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sachitabean.bsky.social
SachitaBean
@sachitabean.bsky.social
130 followers 240 following 710 posts
Lurker extraordinaire. I could make that.
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sachitabean.bsky.social
Did it have nuts? We love this one from my in-laws. Easiest recipe (I toaster oven the nuts and skip the zest as I’m not a fan). Easy to adjust how sweet, too, and also nice with a smokier chile like ancho.
CRANBERRY RELISH from (name blacked out for privacy) Serves 8 ½ cup pecan pieces 1 lg orange (10 to 12 oz.) 12 oz (1 bag) cranberries, fresh or frozen ½ to 1 tsp. pure ground mild red chile ½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until warm and fragrant. Place in bowl of a food processor with chopping blade. Zest orange and add zest to food processor. Cut white pith from orange with small knife. Discard pith and seeds, and cut orange into several chunks. Add orange, cranberries, ground chile and 1 cup sugar to food processor, and chop coarsely. Taste and add more sugar as needed, but relish should be refreshingly tart. Chill at least 30 minutes and serve.
November 25, 2025 at 10:27 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Took the week off for 32 years of being with the mister. We weren’t able to do anything big, but we’ve gone out to the Coast three times and it’s been absolutely perfect (for us, everyone else is missing the sun). My heart is full and happy. Pic for you -
A picture of a haystack rock out in the ocean with two other rocks sticking up to the left of it. The sky is a fluffy blanket of darkish clouds and a bit moody, with a band of blue sky letting some sunshine in and brightening it closer to the horizon. The sand is wet enough that there is a clear reflection of the rocks in it, and the surf is further out closer to the rocks - both almost the same color as the sky.
September 13, 2025 at 3:08 AM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Saw so many beautiful fuchsias this week, but this one was so perfect I had to check it out to make sure it wasn’t just a really good fake.
A cascade of fuchsia hangs down into the narrow space between a red shiny planter and the greyed cedar siding of a building. The stems are red, the leaves shiny and bright green with red veins, and the pendulous flowers are fat, pink petals facing up, doubled purple petals hanging down with long red stamens dangling from the centers. They are so perfect they look fake, but are not!
September 12, 2025 at 5:35 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Should have cut down all the thistles going to seed in my weedy yard this morning, couldn’t bring myself to do it. Sorry, neighbors. Spiderbro wisely decided this would be biting off way more than he could chew (bee flew away unharmed a little after this).
August 2, 2025 at 6:51 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Morning walk: Later than usual so not a lot of bunnies, but moved a June beetle off a busy sidewalk and got hissed at for my troubles. Look how spiffy! I think it is a ten-lined, but it looks fuzzy up front, so maybe a long-haired?
A beetle sits amidst some dry grass and weeds, turned so you can see its back and a little bit of its underside. It’s a couple inches long, with a pale green and white striped wing covers, a fuzzy light orange underbelly and red head and legs (with a little more orange fuzz on them).
July 6, 2025 at 4:23 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
A wild* cat appeared. (*timid and adorable)
A grassy yard with an aged fence gate in the forefront. Way in the back is a good neighbor fence on top of some retention wall blocks. Just in front if that, peeking around the edge of a brick red shed is the head and chest of a cat. Their nose and chest is white, and their back, ears and chin are black. He’s eyeing you warily.
May 24, 2025 at 8:26 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Sun was out on this morning’s walk, so made some lighthearted darkness out of the sunlight.
Shadows on the sidewalk of two people - the taller one is making the kawaii heart with their hands on the right, and on the left you can tell i’m trying to take the picture with my phone. Shadows of some leaves are above them.
May 24, 2025 at 8:17 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Final one from this morning, my prompt - something that makes you smile or your heart light. Little hidden pond. Sometimes there’s a duck, or red wing blackbird, or a bunny by the side. Today, froggy was singing at the top of his lungs.
May 23, 2025 at 8:05 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Pretty much everything grows here, but I think the Oregon White Oak is one that doesn’t grow too many other places.
A very large and majestic oak tree at the corner of a street. It’s pretty symmetrical, and has lots of moss on it’s branches, visible though the foliage. There’s a few trash barrels in front of it and a hedge across the street.
May 23, 2025 at 4:27 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
He’s probably looking to harass the young hawk that’s moved into the neighborhood, or trying to find more nest material.
A crow sits on top of a large dead branch rising from a tree with delicate leaves and semi-weeping branches. He’s looking to the left. Behind him, the sky is baby blue with thin puffs of white clouds you can see through.
May 23, 2025 at 4:20 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
The bluest blue I could find outside some landscaping flags.
A close-up of some very small blue flowers on some groundcover. The plants leaves are very green, small and thin, like softer rosemary. The flowers are small blue trumpets with a little pinkish purple tinge where they attach to the plant, and on the buds that haven’t yet opened. They look a little fuzzy this close up.
May 23, 2025 at 4:15 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
What’s more inviting than a free book? Doorway to another world.
A Free Little Library in some landscaping at the edge of a neighborhood. It’s painted a sandy color, with a darker cedar shake roof. The paint is worn off the wooden knobs on the window pane doors. Lots of books wait inside for someone to read them. There are two decorative painted rocks at the base of the post it’s mounted to, and it’s surrounded by a red japanese maple, some spent tulips, and some bushes with green and yellow foliage.
May 23, 2025 at 4:07 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
The walk did not cooperate this morning, for the mountain is Not Out, but I know Jeremy will get that (so I’ve included an older photo of the mountain being out for proof. Lol)
Looking down the sidewalk next to a road at an impressive bank of clouds in the distance, but no mountain. There is a fence with a lattice and the back of a diamond shaped road sign on the left. Across the street on the right is a wall of bushes. Further in the distance conifer rise on either side of the road. Looking down the sidewalk next to a road at the peak of a mountain rising out of a blanket of low, thick clouds. Golden morning light infuses the clouds and air around the mountain. There is a fence with a lattice and the back of a diamond shaped road sign on the left. Across the street on the right is a wall of bushes. Further in the distance conifer rise on either side of the road.
May 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Found this little guy at the thrift store and brought him home. Now I have to figure out what he should be holding (we have mills for table salt and pepper). Hot sauce? Coffee syrups?
A photo of a white thrift store shelf. Front and center is a small-ish sculpture of a shark, sitting up on his tail in a breaking wave, with his fins outstretched to encircle….. a salt shaker, and an empty spot where a pepper shaker should be. He’s smiling at you in a very toothy, slightly unhinged way. Behind and around him are bottles and a peppermill.
April 26, 2025 at 9:40 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Cozy Caturday morning. Bread is rising, getting ready for errands.
A photo of a long-haired torbie cat sitting in my lap. The pale blue blanket on my lap is in the foreground. You can see one of her front paws reaching to the left (she’s making biscuits and purring). She is looking up and to the right, a little above where I’m focusing. Her leg is striped black and orange. She has a fluffy white ruff. Her face is half black and half orange, with an orange chin. On the left black side she has a little orange over her eyebrow, and on the orange side, some black on her cheek and along the line of her mouth, giving her a unique expression. Her whiskers are white and wild. Her eyes are big and green. Behind her is a bit of the living room out of focus. Warm wood floors, grey walls and overcast light coming in a couple windows along the right side. On the left is a warm lamp on a small table by a stair bannister with a black hoodie hanging on it, and the edge of a sofa arm.
April 26, 2025 at 5:49 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Adventures in washing back did not go as badly as expected. Forgot how cranky the dyes can be though - some with blend and layer, others seem to erase the color below.
A hand holding a decorated easter egg (pysanky) vertically in front of a light grey wall. The egg is black, with a purple background dragonfly with blue eyes in the center. On the top half of the egg, to either side of the dragonfly is a pink and white english daisy with a yellow center. Under the dragonfly are blue and white water ripples. A hand holds a decorated easter egg (pysanky) vertically in front of a light grey wall. The egg is black, with a green cattail plant in the center. Under the plant are blue and white water ripples. To either side of the cattail you can see the edges of the english daisies and dragonfly wings from the other photo.
April 18, 2025 at 10:48 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
I did not plan enough, my eyes are cranky. The dye is uncooperative, but here we go!
A piece of black foamcore on a wooden table, with gridlines drawn on it. At the intersection of some of the lines, pins are stuck. The support a white chicken egg that has been dyed yellow. Black wax on the egg starts to define some lines and the beginnings of dragonfly wings. Around the egg and foamcore are the edges of an egg carton, a pencil and a plastic mat.
April 18, 2025 at 8:04 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Trying to get back to walking. Saw these beauties this morning.
A row of bubble gum pink camellia blossoms lined up across the horizon of the picture. They’re just unfurling and looking very perfect. Behind them are some branches, and in front of them a spray of glossy, green leaves and a lopped off branch, healed over. A single red camellia blossom against the rest of the bush on the edge of a mossy sidewalk. It’s very frilly, a double at least, with three bits of yellow center visible though the petals.
April 6, 2025 at 4:38 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Kittens are very much needed and appreciated this evening. Paying it forward with one from the archives. A favorite photo of my cat as a wee kitten, when bad photography captured her energy perfectly.
A grainy photo of a shaggy, fuzzy, ball of a long haired tortie kitten, mostly black with splotches of orange, and little white socks and a bib, her tail is curled around behind her, so you can’t see it. She is sitting on a very boring tan carpet that fills the frame, and is staring up at the few curly, brightly colored ribbons from her cat wand that are in frame. Due to the crappy quality of the photo, her eyes are just bright green glowing orbs that look like they’re about to shoot lasers at the ribbons.
March 14, 2025 at 11:44 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
I can’t tell you how excited I am for this to cool off enough to eat. I’ll save a couple cans next time I make pizza or pasta for the proper shape, but if this tastes half as good as it smells, this Boston Brown Bread recipe, sourdough discard variant from @wordloaf.bsky.social is a keeper.
An unassuming, very brown, very rectangular, squat loaf of bread. The top is almost perfectly flat, with a fissure running across it. It’s cooling on a wire rack set on a tan tile countertop. In the background are assorted sugar and spice jars. What the picture is missing is the heavenly aroma of butter and molasses wafting up from the still warm bread. Mmmmmm…
March 12, 2025 at 3:29 AM
sachitabean.bsky.social
My co-worker would like to say “Hi!” to his long-lost cousin, who is also a fan of Steller’s Jays!
A small ceramic stegosaurus figurine spans the width of the palm of my hand. His body is mottled sage green and taupe, and his two-pronged thagomizer and 4 back plates are a metallic bronze color. Behind him is a black mechanical keyboard. He looks to the right, feeling Friday is very far off indeed.
March 10, 2025 at 8:08 PM
sachitabean.bsky.social
One of my very favorite heralds of spring. Someday I will have a hedge of flowering quince of my own.
A cluster of beautiful bright coral flowering quince blossoms with sunny yellow centers amid their thicket of branches. The mossy ground is visible beneath, and throughout the branches you can see other blossoms and buds, and the occasional tiny leaves starting to grow.
March 10, 2025 at 6:23 AM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Next up on my New to Me, New Year’s list (those monthly accomplishments instead of resolutions) - I broke down a whole chicken to make my Memere’s chicken and dumplings. It went miserably (ended up just taking the breasts off the bone), but I did it, and I know more and will do better next time.
A close up of a turquoise braising pan on stove, filled with seared chicken pieces simmering in stock with fresh rosemary sprigs and a sprinkling of dried thyme.
March 2, 2025 at 3:55 AM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Amusing find going through the book collection today. “Handy Large Type”! Did they just have better vision in 1893 or did everyone read with magnifying glasses?
A highly decorated antique book cover held in hand, one thumb is visible on the bottom left of the cover. It is brown, embossed in black and says Handy Large Type on the top of the cover. Underneath is a ribbon banner with DICKENS in it. Below that, a band of decorative tiled flowers edged by top and bottom row of circular swirls. In the center of the band there is a rectangular frame with a spray of daisy-like flowers in it, with flower tiles beneath the corners. Overlapping the bottom right corner of the flowers is a circular portrait of Dickens with another spray of flowers behind it. At the bottom is another band with small tiled flowers in it. Two partial book pages, next to each other. The one on the right is a normal modern day paperback (the Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett). The page on the left is from that antique copy of Dickens, Barnaby Rudge. Which pages and the words on them are not important. The photo is showing how the font on the antique book is smaller than the font on the modern paperback, despite the antique book having been labelled “Handy Large Type”.
February 22, 2025 at 3:38 AM
sachitabean.bsky.social
Well, I should have waited a bit longer before baking. And I should have tented at the beginning of the bake rather than after the garlic started to crisp, but it’s still better than anything from the store. Garlic butter sourdough focaccia to go with lasagna.
A slab of slightly under proofed focaccia sitting on a greasy composite cutting board. The garlic on top is minced and browned a bit too much. A slice is cut from the front of the slab of bread, so you can see the holes in the crumb should have been bigger. It’s sitting on the black grill of a gas stove, visible on the left. On the right is the taupe tile counter with an oil bottle and a cup of utensils.
February 15, 2025 at 1:59 AM