Friends, Food & Frisco Pigeon Mambo

Well, last week was filled with lots of social activities involving food.  Our good friend from Jenner came over last Tuesday and spent the afternoon in the garden with us.  She had yet to meet the chicks and she knows a ton about birds and native plant species.  She pointed out so many wonderful things that are in our very own backyard and G hangs on her every word.  In my handy-dandy breadmaker, I prepared a loaf of yummy seedy bread, fresh egg salad sandwiches (eggs courtesy of Fernando's chickens) and a lovely pot of tea to take us through the afternoon.  We have vowed to do it again soon.

I also hosted the third anniversary of my Babylon Book Club last week and our book selection was "Frisco Pigeon Mambo" by C.D. Payne.  Hilarious book, lively conversation and we let the chicks roam around us as we gathered in the garden.  I also made a really easy (and somewhat healthy) bolognese sauce that I adapted from Everyday Food Magazine.  I tweak it by adding half fresh ground beef and half ground turkey meat.  I use a lovely thick cut of bacon that I get from our local butcher and  I also use a dry rose wine instead of sauvignon blanc.   Sometimes the book is all but forgotten at book club, but we had a nice dialogue while we were waiting for dinner and it's so fantastic to sit with a group of like-minded women and hear what they have to say.  I learn so much from what is shared around my kitchen table...and sometimes what is not said!

I was lucky enough to attend a Mother's Day Tea at G's school and it was magical.  Presents, performances, my son serving me tea and cake and clearing MY place.  It was by far one of the most special days I've had with him.  His teacher went all out and really gave the moms a day to remember.  I posted a string of photos about Mother's Day weekend in a separate post - because there were too many sweet things to write about.  You can click on the photos displayed to get the larger image.

On Sunday morning, Steve and G made me WHO bread and then turned it into the most delicious french toast.  I was served the perfect cup of coffee in bed and enjoyed my morning with the guys.  I took G to hit golf balls in the afternoon and then we returned a plethora of driftwood, shells and river rocks to Doran Beach (a/k/a - Mother Earth) for Mother's Day.   To top it all off, Steve came home and made me dinner and did the dishes.  I was truly spoiled rotten and loved every second of it.

Grady quotes from Mother's Day:

Mom, you're prettier than a diamond

Mom, I love you more than a guinea pig

Mom, you weigh three pounds

Mom, your favorite food is 'pasghetti & wine?

With the help of my party planning committee, we helped decorate and host a party for about 50 volunteers at the Bodega Bay Grange last Friday night.  My goal was to go green and spend as little as possible.  We reused, reduced, recycled and spent a grand total of $19 for the whole thing.  Of that total, $7 was for ice and the other $12 was spent at a thrift store for votive holders that we will use again next year.  It looked beautiful (but I forgot to document any of the party) and it was nice to work with my friends to help do something nice for the people who worked so hard at this year's annual Fisherman's Festival AND keep the excess waste that a function like this produces down to a minimum.  Job well done, but boy was I tired afterwards.

Rounding out school week, G took his first solo bus ride to school on Friday.  Can you feel his excitement from the above photo?  Ah, youth.