Autumn light is my most favorite light.
Outside…inside: in this little house…in the sunroom.
Autumn light’s medium-low sun angle…
…the soft warm-cool air
Bob.
Bob in the sun.
The herbs.
The shadows.
The chair…inside and outside.
Autumn light.
The sunroom.
Tuesday, Bear and I took a ride in Wild Thing for our appointment at Calm Veterinary to see about Bear’s gimpy leg. It was a beautiful day to be out and about. It is a 45 minute drive to the clinic. With the drive, the invariable waiting and the knowledge that there might be blood draw, xray, i.e. hours at the clinic – I decided on the motorhome as our conveyance so we could wait in high comfort if necessary.
It ended up we were 2 hours in our exam room what with all of the check this, wait, check that. BUT, we were fortunate to get the room with a great air conditioner. And afterward our coach awaited cool and comfy as I’d left the generator going and the A/C on! Although we did not need her for waiting in, it was wonderful to sit quiet for a bit after the anxiety of the clinic experience. I washed my face, had a cool drink, Bear and I shared a slice of cheese and then we hit the road for home.
And, not too bad re Bear’s leg. I thought it was hip or back but it is inflammation in his knee. Dr. Calm believes small ACL tear or just strain and hopefully just strain. Dr.’s orders were for a stronger anti-inflammatory (I was giving curcumin/turmeric) and rest.
I “caught” Bear following Dr.’s orders to the letter on Wednesday morning :) !!
But, otherwise, we are walking mostly on leash…no running/leaping/spinning about after squirrels. We visited Arcturus at his house yesterday. Arcturus has a beautiful fenced yard with lots of shade and it sits on a hillside overlooking a small lake. Bear and Arcturus (well, Bear) are not to the point of being in the yard together but I back the Jeep up to the fence so they can speak and we have a companionable visit…a bit of diversity in routine for everyone.
Bear is already moving a bit easier. We are to continue with the low key behavior for several weeks.
We all do very well at resting.
That is a hazelnut mocha latte…kind of :)! I skinned and roasted hazelnuts this morning. Some not needed in the biscotti (see below), I blitzed in the Vita-Mix with espresso, dark cocoa and cream. Some homemade vanilla whipped cream on top and no complaints from me with the result!
Several months ago, I bought hazelnuts to include in my granola. After struggling to skin a few, I decided to just EAT the hazelnuts as a snack and forget about using them in anything. I put pecans, walnuts and almonds in my granola which worked wonderfully.
But last week, I found this post which included the below YouTube video featuring my cooking hero: Julia Child
I should have known…most things that are a pain to peel can be blanched and then immersed in ice water and the skins slide off. Hazelnuts also, although apparently baking soda in the water is key. At any rate, the skins slide off and no swearing is involved. “Bob’s your uncle” and you have skinned hazelnuts. Pop them in a 350 oven for 15 minutes and your house smells wonderful!
I’ve been in a bit of a cooking slump the last week – 10 days…just a lot of distraction: motorhome, trip, software glitch, heavy work schedule and Bear has a sore hip that has been a bit worrying. (Bear’s hip is a much better and we are off to see Dr. Calm next week to be sure)
I kept thinking about that video and the biscotti recipe that is divulged. I haven’t filled my biscotti jar for awhile and those hazelnuts were calling.
I skinned and roasted the hazelnuts per the post and video.
I mixed up the biscotti and got it in the oven.
I also made a batch of ginger syrup for my ginger soda, cooked some “Cajun” sausage for a soup I’ll make later, reduced some new balsamic vinegar to syrup, made my breakfast pizza with the sausage, apples and syrup, mixed up a fresh batch of high moisture dough….AND did an impressive amount of dishes with another load or two to go.
Cooking slump over :) !!
The biscotti jar is full.
Life is good!
Bob agrees. …mostly.
A beautiful day! A beautiful day to be travelling in Wild Thing!
But…here she is, parked in the home spot :(
Today was to be the day we would roll… Bob, Bear and I – all together…a few days dawdling around Montana and then south to Mama, Bill, Betty…and the 4-leggeds Barely, L.B., Louie and Miss Dixie Lee.
…the show stopper… (propane tank…heat and cooking “fuel”)
That is just the side. The underneath is even worse. And worst of all…I knew the side part last Fall but never thought to look under.
4-6 weeks to get a new tank here.
It is ordered and with the hope that 4-6 weeks is conservative, I have all else ready to go. When the new tank arrives, weather/work/house, etc. will be evaluated. Fall, Winter or early Spring – we will go!
Meantime…September 13. Six years ago today, Bob, Karl and I moved into this little house in the woods. It was good. This post titled 3 years tells the tale.
But today, although we are not rolling…and Wild Thing is parked…it is still a beautiful day. The weather is perfect: blue sky, 72 at the warmest, soft light…
Enjoyment in the woods…
…and on the front porch!
Rats! – I thought I caught them actually touching noses…
They did and do :)
And even better, they relax around each other. It nearly brings me to tears to see this…to turn and work at my desk with my dear boys in the same room with me.
I am disappointed that we are not on the road. But on this beautiful day, 6 years in this place, with Bob and Bear ok together – I am content.
If you have followed my blog for very long and/or know me in person, you know that I have a bit of a hermit/recluse/stay-at-home kind of lifestyle…and I LIKE it!
But, I do have friends and even some close enough to actually visit and I’m trying to help Bear be comfortable with other critters (he LOVES people!)…so, this past weekend Tina and Arcturus were invited for a Friday evening get-together here.
However, earlier in the day, long before our guests arrived, Bob wanted to join me in the office. Bear was sleeping in his chair in the living room. I opened the gate and Bob sauntered past Bear into the office and onto the corner chair to have a nap in a spot of sunshine.
Bear joined us and I stayed at my desk and watched in the reflection of my monitor. They sniffed…a nose sniff/touch and then Bear gave Bob a onceover and turned away. This happened several times and then Bear lay down on the rug behind me.
All was calm and the afternoon was spent with the house gates open. The calm continued even after Bear and I went out for a bit…and Bear surprised a squirrel…chase/bark/chitter-chatter/bark. We came in. I watched closely to make sure that being frustrated outside did not translate to “eat the cat” inside. It didn’t…all over sniff and lie back down. And let me just say, Bob is a CHAMP! He stays quiet and calm which I am sure helps Bear.
Onward.
Evening…
Arcturus ran around outside and Bear was excited and barking inside. With Bob safely in the bedroom, we brought Arcturus in the house with the gates separating he and Bear. Some barking by Bear, but fairly quickly, after nose sniffing through the gates, everyone settled down.
At some point…WELL, it WAS Friday and we had wine…. we opened the gates. All was fine. We wished for cameras… Then there were some words and I panicked and stepped in. In hindsight, I wish I had had the presence of mind to just say “Knock it off, Bear”. Tina took that route, but once I stepped in all was interrupted and I never got my sang froid back…RATS!
We are both travelling and won’t have a chance to try again for a bit. BUT, I was very much encouraged that Bear was fine with Arcturus in the house – gate separated and for some time without gates. And they both recovered quickly and were quietly curious and calm. They sniffed noses through the car window as Tina and Arcturus were getting ready to leave. Arcturus is very sociable with other dogs. Bear has just not had the experience and is unsure. I have some fear…which I absolutely HATE – Rats!
So…THE Pizza.
The dinner plan was pizza on the grill. Earlier in the week, Tina emailed a suggestion of peaches and cinnamon basil – that she would bring. I thought she meant on the pizza. I learned later, she was thinking a side or dessert of grilled peaches and basil.
I did a bit of googling and found several recipes for peach/basil pizza with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar reduction (balsamic syrup). I like a bit of meat on my pizza and thought that the fried cajun sausage my folks give me would work with the peaches/basil/balsamic. I had the sausage, the balsamic reduction and the dough (my high moisture mix) ready for Friday evening.
As I was telling Tina about the peach/basil/balsamic recipes, I discovered that she hadn’t thought of the peaches and basil on the pizza. And she said: “But, I like a bit of ‘salty’ on my pizza”. I told her about the sausage. We proceeded…and it was wonderful! I didn’t take photos that night, but I made the same pizza for myself again on Saturday and DID take photos…below:
A brush of olive oil on the crust, then: slices of mozzarella, peaches, cinnamon basil and fried sausage bits – then on the grill until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melty!
A drizzle of balsamic syrup and we have the best pizza I have ever made…AMEN!!
Well.
After Friday’s Bear and Bob togetherness AND guests for dinner… Bear, Bob and I had a later night than is our norm. And some of us were a bit keyed up and took awhile to wind down to sleep.
Saturday morning, some of us had energy readings riding on E (Empty)!!
BUT, we had more fun and getting together on the agenda! Bear and I went to Whitefish to visit Auntie Kris, Uncle Hal and Magic. Magic is Kris and Hal’s 11 month old Samoyed “puppy”. Bear has been to visit Magic only once before when Magic was quite young, but before that we’ve been there and enjoyed walks around their 40 acres. Bear gets excited when we turn on their road and knows there is fun to be had.
This day, after seeing Magic outside in his yard, Bear and I took a walk down the driveway and around their large field before going back to say hello. With a little steam blown off, we walked up to the fence and Bear quietly touched noses with Magic. Hoo rah!!
The people visited, Bear and I had another walk and then came home…
…exhausted. It was a fun and wonderful weekend, but tiring for us stay-at-homes.
Bob, though – he was on the job! Rested – a full day with the house to himself…he took over guard duty.
Bob takes his drink straight up…right from the well…None of this sissified ice and mint leaves stuff…
So, I “girled-up” and poured my white wine straight…
“Oh, brother…I’m not with her…”
…but this bed is rather nice…
On the front porch for cocktail hour.
If I don’t look at her maybe no one will think we’re together…