Dark Days, Dark Nights

I've been quite lax the last few weeks in posting about my Dark Days meals, so possibly out of guilt, here's a two-fer.

Last night Paul barbequed two different Highland steak cuts from Hemlock Highlands, a rib eye and a chuck steak. When he mentioned he threw the chuck steak on the barbie, I was instantly skeptical, as I've only ever had chuck as a pot roast. OH MY! It was so, so good! He used our favorite steak rub, Tom Douglas' "Rub with Love" (from Seattle, no less), and it needed nothing else. He tried to convince me to take the rib steak as it would be "better," and I do love a good rib steak, but I insisted on splitting both with him, and I'm glad. Both were fantastic. We ate some baked spaghetti squash (from his mom's garden in Randle) and our own beets on the side.

Tonight we had Highland again, this time ground beef from Rustler's Roost Ranch in Yacolt, WA. (If you live in the Portland/Vancouver area and would like Rustler's Roost Ranch's contact information, please contact me.) Form of: soft tacos! (Sorry, "Wonder Twin Power, Activate" reference. I blame my cold.) They were wonderful, and I was especially pleased because my sense of taste and smell came back at the same time so I could really savor the flavors. The only other somewhat local contribution to the meal was cheese from Tillamook Farms in Oregon, but I think calling Tillamook, OR local to Tenino is a slight stretch. :)

In other news, these dark nights find us coming home to still no calf from Sheila. I think she may just toy with her due date, which is technically February 8th by the gestation calendar, but can add another 10 days to that as cows are known to go +/- 10 days from their due dates. She is a major wide load, but otherwise isn't displaying signs of imminent delivery. I remember that last year her teats got firm and started pointing a little crooked, and I failed to recognize that as a sign she could calve within 12 to 24 hours. The other signs can be a little more vague, and in her case, come and go a little bit. Bridgit hasn't been pregnancy checked, but she's also "showing," so it's highly likely she is also bred. She will be due in April/May.

Speaking of breeding, Paul reported T-Bone was showing Natalie quite a bit of affection this evening...and he was clearly attempting to breed Lana last week. We're pleased he knows what to do at his young age!