Holy cow!

I cannot believe how fast the summer flew by. Here it is September and I haven't blogged since June. Bad blogger.  I do have a myriad of excuses from sickness and hospitalizations to broken bones, traveling, and Kindergarten starts. A summer of ups and downs.

I wanted to check in because I have two landscaping projects that I am finishing up and so excited to share. I am also looking for opinons on painting my front door and shutters. I really want to do it now, before it gets cold. I am also finishing up the family room. My goal was to have it done soon. I am thinking that by the end of October is soon enough? It might not be furnished, but the floors and walls and fireplace will be done.

I also wanted to check in and spend some time updating my list of things that I wanted to accomplish this year. Since there is practically only a quarter of a year left, I will need to do some work to make up for stuff that I neglected to do.

1.) Refinish two pieces of furniture: One down; dining room chairs to go

2.) Make something out of wood: My new fireplace mantel (with help from Dad, of course) -- so check

3.) Reupholster something: Halfway there, as I have the chairs in the basement.

4.) Go to an auction: How does one find an auction to go to that isn't during normal work hours?

5.) Take more pictures: Way better than last year...still a work in progress.

6.) Run another half marathon: Eh, that one seemed to slip through the cracks. Why does exercise seem to be the first thing that gets dropped when I busy, even though it is the one thing that makes me feel good and accomplished?

7.) Take Owen on a real vacation: Well, I did take three days off of work, where we rented a cabin on a river. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately, I worked 1.5 days of said vacation, which makes me feel like a total failure as a mom. Urgh.

8.) Start a blog: Check...although a real wimpy attempt at blogging.

9.) Take a class: Still time for that one???

10.) Do something that scares me: Started the honey bee hive, but not really too scary...so we'll see what happens here.

Hopefully at the end of the week, I can share my outside pictures.

 

My CSA - Week 2

Well, here I am another week into my CSA. Actually more like a week behind. I just picked up week 3 two days ago.  I have to tell you that I must have made the best looking soup ever. Tastes pretty good too!

Week 2 consisted of:

Cut Heirloom Lettuce Blend

Spring Italian Chicory

Kale Duo

Shallot Scapes

Kohlirabe

Asparagus

Lamb's Quarters

I just ate the kohlirabe peeled, cut in quarters. I had never had it before, and Barbara suggested when it is fresh that you can just eat it like an apple. It was peppery and crisp, like cauliflower. It was delicious.

The lettuce just went into regular old salads. I just add stuff that I have in the refrigerator or pantry. Blue cheese. Feta. Dried cranberries. All topped with balsamic vinaigrette. Plain and simple.  The shallot scapes are to be used like garlic in dishes. The ladies at the farm made a flavored olive oil with them; it had a wonderful aroma. I just chopped them up and froze them in the standby ice cube trays.  We ate the asparagus steamed. I just picked at the chickory like lettuce. Ate a few bites here and there. Apparently chicory and some of the other greens in that family aid constipation. Who knew?

The kale was really beautiful. Green and purple. I removed the stem and ribs by folding the leaves in half and ripping the stem upward toward the end of the leaf. I did that while watching a Sex and The City rerun. I never watched the show when it was actually on, but it makes me wonder whether women do really have friendships that are that candid.

Back to the kale. I got the recipe off of Epicurious. It is probably a soup that is awesome on a cooler day or a rainy day, but I can't waste the produce, so we are eating soup in the summer.



That is one good looking soup!

Stay tuned for week 3, because there are a lot of greens in that sucker!