The Seasons: A Poem

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Sunrise over Amazing Grasses Family Farm The mad Artist wields His brush, Painted colors rush, To life and give flush, Before the quiet autumn hush. The life seems to pour, As colors fall to the floor, To be seen no more, Outside the dark, grey door. Brightness from below, Sun upon the snow, High, cold clouds blow, Flakes and ice appear to grow. The man melts with little seen, Underneath, pale, grey green, Hides life in dark unseen, Waits for warmth and to careen. Buds on branches show, Patience starts to grow, Trickles, streams and veins flow, Bringing fruits of melted snow. Sprung to life it springs, Bees, birds, sound rings, Lush green flings, Its gift bounty brings. Green growth gives one last rush, Underneath the Painter's brush. The mad Artist wields His brush, before the quiet autumn hush. More poetry is available from James M. Hahn in  The Last Dragon and Other Poems  available now. My new book of cryptogram puzzles " Secret Messages from the Saints " is avai
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Nut Brown Ale

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As the snow begins to fall my mind turns to thoughts of sitting around the kitchen table with friends and family sipping a little something to take away the chill. We're going to have a house full this Christmas so I thought I'd better top off a keg with something refreshing. Since I'm pressed for time I decided to go with a Brewer's Best kit. I started my homebrewing with these kits and they are good and a good way to get started. The kit contains all the basic ingredients, you need only supply the equipment and bottles. I highly recommend BB for those thinking of brewing their own beer.

This was a little different experience in beer making because I was making it at 9:00 AM this morning. Now, before you jump to conclusions, I was making beer and drinking coffee not the other way around although that would have been nice. It was your typical Catholic homeschool family. The boys were at the kitchen table doing school work, mom was making rosaries, and dad was brewing beer. Remember this post when designing my holy card for canonization!

Anyway, this batch of beer should keep us well supplied for this fun winter visit with 10 children 6 and under and 8 adults. In addition to this beer I have a keg nearly full of the Autumn Red Ale I've been saving for the occasion and a case of Mead. If any of those run out I will pull out my Maker's Mark Ambassadors card and get to work. Happy Advent and Merry Christmas to ya'll!

The Kit (it also comes with caps and priming sugar which I don't use when kegging)

After steeping the grains I bring the pot to a rolling boil.

Then add the liquid malt extract....


....and the dry malt extract. (YES, that is 10:18 AM making the house smell like a little bit of Heaven all day long) After this its the hops, let it boil for 45 mins, add more hops, let boil for 15 mins, cool it down, add enough water for 5 gallons of brew and add yeast (if the temp is correct of course!) I'll post pictures of the finished product.

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