New Baby Next Door

Our ranch manager and his wife brought their new baby home today.  Home for them is the original headquarters house on the Warbonnet Ranch, about 2.5 miles from our house.  This is their third child and second son.   I made dinner for them, lasagne, Moroccan salad, and chocolate chess pie.  I took it over around 4 and saw the baby.  He is adorable!  We will enjoy watching him grow.

Catch Up

Today was a catch up day and I didn't quite "catch up."  I spent time sewing on Claire's new drapes for her house in Falls Church, VA, made reservations for a girls weekend in February, called my favorite Aunt Rhea, paid bills, and more.  It reminded me of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, only mine wasn't all those things, I just didn't have a lot to show at the end of the day.  There's tomorrow!

Gardens and Architecture in Los Angeles

Papa and I enjoyed our weekend with Audrey and Dan in Los Angeles.  We enjoyed walks
on the beach, playing Settlers of Katan, and visiting several interesting and fun restaurants. 
We spent an afternoon at The Getty, with its outstanding architecture and landscape.  We also
visited The Huntington in San Marino, with its impressive library, restored home,
and incredibly beautiful gardens.  The Cactus Garden was the best I've ever seen. 

Los Angeles

Papa and I flew to Los Angeles this afternoon to spend a few days with our oldest daughter, Audrey, and her husband Dan.  We cherish the rewards of parenting when spending time with our adult children who are happy, successful, and living interesting lives.  We are very proud of each one. 

Skirts

A couple of months ago, I bought a skirt pattern and some fabric and made myself a skirt.  It actually fit!  Since then, I have made 13 more skirts, for my girls and myself.  Loving the fabrics!  Today, I'm taking a sewing class, so I can make more skirts and more stuff, and have a better idea of what I should be doing! 

Shoeing Horses

After moving to the ranch, Papa was anxious to get horses.  Oscar and Pablo came our way and they are an important part of every day for Papa.  He rides each of them at least once a week.  He gives them sugar cubes and feeds them a flake of hay every day.  He also "shoes" them.   

Sleep Sacs

I made two sleep sacs for Toby.  I'm hoping they will fit and he will stay cozy and warm in NYC!

Mansion Tortilla Soup

I have spent time today doing mundane chores like laundry and dustmopping the floor.  All the while I was planning my menu for lunch tomorrow with Carly (our ranch manager's wife), Madilyn, and Colter Lee.  I've decided to make Tortilla Soup, Salmon with a Crust of Peppercorns on a Bed of Matchstick Vegetables, and Apple Pie.  I've had the Tortilla Soup recipe from the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas since the girls were in elementary school and the moms in PTA were asked to choose one of four dishes to make for a casserole sale.  We've enjoyed the Tortilla Soup recipe ever since.

Mansion Tortilla Soup
3 tbls. corn oil
4 corn tortillas, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbls. chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup fresh onion puree
2 cups tomatoes, pureed
1 tbls. cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
2 bay leaves
2 quarts chicken stock
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
1 cooked chicken breast cut into strips
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 can drained pinto or black beans, optional
1 avocado, peeled and cubed
3 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips, sprayed with vegetable oil spray, and baked to crisp

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute tortillas with garlic and cilantro until tortillas are soft.  Add onion and tomatoes and bring to boil.  Add cumin, chili powder, bay leaves, and chicken stock.  Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to simmer.  Add salt and cayenne pepper along with beans, stirring frequently for 30 minutes.  Add chicken strips and cheese and stir.  Serve with cubed avocado and crisp tortilla strips sprinkled on top.  Soup may be made 1 day ahead and gently reheated before serving.

Patagonia Fall Festival/San Rafael Valley

Papa and I drove to Patagonia, AZ yesterday for the Patagonia Fall Festival.  We went to this festival 7-8 years ago and it has really grown.  There were about 100 arts and community vendors/exhibitors at the Festival, held in the center park of Patagonia.  The park is shady and there was nice music.  We walked all around and up and down the aisles of artists wares.  I bought a raku pot from a New Mexican potter.  Artists always amaze me with their varied forms and interpretations of art.  We crossed the street for lunch at the Velvet Elvis. 

The whole experience was laced with wonderful memories of spending time in Patagonia over the 10 years that we had a vacation house just out of town.  We bought the house in 1995 when the girls were 12 and 13.  We spent a few weeks a year there, hiking, playing games, going to the Patagonia library for books, shopping in Nogales, Sonora, and generally hanging out.  We were in Patagonia one New Year's Eve and started a conversation with some hot air ballooners.  They invited us to go up with them the next morning in the San Rafael Valley.  We got up way before dawn and drove down in the dark.  There were 15-20 balloons all laid out in the grasslands when we arrived.  We pitched in to help get them up, and then we all got to go on our first hot air balloon rides.  It was a beautiful morning and I remember a rainbow over the Patagonia Mountains.  The San Rafael Valley took our breath away with it's beauty. 

Yesterday, we drove from Patagonia down the Harshaw Road to the San Rafael Valley.  It still takes my breath away.  The rolling grasslands as far as the eye can see, down into Mexico is a beautiful sight!

Cactus

Two weeks ago, as I was leaving the Tucson house to go back to the ranch, I noticed a Cactus Sale at a neighbor's house.  I stopped to look, and enjoyed walking through their garden, full of exotic cacti.  I bought several things but had to leave them until the next Tucson visit.  Papa and I picked up my cactus purchases today and I planted in our garden.  I love working in the garden!

Roundup

Papa left at 5:30 this morning to saddle up Oscar.  He rode Oscar to Warbonnet Ranch, the nearest neighbor ranch, two and a half miles to the east.  Papa helped them round up their cows.  They separated the cows and calves, so the calves can be weaned.  It was a long day.  Papa came home around 7:00 p.m.  He enjoys helping neighbor ranchers.  They will return the favor.    

National Parks in Utah

Over the past week, Papa and I have watched the PBS National Parks series.  We were enticed to plan trips to visit several National Parks that we have never visited.  We were also reminded of a trip we took last October, north through Sedona and on to Lake Powell, and then a loop through southern Utah.  We visited Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks.  We were WOWed!    

"Finds"

Almost every time we hike on the ranch, we come home with something in our pockets.  Those "finds" range from arrowheads to rusty horseshoes and spurs to unusual rocks to petrified trees and grind stones.  Yesterday, Papa and I came home with pockets full of rocks, including a beautiful half geode full of crystals and a sparkling white lava flow rock.  Some of our finds make it inside the house to bottles and bowls.  Others land in the "finds" pile by the front door.

Fro-Yo

Tart 'n' Tangy Fro-Yo
32 oz. plain nonfat yogurt
3/4 cup sugar

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and sugar until sugar dissolves.
2.  Spoon mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions.  Transfer yogurt to a container and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. 
Can be made up to 1 week ahead.  Let soften at room temperature about 45 minutes before scooping. 

Makes 4 3/4 cups.  121 calories per 1/2 cup serving.

Variations:
Luscious Lemon Fro-Yo
Substitute 2/3 cup lemon curd for the sugar in step 1 or Tart Fro-Yo.

Toppings:
Strawberries
Raspberries
Toasted coconut
Shaved chocolate

We made this Fro-Yo last night for dessert.  Love it that there are only 2 ingredients and it is yummy!
Recipe from Sunset Magazine, June 2009.

Elf Work

Papa enjoys leatherwork and has a list of items he's making for Christmas.  Yesterday, he finished
a new laptop bag for me.  It's beautiful!  I am making several things for Christmas too. 
I finished two pillows yesterday for Grammar.   Our Elf Work of the day is pictured here.