So here’s a little story.
Yesterday morning (which was sunny), I had the deck door open, and I could hear the incessant barking of a dog out there somewhere. It had gone on continuously for quite some time (unusual around here) so I walked out on the deck to see what the hell was going on. Nobody on the beach. The barking sounded pretty close, so I peered over at the neighbors and finally zeroed in the culprit.
It was Sam, the little Yorkie next door.
He’s been our buddy over the years, especially when we were in the camping trailer, but he visits us in the house now and then, too.
Except, he hates cats. (The feeling is mutual).
He was doing his bark! bark! bark! bark! thing while simultaneously doing his hilarious (and furious) hop-hop-hop-hop thing like he does when he’s ferreting out squirrels (or cats).
Sam was on top of a block wall, and I could barely make out MOJO in the brush below, just laying there and gazing up at the rabid little dog. This was my view from the deck:
Here you can see Mojo just quietly taunting him, without actually doing anything. He knew the wall was too high for Sam to jump off of. (Mojo can be quite passive-aggressive):
I laughed! Mojo’s always pretty much had Sam’s number, including several times over the years of sitting still and holding his ground while Sam would charge at him from a distance (barking!/hopping!) and then skid to a nervous stop when Mojo wouldn’t run.
So, I snapped some pictures and went back inside, while the barking continued. And continued…
(I don’t know where Sam’s “parents” were).
And then all of a sudden, I heard the piercing SHRIEK of a cat. Wylie, who had been snoozing on a deck chair, bulleted to the end of the deck and stared across to the neighbors all wide-eyed, and I ran out again to see what the hell was going on. I could see Sam scouring the brush where Mojo had been (had he actually leaped off that wall?!), but no sign of Mojo. Sam sniffed his way down to the beach and once again I heard a cat shriek, prompting Wylie to beeline it inside the house and up on the counter with saucer eyes.
Then here comes Mojo, sauntering up the path to the deck, cool as you please, leaving Sam sniffing in frantic circles on the beach.
Cats rule. Dogs drool.
With our little tenderloin steaks last night (plus a salad), I made this! And it was DELICIOUS!! I found it in The Herbal Kitchen cookbook. Definitely a keeper!
Roasted Cauliflower with Apple and Dill
1 cauliflower, about 1-1/2 lbs., core removed and separated into florets
1/2 large red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large unpeeled apple, cored and coarsely diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons dried currants (I used golden raisins)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill weed (I used 2 tbs. dried and could have used a little more)
Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss together the cauliflower, onion, apple, olive oil, and salt in a large shallow baking dish and spread the ingredients out into a single layer. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice along the way, until some of the edges of the cauliflower begin to brown. Stir in the currants and continue to bake for about 10 minutes, stirring another time or two, or until most of the edges of the cauliflower are browned. Sprinkle with the dill, stir again, and scoop it into a serving dish.
I didn’t take a picture, unfortunately. But man was it yummy! And easy!
The concrete retaining wall for the driveway is done! (Ugly, but done).
Also: I am so excited about this! He’s building steps from the driveway level to the deck! It’ll be a game-changer! He needs to complete this before the driveway pavement can be poured. (The block to the right will be planters!)
I’m thinking it’s going to be a whole lot easier to lug groceries inside the house when these are done!
