpacked, a jogger going downhill, turned and entered the park.

MCSP Sunset & Fishing
MCSP Sunset & Fishing

Because of the heat and humidity, I packed my equipped vest into the daypack, and threw it over my shoulder, along with my camera and tripod, and headed into the park.

Heading down the hill, it got darker because of the overhanging trees and leaves, but the light grey colored maintenance road made it easier to follow with the ambient light.

When I got to the opening at the bottom of the dam, and I could see I was a little late in getting there, but I still had time.

I took the steep dirt path through the tall grass to the south-eastern corner area of the lake. The ‘flea and tick season’ phrase kept repeating itself in my head.

I finally reached the dirt road at the top, panting heavily and thinking that I should have brought along a second water bottle, while the jogger I had seen earlier, passed by me, and off into the increasing darkness.

Once setup, I could see that most of the sky was clear, but there was a thin bands of clouds, hovering in the distance, just above the treetops, in the northwest sky, right where my compass was aimed at 300°.

I was a little bummed, but as the 30 minute mark began to approach, I did see a bright spot right where it should be, and not moving. Could this be one of the planets?

I took numerous pictures of the sunset, and rising ‘planet’, and then started to focus my attention on the various fishing boats with lights, motoring silent around the lake.

Light Fishing at MCSP
Light Fishing at MCSP

As one boat crossed in front of me, I heard –

“You can not take his picture. He is in the witness relocation program.”

Followed by chuckles from the boat.

Responding back, with a smiling tone, I said that my camera did not have the resolution, and that they were going to fast.

Little do they know… Tee hee…

I also followed the various airplanes crossing my vision. It did not seem like a very busy night, especially compared to other times I have stood in the boating parking lot, staring up into the night sky on other photography expeditions.

As 9:30 approached, and fending off the mosquitoes was becoming impossible, I packed up, crossing over the rest of the dam, turning sharply to my left, and down the diagonal road.

Jupiter and Venus over Marsh Creek State Park
Jupiter and Venus over Marsh Creek State Park

Walking next to the marshy area, I saw fireflies signaling their presence, and at the bottom, I could see that I was going to need my headlamp, as I started back into the darker section of the road. I had not been here before at night, so I did not know what I might encounter.

When the light flashed on, I was greeted by a thin fog that reflexed back the bright light, making it more difficult to see. I turned the lamp down, be it did not help. Maybe next time, I’ll get the headlamp with multi-colors.

Finally, I reached the brown swinging gate at the top of the trail, and headed into the parking lot, where I threw my gear into the car, and headed home.

Note to Self – Next time, bring two water bottles and bug spray…

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Updates

After processing several series of images, it seems that I might have ‘caught’ Venus and Jupiter in my captures, with Jupiter being just too faint to see with the naked eye.

We’ll try again in 2026!

Categories
Blogging Editorial Gedankenexperiment Ideas Rants Thoughts

The Extinction of the ‘Mentos Volcanoes’

Kiera Wilmot - Florida Teen Girl Charged With Felony After Science Experiment Goes Bad
Kiera Wilmot

Doing my morning reading, when this headline crossed my screen –

Florida Teen Girl Charged With Felony After Science Experiment Goes Bad

and I begin to read –

On 7 a.m. on Monday, the 16 year-old mixed some common household chemicals in a small 8 oz water bottle on the grounds of Bartow High School in Bartow, Florida.

The reaction caused a small explosion that caused the top to pop up and produced some smoke. No one was hurt and no damage was caused.- miaminewtimes.com

and in further reading, it does suggest that the girl, Kiera Wilmont, did make some bad decisions, but at the same time: Where was the Teacher? Adviser? Adult?

What were the chemicals involved?

Common household chemicals“?

If the chemicals were that volatile, in a room full of people, where was the oversight?

Kiera was lead away in “handcuffs and expelled from school” for her little experiment, and should complete her diploma through the expulsion program while in juvenile detention.

Basically, her life has been ruined…

Back when I was in grade school science class, there was always ‘talk’ of someone doing the classic ‘baking soda & vinegar’ (acid-base reaction) with food coloring volcanoes…

with todays equivalent being a substitution of ‘mentos and diet coke’ (nucleation)…

But they were Banned from my school…

Not because they exploded, as everyone knew they would, but because they had been done too many times before, as in boring!

Explosions and Science are not new friends!

One does have to wonder what we are saying to kids if you have an accident in science class, you might go to jail.

Then there is the possibility, that the ‘mentos volcanoes’ will disappear from the classroom, altogether  and generations of future kids will no longer understand the fun as seen in the old movies.

Maybe, if we wish to be safe, maybe we can just do all science with thought experiments (Gedankenexperiment)!

Here is one I just came up with!

A company located in western Texas, stores several thousands of tons of unreported chemicals at their place of business, and it explodes, killing several people in the area.

Who goes to jail this time?

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Updates

[5/17/2013 15:35 – Added]

No… what… wait a second…

She imitated something she had seen on the internet, knowing it would explode…

On school grounds…

and she is getting a scholarship to Space camp?

[5/17/2013 15:34 – Added]

This is VERY, VERY Cool!

“Homer Hickam — the writer and former NASA engineer whose memoir is the basis of the movie October Sky — started a Crowdtilt campaign to send Wilmot and her twin sister Kayla to the Advanced Space Academy program at the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.”

https://www.crowdtilt.com/campaigns/kayla-wilmot-space-academy-scholarship

If you have never seen “October Sky”, I highly recommend it!

[5/17/2013 10:34 – Added]
Good News and Bad News!

[5/1/2013 14:43 – Added]

I am into physics, and still like to watch things go boom!

Arresting her and being taken to jail… a little much…

Bring her into the Headmaster/Principals Office and having a LONG conversation with the Parents and Child… Priceless and would have caused allot less of an issue…

[5/1/2013 13:56 – Added]

ScientificAmerican.com – “Florida teen charged with felony for trying science

Riptide – “Florida School Responds To Criticism For Expelling Student Over Science Project: “There Are Consequences To Actions”

[5/1/2013 12:56 – Added]

In continuing to read through the various comments, there appears to be another side coming out… Drano Bottle Bombs

[5/1/2013 12:32 – Added]
Bartow High School Principal – Ronald Pritchard
http://www.bartowhighschool.com/
Address: 1270 S Broadway Ave Bartow, FL 33830
EMAIL: Ronald.Pritchard@polk-fl.net
PHONE:(863)- 534-7400 Fax: (863)534-0077

Polk County Superintendent – Dr. John Stewart
http://www.polk-fl.net/districtinfo/contactus/default.htm
Address: 1915 South Floral Avenue, Bartow, FL 33831
Phone: (863) 534-0521 Fax: (863) 519-8231

Polk Regional Juvenile Detention Ctr/Bartow police
http://www.cityofbartow.net/index.aspx?page=60
ADDRESS: 2155 Bob Phillips Road, Bartow, FL 33830
TEL: 863-534-7090
FAX: 863-534-7024

Here is an interesting link to the “Polk Regional Juvenile Detention Ctr”
P.O.L.K “Protect Our Lost Kids” in Polk Co, Fl

Original Thread of ideas

Original G+ Conversation

Categories
Announcements astronomy Ideas Information Long Exposure Marsh Creek State Park Photography Reference Science space Water

Astronomy, Photography & Marsh Creek SP

During the past several CCPaPhoto meetups, one of the more common questions has been –

Where is it legal for Astronomy and Photography types allowed to group during the night?

I finally sent an email to “PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources” asking…

A couple of days later, I got the following back –

“The park manager said that basically any approved parking lot can be used at night – the Dorlan Mill lot, the west side lot, or the Chalfant Rd. lot. Just make sure that no one is parking on the grass, or blocking a gate!”

which is great news, especially with the Summer months coming up!

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Categories
astronomy CCPaPhoto Chester County Downingtown Long Exposure Nature Photo Journal Photography Science space

Lyrid meteor showers

Lightning Boat
Lightning Boat

I had been publishing details about this event for several days on both Facebook and Google+…

and I was also hoping, that this being the third time, it was going to be a charm for the Chester County PA Photography group…

A hardy group gathered on this Sunday night (4/21)…  the temps in the low 40s, with a slight breeze… to bear witness to the fable Lyrid meteor showers…

  • Shannon Chambers McMahon
  • Margaret Smith Reif
  • Daniel Potter
  • Brian Arters
  • Andrew Seymour

Around 20:30 PM, we setup our camp of tripods, near the middle of the parking lot, on the Boat Launch side of Marsh Creek State Park, and started to peer North-East, looking for the elusive light trails in the night sky.

We knew that the constellation Lyra would be rising around 22:00 PM, and the darkest hours where hours away, at 03:37 AM Monday (4/22), just before the moonset…

A potentially long ‘school’ night for the Parents…

Group Picture of Light Painting
Group Picture of Light Painting

Light Painting

During the general chatter of a meet-up, someone mentioned that they had sparklers with them… knowing, that I have been wanting to do a Light Painting session!

With giddy delight, we lit some of the sparklers, and started to trace words and shapes in the night air.

With a little further guidance, the apprentices took over, and the light ‘markers’ began to dance in the darkness.

Lightning Signature
Lightning Signature

And we experimented!

  • Sparklers – A tried and true favorite of every celebration!
  • LED Head Lamp into Glass Jar –  Please Post the “Heart Beat”
  • LED Flood Light – The magic marker of the night

Many ideas and jokes were tossed about as folks tried different things in an effort to capture something new and different.

Finally, as the Phillies baseball game ended, the last of the group backed up and headed home!

Light Logo
Light Logo

Once again, no new discoveries in the skies of Chester County, but Light Painting maybe the next big thing!

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