Chocolate Box Cottage Diary, Volume 2

Week 6: February 12, 2022

Glimmers of spring are showing: sunsets painted in vivid scarlet, pink, and gold, pansy faces, a nesting duck, and pasture greening.

Sam and I celebrated our 17th anniversary with our first theatre movie in who knows how long – and then discovered it was was an “oldie” from 2010 rereleased in theaters! That gave us a good laugh! Good movie, though! The action is a bit intense for small children, but overall is family-friendly.

Dinner at a nice local restaurant, Cicily’s Pastaria, felt extra special in light of the last 2 years. Nice atmosphere, attentive service; we both enjoyed our meal.

Follow along with our week at Chocolate Box Cottage in pictures and be sure to let me know how your week went. It’s okay if it wasn’t terrific. In fact, I would be honored if you would tell me one good thing and one hard thing about your week. You’ll find my hard thing in the final photo.

Sylvester lost a hen this week. Sylvester is a silver muscovy duck, and a handsome one at that. He does not hold still well for pictures, though. The wood supply is holding out, thanks to Sam’s careful management. And a daytime moon in a blue, blue sky.

Late winter blooms: Daphne odora, the most amazing scented shrub anywhere. Wild Garden Kale, as pretty as a flower in blue and purple, reseeds wherever it pleases. Three Peace rosebushes, a combination anniversary and memorial gift.

Blessed to be loved.

Wood stove for cozy evenings, mornings, and slow cooking.

Pizza takes shape in pictures, from dough to shaping to baking to eating.

It began with a tub of dough made with freshly milled whole wheat flour and a sweet, stiff Italian starter similar to sourdough (but without the sour) called lievito madre that fermented slowly in the fridge all week ahead of Pizza Night.

Flavorful toppings: homemade béchamel sauce, (leftover) turkey, diced bacon, and red onions. And cheese. Of course.

When it came time to eat, I pulled out a jar of Lemon Boy tomatoes, fermented the old-fashioned way in 5% brine with garlic and fresh basil, for a very special and tasty garnish.

This week’s Cottage Diary entry is dedicated to my dear, sweet kitty Velvet who died in my lap on Thursday morning, February 10, 2022. For 15 years Velvet sat in my lap every morning while I had my tea and quiet prayer time. She brought me comfort when my fibromyalgia was at its worst and seemed to understand me in ways no other furry creature ever has. I’m thankful for the years with this sweet girl.