these, those, and .....trees

Well, another weekend has slipped away and we find ourselves on a Monday (by now almost slipped away), which due to the holiday, some will garner another day in which to do…whatever…Our weekend was spent sort of doing this and that, with occasional thoughts popping into the head so today will be just sort of a potpourri..

Doings/Eatings…

After our Thursday night experience at Jerry’s, Friday evening was sort of spent at home, watching an episode of Holmes that was recorded whilst at the barn meeting. It happened to be one that we had not seen (a dwindling category), and as usual was a tour de force for Jeremy Brett. What a master of the tilted eyebrow, the pursing of the lips, the pensive stare, playing off the foil of the straight man, Dr. Watson. Great stuff.

Saturday we got motivated by caffeine, and pretty much took down the remaining Christmas trappings, including stripping the tree back to its branches and lights. With a little help from our friends we bundled the tree and managed to get it back in the sling in the garage where it will rest for the summer. We denied that it looked like we had encased Santa. After that labor we fortified ourselves with some juice from the grape, and headed over to Leonardtown. We met another couple of friends at the Port of Leonardtown Winery for the “Chill out with Chili” thing featuring Chef Loic’s bison chili. It was pretty well attended, and the Chili (an American dish prepared by a French Chef) was very good. It had just enough bite to remind you of its ingredients, but didn’t overpower the beefy/bison. We did get a glass of wine, I believe it was called Captain’s Table. A red, fairly dry, but still a little foxy.. Hard to pair wine with Chili. It cries out for beer.

After a bowl or two of the red, we decided to adjourn to The Front Porch for more drinking and maybe more food. The bar wasn’t crowded, so we had a nice table (and also a view of the Packers dismantling the Falcons) and ordered up some drinks. Since there was a different Barkeep (at first) I levied the drink test and I’m glad to say it was passed with flying colors. However, after a bit I did see the normal guy (who I know can get it right) so not quite sure if it was a good test. Anyway, although the “new guy” is in charge, the menu hasn’t evolved much, so MFO had a pulled pork sandwich, I got the Rockfish Bites, and there was a shrimp cocktail along with a bowl of the spinach/artichoke dip. Other dishes at the table was a wasabi tuna over greens, and the chicken fingers from the “junior” menu. I’m not sure if reflective of the new regime, but the service was attentive and the food was good, although the dip is not a light dish. My only complaint was to note that when one of our party ordered a beer, the reply was “Did you want a glass with that?” I know there might be a reason why they don’t want to dirty a glass unnecessarily, but c’mon, just bring the glass without asking.

Sunday we went down to St. Mary’s College to see an exhibit in the Boyden Gallery (located in Montgomery Hall), called “facing fences”. Part of the exhibit is on loan from the Smithsonian, and other pieces were created by local agencies exploring “boundaries” and delineation of “spaces”. It is a nice exhibit, probably worth a visit if you’re a local Pax dweller. The rest of the day was spent supine on the couch observing the Bears reveal why the Seahawks are a sub “500” team, and the Patriots befuddled by the defensive coverage of the Jets, to the point of letting that idiot Ryan fulfill his prophecy. Now I’m a Steeler fan..

MFO made a really nice meatloaf (they’re different every time—recipes?...for amateurs!) which helped me get over the game..

Ovens

The overwhelming response of a huge amount of readers (4) on the subject of “would you rather use an oven or microwave?” was unanimous. Oven every time! And, although few in numbers, all 4 respondants are discerning cooks…

Afterthought on Jerry’s

After being in the Front Porch on Saturday night, I had another thought on Jerry’s (kind of). As readers should know by this point, I am in favor of “harmony” for lack of a more descriptive term. While eating a burger and fries at St. James Tavern (for instance) is “just right”, somehow eating a similar dish in the grand old Italianate Sterling House (Front Porch) just seems sort of out of balance. The thought occurred to me that the reverse is somehow true at Jerry’s. Although MFO’s Scampi wasn’t a good example, a 35 dollar entrée should carry with it suitable presentation, surroundings, and decor. It was out of place. Call me silly and old fashioned.

Trees

Are nice. They help the air. In the summer they are green, are interesting to look at with gently nodding leaves, and provide homes for animals and birds. In fall, they have the colors of autumn and prepare us for a winter’s slumber. Even in winter, the bare limbs silhouetted against the gray sky are pleasing to look at. And in death, they can provide fuel for warmth. One of the reasons we like living here is that even in “the city”, there are still quite a few of them around. Scattered patches of woodlots do survive, and they help to break up the monotony of cookie cutter homes and box restaurants. Some are non-descript, but they still are living things and are nice to look at. Such a patch was across from the “5 Guys”, behind a local jewelry store. Kind of tucked between a couple of malls, they were just a nice little patch of woods. Here is a picture of that lot today:



The trees were a “necessary” sacrifice for a place where you can get a “number two with a coke”. sigh...


DFD