Views of the Neighborhood – Potpourri

As you can see from the headline, we are going to see different things today. We are catered by Salty Sow in Austin. Our entertainment is Pink who is appearing here in Austin at the Austin City Limits festival and agreed to stop by.

Menu

STARTERS

TRUFFLED DEVILED EGGS Salty Sow bacon bits

SALTY SOW CHARCUTERIE + CHEESE BOARD all the fixin’s, toasted baguette

ROASTED BONE MARROW bacon + gruyere crust, toasted baguette

TRIPLE-FRIED DUCK FAT FRIES cold bearnaise, 110-minute egg

CHICKEN LIVER MOUSSE IN A JAR apple gelee, pickled red onion, toast

SALAD

BRUSSELS SPROUT CAESAR SALAD candied almonds, dried cranberries, parmesan

ROASTED ORGANIC BEETS goat cheese, pistachio vinaigrette

VEGETABLES

YUKON GOLD MASHED POTATOES neck bone gravy

BBQ HOMINY  BROCOLINI toasted pecan brown butter, pecorino

COLLARD GREENS smoked ham hocks

CHEESE GRITS

QUINOA + LENTILS

CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUT LEAVES  golden raisins, pecorino

MAINS

CRISP CHICKEN THIGHS fried smashed potatoes, neck bone gravy

CANDIED PORK BELLY collard greens, pot licker, soy balsamic syrup

RANGER CATTLE WAGYU CHEESEBURGER  add pork belly · add egg
caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, pickles, Salty Sow special sauce, duck fat fries

SLOW COOKED BEEF SHOULDER mashed potatoes, glazed local carrots, fried egg

PETITE BONE-IN FILETS mixed mushrooms, red wine sauce

SMOKED PORK CARNITAS add guacamole tomatillo salsa, tortillas, bbq hominy

GENUINE BLACKENED REDFISH quinoa + lentils, smoked tomato, chipotle tabasco lemon butter

DESSERT

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE whipped cream, raspberry sauce

BUTTERSCOTCH BUDINO salted caramel, sweet crème fraîche

BANANA FOSTERS BEIGNETS vanilla ice cream

INNISKILLIN VIDAL – ICE WINE Niagara peninsula, Canada, 2019

RECCHIA recchioto classico, veneto, italy, 2016

Picture of an old time school bus

Let’s get on the bus

Our first encounter is with an Axis Deer and a middle-aged white-tailed buck. Rumor has it the deer escaped from a local exotic ranch years ago. A native of India the Axis was introduced to Texas in 1932. Looks like he has made friends.

I tried to get closer but no dice. At least we get a view of the back of those beautiful antlers.

The dawn brings a demonstration of affection among the high schoolers.

Dawn also brings a group of does having coffee.

We’ve seen this peacock before but now the mailbox and it has had a redo.

I call this “Chair at Dawn.” I guess the trash pick-up gave a pass to this one.

Here is a photo of my favorite quiet place in the greenbelt. It was taken last year.

Here is the place today. You can see we need rain badly.

I thought this manzanita tree looked good nestled in the Oak and touched by the sun.

A shot of the circulating fountain in the greenbelt. Another favorite.

Whew. This was a fright. Even though we may think of Halloween this is a regular feature on a new resident’s mailbox. Not sure of the message here. Borrowing a cup of sugar is definitely not in the cards.

Gotta love the elephant. Didn’t want to do a string of mail toppers but couldn’t resist this one. I wonder how long before it is spray-painted blue.

Our final stop is to admire some of our doe neighbors. The darker one could be a melanistic deer which are all black and makeup about 8% of the population. The Producer is unsure so we’ll just admire the difference.

That is the tour today. I hope you enjoyed it. Now sit back and enjoy the food and music. I hope you all have a great week.

93 comments

  1. Shows what I know. I’ve seen a few references to ACL, and I assumed it meant Austin City Limits. I wondered why they’d be featuring Pink; now it makes more sense.

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    1. It does stand for Austin city Limits. I had a typo which I corrected. Thanks, Linda.😁

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I call those ‘thinkos’ — and I have them quite often!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I wanted it to be lights as so made it happen. I wish I could do that with better politicians. 😁

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  2. Great food, fantastic entertainment, and an informational tour. What a lovely way to spend a Sunday. I am loving the Ice Wine, too.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I thought Ice Wine was the perfect dessert too, Maggie. Thanks for the lovely comment. 😊

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  3. Great tour, John! I always enjoy seeing the deer out and about. Wishing you and the Producer a peaceful Sunday.

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    1. Thank you, Jill. 😁

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  4. I always enjoy your potpouri Sunday views. When I saw the first photo, I thought the deer were lawn statues until I read your description. Toilet-papering houses is still a “thing”?

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    1. I guess TPing a house is still a thing. I was surprised when I saw it. I’m sure the parents of the ones doing the deed would be a little upset with a diminished TP supply. 😂

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      1. Yep, I would say a grounding is in order.

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  5. I knew Texas had a lot of exotic animals, but never realized they wandered the neighborhoods.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. This one is a rumor but there are about 15,000 Axis deer free roaming in the state

      Liked by 1 person

  6. I am always pleased to see pictures of the deer, John. How lucky you are to have such beautiful visitors. I think you need to share recipes for some of these yummy sounding dishes.

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    1. These are real menu items and I don’t think the recipes are available but that is a really good idea. I’m gong to look into it.

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      1. I would love to see some of them. Yummy!

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  7. I love the deer! That grotesque looks like it should be on top of Notre Dame Cathedral along with the gargoyles. Pink is an amazing performer. Thanks for the tour.

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    1. Thank you for sharing your comments, Darlene. 😊

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  8. Nice! Deer are such lovely creatures, and the Axis Deer sure has some cool antlers. Great shots of the greenbelt, too.

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    1. Thanks, Tim. Some days you have to hunt up stuff to photograph. 😊

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  9. Can’t remember the last time I saw toilet paper thrown on places around here. Probably per-covid when parents wouldn’t freak out over the waste. So, that’s the only Axis deer in the area?

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    1. The only Axis deer we’ve seen. No other reports of any either.

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      1. Cool. Kind of a shame too. Means once it’s gone that’s it.

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      2. Yeah and he is not getting any younger either.

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  10. Another fascinating tour, John. We need rain as well. Keeping my fingers crossed for both of us.

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    1. Yes, let’s do that. Thanks Joan.

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  11. A fun tour, and I’ll have the petit filets. Going all out today! The chair reminds me of the chair that Penny brought in off the street in an episode of The Big Bang THeory that was full of bugs – which Sheldon discovered when he sat in it.

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    1. Ha ha ha. I didn’t see that one. Makes me laugh just to think about it. Thanks, Noelle.

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  12. Thanks for the delicious eats and wonderful music.
    Those deer, though! The Axis deer is absolutely gorgeous. And yeah, no asking for sugar from that neighbour! Not the most welcoming of mail toppers 🙂
    That is a fright to see how low the water is. Ironic that it is raining here as I comment.
    Hope you have a lovely Sunday.

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    1. Thank you, Dale. Sundays are usually nice. 🤗

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      1. They are, aren’t they? Especially when they precede a holiday Monday 😉

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  13. D.L. Finn, Author · ·

    Another great tour, music, and food. I always love seeing the deer and mailboxes. Hope you get some rain soon. We are dry in in the 80s here.

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    1. We need it bad. Dry and low 90s.

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  14. No doubt Pink put on a great show. That girl has a set of pipes! Lovely views from around the ‘Hood. Your deer resemble large versions of our squirrel hoodlums, damaging gardens from one end to the other. Still they do provide some interesting entertainment.

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    1. The squirrel are a pest for sure. One dropped into the yard yesterday and Twiggy did her best to terminate it. Couldn’t catch it though.

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      1. Doggone it! Maybe next time 😉

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      2. Maybe. I doubt it though. It is the same squirrel and he has Twiggy’s number

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      3. They’re just evil. At least in Elsa’s eyes.

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  15. I love your potpourri!!! Makes me feel like I was there. I’ll take a raincheck on the food, though, as I need to lose weight, not GAIN it.

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    1. Okay Luanne. My food is 100% fat and calorie free.

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      1. Thank you! OK, I will take something with bacon and butter then.

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      2. One grilled cheese with bacon coming up.

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      3. Perfect. Hmm. I could do that tonight!

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  16. Nice “odds-and-ends” tour, John. Wow, you really do need rain! The before and after shots of your favorite place are just shocking — here’s hoping Mother Nature offers you some moisture soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I do hope so, Debbie. Thanks.

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  17. petespringerauthor · ·

    The coloring and spotting on the white-tailed deer are lovely. One of my pet peeves is when people stick their old furniture and other random stuff out on the sidewalk. My mom once stepped off a sidewalk to avoid something similar in the way and fell and fractured her ankle.

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  18. You live in a beautiful area, John. The photos of the deer are exceptional. 🌞

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thank you, Gwen. 😊

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  19. Great tour, John. The deer are amazing creatures. I am a big fan of that peacock mailbox. Have a great week ahead, John.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Bruce. Have a great week as well.

      Liked by 1 person

  20. The Axis deer was a surprise – beautiful! He seems right at home and found the perfect neighborhood to roam free. Good views for sure. Hope you get rain soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I hope we get rain soon too. Thank you, Jo.

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  21. Great snapshots, John. I wouldn’t want to be the mailman delivering to 14 Gargoyle Lane. You have quite the spread for us. It was hard to choose, but – Deviled Eggs, Brussels Sprout Caesar Salad, Wagyu cheeseburger and chocolate cake.

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    1. You want that supersized?

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      1. Haha – I was hard to pass up the sections on the menu.

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      2. We can send you a selection from each.

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  22. Can you provide me with the address of where the leather chair was at the curb?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. It is gone. Some guy from Indiana picked it up

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  23. What a cool and eclectic collection of photos. Quite the tour this week, John.
    I have to say I was a little thrown by the “roasted bone marrow” on the menu. Um…may I just say, “YUCK!” 😆

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    1. Thank you for the visit, Mae. The Brits love bone marrow.

      Liked by 1 person

  24. Fun! The deer are lovely. Why would the elephant get painted blue? Is that a state or team color?

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    1. The elephant is a symbol of the GOP so I figure a left winger might just hit it with a wave of blue.(Subtle joke on politics.)

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  25. I loved your tour John. The deer are so lovely.
    As far as the menu is concerned, I’d love a sample of each dessert. Yum

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    1. Help yourself, Lauren. Zero calories and zero fat. (At least here.)

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  26. Beautiful deer as always. Guess I didn’t realize there so so many different varieties. Sure hope you get some rain soon, John.

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    1. I do too, Teri. Yes the deer are beautiful.

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  27. I love your tours John. Beautiful shots of the deer. I cracked up at your ‘chair at dawn’, hilarious. Quite a fancy menu today! With the redfish, broccolini, truffled eggs and no dessert, I’m aready full 🙂

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  28. What a beautiful deer. Axis you say? Wow.

    And no, I wouldn’t be knocking on Gargoyle neighbor’s door for any reason whatsover. . nope.

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    1. Yes Axis. Don’t worry I’m not going there.

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      1. They’re probably really nice people but why take a chance? LOL

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  29. Dearie deer & a charming elephant – what a wonderful Sunday, dear John! Twiggy must be happy. Her dearest season is beginning. 🙂 🙂 🙂

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    1. Yes she is very happy. Thank you, Dear Maria.

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  30. Wonderful tour, John, and I don’t think I’d borrow a cup of sugar from that neighbor either. 🙂 I love the elephant, and your quiet place looks so tranquil and inviting. Love the song, too!

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    1. Thank yu, Lauren. It is quiet and peaceful.

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  31. Back in the day, if you were TP’d you were popular. That gargoyle is year-round? Hmmm… I wouldn’t go there on Halloween. And, your greenbelt that needs water is a very sad situation. Thanks for the tour, John. A potpourri is always fun.

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    1. Thank you, Jennie. I’m glad yu enjoyed it.

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      1. You’re welcome, John.

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  32. Some great scenes for a morning stroll. I hope you get rain soon.

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    1. Me too. None in the forecast though. 😠

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  33. An eclectic tour, John. Love the photos and yes, we need rain!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. For sure. Thanks, Jan.

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  34. Love the menu, the deer and pink John and a wonderful tour thank you hugs

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    1. Thank you, Sally. I’m glad you enjoyed it. 😁

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