AFTER CHRISTMAS

I took this photo off the internet. I just looked up winter scenes.  This photo is lovely and spiritual looking I think.

We had a very enjoyable Christmas and it was so grand having my son Mike here with us. So it was the three of us sharing stories, good food and drink and gifts. Also we three made plans to get together this coming month. My hubby and son want to make a snowmobile day trip up into the MT. Hood area.  Mike lives out toward the mountain on the east side of Portland so it is not to terribly far for a snow outing. It is fun to plan. I will keep the home fires burning at my son's house and be cooking some comfort food for when they return from their little adventure.

So now that Christmas is over and the ham and the deserts are lacking luster and the needles are dropping off the Christmas tree into piles onto the hardwood floor I am ready for a change. I will leave the decor and tree up until the 1st of the year. Then as always all comes down and is carefully packed away for next year and the house is cleaned thoroughly.  However I will continue to find needles for a week or so. How can you ever get every single needle? The trees when they go out the door create such a mess.

According to my hubby's work schedule we will work in a trip to my brother's in WA. state and to my son's as I mentioned also to my daughters and the beach. These small trips will occur throughout January and February. It is nice we have them to look forward to.

I am happy with the day.  The gray clouds rolled away during the night as we woke to a cobalt sky with high fluffy marshmallow clouds spattered about.
I took a walk along the country road with the orchards bordering it's one side. There were many birds in the tree's singing their songs and making much chatter as well as the occasional crow swooping through with it's craggy caws. I rather enjoyed the cold air walking west as the breeze was coming straight at me so I arrived home with reddened cheeks and a very cold nose. Refreshing! 

We went for Mexican food yesterday. What a booming place  that eatery was. But the service and quality of food was as good as always. I loved my roasted chicken enchilada with jack cheese and tomatillo sauce rice and black beans.  Hubby had a steak burrito with the works. Of course we brought food home I had the remainder for lunch today and hummed just as loud as yesterday. Such tasty food. We arrived home with full tummy's and a very tired bodies as the many days leading into Christmas were busy. So we were couch spuds as they say. We watched the movie. "It's all about the Curve." with Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams. It was a very entertaining movie we thought.

Tonight in my kitchen I am preparing for our dinner wok food. I went to a grocery store this morning that has the freshest lovely produce and picked up bok choy, bean sprouts, leeks, savory cabbage and carrots, celery and onions and water chestnuts. I will dice some pork loin and add that to the hot oiled wok first to stir fry with fresh ginger and pepper. Then I will remove that from the wok and set aside. Then into the pork drippings I will add the sliced up veggies and a drizzle or so of toasted sesame oil, the chicken I set aside and toss and stir in the hot wok till all is crisp tender. I am making sticky Cal Rose short grain rice that I will serve the veggies and chicken over. Sounds about perfect to me. Truthfully I want a change from meat. The remainder of the ham will be morphed into ham and navy bean soup with the addition of corn muffins with honey butter in a day or so.

Well that is about all for today. I have a book to read. Yes my husband and I stopped by my book place when we went for Mexican food so I could buy a couple of books. I was going through withdrawal.  I am a happy woman being back in book world.
Ciao