Oven Roasted Onions

Onions.
Bittersweet.
They make me cry.
But I still like them.

I made a decision this week.
It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make,
it was also the easiest.
I feel sadness.
I feel relief.
Bittersweet.

I've been chasing loons for weeks now.
The babies are diving and learning to feed themselves.
There's a lesson in that.

I'm back in the kitchen.

Yay to that.

Oven Roasted Onions

Ingredients:

Sweet Vadalia onions
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Rosemary


Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375
Peel and slice onions into halves or quarters.
Its really just a matter of preference.

Drizzle onions with olive oil
Salt, Pepper and Rosemary them.

Roast in oven until the bottoms are caramelized.




It's good to be back.


: )

I don't want to know...

...what the date is. I know that summer solstice has just passed.
Which tells me these days are flying by.

I called my dad on Sunday.
To wish him a happy father's day.

He asked me what's new.

I said not much, just out on the river with the boat fishing,
looning, every chance we get, which is every night unless it rains.

He said something to the effect of what I wouldn't give to be
able to be on the lake every day fishing.

I said Daddy I don't take it for granted not for one minute.
And I don't. I know he'd like nothing better than to be able
to retire his last years up here and fish every day. I don't blame him.

I think I make it a point to go more because I know he can't.
I try to soak it up for him. And to not go would be an insult you know?
Winter will be here soon enough.

I sure do appreciate the reminder tho.

Its a crazy summer. It is.
Work is good. I have lots of hours and I'm working every last one of them,
gratefully so. Too many people these days without jobs.

I'm also reminded that in spite of a full plate, I still have ways I can give
without giving up room on my plate. And they give too.

In a year and a half my 18 year legal responsibility to my short person
who is now taller than I will be done. I have to say......and I know what you're
thinking, but I'm saying it anyway. I can't wait. I'm ready. That's part of our job
as parents to prepare them to leave. I've prepared myself as well.


New chapters in life.
Are a good thing.
I'm ready for the next one.

I think its here a little early.... : )
No complaints from me. I'm excited for the first time in a long time.
I think I'm going to take the plunge on this one.  I hope Ryan you enjoy your time
up at the lake, a little earlier than we thought, but this is a good thing.

That's it. That's all I got this morning.

: )







One love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

I am once again reminded...

that we are all in this together.
We must do what we can to help each other, to love each other,
but not without losing ourselves in the process.
If we have the opportunity, we have the responsibility.

The opportunity to help, the responsibility to help,
we have also the responsibility to ourselves to know when it is enough.

Love is life.
All, everything that I understand,
I understand only because I love.

Everything is, everything exists,
only because I love.
Everything is united by it alone.
Love is God,
and to die means that I,
a particle of love,
shall return to the general and eternal source.


Leo Tolstoy














One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the subject of being...

still.

"Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary
to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself."

Hermann Hesse











One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

My Camera died....sniff.

Don't let that little sniff fool you, had I not been able to sell my
soul to Amazon in the way of a credit card purchase you would
find me in the depths of hell right about now.

Can I afford a new one? NO.
In fact I have no pride when it comes to cookbooks or cameras.NONE.
Will accept any and all donations fora camera. You bet.
Where's my back up camera you ask?
Oh I gave that away in a moment of pure generosity.
Do I wish I had it now? yeh...no. it was a good thing I did.
Do I wish I had the winning lottery ticket? YES.

A camera is like a lung. I need it.
At least I tell myself I need it.
I know its a want.
I know I know.

It's also my life. My sanity.

I was out on the boat shooting the loons.
Still too far away for a great crop but I got a few.

Fired off about 64 shots when all of a sudden
there was an error message on the screen
mid shoot. Crap. Heart sinks.
Its internal. Nothing I can fix.

Loon comes within five feet of the boat.
I'm scrambling thru batteries, memory cards,
trying any and all combinations to bring her back to life.
Nothing works.

Loon swims off. Babies swim off.
Heart sinks again.

I'm closing all blinds in my house.
I don't want to see the cool lighting thnx to
magnificent clouds that have filled the sky all day.
I don't want to see that the wind is almost nothing
so the water would be like glass.

You'll find me cleaning house.
Anything to fill the time until the new camera gets here.
Which is looking like Monday.

Is this worse than a broken heart?
Quite possibly.


Take my camera and I can't function OUCH.

Well. Time to get busy.
Am going to try not to click that my account button
on Amazon any more today. It will get here when it gets here.

yeh I wouldn't believe that either.

I hope it rains all weekend.
HA.

reality check.
there are people living homeless
and without food.

I can take this one in stride and call it good.

This and That...

First thing...

I do have food coming, reviews, n wot not.
But its summer and I'm on the lake every chance I get.
Looning. I know its not a word.
In the summer food gets put to the side
while I chase the parent loons and their babies, gently chase.
Okay I stalk them. Let's be honest. I'm a respectful stalker of loons.


I'm updating my website frequently.

ONE TREE PAST THE FENCE

you'll find the latest pictures over there.

I can't tell you how thrilled I am.
I have been photographically following these birds for
four years now. I hadn't expected or rather tried very hard
to find the nest, but I did. I found it.

Last night I checked it and they were already gone.
Lo and behold while fishing with Ryan and Hannah
I spotted two loons in the distance. I had a feeling.
Sure enough, there they were, with two babies.

I had fifteen minutes to grab 200- 300 shots.
I never want to stress the birds. The mother and father
showed no displays of upset. None. We ran along side
them for a few minutes...I got what I got and I think I got
some good stuff. I'm always left so grateful and humbled...
these loons have been a saving grace for me and take me
away from a world that can be challenging. 15 minutes.
That's all this girl needs.

So you foodies have lost me for a few more days to
these magnificent birds.

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

Yesterday was My Birthday...

I'm kinda glad I didn't come here yesterday. Some cranky woman
screaming in all caps, my crap leg recipe was the worst ever.
(Seth just pointed out my typo, but i'm keepin it. kinda funny in a freudian kinda way)
Tasted good when I made them.
Sorry man, the thing is I wonder if she thinks I really care.
I don't.
Cook at your own risk.
I mean I hope they recipes turn out good for you,
but if they don't....oh well.
I don't come here blogging food
hoping I'll be discovered by food tv network.
I've said in my blogs before and I'll say it again, I'm just here for the photography.
My food isn't all that great. It amazes me how pissy people get over little things.
Of course if the crab was expensive well....then maybe that makes it not a little thing.
But I gotta say if a bad crab leg recipe is the worst of your troubles life ain't so bad.
And I'll bet you learned something too. Don't believe every thing you read.
What's great to me might not be great for um....your dad.

That's all I gotta say about that.
The only reason I said anything is well...because I can. I'm 46.
I think I've earned
the right to speak my mind.
I'm not talking about being intentionally mean.
I just don't care to sugarcoat anymore.
Its a waste of verbs and adjectives, which ultimately is a waste of time and breath.
I think she learned that too. Good for her. Tell it like it is. She certainly did. Right on.

I came home yesterday to find 3245675453 birthday messages on my Facebook.
I was really surprised. People move me you know, their kindnesses. I get mushy about
stuff like that. Thank you doesn't seem like enough. But its all I have.

Brother Joshy kidnapped me for the day. Wait til I show you what he got me.
The coolest gift ever. A first edition James Beard cookbook......1949. Yeh. I know.
We ran to Duluth, didn't do much, but it was enough, sat in the comfy chairs at Barnes n Noble. Came back, he crashed on the couch. I crashed on the bed. Power naps.
Oh yeh, forgot to mention he came over at 1 am the night before to wish me Happy Birthday
in person. So we celebrated. Danced like chickens in the kitchen until four in the morning.
God bless the boy he had to get up for work at six. I never heard him leave.
He slept out on the couch in the living room. No alarm clock. He got like an hour and a half of sleep. Fortunately he only had to work a couple hours. I got 5.
again thank you doesn't seem like quite enough.

His mom came over first
thing in the morning with a card and a note that made me feel really special, and part of a family, my minnesota family, I've been adopted.....she sang Happy Birthday to me from the foot of my bed. Not a bad way to wake up.

Becca trespassed to get me lilacs. She left them inside my door, she dropped them off on her way to work, funny she must have just missed Joshy. Man that was friend romantic.
Its the small stuff. Women get that about other women. Hey there are men out there who listen...I happen to know a few.
She heard me say I like lilacs, n wanted my house filled with them for my birthday.
I'd seen some particular bushes that looked good.
One boquet was more than enough, and that's exactly what she brought.
She listened, that's the most important part, and she acted on it.
A little thoughtful effort goes a long way.
Her husband is a lucky man.

I got a card in the mail. that was foolishly brave of him to send, but very thoughtful.

I got four emails, Seth always sends the best I mean THE BEST online hallmarks.
Seth and I have known each other for the better part of 6 years, probably 8 by now.
Everyone only ever sees us banter back n forth perfecting our verbal double entendre skills,
which ha is all just bullshit anyway. What they don't know is that we've been friends for that long, and what they see is only the second best thing we do. Of course they're not privvy to the hours of conversation in im's over the years, the support we give each other, so how could they know.
The best thing we do........lift each other up.

Dick emailed me..........a man who lives in the Netherlands. A fondness we share for each other,
I think more in the way of father daughter.......he feels familiar to me...in a different way.
I loved him.
I knew him before, I'm sure of it.

And an email from someone I love very much...we come and she go in each others lives.
But people do that......its life you know. People come and go, and come back...when
we learn what we needed to learn.
You have to let them.
I knew her before too. And loved her then as I do now.


My mom called. She told me as she does every year, the story of how I was born. No not that
part. geeze where's ur head at? The part about going to the hospital, and how my dad had to stop at the warehouse on the way to take care of something (his father's company, my dad worked there), and all the guys were wishing them good luck, and mom saying Dave we really have to go........something like that.
Every year I hear it with new ears.


My son even said Happy Birthday to me. That was a good moment.

I'm saying thank you...even tho it sounds so small.


ANYWAY...the picture.


I chose this picture very deliberately. Is choosing ever not deliberate?
Maybe, there's always thoughtless choosing. Crap, I'm already well into a ramble aren't I?
I was going to make this some deep philosophical thesis on getting older
hopefully leaning on the side of brevity.
Ha. too late now.

Someone said to me a couple months ago...
at our age the days before us are greater than the days behind us.
It didn't hit me hard. But it hit me. I've never looked at how many days I've lived,
and how many days I have left. When I say live I mean live, not just survive.
How many days have I really lived???
How many days did I spend waiting for life to happen, for someone to happen.
The thing is ...when you stop life keeps going.
People don't wait for you.
Life doesn't wait for you.
You get why I chose the picture now right?

I do a pretty good job of living these days. Making the most of each day.
Recognizing what's really important and what's not.
Every now and then I find myself in the trenches. It's inevitable that I will.
Things don't stay easy. We wouldn't learn anything if they did.

I'm probably at the halfway mark.
I have the opportunity to live life even bigger for the next 40 some years.
I don't mean bigger materialistically. I mean live life more aware, live life more
deliberately. I don't want to be stuck in the trenches and I refuse to live in the
drudgery of "have to's". Having to be here, having to go there, you know that place
where your begging for just five minutes to yourself. ummm yeh, no.

So this for me is a beginning,
more like a second chance to really whoop it up,
live more deliberately ( I know, its the repeat word this blog) , loving more gently, keep it kind,
not the beginning of the end.
I'm pretty pleased with how I turned out as a human being.
I've got some work yet to do but hey who doesn't.
My life is good.
I'm truly grateful, and humbled by it all really.
I spend more time being happy than sad or angry.
I laugh a lot.
I am blessed with people who love me and well.
I try to make a difference in this world.
I have food, a roof over my head...
anything else is butter.

Pass the crab legs.
I want more.








One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways.

On the subject of fishing...

There are two types of fishermen-
Those who fish for sport
and
Those who fish for fish.


Author Unknown

This for me is a million dollar shot.
The boy let me photograph him.
That in and of itself is priceless.

and you know I shot more than one.

On the subject of angels...

Lake Superior, May 2009

The guardian angels of life fly so high as to be beyond our sight,
but they are always looking down upon us.
~Jean Paul Richter











One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways~

On the subject of Love...

When we understand that man is the only animal who must create meaning,
who must open a wedge into neutral nature,
we already understand the essence of love.
Love is the problem of an animal who must find life,
create a dialogue with nature in order to experience his own being.

Ernest Becker

One Love. One Peace. Always and all ways~

Zucchini Wrapped Salmon with Dill

Welcome to a new feature here on One Tree Past The Fence.
It's all about mistakes. We all make em.
It's how we move forward and what we learn that counts.
I know right? (grinning)

I'm calling it Fix This Dish.
I'm not the best cook. I'm not.
I have a handful of recipes I do well.
I have a lot of recipes that look great in photos.
I lose something in my execution.

So...
I thought I'm going to post the not so good and ask for your help.
I'm asking you to fix this dish~!

Ingredients:

Salt
Pepper
Fresh Dill
Fresh Salmon
Zucchini

Preparation:

Salt and pepper the salmon filets.
Top with a sprig or two of dill.
Wrap the salmon with thin strips of zucchini.
Brush the zucchini wrapped salmon with olive oil
Salt and pepper also.
Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes.
If you need to brown the top a little bit,
hit broil for a couple of minutes.

It didn't taste bad. It almost tasted good.
It sure looked pretty.
I KNOW it could be great...but how?

Fix This Dish Please!

On the subject of...

In some mysterious way woods have never seemed to me to be static things.
In physical terms, I move through them; yet in metaphysical ones,
they seem to move through me. -

John Fowles

Yuzen Japanese Restaurant, Seal Rock, Oregon

Oregon April 2009

Anyone who knows me knows I love sushi.
I have spent the last couple of years traveling,
hit Europe twice, more than a handful of states
in search of the best sushi.

I think I found it.

Yuzen Japanese Restaurant in Seal Rock Oregon.

I didn't think I'd find anything close to Blue Chili in New York.
Completely different atmosphere but equally satiating.

Anyone who knows me, knows that I have no qualms about
walking up to other peoples tables politely asking to hijack
their food for a photo or two, or three.....These two women were
kind enough to accommodate my request, as were a few other tables. ha.

I know I've found the best tempura I have EVER EATEN.
It was so light, the vegetables crisp, and yet the whole thing
just melted in your mouth. I didn't know it was possible.

Prices were reasonable, the service outstanding.
And I'm really picky when it comes to waiting on tables.
I've spent good portion of my career
doing just that. We waited and wanted for nothing.

A picture says a thousand words...so let this review speak with images.
It is after all what I do best.

We ordered nigiri, a few rolls, miso soup, steak and tempura...
I hope you're drooling when you finish reading this.

Fried tofu soup

Fried Prawn

Miso Soup

California Roll

Forgive me for forgetting the name of this one,
was a fried fish roll, it was fantastic.



Eel













Yeh, I'm craving that tempura...
And yeh, I posting ANOTHER tempura shot
because I can.
ha.




Yuzen Japanese Restaurant

Yuzen,
US 101, Seal Rock, Oregon
tel. 541-563-4766,
eight miles south of Newport




I cannot end this post without thanking Monique for a wonderful trip,
which I will write more about in future blogs. I'm still playing catch up.
Her hospitality and friendship go beyond words...

Saturday Crabs...I mean Crab Legs

Everybody does Sunday chicken, Sunday this, Sunday that...
Its Saturday and we're eatin crab legs, me n brother Joshy n Hannah.
I'm sitting here writing this post, I look out the window
and I see them. The missionaries. Now I appreciate their
efforts. I do. This winter on the coldest day of the year, with the
wind chill it was -60 fahrenheit here they were spreading the
Good message. I told them I was good in my faith, without defining
my faith. They kindly left some pamphlets.
Today I'm have tempted to play some porn loudly if they knock on my door.
Yes the window by the door is open.

No one interrupts my crab leg eatin.
Not even messengers of God.

Ingredients:

6 lbs Snow Crab Legs
Wine, trust your own judgement,
1 cup is plenty (sweet or dry, doesn't matter)
I happened to have some moscato today.
1 cup of sugar.
One big pot of water
A ton of butter, melted


I know those of you who are big on the Old Bay seasoning are cringing.
Go ahead.
More for me to eat.
I've used this method for years,
and it works.

Preparation:

Bring water to a boil.
Add wine and sugar
Add crab legs
Let sit until the crab is heated through.
No need to boil them, they're already cooked
and frozen.

The reason I add the wine and sugar, is that the crab legs
that are frozen often times run salty. No I don't live on the coast.
Fresh crab legs are a dream for those of us in northern Minnesota.
Anyway, this method seems to cut the salt and well snow crab legs
should be sweet.

And they are. Perfection.

My father dips his crab in cocktail sauce.
Its good. But I'm a butter baby. Mas butter is better.
So yes those little bowls are about to be filled with
melted oh so glorious butter.

Werd from the cook:
If you have cooked a gluttonous amount,
and plan to go back later and eat more...
Pull ALL the crab legs out of the water.
What are left to sit in in the pot will get water logged.
You can always put the extra back
in the hot water for a quick reheat.

On the subject of...

Chicken Cacciatore On The Fly For Two

Ingredients:

3 small tomatoes
4 chicken thighs
4-5 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1-2 cups white wine
1 cup chicken broth
olive oil
calamata olives
fresh rosemary
fresh thyme
parsley
salt
pepper

Preparation:

Here I go... not measuring again.
Came home the other day was starving.
So whatever measurements I give you are guesses at best
and if I don't give you measurements,
I'm counting on you all having enough common sense
to know how much salt is too much.

Using a mortar and pestle grind fresh thyme, rosemary,
couple cloves of garlic and kosher salt into a paste.

Rub the chicken thighs with the herb paste.
Make sure to get it under the skin.
Let chicken marinate for an hour....overnight wouldn't hurt.

Heat large saute pan, add olive oil
On medium heat sear the chicken thighs on both sides.
Drain the fat.
Add 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced.
One small onion finely chopped.
Saute until fragrant.

Deglaze with a couple cups of white wine.
Add a cup of chicken broth.
This will somewhat poach the chicken the rest of the way through.
Add parsely, and more rosemary n thyme.
Add olives.
Add quartered tomatoes.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Let simmer until liquid reduces.

Serve over noodles.