I'm making pizza for lunch today. We have some tomato and chicken sauce in the 'fridge, left over from a previous meal. We'll root around in the pantry for some other toppings. I'm thinking canned artichoke hearts and mushrooms. Photos may or may not get taken.
In the "didja ever notice" catetgory: Did you ever notice that after a cold spell, while the outside air starts to feel warmer, the house acts like a refrigerator, seemingly sealing in the cool air?
That's the word of the day. Or week. Or month. Maussade. Gloomy, dull, and dreary.
On the bright side, I've decided to make a coq au vin some time in the coming week. Ken got us a chicken from the supermarket and we haven't had a good fricassée in a while. Something to look forward to!
It's wet outside. Very wet. Our house sits at the top of a high spot. The vineyards are planted to maximize drainage. The ravines that drain to the river below are running. Water still manages to collect. Nearly everywhere one tries to go, one is constantly splashed. One's feet sink into muddy ground. The cuffs of one's jeans are soaked. Leaf litter collects on one's shoes and boots. I, for one, am not happy.
However, I know things will dry up after a while. It's more or less the cycle that we're more or less used to. And I'll likely be back to complaining about the hot, buggy summer that we're pining for now. Spring is a toss up; it can go either way. It could go both ways. But, whichever way it goes, we'll surely complain about that, too.
We're not really full of them. There were only four, but they were large. And we ate them up with butter and Ken's home-made plum jam. We didn't make savory crêpes this year. Maybe next year.
As promised, it rained most of the night. Even more rain is on the way. Joy.
Today is Candlemas, one of the multitude of Christian holidays on the calendar. The tradition in France is to eat crêpes on this day. And so we shall.
I'll try to remember to take photos of how it goes. There's not much in the way of new photography on the blog right now, mostly because the weather makes taking photos a pain in the butt, what with all the gloves, hats, and other winter accoutrements one must deal with, not to mention the chilly temperatures. I'm hopeful that we'll get back on track as spring approaches.
Oh, in the USA it's Groundhog day. How do you cook those things?
Here are some things: Today is February 1. The moon is full. The Australian Open men's final (tennis) is today. It's a hunt day (the season closes at the end of February). There are 327 days until Christmas. And it's Tasha's birthday month! She'll be nine years old. Woof.
Snail shells. Probably store-bought for stuffing and serving. I don't know when, if ever, we used them. We've got snail dishes that obviate the need for shells. Another one of life's little mysteries.
It's just over six degrees this morning. Not really all that cold, but I feel cold. Like, wrap up in a blanket cold.
