On Friday evening around 8ish we headed up to Dutchess County, where my aunt and uncle own a little house. It was built in the very early 19th century (1802, I think) and sits quietly in a beautiful, green chunk of land, replete with a stream, hammock, outdoor shower, honeysuckle, lupines, peonies and a mostly wrapped-around porch. Our late arrival precluded us from eating dinner at a reasonable hour, so we threw together a nice, impromptu carbonara:

Country Carbonara

8 egg yolks
1 c. Romano cheese (instead of parmesan)
1-2 c milk (instead of cream, we didn’t have any)
1 clove garlic
salt
pepper
1 package bacon
16 oz pasta.

Combine the eggs, cheese, milk, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Separately, cook the bacon until it is crisp. Boil the pasta, and when it has finished being strained, pour the bowl contents and bacon on top. Toss, toss, toss! The heat from the pasta will cook the eggs. This version had a great taste, was really rich and filling, and one could argue, was possibly lower in fat since we skipped the cream. Yum!

What I enjoyed so much about this weekend getaway—other than the wonderful company—was the weather. Saturday was muggy and warm, but not oppressive. I read Love’s Labours Lost in the hammock until we left for other outings. In the background, I could hear the nearby stream singing happily away.

That evening, we watched a lightning storm. It poured intermittently during the night, and Sunday morning greeted us with a gray, breezy sky. However, it was just cool enough to sit on the porch and read the newspaper and be comfortable with a blanket. Beautiful!

The radio warned us of hail and tornadoes as we approached the city on the drive home. For five minutes of our drive, we were concerned: the rain was so torrential it was difficult to see. A few miles later, though, it was as if there had been no storm. Despite all the warnings, it was blue skies when we got back into the city and today is absolutely perfect.