Classical Engraved Circumflex

Quail Eggs. Aren't they wonderful? I am saving the shells to *do* something with. Someday.

Fall it seems must be about over- it's so cold here I have to wear a winter jacket to walk the dog. 'walk' being a relative term. Basically I get her out in the street and we run to the corner and back as fast as we can. She always wins, even taking time out to pee. And I sound like an emphysema victim.

So, here is that short rib suggestion I talked about. I made it for my newly found cousin and his wife from Oregon who I re-met the other night for the first time sine he was about 5 or 6. We figure that the last time we saw each other was 55 years ago, but I did like him and hope that it isn't another 55 years before we meet up again. Now, about the ribs:

First I dredge the ribs in flour and salt and pepper, then throw them in my wonderful new cheap Ikea Dutch oven to brown on all sides. I take them out and set them aside, wipe out the extra oil and saute the vegetables in the same pan. Here I used onions, fennel, celery, carrots and garlic and threw in a few springs of rosemary.



When the vegetables were transluscent and starting to brown, I added a quart of beef stock and about 2 cups of wine, brought it to a boil and let it simmer an hour. I set the heat on low and covered the pan and went about my business for 3 hours. Then I cooled it, pulled out the meat and pushed the rest throuhg a seive into a bowl and stuck it in the refrigerator for about an hour to get the fat out. I then put the un-fat sauce back in the pan with the meat. Dinner was done- just had to reheat for a few minutes while I cooked the pumpkin ravioli. The cousin & spouse ate it all up, yum.

I know these pictures are blurry, sorry, but I was in a huge hurry to show off the 3 new measuring tape bracelets. The yellow tape was very old- I had bought it at a flea market years ago because it was odd- it's made to measure the girth of a cow and on the opposite side of the regular measurements are other numbers that show you the weight of the animal. And it's a nice color yellow too- goes with the dangle bracelet I got a long time ago. These will make their way to etsy in a bit- right now I am too busy to deal with selling and mailing and all.


And finally, Sweater #8 is finished. Simple pattern and I had made it before with a turquoise binding for a friend's first grandbaby so a piece of cake, right? No way. I have probably made this thing three times for all the mistakes I made and had to rip back out. I was working on it in the evenings in Santa Fe, but when my friends saw it each night it was smaller and smaller! I was finished finally and worked on the hat with the vest next to me- became more and more unhappy with one front curve so ripped out the binding all together and started that over again early EARLY this morning. I am visiting the expectant mommy tomorrow and will hand it off once and for all.

I am thinking this is an investment in several more grandkids- don't these get handed off to each new kid as he comes along? Hope so, because I am breaking all my needles after a few more. Maybe I will just make odd socks- can never make the second sock, just a series of singles in case I meet Heather Mills some day.