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morning at home:

my printer stopped working about a month ago, the paper was getting jammed when it would try to print.  who gets their home printers fixed these days?  seems like people just buy new ones, it being more expensive to get them fixed than to buy a new one...

 i found Mike online, who came over to my house to "assess" my printer for free. it took him about two minutes to remove the back panel and find a walnut, lodged between the rollers.  quite fitting really, a walnut, preventing my machinery from functioning...

he removed the walnut, buffed the rollers, and just like that, my printer works again.  oh, the beauty of old fashioned repairs!  such satisfaction!

and the morning has evolved into a lazy & productive afternoon

at the Rose House with Sophie,

and an afternoon salad:

Arugula with Roasted Squash, Heirloom Tomatoes, Pinenuts & Avocado

roasted some beautiful yellow squash the other day; cut it into 1/2" coins, laid them on a baking sheet with some chopped onions, salt, and olive oil for 40 min at 400 degrees.  chopped some of these sweet squash coins, tossed with peppery market arugula, a green zebra tomato, half an avo, some raw pinenuts, a little blue cheese, and a simple dressing of whole grain mustard, olive oil, balsamic, and salt.

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for Tim's 30th:

extra-long leather suspenders.

perhaps third time's the charm?

this time they are unlined (first pair was unlined with raw leather on the back, second pair was lined with cotton fabric).  but i tracked down the secret ingredient, which allowed me to keep the look of raw leather without all the shedding on the underside.

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new discovery:

b e e  p o l l e n.

bought some from the farmer's market yesterday.  sprinkled it on my toast this morning, but i could eat it by the spoonful.  so sweet & delicate.

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this little dew-covered spider web made me gasp with delight yesterday.

i soon came to realize that they were all around, hanging everywhere from the tops of plants, and all covered with small water droplets in the overcast morning.

 

it was like a scene from a Tim Burton film.

other-worldly. beautiful.

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for Graham's pork-centric birthday gathering (the "Pork-Off"):

Fresh Nectarine Tart with Vanilla Pastry Cream, Bacon, & Maple Syrup

i used Tartine's Fresh Fruit Tart recipe.  added the bacon pieces.

instead of the jam fruit glaze in the recipe,

i drizzled maple syrup from a small family farm in Massachusetts. 

Emma and i had fun assembling this one, glass of rose' in hand, except for a bacon grease spill (never pour hot bacon grease into a jar that has been in the freezer), and maple syrup dripping into the passenger's seat while we temporarily set the finished tart on the roof of the car!  nonetheless, it was delicious.

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hiked Rattlesnake Canyon for the first time this morning

full to the brim with the sweet scents of the mountains

 dry grass, sage, starthistle, wildflowers

 grasshoppers springing buoyantly

and breathtaking color & pattern of the quails' feathers

and then: kale sauteed with bacon, onion, cumin, & coriander, topped with walnuts, heirloom tomatoes, and a little tahini & champagne vinegar

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in love with summer produce.

 

placing bets: 

how many containers of cranberry beans will result

in our pre-service cranberry-bean-shelling-sesh at Julienne?

today began grey

but soon became warm.

Rose discovered my tomato-shaped pincushion full of sewing pins.

she fell in love, intrigued, curious... 

 nervous about possible pin ingestion, i was forced to make her a ball

from fabric scraps instead.  she wasn't so intrigued,

but showed appreciation for my creative attempt.

heirloom tomatoes for lunch, market lettuce, walnuts, caramelized shallots,

and Fourme d'Ambert in the dressing...

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there is lovely new life on Canada Street.

this is Rose.

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i hiked cold springs canyon today

curiosity took me further and further up an overgrown trail

(nearing gould park in los padres national forest)

i wove gingerly through fresh poison oak growth, following the carefree song of a tiny bird as it moved further up the hill in front of me.  i found myself high above the creek below, climbing up rocks as i neared the top of the ridge, sky vast above.

then a couple of pretty little sage bushes

greeted me with their silvery, fragrant leaves.

leaves of the gods.

i filled the little bit of space in my small bag

with a few sprigs, & thanked the plant, so humbly nestled between rocks.

the air in my room is now filled with the subtle,

grounding scent of fresh sage

as it dries...

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the sun came out before noon

(which is rare this july in santa barbara).

after coffee, sophie and i went over to nick and hannah's place.

we felt like nymphs in their backyard garden, shaking the tree's branches & racing to collect the freshly fallen fruit.

i can boldly say that these are the best plums i have ever had the pleasure of eating. they are as sweet as candy & have delectably juicy reddish-orange flesh.

the kitchen soon became scented with plum preserves bubbling on the stove;

e u p h o r i a

for approximately six small jars of preserves:

8 cups chopped plums (i included the peels, but this is optional)

2-4 cups sugar (i used about 2 c for the whole 8 c of plums, but this about half of the normal sugar about, resulting in a more tart, less cloying plum spread)

4 tbsp lemon juice

cook plums and lemon juice on medium heat for 5 minutes.  add sugar and stir until everything is well combined.  cook for an additional 45 minutes or until the thickness of the jam has been reduced to the consistency of thick honey or 220 F. degrees stirring occasionally.  remove from heat.  while plums are reducing, sterilize jars in oven or boiling water for 10 minutes.  fill jars with preserves, put lids on tightly, and boil for 10 minutes.

spread on a hot croissant or scone (freshly whipped cream optional)

and take a deep breath.

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spur-of-the-moment kale salad:

(afternoon off with sophie. listening to new acquistion and about to make some plum jam.)

 toast 1 teaspoon cumin with a drop of olive oil in a skillet for a minute. add 2-3 cups fresh kale, ribs removed, and torn into pieces. cover with lid on med-high heat for 3-5 minutes, tossing once or twice. remove from heat and transfer to bowl (should be just wilted, not overcooked). while kale is cooking, mix 1 tablespoon tahini, juice of half a lemon, dash of sea salt, 1-2 teaspoons olive oil, & 1 clove minced garlic in small bowl. add to kale. slice one medium sized heirloom tomato and add to bowl as well. smash about 1/4 c raw walnuts and add. toss well and serve.

 

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f i n a l l y !

 

need i say more?

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one question, how have i not discovered this sooner?

instantly transported,

i am sitting on top of a mossy, fallen tree beneath the redwoods in Big Sur,

it's overcast and drizzling,

droplets cover my face, hair is growing damp.

i feel like i know a secret.

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i can hardly believe the time has come

( ! )

Dear Figs: I adore you.

my first of the season,

(black missions with pecorino moliterno, crostini, extra virgin olive oil), here.