tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74078352012-02-01T12:04:34.914+01:00Alongside 66… Board-and-bat shacks. Two gasoline pumps in front, a screen door, a long bar, stools, and a foot rail. …willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.comBlogger7531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-83372512783360142502012-01-23T10:33:00.000+01:002012-01-29T10:35:34.511+01:00

A little lizard in the garden. Probably a Psammodromus

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-54890775852695791532012-01-22T17:23:00.000+01:002012-01-25T17:25:45.238+01:00

Reed fence - to be replaced. Hand made. Here's the construction technique of the old one - close up.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-91271583335884762692012-01-21T21:45:00.001+01:002012-01-21T21:45:33.789+01:00

No, that was not a spelling mistake

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-21163520784589459802012-01-20T18:49:00.000+01:002012-01-20T18:49:41.177+01:00

Growing off of last fall's plants - but now it's January.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-34204923964141611942012-01-19T18:09:00.000+01:002012-01-19T18:09:00.176+01:00

Pick as it grows Not bad for January.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-75509413299729671612012-01-18T17:18:00.001+01:002012-01-18T17:18:24.187+01:00

Rescued a lizard from the 30000 liter rainwater harvesting tank Don't know what sort he was.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-39831541453592508162012-01-17T17:35:00.000+01:002012-01-18T17:14:34.753+01:00

That was last September

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-59077501896717881682012-01-16T17:35:00.000+01:002012-01-18T17:10:16.202+01:00

This was done last July. They are now ready for consumption.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-9523982419162588762012-01-15T17:35:00.000+01:002012-01-17T20:32:53.510+01:00

The hibiscus blooms in July

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-26532988505600629822012-01-14T17:34:00.000+01:002012-01-17T20:25:36.930+01:00

Some sunflowers have multiple heads.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-15345785877111659662012-01-13T18:14:00.000+01:002012-01-13T18:15:06.617+01:00

The caper bush produces buds (to make little capers with) flowers fruits (that can also be pickled) seeds - as seen below

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-48676216108210987942012-01-12T19:22:00.000+01:002012-01-12T19:22:26.398+01:00

The first sunflower this season is about a meter tall. A child of last year's - which looked like this.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-60690395862187696402012-01-11T12:35:00.000+01:002012-01-13T12:47:19.189+01:00

A big parsnip

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-46791200088045171272012-01-10T18:46:00.002+01:002012-01-10T18:48:46.773+01:00

Lifted the garlic last year on July 5th.  Should have been June 21 - - as the rule is "plant on shortest day", "harvest on longest day".

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-91397126178008109672012-01-09T18:22:00.003+01:002012-01-09T18:22:52.818+01:00

Built another raised bed in the garden.   This one is agave poles and topped off with found lumber.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-69193030463332842012012-01-08T18:03:00.000+01:002012-01-09T18:10:42.930+01:00

In the fields yesterday. Assorted tapas for lunch; taking a break from pruning the almonds.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-28528313471504420892012-01-07T17:19:00.001+01:002012-01-07T17:19:31.712+01:00

Lots of bees at the moment.  Many on dozens of these flowering succulents. Someone nearby must have brought in hives to pollinate the almonds - which are just starting to bloom.  

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-65862670153988076482012-01-06T18:31:00.000+01:002012-01-09T18:31:38.729+01:00

Cleaned the dead creeping succulents out of the south garden by the driveway. Plannted some striped agaves to accompany the yucca. Threw in a log.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-79796879762864313572012-01-05T16:00:00.000+01:002012-01-06T23:55:30.903+01:00

July last year. Pruned the tree well. Hoping for a good harvest.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-75959708707968194272012-01-04T23:42:00.000+01:002012-01-06T23:44:04.793+01:00

12th of October harvest off 1 plant.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-68694752030317289962012-01-03T22:54:00.000+01:002012-01-06T22:57:30.796+01:00

In the garden, solar lights.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-75499675626442706552012-01-02T18:29:00.000+01:002012-01-06T18:34:06.649+01:00

Shot a 1 tonne projectile a maximun of 35 kilometers.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-4692177888295693332012-01-01T18:55:00.017+01:002012-01-05T19:00:39.119+01:00

They have started; the blossoms.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-4979440260051750302011-06-15T16:30:00.001+02:002011-06-15T16:30:41.042+02:00

In Bulgaria last week.  Finger-tip sized. Very sweet and very strawberryish.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-82600556643207773872011-04-06T17:14:00.001+02:002011-04-06T17:36:55.389+02:00

The cacti are starting to flower this week becasue we finally have days well into the 20s (today 24 [75 F]) I don't have the name of this plant yet.  It's a succulent, ground cover, grows vigorously without watering, stays green, and flowers in the spring. To be named later

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-43801465643402323462011-04-01T10:29:00.001+02:002011-04-01T10:43:47.589+02:00

The Fava / Broad Beans have been going well for a couple of weeks but the last few warm days have really made a difference. They're here.  This morning's crop. Net = 1.8 kilos when shelled.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-24382792337523121952011-03-14T10:49:00.000+01:002011-03-14T10:49:56.233+01:00

Patching the roof. Plastering over the old broken cane.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-65777478883517956642011-02-24T18:37:00.000+01:002011-02-24T18:37:53.127+01:00

Appeared February 23rd

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-24486549064614424832011-01-20T13:26:00.001+01:002011-01-20T13:26:32.043+01:00

They have been blooming for a couple of weeks now (depends on the tree).  The smell hits you when you step outside.  You see, it’s not just one tree; we have a couple of hundred of them and the whole valley is chock full, and the next valley over, and the next, and the next…

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-26139047335616373602011-01-10T10:25:00.000+01:002011-01-10T10:25:54.786+01:00

Quite nice out, wasn't it.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-90080124060215786102010-10-18T11:31:00.000+02:002010-10-18T11:31:24.464+02:00

First one in a year and a half or more. This is one of the lock gates at Bath in North East Somerset, UK. It's leaky.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-42036525937552513872010-09-19T18:36:00.002+02:002010-09-19T18:37:50.426+02:00

These are cactus, chumbo, prickly pears; and these are their fruit.  I had them for dessert.  Click for the closeup picture.  We call the fruit cactus-figs, or “tuna”. You can also distill the juices.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-45685025850619659422010-09-09T11:25:00.000+02:002010-09-09T11:25:44.601+02:00

We picked 45 kilos of grapes the other day [100 pounds]; off of the neglected trellis at the back of the sheds - on the north side, little sun, never watered it.  

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-13375754350128599542010-08-29T13:59:00.000+02:002010-08-29T13:59:21.785+02:00

Some of today's crop from the garden; the lunch time harvest.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-48498723099166676052010-08-18T19:39:00.000+02:002010-08-18T19:39:53.579+02:00

A Garlic Tree This tree is made of dried garlic flower heads and planted in front of the prickly pears; which, by the way, are ripening nicely.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-33783387844620012352010-07-01T09:31:00.001+02:002010-07-01T09:31:46.827+02:00

The fig harvest is running late this year.  The suspicion lies with a wet winter that allowed the fig trees to produce more and bigger leaves than usual; which shaded the figs and slowed the ripening. Fresh from the tree: The second harvest (new figs are forming now while we harvest the first ones) will take place in the fall.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-11741220458811722772010-06-28T11:59:00.000+02:002010-06-30T12:02:24.683+02:00

Several more. It’s so hot that they start to wrinkle before they’re evenly ripe.  We should do like the professional growers do and put shade-netting over the whole garden plot. Or, in the old days, they grew their grapes on wines that formed a roof over the veggies – like a living pergola – thus shading the tender plants below.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-16465537906642072782010-06-22T08:21:00.000+02:002010-06-22T18:23:06.266+02:00

The 3rd tomato of the season; ate the first two without taking a picture.  There’s loads more; still green.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-91376655320449451212010-06-15T22:21:00.000+02:002010-06-16T10:21:51.821+02:00

A big one, 12cm [5 in] or thereabouts.  There was rain yesterday; and the day before; and a drizzle the day prior to that.  Somewhat unheard of for June to 1) have rain; or 2) has 3 consecutive days of rain (might be 4 including today); or 3) have deluges that overflow that water troughs that catch the roof run-off.   On the upside: the vegetable garden will be happy.  On the downside, it

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-27354620074799875042010-06-14T08:35:00.001+02:002010-06-14T08:35:10.205+02:00

The title pretty much covers it.  That, and I must get myself a new camera/phone.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-32887069495989432032010-06-09T08:58:00.001+02:002010-06-10T09:05:03.462+02:00

We don't use charcoal, briquets or gas in the bar-b-q; it consumes, largely, twigs.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-76395473351042534922010-06-07T09:42:00.005+02:002010-06-08T09:55:28.891+02:00

The flowers suddenly popped out today - after 3 weeks of hot and dry weather.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-38343354118997360852010-06-04T21:29:00.000+02:002010-06-04T21:29:05.070+02:00

The hot tub. Solar heated water is easy to come by here.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-45369763759753332602010-06-03T11:02:00.001+02:002010-06-04T14:25:58.617+02:00

Blooming garlic plants.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-1145225050877966412010-06-02T14:19:00.002+02:002010-06-04T14:25:39.354+02:00

Artichoke flowering - very small and seriously buggy.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-61792760976356275722010-06-01T06:10:00.003+02:002010-06-04T14:25:58.622+02:00

This grows in the desert where I live.  I'm not sure what it is. I'm almost certain it's not edible,

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-26619909192751855392010-01-21T11:16:00.000+01:002010-01-25T11:18:39.214+01:00

The municipal gardeners came around this week and started braiding the bushes. This takes some planning. They have to plant the things, keep them alive for a couple of years, pruning them to make a strong base with decent branches coming out it it; and to keep the sidewalk clear.  Then, one year they must let those branches grow longer than usual, pruning out the non-targeted ones.  Finally

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-86557911457636455442010-01-20T00:23:00.000+01:002010-01-25T00:40:16.698+01:00

It was actually lamb but I like the alliteration so much that I‘ll pretend it’s pork. Having fried up the chops and mashed up the potato it’s just drizzling pesto over the potato; since it was lamb a bit of mint in the pesto would have been interesting but I decided not to do that (since I had no mint at home).  Pesto on potato is not something I’d run into before; it works really well –

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-68034312222162638052010-01-19T20:17:00.000+01:002010-01-21T20:19:18.344+01:00

  I went through some burger experimentation this summer. Trying burgers everywhere I went. This one was “all natural pure beef” plus a whack of parsley, salt, pepper and that’s it.   Notable, once I got home, was that the package of ground beef had an ingredients list on it; not a good sign.  It turned out that it was 90% beef, 8% cereals, water, and some natural something or other as a

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-75600945303710859092010-01-18T17:45:00.000+01:002010-01-20T17:48:22.577+01:00

It was in August that I made this.   You can see how the sliver of cantaloupe is cleverly sliced along the skin and that the vertical cuts made through the flesh; with the pieces pushed in alternating directions.  You’ve seen this a hundred times at restaurants.   It’s a little bit decorative and very simple.  People seem to like it. The granita (kind of a lumpy sorbet): 1/2 cantaloupe,

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-51627399038706440482010-01-17T15:42:00.000+01:002010-01-19T15:48:08.878+01:00

Before: After: These are julienned (sliced) onions (two of them); pan fried slowly in olive oil (I use first cold pressed virgin for almost everything but this does not demand the very best – and I use it somewhat generously, as you can see).  Brown until they’re almost a jam texture. This could take a half hour, easily; probably more. Add 1 t white wine vinegar and some salt to taste

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-80171043911711250432010-01-16T19:50:00.004+01:002010-01-16T20:09:16.478+01:00

  Eat healthy once in a while. Then… add some cheese.  This is an at-home version of a salad that I used to do in a restaurant. Mixed salad greens (gourmet style blend) 1/2ed cherry tomatoes, cut horizontally (I put the halves face-up to catch the dressing, in the restaurant we put them face down) goat cheese (chevre) , slightly microwaved to just melt it a little (several small rounds or

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-6335813652578831922010-01-15T23:44:00.002+01:002010-01-16T12:51:48.396+01:00

I buy pork (and beef and chicken) in largish chunks, pre-cut it, bag it in meal-sized quantities and freeze it. The pre-cut bit is important to me for later usability. When I want a quick lunch I don’t want to have to thaw then trim and dice my meats. This was a stir-fry cut pack of pork. Brown the meat real well. Not to the point where it’s simply “not red” but to where the meat has some

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-15011963720437426002010-01-14T14:58:00.001+01:002010-01-14T20:04:19.540+01:00

This will be the last uitsmijter post for a while. It happens that this one reminds me of sloppy joes. Do you remember sloppy joes? My mom used to make them often and we thought they were quite a treat. Sloppy Joes were made of ground beef, tomato sauce and chili spices, more or less, I think. We always had them open faced. This one I did yesterday was with cheese under and an egg on top –

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-15933245432505854382010-01-13T18:09:00.004+01:002010-01-13T18:13:03.781+01:00

Creative chefs make the craziest things. This is Terraza Carmona again where I go sometimes to have the gourmet version of tapas; more like what you might encounter in a north american so-called tapas place. This is a croquette but made in the shape of a little donut. I want to know how this is done. I suspect the filling might be frozen at one point. That’s the only way I can figure they

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-82493079638356389052010-01-12T19:00:00.000+01:002010-01-13T00:02:05.754+01:00

The layers are toast 3 herb mustard gouda cheese, slice smoked salmon soft fried egg habanero hot sauce Basically a super-duper toast.  But healthy and tasty and easy. And did I say tasty?

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-70340581318803559432010-01-11T18:27:00.001+01:002010-01-11T18:27:08.236+01:00

Jade plant (crassula ovata) . As you can see, they just grow in the street here. This thing is wel over a meter [yard] wide.  Winters never get below freezing and they don’t get specially watered in the summer (very hot dry summers) – and they survive.  Perhaps we over-think the houseplant situation. I’ll get a picture again later when this thing flowers.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-3909123244619838502010-01-10T14:46:00.005+01:002010-01-10T15:02:00.647+01:00

It’s amazing to me what some kids eat as “meals”. I was chatting today with a friend and it was all about this one youngun’ that was into eating mac&cheese (the box sort) every single day – for breakfast. Really, that’s not a bad breakfast – starch, protein, some milk product; beats a cereal bowl full of choco-sugar super-puff-crunchies any day.It seems so little; but I remind myself that these

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-27290346703643932272010-01-09T16:42:00.000+01:002010-01-09T22:44:11.200+01:00

This is a very popular way to trim the trees.  There must be some practical reason for it – that I can’t yet figure out. 

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-66744750125908247832010-01-08T19:25:00.000+01:002010-01-08T19:26:27.013+01:00

Just a pan fried tuna steak and some creamed potatoes (with a carrot & onion sauce) The sauce got spotty from tuna-water/fat/oil so was not as pretty as I wanted; but had very tiny-tiny onion and carrot pieces which is what made it special. Lots of times when I was working in restaurant kitchens the only difference I noted in some recipes was that we chopped the veggies with great precision

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-77143504559586896772010-01-07T11:11:00.000+01:002010-01-07T19:21:43.717+01:00

This is what happen to the street when it rains a little.  Nothing dramatic - not storming, not pouring nor pissing down; just a shower – maybe a bit more than a drizzle.  Notice: As a former Vancouverite I know 42 different words for rain. Lack of drainage – since it doesn’t rain a lot here. Happily, the sun came out a 4:00 p.m.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-9692543411512033852010-01-06T14:54:00.000+01:002010-01-06T22:02:14.947+01:00

We ate this every single year at xmas or new years in Galicia.  Before:   After (well… 1/2 way) – it’s scallops, mushrooms and cream – that’s about it. Sauté the mushrooms, add cream, then add the scallops (whole or chopped in chunks) – cook briefly. Ladle into the shells, cover with breadcrumbs and toast under the broiler. You could get fancy and sauté a bit of onion before (& in

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-21695949858077769332010-01-05T09:56:00.001+01:002010-01-05T09:56:51.620+01:00

It’s a tapa. You take your average potato chips (crisps to the Euro-anglos) and drape some marinated anchovies over them (marinated in oil and vinegar and a little salt).  What you get tastes like those Salt & Vinegar flavoured potato chips that I used to love as a kid; but now with all natural ingredients. See also a variant with Boquerones without chips.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-22862317196302044202010-01-04T14:09:00.001+01:002010-01-05T10:06:42.567+01:00

I was up in Madrid and popped out for tapas at a little Asturian place nearby.  Ordered all the favorites since I don’t get up there often and we don’t have a place like this anymore down here at the beach. We did… but last season the owner turned the place from a tapas bar into an Indian restaurant - - quite a dramatic change.  Now, for tapas, I have to go to the next town over. Here’s what I

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-30210987616496367062010-01-03T15:26:00.003+01:002010-01-03T17:16:24.146+01:00

Simple winter food (okay, it’s been more like 20-25 degrees C lately [that’s 70 or 80 F] but technically it’s winter) . Soak the 250 gr [8 oz] of white beans overnight and drain away that first round of water. Cover with water and add the sausage, black sausage and pork-fat-bacon (traditionally you might put an ear or a trotter in as well); no added salt. Cook, simmering, until the beans

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-40625567283676944972010-01-02T10:06:00.000+01:002010-01-02T10:06:00.039+01:00

It was a bit windy the other day.  The tumbleweeds tumbled through. As you can see in the picture above tumbleweeds can be quite large; approaching the size of a small car.  Enough to knock you down if they come at you. Remember those spaghetti westerns of the 60s?  The Clint Eastwood/Sergio Leone type?  They were often filmed here in Andalusia. 

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-53557144814552667362010-01-01T12:12:00.000+01:002010-01-01T12:12:00.161+01:00

Tim Minchin It’s fun, maybe a little silly; maybe a little bit true. Listen to the words

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-738702866594613422009-12-31T12:31:00.000+01:002009-12-31T18:56:04.356+01:00

Resolution you wish you'd stuck with. (You know, there's always next year...) I didn’t make any resolutions last year and I won’t this year.  I like a more day-to-day approach to life.  But the thing that I’d like to change about me in general is that I would like to be better at getting things done in a timely fashion.  I procrastinate / ignore /avoid / resist things that I don’t like, are

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-29206599025535476812009-12-30T12:30:00.000+01:002009-12-30T18:03:12.595+01:00

Ad. What advertisement made you think this year? I don’t pay much attention to ads or, at least, this year no commercial add stood out.  One sort-of commercial winner that I loved was more of an advertisement for happiness than any particular product. It’s from VolksWagen – they set up a site called The Fun Theory.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-91706598171925611442009-12-29T12:29:00.001+01:002009-12-29T14:26:57.950+01:00

Laugh. What was your biggest belly laugh of the year? None that I remember. Lots of smiles; loads pleasure in life; in the day to day. There are several things that I still smile broadly about when looking back on them. But I cannot recall a notable huge laugh during 2009 when I laughed ‘til I cried. Not that it didn’t happen - - I just failed to properly keep track of it. In fact, I know

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-37354779464299343482009-12-28T12:28:00.000+01:002009-12-28T13:12:40.891+01:00

Stationery. When you touch the paper, your heart melts. The ink flows from the pen. What was your stationery find of the year? That’s a really off the wall prompt. I guess that either Gwen Bell (who made up the original list) was running out of ideas or she really likes stationery. As an aside, my mom had a deluxe stationery store in Vancouver back in the 70’s, maybe early 80s, called

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-58964139350103311142009-12-27T12:27:00.000+01:002009-12-27T13:09:07.098+01:00

Social web moment. Did you meet someone you used to only know from her blog? Did you discover Twitter? This year there has been a lot of meeting people online.  The Facebooks, the Twitters, Reddit & Tinychat,  Blogspot/Blogger and blogs in general that also have participation and comments and interchange of ideas. I’ve been involved with all of them since forever but this year it really took off

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-23474308498346179582009-12-26T12:26:00.001+01:002009-12-26T12:26:00.062+01:00

Insight or aha! moment. What was your epiphany of the year? Me? Epiphanies? Not bloody likely. Except for January 6th of course. A sudden realization of … not the foggiest. Nope, this one’s not giving me any inspiration at all. To give it a twist; playing with the words – – the best sight in 2009… was the sight of a friend I hadn’t seen for many years.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-70465875047782060982009-12-26T11:03:00.001+01:002009-12-26T11:03:21.151+01:00

Carpaccio of beef with parmesan and drizzled with olive oil Then some rolled stuffed chicken (stuffed with fruits and walnuts) with potato cups filled with mashed potatoes with cheese and chives. No turkey – that would be way too big although would have been great to do a turkey if only to make my mom’s delicious stuffing recipe (a celery-onion bread stuffing. Which reminds me - I must

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-84887209444600425262009-12-25T12:25:00.000+01:002009-12-25T12:25:00.374+01:00

Gift. What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving? This had me thinking back to the best xmas gift I ever-ever got; a bike.  It was used, 10 speed, drop handlebars, racer seat, toe-clips – the whole “real bicycling” ball o’ wax; with a Roger Rivière decal on the frame (who famously crashed on the Tour de France in 1960 – breaking his spine).  It got me outside, riding, a

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-50606252487987124112009-12-24T12:24:00.000+01:002009-12-24T16:37:49.925+01:00

Learning experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you? Spending a month with 3 niñas [children] aged three to nine.  I wrote about this before – but it really was such an outstanding, unique, experience for me that absolutely nothing else comes to mind. I learned that most of life is practicing for later on; and some little bit is remembering the past - - but the best

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-61015073075049259572009-12-23T17:04:00.002+01:002009-12-23T17:07:59.325+01:00

Vegans & vegetarians… turn the page. Simple enough – fried up a little blood sausage (Burgos style – with rice) and slapped it on a bun. Ingredients of this sort of morcilla rice (a key ingredient) pig fat (just because)onion (flavor) pig blood (it’s “black” sausage) spices (cumin, cinnamon?) pig intestine (for the tubing) Slice into 2cm [1”] pieces and fry in oil until

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-21032937623923146432009-12-23T12:23:00.000+01:002009-12-23T14:17:25.878+01:00

Web tool. It came into your work flow this year and now you couldn't live without it. It has simplified or improved your online experience. That would be Notepad++, say it “plus plus”.  It is a double-plus good text editor – use it instead of NotePad or WordPad. It colorizes and indents things so that they make sense visually and handles ‘most every format. This, you might say, is a

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-40697700760669530142009-12-22T12:22:00.000+01:002009-12-23T14:07:52.582+01:00

Startup. What's a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special? New businesses are hard to come by in these tough economic times.  Managing-to-survive is the main goal of businesses around here in the south of Spain.  I’ll have to come up with a unique twist on this question… Best Thing Started 2009 Golf  - I started golfing again after more than 12

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-325219682620069122009-12-21T12:21:00.001+01:002009-12-23T14:18:54.420+01:00

Project. What did you start this year that you're proud of? Quitting smoking – again.    Stopped last year for 6 months, stopped this April for a month, stopped in August (or it might have been July) & have been managing since then. Now, reading back what I wrote, I see that this is something I stopped, not something I started this year.  I' will look at it as me starting to stop smoking –

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-89456629372100176122009-12-20T12:20:00.000+01:002009-12-20T12:20:00.287+01:00

New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2009? That would be a whole lot of people; collectively the best new people I met this year, starting hanging out with, getting to know a little, was the gang down at Frankie’s Bar on Hotel Street at Vera Playa.  It’s an “English” bar inasmuch

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-49331859218745668612009-12-19T12:19:00.000+01:002009-12-19T15:24:27.924+01:00

Car ride What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with? I’ll put my own little twist on this because I don’t have a car and my Dutch driver’s license has expired so I don’t drive anyway. I’ll do “best travelling at ground level in some sort of vehicle”. That the view out the window of the bus.  Me doing my part for the environment – using

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-33923218769759466302009-12-18T12:18:00.000+01:002009-12-18T12:18:00.071+01:00

Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year? I’m a terrible consumer compared to most people.  I don’t acquire a lot of things. Not nearly enough to stimulate the economy. Last year I started to learn to live a frugal lifestyle and it has its attractions; simplicity, for one.  Perhaps next year I will look into improving my frugalness.  That frugality contributes

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-82623508462115690282009-12-17T12:17:00.000+01:002009-12-17T12:17:00.399+01:00

Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. "2009 was _____." Two thousand nine, 2009, was … mine. That is, it belonged to me, to do with whatever I liked.  2009 depended only upon myself.  It has been the first full calendar year since my teen years that I have not been caught up in “a relationship with” someone (or, occasionally, several someones) .  Since the age of 12 or so I have

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-17136513380717062382009-12-16T12:16:00.000+01:002009-12-16T12:16:00.178+01:00

I can taste my favorite tea right now. What's yours? I have a friend who’s a master herbalist, holistic healer and mixes custom organic herbal teas .   My tea is called Vitalitea. I have no idea what’s in it but it’s good. Something of chamomile I would guess; I think I detect licorice – lots of other things.  It’s even delicious - & smells wonderful too. You might expect a plug here for

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-11809534130016911192009-12-15T20:05:00.001+01:002009-12-15T20:10:04.352+01:00

My little sister made this !   Click on it for the up close effect.  It’s super cool – and it’s all real.

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-79018016743048277732009-12-15T12:15:00.000+01:002009-12-15T19:02:07.320+01:00

Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves? This is an easy one.   Best packaging… it was the little black dress that she wore.   Oh, you meant consumer-product packaging; my  mistake; I misunderstood. Hey, I’m not the one making up these questions;  Gwen Bell is. I’m just making up the answers. It wasn’t a year where I did of lot

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-2824419619783717502009-12-14T12:14:00.002+01:002009-12-14T17:22:35.332+01:00

(was “Best Rush” in the original question) When did you get your best rush of the year?Edit: When I first published this it was titled "Most Exciting" but that didn't flow with all the other titles starting with "Best" - so I changed it.An answer to “Best Rush” would be- - - “when I with “. I’m not one of those super-transparent bloggers who writes about all the nitty gritty

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-53610925122965286352009-12-12T12:13:00.000+01:002009-12-14T08:18:57.038+01:00

What's the best change you made to the place you live? Two things. One: I got my golf clubs out of storage - - getting back into the game after a 10 year hiatus. These Andalusian courses are generally quite well designed. Consequently I’m well into the double bogey arena. If I could fix up this slice and stay out of trouble that way I’d be doing pretty well. Second: A gas heater for the

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-86442786432879644022009-12-12T12:12:00.002+01:002009-12-12T17:00:57.270+01:00

Q: You're now in love with Lebanese food and you didn't even know what it was in January of this year. This year was not one for huge food adventures. There was good food, and interesting food but nothing new. I would like to write about mushy peas but that was last year. The one outstanding food was not new but a rediscovery. A friend came back from the U.K. with Marmite ! Whereupon I

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-58533863031060117312009-12-11T12:11:00.000+01:002009-12-11T12:11:00.311+01:00

A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook? My place at the beach.  After moving there two years ago, recently it started to feel like “mine”.   Now, 2 years on – it’s the place I mean when I say “home”.  More specifically, my favorite spot is the large patio upstairs – from which this is the view.  Except in the winter (Dec to mid-March); it’s on the north side and gets no sun in

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-40556508491008290052009-12-10T12:10:00.004+01:002009-12-10T19:20:50.584+01:00

What's rocking your world? This is an easy one. Nena Daconte, Retales de Carnival. Yes it is from 2008 but I encountered it this year. Yes it’s in Spanish but give it a listen anyway. Best Song: Tenía Tanto Que Darte : I Would Have So Much to Tell You There’s a video; from youtube thus could get pulled at any minute.Two versions because one of them, of this Spanish singer ¡¡ is not

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-75003869399203096812009-12-09T12:09:00.001+01:002009-12-10T08:55:21.011+01:00

What’s something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you? This is a tough one. I’m as new-agey as the next guy but this “growth” thing is a little bit vague, subjective; a soft concept one might say. But I’ll tell you about something that I learned a lot from. A growing experience, a

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-39548104828214717192009-12-08T12:08:00.000+01:002009-12-10T08:54:44.914+01:00

An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there? A:  2009 feels like it was a pretty good year for moments of peace.  Specifically memorable ones… that’s harder.  Let’s see, re-took-up, again, the Dahn yoga practice; on my own, on the patio, in the mornings, in the sun, in later-spring/summer.   Dahn style yoga is a mix

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-18995624480826791102009-12-07T12:07:00.000+01:002009-12-10T08:57:04.563+01:00

Q: What is that gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year. A: To figure this out I just have to go to my bookmarks lists and RSS feeds. My instinct was to say The Orwell Diaries but it turned out that I started with that one way back in August 2008; notably, I still read it daily. It’s bound to be a food blog of course - - Retro Food which is, obviously, about old

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-11038983190190588582009-12-06T12:06:00.001+01:002009-12-14T17:21:32.112+01:00

Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn? I attended nary a workshop or conference. I don’t do much of that type of thing any more; I used to when I worked in corporate I.T. but, now, as a chef, freelance webmaster and small time programmer it’s not in the cards. I did attend one large gathering that was interesting and

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-75418153965503241632009-12-05T12:05:00.000+01:002009-12-10T10:34:43.842+01:00

Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that rocked your world? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night? For the first time in ever so long (years) I went to a club in the evening with someone; just to hang out and have a good time (‘twas this spring in Philly).  Coincidentally it was with the same person with whom I went out to “a club” the most recent time before this…

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-10891409897942632062009-12-04T14:25:00.001+01:002009-12-04T14:25:11.352+01:00

When I went for that great fish and chips a few days ago I walked a long long way to get there; healthily walking off the calories I was shortly to consume.  Along the way I came across this Chiringuito (Beach Bar) name for a particular popular type of fish (Monkfish/Angelfish = Rape [pronounced rap-ay]). Such a sign might be looked at askance, true enough, by English speakers; but it’s a

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-91941008615774380612009-12-04T12:04:00.000+01:002009-12-10T14:06:42.618+01:00

What book - fiction or non - touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies? Didn't buy a lot of books this year, don’t recall buying any really; and there’s no public library where I live.  We have a book sharing space with shelves and shelves of books in the game-room next to the pool.  Loads of generally popular books; lots of beach reading - - it

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7407835.post-71021887231527347172009-12-03T00:03:00.000+01:002009-12-10T14:23:25.318+01:00

What's an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious'd and reference throughout the year. It’s in Spanish so not much use to most of you: Sin tetas no hay matrimonio [Without tits there is no marriage]. The machine translated version is a bit tough to read but you can get the gist of it. Written by Elvira Lindo it talks of the wonders of

willsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04072568649666576654noreply@blogger.com1