There are times when I miss California terribly.
However, I must admit it is beautiful out here in East Coast. We are located at the end of a street that branches out of a busy road. Lined with graceful pine trees that stand at about 100 feet tall, the street is often filled with delightful chatter of children of various shapes and sizes who are often bicycling, skating or simply hanging out at each other’s yard (mine included). Walking Leo and marina here is an adventure. Leo’s nose finds millions of spots to inspect along the gravelled sidewalks that wind their way through the neighborhood to the main road, with Marina’s following close behind, digging the exact same spots as if hunting for some unknown treasure. Stargazer lilies, carnations, roses fill the crisp summer air with fragrance so intoxicating that you want to bottle it and take it home.
Unlike the cookie-cutter ( though spectacular in their own way) homes of our neighborhood in California, houses here are built in a variety of styles and each has a character of its own. While our house is a custom built Tudor with splendid symmetrical half-timbered roof, the Victorian down the road from us has clean lines with a gorgeous asymmetrical porch. Textured walls of decorative shingles along with grandiose chimneys rising out of its wide, flaring, steep roofs give that house a regal air. The sprawling Ranch next to it is beautifully done in white and slate and has a big front yard where I often see two happy Labradors religiously guarding their space from behind an invisible fence.
Despite living so close to a relatively busy street, it’s so quiet and peaceful that the only sounds you hear most of the time are the chirping of birds or gentle swish of the morning breeze. I often get woken up in the morning by a woodpecker! The narrow brook few spaces away from our backyard into the marshy wetland attracts all sorts of animals and critters – deer, opossum, rabbits raccoon, ducks. Once, Leo came back from his evening sojourn by the brook with a baby bunny clutched gently in his mouth (probably thought he was rescuing the poor thing – don’t think he did it any favors though). Many a times I have glimpsed a herd of deer from my kitchen window that overlooks the stream. I even spotted coyotes that look like a cross between a fox and a Siberian husky.
And then there are seasons.
This is what summer often looks like.
It of course, comes with this:
It’s also cathartic to watch seasons paint its colors on the everything that the eye can see. Green is turning into red, orange, blue and yellow.
PERCEPTION
REALITY.
Soon bare bones of trees will sway to freezing wind, and get decorated with snow – fluffy, white, beautiful.
I know what you are thinking. Well, you would be happy to know that we have someone to shovel for us, so that is one pain less, lol!
I loved smoked salmon.During a chilly evening, when I am freezing and dreaming of spring, I make this. Quick, easy, delicious, and fun to eat in front of a blazing fire.
- 2 large slices of smoked salmon
- 1 burger bun split
- 1 dollop of tartar sauce
- sliced cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce or spring mix
- 1 tbsp fresh dill leaves
- 1 tsp sour cream
- 1 tsp softened cream cheese
- 1 tbp light mayonnaise
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- a little horseradish mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- layer the bottom half of the bun with the mixture
- Add lettuce, tomato, red onions and lettuce/spring mix
- Top it with smoked salmon slices
- Add in a dollop of tartar sauce
- Cover with the top half of the bun and enjoy.
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