Finally a walk, seafood pasta, brownie accolades

Today the cooking was about pasta, penne, to be exact, with a lovely sauce, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, knob of butter, parmigian rind. And onions, shrimp and scallions. Blue cheese sprinkles.

It was soooo good. I do like shrimp with practically anything. I'd skip the cheese next time though, too many competing flavors. But no complaints. And enough for several more meals.  

I managed a complete walk, tired coming home but I made it. No pictures, really quiet day for birds and animals. Very pleased I had enough energy.

Last year this time was a different story

I also found today that this is the total germination of the two beds of memorial snowdrops. Clearly since this lone one is flowering, there's little to no hope of a sudden growth spurt from the dozens of others.

Not acceptable. I've written to Breck to request a refund. Then I'll buy some shrub or plant locally and start again. This happens, nobody's fault, probably frozen in transit with no protection.

Gary came bursting in, this morning, all thrilled with the brownies, which he found when he came home yesterday. I gather he'd eaten one before he got his coat off! When he found out there were two more batches in his future, he was a happy guy.

A convo later with Paul Couchman, the Regency Chef, on Twitter, reminded me that seasalt goes well with chocolate.

So I sprinkled a bit on this afternoon's brownies with a cup of tea, great reminder. Chic!

I checked on my library holds, including this one

It's getting excellent reviews from a range of critics, and I've heard part of the audio, really good speaker. So we'll see.

I'd like to try recipes from Meghan's Together: Our Community Cookbook, but it's backordered everywhere. I think I'd like some of that food, Indian, and Middle Eastern. But I can wait. 

I'm interested in his story,  as a survivor of sibling abuse myself, rather than as a current gossip meme. Please tread softly.

If anyone's seen and cooked from the cookbook, I'd like to hear more.

Happy day everyone! May your energy fit your ambition today. Well, every day, but right now today's the issue.

Photo AC 

Snowdrops ahoy! and baskets and things

 Yesterday my daily crawling around in search of snowdrops was rewarded

Sister Irene's memorial snowdrops on the patio have started. Friend Diane's out front not yet. Great excitement. 

Meanwhile here's what's up next door

The van door was closed before I got a picture of a bathroom vanity tossed in. Ah, small amounts of sheetrock, bumping noises upstairs. Conclusion: they're renovating a bathroom. 

Also doing the socially responsible thing and paying the contractor take away the old fittings. Some neighbors cheap out, dump them at the dumpster to be an eyesore till the haulers reluctantly take them, building materials not being in their contract.

Wouldn't surprise me if Aditha invites me in to admire it.  At which point I'll politely profess great surprise.

And I did a bit more on the daylily string basket

When I move back into knitting,  I have a request through the Knitting Ministry for gloves for another lady who uses a wheelchair. I told Sister M to divert a pair from their next glove package to her. This is a niche need I hadn't known about till recently, glad to be useful, and grateful for the education from e on this point.

I also came across an artist I hadn't seen before and thought you'd like his sense of color

Bold and controlled at the same time, brilliant yet calm. I like these a lot.

Happy day everyone, solve your local mysteries, make discoveries.