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.

Hiking and Harvesting

We've been hiking a lot lately (since the arrival of the sun!)

 One of our favorite hikes is to the Wallace Falls, just off of Highway 2.

David and Anni check out the view on the trail.

David does a bit of rock hopping.

Anni is a happy hiker.

Alex and Ari are wondering if their game boys are missing them.

Mossy trees at the start of the woods.

The Wallace River is full of rocks, lots and lots of rocks.

Big rocks, small rocks. Flat rocks, round rocks.

(Sorry, I just had to go Zuessical for a moment.)

What is this strange thing?

Eek! It was the old wasp nest.

Here's the new one directly overhead.

Double Eek, eek!!!

Berries on the bush.

Ferns abundant along the lower trail.



The undercarriage of the fern with the (a-hem) reproductive structures.

Slug approaching mushrooms.

Slug devoring mushroom.

Go, sluggy, go!

(More hiking photos tomorrow)

Well, it's been a busy few weeks down on the funny farm, too. Summer's arrival in the Pacific caused the garden to go Kaboom! We are having what to do with the zucchini contests daily. Currently, there are 22 residing in my fridge! The raspberries and blackberries finally ripened, and the strawberries decided to bloom again! We also have 17 tomato plants spewing forth red, orange, yellow, and chocolate colored cherry tomatoes. The rainbow carrots are determined not to be left out of the action, with white, cream, yellow, orange, red, and purple goodness.

Here are the zucchini cheese muffins Anni and I baked using some of that zucchini,

along with chives from the garden and local cheddar cheese. They're a family fav.

Did I mention they were ginormous? That's Alexander's big 16 year old hand! He's enjoying his new program at the high school. He's a proud viking. David and Alex went to the school's first home football game last night. They shut out their across town rival! Go Viks!

Finally, another post! (It's been awhile)

 Ari at here 21st birthday celebration at the Wilde Rover Celtic pub. Our friend Safe bought her a CD by our musician friend Dan (to the right).

 It's thistle season in the Northwest

Anni leading the way on our recent hike through the woods.

 Anni went to gourmet cooking camp for a week. Here's the salad Nicoise she made during
French cooking day.

 The sun is shining and the veggies are growing. Here we have sage, chives, zucchini, berries, Thai basil, salad, greens, peas, squash blossoms, Italian basil, mint, calendula, and tomatoes.

 We took a trip to the San Juan Islands aboard the Washington State Ferries.

 We had a wonderful breakfast at this restaurant overlooking the harbor.

 We laughed at the name of this boat from our home town.

 Why is Ari so enthusiastic about this tree?

 She loves its cool umbrella shape.

 Alex attempting to hit peak speed along the Sammamish River trail.

 Here's the set-up for my camping trip with my friend Lisa, who'd never been camping.

We spent Thursday through Sunday camping at the NW Herbal Faire.  We enjoyed organic food, workshops on Herbalism and more, terrific music, and friendly folks, all in a beautiful lake side setting in the Walker Valley, near Mount Vernon. And the weather was gorgeous!

A dragon fly resting on a wild cherry twig during an herbal plant identification walk.

 Rafe Pearlman provides some beautiful tunes at the Faire.

 While the farmer was away, the garden got to play and grow and grow and grow. This was the daily harvest when I got back on Sunday.

 And here's today's harvest. Veggies galore! Today we went to Pike Place Market. We ate hombows and chatted with merchants. Today's finds were fresh oysters, local apple sausages, mushrooms, peaches, cilantro, French bread, basil garlic pasta, giant tomatoes, huckleberries, and peanut butter doggie biscuits (for Barkley, the wonder doodle). It was a beautiful warm day in the Seattle area.

 What's in this beautiful mini bouquet? Thai basil leaves, mint flowers, radish flowers, dandelions, and clover flowers. Who says weeds can't be fun?

This one has radish flowers and mini flowers. It was our centerpiece for dinner tonight. A lovely, no cost, no mileage bouquet!

The weeks in review

We've had a really busy couple of weeks. We've been busy hiking up mountains, going to camps, and finishing up classes.
Anni enjoyed her science camp. Next week, she's at gourmet cooking camp.

Alex finished up his math class and is enjoying a break with his video games.

David and Ari are still slogging away at college for another few weeks. Ari had a great time at her 21st birthday celebration. She even got up on stage and sang Happy Birthday to herself with the Celtic band at the pub.Then she danced!

I've got a great tan this year thanks to all the time in my garden. The sun came out and everything suddenly grew and produced. We've been getting a zucchini a day! The tomatoes and berries are in too. Yum! Tonight, for dinner, we make back garden pizza, full of veggiliciousness!

Seattle Highland Games

We went to Seattle Highland Games. It was a ton and a half of fun. Lots of plaid, clans, pirates, and even a few ren. faire folks. Alex liked the caber tossing. Lisa liked the pipes and drum bands, and I loved the dancing music, especially the celtic tribal band. It was awesome!

 Caber tossing.

At least three steps forward, toss end over kilt-er, and line it up at 12 o'clock.

 Massing of the Clans

 Getting ready for the grand parade

 Pipes and drum galore.

More lads in skirt, oops I mean kilts, than lassies.

Drums

One, two, three breathe

I was rather partial to the green kilts.

Mmm, Aren't those supposed to be in front?

Awesome funky Australian Celtic tribal band, Brother.