Of This and That

I am helping some friends put on a large dinner, 40 plus diners, I am doing the fermentation and slow cooking part. Last month I made some cabbage, carrot and fennel sauerkraut that has been fermenting in a large crock for a month. Three days ago I made a huge amount of Five Flavor Abodo ( a peasant stew with beef, onions, mushrooms, soy sauce, balsamic, white pepper, and porter), it is best after it has been in the fridge for two or three days, then reheated, hmmmm like ambrosia. Two days ago I started this Kefir Rose Hip Hibisicus Soda. 

Here's my little work desk, it is on one wall of the bedroom. Luckily, I don't need much space to do Moku Hanga, which is one of it's many charms. The guy on the wall is a large print I found in my parent's broom closet when I was cleaning their apartment for selling purposes, it was rubber banded around a broom handle. My mother had Alzheimers and I imagine it made sense a the time. I had the print framed and for a time it adorned my acupuncture office wall, but circumstances and locations changed and it has been roosting at home for a couple years. On the desk is the contents of a lovely package I received from M.Kate at La Vie Est Belle, if you are not familiar with her blog, check it out. She has lots of great photos and stories from her part of the world, Malaysia, and she is a rabbit person, 7 bunnies at the last count. She sent me a little fan with pressed orchids. I like orchids a lot, though I don't go to orchids blogs, I have four plants. Two were rescued from abusive environments and two were bought cheap from the distressed area at the garden store. Now I have a sort of portable orchid in the form of the fan. Also enclosed was a bookmark with my name in Chinese, so cool. And a handkercheif with Double Happiness characters on it, who can't use extra happiness I ask? And some very nice picture postcords. It will be a pleasure to respond in kind to this kindness! Double thanks to M.Kate.

Here's a close-up of the the wood of my desk, it is Tiger Stripe Maple, looks wrinkled, but it's not. The edges of the desk are wiggly, it is designed to have natural (not straight) lines. A friend made the desk as part of an acupuncture trade. It is the only piece of furniture I own (Boyfriend has plenty for both of us). 

Got to run, visitors this weekend, they will be sleeping the living room which is rabbit domain, Tyler and Sydney may not like this too very much. I have clean the house NOW.