Garden Update

We have not stopped gardening, and as the season goes on I’m reminded of how LITTLE I know about growing my own food.  This is what I know:  water and sun grow things and you have to weed once and awhile.  My yields are small, I suppose I have to ‘feed’ the plants more often. I know nothing of pH balance, which seems to be a major thing.  As you see my carrots are doing crazy things and not growing right.  They are supposed to be smaller carrots, but not this small and not with four legs.  We’re trying.  I put Charles in Charge of cutting the cucumbers today.  Four were the right size and the others were still young, but who cares.  The boys loves to help and enjoys being out there.  I welcome all feedback of how to grow a great producing garden.  Also, do you see the size of my tomato plants?!  They’ve been flowering for about a month, can I start to see some tomatoes grow?! PS If you click on each photo, it will be enlarged.  PPS I have to give props to Jason’s cousin, Chad who gave us this great hibiscus tree when he was moving across the country.

 

Flat Bread

I found this recipe in Good to the Grain, by Kim Boyce.  Kim, is a former pastry chef at Spago and Campanile, left to raise her family, but still wanted to make yummy treats. These flat breads have amaranth flour in them, oregano and cumin on the top, or whatever you’d like them to have. I served them with chili.  They are delicious, and easy to make.  I love this cookbook for many reasons, let me list a few here.

1. Wonderful, easy to follow recipes.
2. I use new flours that I never would have.
3. Excellent photography.
4. Lay open spine, don’t you hate it when your cookbook doesn’t stay open?!

I hope you track down this book and try a few things.  I have made about 15-20 things from this book and have really enjoyed every one.

Thirst Quencher

The other day E came in with a foreign sippy cup from our back yard, which I thought odd as one neighbor doesn’t have children that live at home, and the other fence mates don’t have children that use sippy cups.  This cup had a bright blue top and an orange bottom with a design on it.   I asked her to bring it over and upon further inspection I realized it’s a top (to an old cup that we have) and an IZZE (that was unopened.) I think she was trying to tell me something.

Green Goodness

For lunch today I totally splurged and went to ‘Green Truck’.  You know, one of those ‘hip’ spots where people track a food truck and get their edible goodness?  All I have to say is, “yUm!”  This is a Hot Pretzel Chick Sandwich, it’s compiled of lemon butter, black pepper marinade on chicken breast, scratch mayo, scratch spicy/sweet mustard, local red celery and romaine, smoked Gouda, on a Sadie Rose (local bakery) pretzel bun.  Let’s just say it was perfection to go.  The flavors blended so well, I think the red celery and Gouda was the best ever.  The bun was tender and light with just a bit of chew to it, not overpowering the insides at all.  I am one very satisfied girl.

Big Outing

As many of you know, our family has been plagued with illness the last two weeks. This was the biggest outing of yesterday.  I think she just needed some peace and quite.  Here’s to getting better!

Hold on to That Feelin’

C and J went out for a ‘hike’ this morning in our back yard.  This is what J chose to wear.  CLASSIC.  I can tell already, it’s going to be a great day.

I just asked him if I could take a couple more photos and this is what he did:

Miss Tude.

If we are friends on facebook you may have seen my post yesterday regarding my baby, E.  She gives my husband and I(me?–usually I know this rule) a RUN for our money.  Our family has been plagued with a virus something terrible this last week, and my boys were taking a nap yesterday, which is something they never do.  All E wanted to do was bring this popcorn toy inside and roll it directly outside of their bedroom door.  At last (15 minutes into this ‘battle’, that I won) she decided that she would stand inside the sliding door and roll the toy outside on the patio.  I thought I would share this smirk that followed our…shall we say, encounter.

PS:  I must add that she did eventually win, because she knows how to open doors.  She went in her brothers’ room when I was in the kitchen and started banging toys together to wake them.  How dare they not be at her constant beck and call.

Garden

This is my second attempt at a garden.  Last year we had a small one in a community space.  This year I would like to plant the ‘Three Sisters’ down there, which is corn, beans and squash.  I have a mix of planters and ground in our back yard, let me tell you, the first year of gardening it takes more money than you will get in produce.  Hopefully next year, or the year after it’ll pay for itself?  I bought my seeds from Mary’s Heirloom Seeds I’ve been very happy with them so far.  I look forward to learning more as the season progresses and to garden with my children to pass the time while Papa is away!

Tailgating

Our cats have been loving the weather here as of late.  They sit quietly in the cool grass, watch butterflies and birds fly by, and pester the neighborhood dogs.  This is living.

Beard

Shaving and being active duty go hand in hand.  Like coffee and cream, chocolate chips and cookies, gym and  sweat…you get the idea.  My husband wishes he could grow a mountain man beard…alas, that job gets in the way.  Every time he’s on leave this is what he does:

I personally like it.  I wish he would grow his hair too, but that’s just me.