Life in January

One thing I have resolved to do in the new year is keep a log of the meals that I (or we) prepare.  Last spring I started a list or recipes that could be used for the abundance of dill we had in our garden, and I am so glad that I did. I didn't think I even liked dill last year, but now that I know what to do with it I am looking forward to having too much again.  So, I'm going to do that with everything we make this year--just look back over the week and write down the recipes I used, where I got them, and things I made up.   

I think this was inspired in part by the abundance of meyer lemons we had this winter from our very own lemon tree.  I made preserved lemons with about half of them, so I had to find all sorts of recipes that use preserved lemons.  What a revelation!  Eating this January has been pretty exciting.  Ellen was here visiting when we had that Moroccan Fish Tagine with preserved lemon--she can tell you how good that was.  Oh man.  

The picture above is Benjamin doing one of the few tasks in the kitchen that he is truly capable of doing all by himself and actually being helpful:  peeling tomatillos.  I think making pozole-- a mexican chicken soup with hominy, tomatillo, and jalapeno and then topped with all sorts of good things like avocados and radishes--is going to be a new year tradition from now on.  It's enough work that I would only want to make it once a year, but I am always surprised at how delicious and refreshing it is.  

January is also JB's birthday, the celebrations for which always seem to last a week or so.  The above picture is not a birthday party but a good-bye party/hymn-sing we helped host for some friends from church who are moving away.  It happened to be a couple of days before JB's birthday.   We love to have the house full of people and music.  One of the friends who left was also in the band that JB has been playing with for the last, oh, year or so.  They had one last show together at a local cafe and had it recorded.  Below:  Benjamin listening to the recording.  

January was a great month for visits.  We had a great time visiting with Heidi before she shipped out for officer's training for the Air Force.  Thinking about her in basic training the last couple of weeks makes my stomach turn a little bit.  I know SHE is very capable--it's thinking about doing it myself that makes me sick.  We're very proud, Heidi!  

I took my own less physically taxing visit last weekend to St. Paul, MN, for a meeting having to do with church.  I was nervous about flying (motion sickness worse during pregnancy), but it was actually a really wonderful trip--kind of a retreat away from normal life for a few days. It did help to think that it's probably the last trip I'll get to take by myself for quite a while, maybe years?!  And knowing B was in good hands with JB and grandmommy made the trip relaxing too.  

January will also be the month of JB's knee surgery.  Think of him next Tuesday, Jan. 29, when he goes under the knife for torn cartilage.  A pretty routine surgery apparently, but still ... surgery.  Thank goodness JB's mom is able to come help us again!