Days got shorter, nights got colder and the sky seemed to disappear for weeks. Welcome to winter.
Went out crabbing before the rains started for good. Gray and drizzly, but its always kind of lovely when its just beginning.
Gathered a whole gang of red rock crab.
A good day's sailing partner.
And a nice ferry ride home from Sausalito in the dark with a bucket of crustaceans to keep me company.
Said crustaceans about to be et.
Not without a fight though, that's the face (and claw) of a pugilist.
Cold outside made for a host of indoor activities, namely of the dinner party variety. Sometime it feels like I just ate my way through the holidays.
Littles popping up all over the place.
Watched the light change up by the Napa River. Beautiful any time of year.
More crab feasting, this time dungeness graciously pre-caught by Sun Fat.
For a while there it was almost a bi-weekly event.
Made another couple rounds of tonic which, oddly enough, is happening again right now.
Fermented a batch of ginger beer as well. Sustained us through summer, so why not?
Tonic never lasts long, either.
Started frequenting the Alemany farmer's market. Funny how something so simple as buying vegetables can take on this wonderful happiness.
Really, how could this not make you happy?
Brandied some cherries and fell in love with my first Manhattan (if you don't count the Woody Allen version).
Even got ourselves a Christmas tree.
Threw a cocktail party to celebrate all the fixings.
And had a proper (and incredibly well behaved) Christmas Dinner.
Tried my hand at curing olives and oddly enough, succeeded. 8 weeks in a salt bath, followed by a marinating with lemon zest, allspice, peppercorns, chili flakes, bay leaves and whatever else I felt like throwing in. Came out damn fine.
Also tried my hand at homemade pizza dough, following a recipe in The Wild Table, a Christmas present from Franklin. One of the best and most thoughtful gifts I've ever gotten and so far everything from it has been delicious. For someone who's never been much of a bread maker, good pizza's no small feat.
With turnips and Jerusalem artichokes, no less.
Went to the Dump and saw Suzanne Husky and Ferris Plock's beautiful residency show. Suzanne's Sleeper Cells made me want to build a little cabin like crazy.
Looking back it would appear maybe winter wasn't so terrible after all. I love selective memory...
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Wintering into Spring? Let us hope, feast or famine, I could do with a little sunshine.