A scrub jay checking out the new bird feeder. Birds haven’t taken to it yet. They’re still eating grapes and desiccated elderberries.
Photos
August Complex smoke this afternoon. Silver lining is the smoke cooled the air temperature down several degrees.
Wednesday, September 2, 2020 →
Our trio of Scrub Jays are leaving almond hulls behind. Maybe they’re giving us gifts for providing water? We do compost….
We love this homemade smoked beef salami — could use a bit more paprika but great first try.
A day of discovery making salami for the first time with a smoker we were given. Smells and looks great but it may be a bit loose.
Kimchi-Brined Fried Chicken
Saturday, August 29, 2020
Kimchi-Brined Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe by J. Kenji López-Alt is an excellent recipe — those with lower spice tolerance may want to drizzle the finishing sauce instead of liberally brushing. We did not make the sandwich, but served simply with white rice and kimchi.Large ash flake that landed in my safe backyard — over a dozen miles away from the August Complex on the Mendocino National Forest. This had a lot of atmospheric lift to make it this far. You can see the leaf pattern!
Nothing but pleasant emotions with a view like this. I wish this were my backyard but so glad I had the presence of mind to take this photo. Hidden Lakes area, Lassen National Forest.
Overcome a poorly seasoned cast iron pan by cooking lots of fatty things like Guanciale.
The Annie Cat is not always relentless at being judgy. Sometimes she looks borderline benevolent.
Here’s some hope that our trio of Scrub Jays will eat our cultivated California native grapes.
Frosty garden grown hot peppers (from the freezer) about to become hot sauce. We harvest over the summer and freeze until ready.
In mid-2016 we discovered this graceful Silk Moth at Humboldt Redwoods State Park, CA.
This perch is pretty much The Annie Cat’s summer home during the day.
Sourdough Dashi Scallion Pancakes from last weekend had some serious crunch. A bit salty but very tasty. Perhaps use a bit less Dashi next time.
Wish I could change today’s cooler smokey summer day to a rainy winter day. The August Complex fires are insane.
Metallic ribbon and a fake bird of prey truly keeps the birds away from our figs.
Falafel on a grid.
This western milkweed bug stuffing itself into the eye of the Brown Turkey Fig is decidedly not cuddly and I do not like them ruining my figs! We actually cut into a fig the other day, decapitating a milkweed bug that got inside.
Likely the plume of the Doe Fire on the Mendocino National Forest.
These Sourdough Dashi Scallion crepes were not stationary for long.
Unusual weather in NorCal but it is keeping daytime temps cooler than yesterday. The overnight low was about 80°. It is currently 81°. Lightning to the south and west of us (on the Mendocino NF).
The cultivated native plants likely needed some morning water for this California heatwave. It’s like a furnace vent out there.
The Annie Cat in silhouette.
Peppers among peppers. Nachos for dinner tonight. The red jalapeño and yellow wax peppers were home grown.
With the incoming heatwave in California, we will filter out direct sunlight to help keep these little avocado trees from scorching to death. Also: save the U.S. Postal Service. ✉️
West Point Light House on the Puget Sound. During a trip to visit friends Mid–2016.
SFO, August 2009: when 747s were still fairly popular for long haul transport. I’ve never flown on one 😞
Looking out at set of creepy toothy, grinning windows (dormers?) from Dom St. Petri in Bautzen, Germany. 2009.
