December 2021

                                                      Hello, World!

               The Proverbial Rosy-Fingered Dawn! The Shire is looking green.

                                                        

               The Great Escape!  Neeiigghh-bor's horses come visiting...

Sarah: 'What are YOU looking at!?'

Sarah the Beast shows her true colors. She is feral but seems to think herself Queen of Cats. Tries her best to trip people walking by, torments her daughter and smaller weaker kittens, an insecure bully intent on proving herself...or else!

Very occasionally, I will scratch under her chin then she becomes flustered and runs off if caught enjoying it...

 

                                                                      Mushroomish sourdough

For reasons unknown, this bread tended to mushroom sideways instead of growing tall. Still a grand tasting loaf, multigrain of course. 

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                                 Come under my bearskin, said the Snow Queen 

                            Hans Anderson's Fairy Tales - Illustrated by Louis Rhead 

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                  Freya ~ Mother Goddess of Sweden                          

In Gylfaginning of Prose Edda, Snorri Sturlusson once mentioned:

Sessrumir, her hall, is large and beautiful. And when she travels, she drives two cats and sits in a chariot.

"In Norse mythology, Freya was a volva “who could see things that others couldn’t”. Freya practised seidr that helped her to see the future of all beings. Mystery always surrounded the words of a volva because people only realized her prophecy                                                                  when mystery became reality.

Cats symbolised femininity in every step they took. They walked in silence and they would make no sound.

Cat was a kind of “walk-alone” creature. Yet a cat could also manage their social relationships very well. This trait was vividly portrayed in Freya. She was a kind of a strong woman, a model of shieldmaiden.                                          -- History of the Vikings

And, just what sort of cat pulled her chariot? Perhaps the formidable Norweigan Forest Cat ~                                                

They come in many different types, but all have a heavy undercoat, large paws with tufts of fur between toes.

Needs much brushing daily! Very friendly -- but always on their own terms.

Territorial and a mighty hunter...

All this describes our own Chloe, below!

She has just been brushed, her fur much sleeker than it usually is. She does have a heavy undercoat & large paws with tufted fur.

I'd not mind having her pull my chariot if she were a bit bigger.

https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/cat-breeds/norwegian-forest-cat 

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                          Yumm! Yule Treats! And the Narcissus is in bloom!

     Gnomer and Sven flanking Persimmon Walnut Cookies ~  

The cookies seem to be disappearing somehow...I suspect Gnomer...                                          

Beginning at bottom: Chocolate Walnut Brownies, Middle: Russian Tea Cakes with Pecans and outlined with Chocolate Pecan Rum Truffles

                               The Swedish Dala Horse as a Devil's Toy?

 But in 1624, the bishop in Vasteras furiously told his flock that the wooden horses were the devil's toys and evil for children to play with. There was a dual rationale for his outrage—wooden horses were sometimes used as magic by witches and shamans...!

Ah, those bishops now (sure'n they're seein' the divvil in their oatmeal of a marnin.) 

Indeed, what could be more frightening than a kid's toy horsie!?

Almost as scary as a wee Dala horse: Odin and Sleipnir ~                      

Odin relaxing at home in Odin's Tower: Hlidskjalf ~

                                             

                                                         ~ digital art by David Johnson

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                                            Snow Mountain has *snow*                  

  View from outside - located in North Coast Range rising at 7,000 ft.

                        https://www.summitpost.org/snow-mountain/151659

As usual, some sunny breaks even during storms; wild winds gusting at 40 mph and much needed rain and snow, blizzards in mts! Caught a nice shot of Snow Mountain out walking with Helen. 

-- Xmas Day was storming! Decided to stay home and relax with best pumpkin pie yet, I made with a Pecan Nut Crust -- so good! We kept it kosher with Hebrew National Franks and traditional southern mac 'n cheese! -- I used gluten free pasta and added mozzarella and sharp cheddar...

 Watched a Corgie Christmas (love those movies filmed in snowy Canada!) and now in midst of My Fair Lady -- can't wait to hear Jeremy Brett - aka Sherlock Holmes! - singing: On The Street Where You Live!

                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeybnI6OJMQ

                                                      

...and, after a stormy Xmas day, a lovely golden sunset over the buttes.                              

                                                          Happy Christmas Y'all~!

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December 29, 2021

                      A day which will be remembered by all as Snow Day!

              'Come and see!' said Helen to me.  'What, is it a deer?'

            'Oh, more wonderful than a deer!' said she. 'A MOOSE!?'

          (I'm always hoping for a moose...) But no, it was...*SNOW!*                                   

                    It has never been seen in all the 17 years Helen has lived here;                                                            a rare snow beast indeed...

                                                 CLICK BELOW for the Snow Show   

The Rocky Road to Rocky (& Back)

   Thanksgiving 2021 ~ Off into the foothills and Grass Valley.

Never had we seen such an amazing amount of various and wonderful wildlife! Across the rice paddies and into Snow Goose & Heron country ~

                                      

......then veering east into the Sierra foothills, where suddenly the deer descended in droves! Was busy driving so no fotos, but 3-point bucks and many does bounded and abounded. Herds of deer. Also turkey herds, flocking together...a turkey flew across the car. Turkey buzzards of course, and hawks. All in all, possibly 15-20 or so deer. 

Turkey Day indeed; too numerous to count.  

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A welcome party at the gate:Molly, Rocky, Lily, Pedro

Pastures are green. Hiking through later, I find lambs lettuce or miners lettuce freshly sprung in fall and pick a nice bag for salads later. Young nettle is also on hand for tea or soup.

                                         

Miner's Lettuce: Such a treat! Full of vitamin C and A, iron & protein. Can ship it out points east where it sells $10-20 lb. (!) see:

Foraging/Eating Miner's Lettuce

 

 

 

 

 

                  Pause for viewpoint and scanning vistas.                  

 

 

Beauteous day -- neither too warm or cool. And no fires. Slight smell of woodsmoke from chimneys here and there, but overall, clear and fresh out from recent rains.

 

Could be a rearing horse, or perhaps --  a petrified anteater?

                                                           ...Pedro peeking      

Grass Valley -- where the rocks bray on Thanksgiving Day  

                                 Click to hear rocks:              

              And the sun sets back at the ranch after a day full of creatures, and bellys full of epicurian delights - from the traditional turkey and dressing, yams, smashed potato and ! must-eat potato rolls, to the ever-pleasing pecan pie -- a standout!                                           

Special bonus video! Pedro steals the show and birdseed:click below --               

 

Pedro: 'Who, me? I, uh, I was never here. There was no donkey on deck. You never saw me...uh, I'll just...go now...' 

 

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AND apres' Thanksgiving, what comes next but --

Hanukkah! and! Latkes! mit Helen's homemade applesauce...um-um GOOD.

So VERY crisp and crunchy yet creamy inside - no flour used, just potato starch from the grated potatoes. Held together beautifully.

Best latke recipe: watch at Little Kosher Lunch - text recipe at: https://littlekosherlunch.com/index.php/2017/12/23/another-blog-post/

                  

November - Fall Back

 This is the weather I like best: bit of rain, then sunny days, warm, not so windy. Gorgeous clear nights full of stars, Orion the hunter out bright...coyotes clamoring beneath a new moon.                                               

...red sky at night. 

                                             Back yard - bird and buttes                                       

            

               November spring. New grass and lantana in bloom.

                                             

                                      Arroyo and buttes from pasture

                                           

                     Back pasture, sneaking up on distant buttes.  

Cows have moved on, horses now in Grass Valley but they left their calling cards: mushroom fodder  -  puffballs are popping up all over. Excellent sauteed with a bit of onion or in omelet, with homemade multigrain sourdough bread. 

                                         

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         Foggy mornings....                                  

                                     ...things are uncertain, inside and out.

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          Fog has crept back into valleys. Sun shines crystal clear -  Crystal Ginger: or candied ginger bits. Simple to make and exceedingly tasty. ('Tis rumoured that Elizabeth I ruined her teeth on such as these; fond of "comfits" she was)

                                 

             ...and from Alice in Wonderland: "Alice had no idea  what to do, and in despair she put her hand in her pocket, and pulled out a box of comfits and handed them round as  prizes. There was exactly one a-piece all round."

A rather fine fat loaf. Persimmons are dried.  Local mandarines are sweet. And lemons are ripe and ready on the tree. Time for tea.

Autumn - Stormy Weather

                                Blustery day before the storm...

The Buttes have had many names over the years. The Maidu Indians called them “Histum Yani”  which translates as, “Middle Mountains of the Valley” or “Spirit Mountain,” depending on the source. According to Maidu legend, after death, the spirits of their people rest in the Buttes before the journey to the afterlife.

                                            Sutter Buttes Massacre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Buttes_massacre

Histum Yani is looking stormy already. Much strange and wond'rous cloud and atmospheric activity abound around these buttes. Always a new view daily.

  Grapevines turning...                 

Aidan's Cat: Sara Yellow Tree aka: Little Yellow Puddles

         Fam Foto...! Left to Right: Chewbaca the Wookie (sitting), Princess Lea Episode VIII, Princess Lea Episode IV, and Kylo Ren

OF NOTE BELOW:

PRIZE! -- to whomever can identify this oddity that washed up on the kitchen chair...coonskin cap left in the rain?

                                     

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                                      Jellyfish Clouds                                  

                  Longhorn Cattle with calves. Nice racks, indeed!                                                 

                  October Country - Twight Time with frog chorus                                      

                                     Tomorrow night is All Hallows Eve!

+++++++++

                                     

                                              Specters on the road...

                                              

                                         -- waiting for Dorothy & Toto....

...actually found a yummy Puffball Mushroom on the trail! A grand gift of Mother Nature indeed! Shared w/my sister; a mouthful of magic in every bite.              
                   

Halloween Table w/Mini-Punkin Pie, cards by Druid Clare, Fangless Fosdick the Formerly Fearsome, and Magical Mary Ann McDonald. Witch you all could be here with us!

                                         

                                                      ++++  Spooky Pie  ++++

Watched 1st Harry Potter last night -- tonight: pizza party w/sourdough crust pizza (w/mushrooms of course), watching Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Legend of Sleepy Hollow) starring Bing Crosby, Basil Rathbone and the fabulous Thurl Ravenscroft! -- as Headless Horseman.

(Also the basso profundo for You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch,  Pink Elephants on Parade,  Monstro the Whale (Pinocchio) and many more!)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thurl_Ravenscroft

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BreadBlog

One in a series of sourdoughs...

This is a multigrain sourdough made up of whole wheat, unbleached white, home-ground rye, buckwheat and rice flour, with walnuts added.

As you can tell, it is a rather dense bread and so yeast was added. Still, a nice texture and consistency and it did rise somewhat above the loaf pan. Can't hope for a high rise with such heavy grains. A good hearty bread.

In other news: we are hosting a Holstein, and two Jersey cows.

Noel and Christina's cows are chewing down the dry grasses in the fields which aids in reducing fire danger. 

Below: early morning visitors -- deer prints                                     

                 
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November - Puffballs, persimmons and multigrain sourdough

                                          

                A nice grouping. Puffballs yummy sauteed w/a bit of onion. Again, bread too hearty to rise much but such a flavor: oats, rice, rye, whole wheat & white sourdough.

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November's end: Nice fattish loaf of sourdough multigrain with rice, rye, whole wheat and white.

                                                                              

                     Helen dried the persimmons and found the best  local sweet and juicy mandarines.Lemon tree is full of fat ripe lemons. Speaking of food-Thanksgiving approaches...