Squirrel Nuts

I love cooking with walnuts.  I really do.  I tried to re-create a whiskey-walnut chicken recipe from a local restaurant and did pretty good if I may say so myself.  Of course I throw walnuts into my homemade breads like pumpkin and zucchini; it's too plain without them.  I even love throwing walnuts in my rice and quinoa dishes.  Salads, too.  Yum!  But when they're all over my yard and hitting the roof of my house (which made the dog bark each and every time the wind was blowing!), that's when I decided I don't like them THAT much.  

I was entirely certain someone would sprain their ankle on these small, hard orbs of pain strewn all over the lawn.  Truth be told it really did happen to me so that's why I was certain.  It hurts!  I spent an hour loading and hauling bucket after bucket into the woods behind my house.  They're not bad if they're still in the "skin".  Once that skin starts breaking that's when the hands get all stained (believe me, walnut stain looks much prettier on a nice table or night stand than on hands).  After weeks of being walked on, the skins were off and laying all over the yard.  My hands may be brown for a few days, but it's a good reminder of a job that's almost finished!

If I was smart, I would save these nuts to crack myself and save big bucks, but I've found the only way to get into these shells is to have squirrel teeth.  Since that's not an option, I decided to let the critters have them (Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the critters who live in our woods!) and I'll buy the ones already shelled and bagged for me.  No one can say I don't take care of wildlife.  They get pretty expensive squirrel nuts from us!  


So today, I'm thankful for the beautiful weather.  I was able to be outside without a jacket and it was sunny and beautiful!