The heat is searing when I step out of the car. There is only the whisper of a slight breeze and the lazy chirping of insects. I turn and look around, and at once I am disappointed. After reading about Grafton ghost town, I had high hopes. But the spoiled Californian inside me, who has […]
Summer
Tomato Tarte Tatin
I love garden fresh tomatoes. That hit of warmth and sweetness when I bite into them fresh from the vine. Every year I plant 20 different varieties, mostly heirloom and in a mix of colors, shapes, sized and textures. Some of the seeds I plant are from tomatoes I brought back from Italy and every […]
Bryce Canyon National Park
It was sunset when we walked out to Sunset Point in Bryce Canyon. Or rather, as we slowly made our way to Sunset Point because I was busy taking photos. Suddenly my husband turns to me and his voice is disappointed: Is this it? I turned up one side of my mouth and thought, just […]
Scenic Byway 12
Connecting Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks, Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 has something special around every corner. Had we had more time, it would have been fun to explore the area more. Our journey started in Torrey in 2000m, took us across the Boulder Mountain Pass at 2926m and then to Bryce Canyon National […]
Sicilian Caponata
This year’s hot and dry weather has caused the garden to explode earlier than it usually does. When I returned from picking everything that was ripe, I realized that I had all the ingredients for caponata. Caponata is a Sicilian dish similar to the Provençal dish ratatouille which also features eggplant and tomatoes as the […]
Capitol Reef National Park
“If the desert is holy, it is because it is a forgotten place that allows us to remember the sacred. Perhaps that is why every pilgrimage to the desert is a pilgrimage to the self. There is no place to hide and so we are found.” Terry Tempest Williams The true meaning of the term […]