The last day of August found us atop C Level Cirque, a brisk climb with stunning views of lofty mountains above and a ridge-lined valley below. As we hiked, new perspectives revealed themselves, rewarding our efforts.

It has been an inestimable gift to hike with my partner, to hear stories from the past layering our hike like the rock formations around us. “Yes, this is a peak once taken..  this was the year, the season when… I’ll show you the photos when we get home..”

I feel the significance of this, of the time taken to show me the places he’s been, friends and loved ones who hiked beside him… a window into this person’s own journey, who now walks beside me, keen to share who he was and thus, who he is today.

At lunch he drew my attention to a silty crescent of green that peaked at us from below.. the view looking back always reveals its own secrets. We wondered whether it was a meadow or a lake and on our descent discovered that it was a simple tarn… that had settled in this hidden place.

Photo credit Dave Salahub

And so it is with life, we are all here now, looking for the place where we belong.. time stands still, the past merging with the present.

I should add, these are not Kane’s summits, but simple routes for a woman who hiked briefly in her 20’s and has just begun to find her way back into all of this so many years later.

Photo credit Dave Salahub

I feel a sense of urgency, there is so much to catch up on, so much to learn and see..

From atop a mound of coal at the C Level Bankhead mine

The Intrepid Mountaineer takes time off from bagging a peak

Upon returning it is almost always an adjustment to find myself again in the quiet between such beautifully light-saturated and vibrant days filled with connection, conversation, laughter and the azure blue, forest greens, subtle gray variations and sharp lines that mark the sky’s edge.

But these words resonate and remind..

“be a creator, not a consumer”

I remember that I am a creator that connects these adventures back to my own life’s journey through my art. I am back in this lovely place I call home, with my feet solidly grounded in the sovereign life that I am blessed to steward. And so the transition quiets, settles.. and I spend a day creating in solitude, reading, writing, planning my next painting, being curious about starting another landscape or self portrait and wandering the market for fresh ingredients to create a delicious meal.

A few precious gems from my daughter’s veg garden.

I was transported back to France while opening this beautiful bottle of red wine to add to the broth,

which then brought to mind the idea of stirring spoonfuls of Herbs de Provence into a pot of fragrant, simmering broth, meat and vegetables.. and thus a new recipe emerged.

I must buy a crusty loaf of artisan bread to mop up the juices..

Love,

Smidge

Provencal Beef Stew

 

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The best stews begin with sweet market carrots and vegetables and flavors become more robust through long simmers.

Author: Barbara Barry

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lbs beef stewing meat, cut into one inch cubes
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 1/2 cups + beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 oz (227 g) cremini mushrooms (or any variety)
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 6 medium carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
• 10 + baby potatoes, sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp Herbs de Provence
• Fresh thymes to taste

Instructions

1. Stir together the flour and pepper in a large bowl. Add the beef and toss to coat.
2. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large dutch oven.
3. Add 1/3 of the stew meat, browning all sides of each piece, approximately 5 minutes per batch. Do not overcrowd or rush this step. Remove from the pot when done.
4. Repeat with the rest of the meat, browning in a total of 3 separate batches, adding additional oil as needed.
5. Add the mushrooms to the pot and stir continuously to soften and brown the mushrooms.
6. Splash in the red wine vinegar then add the red wine.
7. Cook over medium heat, simmering while scraping and loosening the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
8. Once the bottom is scraped clean add back the beef, then the broth and two bay leaves.
9. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
10. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.. Do not skip this step.
11. Add the onions and carrots and simmer covered for 10 minutes.
12. Add the potatoes and simmer for another 30 minutes until all vegetables are cooked through.
13. Season with 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste.
14. Stir in worcestershire sauce, Herbs de Provence and fresh thyme to taste.
15. Serve topping with sprigs of fresh thyme with mashed potatoes, polenta or (my favorite) a crusty loaf of rustic bread.

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