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.