Sunday, January 28, 2024

The Other Side of 71

It's now the 28th and I'm two days into my 71st year.  My mathematically-inclined nephew Peter assures me that 71 is a "prime" age.  

I've had a gentle landing with nothing special planned for the entire weekend.  Yesterday I started out with coffee and a King Arthur Flour recipe for sandwich bread baked in my new Pullman loaf pan.  

The bread turned out excellent.  

Then to take things up another notch, we made panini on my new panini iron.   


Not a bad way to start off 71.  Today the plan is to take advantage of the warm weather and go for a walk along some acequia here in the North Valley.  Although it's still cold at night, the days have been pleasant.  Inside the cold frame, a Delphinium is about to bloom. 

At the Botanic Garden last week, there were snowdrops pushing up and blooming.  Winter jasmine is breaking bud.  Lenten rose is happily going about its business.  I suspect I'll see the first sprouts of Sisymbrium tomorrow in some sunny microclimate.  Somewhere upwind, juniper is shedding pollen, much to the dismay of my allergies.  

Monday starts with Nature's Notebook.  Tuesday will have us at the ABQ Art Museum for their new exhibit of Canadian indigenous art.  Wednesday will have us at St. James Tea Room.  Probably on Thursday, a bike ride is in order.  Then there's rain and wind forecast for Friday.  With luck, things will be pleasant for the Bonsai Club meeting on Saturday.  Sometime this week I'll need to move some of the hardier bonsai trees out of the garage and back onto their display benches.  

And there we have it--in my mind, already a week into 71.  



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