A recent alarming phenomenon has been the appearance
of rodent droppings next to my bed. I found two
the day before yesterday, and another one yesterday
the latter of which could not possibly have been there
on the previous day. This is alarming because it
indicates a repeat visit.

This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.
Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
killed here by cats or traps. The fecal material was
unusual in that I did not recognize it. It was
definitely not rat, mouse, rabbit, or squirrel.
There was a gopher in here once, and it bit me, but
that was when I had cats. It was a birthday present
dragged in by the cats. I don't have cats anymore
because of the coyotes.

This fecal material was long and thin, brown-black
in color. Likely a rodent, but not a rodent I've
previously encountered. It wasn't until today that
the mystery was solved.

I don't usually cook up a batch of wild rice, but
on a whim I bought a bag a few weeks ago. I spilled
a little on the kitchen floor and tracked it into
the bedroom. I didn't recognize it as wild rice
because I probably haven't bought wild rice in
20 years, plus I'm rather prone to leap to the
worst-case interpretation of the evidence. Repeat
night visitation by unfamiliar rodents, for example.

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>A recent alarming phenomenon has been the appearance
> of rodent droppings next to my bed. I found two
> the day before yesterday, and another one yesterday
> the latter of which could not possibly have been there
> on the previous day. This is alarming because it
> indicates a repeat visit.
>
> This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.
> Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
> killed here by cats or traps. The fecal material was
> unusual in that I did not recognize it. It was
> definitely not rat, mouse, rabbit, or squirrel.
> There was a gopher in here once, and it bit me, but
> that was when I had cats. It was a birthday present
> dragged in by the cats. I don't have cats anymore
> because of the coyotes.
>
> This fecal material was long and thin, brown-black
> in color. Likely a rodent, but not a rodent I've
> previously encountered. It wasn't until today that
> the mystery was solved.
>
> I don't usually cook up a batch of wild rice, but
> on a whim I bought a bag a few weeks ago. I spilled
> a little on the kitchen floor and tracked it into
> the bedroom. I didn't recognize it as wild rice
> because I probably haven't bought wild rice in
> 20 years, plus I'm rather prone to leap to the
> worst-case interpretation of the evidence. Repeat
> night visitation by unfamiliar rodents, for example.

I guess this indicates that you wouldn't have passed the health inspection
mentioned in Wednesday's NYTimes, doesn't it? (smile)....
-ginny

On Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:53:11 -0700, Mark Thorson >
wrote:

> This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.

You're lucky you've only seen poop. Has a mouse ever run over your
forehead? They have COLD feet!

> Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
> killed here by cats or traps.

That's the good part. Now you need to figure out how they get into
your house and plug the gap.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On 10/1/2010 4:53 PM, Mark Thorson wrote:
> A recent alarming phenomenon has been the appearance
> of rodent droppings next to my bed. I found two
> the day before yesterday, and another one yesterday
> the latter of which could not possibly have been there
> on the previous day. This is alarming because it
> indicates a repeat visit.
>
> This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.
> Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
> killed here by cats or traps. The fecal material was
> unusual in that I did not recognize it. It was
> definitely not rat, mouse, rabbit, or squirrel.
> There was a gopher in here once, and it bit me, but
> that was when I had cats. It was a birthday present
> dragged in by the cats. I don't have cats anymore
> because of the coyotes.
>
> This fecal material was long and thin, brown-black
> in color. Likely a rodent, but not a rodent I've
> previously encountered. It wasn't until today that
> the mystery was solved.
>
> I don't usually cook up a batch of wild rice, but
> on a whim I bought a bag a few weeks ago. I spilled
> a little on the kitchen floor and tracked it into
> the bedroom. I didn't recognize it as wild rice
> because I probably haven't bought wild rice in
> 20 years, plus I'm rather prone to leap to the
> worst-case interpretation of the evidence. Repeat
> night visitation by unfamiliar rodents, for example.

Might I have some of whatever you had been drinking? That's hilarious.
Glad you didn't step in it. <G>

"Mark Thorson" > wrote in message
...
>A recent alarming phenomenon has been the appearance
> of rodent droppings next to my bed. I found two
> the day before yesterday, and another one yesterday
> the latter of which could not possibly have been there
> on the previous day. This is alarming because it
> indicates a repeat visit.
>
> This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.
> Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
> killed here by cats or traps. The fecal material was
> unusual in that I did not recognize it. It was
> definitely not rat, mouse, rabbit, or squirrel.
> There was a gopher in here once, and it bit me, but
> that was when I had cats. It was a birthday present
> dragged in by the cats. I don't have cats anymore
> because of the coyotes.
>
> This fecal material was long and thin, brown-black
> in color. Likely a rodent, but not a rodent I've
> previously encountered. It wasn't until today that
> the mystery was solved.
>
> I don't usually cook up a batch of wild rice, but
> on a whim I bought a bag a few weeks ago. I spilled
> a little on the kitchen floor and tracked it into
> the bedroom. I didn't recognize it as wild rice
> because I probably haven't bought wild rice in
> 20 years, plus I'm rather prone to leap to the
> worst-case interpretation of the evidence. Repeat
> night visitation by unfamiliar rodents, for example.

Oh, that's pretty funny.

When I was a kid, my dad made a carnival game for a Halloween party. It
involved a huge box with a Jack O'Lantern on it. My mom made some bean bags
stuffed with white rice. The object was to throw the bean bags into the
mouth of the Jack O'Lantern to win a prize.

Long after that carnival was over, those bean bags were still laying around
the house.

We got a little puppy. My brother was playing with her when he spotted what
he thought were little puppy teeth all over the floor. He ran to my mom and
told her that Misty had lost her teeth. My mom remained calm and told him
that puppies, just like little kids would lose their teeth. But my brother
persisted and told her to look and see how many she lost! Turns out she had
been chewing on a bean bag and broke it open.

Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> Good God, man, in what kind of place do you live that you are invaded
> by such creatures?

They usually get in through the hole in the
front door.

On Oct 2, 1:41*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
>
> > Good God, man, in what kind of place do you live that you are invaded
> > by such creatures?
>
> They usually get in through the hole in the
> front door.

That's funny. ;-) Glad it was wild rice and not wild mice.

FYI to anyone - mice have collapsible skeletons and can squeeze
through a space that's less than 1/2 inch wide. There's a picture
floating around of one that got caught in a typewriter platen - and
lived to run away ;-).

N.

In article >,
Mark Thorson > wrote:

> Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> >
> > Good God, man, in what kind of place do you live that you are invaded
> > by such creatures?
>
> They usually get in through the hole in the
> front door.

Doesn't have to be a big hole, either. I've read "somewhere" they can
get through a hole the size of a dime.

--
Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
Holy Order of the Sacred Sisters of St. Pectina of Jella
"Always in a jam, never in a stew; sometimes in a pickle."
A few pics from the Fair are he
http://gallery.me.com/barbschaller#100254

Usually wild rice is cooked with long grain rice as well., Because it is so expensive, I make the type that comes in a pkg and sometimes I add 1cup frozen peas when it it is half cooked. It is quite good.

Jecs Duminy wrote:
>
> Usually wild rice is cooked with long grain rice as well., Because it is
> so expensive, I make the type that comes in a pkg and sometimes I add
> 1cup frozen peas when it it is half cooked. It is quite good.

I remember as a kid having wild rice in which the
individual grains opened up during cooking. That
was really good wild rice. The stuff I got at
Trader Joe's didn't open up at all, and I didn't
think it was very good.

I'm wondering whether the difference may have been
whether the rice was parched before cooking. As I
recall, that's part of the traditional way of preparing
wild rice.

Hello,

Wild rice is easy to cook, although it does take a bit more time than white rice. Always rinse wild rice thoroughly in cold water before cooking. One cup uncooked wild rice yields 3 to 4 cups cooked wild rice. Try steaming, boiling, baking, or microwaving wild rice to perfection with the easy tips!

On Oct 9, 1:54*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Jecs Dummy wrote:
>
> > Usually wild rice is cooked with long grain rice as well., Because it is
> > so expensive, I make the type that comes in a pkg and sometimes I add
> > 1cup frozen peas when it it is half cooked. It is quite good.

Wild rice takes a long time to cook. Frozen peas take a few minutes.
>
> I remember as a kid having wild rice in which the
> individual grains opened up during cooking. *That
> was really good wild rice. *The stuff I got at
> Trader Joe's didn't open up at all, and I didn't
> think it was very good.
>
> I'm wondering whether the difference may have been
> whether the rice was parched before cooking. *As I
> recall, that's part of the traditional way of preparing
> wild rice.

I've never seen wild rice that didn't open up if cooked long enough.

--Bryan

> On Oct 9, 1:54*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> >
> > I remember as a kid having wild rice in which the
> > individual grains opened up during cooking. *That
> > was really good wild rice. *The stuff I got at
> > Trader Joe's didn't open up at all, and I didn't
> > think it was very good.

Blame the way you cooked it. I prefer wild rice mixed with brown
anyway and I *love* Trader Joe's mix with daikon radish seeds in it.

--

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

On Oct 1, 5:17*pm, sf > wrote:
> On Fri, 01 Oct 2010 14:53:11 -0700, Mark Thorson >
> wrote:
>
> > This is not the first time I've been invaded by rodents.
>
> You're lucky you've only seen poop. *Has a mouse ever run over your
> forehead? *They have COLD feet!
>
> > Mice, rats, and squirrels have all been successfully
> > killed here by cats or traps.
>
> That's the good part. *Now you need to figure out how they get into
> your house and plug the gap.
>
> --
>
> Never trust a dog to watch your food.

Best way to plug such a gap, although it turns out Mark didn't need
to, is with steel wool, packed tightly. Or that expanding foam stuff,
which is really handy.

N.

On Oct 9, 1:54*pm, Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Jecs Duminy wrote:
>
> > Usually wild rice is cooked with long grain rice as well., Because it is
> > so expensive, I make the type that comes in a pkg and sometimes I add
> > 1cup frozen peas when it it is half cooked. It is quite good.
>
> I remember as a kid having wild rice in which the
> individual grains opened up during cooking. *That
> was really good wild rice. *The stuff I got at
> Trader Joe's didn't open up at all, and I didn't
> think it was very good.
>
> I'm wondering whether the difference may have been
> whether the rice was parched before cooking. *As I
> recall, that's part of the traditional way of preparing
> wild rice.

I get my wild rice from the Native Americans in Minnesota - that's
generally what the stores around here stock, anyway.

I rinse it a number of times and soak it before actually cooking it.
I've always had the grains open up.

N.

On Oct 9, 11:54*am, Mark Thorson > wrote:

> I remember as a kid having wild rice in which the
> individual grains opened up during cooking. *That
> was really good wild rice. *The stuff I got at
> Trader Joe's didn't open up at all, and I didn't
> think it was very good.

I've occasionally bought TJ's wild rice. It has always opened.