Braised

If I had to pick a theme to describe the past week, it would be colorful.

The Inland Valley was a riot of color, even when it was drizzling.

Fruit trees are in blossom, acacia trees are fully ablaze with bright yellow blooms, and emerald green shoots of emerging grass color every hill and dale.

At the SturgeUrge Compound, the moss is vivid green and his camellias are a riot of blooms.

Everywhere I traveled, the daffodils and paperwhites were at their peak. Hat tip to CalTrans for the white narcissus along westbound I80 just west of Davis!

I crossed the Big Valley on my way home Wednesday. It was so warm I fired up the air conditioning...even though I was wearing just running shorts and a t-shirt. Sacramento reported 68°F...it had to be chilly at the airport, it was toasty along Interstate 80!

Back on the mountain, the colors faded to gray. It's been a week since the last measurable snowfall, so it's just so much dirty spring snow...and Spring is still a whole month away...

The resorts reported 12-18 inches last week...only vestiges were visible alongside the roads.

I did stop at my favorite Asian market in Vacaville for a tray of Mini Bok Choi and some shitake mushrooms. These are the tiniest Bok Choi I've ever seen!

Sticking with my theme, I made a colorful dinner Tuesday night:

Rhubarb-Braised Pork Chops. The recipe is really for Rhubarb-Braised Chicken Thighs, though I've yet to make it with chicken...