One of the Joys of Reading...

I subscribe to Outside Magazine (website: www.outsideonline.com) not because I’m the most robust, outdoorsy person or that all the articles appeal to me-some don’t, in fact, but I usually read them anyway-for the writing. All of the writing is outstanding, so even if the subject doesn’t interest me I can ride a wave of better than exceptional prose and far-over-the-top vocabulary and learn about some subjects I wouldn’t have otherwise if I didn't bother to read them. Some articles are about extreme activities, some human interest stories, and some are funnier than hell.

Normally I do need to look up a word or two I find in each issue, so to my delight, in the November issue article On the Origin of Species, written by Michael Roberts uses the word “sastrugi”. The article explains why Steve Martin’s new movie The Big Year, in Martin’s irreverent style perhaps -I haven’t seen it-may garner some long-overdue respect for bird watchers. But Roberts uses the word describing a skier. What the hell? I’m a skier and have certainly never heard that word. But the beauty of learning it that way, as a delightful surprise, is that I’ll never forget it. Go ahead-look it up!

Tom's bbq Salmon

We've skied three days at Timberline (in bluebird sunshine yesterday) and plan to ski Mt. Hood Meadows the next one or two-snow expected tomorrow and sunshine Sunday, which may lure us there on the way home.



We had friends join us here yesterday; Tom, Lynda, and Ryker:

 
Last night we had Tom's barbequed Chinook Salmon. He catches these on his boat trips near Port Alberni, Canada. He says if he tells me exactly where, he'd have to kill me. He spreads the fish with pesto, encloses it in aluminum foil and barbeques it on the grill. Again, if he gave me the exact recipe, he'd have to kill me, but I've never had better fish and we're privileged to share the bounty of his fishing trips.

Know what this is? It's the second greatest ski convenience item invented; neck gaiters are the first...Tom tunes my skis, and after the latest time, this strap, that holds my skies together disappeared. This makes carrying them to and from the slopes more difficult and annoying, because they "scissor". He went out and dug through their car last night and found the strap, so I was a happier skier today. The mistake, he explained, was that he had a red one, too, and thought this was one of theirs.

Next day: A photo of our group from Mt. Hood Meadows with 4 inches of new on a beautiful sunshiny day-life is good and after four straight days skiing, I'm pretty tired:)

Bleu Cheese Pecan Crisps (& skiing today)

Rain was in the forecast pretty much all weekend, which really raises the suck factor for skiing, so I didn't sprint out of bed to head up skiing this morning. I kind of oozed out, puttered around the house for a couple of hours before checking the ski report. Did that look like sunshine?? I was definitely sprinting then! I didn't get there until after 1:00 pm but got in a good three hours skiing.

We've had an odd season this year-they got snow early and opened a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, then didn't get any more appreciable snow until January. That early of a season, we are doing other things, so this is only my third time up. As most season pass holders know, you have to show up a certain number of times to make a pass worth the bucks.

Working 4 10's is great, in winter I can ski on Fridays when there are no crowds or lift lines, but has its downside; unless you run into someone you know, you pretty much ride the lifts alone and ski alone. I did ride the lift and ski with ski instructor friends once today. I taught at White Pass for five years before deciding I'd get much more skiing in if I didn't teach, and quit. I've discovered that much of the reason I ski is it's social aspect which I will encounter tomorrow, along with crowds and lift lines.

This recipe comes from a cookbook called "Soup to Nuts" that I believe I bought years back when my kids were in school doing a fundraiser. Everybody I feed them to say they're addicting. Probably helps if you like bleu cheese. I had to take them away from Ron tonight-I made them for Superbowl this Sunday and want some left to take to the party. Might try to post whatever else I decide to take. The Ski-babes and buds have a huge Superbowl party. On the other hand, it's a great time to ski, because if everybody isn't home watching the Superbowl and partying, they're in the lodge watching it and partying, so the slopes are deserted.

Bleu Cheese Pecan Crisps

8 oz. Bleu Cheese
4 oz. unsalted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. finely ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 3/4 cup flour

Cream bleu cheese and butter in bowl. Add egg, pepper, pecans and flour; mix well. Shape into 1 1/2 inch diameter roll; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 4 hours to overnight-I'll be honest, I throw these puppies in the freezer for an hour, then pull them out and slice them. Slice 1/4 inch thick, place on ungreased sheet. Bake 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 4 dozen.