The Joy of Living with Small Animals

Baby Sonora

About a year ago we were abandoned by Madame M. A bit more than two months later we had to bid farewell to our beloved Agent Orange. It was a very difficult time for us. The pain of losing them both was unbearable and we decided that we would not have any pets for a long time. 

The "long time" lasted for a bit more than eight months until James went to see eight husky puppies at a friends house. One was prettier than the other and he could not resist a temptation. He was free to chose one of the babies. He picked up a girl and  we named her Sonora. Like the desert.

 Sonora

We also wanted to have a kitty. Black if possible. But we did not want to have an  alley cat anymore since we were told by a veterinarian that most feral cats in Roswell are infected with feline aids. The loss of Agent Orange was very painful and we did not want to repeat the same experience with another stray cat. 

James made a trip to Humane Society and spotted a beautiful black baby cat who was very friendly and seemed to like him right away. The sympathy was returned and we decided to take her home. We named her Lulu. 

 Lulu and Sonora

Lulu was about four months old and unlike Sonora she was bathroom trained. She had a home before, but for reasons unknown to us she and her mother were given away and ended up at Humane Society. Someone adopted her mother, but Lulu was locked up in a cage and still needed home. We did not even have to think twice. Especially after we discovered that Sonora liked Lulu and Lulu wasn't afraid of her at all.

This is how our adventure with small animals began. 

It is years since we both had  dogs. Cats learn fast, but puppies need special attention so  James bought a  book that would help us  train and understand Sonora. Like two thirsty sponges we also soaked up all the tips from friends who already have dogs.

As days passed we questioned our sanity more than once. One must be mad to willingly get up at 2 a.m. to walk the dog in the backyard, but the alternative of stepping into a puddle first thing in the morning was even less appealing. 

Sonora is learning fast and our night trips to the backyard are becoming a rarity. Soon  we  may even miss getting up in the middle of the night.

Our pets have toys to play with and seem to never get bored. Sonora chews on everything she can find: cushions, cat's tail, sticks, tennis balls, small birds she caught in the backyard...

One day James discovered that Sonora chewed up his favorite summer shoes. The only question we had was how did she get them. She was too small to grab them from the  shelf. But when James saw our tiny, shiny Lulu dragging his slipper from the bathroom, everything become clear. The dog was in cahoots with the cat! Nothing seemed to be safe in our house anymore. Especially, since Lulu decided to redecorate our home and Sonora was willing to help.
 

Lulu with her teddy

The window curtains are in shreds now and the couch proved to be a perfect place for cat's manicure. There is not a day that we are wondering about here daily activities. How come Madame M and Agent Orange ignored our curtains and Lulu seems to obsessed with them? They did not even bother much to scratch the sofa. And they did not even touch the Christmas tree once... 

Lulu

No matter what, life is so much more interesting with our two baby animals. The puppy loves cat food, the kitty eats dog food. They play together and sometimes we would see Lulu running for her life as Sonora loves to chase small, furry things that move. My heart stops out of fear that Sonora might snap Lulu's spine with her sharp teeth. Minutes later we see the kitty teasing the puppy and everything becomes clear. They are both guilty and innocent at the same time. 

All is well again when they collapse exhausted from all the mischief and go to sleep at least for a while...

By Dominique Allmon

      

A Strong Desire to Wander

Days and months are travelers of eternity. So are the years that pass by. Those who steer a boat across the sea, or drive a horse over the earth till they succumb to the weight of years, spend every minute of their lives traveling. There are a great number of ancients, too, who died on the road. I myself have been tempted for a long time by the cloud-moving wind - filled with a strong desire to wander. - Matsuo Bashô in The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Other Travel Sketches

Image source here

Pesto Genovese!

One of the simplest ways to add a little summer to your dishes is to use aromatic Mediterranean herbs. One of the most popular and probably easiest to grow is basil.

Like most kitchen herbs basil has some important health benefits. The herb is very rich antioxidant polyphenols, beta-carotene compounds including zeaxantihin, vitamin K, iron, potassium and manganese. 

Basil is a versatile herb that can be used in a variety of dishes. One of the most popular is the Italian pesto sauce.

Pesto was first mentioned by a Roman writer Publius Vergilius Maro (70 BC – 19 BC), better known as Vergil, who wrote about this olive oil based sauce in his work "Bucolics". 

The name pesto derives from the fact that was originally made by crashing - pestando in Italian - the ingredients in a mortar. 

Ingredients:

• small bunch of fresh, organic basil leaves
• handful of raw, organic pine nuts
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 6 Tbsp of virgin olive oil
• small chunk of parmigiano reggiano cheese
• sea salt to taste 

Method:

Remove basil leaves from the twigs, wash them and dry gently with a kitchen towel. 

Crash garlic with salt. Add the pine nuts. After the nuts have been crashed, add the basil leaves little by little. Blend.

Break the cheese into small chunks and put them into blender. Add the olive oil. Blend again until pesto is nice and creamy. Add more salt if needed. 

Remember, that the longer you blend the darker the pesto would become as the basil leaves undergo the oxidation process. 

Use mortar and pestle if you have one, but a good blender will do the job just as well. 

Many people use grated cheese. I prefer to break it into smaller chunks. I also use raw pine nuts, but most recipes will ask you to slightly roast the nuts in a pan. While roasting nuts makes them more aromatic, it also alters the molecular structure of the fatty acids making them less beneficial to health.

You may add some freshly ground pepper, although the original Ligurian recipe does not ask for any.

Enjoy your pesto with freshly cooked pasta or on a warm focaccia bread. Buon appetito!

By Dominique Allmon ©2013

P.S. Your pesto will stay fresh for a few days in a refrigerator. Place it in a clean glass jar. Pour some olive oil to cover it up. This will prevent it from spoiling. Close tightly with a well fitting lid.