Category Archives: Uncategorized

New Contraption

In the midst of rain, cold and snow…my little squirrel brain began to think of new ways to cook things – I wanted a smoker (still do) but nevermind that as a novice I never even used one, not sure how to work one, have a perfectly good gas grill – and don’t want to spend a thousand-plus bucks on something made in China, let alone two grand on something made in Oklahoma.

Furthermore, in terms of Hunter-gathering (or Driving-buying), the locally convenient rotisserie chicken that we’ve been getting at the grocery store have going up in price under Binenflation, while also shrinking in size and weight – so I thought to try a gadget: a spin-burner:

Step one: Rotisserie contraption, for cookin‘ meats – not a lot of rotational clearance.

All the complaints I read about the rotisserie have had to do with the smooth notches on the spike not fitting newer grills, but fortunately all my stuff/junk/crap is old – and so it fits fine. Thing is, that you have to remove the grill grates to open enough space and fit a catch basin for drippy goo, directly on top of the “flavorizer bars” and burners, and use indirect heat – which gives me the opportunity to bring back my wood-chip smoker-box that’s pretty half-ass but might add a bit of smokey flavor…

Step two: Clearance available and Countdown to experimentation!

So in pictures today it all looks sunny and nice, but that’s just because the big clouds parted briefly, and with the Sierra now crowned in snow, and the cold runs downhill – daytime temps are in the low 50’s.

And right now in the dark night, it’s raining down pretty good. Our fabulous rescue Siberian Husky turns 11 on November 11, and born 2011 … and she loves the cold and rain, and mud – she’s our Veteran’s Day doggie!

Never Forget

Twenty-one years is a long time, and easy to forget. It was the year after Grandpa died – and/but I didn’t lose anybody in the attacks. It’s been five years already since Mom and Dad died, but that seems much closer still.

Mild Weather

Sunrise on Monday was pink and orange, giving way to a low-60 degree day and the prospect of grilling, so we did.

The object of the grilling was a flank-steak “pinwheel” that rolled-up around an Ortega chili.

Yummy!

A Little Fall Color

Before the leaves all jump off…

We’re enjoying some very pleasantly mild weather while the days get noticeably shorter, cold in the morning with lots of dew before warming enough to do some yardwork. The sled-doggie being an aggressive sniffer got her face into some dirty shrubbery, and required some drops or ointment in her left eye – which went unappreciated by the doggie. So on her yearly birthday visit to the Vet for checkup and shots we were referred to a canine ophthalmology center because she was squinting and favoring that eye. Unfortunately that meant a trip down to noisome “civilization” with obnoxious traffic and aggressive morons in small cars, that we are fortunate to entirely eschew up here in the sticks, but we braved the madness and she came home wearing The Cone of Shame… That didn’t stay on very long as it interfered with so much of Her World – and it wasn’t like she needed to be prevented from scratching a sore or open wound or anything, so we keep watch over her on the deck and with a leash when we go walking. She’s a trooper and will get better for sure.

Fall in the Mother Lode

After a few, intermittent days with showers, and one Big Deluge a couple weeks ago, we got out the chainsaw and went to work on last year’s log pile. Temps breaking into the mid 70’s today, same as yesterday. The dog-lawn has sprung back to life (assisted by some seed and fertilizer), and parts of the hard-pan field have yielded to similar persuasion – and only a few samples of broadleaf/curly dock in sight.

New Growth

Meanwhile the Harley lighting project stalled due to my reluctance and unfamiliarity with EFI and a full gas-tank, so we reverted to the cosmetic alternative (hooded signals and main lamp), and got the bike back together in order simply to ride in this fine weather without scorching heat and oppressive fire smoke…

A Bit Rainy

As some may have heard, we’re getting a bit of rain since yesterday. That being Rain Today: 1.45 inches already at 7:30AM, and Rain Yesterday: 5.49 inches…so, The Lake is back, Yachtsmen get your oars!

An hour later the storm cell has moved on and it is lighter and brighter, and the water is flowing pretty good, right to left and down the creek.

Long-Pants Day

Forty-odd degrees cold this morning at o-dark 6:30 and windy gusting to 16-miles in the afternoon, so the first long-pants day since…April? I forget. It was an awful summer, gladly past but not forgotten.

All the canopies have been removed and stored away for the season, and the umbrellas furled. Also big clouds piling up over the Sierra, and probably more snow. Yesterday we sat in the sun and relaxed, then did yard chores. First a do-over seeding and fertilizing of the Dog Lawn, and also another bare patch out in the field where not even weeds are growing, and finally the “real” lawn beside the house. Inside I patched and sanded a few spots in preparation of The Painters coming, just needs a dab of primer so the new paint takes evenly. A pressure-washer guy is coming Friday to tackle the exterior, and colors have been selected – but with the wholesale disruption of the Supply Chain, even paint may be hard to come by, so we’ll see if there’s additional delays.

Another 0.14” Tonight

54-degrees this morning, the second day that we awoke to a wall of clouds in the East, but coverage more persistent today. After picking up doggie ‘treasures’ I went into the garage and turned off the automatic sprinklers for the season.

Yesterday the weather cleared by noon and we enjoyed lunch with the dog in the outdoor courtyard at Poor Red’s. The air-quality has been excellent, “green” instead of yellow, orange, red, purple or dark magenta — all of which we experienced this Summer during the Fires…