Photo Tour: Cooking Notes, My Rain Garden, More

1. Several people at P's and Q's market/cafe got up to take pictures of this dog as its owner ran inside for takeout. I was sitting there with a pretty nice breakfast burrito (it even had a McDonald's-style hashbrown patty in it) and immediately knew this was a moment that would draw all humans together. It felt very special in the room, like we had seen a new elf get born, completely out of the blue — proof that the universe still has that old knack for magic.

2, 3, 4. Several things I've cooked in the last few weeks. I've been dredging things like those chicken salad patties in corn starch, for a tighter, karaage-type crust. And remember: a hot dog may not be comfortably thought of as a sandwich, but pretty much everything is a salad, if you dump it together and correct for acidity. Also: cauliflower steaks might sound like bullshit, but when you brown nature's Wallace Shawn hard in a little oil and salt it while hot, that is some savory eats.

5, 6. My grandfather loved making water features in his yard. It skipped a generation; my father likes growing roses and camellias. Now that I have a little more yard to play with, I am laying into the rain garden thing full-shoulder. Lauren put her foot down as far as a pond with a 24-hour pump was concerned, indicating that it is the adult equivalent of the puppy you promise to feed and clean up after. While I can admit that she is right, I will not be dissuaded from at least digging a rain garden that could contain a monsoon and a deluge. The area you see here was once useless (I.e., had no rain garden). I've been collecting rocks for a few months now, and even learned about a store that sells more rocks, including some green ones.

7. This is one of those situations where you wonder what the hell is going on with the people that own this not-inexpensive parcel of land. What would I see if I went in the RV (with a guarantee of safety?). What would I see in the garage, besides a contented hen? Photo taken during an evening walk down an alley in my neighborhood.

8. One of our many beloved Makitas greeted me the other morning as I went to skritter the bristles off the pearly whites. I inquired; Lauren had been up late building a cheap shoe rack which she ultimately had to return due to missing parts and frustration.