A Near Perfect Day

It really doesn't take a whole lot to make me happy and this Saturday was just one of those wonderful simple days that make you happy and grateful. It started out like most of my weekends with a hike. But this time I had Wife with me. Wife and I were really into hiking together until around 7 years ago when she hurt her foot and was forced to stop. Over the last year or so, the foot has felt better and she gradually has been increasing what she did. Since I didn't have anyone going with me she asked if she could come but only if I agreed to go at her pace which was fine with me.

Well, there was not slowing down for her. In fact we ended up doing exactly what I would have without her. We went up where we were with Wild Bill last week and beyond into the fresh snow area.

Wife - Snow Hiking Warrior

Getting Ready to Tackle the Virgin Snow...not to be confused with virgin squirrels or weasels either.

And on She goes!

Wife saw this cool bit of ice formation in a shoe track. Since she didn't have her camera with her, I was delegated to take the 'art shot'.

After we got back from hiking, I needed to work. I had a ton of projects to get before Monday. So with the benefit of our now functional wireless, I was able to watch the Steelers - Ravens game and get a bunch of the projects done at the same time. Pretty cool.

That evening we had Gaius Derf and Agent over for a relaxed evening. We of course cooked, making another pizza which came out great if I must say so myself.

I wanted to do something a little extra so I made up an appetizer of four different salads, nothing too complicated. I made a cucumber salad (salt wilted cucumber with plain yogurt, garlic, rosemary and lavender - herbs that grow here through the winter), a fennel salad in an anchovy, garlic, white wine vinegar vinaigrette, wilted mustard greens sauteed in garlic, olive oil and lemon (very Italian in honor of Agent W), and tomatoes with ricotta salata (ricotta cheese that is aged) marinated in olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Wife whipped up another fabulous dessert. We had some berries and were going to put them on pound cake but when I went to the store they didn't have any. So she made one. Then soaked the cake in her homemade strawberry liquor and added the berries and whipped cream.

A perfect ending to a perfect day.