The Rites of Spring

May has been fairly kind to us, despite my occasional grumbling about fresh snow on the mountains. Goldfish cooked a fantastic meal for Cinco de Mayo - or Gringo de Mayo, as our Mexican friends refer to it, as none of them celebrate it.


I'm sure you've heard of First Fish ceremonies; they vary by region but they all have the same premise: the first salmon of the year is something to be celebrated and honored in order to ensure future strong runs. It is a bit early for that "first fish", but like many others we are getting close to that "last fish" in the freezer. We're fortunate that we still have a bit left of a couple species of salmon, three species of crab, some rockfish, some cod and some halibut left in the freezer but I'm working on cooking up the last of it this month and next to make room for this year's catch. These are sockeye fillets with onion, garlic, lemon pepper and a bit of butter, grilled in foil.


I grilled the fish in the driveway, just delighted in the weather, relaxing in a camp chair.


Real ugly neighborhood . . .


From my perch I could also watch the antics of the ground squirrels as I soaked in the sun.


It appears they are enjoying May as well - love is in the air!