Spring lambies

I made three kinds of cupcakes for the weekend...and forgot to photograph all of them! For my first foray into gluten-free baking I made flourless chocolate cupcakes, with cinnamon instead of ancho chili powder, sans whipped cream... and they were delicious. Also tried vanilla cupcakes made with gluten-free flour, topped with strawberry meringue buttercream...which were not bad. I had leftover frosting and couldn't decide if it would be better with chocolate or vanilla cake...so I made marble cupcakes. I took them to a sit 'n knit hosted by Dana, who has lambies!


Mama sheep and lambies eating lettuce

As soon as we entered the pen, they ran all about...very fast too. The lambies were hard to catch, but Dan was determined.


Dan caught a lamby

They were soooo soft! Very, very cute, but skittish. And then! Four beagles at the sit 'n knit! Dana's Swiss Mountain dogs Geiger and Sen were also present. When one of them got within sight of the beagle area, the beagles howled and barked maniacally. The pack mentality, protecting their territory, I guess...but made it hard to concentrate on the knitting, and rather headache-inducing too. After all the howling, Sally decided to get comfy in Arrow's bed.


Peaceful beagle (for now)

A day in the life

of a beagle...


Morning nap in the sun

Stretch out in the shade for a bit

Time to cool off

Birthday pie

Dan celebrated his birthday this week...so I made birthday pie.


Not much pie left

I usually make pecan pie for Thanksgiving, but why wait? Pie should be eaten year-round. The filling is butter pecan pie, but with maple syrup and California wildflower honey instead of corn syrup. The crust is foolproof pie dough from Cooks Illustrated, via Smitten Kitchen. Also known as vodka pie crust...well, I call it that, anyway...and it is my new favorite pie crust. The dough comes together so easily because of the vodka...which evaporates in the oven...and the resulting crust is flaky and tender. Yum.

Under the weather

I am sick with the flu. Boo. Guess the flu shot got trumped by so many children passing through the science room...their germs inter-mixing...yuck! It has been a week now, so hopefully the worst has passed.

So I have been home napping...sleeping a lot. And watching the beagle nap...in the sun...a lot.


Lucky dog

Napping in the sun is rather nice. But the fever and aches, horrible. But all is not bad. Dan and I joined a new CSA, since Terra Firma Farms does not deliver south of the city. Although we miss their fruit...especially the bumper crop of delicious Satsumas this past winter...we are enjoying the pretty produce from Two Small Farms while we are at Chez Maman.


Colorful carrots

The carrots and celery were enjoyed with hummus, made by Dan. I especially liked the purple carrots. This week we also tried spigariello and agretti, green vegetables of Italy. Tasty! And I am hoping for strawberries...perhaps, soon? Hope so.