33 & 3

Wow. Thank you all for all the beautiful birthday wishes yesterday ~ Charlie lapped them up and said, “well, yesss,” while I was truly humbled. The care from afar… made me tear up, dammit! And makes me want to do more work, for you, to share with you.

ALSO. Where did this whole “aging is a horrible thing” come from? I adore getting older. Young’uns out there, know this: the twenties are hella fun but the thirties… oh, so much greater. The thirties are something to look forward to.

xo S.

Beloved

Every day finds me on my horse,
even if it’s only for an hour
to slip out the back gate
and race the two-track
to the base of the mountain
thundering down the deer trails we have memorized
until we both are panting.

When I’m on my horse, I can’t think of anything else
in the world
I need.

Before the grass grows, again…

…..we feed hay to the cows and the yearling calves and the horses and the bulls and Daisy. These animals need sun-dried grass and alfalfa to survive until a proper ratio of moisture (snowmelt, rainstorms) and daylight and warmth (come on, sunshine!) compels green grass to emerge, once again, from once-frozen ground.

It’s a thrilling sight, to see blades of grass peeking through dirt. It’s taken me a few hard years in Wyoming and a soul-connection with a few beloved herbivores to truly appreciate the miracle.

Through the winter, and until the new growth is lush enough to sustain these animals, Mike and I feed one-and-a-half tons of hay every day. Sometimes we feed giant round bales that weigh 1000 pounds each. A special truck does the heavy lifting. Sometimes, we load small bales by hand. 3,000 pounds each day.

The second-best part of loading so much hay by hand is knowing that, because of our hard work and physical effort, the animals are happy and nourished, well-fed without ever having to experience the anxiety of foraging in winter. The best part is being able to beat exceedingly macho guys at arm wresting.

Takin’ pictures while I drive ~

This dish is simply delish

Perfect for a breezy, blue sky Spring day.

Spring in Wyoming: entire days spent outside in the sunshine, the first bluebirds zipping about… idyllic, really. It also means wild windstorms and April snow. The ground is white this morning, but earlier this week we enjoyed a string of perfect pastel days, and this is the perfect midday meal to enjoy on such a day.
And it’s so easy to make.

Prepare penne pasta.
My favorite gluten-free pasta is Tinkyada pasta.
Even the gluten eaters in my life like this pasta.
Fill a large pot with water, add a pinch of salt and a dollop of olive oil, and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente.

Rough chop raw broccoli into small pieces. Don’t shy away from the stems, they are delicious, too. Simply peel off the outer layer with a knife or carrot peeler and chop into bits.

Into a lidded jar, put:
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 Tablespoons tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
2 teaspoons agave nectar
heaping 1/4 teaspoon ginger
dash cayenne pepper
Shake to thoroughly combine.
Taste, and adjust the ratios to your liking:
sesame oil = smooth
tamari = salty
agave = sweet

Put the broccoli in a bowl. Drain pasta and add to the bowl of broccoli. Stir to mix. The heat from the pasta will warm the broccoli but will not cook it. Pour on the dressing and toss again to coat everything. Sit in the sun, or in a sunny window, and eat!