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The dirt used to fill the trench in our yard (from last fall’s electric project) was so full of rocks that we despaired of being able to grow grass on it. So today I took off the top few inches and screened it. I also found some artifacts like broken pottery and bits of unburned coal.

Tomorrow I’ll mix the usable dirt with compost and fill it back in. I think it’s still a little early for grass seed.

Bonus: some of those artifacts

 

Ferrous may look like he’s tuckered out from a long day. He’s not. He’s just recharging for tonight’s mischief.

Lis and I threw ourselves a proper cocktail party for our 20th wedding anniversary. Between the food & drink and dressing a bit fancy, I think folks had a good time.

See the gallery for photos of most everyone there.

Seen on a walk in the woods today. Alas, just a burl on a dead tree, not a famous philosopher. Click through for some other shots, including the strangest thing I’ve ever seen on a nature walk.

These two downy woodpeckers were chasing each other. Both males, so I think they’re rivals.

Nuthatch is one of my favorite birds.

And the strange thing: the green line runs right through these woods.

Feeling a little unpampered so I made myself a cheese souffle for breakfast.

Boston is running a public art program this winter in an attempt to get people to come back downtown. I can’t say I am a fan of the giant disembodied floating heads but this one is cool. It’s evidently interactive to surrounding people but I didn’t have time to play with it on my way to catch the train.

Whenever I see this sign at the Newton library, I feel like I’m one of those live-action choose-your-own-adventure games.

I have always made my dad’s waffle recipe. It’s pretty much straight out of Joy of Cooking, with some adaptations by him, and then by me over the years. But for this year’s New Years brunch we had some extra French bread starter so I made (slightly adapted) Mark Bittman’s “Overnight Waffles”, yeasted waffles. I don’t think I’m ever going back — so light, and crisp yet fluffy even after holding on a pot-luck table.

Vegetable prep like today’s is the Nakiri knife’s reason for existence.

This year I could not find pre-shelled pecan pieces, so I bought them in the shell. I am disappointed to learn that they taste *much better* this way — sweeter, less bitter, But definitely less convenient.