Tag Archives: foodie

Standing O for our little blueberry bush

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Standing O for our little blueberry bush from whom I have harvested two quarts of organic blueberries in just the past couple of days. Now, I am enjoying part of that bounty with some greek yogurt and toasted walnuts, which makes for a tasty breakfast. We have never fertilized that little bush, nor have we ever sprayed her with anything. Each year, we just thank her for the wonderful berries, keep her watered, and leave her alone to do her duty – and, she does, to a tremendous degree.

Being grateful and enjoying something delicious is a nice way to start the day. Enjoy. JS

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A big bag of beef bones

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Every few weeks, I trundle out to the highway toward Diamond Lake and buy a big bag of beef bones – they will cut them up for me (down to less than Brontosaurus size). I bring the bones home, throw them into a big pan, sprinkle with granulated garlic and a little black pepper, then roast them for an hour or so. These are special treats for Toby, especially if we are going somewhere and he’s going to be here alone for several hours. I want him to be occupied and happy.

Well. Last night, ALL the dogs got a special bone as a Christmas treat.

One of Sam’s giant dogs, Monroe, nailed Toby on Christmas Eve, so he was pretty traumatized and we decided just to keep them separated. I think it began as play, but escalated quickly and she grabbed him by the neck and pinned him. Of course, he screamed and screamed. We gave him some Medi-Cam and have been watching him. I think he is fine, just sore. And, the thing about Monroe is that she’s so lovable and so forgivable that I couldn’t give everybody a special Christmas treat bone and leave her out; besides, I don’t think it’s occurred to her that what she did was a bad thing.

Anyway, so that’s where we are with the animals today. Toby is eating and drinking and did fine on his walk yesterday, so our battered little soldier will live to fight another day. Sure shook him up, though, as it did us. Don’t want to take a chance on it happening again. And, now I have to go buy some more bones. JS

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Prime rib roasting on Christmas, 2015

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Prime rib is roasting now. Potatoes are loaded up for the 2nd baking of them later on. Sam is asleep. His giant dogs are outside. Stef is playing with her new Nikon. And I am feeling a need for a nap, although I doubt it will happen.

Christmas morning was loaded with wonderful gifts and laughter. We all are missing Stef’s Mum who so loved Christmas and would squeal with glee over each gift, like a young girl. “Holy Crow!” she would exclaim, delighted to have been thought of, and overwhelmed when the gift was EXACTLY what she needed, or had been hinting about for months. To have been such a tiny little old lady, hers was a huge presence. We miss her. I know she was with us, though. JS

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WHAT’S ELDON UP TO?

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A couple of people on my FB feed are now wondering, WHAT’S ELDON UP TO?

Well, he and Joanie were gone the other day so Eldon could play golf with their grandson, something he enjoys IMMENSELY.

Yesterday, he came over and brought us a late lunch, some pasta thing Joanie had made, which was so filling we didn’t have to bother with dinner.

He’s such a dear man. It’s always good to see him. JS

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Goodness in my life all afternoon

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Goodness in my life all afternoon. Stef came home and made me some lunch, then Bob Jarrett came over to figure out what was wrong with my laptop. We spent the afternoon yapping about music, performers, families, communities and other things important to us all. As we were talking, Eldon arrived with some pieces of cake Joanie had made to share, kissing me on the forehead before he headed out.

With the computer fixed, Bob rearranged me on the sofa with all my ice machines and various accoutrements for healing, then headed home. Stef has one more night to work until 8pm so they can have Wed. off, and she won’t be home until later, so I’m sitting here typing, watching Toby watch for Stef out the front window. All of us who love her watch for her with this same dedication, knowing our lives are always better when Stef shows up. JS

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I power-washed the back fence today (2)

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I power-washed the other half of the back fence today. Dear God, somebody shoot me now. I don’t think I can raise my arms ever again.

To accomplish this task, Stef and I had to move about half a cord of firewood plus about 8,000 boards of various lengths Stef Neyhart somehow can’t bear to part with, some we have had so long they are now petrified, which means they are now heavy as rocks. Every few years, we actually have a need for a board and she races to that pile and, after several hours of figuring, pulling, un-piling and then re-piling, she comes up with the perfect board to use for some project, waving it in the air and cheering like she’s headed home from the hunt. To her, this proves that a big pile of rotting boards is a good thing to have and to keep forever. And, so, we do.

Power-washing is one of the most satisfying and filthy things I think I ever do. Years of grime and dirt fly off those boards or off that concrete and plaster me with so much ook I’m fairly certain I’ll never again be clean. I love the look of things, though, once I’ve knocked all the dirt and moss off of them, and I feel pretty much the same way about myself when I get out of the shower and realize I DID get clean, after all. It feels like a miracle.

We were both just about to run out of steam, so we threw together a quick, but delightful dinner – grilled chicken breasts which had been marinating in olive oil, fresh rosemary from our garden and some sliced garlic. Grilled asparagus and a salad completed our meal which made it all so lovely to see but, really, it’s so darned healthy, I hope it doesn’t make us sick. Guess we’ll have to have some ice cream later just to make sure.

Our beautiful granddaughter, Ruthie, will be arriving on Sunday, so we are excited about that. She’s amazingly talented in so many areas it’s hard to keep up with them all – singing, gymnastics and dance are the big ones, I think. Nana (Stef) is going to teach her to kayak – what fun.

Well, that’s all the news fit to print from this end of the country. I would wave to you, if I could lift my arms. Since I can’t, I’ll blow all of you a kiss. JS

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Meryl Streep’s birthday, 2015

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Today is Meryl Streep’s birthday. I love her. I want her to come over to our house for dinner. I would make chicken enchiladas with cilantro/sour cream sauce, black beans, and grilled pineapple slices with honey Greek yogurt for dessert. She would swoon over this delightful meal and then we would all go for a long walk down by the river. We would take lots of pictures and tell her all about salmon fishing on the Umpqua River in September. She would promise to come back in Sept. and go with us on our next trip. It is a perfect evening of laughter and connection and fun. Then she would send us a thank you note every couple of weeks for a year and become our new best friend. She and her family would begin coming to southern Oregon to “…get away from it all…” which, let’s face it, is perfect, because you can’t get much further away- from-it-all than we are without falling into the Pacific Ocean.

Anyway, that’s my fantasy for today. So, Happy Birthday, Meryl. Dinner’s at 7. JS

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Getting the garden going

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Just planted a whole broken wheel barrow full of purple and white petunias, which is going to be so lovely in a few weeks. Also, our strawberries are back, bless their little hearts. Despite the fact that I rip them out of there every year so their vines don’t grow out into the yard or under the fence and trip someone, they still return each year to do their duty, which is to supply us with enough luscious strawberries each year to make me happy. I love going out early in the morning and plucking strawberries and blueberries to include in breakfast, although I rarely make it back to the kitchen with a full bowl of them. Must be the birds…yeah, that’s it. JS

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Stormy in Tulsa

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Rainy, stormy night here in Tulsa. Bad storms and tornadoes are around somewhere, although not here, not right now.

I did 6 rolfing sessions today, ate some delicious soup and salad for dinner, ran a couple of errands and beat it back to Kay & Stephen’s before the big rains hit. Now, I am pooped.

Stay safe and warm, everyone. Hard to believe it’s almost the end of May and I’m sitting here in a fleece jacket in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Don’t think climate change is upon us, Sen. Inhofe? You might want to re-think that one. JS

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