Yesterday's soup at dinnertime packed a hot wallop of flavour. The jalapeno pepper I'd used along with garlic and leeks to  begin making the soup had been cut into thirds because of its size. I had used one third of it the day before when I made a vegetable soup. Yesterday's soup was a bean and vegetable soup. The dried peas and beans in the mix don't need overnight soaking; evidently they've been pressure-prepared, so they only need the cooking time of say, lentils or barley. I put in lots of cumin seeds, but they don't convey heat. The vegetable soup had not even a trace of heat.

 

But from the first spoonful yesterday's bean-vegetable soup that featured tomatoes and sweet potato as the vegetable base, was hot. Fragrant, good-tasting and robustly hot. Which didn't stop me from eating two bowls full, but Irving is more sensitive to that kind of heat than I am and he made do with a single bowl. The combination of beans and vegetables always produces an excellent result, maybe a little easier on the hot pepper, but I loved it.

 

We both had a productive day. Me, because I got through the cleaning in good time, and even moved the stove to wash the floor under it while I was doing the kitchen floor. We long ago put the stove and refrigerator in caster, but I wouldn't try it with the refrigerator, too large and bulky; the stove is easy to move. And Irving was downstairs in his workshop working to finish a stained glass door insert that he had in the works, almost completed and set aside for awhile.

 

The house was intensely bright with light from the sun today, not a cloud in sight. Yesterday's snow lay undisturbed, our normal cold temperatures ensuring it won't melt. Only the walkways in the backyard got shovelled  to make it easier and cleaner for Jackie and Jillie to be out and about. Despite which, nothing stops Jackie from plowing through the unshovelled areas, assiduously sniffing where wildlife has been in their absence.

 

It was four in the afternoon again before we had the opportunity to take the puppies out for a slog through the ravine, so by that time dusk had already set in, and by the time our circuit was done dusk had given way to the  dark of night. We came across some of Jackie and Jillie's friends and for brief intervals it was cookie-party time.  These days, when we exit the forest and walk out into the street all the street lights are on, as well as peoples' Christmas decorations. A cheerful atmosphere prevails.