It's Raining!

I awoke to the welcome sound of rain this morning, and it's been falling steadily for several hours now.  This is a perfect first rain...not too hard, but certainly enough to wash off the truck and even settle the thick dust.  Last evening I startled a jackrabbit out in the open (thankfully Bessie was occupied elsewhere), and it left a trail of ever-present dust in the still air as it raced for cover.  I'm trying to think of a way to give the Silkies some protection in their pen; this is the first rain they'll have seen.  I suppose they can just duck into their little house for now (if they've got enough sense).  One of the squirrel engineers down at the barn has not shown a lot of forethought.  A major tunnel entrance is right in front of the door to the sleeping room, and precisely in the path of the runoff when it rains.  Even the diaper-wipe blankets will not keep the family dry in that case.  On the other hand, the hole might act as a drain and divert the water from going into the bedroom...and that's a good thing.  I don't know what effect the rain will have on the grape harvest.  I realize full well that I did a lot of complaining about rain at the beginning of the year, but that was about too much rain for too long.  All things in moderation (in a perfect world).

Fresh homemade pasta is addicting.  It's not just the taste and texture that appeals; the process is amazing.  It's very similar to making bread, in that the dough becomes silky and satiny...very sensuous.  Unlike bread making, which takes a long time, pasta happens almost instantly.  The recipe I've had the best results with calls for five eggs, so the pasta is very rich and flavorful.  Yesterday I took half a batch of pasta and a pound of chevre cheese to barter with Kim at dkcellars for a bottle of her Meritage red wine.  Heck of a deal!