Notes and Reflections Blog

Cathy is an essayist who writes from her base at Boomerang Creek.  Her blogs  range from gathering persimmons to thoughts on global pandemics. To share her observations, follow her at “Notes and Reflections".

Peekay Chapter 2
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

Peekay Chapter 2

Well, a lot has happened in Peekay’s life since he arrived at the Salter home in the Sierra Foothills a month ago.

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Snapshots from Longmire Days
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

Snapshots from Longmire Days

Since reading “The Cold Dish,” the first Longmire novel, I’ve sung the praises of consummate storyteller author Craig Johnson.

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The New Old West
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

The New Old West

The final chapter in my book Notes From Boomerang Creek is entitled “The New Old West” and begins with an essay on the American cowboy.

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My Website and Blog
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

My Website and Blog

Thirty years ago, my journey as an essayist began following the Great Flood of ’93 in the Midwest.

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Louise at 100
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

Louise at 100

Louise and I have a special history. She met my plane when I first arrived at the Columbia Regional Airport in October 1988, ready to trade life in big cities for a house and barn on seven acres in the country.

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On the Subject of Sour Cherries
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

On the Subject of Sour Cherries

The Montmorency cherry is a tart sour cherry that originated in the Montmorency Valley in France sometime before the 17th century.

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A Pioneer American Food Writer
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

A Pioneer American Food Writer

In November 2007, Saveur Magazine published a feature story about Clementine Paddleford—a pioneer American food writer who championed American regional cuisine from the late 1920s through the 1960s.

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Tales of Tuscan Kitchens
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

Tales of Tuscan Kitchens

When a small elegantly bound and illustrated travel guide entitled “Florence” fell off a shelf in my studio this week, I opened it and found myself lost in memories.

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A Gourmet Experience
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

A Gourmet Experience

In the morning quiet at our home in the Sierra Foothills, there is a movie playing in my head.

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A Gift of Meyer Lemons
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

A Gift of Meyer Lemons

May is a month when everything tastes better with lemons. Squeezed, zested, sliced, slivered, sipped or preserved, lemons bring life to every dish they meet.

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My Paris Journals
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

My Paris Journals

Since learning that our friend writer Matthew Goodman would be in Paris with his wife Cassie in late April, I’ve been revisiting the journals I kept while exploring Paris on past trips with Kit.

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The Joy of Small Kitchens
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

The Joy of Small Kitchens

In this era of mega modern kitchens and six-burner, industrial Wolf stoves, I would like to speak of the simple pleasures and delicious hours that I’ve spent cooking in small kitchens over the past half a century.

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Brave the Wild River
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

Brave the Wild River

On March 20, 2024, President Joe Biden issued an executive order instructing the National Park Service to “highlight important figures and chapters in women’s history.”

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The Taste of Things
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

The Taste of Things

I begin each day with an omelet. Simple and fresh. Made with one or two eggs whisked with a splash of water or cream and a pinch of thyme and Maldon salt flakes.

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A Sundance Retreat
Cathy Salter Cathy Salter

A Sundance Retreat

In the summer of 1994, I was invited by a friend from National Geographic to a retreat at the Sundance Institute in Utah.

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