Archive for ‘June, 2013’

Canola

I use it as little as possible now, but it sure makes for a pretty picture.

***Canola is a GMO RoundUp ready plant and Monsanto holds a seed patent.

There’s no place like home!

YES!

Ok… yes! – the situation is still a bit dicey, no containment on the fire but there is a significant fireline and much in place for protection of South Fork, so residents were given an option to go home with the caveat that they were on pre-evacuation notice and should be ready to leave IMMEDIATELY if notified.

The weather looks somewhat better, the fire behavior has modified.

The Mineral County Miner ??? – it has been my go to news source. It is a Creede, CO paper but it has been the best at updating online. GO Creede!

My folks are going to stay in their home, not unpacking and in fact are getting some additional things loaded…just in case, but hopefully they will be able to stay and all will continue calming a bit.

Meanwhile, in my own home territory…

It did get to 84F today and we are forecast to continually get hotter through next mid-week.

BUT…One day at a time – today was warm-hot, but beautiful and it is Friday and we are all home!

Weather, etc.

The waning “super moon” greeted us on this morning’s first outing.

Overnight dew turned into ground mist as the sun rose.

A beautiful, cool morning…

Bear stood watch on Beardog Point after our perimeter walk.

Bob took the front door duty after he walked down the driveway with me. Although we started another round of a combo medication – just to be sure we beat the bugs – Bob is very close to 100% back to normal Bob. Hoo-rah!!

We took extra time outside this morning – for a work day… after a wonderful run of cool weather with overnight rain and some daytime showers, a sudden jump into summer and heat is forecast.

I looked at NOAA yesterday afternoon.

Hazardous Weather Outlook ???? … for sunshine ???

No, for heat. Not just heat, historic heat!! See, I am not the only heat wimp in Montana :) !

***Colorado West Fork Complex. I guess because no structures have been lost, i.e. there is not enough drama for this fire to continue to make the news despite the fact that there are 1400 people working it with no containment yet and continued extreme fire behavior. It is good news that no structures have been lost and people like my folks are VERY grateful for the effort. My folks are still evacuated – their home is on the edge of South Fork, CO which is closest to the north east border of the largest fire. The fire is still spotting up to a mile away and also doing some crown runs. A bulldozed fire line which is being continually monitored and widened sits between their house and the fire. Firefighters have also been able to protect Wolf Creek ski area, numerous cabins and other small resorts. It is still a matter of weather but there is some hope that things will be calm enough to allow access this coming weekend.

That gyros meat

First off… I used Dax Phillips’ Gyros Meat recipe. I made about 1/4 of his recipe. (my gyros cooking post) I need to buy a proper meat mallet – I used my rolling pin – but oh, I was very happy with the result. I was surprised at the tenderness of these lean cuts and I think I can even improve by a more indirect low and slow grilling after the initial sear. But, the seasonings and method – RIGHT on the money!

First up was what I know as a pita gyros:

Good golly, Miss Molly!! – this was good. I made a Greek style grilled pita in a cast iron pan – stovetop with a bit of olive oil/butter. I used a cucumber dip recipe from a Greek cookbook sent to me by “Auntie Margaret and Uncle Tasos” – DIRECT from Greece! – and a few sweet grape tomatoes.

A “gyros” pizza.

And finally, all of the gyros sandwich ingredients over a baked potato.

I dipped into the meat a number of times for snacks and then these three full meals. Not bad for a half pound of lamb, a half pound of beef and a total of $6.00 for organic, humanely raised meat!

Buckaroos

There were three bucks hanging together…

But the third never got in the picture.

Buckaroos.

***my folks are still out of their house, but also still at the ranch of their friends where 4 dogs, 4 cats, 2 horses and 4 humans are so far all getting along. They had the chance to go to their house briefly this morning to check their freezers and water plants and garden. The house and grounds were in good shape. The wind was blowing the smoke away. They will probably be prohibited from going home for several more days – much depends on the weather. But, so far, so good. No structures lost and some fire boundaries around structures and the ski area are holding.