Sound Philosophy

“Well, I dunno. There’s things I’d rather not know. Seems to me… there en’t been nothing good for more than about five minutes ahead. Like, I can see now, this bath’s nice, and there’s a nice warm towel there, about five minutes away. And once I’m dry, maybe I’ll think of summing nice to eat, but no further ahead than that. And when I’ve eaten, maybe I’ll look forward to a kip in a comfortable bed. But after that, I don’t know, Lyra. There’s been terrible things we’ve seen, en’t there? And more coming, more’n likely. So I think I’d rather not know what’s in the future. I’ll stick to the present.” — Philip Pullman, The Golden Compass

Flying free

When I was born, Sunshine had already been living with my parents for more than a year. He was an Orange-Winged Amazon, sold to my father as a Blue Front by a pet store owner who really didn’t give a shit. He was born wild in Brazil, was captured very young and lost a toenail in quarantine, and never much cared for men. When parrots aren’t hand-reared by humans, they don’t ever become super-cuddly — primate are the natural enemy who poses the greatest threat, after all. He bit everyone who came in contact with him at some point through the years — whether through fear or aggression — but never me.

We celebrated his birthday every September 19, and he gave me presents every Christmas, when his own stocking would be filled with peanuts and cuttle bones. He was like an older brother. I’ve always expect to inherit him and keep him as a squawking, voluble companion into my old age, a living reminder of childhood’s happiest days. I’m so sad that won’t happen.

 

 

Charade

Recipes to Try from Sally Schneider’s A New Way to Cook

More a reminder to myself than anything.

Chickpea Stew with Saffron and Winter Squash
Coconut Milk and Banana Ice Cream
Bourbon Baked Beans
Baked Penne with Wild Mushroom Ragu and Ricotta Salata
Rosemary, Lemon and Pepper Focaccia
Cucumber Salad with Curry Cream
Salmon Cured with Aquavit and Juniper
Mozzarella Risotto
Greek Style Potatoes with Lemon and Thyme
Yuzu and Ginger wafers
Root Vegetable Crema
Green Mango Raita
Real Jellies
Lavender and Rosemary Syrup
Mashed Turnips with Crispy Shallots
Warm, Crispy Salmon with Balsamic Essence and Lentils
Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits

But tonight I shall attempt Jamie Oliver’s Cheat’s Pizza menu, seen here. I’m really loving his 30-minute meals; for a dinner party last month I did the Piri Piri Chicken and sides (for eight), and it went off pretty well.

+++

Sally Schneider’s The Improvisational Cook is super-inspirational, as is her blog, The Improvised Life.

Gripe

Rather than sending in dozens of resumes for less-than-inspiring employers who won’t even consider me, I’d prefer to be developing a secret supper club or making plans for a Reading Weekend.

Boo.

Succulent Garden

May 30, 2011

 

June 22, 2011

Making a Garden

When we moved into our house in June 2009, the garden situation was a bit dire. There was a super-ugly old cedar in front, underplanted with plain hostas (in the sun! why?) and goutweed.

May 2009

 

May 2010

June 2011

 

I think we’ve done well here.

 

judyjudyjudyjudyjudy

I still haven’t come across the movie this references, but I love it anyway.

The Mirror in the Entrance

by CP Cavafy, 1930

In the entrance hallway of that sumptuous home
there was an enormous mirror, very old;
acquired at least eighty years ago.

A strikingly beautiful boy, a tailor’s assistant,
(on Sunday afternoons, an amateur athlete),
was standing with a package. He handed it
to one of the household, who then went back inside
to fetch a receipt. The tailor’s assistant
remained alone, and waited.
He drew near the mirror, and stood gazing at himself,
and straightening his tie. Five minutes later
they brought him the receipt. He took it and left.

But the ancient mirror, which had seen and seen again,
throughout its lifetime of so many years,
thousands of objects and faces—
but the ancient mirror now became elated,
inflated with pride, because it had received upon itself
perfect beauty, for a few minutes.

Pineapple Progress: complete

So candying a large fruit whole involves exactly the same steps as candying small, soft fruit, just (lots) more time. Prepare the fruit, boil it, make the syrup, douse with increasingly-sweet syrup daily for three weeks, then every second day for ten days, then dry it, covered for… as long as it takes. I cheated a little and let her spend an hour in a warm-ish (120 F or so) oven because our summers are humid and I hate fruit flies. Also, I’m waging war on the ants and don’t want the ant equivalent of El Dorado drying on my counter. Also, I need the counter space back.

Photos!

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Note the sugar crystallization on the leaves; I’m especially proud of that.