A Delicious Autumn Day as a pack of dog friends circled the lagoon in the Boston Public Garden.
"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." George Eliot
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
You are invited behind these historic doors this weekend to visit a fabulous example of purpose-built architecture and a fascinating community of artists that make up Fenway Studios.
It is an event we look forward to each year. Rather than trying to visit each floor and each artist, we try to spend some quality time with just a few and then a few different artists the next year.
Here is a list of the artists who will be taking part in this year's event. And, with the event coming just before Thanksgiving, this community is asking visitors to help the larger community. They say,
You are invited behind these historic doors this weekend to visit a fabulous example of purpose-built architecture and a fascinating community of artists that make up Fenway Studios.
It is an event we look forward to each year. Rather than trying to visit each floor and each artist, we try to spend some quality time with just a few and then a few different artists the next year.
Here is a list of the artists who will be taking part in this year's event. And, with the event coming just before Thanksgiving, this community is asking visitors to help the larger community. They say,
Pickling red onions began for me with a red onion that was too big for the recipe I was making. I looked at the half that was leftover, grabbed a mason jar to put it in the refrigerator, and remembered how many times I've tossed out half an onion after it sat for a week or more. Inspired by all my reading on fermentation and pickling, I decided to give that route a try.
I already had a knife in my hand and the onion on a cutting board. I chose to chop the onion, scoop it into a mason jar, and cover it with seasoned rice vinegar to turn that onion half into a super-quick super-easy pickle.
Most of the recipes I found online call for a pickling mixture of vinegar, sugar, and salt. Those three things are already in the seasoned rice vinegar and since it's Ed's favorite acidic component for salads, I always have it on hand.
The next day, when making tuna salad for lunch, I tossed in some of the onions, cut back on the lemon I was adding for acidity, and loved the result.
In fact, I loved the onion's zesty flavor so much that I topped my serving with an extra spoonful.
A Few Suggested Uses
It is more common to see pickled onions cut into thin slices. You can certainly do that and chop them later if you want to use them mixed into a dish the way I did. Or you can put them on a cheese and salumi tray, sprinkle them on top of tacos, add them to a condiment selection, tuck them into a sandwich, add zest to a burger or brat, or sprinkle them over the sour cream on your baked potato.
Pickling red onions began for me with a red onion that was too big for the recipe I was making. I looked at the half that was leftover, grabbed a mason jar to put it in the refrigerator, and remembered how many times I've tossed out half an onion after it sat for a week or more. Inspired by all my reading on fermentation and pickling, I decided to give that route a try.
I already had a knife in my hand and the onion on a cutting board. I chose to chop the onion, scoop it into a mason jar, and cover it with seasoned rice vinegar to turn that onion half into a super-quick super-easy pickle.
Most of the recipes I found online call for a pickling mixture of vinegar, sugar, and salt. Those three things are already in the seasoned rice vinegar and since it's Ed's favorite acidic component for salads, I always have it on hand.
The next day, when making tuna salad for lunch, I tossed in some of the onions, cut back on the lemon I was adding for acidity, and loved the result.
In fact, I loved the onion's zesty flavor so much that I topped my serving with an extra spoonful.
A Few Suggested Uses
It is more common to see pickled onions cut into thin slices. You can certainly do that and chop them later if you want to use them mixed into a dish the way I did. Or you can put them on a cheese and salumi tray, sprinkle them on top of tacos, add them to a condiment selection, tuck them into a sandwich, add zest to a burger or brat, or sprinkle them over the sour cream on your baked potato.
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
It looks like the first week in November is the new peak foliage point in Boston.
"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present." Francis Bacon
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
It looks like the first week in November is the new peak foliage point in Boston.
"In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present." Francis Bacon
About Today in Boston: We keep hearing that people miss our cover photos that ran for years in the Back Bay Sun. That assignment was to provide a photo that showed what the week was like in the neighborhood. Often the photos illustrated favorite quotations. Today in Boston is an occasional offering to our BostonZest readers featuring photos along the same theme but taken wherever we happen to be.
Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!
For the third time in 6 months, I’ve been part of three different groups that have managed to capture a loose dog on the Commonwealth Avenue Mall. In two cases, no one was with the dog. In the third, the dog had broken free from a prong collar.
Off Leash and Alone
Despite the number of dogs I see off leash in our parks, I still look around to see if I can determine if there is a scofflaw with the dog or if the dog is an escapee.
In the case of a pretty Bichon Frise, a group effort caught her and this mesh water bottle holder and its strap became a temporary leash. A call to the phone number on her tag revealed that her person did not know she was missing. He surmised she must have slipped out when a guest left the house.
My most recent stray was a small, mixed breed. A gentleman called the dog to him and gained control of the collar. The pooch had a license but no owner ID, so a call was placed to Animal Control. I managed to get a length of cable from a passing landscaper and quickly attached it as a makeshift leash.
A neighbor said he would wait with the dog. I went on my way and alerted dog walkers of the pup’s location in case they saw someone searching for a lost animal. When I saw the man again, he reported that the family came to claim the pup.
Poorly Secured, Aggressive Dog
In the third instance, another neighbor was trying to catch a rather aggressive, large, mixed breed. This dog had broken free from a prong collar. I took control of the dog that belonged to my neighbor so he would have two hands to work with and so his dog would be safe from the growling, snapping escapee.
With no hope of getting the pinch collar back on the pooch, we turned the dog's leash into a noose and tried to lasso the animal. We offered treats to tempt the dog, but nothing was working. I had an appointment and had to leave before animal control arrived. Later I learned a young man had joined the fray and was able to hold the dog by its ruff long enough to get the leash around its neck.
Preparation and Prevention!
None of us is a perfect guardian and we’ve all had scary near-escape moments. But there are things you can do to help prevent these situations and to be prepared when you encounter one.
With an anxious dog like our Poppy, extra safety is a priority when we're outside. In addition to her Freedom No-Pull Dog Training Harness (in the photo above) we have a strap connecting her collar to a leash.
With the vast number of off leash dogs I see each day, I now carry an inexpensive slip leash with the pickup bags that are always in my pocket.
Leash or confine your dog when people are coming and going from your home. Especially if a door leading to outdoors is available.
Training is essential. I've been watching puppy Howie (above) grow up and seen how training is paying off. See how nicely he sits and waits when asked. And notice the gentle foot on his leash helping him obey and earn, "Good Boy" praise.
Finally, keep your dog on a short, strong leash with a secure collar or harness. If you have a dog with aggression or fear issues, add a second safety connection.
Get to know all of our Sunday Dogs at Boston Dogs.
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to put it in the refrigerator, and remembered how many times I've tossed out half an onion after it sat for a week or more. Inspired by all my reading on fermentation and pickling, I decided to give that route a try. 
to turn that onion half into a super-quick super-easy pickle. 
. 
from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support.