Today the temperatures crept above 20 degrees for the first time in almost two weeks, so I ventured out of doors to document last night’s snowfall.
I did spend time today quilting on the Animal Friends quilt. I also prepared the quilt sandwich for the Round Robin piece, which is getting almost too big to fit under my sewing machine.
Tomorrow we may have more snow, but warmer temperatures will be here by Friday. And then, very soon, spring weather will arrive in Oklahoma.
Today I cast my vote for
social justice, civil discourse, public health and the environment.
Today was way too beautiful to spend it staying indoors. We walked.
Here are a few highlights from sights seen in the woods near our house today.
Such an intense orange color, these fungi begged to be photographed.
It pays to look up.
I don’t know the name of this shrub, but it was abundant in the flood plain.
I love the duckweed’s color. It’s so intense.
At the pond, there was also a snake sleeping next to the path. I didn’t take his picture.
Goldenrod was the most glorious blooming plant today. It was a favorite of the bees.
Something completely different today. Fiber friends, please indulge me while I glory in seasonal produce.
During my daily walk through the back yard, I realized that the basil plants were at the perfect stage of growth to be harvested for basil pesto. They had lush, big, green leaves, without blossoms, but highly fragrant. How fortunate that I had all I needed in my pantry, including home-grown garlic dug up about six weeks ago.
After washing and spin-drying the basil leaves, I got out my well-used recipe for this delicacy. It’s from a collection published by my herb club friends in Plano, TX. This version was submitted by Gladys Denham. Begin with these items.
In blender or food processor, grind the garlic. Add the nuts and grind some more. Add a small amount of the basil and just enough olive oil so that the machine will grind the leaves. Keep adding the basil and oil until all is incorporated. Add the salt just before the final grind.
Here’s where I vary from tradition. At this point in preparing classic pesto, grated cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano are stirred into the mix. Instead, I pack the ground mixture into sterilized jars and freeze it.
Throughout the year, when I need some fresh basil for a recipe, I just thaw out a couple of tablespoons. If I am making classic pesto sauce for pasta, I will thaw the mix, add cheese and a little butter. It’s then ready to stir into hot cooked pasta.
The best part of making pesto is using the leftover bits in the blender jar as a topping for cream cheese and crackers.
What a heavenly and fragrant lunch! Today I had fresh mozzarella and Italian salami to accompany my pesto.
Stellar weather today. The temperatures are in the mid 50s, with sunshine and no wind. It was a perfect afternoon for walking. We went to the Pathfinder, which winds its way through the floodplain along the river. I brought my Canon camera and got a few shots that could serve as reference photos for future drawings.
Back home for a cup of tea with biscuits (also known as cookies to those of us who live in the States.) The number of days with gorgeous weather this year is about over.
Daily Fiber 