See this? This is the sort of thing that sometimes makes me think I’m going crazy because I see stuff like this and wonder why no one else ever mentions seeing irridescent clouds. Is it me? At last, some indication that indeed, it is not just me.

On a different note, when I’m not being the grocery cart police, I get great satisfaction in the grocery store observing what other people are buying. Compared to other people, my pile of groceries is a big pile of raw materials. The things that many meals and many different foods can be made from. Yes, I buy the occasional goody or the emergency cans of soup, but with a variety of basics in the pantry, you can make a lot of different things, eat well, and eat rather cheaply.

My main problem? I just seem unable to cook in small quantities. I love to use all my big pans. I made chili last night and filled the new dutch oven completely. A gallon of chili.

Last weekend I cleaned and sorted through my spice cupboard. The new Penzey’s order was the cause of this. I have lots of herbs and spices now. I am also bad at judging how much volume a given weight of herb is. So instead of small “spice jars” most of my spices and herbs are in mason jars of the pint or quart variety. No reason to be stingy!

Finally, tomorrow I’m teaching class one of two on machine quilting. I spent tonight rounding up my samples and stuff. I better go get some sleep or I’ll be the one nodding off in front of my sewing machine.

Saw my folks today for a bit and then did the normal grocery shopping routine. For a change, too many things looked appealing. Or perhaps it’s the influence of all the food blogs I’ve been reading? Anyway, my frig is stocked and I even grabbed a bargain corned beef and threw it in the freezer. yeah. Tonight I made the first of it (boneless lamb roast) and then, I had a mission.

My brother’s birthday is today – happy birthday Mike! – and his normal present was a little late in the making but he’ll have it tomorrow – PB cookies.

Got a little piece of paper handy? Pen? OK write this down:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (like skippy or jif – not organic au natural stuff)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 egg.

Mix all that together well. Put on sheets as 1″ balls and stamp with either cookie stamps or the very respectable fork criss-crosses. Bake at 325 F for about 10 minutes. Watch at the end so they don’t burn.

You won’t find better AND they’re great for people who have problems with flour. While I was in the mood I made some gingersnaps too. House smells exceptionally good at the moment. 95% of the stuff is put away and all the dishes are done. Yeah.

Yesterday was the presentation of 15,000 poems submitted on the Poets Against The War web site. The poems were given to members of Congress. My own poem finally appears there, and it’s a small thing in a big wave of small things.

Tonight I went after work to see Ron and his fellow crew members commended by the Town of Colonie Town Board for their actions in Monday’s rescue. Since people sometimes grumble about their tax dollars going for something that doesn’t seem to immediately benefit people in the town, this was a chance for Colonie to say – we as a town did something to save those three lives, and we’re proud of the people who had the training and experience to do it. Nicely done.

Went into the cold night with Ron and admired the slim crescent bowl of a moon in the sky. After that I got in the car to meet up with Ron for dinner. The president was wrapping up his question/answer period. I didn’t hear his statement but I guess I was at least momentarily relieved that he wasn’t announcing a commencement of bombing. That’s what I was prepared for in my head. Instead, just another “they have to or else. the deadline is coming.” Had a nice dinner and started home.

Stopped at Stewarts. Ron had already stopped for what we needed so I helped out by answering the payphone and then went to my car. The other woman in the shop had locked her keys in the car so I lent her a coin to get to her emergency key. Her car was covered with peace bumperstickers and she was also covered with buttons. I asked if she’d been to the Mall where I worked, where the peace activists had been out in force protesting the arrest of a man who was wearing a shirt saying “Give Peace A Chance.” She had and we chatted about that while she got the key and unlocked her car. She gave me my coin back and a button (choose peace) from her coat. She lives in a nearby small small town.

A nice meeting, by chance, and a better end to my journey home in the cold late winter night.

Ron was involved in a rescue of a family whose small plane crashed in Massachusetts. Now he finds himself in the middle of a media whirlwind, being in many newspapers and morning news shows. None of that matters as much as a job well done — proud of you, Ron and fellow rescuers. It was a tough day to be out hanging under a helicopter. They make their own wind and the windchill effect follows accordingly. It was amazing that any of the family members survived their night out in the cold and we offer our thoughts for the small children who continue to fight for survival.

5 March 2003 — Today’s update.

Beans beans beans. Despite all the boy-humor about beans, beans are good for you. High fiber, low fat, tasty and cheap. In the past few days, I’ve cooked 4 (that’s f.o.u.r) pounds of small navy beans. That sounds incredible doesn’t it. Say it with me – four pounds of navy beans. Two pounds went into a test batch of baked beans. The other two pounds went into a batch of classic navy bean soup. It’s all good.

I did the baked beans in the crock pot, and I have to say that they’re good, but I prefer a thicker, how shall I say, spreadable kind of baked bean. These weren’t soupy but there wasn’t anything holding the beans together.

The bean soup looks like a great success. The beans are cooked and the soup is smelling good. I removed some of the beans and pureed them so the soup is thicker. I KNEW I should have bought that conical strainer. I just want it. The little cuisinart did a fine job though.

I’m about halfway through truing up all those pink and green squares.

Bought a couple new books today and so I think I’ll listen to the weather report and then curl up with one of them and a glass of wine. Wild living? You be the judge.