Walking into Summer

Monday, May 22nd, 6:33 a.m.

Monday was our anniversary. NINETEEN YEARS! It's hard to believe but the level of trust and support that I have found with Jacqueline is like no other.

Tuesday, May 23rd, 6:39 a.m.

Tuesday was Jacqueline's birthday! Our son & his close friend came for dinner (store-made refrigerator pizza) and one of our daughters made a delicious angel food cake with strawberries and strawberry whipped cream.

Wednesday, May 24th, 6:40 a.m.

The mornings are still chilly, but summer is closing in!

Thursday, May 25th, 6:41 a.m.

I think I've been doing this long enough that I can say for sure that the morning light is indeed helping me fall asleep faster, stay asleep, and wake up better.

Friday, May 26th, 6:41 a.m.

And those few moments of fresh air, bird song, and quiet connection with Jacqueline and nature are like a moving meditation, perhaps helping me handle stress through out the day?

Saturday, May 27th, 6:43 a.m.

Saturday was the first official day of my stay-cation. Still up at our weekday time, and we actually finished our usual errands in record time, despite running into Memorial Day parade and carnival traffic, both coming and going!

Sunday, May 28th, 6:58 a.m.

Today we were up early again, about the usual time, and I feel like I've already done so much!!! This week is going to be awesome -- if it doesn't get too hot!

Two Months Down

Monday, May 15th, 6:40 a.m.

This week, I've chosen to share photos all from the other angle/location I've been sure to capture every day.

Tuesday, May 16th, 6:44 a.m.

This curvy sumac tree, I was beginning to think it would never grow leaves!

Wednesday, May 17th, 6:44 a.m.

But it has sprouted these little palm tree-looking shoots off the top.

Thursday, May 18th, 6:39 a.m.

We actually had a frost on Thursday morning!

Bonus shot: Frost on Red Clover, 6:39 a.m.

The weather's been appropriately seasonable lately though.

Friday, May 19th, 6:42 a.m.

Sometimes sun, sometimes rain, cold nights, warmer days...

Saturday, May 20th, 9:02 a.m.

I think this is latest we've slept since starting this walking habit. 

Sunday, May 21st, 7:41 a.m.

I am eager for more warmth and sun though!

Eight Weeks of Morning Walks

Monday, May 8th, 6:41 a.m.

Has it become a habit now? To get up, get dressed, stumble down the steps and down the street...

Tuesday, May 9th, 6:42 a.m.

 Or is it just because the mornings are well lit from the sun and the weather is pleasant?

Wednesday, May 10th, 6:40 a.m.

This week, I chose to post photos all from the same spot.

Thursday, May 11th, 6:40 a.m.

I suppose I am not so careful of on which side of the driveway or how far down it I am, so the sun seems to be in different positions.

Friday, May 12th, 6:37 a.m.

Even without an alarm, I'm waking up at the same time.

Saturday, May 13th, 6:40 a.m.

This morning, though I slept a little later, I still woke up, got dressed, stumbled down the steps and down the street...

Sunday, May 14th, 7:17 a.m.

On Point

Monday, May 1st, 6:40 a.m.

This morning we slept so late. Last night was our granddaughter's first dance recital en pointe. It was a beautiful event. We have been watching many of the kids dance for years now, and to see them grow and improve their art is so inspiring. But it was a late night, much later than we're used to.

Tuesday, May 2nd, 6:38 a.m.

Most of the week was rainy, but the mornings weren't too bad. Lovely clouds and blue sky.

Wednesday, May 3rd, 6:40 a.m.

Except when it wasn't.

Thursday, May 4th, 6:40 a.m.

The fog was really lovely on Thursday, but it didn't photograph well. I tried.

Friday, May 5th, 6:40 a.m.

It's really beginning to be more like summer though.

Saturday, May 6th, 7:38 a.m.

The sun is so high up when we get up.

Sunday, May 7th, 9:29 a.m.

Especially when you sleep until nine!

Walking Walking Walking

Most of the mornings this week were lovely, with sun and flowers, and SO. MANY. SINGING. BIRDS!

Monday, April24th, 6:45 a.m.

Most mornings I am pretty groggy when we leave the house, but am eager to get a photo for this blog.

Tuesday, April 25th, 6:45 a.m.

A few times, I've managed to pull myself out of bed before Jacqueline tries to get me up, even when it's grey.

Wednesday, April 26th, 6:40 a.m.

When I first started this, I was going to take a photo of the exact same spot, for comparison, and while I do take photos in two different places, they're not always the ones I choose.

Thursday, April 27th, 6:47 a.m.

Thursday was so cold! The tulips were all bent over from the frost that had formed on them.

Friday, April 28th, 6:42 a.m.

We missed another day this week. Saturday morning was too rainy to walk. I suppose, if we managed to find raincoats and something to keep our feet dry, this wouldn't be an obstacle, but for now it is.

Saturday, April 29th, 2:24 p.m.

We did take a nice walk at Onondaga Lake Park with friends, where we saw big old trees like this one. Seriously, this photo does not really give a good sense of scale here.

Sunday, April 30th, 7:36 a.m.

The red maples have started to put out their helicopter seeds, so I know summer will be here before too long!

Pasties

No, not that kind; you're saying it wrong. A pasty rhymes with nasty, not hasty, and is a type of hand pie, which it seems many restaurants served in The Cat Who... series.

So in The Cat Who... Cookbook, there are three recipes for pasties. Two of them are little more than ground beef and turnips, with a little onion, salt and pepper in a pie crust. The third has more actual seasonings, but no turnip. 

Part of me wanted to go rogue here and combine the three recipes to create something more palatable than the last two recipes I tried. However, I realize that wouldn't be true to the plan here, so I am going to just pick one and follow the recipe as written!

So we're going with the recipe for Foo Pasty! As you can see, super simple. The pastry crust was created in a way I never have before, and I didn't take any photos. They have you actually bring water, milk, and shortening to a boil, then mix it into the flour & salt until a smooth dough coalesces.

Then you mix together all the ingredients for the inside: turnip, onion, lean ground beef, salt and pepper. In hindsight, I would have minced my turnips, not just finely chopped them, and perhaps would have used some other vegetables to add to the flavor. Also this could have used more seasonings and a less lean ground beef. They were rather dry and bland in my opinion.

The crust was a mess, but tasted fine. I didn't do such a great job rolling them out "into circles," and I didn't form the meat mixture loaf/patty in quite the right place, so folding over and crimping created a lot of cracks and broken bits. They weren't very pretty but they held together like they were supposed to!

The egg yolk wash also added a nice color. We were worried that it wouldn't be enough food, but really it was more than enough for our small family of three, with enough leftovers for lunch the next two days!

Will I make them again? Probably not this exact recipe, but yes, with modifications, maybe next fall or winter, I'll try again!

P.S. Wanna see this as a TikTok? Go here: https://www.tiktok.com/@bunnykissd/video/7225330853277158699

Another Week of Walks

Monday, April 17th, 6:40 a.m.

Some days are hard to get out of bed. Work days, especially Mondays, are hard. Grey days are hard. But a grey Monday morning has to be the hardest.

Tuesday, April 18th, 6:42 a.m.

Many grey days in a row are hard too.

Wednesday, April 19th, 6:45 a.m.

So when I wake up to a sky like Thursday's, it's easier to get out of bed and out the door.

Thursday, April 20th, 6:41 a.m.

And the best part of all is seeing what will greet me when I open the front door.

Friday, April 21st, 6:36 a.m.

Usually some cheeky birds will be out there -- juncos, titmice, chipping sparrows and robins are an almost constant presence now, and there is also a pair of cardinals that visit -- but I am so enamored with our resident cottontail!

Saturday, April 22nd, 7:15 a.m.

Yesterday, the road had all these little slugs crawling around on it. I tried to take some photos but couldn't catch them with the horns up & in focus. This this this is my favorite photo of the day. 

Sunday, April 23rd, 7:09 a.m.

This morning was slightly grey too, but with a light cloud cover that didn't cover the whole sky. (And it's sunny now!) It's getting warmer, and more of the flowers are beginning to bloom. That makes it hard to pick just one photo for the day. I think I'll go clean up the flower box some.

Sunday, April 23rd, 7:14 a.m.

One Month of Morning Walks

Sunday, March 19th, 7:52 a.m.

Four weeks ago, I started walking every morning, right when I wake up. Not a long vigorous walk for aerobic exercise, just a short, sleepy-headed stroll down the street a short ways and then back to the driveway walking backwards.

Sunday, April 16th, 7:06 a.m.

What a difference four weeks makes! From walking in a blizzard to walking in a spring awakening!

Monday, April 10th, 6:40 a.m.

On weekday mornings the sun is now over the horizon when we go out the door.

Tuesday, April 11th, 6:39 a.m.

Even when the clouds obscure the horizon...

Wednesday, April 12th, 6:40 a.m.

You can still see how light it is.

Thursday, April 13th, 6:41 a.m.

Sometimes you can even see the moon.

Friday, April 14th, 6:39 a.m.

I think Saturday was my latest morning walk yet!

Saturday, April 15th, 8:13 a.m.

Today I am going to be making the next recipe from The Cat Who... Cookbook. I am a little nervous because it involves making a pastry, something I am notoriously bad at, but I'm going to try!