Sad headline

“Last July, Donald Trump demanded that Texas draw five new Republican seats in the middle of a decade, igniting a chain reaction of corrupt MAGA state legislators attempting to rig the midterm elections. While many expected Democrats to roll over and play dead, we did the opposite,”Who would have thought?

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY)

I thought it was a real hoot last night listening to GOP talking heads shriek and rend their garments after the catastrophe in Virginia when they wouldn't say a peep when Trump initiated the same practice in Texas.

Business Stuff

 

FedEx just delivered eight large boxes of artwork. 

A man from Florida called me some time ago. 

His father was a painter in the Santa Fe and Taos area in the 1970's. He made friends with lots of good local artists.

His own kids weren't all that interested in the artwork.

I don't know that there is anything earth shattering in the group but it will be fun to break it down on Friday and see what I actually have.

This is one of the paintings, by Dane Clark (b. 1934) an excellent artist who worked both in Hawaii and New Mexico.

*

Speaking of work, I drove to Los Angeles yesterday to pick up a Toshiko Takaezu plate I had purchased at auction. Took about three hours to get there. I left six or seven paintings with my friend John to sell at auction. Was tired of looking at them.

There was an auction going on when I got there and I had bid on a couple things. After I was done speaking with my friend I looked down and saw that I had been outbid on my purchase and left to go home.

Was a long trip home on the 91 freeway and I decided to stop at Vincenzo's in Lake Elsinore and have a late lunch. I looked down at my phone and to my consternation saw that I had actually won the item for 2k. I had bid $1600 and they had added the juice.

Now I get to make the same six hour drive tomorrow.

What an idiot!

Cheapass

A friend of mine is selling some of his Padres baseball tickets. Really nice seats behind first base. The price? Three hundred dollars for a pair of tickets. Padres are having a good run (have you looked at the Mets record?) but there is no way I could swing it.

I am too cheap.

I don't see how people do it. I started watching the Padres as a kid when they were a minor league team at Westgate Park. I was too young to see them at Lane Field. Probably paid four bucks a ticket. I know that was a long time ago but sheesh.

I don't think I could have fun spending that kind of dough.

Ditto concert tickets.

I was checking out shows at the Belly-Up recently and was astounded by the prices. Here is an example but pretty much par for the course today.

Two hundred bucks for an Eagles tribute band? I wouldn't even pay that to see the Eagles, unless maybe they brought Don Felder back.

I hate to sound like a grandpa but in my day...

Best show I ever saw was Jethro Tull Thick as a brick at the Sports Arena in 1972. 

Paid $4.50. 

Caught the Stones at Madison Square Garden the same year for under seven.

Mick's birthday concert no less.

I know that times have changed but I haven't. I still hate to buy razor blades they cost so much these days and don't even ask about gasoline.

How much is Disneyland today?

The famous San Diego Zoo?

My god. No wonder everybody is broke. Don't even ask about streaming services. How the hell do people afford this?

I am glad that I am comfortable out in nature. My normal recreation is free or limited to a Parks pass. Cheap entertainment is where it is at for me. And a decent meal every once in a while.

God bless all of you that can afford it. Some of these recreational pursuits are so expensive that I would feel guilt ridden the whole time I was there, couldn't enjoy them anyway.

Happy birds

 

Goodbye Dave

 

Coq au Vin

I've made coq au vin several times in the past but decided to up my game a little tonight and do things a bit more properly. I looked at a couple recipes including one from the great Julia Child and went to work.

Leslie bought a giant combo pack of drumstick/thigh sections at Frazier Farms yesterday. Hmm, the Le Creuset stockpot or the dutch oven? I went with the latter. It is a little heavier and heats and sears a bit better.

First thing I did is cut up five bacon strips from Hemplers, our favorite, and cooked them at the bottom of the dutch oven until almost crispy.

I pulled them out and reserved them to a paper towel covered plate for later. 

I then browned and seared the seasoned chicken in the bacon fat, finally pulling them out and putting them on a platter to sit too.

I added a splash of marsala and deglazed the bottom of the blackened bits, not having any cognac readily on hand. 

We don't do onion but I added onion powder and then six cloves of garlic. 

Thirty second cook down.

Chopped up three carrots and put them aside for later too. 

I added three cups of cabernet sauvignon and three cups of chicken bone broth. 

I also added thyme, balsamic vinegar, a touch of sugar, salt, pepper, tomato paste and a bay leaf and brought it all to a boil.

While it was simmering I sautéed mushrooms in a skillet and reserved them as well.

I added my chicken and carrots back to the pot to simmer and started on the beurre manié. 

This is a traditional french sauce thickener made by combining flour and warmed butter and making a mash with it.

I pulled the chicken and carrots out one more time and slowly stirred in the beurre manié. 

I then strained the entire sauce into a mixing bowl so that I could get a clear reduction. 

This is the step I usually skip.

My chef friend Melissa guilted me into doing it the right way for once.

Thanks Missy!

I added the chicken back in and let it simmer. 

Leslie came home and made polenta. 

Right before I plated I added the bacon and mushrooms back into the mix and it was time to eat.

Wish I had fresh thyme but I did not.

Leslie absolutely loved the meal, all the praise I require.

Lot of work, lots of extra dishes to clean but worth it.

Barona Speedway

Jim Ramsey and I went out to the Antique Drag Races at Barona Speedway yesterday. It is an annual affair and our friend Harry was running his 53 Studebaker.

What a great day, breezy, not too hot, the coolest cars and people you could imagine. 

I am just starting to process my pictures, hopefully got some decent shots. 

Haven't shot cars in a long time. 

Very rusty.

I will continue to post as developed.

Hawks feeding

After about sixteen years of freely taking pictures of the red tailed hawks nest, the birds got sneaky and put leaf curtains up this time. I had no idea what was going on in the nest or how many hawklings had been born.

I saw them feeding the other day, answer is two.

When I have time I will bring the great lens and tripod over and try to get some better shots.

Nina Hagen

 

Harrier hovering