A fond farewell to 2012

During these last few days of 2012, I've been reflecting on what an incredible year this has been. There were tremendous challenges, but also spectacular gifts. While we were deeply saddened by the loss of family elders and a four-legged friend, these events also opened the door to beautiful moments of grace - and strengthened connections with family and friends. I also made many wonderful new friends and we were thrilled to find Otis. 

I'm looking forward to spending a lot of time in nature over the next few days, landing on my word and embracing the new year. 

Sending big hugs and wishing everyone a Happy New Year!!!

Hidden Gems

One of the benefits of having a dog has been discovering my own neighborhood. I know - I'm a little embarrassed that it's taken eight years (!) to walk myself up and down and around my own backyard. Since Otis and I are out a lot, I quickly grew tired of the usual route and started branching out. That's when I found Indian Trail, one of the many paths throughout Berkeley. Truly, it was a magical discovery and I was so excited to find it. Thanks, Otis!

Lamb-stuffed Quince with Pomegranate & Cilantro

I heart quince! Who knew?! I've only ever eaten it as a paste with cheese, so it was an adventure to cook with the fresh fruit. This Ottolenghi recipe is from  Jerusalem and it's delicious! You'll need a couple of unusual ingredients (fresh quince, pomegranate molasses) but it's totally worth it. I tried to hollow out the quince halves but once I saw how firm the fruit was, I opted for dicing it instead. Serve over basmati rice. 


Lamb-stuffed Quince with Pomegranate & Cilantro
serves 4

14 ounces ground lamb
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 red chile, chopped (I used a generous pinch of dried red chile flakes)
2/3 ounce cilantro, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons to garnish
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 medium onions, finely chopped (to yield 1 1/3 cups)
1 large free-range egg
4 quince (2 3/4 pounds in total)
juice of half a lemon, plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 cardamom pods
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups chicken stock
seeds of half a pomegranate
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place lamb in mixing bowl with the garlic, chile, cilantro, bread crumbs, allspice, half the ginger, half the onion, egg, 3/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Mix well with your hands and set aside.

Peel the quince and halve them lengthwise. Put them in a bowl of cold water with the juice of 1/2 a lemon so they don't turn brown. use a melon baller or small spoon remove the seeds and then hollow out the quince halves so that you're left with a 2/3-inch shell. Keep the scooped-out flesh. fill the hollows with the lamb mix, using your hands to push it down. (Alternately: dice the quince and set aside. Form the lamb into meatballs.)

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan for which you have a lid. Place the reserved quince flesh in a food processor, blitz to chop well, then transfer mixture to the pan along with the remaining onion, ginger and cardamom pods. Saute for 10 to 12 minutes, until the onion has softened. Add the molasses, the tablespoon of lemon juice, sugar, stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt and some black pepper and mix well.  Add the quince halves to the sauce with the meat stuffing facing upwards (or, just add the lamb meatballs if quince has already been added), lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pan, and cook for about 30 minutes. At the end, the quince should be completely soft, the meat well cooked, and the sauce thick. Lift the lid and simmer for a minute or two to reduce the sauce if needed.

Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with the cilantro and pomegranate seeds.

Get a dog, get in shape!

In addition to companionship, tail wags, snuggles and ridiculous amounts of unconditional love, one of the other reasons we wanted a dog was to make sure we got out more - and let me tell you - we have! 

Twice a day, every day come rain, shine, sleet or snow, a dog needs his outings and that's that. Thankfully, I don't have to contend with sleet or snow here in Northern California, but I have most definitely suited up and gone out in weather I never would have considered running in pre-dog. It's funny, but knowing "the dog needs out" makes the choice so clear. There's no dilly dallying - just gotta put on the sneaks and get out there! When his ears go back and start flapping in the wind and he pushes ahead of me making us sprint uphill - I smile, knowing this is really good for both of us.

Mushroom and Herb Polenta

I just read an amazing article about Yotam Ottolenghi and immediately had to go out and get his cookbooks. This is from Plenty and it's ridiculous. I must admit - I was thinking about ways to make this recipe a little more healthy even as I was adding all the butter, cheeses, and truffle oil.... but when I tasted it I thought - why change it?! Just run more. 

Enjoy!


Mushroom and Herb Polenta
serves 2


4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups mixed mushrooms, very large ones halved
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1 tablespoon truffle oil
salt and black pepper
2 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock 
1/2 cup polenta (instant or traditional)
3 oz parmesan, grated
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped chervil
4 oz Taleggio (rind removed), cut into 3/8-inch slices

Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add half of the mushrooms and fry for a few minutes, or until just cooked; try not to move them much so you get golden-brown patches on their survace. Remove form the pan, and repeat with the rest of the mushrooms and oil. Off the heat, return all the mushrooms to the pan and add the garlic, tarragon, thyme, truffle oil and some salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan. Slowly stir in the polenta, then reduce the heat to the minimum and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. The polenta is ready when it leaves the sides of the pan but is still runny. If you are using instant polenta, this shouldn't take more than 5 minutes; with traditional polenta it could take up to 50 minutes (if it seems to dry out, add some more stock or water but just enough to keep it at a thick porridge consistency).

Preheat the broiler. When the polenta is ready, stir in the parmesan, butter, rosemary and half of the chervil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the polenta over a heatproof dish and top with the taleggio. Place under the broiler until the cheese bubbles. Remove, top with the mushrooms and their juices, and return to the broiler for a minute to warm up. Serve hot, garnished with the remaining chervil.

It's time! It's time! Pick a word for 2013!

In this sleepiest season, I love taking time to reflect on the year. This was an incredibly challenging and also rewarding year for us for lots of reasons. My word for 2012 was mojo and I really used it to rally and inspire me. In anticipation of all that 2013 will bring - I've been thinking about what's important to help set my intention for next year. Not sure what word I will pick just yet, but as always - I really love hearing what my friends are thinking about. What are you inspired by? Please post your comments or email me. I love hearing your thoughts!

The Tradition:
By now - this is old hat to many of you, but for those of you who don't know the story, this tradition goes back over a decade to a holiday dinner. We were all sitting around the table lamenting the tradition of New Year's Resolutions. We all had them, or attempted a list, but we never managed to fulfill them and it made us feel bad. So we scrapped the whole idea. Instead, each of us came up with a single word that would set the tone for the year to come. It could be anything, it just had to inspire. The idea is that this is YOUR word for the whole year - a singular rallying cry, intention, reminder, kick in the pants, inspiring thought.... use it however you like. Live it for the year. See how you feel.

Some favorites from this year:
Basics
Play
Gumption
Chance
Center
Music
Chutzpah
Collect
Embrace
Presence
Intention
Finish
Grateful
Patience
Cherish

A quilt for baby Audrey

Audrey Belle came into the world just a day after B's birthday - on September 17. It was just the motivation I needed to finish the quilt I started when I learned her mama was pregnant. I had a lot of fun picking out cute girly fabrics and thinking about all the creatures she would discover over time looking at the different squares. 

The backing is Denyse Schmidt fabric from her "Flea Market Fancy" collection. Isn't it just the sweetest? Welcome to the world Audrey!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These cookies remind me of many cozy weekends we spent in Bolinas with our friends Greg and Lorraine. To work up to lazy afternoon naps and evenings in front of the fire, we spent hours on long leisurely beach walks, usually talking about food and planning our next meal. Honestly, is there a better way to spend a day?

Lorraine's recipe makes a "double batch". It's up to you if you want to bake them all at once, or make some to eat now and some to freeze for later. 

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies 

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter (at room temperature)
2 1/2 cups (20 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Blend well. Set aside.

In a mixer, cream butter together with sugar and peanut butter. Add vanilla and eggs, whipping together until fluffy. Slowly add dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips/chunks by hand. 

Use a scoop or tablespoons to drop cookie dough onto baking sheets. Bake until crisp at the edges and golden brown (about 10-15 minutes). Remove to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Cornbread Stuffing with Greens

The last couple of years, we've dared to drift from our classic Thanksgiving stuffing - which has sage, butter, sausage and white bread (did I mention butter?!) to a slightly healthier option. This one is from Chez Panisse Vegetables. But don't worry - it still has bacon and butter. It also has greens, so you can feel good about that. It's terrific with roast chicken as well, so don't relegate it to the holidays!

Corn Bread Stuffing with Greens
Makes 4 cups (enough for two medium chickens)

1 recipe Corn Bread (see below)
1 bunch greens (chard, kale, escarole)
Olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 pound bacon, diced (we like using pancetta!)
fresh sage, finely chopped to yield 1 teaspoon
fresh thyme, finely chopped to yield 1/2 teaspoon
fresh parsley, finely chopped to yield 2 teaspoons
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper

Crumble corn bread into a large mixing bowl.

Wash and trim the greens, chop roughly and cook until tender in a little olive oil. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat. When it begins to render its fat, add the diced onion and cook until softened, but not too brown (about 2-3 minutes). Add the garlic, stirring quickly to prevent it from burning. Remove from the heat and add to the corn bread. 

Add the herbs and cooked greens to the corn bread. Blend well and taste for seasoning - adding salt and pepper as desired. Add the lightly beaten egg and milk to the bowl incorporating ingredients well. Add more milk if the mixture looks to dry.


Corn Bread
Serves 4 to 6

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1/3 pound unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400. Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven from the start of the preheating.

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cornmeal. Put the butter and milk in a small saucepan and heat until the butter is melted.

Break the egg into another bowl, beat lightly, and whisk in the milk and butter. Make a well in the flour mixture, pour in the liquid ingredients, and stir just until smooth. 

Take the skillet out of the over, put a lump of butter in it and swirl around to coat the pan. Pour in the batter. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the corn bread comes out clean. 

Turkey Enchiladas

Re-posting my all-time favorite recipes for left over turkey....

One of my favorite post-turkey activities is making stock, which has been on the stove since this morning. The other favorite is this recipe for turkey enchiladas that my friend Kim introduced me to a couple of  years ago. It couldn't be easier and it's a perfect leftover turkey. If your tortillas are soft and fresh, you can probably skip the step about heating them in oil. You can also steam them in the microwave for just a minute to get them soft so they can be rolled.
Enjoy!

Spicy Cranberry Sauce

Being latin and all - my family likes things on the spicy side. I don't know where I found this recipe, but once I did, it became a staple at our Thanksgiving table. It couldn't be easier or more foolproof!

Spicy Cranberry Sauce

1 pound fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup sugar
1 jalapeño pepper, minced 

Place cranberries, sugar and minced jalapeño in a saucepan along with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, reducing heat to a lively simmer until the cranberries start popping open (about 5-8 minutes). Turn off heat and set aside to cool. Can be made a day in advance. Serve at room temperature. 

Enjoy!

Chiles Rellenos with Quinoa filling

I had a hankering for something spicy and hearty the other day - so I decided to try to recreate these amazing chile rellenos I had when we were in Santa Fe last year. True - there's a bit of labor involved - AND it's vegetarian (I can feel some of you dropping off already) - but like always, it's worth the effort.


CHILES RELLENOS WITH QUINOA FILLING
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
2-4 Poblano chiles (Anaheim will also work)
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1/2 pound shitake or other mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 large onion, diced
1 cup feta cheese
1 pound spinach, rinsed and stemmed
1 can ancho chiles in adobo sauce (you will use a very small portion)
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Make the quinoa filling: 
Feel free to customize this filling to your taste - substituting other vegetables and ingredients. You can also use this quinoa recipe as well. 

Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt , then the quinoa. Give it a stir, then cover and ismmer over low heat until the grains are tender and reveal their spiraled germ (about 15 minutes).

While the quinoa is cooking, warm the oil in a wide skillet. Add the onions and saute slowly over medium-low heat until they are very soft and golden brown (about 20 minutes). Then, add the garlic and  mushrooms, raising the heat slightly to saute them. When the mushrooms are cooked, slowly add in the spinach until it is wilted. When quinoa is cooked, add it to the skillet, blending all ingredients well. Taste for seasoning - adding salt and pepper as desired. When filling has cooled - crumble in the feta cheese. Set aside. Can be made a day ahead.

Prep the chiles:

Roast the chiles over open flame until the skin is blistered and completely black. Transfer immediately to a glass bowl and cover bowl tightly with saran wrap while the chiles cool (this will loosen the skins to make them easy to peel). When cool, gently remove charred skin from chiles. Keeping stem in tact, carefully create an opening on one side of the chile - slicing vertically so that you can remove the seeds and membrane. Rinse and pat dry. Repeat for remaining chiles.

Stuff the chiles:

Taste and adjust the seasoning for the filling one last time, then, gently beat an egg in a small bowl and drizzle it over the quinoa filling, incorporating it into the filling. Take each chile one by one, carefully stuffing them through the opening on the side. Be generous with the filling so that the chiles are quite large and filled out. Place each chile "seam side down" onto a lightly oiled baking sheet or glass baking dish. Roast in oven until warmed through (about 15-25 minutes)

Adobo sauce:

While the chiles are roasting, make the sauce. Carefully separate out 1 chile from your chiles in adobo sauce. Depending on your heat tolerance, dice about 1/2 a chile and about a tablespoon of the sauce. Use more if you want to make it very spicy). In a small saucepan, combine the chicken stock, diced chile and adobo sauce and warm to a boil. Lower heat, adding the half and half or cream until the sauce thickens slightly. Taste for seasoning, making it more spice by adding more chile, or less spicy, adding more chicken stock and cream. 

Place a 1/4 cup of sauce ladled onto a plate, placing a warm chile relleno on top. Drizzle with additional sauce if desired. Serve immediately.

I vote for O!

In addition to being election day, today marks a full month that we've had our boy Otis. It will come as no surprise that he's developed several nicknames already - including Mr. Swagger and Scrounger. The default seems to be Handsome. Can you blame us? I mean look at that mug! He's also very smart. As you can see above, he's a talented creative director - calling all the shots for the design of his new bed. Lucky for me, he approved of my fabric choice.

Potato Leek Soup

It was chilly this morning, and certainly stormy in other parts of the country (!) so I thought some comfort food was in order. This soup couldn't be more delightful - and it's from one of my favorite books, The Art of Simple Food. I didn't have any cream on hand so I substituted a bit of whole milk. You could skip it altogether and it would still be wonderful. 

Potato Leek Soup
makes 2 quarts (serves 4-6)

Ingredients
2 pounds leeks
3 tablespoons butter
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 pound yellow potatoes (such as yukon gold), halved or quartered and sliced
6 cups water or chicken stock
1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

trim off the root ends of the leeks and the tough upper greens. Cut trimmed leeks in half lengthwise and slice thin. Rinse in a bowl of cold water. Lift the leeks out of the water to drain. 

Melt butter over medium hat in a heavy-bottomed pot. When melted and foaming, add the leeks along with the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft (about 10 minutes). 

Add potatoes, cooking them for about 4 minutes and then add 6 cups water or chicken stock. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender, but not falling apart (about 30 minutes). Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Using an immersion blender, puree a portion of the soup before stirring in the cream. Add freshly ground black pepper to each bowl before serving.

Mr. Swagger does Tilden

There's something magical about watching a dog be a dog. This is especially true out on the trails and Tilden is quickly becoming one of Otis' favorite spots. I love watching his ears go back and flop gently in the wind and how his tail wags slowly and steadily as if to say "Oooh yeah! This is awesome!" 

My only job is to trot along with him and take it all in. So simple and so wonderful. And as they say - a tired dog is a happy dog!

Happy Birthday Otis!

Our pooch turned two today. He's a rescue, so we feel lucky to know his actual birth date. I also love that he's a libra. We decided it was time to give him a grown up name to match his handsome regal self. After a lot of searching and much discussion, we landed on Otis. He's wheedling his way into our hearts pretty quickly.

Here are just a few things we love about him:
he's a lover, snuzzler and cuddler
he's a frutarian (watermelon, pears, peaches, strawberries, apples, avocado, bananas - check!)
he's a crazy mad fetcher
he loves Tilden
nothing gets his attention like a turkey meatball

Happy birthday Otis! Woof!

Apple Cobbler

Our apple tree graduated from its "creep year" of barely growing and producing just a handful of apples to its "leap year" growing much taller and producing a TON of fruit. Naturally, this put me on the hunt for recipes. Since we have Braeburns, my awesome baker friend Jackie said their flavor and soft texture would be perfect for cobblers. Her recipe brings out the best in the fruit without being too sweet. The aniseed is an unexpected and wonderful addition. Enjoy!

APPLE COBBLER
Topping:
1 tsp aniseed
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
3/4 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Filling:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/3 cup sugar (or you may omit, depending on how sweet your apples are)
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange peel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs. Apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Vanilla gelato or ice cream to serve

For topping: 
Toast aniseed in small skillet over medium heat until slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Place seeds in processor. Add next 5 ingredients; blend 5 seconds. Add butter; blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Drizzle egg over and stir until ingredients are evenly moistened.

For filling: 
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl; stir to blend. Add apples and lemon juice; toss to blend. Transfer filling to 11x7x2- inch glass baking dish (or other shallow 2-quart baking dish).

Crumble topping finely over filling. Bake dessert until apples are tender, juices bubble thickly, and topping is crisp and golden, about 1 hour. Cool 15 minutes. Serve crisp warm with gelato.

Found my mojo!

Just back from a run on a perfectly dreamy misty morning with our dog Bear at my side, and the whole beautiful fall day ahead of me. It's been a heck of a journey this year - but I finally found my mojo.

I made a lot of changes –clearing out the "old" and making space for the "new" including finding a new job, making lots of new friends, reconnecting with extended family and opening my heart to a new pooch. I think a lot of it has been about sloughing off old ways and embracing new adventures.

Someone once said to me that "perception is reality" and I think there's truth to that. Like this hole in the fence. Is it just a hole? Or is it a window of possibility? You decide. 

B is for Birthday and for Bear

It was my birthday on Saturday and I have to say, it was spectacular. I got to spend time with family on Friday, catching up with dear cousins who live far away. Saturday morning I got to cheer my niece Bella on at her soccer game and then - best for last - we also brought Bear (now Otis) home for good.

Our list of requirements for a rescue dog was long - must be good with people, must be good with kids, must even be good with cats... and so on. We said no to many, and some said no to us. But when we met Bear and he climbed up onto the couch resting his head in my lap, we knew we had a keeper. 

We owe HUGE thanks to the many wonderful folks at Golden Gate Lab Rescue, and to Bear's "Grandma" who patiently waited for us until October. We are ridiculously delighted to welcome this four-legged into our family. Stay tuned and watch the "Otis" category for updates.

Watermelon and Green Tomato Salad

I love this time of year. Summer feels like it's still here, but fall is definitely in the air. For a very short time only, you can find watermelon and heirloom tomatoes together at the farmer's market and this salad makes the best of both. It's the layering of textures and flavors that you'll find irresistible, followed by the surprise star ingredient - pepperoncini. You want just the right amount of them in the salad; enough so that you're delighted to encounter one when get one, but not so many that there's one in every bite. 

So simple and just plain g-o-o-d!


Watermelon and Green Tomato Salad

Watermelon, sliced into thin wedges
Green heirloom tomatoes (other tomatoes can be substituted - but green heirlooms have a mild and wonderful flavor)
Feta cheese
1-2 tablespoons thinly sliced pepperoncini (to taste)
Arugula
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
1 tablespoon-ish whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and the vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, while whisking to form an emulsion. Taste for tanginess (you want it to be somewhat sharp), adding more olive oil as needed. Stir in the mint and set aside. (Makes enough dressing for 2-4 salads.)

For the salad:
Assemble two to three slices of the watermelon and several slices of tomato on each plate, followed by a sprinkling of the pepperoncini. Drizzle dressing over the slices and crumble a generous amount of feta on top. Add a small handful of arugula to each plate, followed by salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Concord Grape Jam

This week, my friend John brought in pounds and pounds of beautiful concord grapes from his garden. The minute I saw them, I knew exactly what was in store for Saturday morning. As a warning, I will say that the pain and suffering of squeezing each and every grape to separate skins from fruit definitely puts this at the far end of the "labor of love" spectrum. Still - this jam is nothing like grape jelly you had as a kid on your PBJs. The color and texture is amazing - and yes - totally worth the effort. The recipe is from my ever favorite jam cookbook - Blue Chair Fruit.

Estero Trail

I never get tired of Point Reyes. Yesterday, B took me on the Estero trail to Sunset Beach. It's an easy 8-mile "out and back" near Tomales Bay. I know I should be excited about the landscape - and I am. But the cows! These ladies were strolling along as we walked right on by. It was so quiet you could hear them gently pulling and chewing on the grasses. Now that's a pretty good life. Oh yes, and herons and egrets and lots of other birds too. Just go!

Gifts of the North, South, East and West

I cannot believe that ten years ago today, B and I tied the knot in Sonoma on a beautiful, balmy fall afternoon. I remember the warm breeze as we said our vows under an ancient oak tree and hearing geese call out as they flew overhead during the ceremony.

It was an incredible day filled with friends and family from near and far. Great Aunt Eva and Uncle Reuben's cake topper from the 40's graced our cake, and there was champagne and salsa dancing late into the night. 

Someone once told me that, like a garden, every relationship needs care and feeding. Today we're retreating to one of our favorite places to walk in nature and remind ourselves of these hopes and wishes, shared by our dear friend Victoria (aka "Fearless") as she married us:

Blessed be this union with... 

the gifts of the East:

Communication of the heart, mind, and body. Fresh beginnings with the rising of each Sun.

the gifts of the South:

Warmth of hearth and home,  the heat of the heart's passion,  the light created by both to lighten the darkest of times.

the gifts of the West:

The deep commitments of the lake, the swift excitement of the river, the refreshing cleansing of the rain, the all encompassing passion of the sea.

the gifts of the North:

Firm foundation on which to build, a stable home to which you may always return.

These years have been such a gift. I am so very grateful that you came to my door, Pepo. I love you madly.