(Above: Ritsabittle #34. The Fat Tuscan Cafe on 8/11 & 8/12. This is where I will be attending a couple cooking classes.)
8/8/2021: A warm day with only a late-day sprinkling of rain after dark. Temperatures ranged from the mid-70s to the low-90s.
8/9/2021: A day of exceptional warmth and humidity ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-90s.
Morning of 8/9/2021. 
Some wild muscadine grapes growing near the old ‘Cook house. I had some for breakfast. 
A terrific lunch procured from the sushi bistro. 
I found this cumulonimbus particularly impressive (observed during the late day beef pasture inspection). 
A hulk of a steer with an absurdly short neck. 
Dinner: Some delicious Padre-made / Jacob-dressed salad accompanied by an omelet filled with mozzarella & Parmesan Reggiano and seasoned with chiltepin pepper-salt (Kosher salt and chiltepins ground up with a mortar and pestle).
8/10/2021: A day with no rain and a maximum heat index of 105 F.
Morning of 8/10/2021. Sunbeams were to be seen on account of the air’s high humidity. 
The recently expanded lane leading from the east feed barn to the east pasture. 
A moment of shady respite during the midafternoon beef pasture inspection. 
This was another especially impressive cloud I witnessed during Padre’s and mine final beef pasture inspection for the day. It looked like it could easily swallow the whole farm. 
Dinner: An exquisite repast of Belgian Blue shoulder steaks accompanied by a salad comprised of onion, tomato, cucumber, and local-grown hydroponic greens.
8/11/2021: Another exceptionally warm day ranging from the mid 70s to mid 90s. No rain fell.
A morning inspection: I will soon be fixing this side of the cattle-chute. The cable is fraying toward the right side, so it must be replaced and re-tightened. 
Lunch today occurred at Lorito’s and consisted of a delicious chef salad followed by… 
A very tasty eggplant Parmesan sandwich. On account of my recovery to full health, this one was even more enjoyable than the prior. 
Mid-Afternoon in the beef pasture. 
This is the temperature of a liquid-nitrogen-dipped bolt about 8 minutes after its being utilized to cauterize the wound on the underside of a cow’s food (prior to bandage wrapping). 
A calf experiencing a bout of coronavirus akin to that which I experienced a couple weeks ago. 
This is #420 and her newborn Wagyu ET calf. Es una becerra. 
Ritsabittle #34. The Fat Tuscan Cafe on 8/11 & 8/12. This is where I will be attending a couple cooking classes. This day’s consisted of making Ravioli. 
The quaint courtyard entrance. 
Each student was started off with a bowl of non-bleached flour, an egg, a little salt, and glass of Sangria wine. 
We first made a well in the flour, cracked in a single egg, poured in about 2 tbsp of olive oil, and then slowly incorporated flour until the dough ball was kneadable. 
After kneading, the dough was rested for about 15 minutes. 
Next, after learning to fold the dough into an even square and letting the machine make it into a rectangular sheet, I filled the dough with a stuffing of mozzarella, ricotta, & parmesan. The only ingredient needed to seal the ravioli was a little bit of water. 
A bottle of San Sanpellegrino Seltzer Water was enjoyed as the prior raviolis cooked in boiling water for about 5 minutes. 
A delicious and quite hearty repast of Jacob-made ravioli dressed in a combination of marinara and Alfredo sauce. This was an excellent experience.
8/12/2021: A humid day that reached the mid 90s before cooling down into the high 70s in the late afternoon (due to nearby thunderstorms).
A morning mantis on 8/12/2021. 
Morning activity #1: Fixing the head chute by replacing the frayed brace cable. 
I tightened the cable via eye bolt on one side and a ‘t’ washer / nut on the other side. 
I also tightened an electric gap that was nearly on the ground due to a bovine escapee leaping ungracefully over it the prior morning. 
Today’s lunch consisted of grilled Master Blend Wagyu round steak accompanied by a large salad dressed with Jacob-made Italian vinaigrette. 
Mid-afternoon in the central beef pasture. These storm clouds did not approach much nearer, but they certainly did cool off the afternoon. 
A return to the Fat Tuscan. To the right is Chef Michelle – our instructor on soup-craft – and to the right is Ray the Sous-chef. The two main things I learned in this class is the sheer usefulness of an immersion blender (blends the soup and makes it more airy) AND the fact that Bouillon / Bouillon cubes are much better than cans of stock / broth for homemade stews. With bouillon, the flavor can be controlled much more artfully. 
The first soup was a Zucchini ‘Creme’ which actually had no cream in it, but was instead creamed-zucchini. The texture was that of a heavy bisque, but this was much healthier. 
A sip of Robert Hall Merlot along with a bowl of creamy (actual cream) leek bisque topped with a Parmesan encrusted crouton. This was my favorite soup and wine of the evening, and I bought a couple bottles of the latter to bring home. Robert Hall Merlot is the best Merlot I have ever tasted.
8/13/2021: Another day akin to the last where we were saved from high afternoon temperatures by the proximity of thunderstorms.
Morning of 8/14/2021: A brilliant dawn on a busy day. How busy? One may ask. 
This occurred shortly after a delicious lunch which was procured from Sushi Bistro. I brought the loader on the right out to push feed around, the grain delivery truck in the middle was stuck in a ditch, Padre was operating the loader in the background to move compost, and the dump truck on the left is awaiting that compost. 
Meanwhile, rain was approaching. 
Late afternoon in the beef pasture. A #268 stands regally and surveys her paddock. 
Dinner preparations: I used my immersion blender to combine sauteed mushrooms, a little bit of salt, a little bit of garlic, and quite a bit of mozzarella. The result was a mushroom & mozzarella ravioli stuffing. 
Preparing the raviolis. 
A delicious dinner of Belgian Blue shoulder roast, a Padre-made & Jacob-dressed salad, and a couple pierogi-like raviolis. Everything tasted excellent.
8/14/2021: A warm and humid day in the morning beginning in the low 80s and staying in the mid 80s in the afternoon due to the presence of a light, drizzling rain.
Morning of 8/15/2021. Sunrise over the southeastern beef pasture. 
Lunch: An omelette filled with mozzarella, sauteed onion, and a small amount of garlic. Seasoned with Chiltepin-salt and topped with shaved Parmesan Reggiano. Quite delectable. 
Dinner: A baked potato seasoned with chiltepin pepper-salt and a little bit of garlic powder. Accompanied by a Padre-made and Jacob-dressed salad.
Final Note: Hm.
“The godhead is never the object of its own knowledge, just as a knife doesn’t cut itself, fire doesn’t burn itself, light doesn’t illumine itself. It’s always an endless mystery to itself.” – Alan Watts