Saturday, January 29, 2011

Jan 2011

TO A GREAT 2011
(over here there will be the two big weddings- July with Albert & Charlene and April with Will & Kate )


A new year has started.
What resolutions have you made for this new year? Have any been broken?

Are intension's are so noble, but the follow through is not always the same.  Have to say I am still on track. Why, because I did not make any resolutions. Easy-peasy that way.

We started the new year with a simple lunch with friends. I had tried to make the baeckhoeffe ( last months recipe with new added comments on the recipe) for lunch. Although the baeckhoeffe was not perfect, it was a nice relaxed afternoon with friends.

Keith passed by Premeaux-Prissey one day and stopped to say hello and a Happy New Year to Bertrand. Bertrand mentioned that he had a group of Americans coming through for wine tasting and dinner the next week and that we should come too. So of course we did.





The red arrow points to Keith


About mid-month I went with Marie Therese to a hippodrome above Chenove. It is only about 10km from here. Her cousin's daughter (age 4) had her pony lesson that afternoon. It was entertaining to watch these very young children bounce around on these little ponies.





Small ponies, but so are the children. So cute


On the 15th of January we had a wonderful warm day. I was more than a little impressed at the color of the grass, so I took a photo while on my walk.

Look at the grass - Jan 15th 2011- SO GREEN


The next day the fog moved in. In the morning it was hard to see beyond out back fence. The fog was thick and showed no signs of lifting. Keith and I both wanted to go for a walk, so we decided that maybe the parc at the top of Mont Afrique just might have some sun . Mont Afrique is above Perrigny-les-Dijon. The foot of the Mont is about 7km from our house... They have just finished re-making the road going up through Marsonnay la Cote, and it is much better. Mont Afrique is so named because Julius Caesar had put his African troops at the camp on the top. It was true, we had sun at the top. However walking through the parc, we were soon in fog again.

Fog in the Parc

In the parc they have some old Cadoles. These are little shelters that are usually made of dry stone and used by the vignerons as shelters. The more common slang for the cadole here is Cabotte.

Cadole or Cabotte


Busy with my clubs again. Clubs usually have a night for Galette des Rois to celebrate the Epiphany ( Jan 6th).  The Galette des Rois is a buttery-flakey pastry with almond creme in the middle. Not a bad way at all to start the new year. It is also the time for the annual photo of the club members.
( photo here: Photo Club members in costumes ).
The Photo Club has its annual Expo May 14th and 15th. We had to have our photos printed and ready by January 27th. Well, if you remember I mentioned a new computer that we bought? It crashed. It would only open in Safe Mode ( if you do not know what that means, all the better).
After buying a new computer, I was not really excited about paying a computer person 50-100 euros to come and fix my new computer. Finally, since we had had it only a little while, I took the plunge and re-loaded back to beginning ( manufacturers' state). We lost a little, but not much. I had to re-load Google and Picasa and Skype and my other programs I had...but at least it worked.
Now, it has now run for a couple of weeks...YEAH. But back to photo club, I lost a couple of valuable weeks that I should have used to select and work on 3 photos. Well the long story-short, I quickly picked 3 photos (theme is trees) and set them up for printing. I got them back on Jan 26th ( due the 27th)...whew....even in retirement there are deadlines. I guess there were other photos, I could have done some things with these photos, but there was not time for any of that.
I have put my 3 photos here: Picasa Photo Album EXPO 2011

The Historie club set off the year in the same manner. Our annual meeting is the first part of January, this year January 11th. After the annual report and election of officers ( I am now treasurer), we had Cremant and yes, Galette des Rois.
Lots going on this year. I am also on the Archives committee. We are pulling lots of documents and these need to be archived. So first; a registration program so we know what we have and where it is located (using Access right now) and then looking at on line digital achieving.
Then we have lots of outings planned for the year, and we will have another Expo ( theme to be decided). We have a few projects lined up to research too. It will be a busy year.

Pottery continues. I think Keith has stated that anyone that visits will get a bowl as a memento. I think he thinks I have made one too many.

Today it is sunny ( the 29th of January) and not too cold. it was supposed to be about 40 degrees, and I believe it is. I went out to the garden and the weeds are already taking hold. I got out the fork and turned my vegetable garden, turning the weeds under. I am sure the birds like the merle ( thrush family like the US robin) will appreciate the gesture too.

I have a compost in the back yard too. Something is living in it. MT thought maybe it was a hedgehog. I throw some old vegetables in there and the next day all the soil has been turned over. I was calling the creature Ratatouille, but it is true that the hole is large and I do not believe the garbage (veggie stems, peels and such) are eaten. So I will beliee it is a hedgehog. They a re only partial hibernators, and with the nice warm home (my compost) he is one happy hedgehog. Think of the bugs and worms in there too.

I am going with hedge hog ( prefer that to thinking it is a rat). Great little worker



RECIPE OF THE MONTH

WARM BEETS
I am going to present a very great winter recipe that is VERY simple.
The main ingredient must be fresh. This recipe takes only minutes to prepare, and is so good..
Try it and write me a note.


INGREDIENTS
  1. One fresh cooked beet ( hopefully you can buy these in the market, please do not use canned)
  2. 1 or 2 ounces roquerfort cheese ( how much do you want?)
  3. Olive oil - 2-3 teaspoons
  4. Chopped flat parsley 1 Tablespoon
  5.  Salt
PREPARATION
  1. Peel the beet* and cut into small cubes or julianne if you prefer
  2. Warm the beets in a pan or microwave (I often use the microwave)
  3. Drizzle a little olive oil over the warm beets and sprinkle lightly with salt ( check how salty the cheese it before you salt the beets). Add a tablespoon of chopped parsley
  4. Mix carefully
  5. Crumble the cheese over the top and take a whiff as it starts to melt a little
  6. SERVE IMMEDIATELY
*If worried about red hands, rub with oil before you start handling the beet