zephyr...

he blew in on a warm wind in 2005, we sadly said good bye today...

 I tired to find a picture of him, for the first time ever I have nothing to remember him by, he was a beautiful, large, long hair black cat that will always be in my heart, i love you zephy...

chocolate chip cookie pie~

 

chocolate chip pie

 

1 1/4 c butter melted butter

3 eggs

3/4 c brown sugar

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c flour

2 cups chocolate chips

pie crust

 

 

mix butter and eggs, whisk in the sugars and flour, chocolate and nuts and fold into pie crust in deep dish pie plate. I floated cut out leaves and acorns for fall,  it's not a pretty pie, but the taste more than makes up for it!

 

bake at 325 for 60' until set

 

~for extra fun serve with whip or ice cream~

 

 

butternut pear and ginger soup

 

butternut, pear and ginger soup
 

olive oil

2 medium onions, diced

butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces

5 pears, peeled and chopped into roughly 1-inch pieces

 chicken stock, enough to cover

 

In saucepan add and sweat the onions. Add squash and pears and sweat those too a bit. Pour in the stock, enough to submerge solids. Add fresh chopped ginger to taste and bring to a simmer and cook until squash is fork tender about 15 to 18 minutes. Puree with immersion blender, season, to taste.

tuscan white bean soup

 

butternut

onion

garlic

thyme

rosemary

oregano

juice of lemon

chicken stock

s&p

cannellini beans

spinach

 

fall comes to the casita~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

our guest cottage is a stones throw from the house, it has yet to be planted, but I wanted to see a bit of color for the season. I have so far planted climbing hydrangeas on the front wall, I yearn for it to fill in with white flowers in spring and dazzling fall color in autumn. on the right side of the door was a HUGE lilac that towered over the roof, I cut it down to bench height, it has quickly recovered for spring blooms to come.

 

genie, our giraffe, is not officially situated at the casita, but so far I enjoy seeing her out my kitchen window and will come up with a plan for her next spring. the casita does have a jungle theme so its hard to make her leave the area ;-)

 

I have planted a climbing red and white rose, bottlebrush, camellia and hydranges around the building, but the plan is to have a courtyard, color filled garden and fountain, fenced off from the deer, with a cute gate going out to the orchard.

morning walk with katie

olive you~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noel...

2005-2018