A Very Good Day in a Busy Week – and a Rustic Peach Tart that will Make Your Day Even Better

We have had an adventurous week in the O’Donnell household. Visitors. Animals. Jet lag. And several hundred photos (okay, more than that) to peruse and remember our vacation in Washington.

First: our visitors. Audrey her husband and Randy, from  one of my favorite blogs, Minnesota Prairie Roots, stopped by on their way to a family reunion. How lovely it was to see my friend again! We enjoyed an evening of laughing and eating together just as we had at their home one year ago. The recipe I’m including at the end of this post is in honor of her!

Audrey and Boo. Such a lovely photo!

Secondly: our animals. When we left for vacation on July 4th we left the care and keeping of our two cats (and my tomatoes, herbs and flowers) to our neighbor’s daughter. We had no worries. The cats, however, seemed to feel differently. Even with a visitor twice a day, they decided that they had been abandoned and so set off to seek their fortunes.

One, Copernicus, (as blogged about here  in her skunk vrs. cat cat-astrophe and here when she was expecting her kittens and a couple weeks ago, here) stopped by from time to time while we were away, but her year-old son, Zephyr, did not – at least not that anyone ever saw. So, when we returned at midnight on the 20th, no cats were to be seen at all. Thankfully, Copernicus showed up the next evening, looking healthy and fine and far cuddlier and purringer (not a word but I’m choosing to use it!) than ever before. For several days she loved us and cozied up to us – making us think that we should leave her more often!

But there was no sign of Zephyr. The kids and The Sailboat King took walks looking for her. We even drove around, calling, and driving in a neighbor’s driveway when we saw an orange cat…but no sign. Nothing. Nada.

I admit, I was thinking the worst. But we were still praying.

And then, Friday morning, the 26th of July, after not having been seen by anyone since the 4th of July, he showed up, walking nonchalantly across the driveway, just as I came upstairs in the morning.

My eyes bugged out. I opened the front door and called to him. He stopped and turned and began walking toward me. I reached for him and he backed off. I knelt down. Held out my hands slowly. Called him by name. Saw his golden eyes looking up at me, inquiringly, accusingly?

And he came to me.

Back in his favorite spot on the deck.

I picked him up and went into the house.

“Hey, guys! It’s Zephyr! Zephyr is home!” I woke them up with my calling and they all came running.

I admit it, I was crying.

It was a good day, beginning with the kitty’s return and ending with Audrey’s visit. 

Beach treasures – being sanctified in the Minnesota sun.

Thirdly: The Jet Lag. What can I say? It is what it is. It’s only two hours different here in the Mid West from the Pacific Northwest, but it’s been hard to recover!

Either Zephyr became a pirate on his adventures away from home, or he was yawning after being wakened up. He and his mama seem happy to be home. And we’re quite happy, too!

Peach Rustic Tart Recipe, which I made for Audrey and Randy – I like this style of pie because it’s so much easier than a traditional pie! This is a Martha Stewart recipe – and it’s delicious!! 🙂 Here’s the link: Stone-Fruit Galette. PS – I sprinkled a little more cornstarch over the top and drained the fruit before adding it to the crust because I hate peach pies being too runny.  Oh, and I added Turbinado Sugar on the top of the crust instead of the fine sugar that she suggests.  It’s so yummy!

The marvelous rustic tart…or galette, as Martha Stewart says. I call it a tart. It’s a more normal word. 🙂