Happy New Year…
…Well sort of. I grew up in an academic family; my father taught at Allegheny College, and when I was in the 7th grade my mother began teaching at Meadville High School. So for me, the Autumn is my favorite time of the year and a return to a routine in which I am most comfortable. I have always viewed the 1st of September as my New Year’s Day. (The difference being that I am rarely hung over. I’ll leave that for the 1st of January.)
I was driving back from Boston on Sunday and saw these trees just off Route 202 in Pelham. I went back last night to take this photograph. For you lovers of Summer, I know this isn’t such welcome news, but for me it was nice to see some early color. “For every season”, etc, etc.
I have always liked this XTC song. Pretty much sums it up.
Mountain Laurel and Vegetable Stock #3
The mountain laurels are really wild this year. (Do I say this every year? I know there are previous posts about this plant, but really, this year is amazing.) One of the locals told me that this part of Pelham used to be called Mount Laurel and I can see why. When we look out the window it is almost like there is snow on the leaves of the plants.
I had a great dad’s day today. Peter is home from DC for a bit (the Nationals are on the road) and I got the chance to chill out and cook. I made another vegetable stock. As you can tell by the color, there were lots of beet peelings in it. You can see my previous posts about it here and here. I used some of it to make a wild rice thing for Cris and it was great.
Waffle House
Cris, the Pearl and I left Pelham yesterday at about 4 pm and arrived at Kiawah at about 9 this morning. Driving through the night on I-95 is really the way to go. Very little traffic and it is really nice to be in the car at night with Cris. She slept on and off, Pearl was really chilled and I was jacked up with a combination of milky tea, Starbucks Frappucinos, and Sudafed. I have had this flu since the week before Christmas and am really tired of it. Just before 6 we stopped for gas and needed some breakfast. Waffle House can be a sketchy experience, but this one was decent. Lots of grease for the potatoes and eggs, and they must have thought we came from another planet, but all in all, fast and filling.
crocuses
Every April these crocuses (I looked up the plural) come out through a pile of pine needles and leaves just out the kitchen window. It seems so improbable that it could happen year after year. After a long winter of burning wood in the stove, and darkness and cold, how this happens is a wonder to me.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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