Remember last year, about this time, when I made a new friend?
Larry, the Lounge Lizard, was paying me daily visits as I worked at my desk.
I didn’t mind seeing his chipper little face.
With all of the construction going on, holes in the floor and walls, I knew he could leave if and when he chose.
Remember last fall when I may have complained once or twice about the lizards taking up residence in the window in our (temporary) bedroom?
Whenever I opened the window they scurried around, in and out, frantically trying to figure out why there secure nook was being destroyed.
Again, I didn’t really mind as there were significant gaps in the floor boards where they could easily make their escape.
This morning, for the first time this year, it was beautiful, sunny and warm. I opened the window in our newly finished living room to enjoy the sunshine.
A lizard fell on my head.
I looked up and there were 2 more looking at me.
They hid.
So you understand, our windows go all the way to the 10 foot ceiling, and they open in…. like 2 doors.
I now had one lizard frantically scurrying around the floor, unable to get a grip on the walls to climb up.
Plus I had 2 lizards hiding in the top of the window frame.
I couldn’t close the window without crushing the two hiding lizards.
If I left it open they might fall in and then I would have 3 lizards unable to get out.
This is a finished room. There are no longer gaps in the floorboards for them to slither through.
Mon mari was gone…. I had to suck it up and handle it myself.
Have you ever tried to herd lizards?
Apparently they’re not as smart as sheep as they were very reluctant to go in the direction my long, pointy stick was encouraging them towards.
I finally knocked the two window lizards off the frame and out, on to the sill. I then coaxed them, gently, to other climes.
That left the one inside – which would have to be caught.
Shudder….
I decided catching would be preferable to stepping on it, barefoot.
I hate things that go squish in the night….
I got the fireplace shovel: small enough to be wielded easily, long enough to keep some distance between my sleeves and the lizard.
Unfortunately, he was reluctant to board.
I chased him around a bit, finally cornered him just below the window (the window openings go to the floor), and in one move got him on the shovel and out the window.
He tried coming back in.
Lizards are stupid.
If they ate centipedes and spiders I’d welcome them with open arms.
In the midst of all this activity – an easy ‘pantry soup’ to warm and impress.
Pimiento or Roasted Red Pepper Soup
2 large shallots
7oz (200gr) drained pimentos or roasted red peppers net weight
15oz, (450gr) whole tomatoes with juices
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp olive oil
3 tbs mascarpone
Peel shallots and slice into rings. Heat oil in a small saucpan. Add shallots and sauté until starting to brown and crisp. Select a few of the nicer ones for garnish, remove and set aside. Drain pimentos and add to saucepan. Add tomatoes and their juices along with the paprika. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Purée in blender or use an immersion blender. Stir in mascarpone and serve, garnished with reserved shallot rings.
I’d be happy to exchange my lizards for that fox….. Anyone?
eww…I had lizards landing on my arms before when I was a kid living in a village wooden house. Not a nice experience – they are so so cold to feel. But I did like to look for lizard eggs in cracks in the old house. 🙂
Nice soup! Love the colour. 🙂
How do you know they don’t eat centipedes and spiders? Maybe they were all that stood between you and an invasion of crawlies? 🙂 I’m sorry if you were grossed out, but they really are kinda cool.
Cooking Ninja, they are cold… These were pretty small – could have been babies. They can live outside. Thanks – I was please with the color ;-))
Zoomie, I don’t mind them at all – outside. And in the Vendee they came in and out of the house all the time… But they have no way of getting out of this house – at least, not this time of year so I don’t want them getting in. I also don’t want to kill them…. Now I have to google and see if they eat centipedes
Why do creatures in other countries seem so much larger. I was in my hotel room in Greece and the spider was the size of a golfball. I just didn’t want him there while I was sleeping:D They had a screen on the bathroom window but nowhere else.
What a story! Surrounded by lizards! It’s a good thing you had a comforting soup.
I tried to get a lizard to get inside a box so I could set it outside and it was not easy so I can relate; in the mountains in lebanon once last summer a spider (tarantula size) was on my shoulder, nudged comfortably, wanting to get cozy with me.
Love your soup! I will make it soon with kiri.
I think if a lizard dropped on my head, that would scares me but cockroach would scares me more or maybe a lot. Anyway, I love the color of the soup. I think I’ll follow your recipe this weekend because me and my girlfriends will have an all girls drinking session this weekend. It’s always nice to sip a hot soup every after a session.
too funny… You break me of ever considering flipping a house
In spite of your creepy lizards your windows are beautiful! So many architects in the States would love to and probably have copied them. You have rabbits and lizards to deal with, I have deer. I can’t even plant parley in my herb garden anymore because it is such a treat for them. They also love roses and sweet potato vines and petunias etc, etc.
And by the way, your soup looks Wonderful!
Yeah….creeped out now…lizards, anything like that makes me shudder! 🙂
Now, your Roasted Red Pepper Soup? Nothing to shudder about.
So apparently if you give a lizard an inch…they gather all of their lizard friends and take a mile. Silly things.
I wouldn’t want them to be going squish in the night either.
The soup looks delicious! What a great color…the mascarpone must have made it so creamy!
I don’t think the pimientos we get in Vancouver are the same as the general roasted red peppers. Yours are smaller right? I am sure this would be delicious with red peppers too. Just curious.
Lizards do eat insects, don’t they? And how cute are they?! (Not that I’d want one to fall on my head, mind.)
You can see why the lizards would want to stay though. It’s beautiful! I love the colour of the wall.
Val, okay, I’m having nightmares with that image….
Kristi, if they stayed outside we’d all be happier.
Tasteofbeirut, another nightmare…. I’m terrified of spiders – irrational fear.
Healthy food blogs – nothing like a hot soup! Thank the gods we have no cockroaches!
Year on the Grill – I bet you have some big critters in your new digs – give it time.
Penny, I would happily plant their favorite foods elsewhere if that would keep them out…. We need wildflife that we can negotiate with….
Chris, they’re ok in their place… Unlike spiders which aren’t ok anywhere within a mile of me.
Joanne, and they invite their friends… it’s a party. The mascarpone added a lot more flavor and creaminess than I expected! A little goes a long way.
Katerina, I get whole pimientos or pimentos,(which I have to buy in Andorra) and they are about the size of a small red bell pepper – maybe a bit smaller, and kind of heart-shaped if that helps. I think they have a tiny bit more heat than an ‘roasted red pepper’ It would be delicious, yes.
Elizabeth, yes, they eat insects – and centipedes and spiders. I would be happy to have them in the house if they would not fall on my head and get under my barefeet at night. If I could explain that to them – and they understood, we would all live quite happily. As it is…
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