First Cut Hay

This week’s Share Your World questions, from Cee’s Life Photography, include:

1. Do you believe in ghosts? — No, I really don’t believe in ghosts, but I’m not so close-minded that I couldn’t be convinced otherwise if I happened to have a believable experience.

2. What is your best recipe? — I’m not the best in the kitchen, but I do have a few useful recipes that I’ve adapted over the years. One of my current favorites is a very simple but tasty recipe for pulled pork sandwiches that my son is currently eating this week for lunch. I take one pork shoulder roast, liberally coat it with salt/pepper, place it in a crock pot and pour root beer over it until it’s just covered. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until it’s fork tender. Drain the soda and then shred the pork. Add your favorite barbecue sauce (liberally) and serve with homemade cole slaw and your  favorite condiments. As my son will tell you, it’s great for leftovers, too.

3. What is your favorite smell/scent? — The smell of fresh-cut grass or hay. I spent many summers baling hay, and although it was super hard work the scent was just intoxicating, especially on late spring evenings when the cool air mixed with the warm hay.

4. What subject was your favorite in all of your schooling? Why? — I loved the sciences, especially biology, ecology and botany. But I had two high school teachers—one in English and the other in photography—who greatly influenced me and taught me skills I still use to this day in my career.