Fall Photos

Update: "Mr. Fuzzy" (who isn't fuzzy at all) is most likely a Western Tiger Swallowtail larva. According to the expert I contacted, "These guys often darken or turn brown just before they make their crysalides. If you save the chrysalis, you should get a very beautiful butterfly next June." I wish I knew where Mr. Fuzzy went, and I hope he survives the winter. See you in the spring, I hope!


Check out "Mr. Fuzzy," so named by my daughter and a neighbor girl. We came across him this evening on the sidewalk near our home. I have no idea what kind of caterpillar it is. I love its fake eyes, the black stripe and the little blue dots down its body. I haven't seen a caterpillar in ages.

(please ignore my extremely dry hands!)




Below are shots from the zoo last week.

And from Trails West at Buena Vista on Sunday morning. This last weekend was our women's retreat. However, I was feeling poorly and didn't make it out for photos this year. I did get a shot of the freshly fallen snow in the area mountains before I left.

Pray for Stellan

This sweet boy and his family needs your prayers. Click on the picture for more information.

Carne Adovada

When we go down to Rio Rancho, NM, to visit Mark's family, we eat at Sadie's, where we share a plate of carne adovada enchiladas with green chile sauce with sopaipillas. Yum-O!

So, I bought a jar of the green chile sauce and a bag of sopaipilla mix to try it at home. My first attempt was for Valentine's Day. I think I messed up the recipe and the meat was really dry.

I tried it again tonight. We had friends over for Quatro de Mayo -- any reason to have friends over, right? And I know what I made was New Mexican cuisine ... but it was awesome, so I thought I'd share. I got the recipe here, but tweaked it. Sorry, didn't take a picture ...

2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons New Mexico red chile powder
2 1/2 cups warm water
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (I used Mexican)
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
3 pounds cubed pork stew meat or tenderloin

DIRECTIONS
In a skillet or frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Stir in flour and brown until light golden brown. Blend in chile powder. Slowly add water, stirring until lumps are removed. Add garlic, oregano, cumin and salt. Simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Place pork in a large baking pan or casserole pan. When chile mixture has cooled, add it to pork and mix until pork is covered with chile. Marinate pork for at least 12 hours or overnight.

Cook in slow cooker on low for 5 to 7 hours.

We served it as flat enchiladas with cheese and the green chile sauce.

I'm going into a food coma ... adios!