Bless Me, Ultima

Making Julia Child’s beef bourguignon tonight, my first time ever. Since it’s a four-hour process, I’ve been rocking out to food-themed music while cooking–Heavy Vegetable’s “Eggy and a Bready” and The Gourds’ cover of “Gin and Juice,” among others. Cooking and listening to loud music…what more could I ask for? Cheesecake. Okay, that’s not going to happen. So crank up the music!

I’m grateful October is here. I can’t believe I’m saying that because I confess I’m known for dreading the rainy season in the PNW, particularly November, which typically follows October. But thus far, October has been gorgeous. For this, I feel blessed and grateful.

For one thing, the chantrelles are plentiful and (relatively) cheap right now.

Fungus humongous!

Also, my cucumber harvest from the backyard was respectable. I turned these babies into pickles last night. Mmm!

The Last of the Garden-straggling Mohicans

If you can identify the gourd/squash in this picture, I will love you forever. It volunteered again this year next to my climbing jasmine. To me, it looks like a mutant delicata, but it’s pretty heavy and not really delicata-shaped. Any ideas?

Also, why must bloggers “sign” their photographs? Are my photos really so precious that I care that someone steals them? Yet more of life’s perplexing questions.

Crank it up!