SkyWatching Critters

Most of my critter friends enjoy a little Skywatching! :-)

Dogs...

Josie

Willow

Tessa

Deer...

Punky

Bucky

Chipmunks...

(identity protected by the Witness Protection Program:

Birdfeeder Theft Division)

And husbands...

:-)

Please...

And enjoy skywatching with some critter friends of your own!

ABC Wednesday: Critters

Happy February, the month of Cupid and candy hearts. Seems a perfect chance to use this week's ABC Wednesday to celebrate a sweet subject close to my heart: critters!

A huge fenced section of Kendrick Park (the park across the creek from our rented cottage) is home to a few bison and elk. While they sometimes choose to congregate close to the park's swimming pool, I most love to climb the big hill to see them in their favorite pasture near the Kendrick Mansion, where the Big Horn Mountains provide a majestic backdrop befitting such majestic creatures...

Bull elk

American bison

Even closer to home, this cutie-pie squirrel in our backyard captured my attention while I was photographing the waxwings and robins for last week's post. The squirrels are certainly cooperative photo subjects who clearly relish the attention!

And especially near and dear to my heart is my charming, captivating, comical and cherished chum Punky. These are the last photos I took of her before we closed on our house in the mountains last October and moved to town. We delighted in her calming and congenial company, and sure do miss her!

I think I could turn and live with animals,

they are so placid and self-contain'd,

I stand and look at them long and long...

~ Walt Whitman

Carpe diem and go C more Cs at...

An update, plus snow, sunrises & a special bunny

Boy, it sure didn't take long for my blogging muscles to atrophy! It's "only" been about three weeks since my last post, but it feels like years and I'm staggering around Blogger trying to remember where the light switches are. Mercy.

Anyway, I don't have enough time to write much but did want to send a quick status report from the trenches. Finally finished the spring cleaning (yay!) and got everything (I think) ready for the big yard sale (June 17 and 18 at Robyn's house, should you happen to be in the neighborhood!), and finally got everything - and I do mean everything - sorted, culled and organized. Well, except for the garage, which I've declared to be BW's territory, and he's got it more than halfway done. And almost all of our indoor repairs and maintenance are done, just a couple more small(ish) things left. But our homeowner labors continue unabated because we still have several outdoor projects to do, if only the weather would cooperate. Which it decidedly, stubbornly won't. We've only had about one nice day in the past two weeks. The rest of the time it's been very windy, raining and/or snowing. We've had a lot of snowfall during the past couple of weeks, including almost non-stop for the last 48+ hours. Here's what it looked like yesterday morning...

BW had shoveled more than 6" off the deck the day before,

or that snow on the railing would have been a lot deeper!

Of course everybody's favorite deer, Punky (and by this evening, the rest of the gang) put in a patio appearance, and I don't think she was too impressed with the weather either...

You probably know by now that I like winter and usually don't complain about snow. But by late April, even I'm tired of it. Our poor jonquils, tulips and grape hyacinths are coming up and our sumacs are trying to leaf out, but they keep getting clobbered. Down in town, which is always about 2-3 weeks ahead of us when it comes to spring weather (no snow down there!) the daffodils are all a-bloom. And this spring snow is wet and heavy, melts quickly (it's supposed to be sunny and 52º today, followed by two more days of rain), so it's just a muddy mess. While I wouldn't trade snow, rain and mud for tornadoes in a bazillion years, this weather is causing us delays and extra work.

I care more about that this year than I usually do because a big reason we've been working so hard for the past three months getting all these cleaning/organizing/culling/maintaining/repair projects done is that we're putting our house on the market and hope to have it listed by next week. We've lived here 19 years and have enjoyed and appreciated this beautiful setting, wonderful wild critter friends, and breathtaking views. But this house and property (10 fenced acres with two outbuildings) are just much too big for us and remodeling, cleaning, fixing and maintaining them has taken most of our time and energy (and money!), plus BW's commute adds an hour to his already-long workdays. So we've been ready and wanting to downsize and enjoy more leisure and together time, conveniences, hobbies and travel for a while now. Most likely we'll buy or rent a smaller house in town where BW can finish out his last 4 years + 47 days (but who's counting? lol) at UPS before retiring, at which point we'll definitely be moving on. But we have a couple of other possible options and plans in mind... we'll just have to wait and see how the sale of our house goes. It's with somewhat mixed feelings that we're doing this but know it's the right thing for us to do now, after talking about it for the past few years. Wish us luck!

We sold the only other house we've ever owned together (and that I'd ever owned) 22 years ago and without a realtor. So all the stuff that's required these days and when working with a realtor is new to me. The paperwork (contract, property disclosure forms and documentation), the visits (market analysis, photography, videography and measuring sessions, and MLS open house for realtors), and all the decisions to make (too numerous to list!) require a lot of time and effort, and that's before we even show the house to a single prospective buyer! I'll be a slave to this place while it's on the market, keeping everything spic-n-span, mowed and trimmed (no sooner will the snow have melted than I'll be mowing!) and in top showing form, just in case. Oh, help.

Anyway, that's most of what has been, is and will be going on with me these days! Now and then I've been able to take some photos, so here are a few. Been having a lot of fog again; the two foggy sunrise photos below were taken from our deck two days apart late last month...

I truly don't know when I'll get a chance to post again, and I definitely won't have time to do an Earth Day post on Friday or an Easter post on Sunday so I'll take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Earth Day (every day!)...

...and, with along with my sweet bunny friend, a very Happy Easter!

This is the first time we've ever seen a cottontail this color! I tried to take a photo of this bunny playing with two of our typical dark gray cottontails so you could see the big contrast in their coloring, but they were playing such a rowdy game of grab-ass I couldn't get a photo before the gray bunnies had sped off! So I just got this one of the white bunny sitting alone in our driveway, apparently savoring victory in the grab-ass game. :-) S/he's really camouflaged against the ground right now, but will sure stand out against the green grass (assuming spring and green grass ever show up around here!)

I hope you're all doing well and I really miss you, our "comment chats" and/or emails, and having time to visit your blogs! Someday I'll get my life back, knock the rust off my blogging skills (such as they are), and do my best to make up for lost time! :-)

More crazy weather = more yummy soup

Ack, really? It's been a week since my last post? Dang.

We've been experiencing "two seasons in two days" craziness again, this time going from sunny and upper 50's for much of last week through Friday, to awakening Saturday to a winter storm warning, snow and temps near minus 20º again, which lasted all weekend. It's not the snow and cold I mind so much, it's the volatile weather swings. They hurt my head.

It was -10ºF when I took these photos of Punky and friends on the patio yesterday. They seem to take this roller coaster weather in stride, of course, but it's fun to pretend they're sharing my barometric burn-out...

Punky says, "Pppffffffttt! to this snow and cold!"

Baby PJ says, "Aaaauuuggghhhh! Lemme in!

I'm freezing my little fawn fanny out here!"

Wish I could, PJ! You could share our warm fire and some of our nice, hot soup! :-) Because when the weather's this frightful we turn to Nava Atlas for comfort...

The last time we had bone-chilling weather like this, at the end of January, you may recall that we'd made her delicious Tomato, Lentil and Barley Soup from this cookbook. And on my post about it I shared a link to another of Nava's recipes that we were planning to try next, Four-Grain Tomato Soup, which she'd adapted from a recipe of the same name in this cookbook and posted on her web site. And make it we did, though we made the version from the cookbook. If you want to try this soup (and I highly recommend it), you can choose from both versions as well because Nava generously gave me permission to share the cookbook version. (It will probably entice you into buying the cookbook, which I also highly recommend!)

Of the two delicious tomato-based, grain and veggie-filled soups we've made so far (both of which we both loved), the Tomato, Lentil & Barley is my favorite and this one is BW's. Packed with healthy goodies, they're both gorgeous...

Four-Grain Tomato Soup

And its aroma while it simmered was gorgeous too! YUM. But don't take my word for it... here's Nava's recipe. (Click on the title for her online version). My notes are in parenthetic italics...

Four-Grain Tomato Soup
"A sublime medley of whole grains and vegetables in a tomato base"

from Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons by Nava Atlas, © 2009, shared with the author's kind permission

Serves: 8 or more

• 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sautéing - we use water)

• 2 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced

• 2 large celery stalks, finely diced

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced

• 2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and diced, or 2 large turnips, peeled and diced (we used organic red potatoes)

• One 28-ounce can salt-free pureed or crushed tomatoes (I couldn't find salt-free, so used the lowest-sodium crushed tomatoes available)

• ¼ cup raw brown rice, any variety (we used organic brown basmati*)

• ¼ cup raw wild rice

• ¼ cup raw millet or quinoa, rinsed (we used millet)

• ¼ cup raw pearl barley, rinsed (we use this)

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning blend such as Spike or Mrs. Dash (we used Mountain Rose Herbs organic All Purpose Seasoning)

• 6 cups water

• ¼ cup chopped fresh dill (we used one package, which was probably 2-2½ TBSP)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (we added 1 tsp of salt to the pot)

Heat the oil (or water) in a (non-stick) soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until translucent.

Add all the remaining ingredients except the dill, salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid simmer, lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

If the soup is too thick, adjust with additional water and return to a gentle simmer. Add the dill and season with salt and pepper. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes longer, or until the grains and vegetables are tender. Discard the bay leaves.

If time allows, let the soup stand off the heat for an hour or two before serving, then heat through as needed. (We did this, though it was torture!) :-) This soup thickens quite a bit as it stands. Add water as needed and adjust the seasonings. (We like it thick, so we added no additional water at any point).

*Nava has a note with this recipe that says, "If you use brown basmati rice, the soup will be wonderfully aromatic as it is cooked and served."

Boy, I'll say! The brown basmati was wonderful in this.

In other news... BW is on vacation this week and we have an awful lot going on - projects (of course!), contractors (we hope!), lots of errands, plus a dental procedure for poor BW (ow!) and another bladder surgery for poor Josie (double ow!), who in spite of our every effort to find the cause and put an end to years of recurring UTIs has yet another bladder infection as well as another bladder mass. :-( Her surgery is tomorrow and she should be coming home on Wednesday. I'll try to post an update on her later this week. Meanwhile, once the contractors have finished (next week, rumor has it) I must reassemble and then spring clean my chaotic house. So count on my being a rotten blogger and worse emailer for a while - too many distractions! But believe me...

Dogs & Deer in our Peaceable Kingdom :-)

Our various dogs and resident deer have always enjoyed a harmonious relationship. We've sometimes jokingly called our place "Almosta Ranch," but I think I'll change that to "Ahimsa Ranch!" :-)

Here are some very recent photos of Punky and the girls on the patio. Punky hangs out there frequently because she knows it provides a good chance to cajole treats out of me, and the girls go out there in the winter and bad weather to go potty. And so worlds you'd think would collide merely mingle merrily instead, because that's just how it's done here at Ahimsa Ranch! ;-) ...

It was very cold out, so Tess and Josie wanted in NOW!

Punky seems to be studying their technique for getting inside.

Another very cold morning. Willow also wanted in NOW! But I asked her to wait just a second so I could take this picture. She's such an agreeable girl, she obliged me - just not very happily!...

I love her "I can't believe you're making me do this" look,

and Punky's friend peeking in from the far left of the photo!

This peaceful co-existence has gone on for years. The following pictures are of Jane Doe, the incomparable matriarch of the white-tail clan who share this place with us. We last saw Jane in Feb '08, and while we think and hope she may have just relocated after the wildfire that destroyed their prime habitat behind our house the previous August (especially since several members of her family disappeared at about the same time), we miss her presence greatly every day. She was especially special.

Here Jane and Willow engage in a friendly competition for alfalfa cookies, while Jane's young son Peanut looks on (don't worry, he got some cookies too!)...

Nom, nom, nom - everybody loves alfalfa cookies! :-)

No, your eyes do not deceive you... that's Jane in the dog run with two members of our former pack o'dogs (now abiding at the Rainbow Bridge*), Tater (L) and Pris (R)...

Pris & Tater's ho-hum nonchalance ~ just too cool for school.

Jane usually followed us around while we did our morning and evening chores, and on this particular morning BW had left the dog run gate open for a few minutes while he went to get something, and in waltzed "herself." I happened to step out onto the deck to ask BW something and saw Jane there instead, so I grabbed my camera. I needn't have hurried ~ she made a habit of it after that, often following us through the gate. (She'd follow us into the garage sometimes too, but usually just a few feet. Garages are scary!) BW used to joke that one day he just knew he'd come home from work to find Jane reclining on our sofa, eating bon-bons and reading trash novels! It wouldn't have surprised me. Though I think Jane would have been reading something classier and more sophisticated. :-)

And here are Jane and Willow, starring in a home movie. I made this video for my friend Annie in France (which is why you'll hear me addressing her in it) because she loved the photos of Jane I'd been sending her and told me she'd never seen a deer in person...

All of us at Ahimsa Ranch wish all of you a gentle day among sweet friends! (And plenty of yummy vegan cookies to share, too!). :-)

*P.S. Even if you already know about the poem "The Rainbow Bridge," I encourage you to check out the link I provided. It takes you to a very touching production of the poem. (Though I dislike the use of the word "pet" and its implied ownership of a fellow being, I do love this poem!)

And Molly - I'm almost certain I saw Bruno! :-)

Chilly out = chili in!

Ooooh baby, it's cold outside! (As both our thermometer and Punky can attest!) 

And it's supposed to get even colder, with a high of 4ºF tomorrow and 2ºF on Tuesday (with lows well below zero). It's been snowing a lot too!

I say weather like this demands

chili!

(and bread!)

This healthy and delicious heart/soul/body-warming recipe comes together quickly and easily with canned beans and tomatoes. Of course, you can use homemade cooked beans and/or tomatoes too, if you've got them.

This chili is mild to moderately spicy. You can make it hotter by adding some or all of the poblano seeds, using a hotter variety of pepper, or adding hot sauce, cayenne, or more chili powder.

Southwest Four-Bean Chili

(Based on a recipe in The McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook by Mary McDougall and John McDougall, M.D.)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup water

1 onion, chopped

3 stalks organic celery, chopped

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can white beans (navy or cannellini), drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 14.5-ounce cans organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes (or Mexican-style stewed tomatoes)

1/2 - 1 can black olives, drained and sliced (optional)

1 cup organic frozen corn kernels

1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (leave seeds in if you want more heat)

1 1/2 TBSP freshly squeezed lime juice

3 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon sugar (evaporated cane juice) (optional)

fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

1 avocado, sliced or diced (optional)

Vegan Sour Cream (optional: recipe follows)

Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium heat until warm enough that water drops sprinkled in it sizzle. Add the water, onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients except the cilantro, avocado and sour cream. Cover and cook over low-medium heat for 20-30 minutes (it should bubble gently but not boil), stirring occasionally.

Garnish servings with vegan sour cream, fresh cilantro and/or avocado slices or chunks, if desired. Salt individual portions to taste, if desired.

Notes: The original recipe calls for the Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, but I've always just used fire-roasted. The optional addition of a little sugar to this helps bring out the flavor of the spices. I add black olives now and then, but I always add a dollop of homemade vegan sour cream to our servings, and the avocado and cilantro too, if I've got it. They're optional, but I highly recommend them!

Vegan Sour Cream:

1 14-ounce package firm tofu, pressed and drained

2-3 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar (evaporated cane juice)

1 teaspoon sea salt

Process all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate in a covered container.

Of course, chili is great served with fresh-baked bread! Here is a recipe BW came up with for a delicious, basic, homemade boule...

BW's Basic Boule Bread

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups very warm water

1 TBSP sugar (evaporated cane juice)

2 TBSP unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1 TBSP dry baking yeast

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups bread flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1/2 TBSP coarse Celtic sea salt

Directions:

Put water in a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir till dissolved. Add the yeast and let the mixture sit to allow the yeast to dissolve and become active (about 5 minutes). Then add the salt and applesauce. Next, stir in enough flour to make the dough thick, with a mud-like consistency. Then add the oats and gradually add the flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is fairly stiff. Knead in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and let rise until it doubles in size (about 45 minutes to 1 hour). Punch down.

Turn out on a pizza peel dusted with organic corn meal. Shape into a boule and make 4-5 slices in the top of the dough about 1/2" deep. Let rise about 30 minutes. Brush with No-Oil Oil, sprinkle top with the coarse salt, and bake about 30 minutes at 450º. Check loaf by tapping with a wooden spoon handle. If it sounds hollow, it's done.

Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before slicing.

Notes: These measurements work well at our altitude (5500'). Your mileage may vary! :-)

Here are two of BW's delicious variations on the basic recipe:

Herb Variation:

1 1/2 TBSP rosemary, coarsely ground (with a mortar & pestle)

1/2 TBSP thyme leaves

Add herbs and work through dough AFTER punch down step above.

Kalamata Olive Variation:

3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced

1 TBSP dried basil

Add olives and basil and work through dough AFTER punch down step above.