Don’t get excited Sue–the above photo was taken on this day in March, 2019. Since that time our corner of Arizona has been in a severe drought. We had poppies in 2020 but we went north to Montana early that year to escape Arizona’s rising covid numbers. No poppies in 2021 and it’s not looking good for poppies this year as we’ve had less than an inch of rain all winter.
March and April are our warmest months in this winter paradise and we enjoy them to the fullest. Days spent sitting outside in the sun, long walks–soaking up that sun before heading back to mud season in Montana.
We enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Dan and Louanne’s Monday night with us providing the food–they provided the grill and the excellent company! Every time I cook an outstanding meal like that I say, “why do we go out to eat??” Eating out has become so expensive and many times the food is just not that good. Marinated flank steak, Pioneer Woman smashed potatoes and a salad with that amazing homemade Cesar dressing!
I saw an article in a local Montana news source describing a new restaurant in White Sulphur Springs which is about 100 miles from our home. Visiting the Jawbone’s website I opened the limited menu–$41 for a filet mignon steak. I haven’t purchased filet mignon steaks in a long time but I’m fairly certain $41 would purchase at least two if not more!!
When the Cowboy and I were dating he took me to a local Montana restaurant in our hometown and it quickly became our go to spot. The food was great, the wine portions were healthy and the atmosphere was so fun. That restaurant has priced itself out of our market as has the Rib and Chop in Livingston which we always enjoy. The food I cook is better and less expensive, the wine portions at any restaurant are ridiculously small for the amount charged (not that we are drinking wine any more) and it’s just OK that we don’t go out to eat.
We dine out when traveling to Billings or Tucson but it’s in restaurants that are either fast food or semi fast food. But even in the semi fast food places lunch will cost $50 and that’s without alcohol of any kind. Have you noticed the upcharge for drinks of any kind–iced tea, sodas, etc.?? I can’t drink water in a restaurant–it tastes like chlorine–so I usually order a diet Coke–$3!!
Tuesday evening our friends from Coos Bay, Oregon arrived with their RV. They have been in Mexico for a few months and are now heading north. We enjoyed a great visit with them and some more of those home cooked fabulous meals. They brought us shrimp–the best shrimp we’ve ever had! Ainslie cooked the shrimp and potatoes Wednesday night and we dined like kings!
Louanne and Dan’s son Hadley is visiting from Oregon and we dined like kings at their house–are you seeing a pattern around here??–eating is our pastime and my jeans are shrinking. Fried chicken–I haven’t had fried chicken in so long I can’t remember the last time I ate this southern favorite. Mashed potatoes, gravy–oh my!!! It was a very enjoyable evening!
I’ve been doing a little touch up painting and also have several doors to paint–not my favorite thing to do but it must be done. I’ve also been doing a bunch of knitting–had to order more yarn for the next sweater I am going to knit. The first yarn was too small and I couldn’t make gauge–important if you want the sweater to fit! Swatch knitting to check gauge is not my favorite thing to do but it also must be done if you want your garment to fit. While waiting for the sweater yarn I started a shawl from a kit I purchased in Arkansas on one of my trips. I’m really liking that project!
Emmi thinks she is neglected when we have visitors–she’s not! She will sit in front of her toy box and just stare at it–
Our metal owl who hangs from the porch roof to discourage birds from sitting on our porch and doing their nasty business everywhere–it seems to be working!
Sunday afternoon Louanne, Janice and Linda came out and we whiled away the afternoon playing Rummikub. And that’s it for our week in the Arizona desert.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
Still reading and enjoying your blog. Wow, home made fried chicken, have not had that in years. Sure made me hungry
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Thanks for sticking with us Vernon! I haven’t eaten fried chicken in forever–it was so good! Louanne and Dan’s son was visiting and it was his requested meal so his Mom delivered!
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I love Emmi at the toy box! So sweet. And love your adventures and cooking inspirations!
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Love that you commented Linda!!
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Eating is one of our favorite pastimes too!
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Oh yes!
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I’m with you Janna…I haven’t had southern fried chicken in forever…nice memories come to mind of Sunday dinners with my grandma. Of course no southern meal is complete without homemade biscuits…👍. We don’t eat out much either…lunch maybe at a Mexican restaurant. Emmi looks so sweet…they sure do fill our hearts, don’t they? Beautiful Arizona skies never grow old and I love the early morning glow. It is almost magical! Have a good week! Gay
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We did have homemade biscuits with the fried chicken! Our fur babies do fill our hearts. Our eating out is exclusively lunch–we don’t go anywhere at night unless it’s to friends nearby houses for dinner.
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Emmi reminds me so much of a pouting toddler! My laugh for the day! I am with you on eating out nowadays. It is just too darn expensive for what you get. P.S. I am still enjoying your blog as well even though I don’t comment.
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Emmi acts like a pouting toddler! 🙂 Thanks for following along with us–we appreciate it!
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We feel exactly the same as you do about restaurants. Although we LOVE going out, it makes me mad if I come away feeling like, “I could have made that better at home! And for a lot less money!” Therefore, just like you, we almost always eat at home. It certainly looks like you’re not suffering at all eating at home or with friends. 🙂
I can’t believe it’s almost time for you to return to Montana!
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You are right Laurel–it makes me mad to pay $50 for not good food! Yes, it’s almost time to head north.
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Not sure if I was the Sue you were referring to about the poppies, but that photo definitely did catch my eye. I had heard the southwest was too dry for many wildflowers this year, but I remember the poppies at your place from the past. Love the look of the huge shrimp! Yum. Such fun sharing good meals with friends. Yeah, we say the same thing quite often, why eat out when home is so much better. Except it is fun to get a little break now and then and eat someone else’s cooking.
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Yep, you were the Sue! It is fun to get a break and we do get those when eating at the homes of friends.
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Beautiful sunrise and sunset. I’ve never been a big fan of eating out. We are usually disappointed with the food/price. I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes most nights. If I don’t want to cook, I’m happy with getting a sub. The pandemic really turned me off even more to eating out unless we can sit outside. We eat very well with lots of variety in Pam’s kitchen. I love cookbooks and recipe sites.
That photo of Emmi sitting in front do the toy box is too cute. Happy knitting!
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I used to LOVE to eat out but no more. Maybe I have become a better cook! I need to find ways to cook fish that the Cowboy would eat–I get tired of the endless beef cooking in this household!
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