pancakes for everyone.

It's a gorgeous Sunday morning, and we have a day full of around-the-house puttering on the agenda. So pancakes seemed an appropriate way to start the day. I made a small one for our friend.

dining in good company.

Rob is stirring the final bit of Parmesan into a batch of butternut squash risotto, made with squash purchased at the farmer's market today, thyme from our own garden and homemade chicken stock. To that, we're adding a perfect fall salad: endive, apple, Swiss cheese, chives and toasted walnuts.

Joining us for dinner this evening, in addition to Wrigley and the Fellas, are the Rafanellis (thanks for the Zin, guys) and Emmylou Harris and Mark Knopfler.

Righteous.

blessed are the hairy.

On Saturday, we took Wrigley to a Blessing of the Animals service held outdoors at Church of the Redeemer, an Episcopal congregation near our home. We'd done the same thing last year, and it was intensely emotional, given the boy's horrible illness during the first part of 2006. This year, I looked at the occasion as a time to just be thankful for the joy he brings us, and for the way he prompts smiles and chuckles from strangers we pass when we're out and about. The minister/priest/pastor (whatever) cracked up as he placed his hands on Wrigley and gave him the blessing. As he talked about the interconnection among all God's creatures, I reached down to pull a dog hair off my black skirt.

when life gives you squash.

I cannot get enough of this summer's zucchini. The plant is legendarily productive (Barbara Kingsolver writes in "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" of "zucchini larceny," a sort of reverse crime where neighbors clandestinely leave bags of the green goodies on your porch, which you really don't want because you have a glut of your own to deal with). We don't have zuke in the garden, but we might as well: We've been eating enough of it.

My very favorite preparation is this recipe with fregola sarda (a kind of large-grain couscous pasta that's nicely toasted, which we found at the wonderful Findlay Market shop Angelina's), zucchini, pinenuts, lots of parmesan, Herbes de Provence and a (very) generous sprinkling of coarse salt. And did I mention parmesan?

I also love the salad of fresh zucchini, mint, grilled chicken and shaved parmesan from Everyday Food. And I enjoy Heidi Swanson's salad of grilled zucchini and quinoa. Both make a healthy and satisfying lunch.

Tonight, I concocted another use for zukes, along with other summer produce: Spaghetti squash with a vegetable cream sauce. I sauteed (in a bit of butter) chopped garlic, then added diced carrot, red pepper (from our garden), zucchini, cremini mushrooms and sliced sun-dried tomatoes. I deglazed the pan with a bit of white wine, then poured in a cup of heavy cream and let the whole mess boil for a minute or two. In went the contents of a baked spaghetti squash -- the strands shredded with a fork. Salt, pepper, parmesan. Done. Delish.