Little things make this home

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

It was a peaceful Sunday, and I felt really at home here. 
I could go to the farmers market even though I didn’t have much time — I know where to get a good parking spot, and which vendors to head to and which to pass by quickly. (It’s still more fun the slow way.) I know which church I prefer — St. Francis, not the cathedral — and where to park and how to get a seat in the back where I like it.(Since I’ve read the history of the world recently, I am even more troubled by the church’s war-like interference in international affairs, and manipulation of women through the ages. But I need to pray.) When I went to Grateful Dog to pick up Zing I chatted with a staff that knows me and loves my dog. At the dog park I knew where to park in the shade, how to open the cranky gate, where to find a comfortable seat. When I took Zing for an afternoon walk I met several neighbors who stopped to chat. Sandra asked if she and Desi, her friend’s dog, could join us along the way.

All these tiny things add up to a good Sunday. Then I took a nap.

Love,
k

Tiburon: Somewhere under that rainbow

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

I got up early. Mary Kaye and Jean picked me up at 6:15. We drove under a rainbow to Tiburon, a peninsula city that looks at Angel Island State Park and across the water you can see San Francisco’s hilly streets. We met 10 or so others for a storytelling and spirituality seminar with John Boe and Ruth Stotter. They are noted in the fields of folklore and children’s literature. It was at Ruth’s home, which — don’t tell anyone, but this was the secret highlight of my day — looks at the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. Afterward we had lunch at a Thai restaurant and then Mary Kaye drove us around the foothills, where goats and cows make cheese and sailboats dock and everything seems beautiful on an early Spring Saturday. I won’t write any more, but show you some photos.

Love,

k

Driving under a rainbow

Rest stop along the way

The neighborhood

Flowers and Golden Gate Bridge

Cheese shop

Rainy night out

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Today I cleaned out files — more and more papers from the past. Letters, poems, miscellaneous stuff too: some to keep and some to throw away. I’m about finished settling in — finally. Sometimes I’m aghast at how long it’s taking, and other times I think it’s miraculous that it's happened at all. 

Tonight Sandra took care of Zing while I had dinner with Keith and Judy at Moxie, a dim and delicious restaurant a mile or so away in Midtown. It was raining, so Keith let us off at the door; we pulled up behind an important-looking van. “That must be the governor,” Keith said offhandedly. And when we got inside we saw several men with little strings in their ears, who seemed to be nonchalantly scanning the place while simultaneously trying to melt into the woodwork. Indeed, Keith was right. There in the back stood Governor Brown. Then I think he slipped into another room. “I’m right about a lot of things like that,” Keith said. I’m impressed.

Love,
k

Lodi -- Friendly wine country

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

Zing went to the gym, I went to drawing class, and then we both went to Lodi.

Look it up and you find the Credence Clearwater Revival song with the refrain:

"Oh Lord, stuck in Lodi again"

Mention that you went to Lodi and your friend Mary Kaye says, “Well, I guess you won’t be going back!”

You get it — Lodi is not one of the gleaming California towns where everyone longs to live. It’s not even in Silicone Valley. It is about a half-hour through flatland southeast of Sacramento. You’ve heard of Stockton… well, it’s almost to Stockton. Lodi was the perfect place for me and Zing to start our explorations beyond the city limits -- an unassuming place with easy traffic patterns, a train that runs through, a growing wine industry, and even an Asparagus Festival. The downtown is a clean handful of shops and restaurants, with a picturesque post office and some of the most polite and friendly people I ever encountered. 

One must have been Eric Donaldson of LVVI Lodi Sparkling Wine. We didn’t get his name. Zing and I were walking past an alley next to a wine-tasting place, and I saw a young man hoisting a box from his pickup. Something he was wearing (cap? shirt? I forget!) said Miami University. So I said “Ohio?” and he lit up. Most people, of course, think only of Miami, Florida, not that state university in Oxford, Ohio. We chatted about Cincinnati and bridges over the Ohio River and honeysuckle and Skyline Chili. He said he started LVVI winery and was making a wine delivery. I should have asked to buy a bottle right then. I would love to buy wine from the back of a truck in an alley in Lodi. But I didn’t think of it, so now I’ve got the first name on my list of wineries to visit.

Love,

k

Bent like a tree and sweet like a vine

Written last night:

Dear Friends,

This morning was devoted to financial things, and part of it brought me to tears. I was looking at the bank record, with the check register in Clark’s handwriting. Then his marks stopped and mine took over. I caressed his last entry and without warning began to cry. Who cries over a check register? I think it might have started with the way that lovely jasmine scent has been meeting me at various street corners these days. We had jasmine vines in Tallahassee and so did our neighbors and sometimes they were a trailing nuisance, but their scent was heavenly. I was remembering then and living now. Except for this morning, I don’t ever remember loving a check register.

And last month Mary and I talked about doing things the easy way — why do we always think we ought to tough it out? This is my guide for the next three months — Do it the easy way! That and also Trees. I have been loving my kinship with trees, and whenever I feel kind of bent over I look around and pick a tree and adjust my posture accordingly. Crown may be askew, but it is in the sky!

I know you all go through similar financial doings, and maybe even feel bent over sometime, so I’m in good company!

Love,

k

In the anonymous jury duty room

Written last night:
Dear Friends,

Jury duty is over!

I’m glad I did it — made me feel like I belong here — but otherwise it was just like jury duty in Ohio and Florida. 

You sit there (at least the chairs were comfortable) with about 200 others, watching/ignoring a movie, hoping you don’t get called, then wishing you would because at least it would cut the boredom. You nod off, then sketch the heads of the people in front of you, then read, then eavesdrop on true-life conversations (“XXX is going to coach at XXX?” “I heard the principal at Elk Grove refused to hire XXX back …” “My daughter wants to go to college near the ocean, but I say not too close because then she’ll never get to class. She’ll just go surfing.” “My boss was out and they asked me to fill in for her. I could handle the people, I just couldn’t handle all the emails she gets…”) 

About 4 p.m. we were asked to line up and hand in our juror badges. I was near the front. “Did I hear her say we don’t have to come back tomorrow?” I asked the guy in front of me. “Yes!” he said. “It’s a blessing.” 

Yes.

On the lucky side — Zing went to the gym with Sandra today, and the weather was delightful, and I live close enough to walk to court. On the way home I had a Thai Iced Tea at Temple Coffee, which some call an overrated Starbucks clone. But I’m becoming a fan.

Love,
k

The people in the first row are staring at the TV
The other shapes are posters and warnings

Sunday, sweet and easy

Written last night:

Dear Friends,
It was a relaxing Sunday, and also mild and spring-like. Perfect. I kept the windows open and think the allergies came in, but it was worth it. 

Church, dog park, driving around to explore the town — that was the first half, and the second was making a delicious but simple dinner for Patrick and Steph, who were here with Gully and Bruiser. We sat and talked on the balcony before dinner. Recipes below: easy roast chicken, scalloped potatoes, brownies. 

A perfect Sunday. 

Love,
k

Go-to Menu 
 Roast chicken, scalloped potatoes, asparagus, brownies (Takes about 1.5 hours Total)

Smitten Kitchen Flat Roasted Chicken

My words: I bought a 4.5 pound organic chicken. Using a kitchen scissors, I cut out the backbone. Dry the chicken. Sprinkle lots of salt inside it. Grind some pepper. Flatten the chicken. Put it into the iron skillet, breast side up. Salt and pepper the top. Stick some rosemary stems under the skin, all over. Dot with butter or drop some olive oil over it. Preheat the oven to 450. Roast the chicken 45 minutes, more or less, until the thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 165. Squeeze one lemon. Pour the lemon juice over the chicken. You can let the chicken rest until you're ready to eat.

Gratin Dauphinois

2 pounds potatoes (I used a bag of baking potatoes) to make 5 to 6 cups when sliced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 C. milk
1 1/2 C heavy cream
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 T. butter (for buttering pan)
1/2 C. grated Swiss cheese (I use Gruyere)

Wash and dry the whole potatoes thoroughly. No need to peel them. Slice thin. Don't put them in water now because you need to conserve the potato starch. Combine potatoes with garlic, milk, cream, salt and pepper in a large heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium, stirring to prevent scorching. I use the low-heat burner because I have burned them many times.

Bring to a boil, stirring, until mixture thickens slightly.

Butter a shallow (1 1/2 inch)  baking dish (I usually use the oval copper gratin pan; yesterday it was a 9" x 13" foil pan) and pour the potatoes in. Cover with grated cheese.  I usually put the pan on a cookie sheet to catch drips. Bake at 400° for an hour or until potatoes are soft and top is browned. (You can bake at 450° if you are roasting a chicken at the same time.) These are even good cold.

Serve with asparagus or some other green vegetable. Spinach, maybe.

Smitten Kitchen's My Favorite Brownies

3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped (Sometimes I use 70% bittersweet and it is fine.)
1 stick (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
1 1/3 cups (265 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt (about 2 grams)
2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour 

Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment, extending it up two sides, or foil. Butter the parchment or foil or spray it with a nonstick cooking spray. 

In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula and scrape batter into prepared pan, spread until even. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free. 

Dust the brownies with powdered sugar before serving. (Gretchen, would you consider a sprinkle of sea salt before baking?)