Something HOT!!!

It was a good year for growing peppers.... Mine were mostly chili peppers... and ... as much as I love the heat, we were running out of ideas for eating them. I had a garden full-of-them when the frost struck the other night. So, in the morning I went out and harvested frozen peppers.... a basket full of them, and I needed a plan... FAST... I went online, and found a very helpful group of gardeners here who have brilliant ideas for using up an abundant harvest...(of anything!!).... Isn't the Internet amazing!?!

Here is a link to the recipe for pepper jelly - I just chopped up everything I had, and used the proportions and directions in the recipe... Four cups of mixed peppers made about 6 jars of jelly. (I removed a lot of the seeds, and inner membranes -the spiciest portion, because these guys packed a LOT of heat on their own...think pepper-spray--gasp!gasp! gulp!!) ... besides chilies, there was a cup of cider vinegar, and a box of pectin... Boil that all together, add 5 cups of sugar - then boil one more minute. Really simple, except ...,,, you have to use the sterilized jars and boiling-water-bath, and all that precise safe canning detail... but it was worth it... And my hands stopped burning, finally ...(heh heh!)...aloe vera helped with that! Well, I had been wishing for warmth... and this is what I got!

Anytime we want a little heat, we'll just open a jar of this stuff. A very nice balance of spicy & sweet. Here is my favorite way to enjoy it ... poured over cream cheese then spread on a cracker. (Over Brie is good too, but I kinda like my brie "neat" - haha!) I am going to try it as a dip for egg rolls, and I hear it is good brushed on grilled chicken.... And it won't be long before I try making an adult-only PB& J.... something for a cold morning :-))

Next summer I think I will plant Habaneros!

Brrrrr!

Snow on Mount Diablo

It's COLD!!! Winter weather has arrived in our part of California - The weather we most associate with winter is fog... and, of course, rain. Snow is rare in the Bay Area - but on occasion the higher elevations get a light dusting of it. Last night snow fell on Mt Diablo and it has not yet melted... What a lovely sight!

This time of year the temperature sometimes dips below freezing where we are... This morning there was thick frost on the ground here around home, and patches of ice on the sidewalks. The last of the tender veggies in the garden are done-for. The basil is now a pile of mush. And I will be keeping a close eye on my citrus trees - so far no major damage... Sometimes we string Christmas lights in amongst the oranges and lemons to help keep them warm at night :-))

Crab Feed

December is the time of crab feeds around here. Continuing for the next couple of months. Aren't we lucky?!? For those of you who haven't had the experience, let me explain... Picture this:

An informal gathering... Hundreds of people, around large tables... bottles of wine ( the good cheap stuff) ... these are fund-raising events... A large mixed salad is passed along... garlic bread, always... then the pasta course... swimming in melted butter and cheese...(this is the favorite, secretly, of many crab-feed attendees)...then... comes.. the CRAB!! and there is always LOTS of it....!... Bring your own crab-cracking-tools.... it is served in the shell, freshly cooked, and chilled... crab parts, in huge piles - Dungeness Crab... All you can eat ... mm,mm,mm. Hands on... you have to work for this, prying every morsel from it's shell. Most of us just dig in, and go for it. It's a messy job, but worth it... Little bits of crab shell and other crab parts end up everywhere.... (NEVER bring anything into the crab-feed arena that can't be washed out afterwards.... crab shrapnel starts to um.. smell after a while... )... Cracking crab together leads to a special kind of camaraderie... among tablemates... all wearing identical "crab" bibs. Oldtimers share helpful de-shelling tips with those of us who still have lots to learn... It is a fun time. UmHm... After the "main event" a dessert is served, usually something in a frozen cup, served with a little wooden spoon, but this may vary, depending on the venue. There is bound to be a raffle, or drawing of some sort, tickets being sold throughout the dinner. Often there is an auction. A lot of volunteer effort goes into the preparations. I always hope they are making lots of money on these events!

December 7th on Mt. Diablo

This beacon at the very top of Mt Diablo is lit just one night a year, on December 7th, to honor those who served at Pearl Harbor.

We bundled into the car at dusk and drove a short distance to gaze expectantly up at the mountain. The night was clear, and we were soon rewarded with a bright white flash from the top of the summit. A few more blinks, and we drove back to our warm house... pleased that the view of the beacon was excellent this year! A little family tradition of ours...

The beacon was originally erected in 1928 by the Standard Oil Company and the US department of Commerce to guide commercial aircraft. It was first lit by Charles Lindberg. The rotating beam of light could be seen for 100 miles. Nick-named the "Eye of Diablo" it was used nightly, until 1941.

When Pearl Harbor was bombed, there was concern that the light would attract the attention of enemy aircraft, and become a target. The light went unlit, and fell into disrepair, until 45 years ago, when it was restored by a group of Pearl Harbor survivors and a new tradition was begun.

In 1964 - and every year since - on December 7th, the Diablo chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association has held a ceremony prior to lighting the beacon — which stays lit only until sunrise the next day. A small group of veterans meets at the summit in the late afternoon to share their memories with the public.

The nonprofit group Save Mount Diablo helps facilitate the remembrance and has assumed responsibility for maintaining the beacon.

More Links:

Mount Diablo State Park website

Mount Diablo Interpretive Association

Hold On!!

Saw this group walking along a busy Powell Street sidewalk this afternoon. They were moving along at a pretty good clip, and the critters appeared real comfortable with their arrangement. I'm glad I got to see it with my own eyes, or I wouldn't have believed it!

(if you click to enlarge the photo, you can see the whiskers on the little guy - yes, he is a real live rat!!!!!!!!!!)

Up goes the Tree in Union Square

(You just gotta click on this photo to see the detail)

Once again, here is the view from the window at work.

Uh huh... that's Union Square... (There are more tree photos posted here)

For a few weeks now, they have been "constructing" the Christmas tree. It always fascinates me to witness the process. Every year I learn a little more.

This is bigger project than most people would imagine. Of course - the tree IS real. It is an 80 foot tall "red fir" -- aka Shasta fir. The family that manages these mammoths has been erecting and decorating the Union Square tree since 1989. Family members oversee the entire process.

This tree was selected 17 years ago to be groomed for the job. They use a specially designed truck to haul their giant trees from up near Mount Shasta to this location... a few hours drive. This probably happens in the dead of night, I've never witnessed it -- and it would make sense to do it when there is less chance of interrupting traffic. Supposedly this needs a police escort! This tree arrived in Union Square in early November.

I've also never seen how they upright the thing... THAT must be quite a sight! It is then securely wired into place... it has to be straight, of course, but most importantly, it has to be tethered to withstand the strong gusts of wind that occasionally blow through here in the winter.

Then... they "surgically enhance" the tree... this part takes days and days!!... they drill hundreds of holes into the trunk and plug in extra branches. What was once a very naturally gorgeous tree is now full and lush and augmented beyond perfection... like a movie star...

Another few days to add the lights...about 20,000 of them. The lights are LED -- very energy efficient... (donated last year by PG&E). Fun to see the lights are lit, as they add them. They start with the star at the top, and work down.

Finally it is time to load the "cherry-pickers" with ornaments (the largest are the size of basketballs!) Red and gold,,, balls and star-shaped.... takes a few more days, and they will clean up just in time for the official lighting ceremony....

Which, just so happens to be occurring tonight :-))

Sponsored by Macy's to raise funds for the children at UCSF... and to get people to go out and SHOP!...

(Click here to read the SF Examiner article)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We had our first Thanksgiving gathering here in our new kitchen... a wonderful time with family and friends and LOTS OF FOOD!!!

Hoping you all had a good one, too!

(click here for more Thanksgiving photos)

Butternut Squash -- this is how she did it....

My daughter made a yummy dish for our Thanksgiving gathering. The squash with ginger was sooo good, I thought I'd post it here for future reference... Along with photos :-p

The recipe from "Clean Eating" magazine appears at the bottom of this post...

(she did the peeling and chopping the night before -- a lot of work... !)

And... the recipe is down here.... you will have to click on it, to read it ... 'cuz I was too lazy to type the whole thing out, just photo'd it... ('tis the time of year to choose the easy way :-))

Sad news...

Our Rosie lived her life intensely -- every minute of it. There was no reining her in… She was determined to get her way... with wily charm she burned through her nine lives too quickly. She didn’t waste a single breath. She was an amazing cat. On a rainy Saturday, she ventured through the neighborhood, and onto a busy road where she had no business going. It was the final risk she would ever take. Her five years with us were full and good and unforgettable. We’ll miss her terribly.

I feel privileged to have had her as part of my life, if only for a moment...






(to see more.... click here to link to Rosie's photo and video album on Picassa)

Moment Of Forever - (Moment Of Forever - 2008) - Willie Nelson

More Vegetables

Ok... so I am getting a little weird. Stress does things to people. Let's just say I am overdoing it in the garden. Pruning away frustration. Accomplishing something. Gardening calms me... the sunlight, the physical exertion, and the occasional chat with neighbors passing by - it all makes me feel better. I should do it more often. I need all the endorphins I can get, these days. And laughter. And home-grown tomatoes... Haha!....

Which reminds me of this video --- for some reason I find it irresistibly funny... Vegetables run amok... (this is in Italian,...and, I have absolutely NO idea what they are saying - [probably better that I don't] - just cracks me up! - every time!)

HUH???....

Just be warned that this song is gonna stick in your head, and you will be hearing "pa pa pa" long after those quirky veggies have stopped dancing... heheheh...

Eggplant...and other stuff....

Lots going on in my life these days... (it is not all good stuff, either...grumble...) - But this blog is going to remain an upbeat place. To cheer myself up today, I spent a bit of time in the garden. Lots to harvest these days! Grilled eggplant and peppers almost every night - haha! Finally getting tired of it, but they are soooo pretty!

(click the photo to view full-sized)

(Click here for eggplant recipes)

Turn on the sound, on your computer, and ►play the song I added below! (it took me forever to figure this out, adding music to this blog post... ♪♫♪...gave my brain cells a real workout, and provided me with a much needed distraction)... Yay! - it works!!

(dancing around the kitchen.....)

Almost finished...

(Click on any image to view it full size)

Still need to install the tile backsplash, and some baseboards.... window coverings (??) and glass in the cabinet doors. Some electical outlet covers... And, of course, all the *STUFF* needs to go into the cupboards... I sure like the tidy clean look of this, just the way it is, right now.... (sigh)....

Soapstone Love

Must be love... I can't take my eyes off of it... or keep my hands off of it... and I just can't help but smile when I am in the room with it.... This is far more wonderful than I imagined it would be. My new countertops... mmmmmm..... There are these incredible veins that run here and there and all around... I think I am going to like this more and more as time goes on... it feels so soft!!!!

nice
nice
nice
..............................................................................

Now for more photos..........

The drainboard grooves (aka "runnels") were carved on site... I like the way they look with the detail on the cabinetry. And I am happy that we will have a spot to rest sloppy wet stuff without mucking up the whole space...
The small curved area near the door is my "bake center" -- for now it seems to be where the phone and iPod want to live. This is the only spot that has been oiled so far, thus it is a bit shinier and darker... eventually all countertops will get a mineral oil treatment -- but for now, I want to enjoy the raw version for a few days...

No--- the cats are usually NOT allowed up on the counters.... but Rosie likes to push the limits, and this was her first "encounter" (pun intended) with soapstone-- I could hardly blame her for wanting to snuggle with it....

To tell you the truth, I am a bit envious that I couldn't lay on it! --

Sweet Dreams!!!!

It's Here!!

Today is the day the soapstone countertops are being installed.... I am very excited... and will post more photos soon! So far, I must say that it looks even better than I had imagined....yipeeeee!

Look at that wood!

The poor picture quality doesn't do the floors justice.... We cannot tell the old floorboards from the new ones - it all blends seamlessly! We chose an uncommon floor finish... Tung Oil-based, instead of a urethane finish... Supposed to be easy to repair, and it is quite water resistant. Natural looking. We opted not to stain... just the oak with about 4 coats of the original "Waterlox" finish. (read about it here)

I like to paint...(sorta...)

There is something I find very satisfying about rolling fresh paint onto the walls... After the effort of prepping, tarping and taping -- the actual applying of the paint seems to go so fast, and makes such a huge difference. This paint job was not a dramatic change... its the same color we've enjoyed for a few years now - in the dining area. Since I have a couple of days to myself, it seemed like a good idea to get the painting done -- less to worry about now than after the floors are refinished. Drips happen.... I painted the ceilings too -(ugh)- glad to get that done, but ceilings are my least favorite of all paint jobs.... such a splattery pain-in-the-neck.

Oak flooring

They were careful to blend in the new oak planks with the old oak flooring... I am especially impressed with the "herringbone" effect in the angled corners! I hadn't quite visualized how those corners would look, and I was thrilled to see the completed pattern...:))))))))) Two weeks from now they sand and refinish in the kitchen and dining room (The rest of the wood floors in the house must wait...)

Its sooo... white...!

Wow... what a beautiful paint job on those cabinets. The painter used coat after coat of "conversion varnish" and it is silky smooth! This stuff is super durable too! (He compared it to the finish on a car...!) The color is "Swiss Coffee" (by Kelly-Moore) and, uhh... gosh,,, is it ever WHITE!... (almost too white?.....) The sample looked creamier... Of course, all will look different with knobs and the dark countertops, flooring, etc. Can't wait for that...

The painters were here for over a week... and it sure is nice to be rid of the fumes and dust. We have the space to ourselves for a few days. :))

Kitchen progress photos

CLICK HERE or on the "Picassa" photos link in the sidebar to see more photos of the progress in the kitchen...

Bye-Bye Window...

The workers showed up bright and early this morning to gut what was left of the kitchen. They were gung-ho to hit the floor running -- lots to do before Friday. Time to say good-bye to that bright and sunny window.

8:23 am

8:24 am

11:15 am

1:55 pm

2:13 pm