Summer Fun!

Yesterday was the summer solstice. I celebrated the day by spending it in Seattle with future farmer Ari and her pal, Toni. We started out at Pike Place Market at the Crumpet Shop. I went for one with green eggs and ham, while Ari preferred hers with lemon curd. Next, it was a hop across the street to Starbuck for some fuel for the day.

We met Toni at SAM's (Seattle Art Museum) hammering man sculpture. The featured exhibit was modern minimalism. Lots of the art work was labeled as untitled. So, we had great fun giving them all names. My personal favorite was Horde of Angry Bumble Bees for a canvas of yellow splotches and black zig-zags.

After SAM, it was time for lunch. We walked south along 1st Ave to Pioneer Square and finally arrived at the New Orleans Creole Restaurant. It's a really cool old place where lots of the jazz greats have played (including one of my favs, Ray Charles) and new artists abound. While waiting for our order, I pulled out a pad of origami paper and we tried our hands at folding a frog, butterfly, and bird. Toni was the only one to get hers done before the meal arrived. Toni and I both indulged in jambalaya; while Ari ordered up the Catfish and hushpuppies. All came with warm and tasty cornbread. It was Southern delish!

Then we headed back north to Pike Place. The girls had serious Manga to check out; while I had groceries to collect at the Spice shop, Italian deli, Parisian bakery, and Chinese bun stand. By the time we were done, we were tired, in need of another coffee, and ready to face Friday rush hour.

I spend the evening of Solstice in my garden contemplating the upcoming full moon. The garden was alive with sounds of birds and bees and the fresh smell of all the flowers we've interspersed between the fruits and veggies.

Today, was our Saturday farmers' market in Redmond. We've been going there for years. Today, we picked up a cucumber, cilantro, tomatoes, green onion, cherries, lettuce, peapods, and shallots. Every week the market has a different theme. Today was mustache day. Here's mine:

Hmm, I think I look a bit like Hercule Poirot.

I spent the rest of our beautiful sunny day in the garden: watering, harvesting, weeding, etc. Here's today's bounty:

lemon balm, chard and kale greens, basil, our first Marionberry and blueberries, a few remaining black currants, chamomile floweres, chives, parsley, strawberries, oregano, calundula floweres, borage flowers, raspberries, lemon oregano, and nasturium flowers.

I used the parsley and chives in a big patch of cheddar chive scones for our picnic tomorrow. The flowers, some of the berries, and herbs went into my lunch salad, delish!

Hope your summer solstice was a lovely one.

Our 6th Day of Snow in the Seattle Area!

 January is the month I teach Anni about winter weather. I think we may have tempted the weather fates. They blew a cold front that's been drifting snow down since last Saturday.

 Anni's winter art.

 Snowmen rule the bulletin board.

 And they're taking over the mantel.

 Snowflakes hanging midair between the learning center and the dining room.

 We braved outside to feed the chickens.

 They were hungry and so not amused by the snow.

 A rhody in winter white.

 Barkley, have you been eating the snow again?

 Snowflake sugar cookies.

 No two are exactly alike.

 Is it nature or the unsteady hand of the decorator?

The flowerpot snowman standing guard over the garden. "Back you snow goblins!"

 A ginormous icicle handing right over the center of our front door, ready to nail the unexpected.

 Is this the rare Northwest tree squid?

 Nope, just a frozen wind chime anchored by an aggressive grape vine.

The official family snow-o-meter.

We've enjoyed our winter respite, but seriously Weather Fates, enough! My farm box is coming tomorrow and I don't want to have to sled seven miles to pick it up!

Busy, busy, busy!

 The garden is in full autumnal splendor. We've been harvesting lots of herbs, berries, corn, zucchini (courgettes), eggplant (aubergine), carrots, flowers, and tomatoes.

 We've also been eating lots of garden inspired meals. On Tuesday, we made eggplant parmesan with lots of eggplant, garlic and herbs from the garden. On Wednesday, we made garden harvest soup with zucchini cheddar muffins (awesome!). On Thursday, we made homemade herb noodles (using our pasta machine) with a sage (from our garden) cream sauce. On Friday, we made fish fillets in a mango sauce (not from the garden) with a stir fry of zucchini, snow peas, onions, and greens (from the garden!). And today (Saturday), we had a garden feast of stuffed zucchini blossoms, fresh corn, beans, and fresh salsa (Alex's specialty and very hot!). We often start our days with a fresh berry yogurt smoothie. Yum. I love garden goodness.

We've begun harvesting this year's crop of pumpkins. We have seven on the counter so far! I can hardly wait to make spicy pumpkin stew (Yes, Lisa, you can come to dinner!).

Barkley was night romping and ran into a tree limb, injuring his eye. He had to make a quick ($$$) trip to the vet for treatment. Here he his standing guard in the garden (he keeps the chickens out when they're free ranging), wearing his homemade collar guard. The chicken, who usually either ignore him or sit on him, were truly terrified. He finally got some doggy respect.

This past Monday was international talk like a pirate day. Ari and I decided to dress the part prior to our weekly Celtic dancing stint. It was lots of fun, matey! Arrrrrrr.

The sunflowers are finally blooming.

The tomatoes are turning red.

The squash keep on turning out produce.

The berries are ripening.

The garden spiders are claiming their territories.

The green house is resembling a jungle.

And we finally got the eggplant to grow!

In other news, I finished up my aromatherapy class at Bastyr University. My nose is all burned out from smelling so many essential oils in such a short amount of time!

We attended Alexander's high school open house. He seems to really be enjoying his program, and the teachers seem like a great bunch. He and David have been going to the football games. Go Vikings!

Anni has restarted all her school activities. She loves seeing all the other kids for her cooking group, but she really misses Alex. She and Barkley check his room several times a day.

Ari and David have returned for fall quarter in their college programs. David is taking astronomy and environmental science. Ari is taking logic, American studies, and archeology.

Today, we hit the farmer's market for apple pie jam, apple butter, apples (Can you tell Anni is going to learn about apples next week?), cilantro, jalapeno peppers, cantaloupe, and sweet corn. Then it was off to the book exchange to trade books, followed by a stop by the library to return and pick-up. When our local market ends at the end of October, we'll be making a weekly pilgrimage to Pike Place Market.

Tomorrow, Ari, my friend Lisa, and I are off on one of our weekend adventures. Stay tuned for details.

Field Trip!

Today, we fed the chickens, let the dog run around, watered the garden, and after packing up the Prius, went on a suburb field trip. We took the ferry from Edmonds to Kingston, on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. Then we drove along the water, stopping at quaint Port Gamble, trendy Port Ludlow, and finally Victorian Port Townsend. We arrived just in time for lunch at our favorite local sandwich shop. Delish! Then it was out to Fort Warden for a long trek around all the old artillery batteries and trails. The weather was iffy when we set out but beautiful once we arrived. After hiking until our legs were about to fall off, it was back to town for pie. Hmm, pie. Of course, since we were in town, we had to check out a few of our favorite shops. We love the Phoenix Rising new age bookshop and the Bead Store. We ended our outing with coffee for the journey home and Chinese takeout once we arrived. All in all, a terrific way to spend a Thursday. See pics below.

Ariana checking out the kelp on the beach. Unite marine science nerds!

Anni and Julie Ann checking out the seaweed. Nerdity runs in the family.

Beautiful view of the sound from the top of an artillery battery, irony in action.

Is this Queen Nefertiti in her tomb. Not even close!

Alex and David playing womp a gopher. Just kidding!

The monoliths are back!

Ari sporting perfect ringlets.

Anni cracking up in the sunshine.

Alexander the Great on his throne.

Alex and Ari at the Memory Vault art installation.

David on the Memory's Vault art installation.

David on the ladder.

David off the ladder.

Papa deer.

Mama and baby deer. Too cute!