Early Spring Evening A good day, even prettier than yesterday. It's not supposed to storm again until Tuesday when we go back to Jackson. I've been delighting in watching that fox hunting mice in the field. Lots better than a TV program. He listens for the rodents under more than a foot of snow, and sneaks here and there stalking, tiptoeing, creeping, then leaps high in the air and dives headfirst after the meal. With the snow pretty crusty right now, it seems like the hunting might be a little difficult for the fox.
Jackie, Betty and Pat called this afternoon and sure enjoyed talking to them. Betty's flowers are beginning to bloom down there in Mesquite. Just hearing that kind of feels like a wisp of spring reaching up to us. I was glad to hear Pat's Fred is recuperating well from his knee surgery. And Jackie has good news about their kids being able to come back and work and live on the farm.
This afternoon that frosted up freezer kept calling me. I might have mentioned that Joe didn't get the door shut tight on it while I was gone and the freezer probably ran solid for two or three days before I found it. The door was pushed to, but not sealed. Everything was still frozen, but all frosted up. So today I defrosted that, cleaned it up and organized all the food. Well, that led to having to use some of the older stuff, so made a turkey noodle casserole, a blackberry pie, and 7 loaves of banana bread. I thought the batch would make 6 loaves, but got 7 out of the big bowl of batter.
That big crockery bowl was Joe's mother's and I used it all those years at the lodge and here at the ranch ever since. Couldn't stand to put those bananas back in the freezer, so the finished loaves will go in there instead and be handy to take out every so often. They are in the oven now and hopefully they will turn out o.k. as I skimped down on the oil and sugar to make them more healthy. It was either throw out the frozen leftover bananas or make something out of them. Betty opted for throwing out the bananas. She has been known to take home House on Muddy banana bread however.
I hate to waste food, but this time it was necessary to throw some of the old stuff out. Thought I could make chicken soup out of some August '06 thighs, but they went bye bye. We aren't eating much anymore, and I've been throwing out more food than I would like to lately. It will be necessary to have some self discipline and not to over buy stuff at the store, even if it IS on a really good bargain. This all seems to show some progress with my cleaning and purging. My pantry shelves are looking better too - no longer so crammed full and cluttery to where I don't even know what's in there. It's a good thing.
Masters of the American West show at the Autry National Heritage Center in L.A. - One of the best western shows in the country. I love the way this website works and the art is beautiful. Wait to look until you have time or come back several times to see it all, there is so much..
