the boys

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Huck and Zeke

They're bigger and better than ever!  And hairier!  I wore black pants upon my arrival and they now look like gray mohair.

Weather continues cold, sunny, clear.  We've visited several grocery stores, some more than once, and are almost ready.  Tomorrow is a bake fest; pies (Mr. C ), cranberry-walnut tart (Susan), cornbread for stuffing (Mike), Part I of stuffing (Cait).  Roasted boneless leg of lamb for family dinner tomorrow night.  Flowers ordered two weeks ago have arrived and look very festive.  I think it's all going to come out just perfectly!

Bozeman via Butte

We made it safely with only a short diversion from Salt Lake to Butte instead of Bozeman.  No seats available so Cait rerouted us and drove up to get us.  Beautiful drive back to snowy, very chilly Bozeman.  It is right now a bright and sunny 19º.  We've started making our to-do list for the day's first shopping outing.  There will be more, I'm sure.  It's good to be here.

Looking west across the meadow toward Bozeman

To Bozeman

Tomorrow morning it's off to Bozeman where the weather is cold ~ 12º tonight ~ but the 27 lb. Hutterite turkey awaits our attention.  Pictures of family, dogs, neighborhood, snow, etc.  This, of course, providing we actually make a flight.  It's always thrilling.

A sweet recommendation for movie watch:  "Toast" is available on instant watch by the Flix.  Delightful.

Currently reading "The Garden of the Finzi-Continis."  Saw the movie years ago but the book is much more comprehensive.  I recommend both.

where were you?

I remember exactly where I was on November 22, 1963 when I learned that the president had been shot.  I was studying in the library at San Diego State and had just come up to the circulation desk to check out a book.  Staff and students were huddled over a radio.  I had no idea what could have been so riveting  and asked, rather casually if I remember, what they were listening to.

"President Kennedy has been shot," came the answer.

At first I didn't believe it.  Impossible.   We don't do politics this way.  I left the campus and as I drove home I saw that flags had been lowered to half staff.  It must be true.  It was true.  It was so shocking, so dreadful.  And today, fifty years later, it still is.  It was the loss of faith, the loss of innocence, the loss of the vigorous, idealistic idea of politics and public service.  By the time the '60s were over, we had lost our entire generation of leadership; two Kennedys and a King.  And we are the poorer for it.

this just in . . .

DORIS LESSING

1919 - 2013

nutritional guidelines

Here's what I'm currently feeding on.  First for the body, from CostoCo, Penn Cove mussels.

I just happened to glance in the fish case and there they were, all netted and cleaned and just begging to be taken home.  So for $15 I got 5 lbs. of the sweetest, plumpest, most tender and delicious mussels imaginable.  Almost 20 years ago Mr. C and I took a trip up to Seattle, Polsbo and Port Townsend.  We went to a little waterfront resto in PT and had big steaming bowls of Penn Cove mussels and have been hooked ever since.  I know we had mussels in Siena, Bruges and Paris, (and the Paris ones were the best) but these were even better.  First we had them in a simple wine-onion-garlic-shallot broth.  We had the rest in our favorite recipe from the NYTimes, mussels with roasted tomatoes and garlic served over fettuccine.   Mr. C bought some excellent cherry tomatoes at the Farmers Market ~ some sweet, some acidic, all with tender skins ~ and roasted them for the sauce.  It was fabulous!  I think there's a little left over for my lunch today.

Second, for the soul, I am about half way through this marvelous read.

If you're as big a fan of books about academia as I am ~ think Lucky Jim, The Groves of Academe, Pictures at an Institution, Richard Russo's Straight Man and Donna Tartt's Secret History (although it's in a somewhat different vein), you'll not want to miss All Souls, a take on life at Oxford as lived by a young Spanish instructor.  He is there for two years and, later in life, is recounting his experiences.  It's wonderfully wry, sardonic, funny and also soulful.  This author, Javier Marais, is new to me and I look forward to reading more of his work.  I should add that, to my ear, the translation from Spanish to English is spot on and rings completely true.

We are continuing to have bright, sunny days here in the valley although it is cold and brisk.  I had a fine walk this morning, tromping through piles of leaves on the sidewalks and streets.  The fireplace is getting good use in the evenings.  This next week is filled with doctor and dentist appointments, a hair cut (at last), and packing for Bozeman and what's become our annual family Thanksgiving.  I've already sent the Trader Joe's care package and it has been received so we're set for snacks.  In truth, we've never gone hungry.

autumn in the valley

 

The days are warm and sunny with bright blue skies.  The nights are cold and still now although there were some terrific wind storms here before we got home.  Trees are turning red and gold throughout town.  Lots of big leaf piles on the streets.  Autumn in the valley.