Stop Taking the Terrier Name in Vain!

Why can the media just not get terriers right? First there is the deplorable tendency to think that Jack Russells are the only terriers, when the terrier cognoscenti know that Smooth Fox Terriers are the best terriers. Hollywood even swaps in Jack Russells in the movie versions of books that were famously about Fox Terriers. (The director of My Dog Skip has still not been forgiven in...

The Great Verjus Caper

First of all, this was Cousin John’s idea. (Those of you who don’t know Cousin John can do your background research here.) The rest of you know Cousin John as the Sonoma/San Francisco Mr. Natural. He’ll basically try to make foodstuff out of anything. He’s the ultimate hunter-gatherer. Cousin John, if you don’t stop him, will make pemmican or wine from...

A Single Man. Two Excellent Terriers.

Many have praised designer Tom Ford’s directorial debut, A Single Man. The most common thing I hear is, “although the main character is gay, this is not a gay movie”. Excuse me critics. All wrong. True, this is not a gay movie. This is a Smooth Fox Terrier movie — maybe the best we’ve seen this decade! Yes, Tom Ford should be lauded — lauded, I tell...

How Green Was My House

We’ve all fallen prey to those “easy assembly kits” that promise you can construct something “in under an hour”. We’ve personally ordered several of them — from storage sheds to a tent cabin. Even with my secret weapon which is an extremely handy husband who can take apart a car engine and put it back together, rewire a house and tile a...

About That Terroir Thing

We’re building for the future here at Two Terrier Vineyards. So even though I know virtually nothing about gardening — despite some very gratifying beginner’s luck with tomatoes, corn and cucumbers — I’m banking that one day I will. At least that’s my excuse for how out of control things got with a plan to put in a “a few raised beds”....

I’ve Had It With These Motherf%$*&...

Okay, where is Samuel L. Jackson when you really need him? Because while the ultimate Hollywood badass is probably out sipping Champagne at some film premiere, I’m suddenly dealing with a scary snake invasion. I knew there were rattlers around here. The workmen used to find them all the time when they were starting to work on the barn. But after a while, the sounds of...