Sometimes In Winter

The end to a sunny day. Pink, purple, orange and blue fill the sky as the sun begins to set. Food cooked outdoors. I stand at the ready, long fork in hand. From the gas grill comes the aroma of chicken, filling the air, along with my breath, because it's February and it's darn cold.

Ah yes, the perils of grilling in winter.

The rain had disappeared for a couple of days. The sun shined brightly and it was time to get outside and fix some vitamin D. We shopped, had lunch at a Hawaiian restaurant and absorbed some rays through the car windows. The afternoon moved on, the flame was lit and the chicken placed on the grill. And then I waited.

And waited. And waited some more.

What is an adequate supply of BTUs in the middle of summer was barely able to meet the demands of a Bellingham winter day. Sure, you can get the outside nicely done, but the inside...that's another matter. Have you ever tried to butterfly cut a chicken breast? Not an easy task.

Patience is a virtue, and eventually the chicken was done (to the proper internal temperature, of course). Baked beans, hot bread, baked potatoes, salad and grilled chicken. A little bit of summer on a plate.