Gatto Day

We got about 7 inches of snow. It did pretty the landscape. One of the benefits of snow is it covers up the deferred outside maintenance.

This troublemaker has been with us for three years. It was the end of December 2022, an evening with -25 F/-32 C temps. 

He was mewing pitifully and shivering. I brought him in and wrapped him up till he was warm and wanted down. He wasn't one bit concerned about the German Shepherd and fortunately she was used to cats. The two of them formed a tight bond.

                     

He has always held a high opinion of himself.

A Day of Rest

On the incase anyone is under the delusion that I am a tidy cook, let me remove any such thoughts. I put the lasagna together on Friday. I made focaccia and a blueberry clafoutis. As well as a right big mess. I don't know how I manage in such chaos, when chaos in general drives me up a wall. It is one of life's mysteries.

To my immense credit, I got the horror squared away and my son, the now former chef, is able to live in the fantasy of his mother being tidy in all things.

Howard B. Hound gives his full-throated approval.

Dear Mark was taken off the naughty list when he brought in wood for the tri-annual lighting of the bat cave. This year it will be a bi-annual lighting.

We had a good day with son and daughter-in-law. They both really liked the vegetable lasagna and the clafoutis. So, I would say it was a success. I was exhausted and asleep by 8:00PM and did not wake until 8:00AM. Wow. Part of the exhaustion is related to my limited exposure to peopling. Take an introvert, place her in the country and watch as she slowly becomes a hermit and you have....me!

This is what this morning looks like. It's very pretty.

 

It's Me

Hello, my pals. I hope you all had a pleasant day whether you celebrate Christmas or simply celebrated life. Our day was peaceful. I spent most of my time in the kitchen, which, when I think of it, is where I spend my time most days. It is my domain.

We had a mist all day and then some rain overnight. This is not wanted, but the weather ignores me when I complain. Still complain. I didn't get to light a fire in the bat cave, which some would call a large fireplace, because the wood is outside (Mark didn't do his job) and got wet. Tomorrow. 

Speaking of tomorrow......Matthew and his wife are coming for lunch. I have food prep work to do today so I don't have to think about it tomorrow. The trials. The tribulations.

So now I will fill the screen with our Christmas dinner starting with a flourless cake.

The order is reversed as the osso buco was dinner, not the cake. I didn't have parsley so I made the gremolata with celery leaves and basil. I liked it better than the traditional. A simple pilaf and broccoli and we had dinner. I do love braised food.

To break up the monotony of food, a photo of the boys. With food.

 I plan to check in with you all later today. I'm off to make focaccia.

Merry Christmas

One and All

Vroom Vroom

A quick note to say I'm going offline for a few days. I got a little energy back and plan to make the best use of it. Which, much as I wish it were, sitting at my desk playing at the computer half the day is not the best use. I'm going to give my friend, Lori, credit where it's due. We speak occasionally and yesterday we did. She made me feel so much better. Oh, I went to Costco this morning. It's the first time I have been there since February 2020. I've ordered online when I need something. I'm going to make it a scheduled trip every six weeks. I even walked out of there under $300!

A little smile. Frieda has a plastic obsession. Not chewing but licking and laying on it. Don't judge her too much, she is a tortie after all.

Ho-Hum

It's cold. It's windy. It's dreary. No, not my heart, although.....outside. I've spent these cold days in the kitchen, which, honestly, is where I spend my days in general. I made Denise's (the English Girl) soda bread. It is a favorite for me and it's very good.

I made soup, which yielded three lunches.

Then last evening I made fish for dinner. I guess fish is the focus here as the rest is out of focus.

I am not feeling holly-jolly. I'm grateful there is no need for me to pretend. It will be Mark and yours truly for the holly-jolly day. I plan to have osso buco. Perhaps Julia Child's Gateau au Chocolate. Might as well mix cultures, besides the Italians taught the French to cook. Before you yell at me, look it up. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Matthew and his wife will come for lunch on Saturday. She was advised by her doctor to end her vegan diet due to some health issues, so she is once again vegetarian and much easier to cook for. We will have a vegetable lasagna with a white sauce, an Italian salad and, I think, a blueberry clafoutis. Mixing food culture once again.

Forget Caturday. It's Gattoday.

Sorrow

 

I hope you can see this if you are not on Instagram/Threads. I've felt like this for days, ever since I heard those comments. I wanted to cry.

https://www.threads.com/@lady_star_gem/post/DSWVnjUEQXU?xmt=AQF05YtUM8icsBoZdgxAhT152kjp-ijhKVF4ePE-HQCHnhUIYJyBVoRscSlRJyskRKhWBZ8&slof=1

Baking and Eating

I will just say, baby it's been cold outside. 

Mark just now went to put the horses out. There will be some rodeo moves by some known culprits. Too bad geriatric me doesn't have the moves of geriatric them. I did bake zucchini/carrot bread. I could get used to these cake breads. Sweet never tasted so good.

I had a long conversation with my recently reconnected old friend. She brought up how long we've known one another. There was a large gap, but we met and became fast friends in 1976. A move on her part, then a move on mine, along with time, got in the way. It happens often. I figured why not say hi last year, so I did. It's like no time passed. How weird. How nice.

I did make lasagna for last evenings dinner. Mark said it was the best lasagna he's ever had. I think the prompt was a full pound of Italian sausage in a small lasagna. He was in food heaven. I didn't make enough béchamel so it was light on that. Which meant nothing to him. I told him there is enough for two more dinners. I thought he would actually float on air. 

 

Cats Day

What the cats did yesterday.

The Black

Tabby

Gatto

Jigs

Frieda

Of course, it's the same as any other day.

It's currently -3 F/-19 C. With the wind factored in it feels like 

-23 F/-31 C. Because of the wind factor the equines will stay tucked into the barn. I will stay tucked into the house and dear Mark will venture forth with hay. 

I plan to make a lasagna for tonight's dinner. It is comfort food weather, after all. Osso buco is on the menu in the coming week. I love it but haven't thought to make it for awhile now. I use beef or pork shank instead of veal. I brought shredded zucchini and carrot up from the freezer which I plan to turn into zucchini bread. The carrot will add a little something. The cold is inspiring me.

This is as far as I have got with decorating. I'm not going to put up my fake tree this year. Instead I'll take the tree lights and string them around windows. I'm just not feeling it.

Cold With Snow

Good Morning

We've had a few snowy days, one which was a storm because of wind. Very happy to be able to stay safe and warm at home. I still haven't done one bit of decorating. I spoke to my longtime young friend yesterday who said she hasn't either and she's a decorating ninja. So.....it's not all about me.

I did manage to bake bread and sandwich rolls yesterday. We are now covered for a few days. I told Mark with the high cost of seemingly everything I may need to start cooking like his mother did. He gave me a look of horror. This is not criticizing her abilities. Mark grew up on a dairy farm in SW Minnesota in a family of ten children. His mother grew up on a farm in the same area in a family of fourteen children. She knew how to stretch the food supply. He was never hungry but let's just say one can of tuna was stretched to feed them all. We had completely different lives.

 

Just Stuff

Happy cold December morning. I told Mark we forgot it's winter, having had such a mild November. The two part time house cats are officially snuggling in for the winter. Their sister, Mona, still, after all these years, refuses to come inside. The tripod kitty and her three siblings were born to a stray older kitten in the barn Mother's Day 2015. Jigs became a full-time house kitty years ago after the injury which left her a tripod. She got her name because her coat pattern looked like a jigsaw puzzle. The two boys got names based on color and coat pattern. The Black and Tabby. I know, so original. After naming what seems millions of animals I just gave in and went for the obvious.

Today being Monday, the washing machine is doing its thing in the room next to my office. My one constant, Monday laundry. Fascinating, right? I stopped decorating for Christmas after I developed debilitating back pain. Last year I did decorate, more than I had when I was still doing it. I am thinking of doing at least some. It is only the two of us now but I like all the sparkles so why not do what I can, if I want to. I'll see if the spirit moves me.

 I used two leftovers for dinner. Pork chop and pearled emmer. 

Not Much

We are 31 degrees F warmer this morning than we were yesterday morning. Downright balmy! I finally got the wood pellet stove working yesterday. Gatto is quite pleased. It has not consistently worked since he has been in residence. It does a lot to warm the openness of the space. One thing that made a difference is the pellets. I've always used softwood because it burns hotter. The auger kept jamming after the initial fix, which can be a problem with softwood, I learned. My dear man went to Fleet Farm, not a quick drive, to buy one bag of hardwood pellets. I didn't want to buy a pallet and find it wasn't the problem. So far, it's not jamming.

I did get around to making rhubarb bread yesterday, although this recipe is more cake-like. Regardless, it's good. One for now, one for the freezer. 

brrrrr

Another snowscape from the farm. We're currently 10 F/-12.2 C, dropping to -10 F/ -23.4 C. Hello winter! I hope the ICE Agents zooming in on Minneapolis are all from the hot climate states. Please let it be so. 

I made turkey stock a few days ago and turned nearly all the rest of the turkey into soup with my stock. I have lunch for two more days. Yippee!! I don't like coming up with lunch everyday. Bah.

See how it is around here? We are here to serve, make no mistake. They get very cranky if they are moved from the chairs. We can eat on the floor. People say cats are easier than dogs. I beg to differ. My dogs stayed off the chairs and were grateful for every little thing they got from me. A pat on the head, a big wag of the tail and a doggy smile. Cats, well..... 

I think I may warm up the kitchen with a little baking. I have a LOT of rhubarb in the freezer so maybe some rhubarb bread. It's been like forever since I made popovers so we'll see if that happens, too.

It's beginning to look a Lot Like Winter

Zing enjoying the hay.

Saturday was an all day snowfall. We got about five inches of the fluff. It's so much prettier than the bleakness of November. So, now here we are, the last month of 2025. How can time move so quickly by? If I could place time in a bottle. Don't I wish.

Place Time in a Bottle 

It's Me Again

Good morning one and all. The hustle and bustle of the holiday is over and I am finally unstressed. How can someone with three people at the table become so stressed? My stress line has obviously lowered by a lot. Lori had asked for a photo of our Thanksgiving table and I remembered partway through to do so. The Thanksgiving plate is rather brown, at least at my table but, hey, it's potatoes, gravy, dressing and turkey. I have whittled it down to the basics over time.

We had a pleasant afternoon. Matthew talked about his new career, how much he has learned over his orientation period and how much more there is to learn. His co-workers are great and he feels like part of the team. We are proud of him for taking this big step at this age. It is a brave move. He was relaxed and seemed happy.

Of course, it wouldn't be Caturday without some cats and the Cat Man. He is a cat magnet. 

 

I cannot close without a weather report. It's been cold and today we are having snow, 2"-5" predicted. I may be plowing. It is pretty.

 I’m not going to be around for a few days, I’m actually busy!

See you all soon. Nothing is wrong, just got my mojo working. 

Tip-Toeing Toward Independence

I walked into the kitchen yesterday afternoon and saw the elusive  November sun casting a glow across the living room. The sun is so rarely seen during November it felt worthy of a photo. It was much more vibrant in person, but it does bring a little light to a day.

Another news flash; I drove into Waconia by myself. Again! This makes three, count them, three trips in the car by myself. I feel like a newly driving teenager. Well, more like an old lady trying to regain some independence, which may be close to the same thing. It was a grocery pick-up, so driving was the extent of the adventure. As an aside, my olive oil has gone up in price by $4 since a year ago. I have order records so I know this is not my imagining.

I have everything but the turkey for Thanksgiving. Mark will pick that up from the meat locker on Wednesday. There is a farm in southeastern Minnesota that raises free-range turkeys we have been buying for years. Now I need to muster my ambition. I don't know if Matthew will be here. With his new career he will very likely be working. He was able to find a job relatively quickly at a major hospital in Minneapolis. He is happy so far, which is wonderful. To switch careers at fifty-one is a courageous move. 

Now, a second to honor all cats on this Caturday.

 Happy day to one and all.

Home Is Where the Hearth Is

Now that we are finally having November weather I am into the hygge of the season. I have a friend in Denmark so the word carries meaning for me. This time of year the sunroom is renamed the snug, for good reason. My favorite room in the house.

In the meantime......

Frieda decided to emulate a Gustav Klimt painting. She is talented.

 

The Evaporation of Reality

I think that bridge in Brooklyn is still for sale.

 

Peaceful Day

Good day one and all. We have now returned to November weather. Mark has filled my woodbox, which makes me happy. The wood burns fast because it's softwood. We have a continuous supply of fallen trees so the wood is free, unless the effort put into cutting up trees is added in. 

With chilly weather comes my incessant photos of soup. Pasta from Italy is scheduled to be affected by tariffs, I believe, December 1st. All the pasta I use comes from Italy. I will need to fill the cupboards. I've already decided I'll make my own long pasta and ravioli, but not the short pasta. This is perhaps my favorite. Cavatoppi. It is a firm pasta which makes it very good for soups.

I have a few bags of apples from our ancient non-hybrid tree in the freezer that are more than two years old. They aren't freezer burned so I used a bag for an apple cake yesterday. A simple, pleasantly sweet joy, one I don't take for granted. That wonderful tree hasn't been producing apples for at least two years and this makes me sad.

As Monday is laundry day that's the big plan for today. Dora had posted about setting up a daily list, something I have done before and not followed through. My only planned day is Monday laundry. Not being busy makes it so easy to let things slide with the excuse that there is always time tomorrow. Tomorrows are seeming limited. I do know I must make bread today. We are down to the store variety. Oh, no!

Saturday

It's the middle of November. How is this possible? I had a realization this morning, even before my first cup of coffee, that Thanksgiving is almost here. Mark ordered a small turkey although a chicken would have satisfied me. He must have turkey. 

We are in a warm spell. Yesterday was a surprising 67F. On the exciting side of life, Mark got the manure spread on the pastures over the past two days. Another thing for him to write off his anxiety list. The horses all look good as we head into winter. My old gal, Babe, is a chipper 31 year old who still has her sassy jaw snapping trick. She couldn't be less aggressive but she sure likes to think she is.

A couple of putty tats for our viewing enjoyment.

Frieda blends into the chair, making her nearly invisible. The cats are enjoying the unusually warm and sunny weather on the screened porch. Nothing like napping in the sun. Or on a pillow on a chair.

Not our Thanksgiving turkey, but a nearly grown turklet following the herd. Well, flock. There are two mamas and many youngsters. They live in the woods north of the barn and spend much of the day roaming the yard in search of food. We also have three young deer living there. They are safe here. Private property, no hunting allowed.

We had a hodgepodge dinner last evening. Leftover Italian sausage, onion, garlic with a little wine and cream sauce mixed with a wild rice blend. Also some peppers and zucchini from Neighbor Bill. It was really good, better than it looks.

Our Culligan Man was here to change filters on the reverse osmosis system so we are protected for another year. Well water is no longer all that pure.

Goditi la giornata. Enjoy the day. I'm working on my Italiano, Cheerful!