H and G. Hello and goodbye.

As I mentioned last week, today is my Monday.  I am lucky that I don't have to be in until this afternoon -- I can linger in my weekend bliss a bit longer.  However, I feel a sort of obligation to be production in these last few hours before the long week starts again.  Rather than check items off my chore list, I have chosen to stay in my jammies, eat cottage cheese and enjoy my morning at Hail's Kitchen.

Yesterday the Great Samoan Hunter and I had a shared day off.  These days have been rare lately -- we're literally like ships passing in the night. He is off to work by 6:30, in bed by 10:00.  I am usually home around 10:30 to find him snuggled into bed.  Remember this saying from Sleepless in Seattle? H and G.  Hello and goodbye.  So is our schedule from May - October.  

He had a meeting with a vendor in Jackson, and I jumped at the opportunity to eat at a restaurant other than my own!  We ate an early sushi lunch -- I am counting down the days when sweet, tender sashimi will pass these lips -- tempura shrimp and veggie rolls do a pretty good job of satiating the craving, and I strolled the streets of Jackson like a tourist.  

As soon as the meeting was over, we hightailed it back to our sleepy side of the mountains.  This country mouse can't handle the city -- albeit Jackson.  Funny how quickly one becomes accustomed to no street lights.

We then jumped in the boat for an afternoon float, and the only good fish we (I proudly) landed, managed to evade my camera.  Fish photos are not my thing.  I get stage fright and they leap out of my hands before the shutter can catch them. I pulled a chicken out of the freezer, but alas, it was still frozen when we came home.  One can never have too many frozen, Papa Murphy's pizzas on hand. I also failed to make any rhubarb treats.  Baking typically requires butter, and am I out of butter.  The challenges of country living!

Here I am with no adventure or food photos.  However, I have been having great fun looking through my photo archives.  This computer has been in storage since October and hold loads of wonderful memories.  Writing about gardening this week made me long for our days on the 'farm.' It was a such a fun respite, despite the back-breaking work it required.  I miss playing in the dirt and dreaming of the day when I can have my own little farmer's market stand.  

If only I could win the lottery, I would be the world's best homesteader.  You know the adage, the old man goes to church every day and prays in front of the statue of a saint.  "Please, please help me win the lottery."  Eventually, the saint comes to life and tells the man, "My son, please, please buy a ticket." I buy my ticket weekly.

Have a grand weekend all!  Go buy a lottery ticket for good measure. 

Second year asparagus. 

Not sure which is sexier, the irrigation boots or the garlic.  

Lovely Belle.

Lovely Heather.

One can never have too many bottle openers.

This next progression made me laugh out loud.  Funny dogs.  No plants were harmed in this mayhem.

Garlic anyone?

Another Sunday late-night post -- again I am sun-kissed and sleepy. I had two of my favorite people visit from SLC on Friday night, and we went out . . . like on the town. Hailey, boring? I think not! I actually danced -- I shouldn't have -- but I danced my booty off. Sorry to all who had to witness my white girl moves. Some kind woman stepped on my flip flop-clad foot and left an impression of her stiletto heel. Frozen peas came in handy the next morning. Thanks Ryan and Meshell for making the trek! I miss you two so. xo

I have been living on meals that are far from well-rounded as of late so I was thrilled to cook for my lovely friends. It has been uncomfortably hot here, and I was hungry for something light and fresh. I stopped by the local butcher and picked up a flank steak, which I marinaded in olive oil, rice wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce, crushed garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. I grilled it on my handy grill pan (no outside grill is a major downfall of apartment living) and sliced it super thin.

While this steak was de-licous, the star of the dinner was the following salad. I served it on a big chopping block, and we went to town. No plates necessary!

Butter lettuce.

Radishes look so innocent, but they pack such a zesty punch.

Rough chop the lettuce, slice the cucumber and radishes, cube avocado and some fresh herbs. Drizzle with your favorite dressing -- homemade blue cheese in my case -- and enjoy!

The perfect summer dinner.

The rest of my weekend was spent sweating on the farm. As I mentioned, it was as hot as the hinges of hell. Garlic, unfortunately, does not harvest itself so I dug out five different types: Early Italian, German Red, Korean Red, Chesnok Red, and Spanish Roja.

I love garlic, as does my family, but what does one do with almost 400 heads? Suggestions?Anyone? I think I need a booth at the farmer's market.

Too bad my glasses are on; you can't see the garlic and sun induced-delirium in my eyes.

Garlic awesomeness.

Irrigation boots: fashion and function.

Friends, the countdown is on. This is a green zebra, perhaps my favorite tomato EVER.

Peppers are happy.

So is the judge. He loves his tractor.

Sunny.

All trimmed up. Garlic anyone?

Cute contest: baby plants vs. baby animals.

Not being enrolled in summer school has given me a new appreciation for Sunday nights, which hold such a stigma of organization, schedule and routine. I am sitting here at 9:30 having just returned home from spending a weekend with my mom, and I am sleepy, a bit sunburned and am so relieved I have nothing looming for tomorrow. Work, yes, but work is finally enjoyable and not stressful. I had no idea such jobs existed in reality.

I am going to spend the rest of my night enjoying the quiet and the moon and revel in the fact that I don't need to rush to get ready for anything tomorrow. Loud sigh.

If you have a stressful day tomorrow, take a brief farm field trip with me. I promise it will lower your blood pressure.

How many kids (and adults) know that a potato plant flowers?

Too bad it's not Hail's Jumbo.

Not so jumbo . . . yet.

As I was taking these photos I looked up and saw trouble:

Thing One and Thing Two charging out of the ditch.

Heading in my direction.

As if their tails were on fire.

No regard for baby plants.

They proceeded to play tag around the car for about twenty laps and then chased each other to the shed (base) to catch their breath. They don't enjoy the farm one teensy bit.

Back to the field trip -- broccoli.

Such a cute little plant.

The judge was a little heavy-handed with the seeding -- needs some thinning.

Add some rutabagas next time you make mashed potatoes; it's a delicious change of pace.

Baby plants are almost as cute as baby animals. Almost.

My mom and I hustled back from the farm to my folks' house to meet Heather and Nick who were returning from a wedding in Boise (they graciously allowed me and my laundry to catch a ride) and caught the last twenty minutes of the Argentina - Mexico soccer game. We had the blood pressure cuff out yesterday while we watched the USA match. My mom reverted back to her soccer mom days of turrets-like yelling, "KICK IT! GET IT FROM HIM! DON'T JUST STAND THERE -- GET THE BALL!" Highly entertaining. We then sat in the hot tub and drank Coors Light the rest of the afternoon. We were exerted.

Anyway, I got to play a bit in my parent's garden this afternoon. They both have very green thumbs. Their yard and vegetable garden is lovely, Sunset Magazine lovely.

Their peas are about to explode.

As are their strawberries.

See what I mean about baby vegetables?

Salad greens.

Dill, tarragon, chives, chard and lettuce.

Add whatever herbs you enjoy -- freshens up a salad enormously.

Counting the days until we have fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.

I wanted to post this homemade blue cheese dressing for you all, but Heather was vehemently opposed -- she said it's proprietary. Kind of like Bush's Baked Beans. Perhaps we should make a commercial staring Belle and Berkley attempting to publish the recipe.

A 'majestic' day

I know I promised to cook something for you all last week, but to completely honest, my relationship with my kitchen has cooled a bit. I think it has to do with summer -- I've been distracted by road trips, fishing trips and the most recent farm trip. My poor little studio is in a total state of disarray because of my neglect, but I've put myself on lockdown. No longer can I ignore the piles of laundry that trip me each time I walk into the bathroom.

FINALLY!!! we had lovely weather this weekend, which made for a great Father's Day and work day on the farm.

The farm and all its glory.

You can see garlic in front and potatoes in the far field.

Farm version of Abbey Road.

My asparagus lives!

My fabulous day was made even sweeter when I discovered the garlic scapes. This short-lived treat is one of my favorite things about summer. The scape is the flowering shoot on the garlic plant, and if you cut it before it flowers you are left with a culinary delicacy similar to morel mushrooms or ramps (wild onions). You won't find scapes in grocery stores, but you can find them at your local farmer's market. If I were you, I would hustle down to pick up a bunch because you will love them! They taste like garlicky green beans.

Snipping scapes.

Who gets this excited over produce?

Besides harvesting scapes, Lester was used to his full potential, we planted lots of delicious root vegetables in between the garlic since they will be harvested in about a month -- red and golden beets, radishes, kohlrabi, parsnips, turnips, as well as planted a blackberry bush. We will have a medley of fun things in the coming months!

If only Julia could have joined us --

the trifecta would have been complete.

Someone asked for a bottle opener and

the judge returned with this.

He's resourceful.

Lunch: pulled pork, coleslaw and salt and vinegar chips.

Prettiest farm dogs I've seen.

Fun with scapes.

To cook scapes: cut off flowery tip.

Slice into bite-sized pieces.

Heat a pan with about a tbs of olive oil over

medium high heat. Saute for a couple of minutes.

Add a few splashes of water to steam them a bit.

Saute until tender -- 5 - 8 minutes and

season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately and devour!

Father's Day feast.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

Our next date involves fishing.

Love you xoH