I'm ready for the world to end. I'm happy, satisfied, and content. We had dinner with our good friends Bill and Jane last night. Bill is a representative for a vineyard here in Oregon, so it was an opportunity to bring something special out of the wine cellar. I selected a 2004 Panther Creek Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir. Oh my goodness what a beautiful wine. And how blessed am I that I can walk over to Panther Creek Cellars anytime and taste their delectable offerings. I wasn't sure how the wine would be fairing about now. During our house raising it had to sit in a closet and the temperatures were not always ideal. I was a bit worried when I saw the color, it was a little bit on the brick-ish red side, but the aroma and taste were out of this world. It is all smoke, and earth and dark, lush herbs. It went so well with the flank steak that I had been marinating all afternoon.It was the first chance to dine el fresco in our case out on the deck with the bbq ready for its inaugural spring start up.
I also made one of my new favorite snack foods. It could not be simpler to make. Grab a few pounds of raw almonds at Harvest Fresh Market and Deli. In a bowl combine a tablespoon of olive oil with a couple of teaspoons of sea salt and two sprigs of rosemary finely chopped. Combine with the nuts, throw them in the toaster oven and hit dark toast and that's all there is. They are hard to put down once you start eating them.
After dinner we went over to the Gallery Theater and watched "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dream Coat." It is a fantastic show with an amazingly talented and energetic cast. So, if the world is going to end, that's OK. I've had a truly beautiful glass of wine, a wonderful dinner with great friends and seen very well produced local theater. And I could do it all on foot--purchase the wine, get the food, go to the theater and grab some rosemary right outside my side door. Life is good! (It would be great if it were to last just a little while longer!)
This afternoon I'm headed over to One Green Earth Nursery in Mollala. They specialize in edible landscaping which is exactly what we are trying to realize in our own yard, My idea is to have a bunch of foods growing in my front yard that people can just stop and enjoy. I've already got strawberries and blueberries in the ground. I'd like to get a few apple and kiwi fruit trees to add to the collection. This activity is tied to a quote from Martin Luther. When asked what he would do if he knew that the world was to end tomorrow he responded, "I would plant a tree." It's such a great response to those who are anxious about what tomorrow will bring. I will invest myself in a sign of hope for the future. I may not even be around to enjoy the fruits of the labor, but it is still worth the effort.