Bits and Pieces of My Life, February 2021

Turkey Tracks: February 28, 2021

Bits and Pieces of My Life, February 2021

AC has been telling me repeatedly that there are chipmunks under the front deck.

If you look where the deck meets the side of the house, you can see a cache of eaten seed husks. The feeders are on the upper deck and do create a big mess. But I can’t quite let go of feeding my resident birds. Likely I’ll have to trap and rehome the chipmunk population this spring and summer. And, the little destructive red squirrels too.

This lunch made me feel like spring is coming faster now: a mozzarella, herbed omelet, cottage cheese, and a lovely salad with the snow peas just showing up in our markets and sweetened with cubed apple. (I flipped over my omelet getting it out of the pan, so part tore off just a bit.)

I have totally fallen in love with Ghee (butter melted gently until the milk solids can be removed). Ghee does not need refrigeration unless you somehow get some water into it or you contaminate it with food on a spoon. It isn’t as stable in a hot pan as beef tallow, but it will take a fair amount of heat. And it distributes the most heavenly buttery taste throughout whatever you are pan sautéing. I really like using it to saute chopped veggies. Delicious!

This Tuesday morning I will (God willing and the creek don’t rise) have cataract surgery on my right eye—to which I’m really looking forward. The vision now in my left eye is just awesome. It will be terrific to have both eyes working together again. I’m thinking I’m only going to need reading glasses once everything settles down post-surgery.

For us here in mid-coast Maine, it is warm this Sunday morning: 38 degrees on the north side of the house. AC has been out for a two morning runs around the property now: pre and post breakfast. He comes to the window where I am writing this post and drinking coffee to tell me he is ready to come inside. I go to the kitchen door, and he runs around the house to meet me at the door. It’s wonderful how dogs and humans create a language where they both understand what the other is saying.

Daylight is filling our days now, some warmer temps are flirting with us, and both AC and I feel a renewal of energy after our winter resting time.

The seasonal wheel is turning, as it always does.