Daniel Greene

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  • Happy Yuletide!


    Yuletide Plates.
    Originally uploaded by danielgreene.

    I am a Jew who loves Christmas. To me, Chrismastime is a season, not a celebration of Christ. I do not believe that Jesus was the messiah. Personally, I do not believe that there will ever be one Messiah; instead, I believe that each baby born brings with him or her a great hope that he or she may help, in his or her own way, to heal the world (tikkun olam). The Nativity story, while I do not take it as fact, resonates with me deeply because of its miraculous romanticism and its underlying themes. Both Christmas and Chanukah convey a message of new hope, light in the darkness, and the triumph of good in the world in spite of hardship. I believe that the themes of Yuletide can be appreciated by Jews, Christians, and Pagans alike because–face it–both Christmas and Chanukah were religious overlays to Pagan holidays in the first place. So, maybe I should just say that I love the Yuletide! (Even though I don’t identify as a Pagan.)

    All labels aside, whatever your religion, may you enjoy this time of year and may it bring you a renewed sense of hope!

    P.S. These are the Woodland Santa and Pine Cone plates designed for Sakura by Debbie Mumm (© 1998).

    P.P.S. I’m so glad that my new 28mm lens allows me to sit at table and take photos of my food with onboard flash! With my 50mm prime lens, I would have to get up from the table and stand over my food to take a photo of it, and with my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens, I would have to add even more weight to an already heavy kit (since that lens is so heavy to begin with) by piling my 430EX hotshoe flash on top of it all. So, I now have a lightweight photography setup for going out to restaurants, taking photos at the table of food, friends, and family, etc. I’m excited about the possibilities!

  • House for the Holidays

    House for the Holidays

    House for the Holidays
    Originally uploaded by Daniel Greene

    May the winter holidays bring you the warmth, fun, and excitement that we enjoy this time of year! Happy Chanukah and Merry Christmas.

  • Lady’s First Christmas at the Smithers-Greene

    Portait of a Costumed Lady

    Lady says, "Hats are not the fashion for canines such as me; nevertheless, noblesse oblige!"

    Sir Buxley Smithers-Greene also deigned to pose in a holiday costume.

    Sir Buxley Smithers-Greene

    A noble hound indeed!

  • My first breakfast casserole

    Breakfast Casserole
    Breakfast Casserole

    I made this last weekend for the first time. Andy had made his breakfast casserole a month before, and I’d been disappointed in the soggy bread, so I had to try doing it differently and seeing if it came out better. I’m glad to report that it did! Following some advice I got from a fellow Flickrite, as well as some tips I picked up from Google searches of “Breakfast Casserole”, I cooked it for 45 minutes instead of 30, and I think that made all the difference. However, I started cooking it at 425º for the first 10 minutes or so until I read in some recipes that it should only be baked at 350º for 45 minutes to an hour. I wish I had done that, because the cheese melted a bit too fast and was a bit overcooked by the time I took the casserole out of the oven.

    Here’s the basic recipe:

    • Difficulty: medium
    • Print

    1. Lay bread in a single layer at the bottom of a greased baking dish.
    2. Pour a mixture of eggs and half  &  half (1 part half & half to 2 parts eggs; e.g., I used a cup of eggs (4 or 5 eggs) and ½ cup of half & half) over the bread.
    3. Sprinkle with sautéed bulk sausage, caramelized onions, uncooked chopped tomatoes, uncooked chopped red & green bell peppers, or whatever else you think would taste good.
    4. Top with grated cheese. I used sharp cheddar and Monterey jack.
    5. Let sit overnight in the refrigerator.
    6. Bake at 350° for 45–60 minutes.

    Some recipe notes:

    Some recipes I found said to cut the crusts off the bread. Another said to butter the bread. Yet another said to toast the bread. Still another said to break the bread into pieces. One or two of the recipes I found said to pour the egg batter over everything, including the cheese. Personally, I like the melted cheese on the top.

    P.S. It’s probably fattening. I usually like to start the morning with a fruit smoothie or a bowl of cereal, but a hot, heavy breakfast like this is great on a weekend or special occasion. Enjoy in moderation. =)

  • I taught a workshop today!



    I taught a workshop today!
    Originally uploaded by Daniel Greene

    Today, I accomplished something I’ve been thinking about doing for at least five years now: I taught a workshop to sign language interpreters. I have my colleague Joy Marks at the Desert Valleys Regional Cooperative to thank not only for taking this photo but for providing the logistical assistance, facilities, and equipment I needed to present this workshop. Her generosity on so many levels was invaluable.

    For my part, it seems that all my hard work, research, and preparation paid off. The students had fun, learned a lot, and scored my presentation highly. Yay!