Ah summer weekend under way.
My husband is washing his work van, the pickup and the travel trailer. A big project!
I am scrubbing the deck, the hot tub cover,tending my herbs and flowers and washing the windows on the deck side of the house. When our projects are done we will fill the pool and plunge in our feet halfway to our knees and enjoy the heat.
I just returned from a long walk. I am glad I did this early as the heat is having it's way with us quickly this morning.
I wish I had the makings for a pitcher of sangria's to sip on this afternoon.
For dinner tonight we are grilling a ribeye steak to share and having a salad of romaine and our garden tomatoes and cukes and walla onions. I have a container of my Mommy's russian dressing hanging out in the fridge. So a simple but satisfying summer meal.
We had a nice lunch out yesterday with Marylou my hubbies momma. She enjoyed her lunch, the fisherman's special, which consisted of a basket or warm baked sourdough bread, a cup of clam chowder and a very large bay shrimp salad loaded with a variety of vegetables and crsipy romaine. My husband and I had cod burgers and we enjoyed them. We lingered and did not hurry lunch as it was a treat for my mother in law to be away for a while from the memory care home.
After taking her back to her place we came home and sat on the deck in the shade of the tree you see in the photo and talked. Later we played gin rummy inside as it was too hot outdoors late afternoon. Into the nineties once again. The air conditioning felt very good indeed. My husband and I each won a game which is always nice. Then we watched the old movie, Rob Roy with Liam Nesson and Jessica Lang. We love that movie, a great film.
Well as I have done nothing but read the paper and take my walk I must get on with my daily to-do's.
Enjoy this beautiful summer day doing whatever it is that rings your bell.
See you Sunday!
Could not resist posting this photo of the Isle of Capri. Howwould you like to be sitting here? Talk about a room with a view. I am telling you right now if it were not such a long flight I would make this trip happen. It is such a grand place filled with history and still maintaining the Old Italian culture.
In the current book I am now reading part of story took place here on the Isle of Capri. The writer said though she has traveled extensively this island is the most romantic island she has ever visited.
I could just see my husband and I here, enjoying the sea and the food the culture and one another. I am just in awe of this amazing place at the moment.
Another day in the nineties today. We now have an unattractive brown front yard. When we were away for a week in central Oregon the heat took a toll on the grass in the front yard. No matter how much we water at this point it will not be revived to it's green lushness. So be it. When the winter rains come and spring appears next year all will be green once more. Our backyard is thriving as it is surrounded by trees that keeps the sun and the heat at bay. We spend all our time in our backyard and on our back deck so I am thankful all looks so inviting and lush there.
I put a boneless pork butt roast into the slow cooker this morning I made a rub of kosher salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, cumin and coriander and rubbed into both sides of the roast. Placed it in the slow cooker with a large spring of rosemary and a handful of fresh thyme. Then I added about a third of a cup of apple cider to the bottom of the cooker. In about seven-to eight hours the roast will be fork tender and taste of sweet apples and bright herbs. Tonight that roast will be served with smashed yukon gold potatoes with pork gravy(made from the drippings) corn on the cob from the farm and our own tomatoes and cukes in the tangy marinade mix I posted a couple of days ago. It will be a nice summer meal. Tomorrow the pork roast will be morphed into pork taco's served with black beans.
I have much to do today and I have promised myself I will get all done that I need to. The kitchen, nook and family room floors need cleaning, all the furniture in the family room and living room needs waxing or cleaning. And I will attend to the main bath.
Tomorrow I am going shopping. I need clothes and new sandals and I am going to check out new eyewear frames as I need new glasses. So a busy day tomorrow. But maybe a fun one if I find what I need fairly soon and not get overwhelmed and frustrated as I am not the best shopper.
Nothing gets to me more than expending the time and effort to go shopping and then not finding what I like. It is just huge waste of time.
I must get on with the list of chores.
So have a nice hump day and enjoy these hot long summer days as they will be gone before you realize it.
Ciao
Well this the first time I have posted a photo of a shoe on a cooking blog no less.
I want a pair of these shoes. Problem is they are expensive. They are imported and real leather with buckskin lining. There is a zipper that runs the length of the heal in the back with a tassel complete with a silver embellishment on the end.
I thought they would be darling for my grandsons wedding at the park. Simple not to casual and not to dressy. Just like I am. As I have everything I need for my clothing I feel I can splurge and get the shoes. But the problem is. Who orders shoes online? Especially a shoe that needs to fit your arch and ankle as well as length and width. I may go to Nordstorm's Rack and look at their sandal selection. I know I want black, real leather and wide generous straps with silver buckles or embellishments. I want a quality pair that will last and last. But for now enough about shoes.
I had a busy morning but a lazy afternoon. I did not sleep well last night and we get up with the chickens so I feel a little rough around the edges. So I am afraid after I put groceries away and cleaned veggies I only did what desperately needed doing in the house. I will be home all day tomorrow and I must put my time to good use. The banking is done, the marketing is done for the week, I got a new supply of books and bought lottery tickets. Ran my car through the wash, picked a couple items at the office supply store and then home. It was getting hot hot by the time I pulled in the driveway.
I will not be going to my daughter until the 12th of August as she and her hubby are preparing for their up coming camping trip. I had forgotten about that, but no worry the following week will be just fine and considering how busy we are this week and the up coming weekend maybe it is just as well. Summers are busy for everyone it seems. I always look forward to fall when the pace slows and the weather cools. But of course I am still very enthralled with summer so it had better hang around for a while yet.
Tonight as I mentioned we are having stir fry veggies in the wok and I decided to toss in some bite size chicken pieces that I will brown in the skillet and then drizzle with sesame oil. I will use my Chinese dishware that I have had for over forty years, it is the Red Dragon pattern and quite festive. As part of the set I have deep wide bowls for dishes like chow mien and sukiyaki. So into the bottom of the bowls I will put a mound of sticky rice and then I will ladle the chicken and veggies over the top. We can top it off with homemade sweet and sour and a little soy sauce if we so desire.
So it is almost three-thirty now and I need to check the mail as the postman just came. And I must put together receipts for materials and supplies for my hubby to go through this evening before I send off the payment to the vendor in the morning.
I will see you tomorrow.
We love this mixture. Sliced garden tomatoes and cukes with a little sweet onion slices. Put into a container. In bowl mix a cup apple cider vinegar or enough to cover the vegetables, a tablespoon of sugar(or more to the taste) salt and pepper and mix well. Pour over veggies and put in fridge and let sit several hours to chill and meld. When I was young this fresh summer dish adorned our table many times throughout the summer. It is a good accompaniment to almost any meal. It is tangy with the vinegar but allows the sweet taste of garden tomatoes to come through. The textures are a pleasing mouthful of soft tomatoes and crunchy cucumbers. And it is so easy to make.
So I am making this tonight along with what I do not know at this point ha. I will dig through my pantry and freezer and see what I come with. Tomorrow night I am making stir fry veggies in the wok to serve over rice.
Our turkey burgers were good last night and we both agree we like turkey burgers better than hamburger meat as the turkey in these patties is juicy and so flavorful with the dark and white turkey meat. As you put them on in a frozen state I feel this keeps them moist.
I must walk right after I complete this post. It is in the sixties now in the shade but is to be 97 today so a hot one for sure. I need to get pumped up about walking as I have been remiss about my routine. Lazy is more like it. If it is cold or too hot, or my allergies are bugging me or for whatever reason I make an excuse not to walk. I know we have at most another two months of good weather so I must enjoy these walks now before the cold rain comes in. So with a song in my heart and a zip in my step I will carry on down the street.
This coming week will be a full one. Tomorrow I must do my grocery shopping as Thursday my normal shopping day I am going to schedule my remaining tests for my physical, then Friday we are taking my mother in law to McGraths fish house for lunch, then Sunday we are having family over for pizza, then I will have a couple of days to prepare for my trip up the interstate for a visit with my daughter. So the time will go by fast this week.
My husband I talked yesterday while sitting and enjoying our solitude on the deck.
We will be going to Belknap Springs sometime in September and if time allows a trip to the coast. We need to get to the coast at least into October before the rain starts. We want one more time there when the weather is dry so we can grill and make breakfast outdoors while we camp. Also walks on the beach are much more enjoyable when there is warmth and sun. Then we also have my grandsons wedding in September so we have a few things on the agenda for getting away and having fun. I always like my little outings to look forward to. My gal pal Gerie will also be coming in the fall for a couple of nights. I always look forward to our yearly get together.
Well I am going to walk now as it will get hot quickly and when I return I will preview this and publish. On with the walking shoes NOW!
The corn is on and that is a good and happy thing for us all. Oh how wonderful to drive for a couple of minutes and pull into the farm where they are filling bins of freshly picked corn. That is what I did yesterday morning and just look at these beauties. The field workers loading the bins said it is the largest cobs they have harvested in a long time. Fat, full long ears of juicy Bodacious corn.
I must say our meal last evening was incredible. I grilled that ribeye steak to a perfect medium rare. Then placed the steak on my carving board and loaded the top with garlic parsley butter and let it sit for eight minutes. The steak of course had my steak rub on it before grilling but the addition of the parsley garlic butter added another dimension of flavor. The steak was so tender and juicy we hummed throughout dinner the fresh picked tomato from our garden really topped it off. We were over the top! What else can I say?
Late yesterday afternoon hubbies sis and her husband came by and we sat on the patio and sipped drinks and caught up. Life is busy and we do not have much time to hang out. It appears that next Sunday will work for us all to have them down for my homemade pizza. We will dish up at the bar and then grab spots at the patio table. After dinner we will play some games, it will be a nice evening.
Today we went to visit my mother-in-law at the home where she lives. It is a nice facility. We went outdoors into the ninety degree heat, we were in the shade of the patio as we sat at a table and chatted. We brought her a burger and milkshake. She always enjoys that. I know she must get tired of the casseroles and same things served on a repetitive basis. This coming Friday we are taking her to McGrath's for lunch. She seemed pleased by the idea.
Tonight for dinner I am making turkey burgers with Trader Joe's frozen turkey patties. They are good. Dark and white meat both and are good size patties. You buy them frozen and put them on the grill frozen they stay really juicy. I will stack walla walla sweet onion slices along with the patty and slices of munster cheese(which melts so good)and hubby will add some fresh jalapeno slices to his. He made a cucumber salad to go along side. He loves this salad of his childhood. I do not care for it so I will have a dill pickle spear and a couple of Kettle chips for my sides.
I am going to leave you now and join my hubby on the deck he is sitting out there sipping on a gin and tonic. I will pour a glass chardonnay and plop down beside him and tip my toes into the pool.
See ya all later.
So here I am making dinner on one of our many trips to Canada. This trip was made if I recall in the mid-eighties. My then boyfriend, now husband had just purchased a new van and it was a great trip as we could now sleep hard sided as they say instead of in a tent. When bears are always a concern hard sided sleeping is preferred. I am trying to see what I making on the camp stove. It is hard to tell but there is a jar of salsa on the table and beers, so maybe something southwestern or probably burrito's we did that a lot as they are easy to make while camping. I look quite happy and I am sure that I was. Oh the fun we had on those trips. Traveling throughout the days to new campgrounds as we drove through the beautiful Canadian Rockies. We made a lot of trips in those early years and considering we were both working and it was hard to arrange time we certainly made it work. We went to Canada a total of six times one trip we went to the Worlds Fair in Vancouver then we went from Vancouver to Hope into the national parks. What a grand trip that was. We also made a big trip to Montana. My husband lived in Montana for a while so he wanted to show me the country and on that trip we toured and camped at Glacier Park. How amazing that park is. So there were many adventures and we loved every one and still pour through the photo's remembering and reliving the trips. The last time we went to Canada was in 1998. So it has been a while. My husbands aunt, uncle and niece live there in Cranbrook near Kootney Lake. That lake is so huge like one of the great lakes it seems. You can be on it all day and never see it all. Cindy my hubby's aunt had a mexican restaurant in Cranbrook. It was so much fun for us to go there and be taken to the big round table in the back and have all kinds of dishes and drinks arrive and eat and enjoy time with family and not pay for a thing! Of course we always left a large tip for the cook and wait staff. A very fun time each time! Thank you Cindy.
So I need to get my mind back into reality. There is no Canada or trip going on now but a fun filled day is planned.
I have already been to the farm this morning for fresh corn and I must say the ears are huge!
My hubby is picking up ribeye steaks or one large steak to share. He will be home early and has tomorrow off. So we will spend the afternoon on the deck with the little pool for cooling our feet. I have two new magazines to browse through while we have a snack and chat to catch up on the past week. Later we will play gin rummy at the patio table. Then grill our steaks eat outdoors and then head indoors to watch a movie. Sounds like a perfect day to me.
So I had my physical yesterday and I am a healthy woman my doctor tells me. At my age that is very reassuring as I am on no meds, nor do I intend to be ever if possible. The mammogram and bone density have not been scheduled yet so I will make appointments for those two tests this coming week. Somehow the paperwork for those tests slipped through the woodwork. I am thankful that I have a healthy body.
Tomorrow morning I will get up early and walk. I could not today as by the time I got back from the farm it was hot already.
I love to walk early on a Sunday morning so tomorrow will be a treat. All is so quiet, you imagine folks still lazing or snoring in bed, sometimes as I pass through the neighborhood maple syrup and bacon fills the air. Dogs are quiet I suppose still sleeping, till their parents awake. Regardless it is a nice treat when all is quiet like walking through the countryside.
I must now go and finish my house chores before my sweet husband gets home. I want to hose the deck and tidy up out there.
Have a fun weekend whatever it is you are doing. You can see we are so content to stay home and enjoy our back yard and just relax. Ah nice !
So here is little Italy I would love being here. Italy of course would be better (or not) as far as food is concerned for in Italy all the various regions have different cuisine. In Little Italy New York all the cuisines are represented. I think that makes this place very intriguing and it would be fun to be there for a few days tasting everything in sight! The reason I goggled this is I am reading a book now that takes place in Little Italy, I love the writer, Adriana Trigiani. I have read a few of her books. This one is titled "Valentine". Anyhow I am enjoying the book and am learning about this district in New York and about many of the eateries. Another favorite read from this author is Lucia, Lucia. You should give them a try if you are reader.
There is nothing exciting on the dinner scene in our kitchen tonight as we will have leftovers. My fridge is filling up and we do not waste food. Our potato soup and crusty boule was good last night and made me relaxed and cozy like on a fall evening.
Now we go into the furnace again though today will be a nice pleasant day in the mid-eighties.
My day consist of house work this morning and then I have a physical this afternoon......oh yeah. I have not been for three years and I feel as I am not getting any younger I should go and get checked out. I am not looking forward to it especially the mammogram. Oh I dislike them so. What woman in her right mind would want to have her boobs squeezed to almost flat(ouch). Seems they could come up with a nice painless little scan to get the same results. So I could think of better ways to spend my afternoon.
I will be going to my daughters in Oregon City very soon now. I am so looking forward to this little two night stay with Gina. We always have the best time. Our time will be spent, eating excellent food dining in and dining out. Drinking nice wine, perhaps a little shopping if we are inclined but mostly sitting around my daughters home sharing stories, catching up and just enjoying each others company. I love it when we have 'our' time without the hubbies, though that is fun too this time just the two of us is what we are needing.
I am thinking a couple of days away to Gina's the first week in August will work as long as it is convenient for my husband to have me gone. If he mired in work and bids I will have to adjust to his schedule as I am his right hand gal.
Well the day is getting on and need to do things before I get ready for my wonderful afternoon at the doctors office.
Have a nice afternoon, the weekend is upon us and doesn't it seem like summer is racing away too quickly.
Ciao.
