Jim’s mother and I sat down yesterday and worked out menus for the weekend. Then the guest lists changed for the weekend and for memorial day so they’re being revised. I’m making a chimichurri sauce for steak tonight, corn on the cob and roasted potatoes. Sunday I’m marinating a pork roast in Don’s (my butcher) maple/rosemary marinade/glaze. Then we’ll figure out what we’re missing for Memorial Day and fill in with salads and such.
Yesterday we went to lunch with Jim’s grandmother and uncle, good Mexican food off the main square in their town. Then Jim’s grandmother took us on a tour of area prisons. For such a small county, it seems as if the first County Jail was too crowded so within the last ten years they built another, then yet another that would place some Federal institutions to shame. Then there’s a larger facility operated by the state or feds right next door.
The lesson was a waste of taxpayer dollars. This is a small farming community that is being taken over by the Dallas Metroplex. There is already no industry left, farming is rarely a viable way of life, and eminent domain is going to flood people’s farms and homes in the next few years.
On the wild side, I saw a cardinal on the fence about 20 feet away this morning. This is a sight I’ve seen before but they really are majestic birds so I had to comment. Yesterday I saw a Great Blue heron flying overhead, looked like our cranes “back home.” Then right in front of the car ran a road runner. We watched it in a neighboring field. This was my first sighting of the heron and road runner.
The heat is wilting and it’s not really “hot” yet! We both prefer our dry mountain climate to Texas heat and humidity, but it is good to see family and more are arriving in a couple of hours so I better get a move on. Cheers! Dee
Cooking with Dee 