use real butter

Recipe: grilled tequila lime shrimp

The mountains are calling and so we must answer. Will tell them you said hello. According to several reports, it should be outstanding. I love taking road trips with Jeremy. Still have to pack my gear…

this time last year

Kaweah is going to Camp Crazy where the staff give her extra pats and belly rubs. They let her sprawl out in the kiddie pool in summer and curl up on the warm, fresh laundry in winter. Plus she gets to play with all of the other pups. It’s less stressful for all involved.

So while I need to finish some final prep, I thought I’d toss out a recipe that we tried last night for dinner. I’ve been in the mode of using up ingredients I have on hand – basically cleaning out the freezer, the pantry, and now, the booze cabinets. Don’t be fooled, we’re not heavy boozers. The cabinets I keep my booze in (mostly for desserts) are small, hence cabinets instead of cabinet.

where is this going… lime, shrimp, tequila, garlic, olive oil, spices

I have a nearly full bottle of tequila because we offered margaritas at a party a while back. We also offered gin and tonics. Everyone wanted a g&t. The plan was to make some manner of grilled shrimp with a lime juice marinade, but then I found recipes that called for tequila and lime juice. I quite love booze in my food.

mix it all in a ziploc bag

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: pim’s pad thai

Did you have as lovely a weekend as I did? I hope so! Even if you don’t celebrate the Fourth of July (let’s say, because you are British) I hope the weekend treated you well.

even the yard had red (paintbrush), white (yarrow), and blue (blue flax)

We hiked in the mountains, got a little work done, ran a few errands, ate some great food, and saw brilliant, spectacular, thrilling fireworks! I love fireworks. Love love love love them. I’m a parrot when it comes to those dazzling and colorful displays, which is why I had to capture some at the reservoir on Saturday.

boom! bang! pow!

You can see more of the fireworks photographs on my photo blog. Every Fourth of July, Jeremy and I marvel that local kids have not yet burned down the entire expanse that is the American West. I mean really, fire+beer+young men+forests = not a good scenario.

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: chile rellenos

This isn’t really a petition because I know if we added 8 hours to the day, I would try to cram even more into a single day than I try to already. These long daylight hours lull us into a sense of “there’s plenty of time for x, y, and oh yeah – z!” It becomes the frenzy of summer. So I am in (more of) a frenzy now. But that’s good because it means I’m living my life.

Our best girl, Kaweah has slowed down in the past six months. I mentioned before that she is on a “diet” which means she gets fewer snacks and what snacks she gets are usually carrot bits instead of dog treats. In the spring, Kaweah weighed in at 64.5 pounds at the vet, which is the most she has ever weighed. She is 60 pounds on a fat day and 55 pounds in her svelte summer days. I chalked it up to my medical problems last year which distracted us from maintaining her typically active mountain dog lifestyle. Her weight is down to 60 and we’ve been taking her on walks and runs. She just can’t keep up on the runs anymore and Jeremy suspects she is becoming arthritic. Old dog is finally catching up with Crazy dog.

We recently hiked to the Continental Divide and decided to bring the pup, as hiking is her all time #1 favorite activity in the world (okay, #3 after eating, and rolling in dead things). We agreed that we would turn around at the first sign of trouble. Jeremy has carried Kaweah off of mountains in extreme conditions before.

columbines blooming streamside

She never let up. I think the backcountry is as invigorating for Kaweah as it is for me. She was like her old self but better behaved! We took her up to the lake and she had her inaugural frozen swim and loved it.

slowly thawing at 12,000 feet

treat? treat? treat? treat?

ooooh, cold!!

On the way back, she was slow and when we stopped to chat with a ranger, Kaweah decided to lie down in frog position on the trail instead of licking the pants of the ranger and acting crazy per her usual MO. She made it out just fine and slept the rest of the day. It’s hard to gauge how much is just being out of shape and needing to develop her calluses versus old age. When we got home we ordered a high-angle rescue dog harness so we can carry her out with ease if ever the time should come. I hope not, but I think gone are the days when I could take her for an 18-mile hike. The goal is to make sure she’s healthy and happy.

And while we’re on the topic of healthy and happy, I had another one of my crazy plants bloom! Last year I was elated when my night-blooming cereus delivered three blossoms. This is a “family” plant. My grandmother hand-carried (illegally?) a leaf cutting from Taiwan over to the US decades ago and started a plant. Each of her daughters has at least one plant from that original, and I got one when we moved into our first house. Two years ago, my aunt delivered another leaf cutting to me per Grandma’s request. “But I already have one,” I informed Elena. “This one is different,” she smiled. It bloomed yesterday and it is stunning. You can see a series of shots from last night here.

epiphyllum

**Jump for more butter**