It was Seven Years Ago Today...

We weren't digital at first, so the first digital photo I have of Amalia is actually of her a few months after she was born:

A lot has changed, since then, for instance, she has gone from eating chairs to cooking eggplant:

Happy Birthday, Amalia!

Oh, Pat, Oh, Pat.

The thing about Buchanan is that he is very right about some things, as he is here in this well-thought-out critique of the West's mishandling of the Russian situation. What mars this article, as it does nearly every one of Pat Buchanan's articles, is that he simply cannot keep his deep-seated hatred of Jews and Mexicans down. Now, he does, in fairness, keep his comments focused on specifics, and does not rant against "the Jews" or "the Mexicans", in fact, these examples are one where one could reasonably support his position.

However, this is Pat Buchanan, and one is surely unsurprised that an article about events in Europe, comparing the West's isolation of Mussolini and Italy with current Western policy towards Russia, would, of course, have to use as examples of evil-doing events in Mexico and Israel.

With that caveat (and I do not throw charges of hatemongering around lightly, but it is impossible to see Buchanan without puzzling over his two constant and bitter enemies, as most tragi-comically illustrated by his apologia a few years ago, when he denied anti-semitism and went on to blame a kabal of Jewish elitists for branding him as an anti-Semite. I, for one, deny his anti-semitism. He is not an anti-Semite, as he seems to have a fondness for some Semites, namely, Arabs. He is, however, an old-fashioned Jew hater, and ought to be recognized as such), I highly recommend this article.

Once again, we see the Bushies taking a look at the situation and taking the utterly wrong position on it.

It has been crazy, but fun these last few weeks.

As you have noticed, if you are the sort who still comes around here, I have not posted much this summer.

The usual: catering gigs, camping, spending some (not a lot) of time in the studio, etc.

Things are quieting down a little bit, though. So, perhaps some food stuff, some art stuff, not much on politics, since I am only slightly more anti-Obama than I am anti-McCain (McCain has to make a really good, appeal to the base pick for a running mate to make me endorse him).

On the topic of Art, I have an ugly space between our house and the neighbors'. It is devoid of sunlight, so plants will not do. It is visible only to the meter reader and us, when we feed the feral cat, so it is probably a fairly low priority. However, it might make a nice place to stick some outdoor sculpture.

As to food, the exciting thing is our tomato crop. Lots and lots and lots and lots. Red, juicy, ripe and ready for sauce.

We are eating pasta quite a bit. When the eggplant gets bigger, it will be time for a Keilholtz Gardens Ratatouille.

In the markets, I am still feasing on stone fruit: pluots, freestone peaches, nectarines, and I recommend that you do the same. I might even make a batch of bellinis. A little sweet for my taste in general, but who can resist pureed white peaches with prosecco (and a splash of grenadine for color)?