What blog?

Wrestling tigers.

Let me tell you. I understand EXACTLY how kids grow up so fast. Exactly how time flies. How one day you turn around and your tiny little bean of a baby is a six year old singing Justin Beiber. I understand. I just can't explain it. (I can't explain Justin Beiber, either).

Along the same lines, I probably could not explain how these past couple of weeks flew by without my knowledge or consent, but I know a few things happened, at least. The last time I sat down to this blog, I was lazily sipping a new red wine, while Josh cooked dinner on a Saturday night and the kids watched a movie. My favorite kind of Saturday night, these days. Since then, I promise I have cooked:

Homemade yogurt 

Orange curry pecans with dried cherries and manchego 

A most remarkable warm winter salad 

Simple scones

I also enjoyed a fabulous birthday weekend in NYC with my fabulous husband, while his fabulous parents held down The Fort. We ate at Les Halles (Anthony Bourdain's restaurant), Maze by Gordon Ramsay (fabulous!), and several other delicious spots (much thanks to the Yelp app on my phone!). I saw my first musical on Broadway:

Daniel and John were both great!

We walked everywhere and must have seen everything within a 5 mile radius of our hotel. Times Square, Central Park, The Plaza, FAO Schwartz, World Trade Center Memorial, Wall Street and the Wall Street Occupation. It was so nice and more than a little surreal to just hike around with Josh all day -- it occurred to me that we'd probably not hung out during the day, sans lovelies, since I worked at Vermont Law, and he was a student. And no... after 6+ years of waking up by 7 every morning (often much earlier)... I could not sleep in. But I did wake up on my own terms, and that's something!

Other than that, we've just been goofing off. Recipes to match the photos coming soon! I think you'll especially want to try the pecans. Easy, delicious and highly adaptable, they've been a big hit at several gatherings and are going to make awesome teacher gifts come Christmas time.

Vacation Catch-up

Whew. We're home. Did you know you can drive to central Vermont from Washington, DC in just 12 hours, door-to-door?  That includes stops for three kids and two dogs.  I couldn't believe it.  And I'm also incredibly relieved to know we're so close.  I. love. it. there.  And I can guarantee it will not be three years between visits again!  One more thing I can guarantee?  A farm vacation in VT will not disappoint.  Especially if you keep it simple.  We had such a slow, lazy, unplugged, disconnected, undirected, WONderful time.  Wonderful.

So, this post is just a photo dump to play a little catch-up.  Second String Sommelier will be making an appearance later this week with a very fine bottle of monastrell.  As will at least one of my still-vacationing husband's tasty recipes, but for now:

Let's go...

see the cows.

Side and back of the farmhouse. I pretty much lived on the front porch rocking chair. Finished two books in less than two weeks!

Exploring around the barn.

Taking it all in.

Breathe. Ahhhh. There, now. That's better.

We fed these guys all our scraps. Melon rinds were their favorites.

The trail went up through those trees.

At the hilltop. The AT was less than 500 ft. away, as well as several other trails.

Tireless hiker.

Roasted cherry tomatoes and zucchini stuffed with creamed chard.

It was good.  I need to develop the recipe some before I share, though. The chard/cream cheese mixture baked up just a little dry.

The fact that this vacation was still MONUMENTALLY relaxing, even with three kids and two dogs, speaks volumes about a farm vacation. I just can't recommend it enough.

Three Bean Cafe. One of my favorite places to visit when we lived nearby. The owner  remembered Ingrid and me... maybe I spent a little too much time there ;-).