Posts from the ‘Pets’ category

Winter Storm: Round 3

This storm was originally advertised for Thursday through Saturday. On Wednesday, I took a quick run into Bigfork for just a few things. Everyone else was doing the same AND it was snowing hard then with what was forecast to be a “trace”, already almost 4 inches.

Then it cleared. And the storm warning moved to Friday through Saturday.

Thursday was snowy but my house was in a wind shadow from the NNE wind. Overnight it warmed up, rained and then dramatically got cold.

NOAA says: “An atmospheric river is colliding with an arctic air mass over western Montana today and tonight. The strong westerly flow associated with the atmospheric river is pushing against the arctic air and stalling the front.”

Bottom line: a LOT more snow (10-20 inches more) is forecast before things calm down on Saturday (tomorrow) afternoon.

Even though Bear can’t run through the deep snow like he used to, he’s got his snow legs now and is using the paths I tromp down.

And he enjoys just lying in the snow and eating it ??? Auggie is more of an inside guy this winter, but he runs out for a quick explore and then right back inside.

Winter Storm: Round 3

Handmade Holiday in Whitefish, Montana

I’ve been watching the weather and hoping, hoping, hoping… for now snow or ice or bad driving this weekend.

Handmade Holiday in Whitefish was Friday evening, and today. I wanted badly to attend.

And I did! We’ve been under an inversion and it is cold and damp, but the roads are bare and dry.

The event features local makers and is held in the Whitefish Grange aka Bohemian Hall. Inside the Grange is like a cozy cabin and the makers were set up nicely throughout the space.

My primary reason for wanting to attend was to add to my Heidi Haugen Pottery collection. I bought individual pieces and then an entire set of dishes from Heidi 17 or 18 years ago. At that time, Heidi sold her pottery primarily from Bookworks, an independent bookseller in Whitefish. Heidi worked in the bookstore Saturday mornings as well. Recently we reconnected via Instagram and in addition to adding some new pottery, I was looking forward to seeing her.

What’s left of the original pieces… I think there were tears when I broke the last mug. But, I am thrilled that some has survived my several moves and dishwashing fiascos.

The new pieces from today. I had hoped a honey pot might still be available but they sold Friday night. Another time. I was very pleased that the bowls were not sold out!

And I had a wonderful time catching up a little with Heidi. Also saw other Whitefish folks I knew. All in all, a grand Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, at home…

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care…

Some of us are more naughty than nice…

And visions of sugar plums ???

Holiday Joy.

Thanksgiving Day

An unusual Thanksgiving Day this year …

It started at 51F with a blustery, but warm wind. It felt more like late September than late November.

We enjoyed much of the day on the front porch.

And although there are a lot of larch needles on the ground (and in the house!), there is still a lot of gold in the woods.

The Western Larch are beautiful against a gray sky and also when the sun shines on them.

And then there is Thanksgiving dinner.

I had sardines and black beans for my Thanksgiving dinner. Not exactly the traditional turkey and fixings.

A little over a week ago, I fell. Ironically, I tripped over a mat that I placed on the transition between front porch and walk way. That spot gets slippery in the winter and the mat is for both footing and as a reminder to me to slow down. Right. I was moving too fast and not thinking what I was doing. I barely saved myself from a face plant on the concrete and managed to tuck and roll kind of sideways on to the grass. But my tote bag was under my arm and I came down on that hard enough to get an “oof” and partially knock the wind out. Rats. Ribs again. So nights have been majorly uncomfortable and daytime not too bad until yesterday when the muscles started doing little spasms. I was horribly uncomfortable.

In an effort to help things improve, I upped foods with potassium and calcium hoping to calm things down. At suppertime I got to thinking about some salmon for vitamin D but I just did not have the oomph to cook and then remembered the sardines – superfood! Black beans have good stuff also and I had some in the freezer so sardines and black beans. I had a better night and today, Thanksgiving Day felt MUCH better.

But, I wanted to stay feeling better and decided to stick with the superfood program, hence sardines and black beans for Thanksgiving dinner. I have my turkey thawed, some of the side dishes prepped and I baked a mini version of an Apple Skillet Cake for my sweet. The Thanksgiving turkey dinner will just be a day or two late.

That little cake smelled and looked so good. Between taking the photo and writing this post, the cake is half gone. Fortunately, it takes about 10 minutes to mix up and get in the oven so I can make another if necessary.

Not the usual Thanksgiving Day, but as I noted on my Instagram, I am thankful for another year with Bear and Auggie and today, I am very thankful that I am feeling better.

Happy Thanksgiving!

T.G.I.F. – Thank Goodness It’s Fall

It’s also Friday but on this Friday, I am mostly thankful that it is Fall … as of 2:02 p.m. MDT – the Autumnal Equinox – official Fall (Autumn).

Hoo … I say HOO-RAH!!!

When last we left our story, the air was clearer and it was cooler. It did not get HOT again but on the day before the forecast “PATTERN CHANGE”, the smoke came down with a vengeance. It was the absolute worst in a summer of really bad smoke. If the cold front and subsequent rain had not been in the forecast I might have been tempted to curl up in a ball and weep. As it was, I just kept saying “Tomorrow will be better”.

And it was.

The front came through with rain and snow and cool.

We had a bit of smoke in the days following, but nothing like the extreme conditions of late August/early September.

That first day…

I put away the air conditioners … all THREE! My two new ones came with handy covers complete with pouches for the remotes. I followed the manual instructions: drained, cleaned filters and ran fan only to dry out their insides. Then covers and into closets. I will pretend that they do not exist and will never be needed again. BUT, as noted previously, I am so grateful that I was able to get them and that they kept Bear, Auggie and me comfortable.

And while I’m being grateful …

Vegetables from Lower Valley Farm continue to be wonderful, varied and a pleasure to have and enjoy.

Week 18: radishes, lettuce mix, kohlrabi, carrots, cucumber, onion, shallots, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini, patty pan and parsley.

And so, we went from hot and smoky to cool and…

Graupel. Actually a Graupel Thunderstorm. It thundered, it lightning-ed, it graupel-ed. It POURED graupel!

And while it was doing that, UPS delivered my new little freezer:

That’s it under the table… the table that was to be the craft table that became the cat eating table that is now sort of an extension of the kitchen as it is home to the ice cream maker, the coffee pot (drip option for when a button push is preferred to a pour over) and the microwave.

The little freezer.

I’d filled my regular freezer and also the motorhome freezer with things from my CSA boxes and Farmer’s Market. It is the time of year when I start stocking up frig/freezer/pantry so that if driving is bad I do not NEED to go out and about for food. Enter this little freezer which fits under the table and gives me a bit of extra.

For extras like:

Week 19 of 21: Fingerling potatoes, tomatoes, baby arugula, garlic, red onions, cucumber, basil, zucchini, eggplant, delicata squash, red beets!

I continue to freeze or ferment anything I don’t eat during the week.

And on the way to pick up week 19:

It was a perfect Fall day and the barn was the perfect thing to set off the sky, the snow topped mountains and the clear air.

And now we are to today.

As Fall officially arrived…

Auggie started using the shelf above the dryer as his preferred napping spot.

Bear has become like his younger self, shedding the lethargy of the hot, smoky summer.

Peek-a-boo snow on the mountains to the East as we took our evening walk.

Sunset through the woods to our West.

T.G.I.F. Thank Goodness It’s Fall!

This ‘n that

According to an article in the local paper, July was the Fifth Hottest July on Record . We had plenty of days in the 90’s but some of the upper 90/100 forecast did not come to pass so YEA!

Still, I am happy that we’ve cooled a little, although part of the reason for the cooling is smoke from fires in Washington, British Columbia and Montana.

BUT!! – they are saying that there is a chance that some of the monsoon moisture hitting other parts of the Rocky Mountain West, just might make it into our territory. THAT would be welcome!

Meanwhile …

A broccoli rubble beetza! The sweet roast beets go nicely with the salty broccoli-asiago cheese mix.

On to a non-vegetable treat: ice cream.

Early last Summer, I saw No-churn Birthday Cake Ice Cream from In Jennie’s Kitchen . I have an ice cream maker so I took the easy route and churned it. The cake mixed in with the ice cream, absorbing some of the cream is very good! I made it several times. Last year I made it with a bakery white cake but this year I took it up a notch and made it with Mel’s Kitchen Café Mel’s Kitchen Café Lemon Blueberry Cake .

The other thing I like about the recipe is no eggs. I am not a fan of the custardy ice cream base even though that is supposed to be the best and according to gourmet recipes … the more eggs, the better. Jennie’s recipe is heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla … plus the cake. I’ve been using the cream, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla base in various ice creams and not only do I like it, but it is almost too easy.

Then one day I wanted ice cream but did not have heavy cream. I did have cashews and I have often subbed cashew cream for heavy cream in recipes. I gave it a try and it worked and I liked it. Heavy cream is mostly fat and while cashew cream has fat it also has protein and fiber. Probably more than you care to know…

This week’s ice cream is to be vanilla-mint with chocolate brownie crumbles in lieu of cake.

The cashews soaked for about 4 hours and then a whiz in the Vita-Mix…

… and we have cashew cream.

Ready to mix the ice cream: cashew cream, sweetened condensed milk, peppermint extract, a wee bit of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

The container and utensils go in the freezer when the ice cream goes in the maker.

Thirty minutes in the ice cream maker and we have the base.

Mix in the brownie crumbles and freeze. The brownies are Mel’s Kitchen Café Deep Dark Chocolate Brownies .

Vanilla mint ice cream with brownie crumbles. It’s pretty good :) !!

Back to vegetables.

This weeks box and extras: purple onions, zucchini, tomatoes, new potatoes, cucumber parsley, braising greens, lettuce mix 1/2 cabbage and the extras being a whole cabbage and red beets with greens. More good eating this week!

And a post would not be complete without some help from Bear (so tired!) and Auggie.

The weather outside is frightful…

After a week of mid 80’s F, we went back to 90’s, although thankfully low 90’s so far. But 90’s are the forecast future and NOAA says that next week it might go to upper 90’s.

Frightful!

And no rain.

The no rain is typical, and the string of 90’s days is not unheard of but still, not quite typical. And certainly unwelcome!

The wet spring caused grasses and underbrush kind of things to grow and grow and grow. And now they are dead, dead, dead.

Which means they are fire fuel.

Frightful.

But the good news is that Lower Valley Farm – my farmer – has summer vegetables kicking in with a vengeance.

From last week’s haul:

A colorful slaw of red cabbage, rainbow carrots and purple onion.

Red raspberries on sourdough waffles!

Beetza-Beetza!! A pizza with slices of roast beets, drizzled with olive oil, and then roast Romanesco and some cheese. I could do worse for a mid-week supper.

Salmon, sliced cucumber, fresh raspberries – dinner heaven. I drizzled a light sesame oil vinaigrette over the cucumber.

Stuffed Patty Pan squash. The stuffing was hot smoked salmon, purple onion, asiago, mayo and a bit of monterrey jack.

Stuffed zucchini. Stuffing = a tomato-beef-Italian sausage sauce and some cheddar-mjack mix for cheese. Baked potato wedges for a side.

Week 11’s bounty: green onion, purple onion, lacinto kale, lettuce mix, basil, rainbow carrots, cucumber slicer, broccoli, zucchini, patty pan.

Extras purchased: another patty pan, red beets and TOMATOES!!!

The weather outside is frightful.

But the air conditioned inside is delightful.

Onward.