The Colors of Spring

Today we welcome spring.

But the bulb gardens in my house have been welcoming it for a few days.

I simply cannot resist tulips, daffodills, hyacinths (even though the latter wreak havoc with allergies!)

And so, for a week or two now, I have been picking up bulb gardens at the market, just to help push the arrival of spring a little more quickly!

There is something so inviting, so welcoming about spring.

Perhaps it is the return of green to yards and fields after a long spell of white.

Perhaps it is the warming temperatures that make being outside more pleasant.

Or it could be the anticipation of shocking colors to come -- red poppies, yellow forsythia, deep lavender and purple lilacs, hot-pink redbuds, the garish array of colors that zinnias and marigolds and snapdragons will soon bring to our gardens or the showy hydrangeas providing a white anchor for all that color.

Till then, I'm content to savor the tulips in my house!

Happy Spring.

He Makes Me Smile

He just makes me smile.

I love his long, expressive tail...

His cute little orange paws...

And his speckly nose.

I love the way he plays ...

...and I adore his curiosity! (Most of the time!)

And I love to watch him sleep. (As you can see from the blog banner!)

He's reasonably self-sufficient (apart from lacking opposible thumbs)

He's very good at helping with household tasks, like the laundry...

And he even has a trick or two up his sleeve!

He's very fashionable, and reasonably tolerant of silliness...

...and we have wonderful chats! (He is a bit of a nag!)

I love watching him "be."

He simply makes me smile.

And really, isn't that the best feature of all?

And, given as it's St. Patrick's Day, with pots of gold, rainbows and such, let me give a quick remembrance to our angel-boy Stimpy, waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge.

Love, always!

Sweet Treat!

Back in my "Sherry" post, I mentioned the chocolate truffle pie. So, if you've been longing for chocolate, here you go! It's super easy!

Chocolate Turtle Truffle Pie

1 chocolate wafer pie crust

1/2 c. chopped pecans -- sprinkle over pie crust.

Melt:
17-18 individually wrapped caramels
1/4 c. evaporated milk

Pour over pecans

Melt:
1 + 1/2 c. chocolate chips
3 T. butter

Pour over caramel

Top with a crushed up Heath Bar.

Chill several hours (I did overnight) but serve a room temperature. Serve with whipped cream.

NOTES: I got this recipe from my friend Pat. I had trouble with the chocolate seizing up when I melted it. I did the micro-method. Next time, I'll do it on the stove, stirring like a crazy lady. Still tasted as good. I also used fat free evaporated milk. I don't know why; there's enough in this to clog serious arteries!

I am going to try this sometime as a candy-like thing, making my own wafer crust and putting it in a 9x9 pan. It's very dense. And very delicious!

Stuart Little Is Dead -- and Under My Fridge

NOTE: Stop by my other blog, Chopsticks and String , for a look at the most recent book I've finished, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog."

As I prepare this post, we still have our share of white-stuff, although the rich blue sky and warm sun is quickly melting our snow. By the time this is posted, it may be all gone. (NOTE: As of today, most ALL of the snow is gone! Hooray!)

Nonetheless, I couldn't resist this bit of color outside Rick's office window a couple of weeks ago.

Stuart Little died under my refrigerator last week. I tried to get him out. First I tried to vacuum him out, which was great for the vents; not for Stuart. He was stuck on the corner, so I covered a clothespin and pushed it under, hoping to scooch him out the other side. He wouldn't budge. Then I went in the other way. Same deal. I think he has a wedgie. As in "My head is wedged into the refrigerator base."

It isn't that I don't adore mice. In fact, I only dislike them when they move -- fast -- and startle me. Otherwise, I don't throw up my hands and shriek.

In fact, when Gypsy captured one of Stu's distant relatives last summer (and dropped him upon my command), Stu2 scampered through the the cottage until Gyp and I cornered him under a waste basket, and I took him outside, walked him six blocks away, and let him go in the woods.

You see, thinking of E.B. White's endearing mouse who slept in a matchbox usually makes me smile, especially when I recall Garth Williams' amazing illustrations.

But I don't like it when they smell. And Stuart has gone through a particularly stinky period. I mean, really, seriously, incredibly, mind-blowingly stinky.

You may wonder why I don't move the fridge and remove Stuart. Well, thanks to the scan I had (where you have to drink 48 ounces of this white liquid over an hour that they have the nerve to call a "Berry Smoothie"), I just found out I have a hernia. Pushing heavy objects is not encouraged. (Note: Since I first prepped this a week ago, I got back my results; no hernia to prevent contact with heavy objects! Hooray!)

I tried covering up the smell with a lovely Trapp cucumber spray. It does wonders in the bathroom.

However, in the kitchen the result was neither fragrant cucumbers or Stinky Stuart, but a rather nauseating mixture of the two.

I'm pleased to say that either Stuart is fading or I'm becoming immune. By the time this post goes up, I'll no doubt forget he was under the fridge.

Till cleaning day.

(Update: Stuart has faded; it's like he was never there! This is good news, because believe me, everyone knew...)

Something In the Air

I left work the other night at 11:30 -- we had been doing pledge breaks, and when I walked out the door, the sky was black and dotted with stars.

And then, I smelled it. Hanging in the still, calm night, like a soft shawl the weight of a feather, was a fragrance I'd not smelled in a long while.

It was gentle, subtle. Yet most definitely present. It was the smell of dirt and grass, damp -- no, saturated -- with the melting snow.

It was the smell of spring.

The thermometer in my car told me the temperature was 34 -- certainly not the temperature one equates with spring. Yet, this was nearly midnight, when it's generally much colder. Another sign of spring.

I think we all have sense memories that click in each spring. It may be visual, with the first bulbs popping, or aural with the returning birdsong of old friends or a rushing river, the ice broken at last. I certainly noticed the receding ice the other day while walking.

You can see it here in the distance...

...and even closer.

Soon, these cattails, brown against the white of the remaining snow, will blend into the environment as tall grasses begin to crowd them out of view.

And certainly when it comes to smell, there are more than enough fragrances from which to choose. Soon our campus will be abloom with apple and cherry blossoms, and a lunchtime walk becomes a heady experience.

I've been walking a lot these days. Earlier this week, I noticed clumps of snow...

...and the crisp bare white branches of birch trees against the welcome deep blue sky.

I've been treasuring the last sunsets casting shadows on the snow...

...and enjoying the return of sunny skies and slightly warmer temperatures.

But I had yet to smell anything but clean, fresh air.

The other night, I smelled spring. Even a late snowfall can't deny the change of seasons that is on its way!

Down the Rabbit Hole -- And a Request from Linda

I've had a wonderful time preparing tags for Karla's "Alice" swap.

We had to do six -- I think there are about 75 people participating! (Visit Karla's Cottage to see some of her tags. Beth also has some at Gathering Dust!)

But I couldn't stop. You could say I was swimming in tags!

I took a look at those on the flickr site and I am in amazing company!

I think Rick thought it was a lot of nonsense!

Nonetheless, these are a few of my favorites -- not necessarily all of which were sent to the swap!

And lest you think "I'm late," well -- I'm not! They were mailed Monday and should reach Kansas by Saturday!

Now, as you continue looking at Alice tags, here's a question and you may be the person who knows the answer. You might say I am "curiouser and curiouser."

Shoreacres wrote me: I had a jewelry making kit that had faceted "jewels" that went into "gold" settings. I loved it, and have searched and searched but can't turn it up anyone - ebay, etc. Is there a good site for finding such craft kits from the '50s that you know about? It has to be out there, and I've just missed it.

If you do, either post here and I'll touch base with Linda -- or better still goes to Shoreacres and let her know!
I can't wait to get my tag book!

Stop by my other blog, Chopsticks and String , for a look at the most recent book I've finished, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog."

Sherry Baby!

"If my tongue was long enough, I'd put it right in the bottom of the glass."

So said Barb as we tasted the first of six sherry wines we would sample during our most recent wine tasting party. And while sherry received mixed reviews (it quite simply isn't everyone's cup of tea), pretty much everyone realized they'd learned a lot more about this wine associated with British drama and an afternoon with the ladies.

The sherry to which Barb referred was Lustau Solera Reserva, Light Fino. (Most of the sherries we sampled were by Lustau; if you look at the photo to keep the label straight, you'll have to look extra hard!)

It was a light sherry, pale in color and very dry. Like all the sherries on our list, this was recommended to be served slightly chilled (some are also good at room temperature).

I was rather surprised it was not so sweet as I thought it might be. And while I wasn't one who was gung ho on sherry, it was surprisingly dry and tastier than I thought. Recommended for fish, seafood, suchi and sashimi, it came in at $17.50 (most of the lighter sherries did).

Sherry is a fortified wine and it all comes from Spain's "sherry triangle," which consists of the three towns of Puerto de Santa Maria, Jerez De La Frontera and Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Fortified wine is made when neutral grape brandy is added to wine to raise the wine’s alcohol content. The neutral brandy is added after fermentation and the sweetness of the sherry is determined by how long the winemaker allowed the fermentation to continue. (Thanks for your notes, Dick!)

Next we tried the Manzanilla LaGitana from Bodegas Hidalgo -- also referred to as the "Cleavage Wine" and the one with the fanciest label.

Now, I liked this one better and Rick said it reminded him of an arrow -- sharp, direct.

We argued a bit on which was sweeter, this or the first. But we all agreed that it was very dry and spicy with a long finish.

I asked Dick, our wine guide, about cooking with sherry -- Kitchen Rule #1 -- do not use sherry labeled as "cooking sherry." He said this would be a good one, especially given its $14 price, the least expensive of our choices this day.

We had another Lustau Solera Reserva -- the Light Manzanilla, as our third wine. It says the aroma is "sea breeze." None of us got that. But it was light and dry, very delicate, and again, $17.50. Dick brought a recipe for Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup from the November 2009 Cooking Light which he said it was quite perfect with!

Now the Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Amontillado inspired Barb to share the story of the Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe.

It basically is the story of a man who took his revenge on a fellow nobleman by telling him he has obtained a large quantity of Amontillado and wants his friend's opinion.They go to the wine cellars and wander into the catacombs in search of the wine. He then takes his revenge by chaining him to the wall, entombing his friend alive. The unfortunate Fortunato dies, all for the love of this sherry.

We liked it well enough -- I'm not sure anyone was going to die for it! (Dick does say this is VERY good in cooking.)

Then we sampled the dessert sherries.

The first, another Lutsau Solera Reserva Deluxe Cream is meant to be served slightly chillded. It uses the sweet Pedro Ximenez grape (all the dessert sherries do). At $18.50, I called it awe-some! We all thought it good, with Clayton stating emphatically, "I would DEFINITELY buy this." (And no, not to be used in cooking!)

Finally, we had the Lustau Solera Reserva Pedro Ximenez, a dark sherry and at $24 the most expensive.

And oh, glorious! We heard, "The very best thing ever!"and "This rocks!" With a pruny fragrance it is the ULTIMATE prune juice with raspberry tones as well.

And while we sipped it before dinner, the best was yet to come when we had a scoop of ice cream with this drizzled over it. Oh, yes. Fabulous!

Our wine tastings always include a pot luck. This time we were at Anne and Clayton's, so they had the main course.

Anne and Clayton made turkey and stuffing and a wonderful pumpkin bread.

Meredith brought a wonderful salad -- here's the recipe.

It has pears, almonds, spinach and more. She said that she deviated from the recipe using candy-roasted almonds and some feta cheese with a bit of red pepper for color. But it's a great start and perfect for pear season!

Barb brought a terrific broccoli dish with pine nuts. So festive and delicious.

And I offered up a chocolate truffle pie. This post is too long, but if you want the recipe for that, let me know and I'll post it soon!

Needless to say, a good time was had by all!

A note from Dick on storing sherry: Sherry will last longer than a regular wine, because of the higher alcohol content, which acts as a preservative. But once Sherry is opened it will begin to loose its freshness. To drink Sherry at its best you should consume the bottle within 2 weeks of opening it. Keep the opened bottle in the refrigerator. Manzanilla and Fino sherry should be treated like white wines and consumed within a day or 2.