I threw caution to the wind and went to Cartwright's meat counter and ordered a 2-bone prime rib...a true PRIME grade, 3 pound roast. What I got when I picked it up a few days later was a 4 pound roast...$75 worth of prime meat. Oye!
Christmas Day: I took the beast out of the refrigerator and let it sit on the counter for 2 hours.
I didn't have the required roasting pan so I just plunked it down into my heavy pot and skewered in the big thermometer. I elected NOT to salt it much...a bit of Trader Joe's onion salt sprinkled on the top fat.
I heated my big oven (which I hadn't used in over a year) since getting a big toaster oven.
The stove oven smelled dusty as it heated up to 450 degrees.
I discovered that there are as many prime rib recipes as there are turkey recipes, with recommended roasting temperatures from 325 to 550!
What to do? I heated the oven to 450 and set in the roast on one of the lower racks. I let it cook for 15 minutes and then lowered the temp to 350. I checked the thermometer periodically at first waiting for the thermometer needle to move. Finally after about 45 minutes, it headed towards the bottom of the meter...still no temp markings, but it was getting warm. I set the timer for 10 minutes, over and over and checked it, over and over. At about 1.75 hours, it finally read almost 140 degrees, rare or medium rare...depending on whose recipe I read.
I pulled it out and let it set in the pan for about 15 minutes. The temp did climb to 140 degrees. I used my good German meat knife and undid the strings that held the ribs to the bottom of the roast. I sliced off the end piece and cut it in half, giving each of us an outer section of dark and then I split a slice of rare. It was fork tender!
Bon, bon appetite! Served with a baked potato...baked in the pan with the roast and some Italian green beans from the garden, via the freezer.
Since we have over 2 lbs of leftover beef, we'll be having this again on the weekend. I also used the bones on Boxing Day to make broth for the minestrone.
IT'S BOMBOGENESIS...OR BOMB CYCLONE...when the barometer drops dramatically in a short period of time, creating a low pressure system with hurricane force winds. 106 mph at the Oregon coast, and 58 mph here in the Rogue Valley. Our neighbor's side fence that borders our long uphill driveway to the street was a victim. Our newly constructed fence (our side fence, their back fence, seen here from their backyard (the natural wood fence) did fine. No issues. Our house is fine (the snow covered roof beyond the wood fence.)
Had we not replaced their back fence (our side fence) this fall, it would surely be down, just like this one. That section toward the camera is laying right in our gravel driveway going up to the street. You can see many more leaning sections of fence.
We're not even sure that they realize the fence is down. They may have left for work this morning in the dark and not even seen it! I'm sure that the deer will see it and take advantage of some new area to browse!
Happily, our fence (our side of their back fence shown here in the fall) is well made and can withstand gale force winds.
Most of the styling blogs I follow are created by women in their 60's...the true "baby boomers" born in the 1950's. While I enjoy their fashions, I really feel that I'm beyond them not only in age but in what I know that they don't know...what comes in their 70's. So here's my one off attempt at OVER 70 AND STILL STYLIN'.
So we'll start with TRUE CONFESSIONS! As you hit your 70's, your body will change...things will fit differently...and you may feel disappointed at that...but it's still your only body and you'll be happier if you accept that and learn to style it.
For me, tops that are a bit looser and a bit longer smooth out the torso.
Also for me, I haven't worn skirts in years, except for dancing. Most skirts have too much fabric around the middle or are too short. So I've looked for the rare midi skirt (hits at mid calf) and so far have found a very few that are A-line. The one above is from Eileen Fisher and comes in black or chocolate. Yeah, more than I wanted to pay but it is good quality and easy to pull on. I tried wearing it with booties...the "look" these days, but frankly it made my legs look like gate posts! So I use a loafer or a wedge heeled shoe.
As for SHOES, they can be cute as well as comfortable..and useful to draw the eye away from other locations...these are well padded cushy loafers from Clarks. I've had some foot "issues" from all my years of dancing and these keep me free from pain.
FUN WITH JACKETS: There's nothing like a special jacket to perk up a basic color. This one is 100% cotton by "Parsley & Sage. I've been wearing the crap out of it this fall as it goes with all colors and is just the right weight for chilly mornings in our valley.
GOING SILVER: Yep, after 30 years of being a redhead, I dared to grow out my "real" hair. What a shock! I have more silver than I knew and some nice big streaks in the front. Luckily I had a very supportive stylist who kept my locks short but sassy during the year of grow out. Now I can afford to go to the salon every month for a cut and it only takes about 45 minutes out of my day instead of 2+ hours of getting my roots done!
I also discovered that my makeup had to change...seems that while you hair is going silver, your skin is going neutral. Who knew? So I went from a mid tone warm foundation to a mid tone neutral one. I also changed my eye shadow colors to neutrals as well. AND I've been happy to wear silver jewelry. These earrings and pendant are thanks to my daughter-in-law Susan who got me started with BRIGHTON jewelry. I love their stuff because while it's silver plated, it's also coated so it won't tarnish.
A NEW LEAF? Why not? I vowed during the hair growout NOT to look like the frizzy haired women I met at the garden club! You REALLY DON'T have to look like a bag lady just because you have silver hair! It was time for me to pay more attention to upkeep and style!
SLOWING DOWN: This is my garden turtle Herkemer who has faded over the years but still looks good. I debated repainting him but the more natural look suits him. And more natural look suits me! We've all seen women who, as I put it, turn into "cartoons" of themselves with too much makeup and jewelry or styles meant for teenagers. I call it "trying too hard." I slowed down and took a look at me...
MILES: So no matter how many you have on your odometer, nobody knows but YOU! Adjust your outlook and it will help turn back your attitude! Oh, and SMILING IS GOOD!
That's it for me in this first blog...I'll keep trying to look MY BEST by keeping my daily routine of wearing makeup, a bit of jewelry and a well-fitting pair of pants. I'd love to hear from you.
I've spent the week dumping, washing and storing pots...fitting out a new pot storage area against our new side fence.
We installed a tarp over the whole pot storage shelves to keep the rain and snow off. It's better for the pots and the spiders like it too!
Our Parthenocissus is doing its thing and turning lovely shades of gold, orange and burgundy.
Fall colors come out of the closet...a dark brown skirt with a new top and an "artsy-fartsy" new jacket that will go with just about anything casual...which is all the style I wear these days...
"Airing out" the cashmere and cotton sweaters
Enjoying the last of the geraniums...
And Sally Holmes is our official "Last Rose of Summer."
We replaced our neighbor's back fence (our side fence) when it became clear that the neighbors were not going to fix it...it was leaning into our property and about to fall over. The posts had rotted off and we were using metal stakes to keep it upright!
So $3200 later we have a stout 120' cedar fence!
I decided to paint it "Boxwood" by Miller Paint. Their "Storm" brand fence and deck paint lasts well and is easy to apply. I have to say that this was probably my "swansong" in fence painting...I painted by first fence when my dad handed me a paintbrush in 1948. I was four years old and I've been hooked ever since!
We have buried electrical service and the old box circa 1978 was in need of a facelift! So my under-gardener came to the rescue with some textured dark green paint. Much better. Turns out the fence was actually built off kilter and on our property...not on the correct property line so we got an additional 2' of yard thanks to our contractor remeasuring the entire plot lines!
I kitted out the "bus stop" niche (we had to build the fence to acommodate the transformer box) with a cedar deodar that I raised from seed and we hung an old cultivator for some garden whimsey.
Our communal fence with our neighbors to the north was falling down. Turns out that it was built about 3' into our property and NOT on the property line. Our neighbor Marcelo is a licensed contractor and we got him to build our new improved fence during a slow time in his business. We got the lumber delivered today. The old fence went to the Biomass plant in White City, so it is going for a good cause...generating electricity. Meanwhile Marcelo talked us into removed the ENTIRE back fence (100') not just the 75' we had originally planned on...more lumber will be needed!
It's nice when you have the right equipment to do the job. The gate fence post had about 2 1/2 feet of concrete around it! So little Bobcat and a chain did the trick!
That's Mr. A in the hoodie holding the post and Marcelo on the Bobcat. And yes, of course, it was raining a bit today!
Up and out she comes! Stay tuned for more exciting ADVENTURES IN FENCE BUILDING...!
This scene on my bedroom floor forces me to admit that I'm a shoe aholic! Even Chase doesn't want to cross the shoe picket line! It was time for a good clear out. So the old, the unworn and the unpadded footbed shoes went to the Goodwill.
Now I can find things quickly. And yes, I still have a zippered bag of shoes for spring and summer, neatly stowed in the bottom of the closet. Now let's see if Zappos has that perfect pair of loafers to wear with jeans...
Every garden year I say, "I don't think I'll mess with growing potatoes this year." And every year I change my mind when I see the seed potato boxes at the Grange. So this year I used a potato bag from Gardener's Supply. It turned out well and we are enjoying the creamy deliciousness of these Yukon Gold favorites. There is nothing to compare with fresh dug potatoes or in this case, fresh dumped out of the bag spuds.
My customized wagon (my under-gardener added holders on the side for my spade and fork) needed a good cleaning and some paint. While he was at it, the same aforementioned helper drilled some drain holes in the pan so it wouldn't collect water. It's almost "pot moving season" and I don't mean that smelly growy shit that has sprung up all over this valley! I mean my own ceramic pots that need to be moved out of the way of the BIG ASS maple trees... soon to start dropping their leaves.
They are already thinking about it as this leaf from my picked up from my patio suggests.
Two good things about August...school shopping and peaches! I don't have to do any school shopping nowadays but I do give my neighbor's school age girl a gift card for school supplies. I remember fondly getting a fresh box of crayons, Dixon Ticonderoga pencils and fresh pink erasers! Good stuff!
Back to the peaches... I buy a 10# box or two from Old Stage Orchard on the west side of the valley. The Sun Havens are really sweet and juicy this year so I have put several bags of them in the freezer...the ones we haven't eaten with Umpqua vanilla bean ice cream. Yummmmm!
I peel and slice 'em, add some Fruit Fresh and pour them into plastic bags.
Fruit Fresh keeps them from browning as they are exposed to the air. It is mainly ascorbic acid with citric acid and dextrose. Now it is harder to find because there aren't as many folks who can or preserve or even make jam. I couldn't find it at Safeway and had to go to the Grange Co-op where they still have canning supplies. I'm thinking about a third 20# box but I can't wait very long! I am also looking forward to the Gravenstein apples from the same orchards for saucing. My big bottom freezer will be crowded soon with good stuff!
Waiting, waiting, waiting for the tomatoes to ripen. Prepared for a tomato glut at the end of the month!
Clematis and morning glory make a nice combination of purples.
A happy ivy geranium by the garden gate...
Echeveria and morganianum decorating the cream separator.
