Tuesday, February 23, 2010

February 2010

Feb 2010

 

The month has passed by ....

I took the opening photo one morning. I was up early and there was the moon shining into the kitchen. I just picked up the small camera and took the shot. Not the best photo in the world, but it was so bright and pretty that morning (and also cold).

 

I am told that this winter is more normal, however it is the coldest winter we have had since we have moved here. The last few years have been warmer than normal. So what is normal? The winter you remember when you were a child? An average of the last 3-5 years? I am not sure, but I do know that I like the milder winter. And this February I could count the number of sunny days on one hand.

Since it has been cold and gray and raining (or snowing) we have not done very much. We have stayed in the house with a huge fire in the fireplace, puttering around the house.

Once in a while we have had a house guest... it is our neighbors cat. He is well cared for, so we let him come in a say hi, but we do refuse to feed him. He has tried to ask for a handout or two. He is small for a male and is very sweet. Loves to be petted and caressed.  I just wonder what it will be like this summer when the doors are open all the time? Since I am allergic to cats, he gets most of his attention from Keith.

 

Our visitor

 

We had a wine tasting with Marie Therese recently. A place in Saint Aubin where she buys wine told her to come and taste this year’s wine (this years bottled wine, not harvest). So off we went. They had opened a new tasting room, a typical cave. He had all these bottles lined up for us to taste. He explained that he wanted us to taste the 2007 against the 2008. St Aubin in my opinion is a very good white wine. But hey, 15 bottles of wine later (amid our protests not to open another). I was not driving, however Marie Therese and Keith had to toss a lot of wine (MT drove to St Aubin, but Keith had driven to Messanges and would need to drive home). But even I, with all that wine, had to toss some of it.

 

We have had a couple of nice warm days. One just has to go out for a walk when that happens. I went out one day and took a few photos. I walked on the road between Brochon and Gevrey. It is called the Tacot road. It is the old train road, a train that ran from Dijon.

In Brochon there is a chateau. It is not old, about 100 years. It is the Château Stephen Liégeard, It was built by poet/writer Stephen Liégeard in 1895 to 1902.

 

Chateau Stephen Liegeard

Brochon

Old barrel used to burn Vines

Burning the old vines

 

It is the time to trim and then burn the vine branches. They use an old barrel to burn.

 

 

Still going to pottery. I have several projects going on right now. Trying another lamp and also did some pieces for a garden mosaic stone.

 

The Genealogie/Histoire club is in full swing. I am again adjunct treasurer, but this year I am keeping the computer program up to date. Have to learn all the terms of accounting in french. I am used to Quicken (no french version on my copy), so it is a little challenge to use this one in french.

We (genealogie club) have several projects this year. We now are publishing a Gazette (I think 3 per year). So articles must be written, photos taken... and a Gazette published. Our first was a huge success. Now on to the next one, all items due by March 15th. We also have an exhibit on Cluny and the chateau here in Gevrey in August, and several outings planned.

Photo club too is busy. We have our Cluny exhibit in September. I just found out that the photos are going to be in black and white, so all my fall photos of Arcenant are for not :( ... I have to rethink this and see what I can do in black and white. I can go back to Arcenant and take some of the church.

Colored photo of Arcenant Church

 

Keith is also busy. He will be working for DuVine again this summer. This year they may be adding a tour in the Alsace (where Strasbourg is located), and Beaujolais (around Macon). He went this last week to look over the Beaujolais tour (it is south of us). So he took the train to Macon along with his bike. To his surprise they had snow down there (we had none). He made it as far as Cluny, but said it was hard going in the snow. So he will need to go back and ride through that tour another day.  He also has one or two tours here in the Cote D’Or for Smithsonian Journeys. DuVine is working with Smithsonian Journeys for some European bike tours.

 

On Saturday the 20th, I was home alone (Keith at Bligny with the train), when the drier stopped. I thought that was strange, then tried the light. No light either. So we blew a fuse. We still have a fuse box here at this house (I prefer circuit breakers). I flipped the one switch back, nothing. So I opened each and every little fuse compartment to see if one of the fuses blew (and actually did it 3 times to be sure)... could not find the problem. Continued with the housework, and started the fire in the chimney (our heat is electric). Went back and looked at the fuse box. Flipped the switch again, nothing. Put more wood on the fire. At about 6pm, found the flashlights and lit some candles. Keith got home about 7pm. There was another dial that had to be turned! Oops. So we had electricity. Discovered that the dryer element must have gone and caused the power outage. So Monday Keith start to fixed the dryer.

 

We will see how February ends. There is a fuel refinery strike right now, and there were serveral trucks at the gas pump today filling up containers in case there will be a gas shortage. Always something.

 

Feb 24th, my garden

 

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

I was looking an alternate to mayonnaise for a sandwich. I made an humus without any oil. I did not find it half bad.

It is very easy to make too.

 

INGREDIENTS

v     One can of garbanzos beans

v     One grilled red pepper (I grilled my own, so no oil)

v     1- 2 cloves garlic

v     1 TBS water

v     Dash lemon juice

v     Salt and pepper

 

PREPARATION

  1. Put everything in a blender
  2. Mix thoroughly

Note: Garlic, I used 2 large cloves and the garlic is rather strong. Start with one, taste and you can always add another.

 

Use as a spread for any sandwich.