I Cultivate
I cultivate my garden, and my
garden cultivates me.
-Robert Brault
Tuning Out
My brain tunes out anything that I find deeply annoying and
it’s great when I want to ignore a marching band warming up or My Kid when he
practices high notes on his trumpet. But
tuning things out can get me into serious trouble, especially in the kitchen.
I simply don’t hear my kitchen timer anymore. It can be screaming at the top of its digital
lungs and it simply doesn’t sink in. My
Pirate and My Kid look at me like I’m an imbecile and say, “TIMER”. And then I dash into the kitchen and check on whatever is on the brink of burning.
We purchased our new microwave two weeks ago and my brain has
already tuned out its chime. Isn’t that
weird? Do you do that too? The only successful strategy that I’ve found
is setting my iPhone timer to a song. My
brain can catch the music and thankfully, my iPhone timer doesn’t stop singing
out until I turn off the timer. But,
I’ve had to change the timer song a couple of times so I can catch it the first
time through.
Does anyone want a used kitchen timer? I have one taking up space on my fridge next to my tomato magnet. My Pirate claims that it still works.
Three More Days
For the past week, I’ve lived on my pot of I Might Be
Getting A Cold Soup, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and hot tea. My spigot of snot (runny nose) has slowed to
a trickle but the mucus has travelled and thickened in my lungs and ears. I feel cranky like a monster movie villain
complete with the requisite slime.
But, I know that I’m on the mend because my dogs’ are no
longer lying on top of me and The Assistant has bored of stealing my used hankies
and shredding them on the floor. I’m on
the verge of feeling better. And thank
goodness for that because The Yard, Garden and Patio Show opens this Friday at
the Oregon Convention Center. This
garden show kicks off my spring fever and I’m ready.
So, I only have three more days of winter and then I’ll
start dreaming up a storm about the coming garden season. I can’t wait.
Silent Saturday: Weather Forecast
"Weather forecast for tonight: dark." - George Carlin
Trebol and a Tequila Girl
Last Friday night, My Pirate took me out to Trebol for
dinner. I’ve wanted to go for over a
year now because they cook local and seasonal organic ingredients plus they
have a roof top garden to reduce water run off.
But my main reason is that they have over 75 different tequilas in their
bar. I’m such a tequila girl.
I punctuate all the big moments in my life with
tequila. So, this past Friday, I wanted
to sip some tequila and toast my grandpa’s life.
We ordered the flight of El Tequileno tequilas to taste. The
flight demonstrated how tequila changes when it is aged in American Oak Casks.
The Anejo had been aged over 12 months and it looked and smelled more like a
rich bourbon than tequila. It was delicious while we nibbled on an
appetizer of crunchy tacos.
The pineapple and habanero margarita with a cumin spiced rim
was sweet and very spicy. But far too
spicy for My Pirate. His loss.
We enjoyed our dinners and I snapped a few shots on My Pirate's iPhone. The food was thoughtfully prepared, and beautiful with balanced flavors. While we were eating, My Pirate leaned in
close to me and said, “I never enjoy a meal out at a restaurant as much as I
enjoy your cooking at home.”
And I about fell off my stool. What a sweet talker…he’s definitely a keeper. Don’t you think?
And then we shared the fried spice donut holes topped with
chocolate mouse and served with Chantilly cream for dessert. Then he swept me off my feet.
