Foggy Day in Folsom Towne

Great egret hunkered in the fog. Baby, it's cold outside!

El Coyote

Steve took this photo yesterday near Sailor Bar on the American River. He had his camera out in the hope of shooting a red-breasted sapsucker, when he stumbled upon this fellow, resplendent in his winter coat and woolly tail. Click on the pic for a glimpse of his yellow-green eyes.

Ahhhh, Christmas

It was a great Christmas, filled with the goodies a writer/music-lover/reader/gardener appreciates most: gift cards from Starbucks, Borders, iTunes and Capital Nursery. And, yes! Massages too! And from the parents of my son-in-law, a 2-lb. box of See's candy, which Erich and I promptly dove into (and swam around in) shortly before breakfast. In true "Christmas Story" fashion, the four of us (Steve, Maya, Erich, me) finished off the first layer before the evening sky turned "purple and soft."

I also received a small bronze statuette from my mom of a girl reading; she looks like Tinkerbell, and has alighted on my desk, just to the left of my laptop. She's too young to be reading THE COLLECTOR by John Fowles (one of my very early favorites) and too old for the LITTLE HOUSE series. Maybe she's reading GREAT EXPECTATIONS, since it opens on Christmas Eve. I think she will serve as my muse.

Rounding out a great holiday was time spent with my own parents and in-laws; calls from Jena/Jeremy and Pops; and a nap on the floor with Country (Maya and Erich's black Lab puppy), his warm nose buried in my neck. Ahhhh, Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Friends

Sandhill cranes carrying Christmas love from our house to yours.
May your holidays be merry and bright.
Love, Steve and Renee Thompson

Philandering Former Plastic Surgeon

Mary McNamara, television critic for the L.A. Times, picked "House" as one of TV's best shows for 2008. Shown here is Peter Jacobson, the actor who plays the "philandering former plastic surgeon" Dr. Chris Taub.

McNamara calls Jacobson "human, life-tempered, and increasingly indispensable." This is especially fun as Jacobson is the son of my friend Lynn Straus (one degree of separation -- woo-woo!).

(Fox photo)

Seafood Watch List -- Where Does Your Sushi Swim?

My friend Liz and I were having lunch the other day, and we got to talking about how unaware some supermarkets and restaurants are when it comes to providing information about the status of the fish we're buying and ordering -- is it a "red" fish, meaning on a sustainability watch list, or is it green, meaning okay to buy and order? Is it farm-raised or wild? Liz asked her waitress where the salmon she was ordering had come from, and if it was wild or farm-raised, and the woman didn't know, nor could anyone in the restaurant tell her. (Don't chefs do the buying for their establishments, or does that only happen at small, specialty shops featured on food channels?)

Which got me thinking. It's been a while, but the last time I visited Monterey Bay Aquarium, they offered a handout in the form of a bookmark which listed "red" species. I visited that list again today, knowing ultimately it is MY responsibility to know the status of the fish I'm buying. I'm happy (and relieved) to report that my favorites -- Dungeness crab, Pacific halibut, and wild salmon (Alaskan) are all on the "Best Choices" list. I'm less certain about the Australian rock lobster I just ordered online; the aquarium lists Australian spiny lobster as acceptable, but doesn't list rock lobster -- which means I've got some homework to do. (Maybe they're the same? I don't know that, either.)

I also need to check with the chef at our local Macaroni Grill, which serves my favorite grilled halibut, to ensure it's Pacific and not Atlantic, which is on the "Avoid" list.

To find out if the fish you're eating is a "Best Choice," "Good Alternative," or on the "Avoid" list, click here. (You can download a smaller version to stick in your pocket or purse.)

Greenpeace also has some good info. Click here to petition your local supermarket retailers to adopt sustainable seafood policies.