Unscheduled Days And Pondering Skies, A Pit Jockey’s Dream

Days like these just don’t come around enough for my liking. High blue skies with nary a cloud to be seen, accompanied by the rhythmic chirps of the nesting birds, the sarcastic snarls of our lovely squirrel population, and the scurrying sounds of chipmunks looking for a handout. But everything’s good folks, because it’s a great spring day and by golly, it’s a day that’s custom made for outside sitting, hardwood grilling, daydreaming, thinking, napping and maybe even a little lollygagging all wound up in one afternoon. Let’s get after it…

Anticipating a relaxed grilling session, the hardwood coals were lit and complemented with a side of applewood chunks at the ready to flavor up a couple of marinated chicken breasts, some all beef sausages, and fresh green beans and corn on the cob. Holy smokes that’s gonna be some good springtime munchin’ right there.

The chicken breasts were passing the day soaking in a combo of balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Once removed, they were sprinkled on both sides with one of my favorites, Code 3 Spices Grunt Rub. That was all the seasonings necessary for this go around, because when grilling those fresh veggies, they’ll give you all the flavor you need without any add ons. But if you’re inclined, I would go with a seasoned pepper on the beans and even the corn, but hey, that’s just me.

Code 3 Spices, Rub Grunt, 6 Ounce

The breasts were placed on the indirect side of the grill and covered so they could get a head start on the rest of the goods, which were all of the quick cook variety.

Now then, is the time for the aforementioned pondering. I’ve solved many an issue while kicking back and taking in the combination of wispy smoke curls and surrounding nature. So I’m tellin’ ya to go ahead and sit back, cross your legs if you’re a leg crosser, and take note of your surroundings. Notice all of the fresh, new beginnings around your yard, your garden, your house, and even your grill. These changes and new beginnings of the season mimic our lives in many ways, don’t they? We look forward to the nicer weather to expand our activities, get out and do more, our own type of growth. But as time slips into late summer, fall, and winter months, much of nature struggles to grow or even survive. As that natural growing season starts to wain, we also tend to slow down and cut back, mirroring the nature around us. We simply switch to more indoor activities, but plants can stop producing, grasses will naturally slow their growth and greening cycles, and once all of those baby birds are out of the nest and on their own, those nests that were so diligently built for security and safety are at once abandoned, left to deteriorate and get blown away by the winds and storms of the natural weather cycles.

Some of us may have had great personal growth seasons as well, while others struggled to grow, living day to day just trying to survive and steadily better themselves for the long run. And both ways are okay, because time will pass and before you know it, a pit jockey will be once again sitting and pondering another spring, another new beginning, another clean slate to work with while noticing again that nature has again come alive in its own cyclical rebirth, basking in its own beauty, causing us to be in awe, and reminding us that once again, anything is possible when taken one day at a time.

And then, while contemplating all of this goodness, we shouldn’t forget that it’s time to put on the sausages and veggies so that there will actually be a meal grilled here today. So let’s do that then, yes? I’ll flip the chicken and brush on a bit of sauce, then add the sausages and veggies. I like to use a pan for things like green beans, because of the obvious fall-through factor, but the corn did nicely in there as well.

Keep things moving in that basket, almost like a slow-motion stir fry, and roll those dogs once in a while too. When satisfactorily charred and the chicken reaches 160°, remove everything and prepare for a fresh, springtime grilled meal while retaining that fresh outlook you witnessed outside, and if nothing else, apply that outlook to your own daily routine, because folks, change is inevitable, but how you react to it is up to you.

Because Life Is Better Wood Fired