Have you ever added up the hours you spend in the kitchen? There are 365 days in a year. If you cook two meals a day (which I do most days) that is 730 meals a year. If each meal takes approximately an hour to prepare, that’s 1460 hours out of my year spent in the kitchen. That’s a lot of cooking!! My dear husband does not eat sandwiches very much like our ATVing friend we will call CB. So we don’t have sandwiches for lunch as many people do–he will eat a bacon, lettuce and tomato and we do carry peanut butter/jelly sandwiches on our ATVing trips–but not roast beef, turkey or ham sandwiches for him!
We live out in the middle of nowhere on both ends of the country. The restaurant choice in both locations is poor as are the grocery stores. So, I cook. Some days I derive pleasure from it and other days it’s just another chore on my plate. Wednesday for lunch I made Ina Garten’s Parmesan chicken, serving it over pasta with a purchased pasta sauce we both really liked–Rao’s Marinara. The Cowboy as you all know is not a fan of chicken but sometimes he just eats what I cook–he did say as his father used to say, “that was a good disguise on the chicken!” For dinner on Wednesday I served bean burritos–pinto beans cooked in the pressure cooker with bacon/onion/jalapenos, pureed with my immersion blender and served on homemade flour tortillas with salsa, cheese and sour cream.
Years ago when our elderly neighbors sold their ranch and moved to town Beryl said, “I’m done cooking, no more!” And she stuck to that–she had other people bring food, they had a caretaker who would prepare food and leave it with Beryl and her husband Jim. I have started to purchase some pre-prepared foods–Costco has these frozen panko shrimp we both really like. As I don’t foresee moving any time soon–it’s back to the kitchen for me.
It’s been a fall like week with cooler days and even some rain showers–more like rain drops. The cooler days were so welcome!
It’s been one of those weeks where the days just run together. We did venture to Livingston Thursday–I had an occupational therapist appointment–the splint they ordered for my right hand had finally arrived. The splint is huge and I thought sleeping with it would aggravate me but it actually helps–my hand is in a resting position in the splint and I don’t wake up with an aching, stiff hand now.
We also decided to have lunch in Livingston–at one of our favorite restaurants, the Rib and Chop House. It was mediocre at best–another reason why I cook. It annoys me to no end to pay $50 for lunch and the food be poor–and be charged $4 for iced tea!! I just need to find some motivation and new recipes!!
The cows departed Saturday–our pastures were well grazed and the owner of the cows had time to move them so off they went. We will see if we repeat this experiment.
I agreed to quilt a couple quilts for a friend–one is a wool quilt with lots of hand stitching, a pleasure to quilt. I’ve been retreating to the cool basement every afternoon for a couple hours with my audiobook and the longarm. The Cowboy has been spending time in the garage working on that flatbed–he’s getting closer to a finish!
Emmi is a cold natured little dog, she likes to be covered at night and even during the day if it’s chilly in the house. At night she manages to shake off her blanket, gets cold and then wakes us up wanting in bed with us as she is cold. During covid I watched these cute videos with Pluto the schnauzer and Pluto’s people mom. Pluto wore pajamas as she was quite elderly and was cold all the time. I ordered Emmi some pajamas–she is not impressed!!
Unloading the photos from the game camera we did have a critter other than deer and us–a bobcat we think–
This is one of the last of the columbine–they were beautiful this year but die back when the temps rise.
And our flock of “chickens” which drive Emmi crazy–sage grouse–I really wish they would find somewhere else to be–their poop is chicken sized poop and they poop a lot!!
This photo was taken by a professional photographer, Loretta Hurley who lives in our community. These teepees are at the north entrance to Yellowstone Park, just outside the stone arch near Gardiner.
This photo was taken by Roger Thompson and was on Facebook–Madison Junction and the teepees inside Yellowstone National Park.
Restoration Cowboy Style 
Love both of the teepee shots.
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Aren’t those awesome! I was careful to give the photographers credit–they were both on Facebook, I do know Loretta and both photos had “share” buttons so I figure that makes them fair game!
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Fun post Janna. You have no doubt seen that meme that says being an adult is deciding what to cook for dinner for THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. I am lucky that Mo loves a simple lunch and salami crackers and cheese is her favorite. I am usually happy with whatever dibs and dabs of leftovers are around from the previous day. I still do cook supper most every night except for the Cowboy Pizza from Papa Murphy’s about once a month. We eat out maybe once a month as well. So yea, I am lucky. And of course, my grocery store is 7 minutes from home One of my favorite things about our choice to move to grants pass. Pretty photos, as always, Janna
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Thanks Sue! I think Michael needs a “real” lunch as he works so hard–he needs the calories. I really would like to live closer to a good grocery store!
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Those photographs are beautiful…I have always wanted to take photography classes. I have a decent eye, but have no real knowledge of what a camera can really do. Cooking? I am very lucky Joe will eat anything..a boiled egg and avocado suits him just fine for lunch and salads are usually eaten for supper. We do eat lots of chicken and fish and very little red meat…it’s a real treat for us to get a Five Guys burger sometimes and a Sonoran Dog is a real, real treat! LOVE Emmi’s pajamas…what a cutie!
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I wish Mike ate more fish but that’s not going to happen. Sometimes I make salmon for myself, a burger on the grill for him. The man loves his beef as does his son. Mike’s Dad preferred beef too.
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I’m sure it’s the Cowboy blood that runs thru Mike, his dad and Lonn…there’s just something special about a Cowboy! Part of my lack of desire for cooking stems from having worked a full time job and at the same time feeding four children and the two of us every single night.
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Yep, feeding that many people every single night would decrease the desire to cook!
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I enjoyed reading your thoughts about cooking. And you made me laugh! I love good food and I enjoy browsing recipes, but sometimes I lack motivation when it comes time to fix dinner. I’m SO glad that Eric likes to cook, so we share making dinners. And we always have a big salad for lunch with protein and other goodies, so that’s pretty easy. But it still takes a good 20 minutes to make a salad! And dinner is always a full-on meal, every. single. night. At least we don’t have to grow or hunt all of our food, right? I try to remind myself of that when I’m feeling cranky about cooking, LOL.
Those teepees are gorgeous. And Emmi is so cute in her PJs (even if she hates them).
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I guess that’s a good perspective Laurel, at least I didn’t have to grow or hunt the food! And I’m not cooking over a woodburning cookstove in the heat of summer! Mike is not a cook–eggs and popcorn–that’s the extent of his cooking skills! 🙂
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As always great photos and enjoy your blog. Thank you for putting it out. I don’t cook much, just use a lot of tv dinners. I know they don’t call them that anymore but that is what they remind me of.
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I make a lot from scratch but that desire is wanning! Covid isolation really did a number on my desire to cook and it seems a lot of restaurants have not come back from their pre Covid days.
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I’ve learned I hate cooking for one. I still fix too much of whatever and end up eating it for four days. By then I’m sick of it. I’m looking forward to feeling Fall in the air but this next week or so is definitely summer temps. Love Emmi’s PJs. Hope she gets used to them because they will help keep her warmer. Great pictures.
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Cooking for one is hard isn’t it Sandie. I half a lot of recipes so we aren’t eating the same thing for days. Mike was just reading to me that we are entering another hot spell–80’s and even a couple 90 degree days–ugh! Emmi decided last night that she does not want to wear PJ’s–she acted as if I were beating her when I tried to get her dressed for bed–I couldn’t make her wear them!! 😦
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I think what most of us who still cook, that it’s
the cooking on demand that gets old……cause
often I’m nor really hungry. Lucky for me my
husband eats what I cook and I fix dinner every
evening that we are home. Of course I try to
cook what I know he likes. New ideas are always
welcome!
What’s wrong with your hand? Maybe carpel
tunnel? If you have said, I missed it. Sorry
to hear it……must be a nagging hurt.
We are still without any rain for many months.
Makes for a parched yard and shrubs.
Looking forward to fall.
Lovely pictures !
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Mike does eat what I cook and I usually do try to cook something I know he would like but yes, it does get old. I have a very arthritic right hand, can’t even begin to make a fist any more. We too are looking forward to fall.
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Awesome teepee shots and I’m sure the cowboy appreciates your hours of cooking and the help that you provide around both homes.
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I wish we had gone to Yellowstone to see the teepees in person! And yes, Mike does appreciate my cooking skills–he tells me I’m a better cook than any restaurant cook.
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I was already sick of cooking and then COVID hit and it became a necessity. By the time we hit the road in April this year I said I was done! I’ve only cooked a real meal about 10 times in the six months we’ve been traveling and I don’t miss it. I know we can’t sustain eating out every day and be healthy, so I’ll be forced back to the kitchen eventually. Now if I could cook like you…….. 🙂 The PJs sound like the perfect solution but since she can’t tell you where they’re uncomfortable they may never work. Bummer! Glad the splint gives you some relief. Those teepee shots are beautiful, thanks for sharing.
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Covid really did a number on my desire to cook–we don’t eat out often but just the idea that we could not during covid made it worse. If we lived near good restaurants I think we would eat out more often. Yes, the PJs sounded like the perfect solution but Emmi hates them. She wears a coat in winter with no problem but you are not putting those PJs on me again!!
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I kept track of how many consecutive meals I cooked during the pandemic….ugh. I like to cook and, of course, eat (as does Dave) so we try a mix of eating out and cooking in. When we’re somewhere with great restaurants (like here in Walla Walla) we take advantage and when we don’t have really good choices, I cook. Dave is a great sous chef so we often produce dinner together. But, as you said, having a good grocery store (or two) nearby helps enormously!
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I cooked every meal we ate for months and months–my own birthday, our anniversary, I thought it would never end. I think we too would eat out more often if the restaurants were better. Mike is allergic to the kitchen! 🙂 🙂
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I, too, find it hard to cook every single night. It’s always an hour at least that I spend in the kitchen for the two of us. Judy at Patchworktimes does a lot of batch cooking with her various appliances. She posts recipes too. My hubby is often happy with simple meals – taco soup (makes enough for two meals), frozen burritos and canned chili with shredded cheese and sour cream, omelettes, grilled cheese and ham sandwiches, are some of my simple meals. Thank you for the lovely pictures!
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You are most welcome Ruth. Mike really isn’t a picky eater as long as you feed him beef and not too many vegetables!! 🙂 🙂 I don’t see how Judy gets as much done in a day as she does. I am ambitious but she has me beat!
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I feel the same way about eating out and paying the prices for just okay food. I’m just as happy with some sort of take out if I don’t want to cook. I’m not a fan of sitting in restaurants. I can count on one hand the number of times we ate out in the last four months. I believe it was twice. I do enjoy cooking and am so lucky to have a husband who eats everything so I never run out of recipes. I do SOOOO much chopping!! Vegetables are huge part of each meal as is some sort of salad each night. The grill is my best friend. But I do hit those slumps. I love Emmi’s cute pj’s!! Hope she adjusts to them. What is the problem with your hand? What type of brace do you wear?
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Arthritis in my right hand, can’t even begin to make a fist. It’s a “resting” splint to be worn at night and so far so good. Emmi decided that no, she did not want to wear PJ’s! 🙂 🙂 I think we may just start doing takeout type places–it’s cheaper if the food isn’t good! I do a lot of salads, almost every meal has one of some sort because Mike will eat salads and that way I get some vegetables into him!
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That’s great that Michael enjoys salads. I love all types of salad. It’s versatile and allows for creativity. Maybe Emmi just needs PJ practice!! Haha!
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