Before the birthday meal ...

... the meat ready to be put on the grill ...

... a close up of the meat for carnivors ...

We gathered about 6 pm to celebrate Glen's 62nd birthday.

The roads were icy.

David and Moiya picked me up.

It is less than half a block to Janet's house but every step along the way was treacherous.

Whenever I enter the Pilling’s kitchen and steaks are laying out on a board waiting to he carried to the BBQ, I determine that I will learn how to do steaks like that.

The spices are sitting on the meat.

The whole process looks insanely easy  -- something like one of those cooking shows where preparation, cooking and serving all can be done in 1/2 hour.

When I try the same thing, it is a whole day's work.

And then another day's clean-up for me.

... butter and garlic ...
 ... essentials for frying mushrooms ...

But for Friday night, the flames were licking the grate of the BBQ grill.

The whole thing looks so simple.

I got close to check the marbling of the meat.

A picture of beauty.

In the background I could hear the casual conversation that includes the fact that there are 2 good meat sales per year.

When those sales come on, it is time to buy a whole roast and have it cut into slices of 2 ½ to 3 inch high steaks.

... the smell of mushrooms frying wafts through the kitchen ...

Mushrooms aren’t for everyone.

But those of us who like them stand close to the stove as they sizzle in butter and garlic.

Steaming the beans so that they are succulently tender is a talent. 

I watched through the lid and see droplets of water falling off of it and back onto the beans.

I don't have pots with lids, but I can see that seeing food cooking this way is an argument for getting a utensil like that.

Watching the meal prepared almost equalled the joy of sittng together to celebration another year around the sun for Glen. 

 Arta