Quickly It Turns

Lovely California.  One of few places in the U.S. where one week it's 80 degrees outside, and the next it barely creeps above 60 degrees.  Alas, I am afraid it's definitely a sign that summer, or what we have that passes for one, is over, and autumn is here.  Then again... two weeks later, we're having warm weather again.

Certainly, the advantages, when coupled with a good rainy season start-up, is the lovely green to red display the sugar maples make.  And the golden yellows of the ginko trees.  This kind of see-saw weather sometimes keeps the fall foliage around until as late as January.  By then, if we're not in a drought season, the hillsides are greening, the acacia mimosa is in full furry fury, and spring is making an early appearance.

Autumn always makes me melancholic, while spring rejuvenates me.  Either way, I love them both for their ability to stimulate the senses in ways that extreme cold and extreme hot don't.

Managing the loft community has provided a lot of challenges this year: who knew I'd have to arrange for an apiarist to remove a 3,000-bee hive off a window lintel (they're doing fine, making lots of honey), get 100 pigeons drunk (in an attempt to set up their "panic" mode and have them fly away) thanks to the stalkerish and malicious pigeon feeder, start setting up fire (and earthquake) drills, and deal with a supposed dominatrix who was more bottom than top when it came to paying her damn rent.

I just finished making chiles en nogada, a dish I have wanted to make for at least four years.  Sort of a jump start to get me ready to prepare for the Thanksgiving onslaught.  I make a pretty traditional, pedestrian menu, saving my creativity more for Christmas/Hanukah.  I absolutely must have the dishes my mother would make on turkey day, or else... I feel deprived!  So it's basic turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed white potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and cranberry-orange relish for the dozen guests coming to my house!