Easy Tomato Sauce Polenta

Hi, we're Dave and Polly. Dave is an Ojai, CA native and Polly grew up in Meriden, CT. We met at a country western dance hall named The Crazy Bull in 1995, and have been married for 16 years. We share our cozy home with two adopted greyhounds, Sammy and Fernie. As you browse around our site, you can't help but notice we adore our two hounds.

We still go country western dancing every chance we get and love listening old time fiddle music, which led us to become very involved with the California State Old Time Fiddlers Association District 8.

We are perenially remodeling our home, inside and out - lots of ceramic tile and stone, much of it recycled. Our front yard garden feeds us delicious vegetables much of the year, no wasteful lawn. Our motto, "If we're gonna water it, we might as well eat it."

We hope you find something of interest to you on our website. Glad you're here, drop us a line if it's not too much trouble.

Adopt A Greyhound
The greyhound is as ancient as the desert from which he sprung, and for thousands of years they were the dogs of choice by kings, queens, pharaohs, sheiks, and people of distinction. Their ability to blend speed, coordination and strategy have made them great hunters as well as racers.

Greyhounds are the fastest dogs in the world, and second only to cheetahs in speed among land animals. They can reach a top speed of 45 miles per hour or a bit more, and average 30 mph for a mile. When a racing greyhound competes at a racetrack, he thinks that he is hunting, not racing. Their keen eyesight allows them to spot small animals up to a half mile away.

After their racing career, retired greyhounds make wonderful pets. Greyhounds love people and tend to be quite sociable. They have been handled a great deal during their early years by dog walkers, trainers, veterinarians, and others. Generally, greyhounds are quizzical, sometimes shy, very sensitive, and surprisingly gentle. They possess superior intelligence and can exhibit a quiet but surprising independence. These are not animals whose spirit has been broken by their training or racing experience.

When we moved to our present home, it became our little quarter acre "ranch", complete with a view of the surrounding hills, some native oak trees, a working garden, and woods nearby. No ranch animals, unless you count our topiary horse, or want to refer to our hounds as small horses. The area is also home to countless 'possums, racoons, coyotes, even a mountain lion occasionally. We feed hummingirds, and have up to 50 in the height of summer, drinking quarts of nectar we prepare ourselves. Not a ranch in the strict sense of the word, but it's our little piece of the earth God gave us.