If you know Ben, you know that he carries a sort of confidence that sees him through almost anything. Our cooking this week was nothing more than Ben holding our branding iron over a pile of pork steak while Phil did all the heavy lifting, but “it counts,” as Ben would say. How does confidence…
Category: Life With Ben
Half On It – The Ides Of March
One of Ben’s go-to sayings that makes exactly no sense is “half on it,” which is how he responded when I asked him if he was up for grilling some chicken to serve with pasta and broccoli. It might be his approximation of “have at it,” but it’s hard to know. In any case, I…
Thanks for coming! It’s been great having you!
When Ben has decided that it is time for overnight guests to go, he packs their bags, brings them downstairs, stands by the door, and says, “Well, thanks for coming. It’s been great having you.” While I find this terribly embarrassing, and would like to assure anyone that has ever stayed at our house that…
Thinking Inside the Box
When we were in the thick of the pandemic, I told you about the camera obscura that I set up in my classroom for a few weeks every winter. Essentially, it is just a refrigerator box with a door cut into it, a 1/4 inch diameter hole that faces my classroom windows, and a large…
Mona Lisa’s Side-Eye
What happens when your classes read about Da Vinci and they recreate the Mona Lisa as a Renaissance Day project? Results vary. You might get an enigmatic smile, you might get something nearly recognizable, or you might get some serious side-eye. The final product is a trifling matter next to the lessons the process imparts. …
A Pizza My Heart
For Valentine’s Day, we usually opt to cook together at home, and this year homemade pizza was on the menu. In the morning, I stirred together the dough: Slow-Rise Pizza Dough 3 1/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon yeast* 1 1/4 cup water* Stir together ingredients until all dry flour is incorporated. Cover…
Third Person
Last week, Ben appeared on the front page of the local paper (above the fold!) One of his caregivers saw the need for an inclusive space for friends to gather and has made this space happen. Hats off to Laura! We applaud your vision and drive to make this a reality. Laura was interviewed for…
Every Day, A New Culinary Delight
When I was in junior high, there was a bulletin board just outside the typing room that advertised the school cafeteria’s menu for the week. The plastic letters got swapped weekly to spell out things like “Sloppy Joes” or Tuna Noodle Casserole,” but the slogan that remained along the bottom all year long promised, “Every…
BENeficial Intelligence
Suppose you combined artificial intelligence with Ben’s sensibilities. The resulting product, BENeficial Intelligence, would confound the most logical minds in the world because it would apply an infinite number of catch phrases in random incorrect situations. If you lard an outrageous amount of food on your plate, BENeficial Intelligence would advise you to say to…
We’ll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet, for Auld Lang Syne
As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect on our many blessings. We revel in the large and small moments that make up our lives together. Here is a quick photo review of our year. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it! 2025 passed before our eyes in a flash! Here’s to…