A Beautiful Breezy Day

Today was breezy with a bit of warmth, coming and going.  Temperatures were in the low 60s but the sun was out and the breeze was just enough to make the cottonwood leaves dance.  I rode Jackson in the arena on the fresh sand.  Yesterday we went for a short trail ride, turning around where the trail gets rocky, and he did great.  Today we did some refresher work primarily at walk.  He is out of shape from his long lay up and I don't want to make his hocks sore by rushing the work.  So, we worked on staying in a good frame while relaxed and forward.  We also did some work in the corners.  Afterwards, I gave him a quick bath and let him graze on what remains of the grass and spindly dandelions. 

Tuffy and Finessa were occupied with their morning nap.  Yesterday, I caught Jackson sprawled out in the straw in his stall.  It took a cookie to get him up and at 'em so we could go on our trail ride.  Finessa has been sore on her fronts again this week.  I'm worried about her.  This founder just doesn't seem to be leaving.

The artichokes are doing well.  It looks like there will be three nice ones for Camile's birthday dinner tomorrow night.  The main course changes from year to year, but she always chooses artichokes as the vegetable. 

Poor Brett was up and down the mountain three times today.  This morning he went down on the coastal side to shoot (he has to qualify at the range every month for work) and then picked up a sycamore tree to plant by the goat palace.  After lunch, we went down the desert side to Home Depot for more goat palace paint, fencing to protect the trees from the goats, then to the feed store to pick up dog food and look at goat feeders, and then to the grocery store.  There was a nice goat feeder at the feed store and the sales lady suggested that we find a newspaper coupon for 20% off and come back for the feeder.  We picked up three newspapers and couldn't find said coupon.  When we got home, I called and offered to buy the feeder if they would give me the 20% off without a coupon (you could tell the feeder had been sitting there for months).  She agreed so back Brett went, down the mountain to get it. 

In the meantime, I did the barn chores and started dinner.  The wind has picked up and the fog is blowing in so I thought comfort food would be good.  I made chicken in a pot.

I assembled all the ingredients before doing chores.

Brown the veggies in olive oil.  Carrots, yams, onion, celery, and garlic.  Salt and pepper.

Transfer the veggies to a heavy dutch oven.  Add lemon and herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary and oregano).

Brown the chicken in more olive oil.

Add the chicken to the pot, nestling the pieces in amongst the veggies.  Add chicken broth, wine and more olive oil.

This was the strange part.  Make a dough from flour and water, roll it into a log and then lay the log around the rim of the pot.  Put the lid on, squishing the dough.  This creates a tight seal.  Then slide it into the oven for an hour.

I served it with roasted beets and crusty bread.  The broth was amazing. 

...a fun, strange, tasty recipe from my French cookbook.