Since there isn't much to tell, I'm showing you a few pictures I took off my phone and my camera. First, the flowers. When we met up with the man who bought our truck, we were at a truck stop in Troutdale. (Seems appropriate, doesn't it?) The truck stop was a truck stop like any other...lots of trucks, truckers, and gas pumps. Nevertheless, someone had very lovingly tended to a beautiful rose garden. Here are some of the bloomers.
Also, this one from our yard. It's the one Erik and Mae gave me for Mother's Day a few years back. This is the prettiest hydrangea. The colors in this image are true.
Next, food. My bread-baking efforts have been abandoned temporarily while we attempt to shed the pounds that have accumulated over the past several years. I don't blame the bread...probably the cheesecakes are more to blame. Nevertheless, eating loaves of bread (and I do mean "loaves") is inconsistent with dieting, and so my yeasts, flours, and sourdough starters have been relocated to the freezer for the time being.
We've been getting heads of radicchio in our CSA shares lately, and so yesterday, I decided to make a pizza I tried last year. It gave me a chance to knead some dough, and now I'm feeling a little less shaky from withdrawal than I was a day or two ago. This is a Chanterelle, Radicchio, and Pancetta Pizza.
It's so yummy, and I was very surprised to find chanterelle mushrooms in our grocery store and at the farmer's market over the weekend. They are strictly a wild mushroom, and generally, they are found in the fall in Oregon. It's a testament to our cold wet spring that we are seeing them in July. When I made this last time, chanterelles were not available and so I substituted creminis with good results. Mike is not a fan of the bitter lettuces like radicchio, and so I substituted Italian sausage on his pizza. Both of us were happy. I've linked to the recipe above that image and I use this recipe for Roberta's Pizza Dough for the crust.
There was time for some hand-sewing yesterday. I'm continuing to work away at my hand quilting project, and I've turned one corner of the Wheel Estate quilt. Although I've only turned one corner, I still estimate that I'm about 1/3 of the way around the perimeter...or the outer limits, as I've taken to saying.
Finally, cats. Their new kennels arrived yesterday and Mike has them assembled. We're leaving them in the living room for now with the doors open, trying to make the kitties believe that going inside is a good idea.
Whatever you do, Sadie, do not cross those thresholds. Those are the gates of hell.
Sadie is doing her best demonstration of a cat on a cat quilt.
When a cat sits on a cat quilt, it tends to grow in length.
Here, she's showing how a tiny little cat such as herself can be stretched to cover three quilt blocks...
just prior to dozing off into Snoozeville.
This disgusts Smitty. He takes up guard duty on the catio.
Today I'm going to try my hand at Watermelon Jelly. I saw the recipe online, and it sounded good. We're limited about the jellies and jams we can make here at the Three Cats Ranch since seeds are not allowed. When I saw the watermelon jelly, it sounded pretty good. I have a large seedless watermelon awaiting its demise on the kitchen counter. I'll be pureeing it a little later and cooking it down into jelly. Watermelon sorbet is delicious, and so it seems the jelly ought to be good too. Time will tell, and of course, I'll check back with you tomorrow to report my findings. Definitely, I'm hoping for more sewing time today.
13 comments:
Maybe throw some Temptations into those kennels to sweeten up the deal? My cats will do dang near anything for Temptations!
The flowers are beautiful! Are your hydrangeas in the sun or shade or both? I'm trying really hard to grow one and so far it's a fail. Maybe there is a little sprout of hope, but it looks as though my brown thumb had prevailed.
My catio is about 85% done, The kids came and did a LOT of work around the farm for me last weekend, and that meant the boyfriend did a little more on the catio. We still need to "wire" in the front end and put the floor down, then paint and shelves. Then I can furnish it, I have a little cat house with a heated floor for them and the cat tree, and I plan on doing some gardening, as in cat grass and Catnip. (If my brown thumb allows it)
I think the kennels need softening----fabric and batting, maybe? Just saying.
The roses are so beautiful, what a neat treat to find.
Your maps and guidebooks are corralled for sure now.
Our roses did not produce this year - not one of them. Love the colors. Amazing how a small cant takes over a quilt - Bella can shove me right off the bed.
Gorgeous roses! I like fruits and vegetables but I really love bread and cheesecake - wish I didn't need to give up the good stuff to shed pounds :( So glad you got to kneed a little dough the pizza looks yummy! ~Jeanne
All the maps, guide books & articles look to be well corralled now - nice job.
The truck stop roses look wonderful - did they smell as good as they look? And what can I say about that Hydrangea? GORGEOUS!
Nice pizza, so interesting looking instead of the regular ol' stuff. Glad you enjoyed it!
Such a lovely, tidy binding on Wheel Estate! Not too much more to go now.
I used to put a towel in zzyzx's carrier & leave it open for her to go in. She would sometimes. Except of course when I needed her to get in to it. But I discovered that if I put it door-side-up, I could sort of drop her in with a bit less hassle and wrestling.
Sadie is making me sleepy, she looks so, so comfy on the quilt!
That is good organizing! Well labeled and at your finger tips!
Pretty flowers. The kennels look big enough for the kitties to be comfortable. Probably not as comfy as the quilt Sadie is stretched out on!
Well, I know your jelly turned out from the pics on Insta. My cat only goes in those kennels when going to the vet, so he doesn't like them either. Sadie is just too cute!
Those roses are beautiful, another flower that won't grow here. I think the kids need a quilt in those houses of hell, it might work at least with Sadie.
Beautiful roses and hydrangea. I don't know of any cat willing to go in to once of those carriers even with a nice soft blanket. Treats or catnip didn't work either.
I had to throw my sour dough starter in the freezer a couple of months ago.
I was baking 2 loafs of bread a week and occasionally 3. Good Stuff!
Amazing find at the truck stop. Love the colour of the Hydrangea. I'm sure your watermelon jelly will be tasty. I would not be able to eat it, watermelon is too high in sugar so not on my list of fruits. Smitty looks very content on that quilt.
Picasso only has to see a tiny bit of his cat basket and he clears the area. If cornered he will use all friendly means of escape and as a last resort bite! Fortunately it is only used very infrequently (his once a year check up and injection plus if he is unwell) Love the roses and the hydrangea is beautiful
Those are some very pretty roses. At a truck stop?
Post a Comment