Just for You

Zinnias from the garden.

Summer Snack

The French have long promoted the use of melon and figs and prosciutto. And now I know why. It's genius, really, combining the saltiness of the meat with the sweetness of the fruit.

Three ingredients is all you need: fresh figs, a melon (I used a type of muskmelon, but a store-bought cantaloupe would work just as well) and some prosciutto. You could add some cheese or sliced baguette if you wanted to round this out into a more substantial appetizer or a light evening meal. This would also provide enough variation to accommodate vegans, vegetarians and carnivores, making it a very versatile plate.

I bought the figs and melon at Chino's over the weekend, but then last night a neighbor brought over some home-grown figs and lemons in exchange for some of the vegetables from my garden. I have to say, I really enjoy this bartering system.

I like the idea of using a knife to hold the prosciutto, as this way people can just tear off how much they want, and it's much easier than having long, thin strips out. Plus, I just think the presentation looks a little more edgy.

One-Two-Three

I can hear the horses long before I (or my camera) can see them. The sound that predominates on the track is a gentle noise that defies description; it sounds as though you were to put your lips together and breathe out hard, and then repeat in a rhythmic in a phhhhhph-phhhhhph-phhhhhph-phhhhhph. And that sound is followed by a slow crescendo in 4 beat, as the horses gallop toward you.

It's a sound (and a feeling) that is both comforting and exciting. It's the sound of horses on the track.

Stride for stride, these horses seem to be in sync (not to be confused with the boy band).

Ready, set, go baby go.

Don't Look Now

But it's a celebrity, a racetrack sensation, by the name of Colonel John. You pretty much know that you've made it when you get a Wikipedia entry.

You might remember him from last year's Kentucky Derby, where he got some favorable betting, and ultimately finished sixth. Boy, he's a handsome fella. But I may be biased towards bay horses with a star. Especially when they stick their tongues out.

When Matchy-Matchy Doesn't Actually Bother Me

I caught this horse and rider in repose before a Sunday morning workout, quietly taking in the sounds of the track. I have to wonder how much of this coordination was intentional.

Horse Power

"Horse, thou art truly a creature without equal, for thou fliest without wings and conquerest without sword." - The Koran

Up Close and Personal: Lilies

Stigma, stamen, anther, sepal. I want to think of these words as being fictional animals, but they're not. These are actually parts of a lily, along with the stem, petals and leaves.

The gentle curves and turns are so elegant.

This lily looks like it has freckles. I like freckles, but maybe it's because I have them.

Stamen and anther, you are truly a thing of beauty. I'm glad you're not a fictional animal.

It's a Bird!

Let's take a trip back in time, shall we? We'll go back to my East Coast trip a while back (I'm not going to mention how long ago it was because I feel terribly guilty for not posting sooner).

So welcome to the Norman Bird Sanctuary, located in Middletown, RI. According to their pamphlet, the Sanctuary protects over 300 acres of various ecosystems including ridges, forests, thickets, fields, ponds, streams, salt marsh and sandy beach.

Established in 1949 at the bequest of Mabel Noman Cerio, the mission of the Sanctuary is "for the propagation, preservation and protection of birds, and where birds and bird life may be observed, studied, taught, and enjoyed by lovers of nature and by the public generally so interested in a spirit of humanity and mercy."

Sounds like the perfect place to live. When can I move in?

Along the main path and just beyond the main buildings pictured above, I stumbled across a small cemetary. Rhode Island is home to a number of small cemetaries in very random places.

I headed out towards the pond, where I saw, of all things, a pond! Shocking, I know.

The field in front had showed so much promise for viewing birds. But alas, though I could hear them, I couldn't seem to spot them.

Until up in the sky a silver bird appeared! Wait, that's not the kind of bird I was looking for. Neither were the man-eating mosquitoes that I kept slapping away from my legs. Apparently, a skirt was a bad idea.

Unfortunately, that was the only bird I saw. Heading back to the main buildings, I felt a bit dejected.

But then, across the street from the parking lot, I spotted a bird. Can you see it? Look closely at the birdhouse, second from the left.

A bright yellow spot in my day, unlike the sun, which failed to make an appearance my first day in Rhode Island.

So, boys and girls, what have we learned from this experience?

The parting thought this season: Check for Ticks! Ticks suck. Literally. So do man-eating mosquitoes.

Mussels. In a Pot.

I made these mussels for a dinner party I hosted over the weekend. They were quite delicious, if I do say so myself.

The recipe isn't mine, after all. It's one that I snagged from Real Simple, but I'm going to copy it here for you. As you may know, I rarely take the time to measure; instead, I opt to eyeball most of the stuff, so nothing probably ends up being exact. But this recipe is forgiving with inexact measurements, and since it's so good, it's earned a permanent place in my recipe book. Try 'em, you'll like 'em. And don't be afraid to eat the tomatoes and onions with the bread either!

Mussels with Tomatoes and Olives

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 cut dry white wine
1 pound beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed*
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 small baguette, warmed

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until just tender, 4-5 minutes.

2. Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and olives. Add the mussels and cook, covered, until they open, 3 to 4 minutes. Discard any mussels that remain closed. Stir in the parsley.

3. Divide the mussels and cooking liquid among the bowls. Serve with the bread.

Quick Tip: Refrigerate mussels as soon as you get them home from the store. If you can't cook them that night, remove the packaging, transfer them to a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and keep in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours.

Soy-oy-oy-oy-oy

The title reminds me of this limerick I used to sing as a kid, along with Wee Sing Silly Songs:
Aye aye aye aye
In China they never grow chili.
So sing me another verse that's worse than the first verse.
Make sure that it's foolish and silly!

I wish I had a good segue for my post about food, but I don't. Okay, so for lunch today one of my co-workers made these delicious soy burgers from scratch. He just bought a bag of soybeans for a buck, soaked them and then chopped them up in the food processor with some vegetables. I'm going to work on developing the recipe, but basically you can make 15 large patties with one bag of soy beans, 2 extra large zucchini, 1 large bell pepper, 1 1/2 bags mushrooms, 1 1/2 bundles green onions and a little cornstarch and cornmeal. And they are good. That means that for around $5 you can feed a whole slew of vegetarians at a barbeque! Not bad, my friends, not bad at all.

Enjoy your second weekend in August.

A Horse, Of Course

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." -Winston Churchill

Boy, Remy, you sure are cute. Even with your mouth full.

Good Dog

“A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker.” –Buddha

Hello, Beautiful

Hello, beautiful. I just met you today, but I already feel comfortable calling you beautiful. You are incredibly stunning. I hope that's not out of place.

Forgive me if I've been too forward, but I have never met a Peruvian daffodil until today, and I now think that you might be one of the supermodels of the plant world.

But first, I had to dig a big hole in order to plant you in the garden.

Not to worry, I had a supervisor. Tucker was not far from sight, or the hole I was digging. I'm just glad he's more interested in dirt than the plant, as all parts of the plant are toxic. (Don't worry; he never came into contact with it, nor will he, and thus far he has suffered no ill effects, if his current snoring is any indication.)

Who knew dirt could be so comfortable?

Look! It's a Basset Hound in camouflage. Incredible, right? No one will ever be able to tell that he's here. Except, um, everyone. Don't tell Tucker, okay? He's doing his best to fit in, and we all know how difficult that is.

Objects of My Affection

The garden is brimming with these beauties. In the fading evening light, I go out to rows and pick a couple handfuls for dinner. It's a lovely time; I appreciate all the blood, sweat and tears that went into this production.

And by blood, sweat and tears, I mean that literally. It's been a wild ride, not one in which I ever imagined being able to harvest these at this rate. I'm seriously considering setting up an "on your honor" stand outside my house.

It's been a busy summer. Unfortunately, this blog has taken a bit of a back seat to working at my "normal" job, spending time with the animals, traveling and tending to the garden, in addition to taking care of the everyday life things. But I'm here, I promise. Please have patience with me posting. Please? I'm willing to beg. Thank you very much. Muchos gracias. Merci beaucoup. Maximus tibi gratias ago.

That's all the languages I know how to say thank you in, but I think you get the point.