The Lull Before the Storm...

We're well past the crush of holiday shopping...

and just hovering impatiently on the cusp of Spring...

waiting for its weekend antiquing,

treasure hunts

and sunny, sassy day trips...

my shopping bestie and I...

One Pot Wonder...

New England dinner... boiled dinner... corned beef and cabbage... is a particular seasonal favorite from my childhood...

Take a deep breath and throw caution to the wind... there will be no measuring... a few pinches and handfuls perhaps... but nothing more... it's cooking... it's an adventure ...it's not chemistry... the pot won't explode with one carrot too many...

Into a large, heavy pot with a lid, place a corned beef brisket and a large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer all afternoon until tender. Peel and cut in half several carrots. Core and cut a medium head of cabbage into wedges. Add these to the pot. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until veggies are fork tender... slice the beef and serve with a side of boiled potatoes...

Call of the Wild...

Auggie is an indoor cat... he just doesn't know it... which makes entering or exiting the house a maneuver worthy of a new Olympic event. For quite some time, "Auggie lockdown" has become a routine part of socializing... table set...check, candles lit...check, Auggie ensconced in a bedroom...check. It's proven to be much more hospitable than screeching incoherently at guests ...the cat... the door... look out... hurry... close! Or pushing past with a windblown curse while diving off the side of the porch in hot pursuit. Last month, Auggie slipped out... unnoticed... he was missing for twelve agonizing days... he returned home dirty... weak... tired... a bit dehydrated and a great deal lighter... It's been a slow and steady mend, but he's nearly back to his old self. So much so, that yesterday he made an (unsuccessful) attempt at a break for the wonderous world beyond. A wild squirrel that finds itself trapped inside and is mad to get out... that's him. A persistent, albeit reluctant, cat wrangler... that's me.
(Please excuse the poor quality of the photograph... Auggie does not adore the intrusive camera, nor the obnoxious flash, nor at the moment, the photographer.)

Quick Snaps of My World...

This post comes to you courtesy of... I was bored... it was sunny... my camera had fresh batteries... I was putting off laundry and dusting...

(note to self: next time dust house BEFORE photographing house)

Who's That Lady?

Currently reading... if you think you know what made this lady tick... think again... I admit to a few of my own preconceived notions... but it's definitely not all finger bowls and fish forks...

Recently viewed... another fascinating female... and certainly NOT just the Julia of my early PBS acquaintance... Meryl Streep is (of course) flawless...

Cabin Fever...

The house always seems cold this time of year... and not just in temperature... too late for all the "snug and cozy" of holiday evergreens and decorations gracing every nook and cranny... too early for tulips, hyacinth and other signs of spring to color in the white space and soften the stark edges.

Pass the Truffle Oil...Or Not...

As much as I love food... to cook... to eat... to watch food-themed shows and collect fabulous cookbooks... I find I am a narrow-minded ingredient snob... I've never had cilantro... descriptions rife with deep, earthy undertones translate to me as tastes a great deal like dirt... and while I love evergreen trees and adore potatoes in any shape or form... tasting the combination (rosemary potatoes gratin) nearly put me off both for life... so it is with this reasoning (or lack thereof) that I have decided to hunt down some straightfoward, no nonsense cookbooks from our past... not as far back as the settlement cookbook of my Great Grandmother's time... I may like things simple... but I still want my poultry to come to me de-feathered... if I find something easy, wonderful and not canned... you'll be the first to know... check back...

When You've Got No Place Else to Go...

I spotted a cardinal in my evergreens this morning...dashed out...camera snapping...and scared him off...

ended up with a photo of some rotting overgrown vines...
decided wildlife photography was not my strong suit...
and so proceeded around the perimeter of my house...
snapping objects that couldn't run from me instead...
well...mostly...