Salsa, Rubber Boots, Thick Crust and Dog Tongues

Happy Spring everyone! I say that in a sarcastic tone because I know that much of the country's weather is currently sucking eggs. But really.... April is only a few days away so it has to end soon right? Get out your rain boots and get ready for a soggy (but warmer) month and look for flowers!

I have been sporting my almost twenty year old Christopher Robin style yellow boots around here. This place may end up being the one that finally wears them out. You can barely see me in this pic at Big River... but both me and the boots are there. So is Rudy in the foreground.






We have been pretty boring over the past few days. We are still cleaning and settling in here. Billy is trying to get caught up on his painting. Here is a recent finished piece...




We have been cooking like fiends. Lately it has been fresh salsa that we can't seem to get enough of. Sorry I don't have any pics, the evidence has all been devoured. We usually just chop up a bunch of cherry tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, raw garlic, a ton of fresh lime juice, sea salt and add a dash of sugar in case the tomatoes are not super sweet (which the usually aren't.) Sometimes we will throw in fresh mango and a jalapeno or roasted poblano. It is addictive. And it requires a cold beer to wash it all down. We have been drinking Red Tail Ale which is a local brew. We actually met one of the owners (Michael Laybourn) of the brewery at a recent plein air exhibit in the village and he was a really cool guy. Billy had a good time talking paint with him as he is an artist as well. Good brew dude!

I spent most of the day Sunday making a lemon tart to bring to a dinner party last night. While the tart looked stellar it fell short (in my opinion) in the taste department. I screwed up the crust. It is Deb's Unshrinkable Tart Crust recipe which usually comes out great for me but I did something screwy this time and it not only SHRUNK but it was weirdly undercooked and overcooked all at once, and it was thick as hell. The filling was a lemon sabayon from the Bouchon cookbook and it was really nice. So it was just the thick, blah crust that was to blame. People ate it... but I was not proud of the thing. Let's look at it. Here....




Don't you wish it has been better? Yeah, me too. Ahh, well. Next time!

The dinner party last night was at a new friend's house in Mendocino. We just had pizza and drank a bunch of wine and talked. It was nice. All the other camp hosts were there and man let me tell you the camp hosts are drinkin' some vino! We could not keep up! I am going to have to get serious about the corkage while we are here so near to wine country. I was slurring after two glasses. I am such a cheesy light weight. I am sorry that Jim and Penny and Joan and John are leaving within the next month. They are great neighbors and have been so cool to us since our arrival.

Right next door to us in a 1974 Airstream lives Denise and her dog Ranger. Thank GAWD for little dog neighbors and owners who are cool dog people. Ranger and Rudy have made quick friends and even though Ranger is quite a lot older than Rudy he holds his own in the smack downs that occur daily out in the yard.






I have said it before and I will say it again... Dogs. Are. Funny.

I am really hoping that we can get our kayak out on Big River in the next few days. We have to work mid week so maybe on Friday? I can't wait...