My friend Tess has now officially earned the moniker "...crazy cat lady..."
To bring you up to speed...she actually only owns two of them. Along with the feral siblings (3) we have been bottlefeeding. Until someone dumped a very large pregnant female near her house. And she took it in. And it had 6 kittens. 2+3+1+6= a grand total of 12 cats/kittens. Whereas it solved her immediate problem (bottle feeding the three ferals) as the mother immediately took them on as her own...it created a set all of its own. Namely...finding homes for 10 cats. Too bad it isn't closer to Halloween
"Trick or Treat"
"Here's your kitten."
The news of my tiny "tiger" taking a sad downturn. Shelby didn't make it. Buried her beneath my Seiseki Stone at the edge of my gardens. Woke this morning already missing her loud feed-me's and her tiny purrs and snuggles afterwards. Even Tucker is padding around the house looking for her.
~sigh~
These things happen.
A wonderful surprise yesterday morning as I opened the knock on the door to an FTD guy with boxed flowers from my oldest son. Everyone should receive boxed flowers at least once in their life. Not the tissue wrapped to your door from a local florist kind. Yeah. The other kind. This makes the second time in my life I have received boxed flowers. The first arriving on my birthday in 1988. Sent by an old friend/lover...opening the door to a long burgundy box wrapped with a satin cream ribbon. In it a dozen long stemmed red roses. Yeah. It is one of those moments you never forget.
Anyway, yesterday, my long box contained a crystal vase and a dozen purple and white Delphiniums. Just gorgeous on my oak table with morning coffee. Thanks, kid!
I love you and miss you, too!
Enjoyed cooking with the first of my fresh herbs last night. An Italian dish that left the kitchen smelling heavenly, like a trattoria.
Zucchini Cassolette with Parmesan and Basil
Slice 2 medium zucchini lengthwise in half...arrange in lightly olive-oiled baking dish covering bottom.
Top with thin sliced onion, chopped fresh garlic, thin sliced green peppers, halved white mushrooms, chopped fresh Roma tomatoes or a chunky marinara sauce, and 1/2 cup Italian herb bread crumbs.
Shave a thick layer of fresh Parmesan cheese over the top. (...do NOT use that "sawdust in a shaker" stuff posing as Parm...this dish requires the genuine thinly shaved article.) A half inch or more is perfect.
Snip fresh basil, oregano, and garlic chives and sprinkle herbs over the top. (...the nice thing about snipping your fresh herbs is that it only makes them grow stronger and bushier...)
Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. The top will be golden brown and bubbly. Serves four.
Garnish with a rosette of fresh basil and serve with a chunk of herbed garlic bread and a good wine.
Mangia!
