Category Archives: animals

What I Will Miss

animals, church, family, home, nature, travel


I’m driving home tomorrow, and look forward to seeing my
dear husband, and cat, and garden. Also joyfully anticipate going to church!

 

 

 

 

 

But I will miss:
1) The quiet and understanding presence of my daughter.

 

 

 

 


2) The soft cheeks of Baby C., the sweet smell of his head, and milk on his breath.

3) The calm and contented feeling that comes when Baby falls asleep in my arms.

4) The deer grazing and ruminating on the lawn front and back. It’s their home, and the fawns even take naps out the back door.

5) The forest.

6) Three cats who are different “people” from my cat. The one pictured here is Hannah, who lost an eye to an infection as a shelter kitten.

7) The whistle of the train as it passes several times a day.
Right now I’m just very grateful for the past twelve days. Glory to God for all things!

Waiting-and Ropas Viejas

animals, family, food and cooking, travel

I’m at my daughter’s in the north country, waiting on Baby to arrive. And I brought the recipe with me for the spicy shredded beef the Mexicans call Ropas Viejas. Several people said they would like that recipe after I mentioned having made it in my last post. I got this recipe from Sunset Magazine a long time ago.
This is just a photo copied from my first post about this place, because it’s a shame not to have a picture, it is so lovely up here. As soon as I arrived I glimpsed another part of the deer clan that call it home as well, Crazy Doe and her fawn, and Split Ear (young buck). Maybe I will get some more deer pictures while I am here.

Ropas Viejas

2# boneless beef chuck, trimmed of most of the fat
Place in a 5-6-quart pan with 1/4 cup of water. (I always use cast iron, but I don’t think it’s necessary.) Cover and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until liquid boils away and meat is well-browned; turn as needed.

Lift out meat. To pan, add 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; scrape to loosen browned bits. Stir in 1 1/2 cups beef broth, 2 tablespoons chili powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cumin.

Return meat to the pan, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over medium heat until meat is very tender and easily pulled apart, about 2 hours.

Let meat cool, then tear into shreds. Mix with remaining pan juices. Use to fill enchiladas or burritos.

Not Spot or Ocelot

animals, home

I’ve written about Spot before, here and here. As I was stalling on what to call her, B. decided on Ocelot. A few days later she arrived wearing a collar with the name CASSIE on it, and her address, just a few doors down the street, at a house belonging to a very responsible family I have met. So, she doesn’t need a home! She is like a kid in the neighborhood (maybe an only child?) who likes to roam around and hang out at other people’s houses, eating their food and breaking their rules.

In fact, when we were still feeling more compassion for her, she went into the depths of our abode, on a high shelf in a closet, and knocked boxes and clothes into a heap on the floor. That is definitely a no-no.

But she never cared about or for us; we knew it by her growls. She likes Gus. Now I’m less welcoming to her, but I still like to call her Ocelot. And she is an independent girl; yesterday she arrived without a collar again.

What is Spot’s Name?

animals, home

Mr. Glad has determined that Spot is a girl, and he doesn’t like calling her Spot. Even if she never fully becomes our cat, I also would like her to have a good name. Any ideas?

She is not cuddly. She is lean and energetic, confident about sneaking in and using our litter box (which Gus spurns) and stealing our toys. But she doesn’t like to be picked up, and growls when we try to hold her. The Classic Bengal has gold eyes, I just read today. So she’s something other than classic. Her blue eyes are the most beautiful thing about her, I think.

I’m not a natural at naming. I need to get on with my quilt project. So if one of you out there has any suggestions, I’d welcome any and all!