Monthly Archives: January 2017

When Dogs Climb Trees

Posted on January 31, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Fiery clouds at dawn portend an auspicious day ahead. Something remarkable is sure to occur. The dogs have discovered that a Douglas squirrel lives in an old stump. It’s dug tunnels through the rotting stump, and the dogs are adamant … Continue reading →

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Ginger Bombs

Posted on January 29, 2017 by amanandhishoe

This is a spicy treat to make with firm tofu. All you need is some firm tofu, fresh ginger, and salt. The first thing to do is to grate the ginger. The more ginger you use, the bigger the bomb … Continue reading →

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A Sliver of a Root

Posted on January 26, 2017 by amanandhishoe

A garden can be as small as a tuft of moss on a rock. Moss are remarkable plants. They have no roots, but have a thin, root-like structure only one cell thick. This is how they stick to rocks and … Continue reading →

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The Many Moods of Mount Blanchard

Posted on January 22, 2017 by amanandhishoe

A benefit of living here is enjoying the many moods of Mount Blanchard. This is the only place where the Cascade Mountains touch the sea. Every time I bike to the post office or deliver eggs to tweets, Mount Blanchard … Continue reading →

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Peanut Butter-Miso Soup for Winter

Posted on January 17, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Happiness is a basket of eggs. Hens laying eggs again is a sure sign that spring is just around the corner. While we wait for spring to arrive, a good way to warm your heart on a cold day is … Continue reading →

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Spring in January

Posted on January 15, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Ha! Hardly. It’s still cold, but spring is just around the corner, the daffodils pushing out of the frozen soil are counting on it. The deep freeze that started on New Year’s Eve still has the ground as hard as … Continue reading →

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The Joys of Having a Personal Roaster

Posted on January 12, 2017 by amanandhishoe

A pleasant five mile bicycle ride north live Bill and Gilda Gorr, coffee roasters who roast coffee one pound at a time. When it became no longer practical to keep ordering our favorite coffee from Seattle, I took them some … Continue reading →

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Ice Art

Posted on January 11, 2017 by amanandhishoe

The warmer weather and sunny skies have melted all the snow and ice out in the open. Yet, deep in the forest, where the sun rays barely tickle, the ice still rules. Buttercups are encased in solid glass, frozen bubbles … Continue reading →

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Sojourn to the Arctic is Over

Posted on January 10, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Our eight day sojourn to the arctic is over. Yesterday morning we woke up and all the snow and ice were gone. Just a few dying wisps of snow remained in the shadows, and a few remaining shards of grand … Continue reading →

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Close to Perfect

Posted on January 8, 2017 by amanandhishoe

I had a feeling this loaf was going to be good. Relaxation is the main ingredient for making bread. After mixing flour from Skagit grown wheat with water and salt, I let the dough relax for twelve hours, folding it … Continue reading →

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The Color Brown

Posted on January 6, 2017 by amanandhishoe

It’s a brown, brown world in the forest. The dried leaves above are actually frozen in an invisible sheet of ice. Walking on them is like walking on thick glass. There is no crunch of dried leaves, just silence. The … Continue reading →

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Snow Vegetables

Posted on January 5, 2017 by amanandhishoe

As a little boy, I never dreamed I’d be picking vegetables out of a garden covered with shimmering, powdery snow. But beneath this bitter cold snow, greens abound. Cabbages, kales, and other hearty greens stay fresh under a blanket of … Continue reading →

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Arctic Sojourn

Posted on January 4, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Our sojourn into the arctic continues. The boy fishing on the dock ponders the meaning of an icy pond. Russel, our flame-orange rooster can’t hide in the snowy woods. Like a flame flaring out in the open, he’s visible from … Continue reading →

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A Time of Firsts

Posted on January 2, 2017 by amanandhishoe

It is a time of firsts, the first egg of the New Year, one I gathered yesterday morning. Do I eat it? Do I sell it? Do I hatch it? The possibilities are endless if you let your mind go … Continue reading →

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New Year’s Dawn

Posted on January 1, 2017 by amanandhishoe

Last night, I didn’t think we’d see the sunrise this morning. What a surprise to wake up this morning and see a pink sky. As I made this morning’s coffee, the sun lit up the tops of the trees. Forty-five minutes … Continue reading →

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