Stadium High School Tacoma, WA

This has got to be one of the coolest high schools I’ve ever seen.  Stadium High School in Tacoma, WA on Pugent Sound.  I’m fascinated by architecture … the old stuff … the buildings that they put their heart and soul into building so I just had to share these pictures … some taken in early February 2012 and a few taken recently (June 2012).  Doesn’t it just remind you of Hogwarts in Harry Potter?

Hope you enjoy the pics especially those of the architectural details and then, of course, there’s the football stadium … sooooo what do you think?  Are the fans watching the game or gazing at that magnificent view?

Doesn't it look like Hogwarts from Harry Potter?

Side of school overlooking the 'bowl' ... aka football field

 

Now is't that the most awesome football field EVER?

Fire escape

Courtyard

Main Entrance

Now that's real architectural detail!

View of Pugent Sound from parking garage ... football 'bowl' is on other side of iron fence.

Black Beans and Rice

Black Beans and Rice is a Cuban dish and even though Scott is not of Cuban decent, he’s made this recipe his own, tweaking the ingredients here and there.  He gets rave reviews on pretty much everything he cooks but his recipe for Black Beans and Rice is a favorite of our daughter-in-law, Kay, who is of Central American decent, and she always requests he make it when she and Anthony visit.  Kay grew up in Miami so she knows her Black Beans and Rice! 

Black Beans and Rice

(Scott’s Own Recipe)

3 Cans Bush’s Black Beans, undrained

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tblsps Butter

1 lrg Onion, chopped

1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped

Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

5 Garlic Cloves, minced

½ tsp Oregano

2 pkgs Sazon ~ Con Azafran

½ cup White Wine (Real wine NOT cooking wine)

¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Franks Hot Sauce

Sauté Onion and Green Pepper in Olive Oil and Butter with the Sea Salt and Black Pepper about 2-3 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until bubbling.  Serve over hot Basmati Rice or Yellow Rice.

NOTE: Sazon ~ Con Azafran is a seasoning mix found in the Latin Section of grocery store. 

*  I like to put a dash or two of Malt Vinegar in mine at the table.  Alayna likes sour cream in hers.

Hiking in the Woods

Remember my story here on my blog “Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My”?  Well … Anthony and Kay were here for Memorial Day Weekend along with another couple, their friends, and since they had heard about mine and Alayna’s hiking adventure … they wanted to hike this much talked about trail.  So off we go, Anthony and Kay, their friends and Scott and I.  It was a beautiful but very hot afternoon … we made it down the short trail (about a mile or two and definitely the flatter trail) and Scott decided he was heading back home to start dinner for us.  The rest of us wanted to hike on … so we took the longer trail.  Everyone but me had brought a bottle of water along … we really should have had more.  I was sweating like you can’t even imagine … soaked to the skin! 

Somewhere along the first of our hike, Kay heard my iPhone’s notification ‘ding’ go off and she asked “you brought your phone?” … I’m like “well, duh, didn’t ya’ll?”  They’re all like “Noooooo”.  I said “well it will come in handy if we need to call for help” … they all laughed at me.

The red star in the bottom right corner denotes where we live.

Beautiful huh?

We saw a couple bunnies, a snake of some sort (maybe one of you can identify it from the picture), tracks which either belong to a coyote or possible a small black bear, we heard the very loud gobbling of numerous wild turkeys though we never saw them … we could sure hear them … the guys even found a couple ticks hitchhiking on them … thank goodness none of us girls did (I’d have freaked!!!) … wildflowers … there were hills to climb and rocks to stumble over … greenery that I couldn’t identify but oh so beautiful.  No deer, which we were surprised about, considering we see them all the time in our yard.  We even came across what I called “little stone mountain” but by the time we reached it I could barely move along … I was sooooo dehydrated … stupid me not taking along any water!!! 

'Little Stone Mountain'

I’m not sure how long we hiked but I was not feeling too good any longer … I really thought they were gonna have to carry me … Anthony says “Kay and I are trained and can make a stretcher, if necessary” (both having served in the USAF) … I laugh saying “we won’t need that” but inside I’m thinking it sounds like a dang good idea.  Remember now … I didn’t bring any water along with me so I’m running on empty cause I’ve sweat out about every bit of water in my body!!!  

Anyone know what kind of snake?

Anyone know what this is?  A brilliant green ... fernlike.

Just when I think I CANNOT make it any further … weak from dehydration and feeling nauseated and thinking “I’m gonna passout” … we come out at the Dog Park … then I knew for sure there was no way in hell I was making it back home … the Dog Park is a good 3 miles from our house by car!!!  I pull out my iPhone … you know, the one everyone laughed about me bringing …never was I so glad I brought it til that moment LOL (we even used the GPS a couple times before that checking to see how much further we had)… Kay call Scott to come get us … she knew I couldn’t make it any further … she said I was very pale.  So Scott came to my rescue with water bottles for everyone… well I suppose it wasn’t just ‘my’ rescue as the rest of them would have been carrying me out of those woods LOL 

After getting back home, drinking lots of water and taking a cold shower … I felt much better.  And I’d do it again … just take water with me next time (how stupid that was not taking any).  It was a bea-u-ti-ful hike … I loved every minute … well not every minute LOL but every minute til I starting feeling ill… God’s beauty everywhere … so much to appreciate.  The pictures speak more than words can say.  And to think, back during the Civil War men walked these same woods in their wool uniforms and boots and heavy equipment in tow.  Sadly there is a Civil War Cemetery just a mile or so up the road from us where those who didn’t make it are buried.  Sure makes you appreciate what our ancestors had to endure!!!

This was pretty cool ... Anthony pointed it out ... upside down Heart!

'Mater Samiches

Nothing says Summertime in the South like a fresh ‘Mater Samich (Southern slang for Tomato Sandwich).  Takes me back to my summers as a child on my Grandparents farm.  Out in the tomato fields picking tomatoes in the broiling hot Georgia sun.  Oh how I’d hate coming across one of those tomato worms … eeeeeew!!!  Sometimes, I’d even bite into one right out there in the field … still warm in my hand … sprinkle it with salt and pepper … from those little packets you get at a restaurant … seems everyone always had a stash in the glove compartment lol… and enjoy.  Mmmm mmmm sooooo good.  And better yet … sitting at my Nanny’s kitchen table sipping on some Sweet Tea as she made us Mater Samiches.  No recipe required here ya’ll … just slap some mayonnaise on a couple slices of fresh bread, add a couple slices of tomatoes sprinkled with salt and pepper.  You can’t leave off the salt … it brings out the sweetness in the tomato.  Enjoy!  Good ol Summertime in the South!