The temperature is dropping here. Certainly not like it has at home in Cleveland, but we've had some days in the low 60's and nights below that. It was also cloudy, rainy and windy at the beginning of this week giving the impression that it was colder than it really was. Buildings here are generally as cold inside as out right now as it's too early to drag in the wood-burning stoves. Our home is an exception, the family has started a small fire in the fireplace of the kitchen/living/main room.
After work, I'll walk my 30 minute commute home in the cold wind and rain. When I get to the house, there is warm fire waiting for me, Amy is usually there with some tea, reading in front of the fire with our dog Boy curled up at her feet.
Our host mother has started making a sort of corn-bread, a traditional dish here called 'chadi' right in the fireplace. She puts 4 or 5 shallow terra-cotta bowls in the fire, and once they are hot, she puts the chadi dough in them, wrapped in the broad leaves of a walnut tree. Then, she stacks the bowls on top of each other. The bread bakes in this stack, and we eat it with cheese while it is still hot.
We have also started making little fires in the fireplace, not cooking there, though. No frost yet. Today was a beautiful, crisp, clear day, 60 degrees. As I looked out this morning, I really missed you both. It just seemed the kind of day you should be here walking around in the backyard with us. Love, Mom
Sounds like a cozy way to be greeted when you get home. We've had the fireplace going a few times already too, but haven't baked anything in it. The bread sounds very inviting.