Mystery String

If you glance toward the ceiling in our kitchen you'll notice a string between the cupboards on one side of the room.

By mid-summer, there is usually a cluster of drying herbs hanging there.

By mid-winter, the dried herbs have long since been crushed into dark tins inside the cupboards, and we're enjoying garden basil and oregano in our pizza sauce.

So if you're ever in our kitchen, look up and see what season it is by what's hanging on the string. Dust means late winter or early spring.

Happy birthday to Fuzzyback

We decided, because it was approximately the right date, and because we had a happy passel of kids at our house this afternoon, to celebrate our hamster's birthday today. Anticipation for the event (brainchild of a 5-year-old) has been building for weeks. Potential guests. Gifts. Decorations. Mostly in discussion form, but I did let her spend $3 on some "salty savors" for the little beast. And we got a balloon.

There are children in the world that do not have bdays as nice as the hamster's. I am aware of this absurdity.

We had a table full of snacks that appealed to kids and hamsters alike (peas from our garden, pita chips, watermelon, and so on). We made a rhubarb crisp to have something cake-ish but not so decadent.

A good time was had by all.

Week 94—On the fly

Mon – Pulled pork, corn

Tues –  Burgers 

Weds – Chicken stir-fry

Thurs – Rigatoni with sausage and peas

Fri – Gazpacho, tostadas, Mexican delights

Alts – popcorn?

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Went to the store to grab some frozen pizzas tonight and came back with groceries for the week. No time like the present, and my 5-year-old and I were having a really nice time shopping together. Eldest boy sobbing right now (bedtime) so suspect my time here is up. Happy cooking.

Dinner plan? Meh.

Not planning meals this week since it's so hot that none of us really seem to be eating much anyway. Doesn't mean exciting things aren't happening on the meal front, however. Highlights thus far this week:

– Having Jimmy John's deliver to my car (complicated tale, but let's just say they provide excellent service)

– Trying out a new local taco shop that offers things like 16 hr brisket and pumpkin seeds in their taco selection. All tacos $2.50. My husband and I tried 5 kinds tonight with a cool beer. Perfect. Rusty Tacos, right next to Trader Joe's for curious local readers.

– Having popcorn for dinner on Sunday. Seems like there was something else too, but all I remember was the popcorn.

Bowled Over

Did I already show these? After my littlest babe broke all my mixing bowls (and fortunately not himself) in one fell swoop this winter, we ordered some new bowls online.

I've loved these, even all the ridiculous little sizes they come in. I think I used them all in the first 2 days of ownership, just because of the fun colors and sizes. They made me look for excuses to "need" that tiny little blue bowl or that slightly-larger-but-not-quite-mixing-bowl-category red bowl. The huge one is a pretty putrid shade of green though. 

I like that they are somewhat taller and narrower than my previous very broad, wide set. It makes them easier to handle.

All this is to say I should actually be planning out this week's menu so the bowls have a purpose, other than holding the Cheerios and salad that are currently the only things available.