How's Robb?

... It's time once again for us to start preparing for our annual fundraising ride for BORP . That's the Bay Area Outreach Recreation Program–– an organization providing recreation activities for children with disabilities. Next month we'll be joining a multitude of riders, of all abilities, to tackle 25 very hilly miles. This is such an inspiring event. We get to ride alongside elite cyclists on two wheels and paraplegic handcyclists on three (riding their 100-mile course); blind cyclists on tandems; Paralympic Medalists; children and adults with a range of abilities who may or may not be able to finish the 10-mile course they're on (but, by gum, they're gonna try). And then there are the scores of people like us who are pushing the edges of their abilities every time. Each year, arriving at the finish line, we have such a strong feeling of accomplishment–– not only from having met the challenge, but also from the knowledge that by supporting th

.... When I was over at Allie's house helping with her bee situation , she gave me a few gigantic homegrown cucumbers. There's no sense of scale in this picture, so you'll have to take my word: these cukes were huge! Last year, we got cornichon seeds from Christine , but some creature ate the baby plants all the way to the ground. My gardening is all about the battles with the snails. Sigh. I had grown French tarragon with the goal of pickling cornichons , and so even though these particular cucumbers were humorously large, I decided to follow the recipe for cornichons. Following a single recipe was easier said than done. There were all sorts of contradictory instructions online and in our cookbooks. In the end, we improvised, using what sounded tasty, and using what we had on-hand. We cut the cucumbers into spears, and salted them with kosher salt (regular table salt has additives that do not work well in pickling). We left these overnight, and in

... To update the story of Allie's poisoned beehive: this is what I found, when I got to Allie's house. Thousands and thousands of dead bees, littering the area in front of the hive. There were tons of bees, dead in the grass, but my grass photos weren't particularly clear. Dead bees in the grass look remarkably like dirt. Trust me when I tell you that there was a six-foot-square patch of dead bees, right in front of the hive. Allie and I suspect that someone came into her yard and started spraying the entrance of her hive with insecticide. The bees released their "alarm pheromones" and more and more bees poured out of the hive in response. The spraying probably continued until the bees overpowered the sprayer, and stung this person so much that they ran away. Here's what it looked like inside the hive. A carpet of death. Horrible and senseless. Honeybees are not aggressive toward humans. Robb and I keep two vigorous hives in a

... Last spring, Robb and I set up a beehive at our friend Allie's house. She provided space in her beautiful garden, and we gave her bees and a hive. We'd stop by from time to time to hang out and tend the bees. This seemed like a perfect arrangement. Until yesterday, when someone came into Allie's yard, and sprayed insecticide all over her hive, killing thousands of bees. Given that Allie has a six-foot-tall fence, it's clear that the culprit was not some random by-passer. The person who killed Allie's bees must have been an immediate neighbor, who could see the hive from a second-floor window. If this neighbor had an issue with Allie keeping bees, they could have spoken to her. They could have called someone from Animal Control. Instead they chose a "solution" that was both sneaky and cowardly. This makes me crazy. I feel terrible for Allie, because this will surely sour her relations with her neighbors. Imagine if Allie ha

Thanks to all you well-wishers. We went up to wine country for the weekend and had a fantastic time. On Saturday morning, we went up to the Russian River, took out a couple of kayaks and spent the day paddling, swimming and picnicking along the banks. It took us long enough to discover this (after eight years living here) but this is the Northern California version of spending the day at the beach. (Usually the coastal fog, wind, rough surf and cold water make the complete day-at-the-beach experience more challenging here). Large groups of people will rent canoes, load them up with: ice chests, beer, pool toys, children, beer, wine, beer and dogs and then set off downstream stopping at every swimming hole and sandy bank. It's a floating party for miles. After a day on the river we checked into a Bed and Breakfast in the little hamlet of Geyserville. We're getting to know the town well since we go there every year for the annual BORP fundraising ride . The B&

... Slowly, slowly Robb and I are working on our house. We've been going to estate sales, from time to time, and this weekend we brought home a few gems. This oak display table was a happy find. I suspect that it was sold as a flat-pack kit some time in the early 20th Century. You thought Ikea invented this? Apparently not. Here's a link to photos from a catalog of Mission/Arts and Crafts furniture company, selling flat-packed furniture as far back as 1907. Whoever originally put the kit together didn't do a very good job, so Robb ever-so-carefully took the table apart and re-assembled it. It's odd to be repairing decades old slap-dashery. We also found another vintage jug, to add to our modest collection. The solid green jug sits well with its companions. I re-arranged our jugs, and need to glue them back in place with Museum Wax. In earthquake country, fragile antiques need to be secured. It only took two years to find a lampshade for

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... In celebration of his birthday, Robb and I are headed out of town for a little getaway. We learned our lesson years ago, and won't be bringing cameras kayaking. You'll just have to imagine us, paddling down-river in wine country. You are also invited to imagine our tough-guy neighbors, our burglar alarm, and our fearsome pussycats all guarding our house.