Wonderful week of being outdoors as much as we can possibly be. The dogs (now three of them including Percy) and I had a number of really nice walks over on the Rail Trail. We also had two days of walking in our favorite local spot the fields and Morris Trail at Colby-Sawyer. The views when you come out of the woods and look out over the field towards Ragged Mountain are a true representation of autumn in New Hampshire. We are so very lucky to live here.

Big Week For Percy

A lot of my time over the last couple of weeks has involved helping my grandson Jack with his four month old puppy Percy. One goal we have had is to have him assimilated into the dog family with Bean and Wyke. So far so good. We decided to get the Invisible Fence checked out and to add a collar for Percy. Our hope is to be able to let him out with the big dogs and not worry about him going across the road to visit. The Invisible Fence folks came out and reinstalled the flags and fixed up a collar and a lead for Percy then gave Jack some instructions on how to train him. Being the very smart dog that he is, Percy picked up on the beep and the flags pretty quickly. We are still in the training stage but he is catching on and is able to go out with the big dogs for periods of time which makes life easier for us. In addition, we got him a sport collar for going on hikes with us which he figured out in about two minutes. Today we took all three dogs for a good walk and they all were great. Jack started his night shift this week and it is brutal. He works 10pm to 8am four nights a week and then is off for three. Sleep is a priority. Fingers crossed a day shift becomes available. He is working as a Safety Officer at Colby-Sawyer and working on his EMT Certification.

Gran’s Birthday

I love this picture taken of my mother some years ago standing in front of the yellow roses her grandson had sent her for her birthday. Her birthday is October 10th and she would have turned 99 this year. We all still miss her.

A Fall Favorite

Beef Bourguignon by Melissa Clark (New York Times Cooking)

INGREDIENTS

Yield:4 to 6 servings

• 3 pounds beef chuck or other boneless stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes and patted dry
• 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 ounces lardons, pancetta or bacon, diced (about 1¼ cups)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 750-milliliter bottle of red wine
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 large sprig of thyme
• 8 ounces pearl onions, peeled (about 12 to 15 onions)
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved if large (about 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Pinch sugar
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

PREPARATION

1. Season beef with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Set aside for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tightfitting lid, cook lardons over medium-low heat until fat is rendered and lardons are browned and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve fat in pot.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Raise heat under pot to medium-high and cook until fat is starting to smoke. Lay half the beef cubes in a single layer in the pot, leaving space between pieces. Cook until well browned on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes; transfer pieces to a plate as they brown. Repeat with remaining beef.
4. Reduce heat, if necessary, to prevent burning. Stir in onion, carrot and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until soft, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in flour, cook for 1 minute, then add wine, bay leaf and thyme, scraping up brown bits at bottom of pot. Add browned beef and half the cooked lardons back to pot, cover, and transfer to oven. Let cook until beef is very tender, about 1½ hours, turning meat halfway through.
6. Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over high heat, combine pearl onions, mushrooms, ¼ cup water, the olive oil and a pinch each of salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to medium, cooking for 15 minutes. Uncover, raise heat to high, and cook, tossing frequently, until vegetables are well browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
7. To serve, scatter onions and mushrooms and remaining cooked lardons over stew, then top with parsley.

It has been a difficult week for the world especially in the Middle East. I can’t let it go without praying for peace and a solution to the divisions that we are hearing so much about. I feel extremely lucky and blessed to be able to walk in the woods with my dogs and all I hear are the birds. This is a photo of the Rail Trail this week. Such pretty light.