How could I forget!?!

Gaby almost got skunked last night.

Actually, she did get skunked, but it was a minor skunking. I let her out at oh-hell-thirty, then went back to bed because I was too tired to stand. Heard a single woof a few minutes later, which was my command to open the door. I noticed a bit of an odor as Gaby walked in, but it was more a burnt/overcooked coffee odor then nose-numbing skunk. Then I saw her rub her nose on all the rugs as she trotted from the living room to the kitchen/dining room and back again. She kept that up for a minute or so, then returned to my room to settle into her bed. The smell grew a little stronger in the confines of the smaller space, but I had the windows open and it dissipated quickly. This was definitely either a distance shot or a near miss.

I’m glad we avoided something worse. That just would have been the frosting on the cake of the day.

Mirrored from Kristine Smith.

My tweets

• Thu, 21:18: A day http://j.mp/pxGF34
• Thu, 21:46: RT @Quotes4Writers: "Don't annoy the writer. They may put you in a book and kill you." Anonymous
• Thu, 21:46: RT @AngieIs: @cmpriest please retweet? Are you missing a kitten? Found in Moscow Idaho and presently living in my bathroom. http://t.co ...
• Fri, 00:57: How could I forget!?! http://j.mp/n7YquO

Siberians

Not the people or the dogs. The tomatoes.

Finally, some big tomatoes. Last year, I harvested the first biggie, a Black Crim, on August 3rd. This year, we’re 3-4 weeks behind because of the cold spring; the Siberians come in a couple of weeks earlier than other varieties, so it may be another week or two until I can take any others. The frankenfruitiest Aunt Ginny is starting to turn, though, as are both the deck pot and raised bed Mountain Fresh. The Tommy Toe cherry is loaded.

Anyway, without further ado:

Yeah, they’re small. It’s the way they are. The greenie was on the same stalk/branch/shoot as 4 ripe tomatoes. Not sure what its problem is, but I will stick it in a paper bag and see if it ripens. The goldie was an accident. Cut the wrong branch. It will go in the bag with the greenie.

Not sure what to do with them. Not enough for sauce. I still have mesclun, so there’s salad. But I saw Ina Garten make goat cheese tarts last week, and seeing as I’m in the mood for something different, I may go with that.

Had some of the leftover roasted veggie soup this evening. It was good last night, but I thought it could have used some dressing up. So tonight I sliced up a chicken-apple sausage and browned it in a little olive oil, then added the soup to warm. Then, to go with the sausage and the curry powder that I had added last night, I topped it with a spoonful of last fall’s crabapple chutney. Much better. It needed that little bit of sweet. Had it with buttered sourdough and a bottle of Gray’s Oatmeal Stout.

Outside now. Lakeside coolness. Buttermilk sky overhead, a whole layer of choppy cloud turning pale peach as the sun sets.

Mirrored from Kristine Smith.

Affogato

Italian for “I forgot to buy dessert.”

No. It means “drowned.” Very simple. Hot espresso or coffee poured over vanilla ice cream/gelato. Some folks add a shot of liqueur, or sprinkle chocolate-covered coffee beans over the top. I didn’t have those, so I substituted chocolate chips.

Very good.

Mirrored from Kristine Smith.