Tall Tales from Kansas

even though he has outgrown last year's blue spaceships

I did not find the cantaloupe I was looking for at the market yesterday, but I did make the acquaintance of D. Johnson.  She carried many bags with a practiced hand and needed NO assistance with her flowers as she got money out to pay for her jar of jam. 

I also found these lovely gala apples grown right up the road in Bonner Springs.  I already had some apples at home but after I tasted these I couldn't resist.   They are so cute.  So tiny.  Surely I can find some use for them this week. 

I ran into my friend pajama boy strolling through the booths.  I was glad to see that even though he has outgrown last year's blue spaceships he hasn't gotten so dignified that he has given up the practice of wearing pajamas out in public. 

layers of buttery crust and juicy tomato filling

Tomatoes were picked and sliced and salted and patted dry this week and made into a tomato pie.  This summer tomato pie.   Since the crust for the Rustic Breakfast Peach Galette came out ok the other day I think I am a pie crust expert now so I made that too. 

Jeez I am a sloppy crust maker.   The whole time I am handling the dough I am telling myself "don't handle it so much or it will be tough".  I haven't figured out yet how to make it hold together better WHILE not handling it so much.  I think maybe that comes after you have made something like fifty pies.

Tammy of wing and a prayer farm makes this whole crust thing look so easy.  

In the end it came out pretty darn good by my standards.  I was sort of thinking I should have deviated from the recipe and added some fresh basil to it.  I'm glad I didn't.   This pie has a really fresh tomato flavor with just a bit of green onion that pairs up well with the cheddar cheese.  It's really simple and the layers of buttery crust and juicy tomato filling are perfect.  The end.  You say tomato.  I say pie!

casualties of the dog days of summer

I am thankful for the heat tolerant bougainvillea, the portulacaria afra variegata, the echeveria hybrid, the campfire and gollum crassulas, and the Ipomoea nil. 

They are NOT included on the list of the casualties of the dog days of summer.  Sniff sniff.  Farewell nasturtiums and zinnias that I put in pots even though I knew you were likely to flourish better in the ground.

I will look upon this as an opportunity to begin to clean and put some of the pots away for the winter.    Maybe I will even re-organize a few shelves in the garage.   Maybe.  Highly unlikely though.   That would be downright foolhardy on a 4 day weekend.  Forget I even said it. 

I am not kidding about the bougainvillea out back by the way.  In another month it will be taller than Chris.  Who, by the way, does not mind one little bit when I ask him to stand in a photo as a frame of reference for size. 

 

the art of knitting at it's finest

This is Mary's latest completed afghan.  It is composed of mitred squares and was knit primarily from her stash yarn.  There is something so pleasing about the optical illusions created when the squares are placed together.  It's mesmerizing. 

This, in my mind, is the art of knitting at it's finest... and one of the best reasons to knit with a group.  I am constantly inspired by their creations. 

these things happen

Today I met one of my friends who has what I would call classic good looks.  Good bone structure, well placed eyes, shapely brows, thick straight hair... I could go on but you know what I mean.   While we were out I took her picture because I KNEW she would not mind what you are about to see. 

I can not get enough of blind contour drawings.  There is something very addicting about trying to capture an image with your hand and not letting your eyes get in the way.   I of course had to try and draw her while I looked as well.  There is a small resemblance to her actual appearance in the shape of her right eye. 

Tonight I tried one more blind contour - this time I started with the glasses on her head instead of with the eyes which is where I usually like to start.  I don't know how, but that led to her earring being in her nose instead of in her ear.  These things happen. 

Lisa - today was fun!  I am going to start on your "formal chair portrait" tomorrow.  I did a little practice sketch tonight, your body did not look even the tiniest bit stiff or unnatural.   After seeing these preliminary sketches, I hope you have not begun to have any misgivings about the large retainer you put down today for the portrait.  I think your editor is going to agree that it will be perfect for the book jacket on your upcoming new release!

 

you never know when you are going to have a two "pullover" night

I could see a storm brewing over Lawrence tonight on my way home.  Westbound on K-10.  This was one of those nights when a "pullover" was needed. 

7:55pm

7:58pm

8:00pm

And when I thought it wasn't going to get any better I pulled back onto the hiway, only to pull off a minute later because I realized it WAS going to get better.

8:03pm

I love the overlapping layers of clouds best.  Sure was glad the trusty Nikon Coolpix was in my purse.  You never know when you are going to have a two "pullover" night. 

just past the crunchy phase

Because necessity is the mother of invention, the other day I created the cold, open faced, chocolate-peanut butter sandwich.   A cousin to the ice cream sandwich, but different.  For me the 2 cookies to one layer of ice cream doesn't work because you know what's going to happen with the first bite.  The cookies are going to break, or the ice cream is going to smoosh out, and its just going to be one big mess.  

I used this peanut butter cookie recipe and was very pleased with the way they came out. 

I made my cold, open faced, chocolate-peanut butter sandwich with cookies that were a few days old.  Just past the crunchy phase and softer.  Perfect for topping with chocolate ice cream. 

I am sold on the combination. That's not to say that I would turn my nose up at other ice cream flavors.  Like that brown sugar banana flavor from Rori's in Montecito.   Oh.  My. 

in the name of adventure

A little thing called work kept me from the farmers market yesterday.  Which means at 7am today I went outside to evaluate my options for bouqet making.  I decided to go with the unlikely combination of hollyhocks, lemon balm, zinnias, hostas, and basil.

I like the overall farmhouse vibe of this arrangement.   

The photo I did not get this morning was of the determined 4 or 5 year old boy in an orange security vest who rolled by my house at 8:02 am on his big wheel.  He was peddling like mad into some big adventure.  No adults in sight to interfere with his plans.  I would have liked to have a conversation with him but he was busy. 

I went inside and ate french toast instead.  With warm syrup.  In the name of adventure.  

2 tomato plants yields exactly the right amount of tomatoes for a household of 2

Because I will want to replicate the flavor of tomato season this coming fall and winter, I am doing a little work in the kitchen this weekend.  Today I chopped and bagged tomatoes for the tomato soup I plan to make on January 6th.  Tomato soup is a perfect meal for the first Tuesday of 2015.   

I also made a batch of tomato vinaigrette that I think is going to be delicious drizzled over the green beans we are having tonight. 

Today I saw this recipe for tomato pie and it is now in the que for experimenting with too.   There should be just enough tomatoes left (I think) for the pie,  another batch of salsa, and the absolute last 4 tomatoes will be made into one final jar of tomato jam to be eaten in October.   This leads me to the conclusion that 2 tomato plants yields exactly the right amount of tomatoes for a household of 2. 

I think it's better to wish you had a few more tomatoes than to have an excess.  Besides, this way I can buy a few of those exotic looking heirlooms at the market next weekend.   Between now and next Saturday I would appreciate all of you "heirloom experts" telling me which are your favorites. 

pretty much an exact replica of the place

Today, despite the 90+ degree temperature, I met my friend at Hi Hat Coffee.  We sat outside moving from chair to chair to stay in the shade of the one umbrella outside on the patio. 

It's a teeny place that used to be a gas station and maybe a dry cleaners before it became one of the best places in Kansas City to get a well made latte.  That means it is creamy, with a bold rich coffee flavor, and a touch of sweetness that makes you have to close your eyes and go "mmmm" after each sip... until you realize you might look like a fool and you stop and just enjoy it.     

When I got home I sketched the building from a picture I took while we were there.  This is pretty much an exact replica of the place.  Pay no attention to that small square up in the left corner where I had already drawn a petal of a sunflower that actually looks more like a banana. 

The latte I had was either a butterbean or a buttercream.  It's the one on the menu board that says it has brown sugar in it.  Simply divine. 

I rolled and sliced and arranged and dotted with butter and folded up the edges

Ever since I made that apple galette a while back, I have wanted to make another one.  The problem is I want to make a lot of things.  What I really need to do is adopt 3 people who love sweets, and can eat everything as soon as I make it, allowing me to make more right away and fiddle with the recipe to see if I won't like it even better.

I bought peaches at the market last week that needed a touch more ripening.  Here is my new peach-ripening trick.  Set the peaches on a cotton cloth and cover them with another cloth.  Within 48 hours or so they are ready.  Worked like a charm.  I whipped up a crust and got the skin off the peaches using that 40 second plunge in the boiling water, followed by 10 seconds in the ice water method.  SUCCESS two times in a row with that by the way. 

I rolled and sliced and arranged and dotted with butter and folded up the edges and popped it in the oven.  There was an egg wash and a sugar sprinkle in there somewhere too. 

Results:  Delicious!   Tender crust and flavorful juicy peaches.  If you are eating it for dessert you might want some ice cream.  I did.  I found myself wishing it was just a touch sweeter... until I took a piece to work for breakfast.   What I discovered after eating it cold for breakfast is that really this should be called Rustic Peach Breakfast Galette.  Seriously.  I like it better for breakfast.  That will not stop me from eating it for both breakfast and dessert but for the future I will keep this on my radar for a perfect addition to a brunch menu.  Instead of biscuits or scones.   Trust me.  I know of what I speak when it comes to breakfast. 

Recipe is here if you want to try it yourself. 

the non-stop flight part 2: getting stuck

Thanks for all the comments the other day about "having the talk" with someone about your preferences for care if you find yourself unexpectedly, critically, ill.  What I also wanted to say, that I didn't, because it needed to be part two of that discussion, is this....

In the world of modern healthcare you can be saved from many things, you get a bad infection - there are antibiotics, your kidneys fail - dialysis to the rescue, can't swallow safely anymore - feeding tube can be put in, can not protect your airway because of brain injury - a tracheostomy tube can be inserted, blood pressure going down the tubes - there are medications to keep it up, I couldn't possibly describe all the things that can be done to "fix" your heart... and so forth and so on.  What this leaves us with sometimes are people who are "stuck".  By that I mean they are not getting any better, but they are also not dying.  They have been rescued from all the things that could kill them.  

Being rescued from things that can kill you is a good thing.  UNLESS you are existing in a state that is not acceptable to you.  Then you must ask yourself if you want to be rescued.  Just because tools are available, it does not mean they must be used. 

Therapies that are started can also be stopped.   I don't want to make the assumption that everyone knows this.  This point was brought home to me today when I was asked by a nurse whose father has a defibrillator/pacemaker if it's ok to turn them off when someone is sick and not getting any better.  The answer to that question by the way, is a resounding YES.  

It might feel differently to stop something rather than never starting it in the first place, but from a moral, legal, ethical standpoint you should know that there is no difference and you are on solid ground if you request therapies be stopped.    I tell people everyday that these decisions are not set in stone, and if you find that your loved one's days seem to be more about suffering than having any good quality time you should talk about these issues with the healthcare provider involved in their care.   

Oh.  And by the way.  I don't have a part 3 to this discussion planned.  At the moment anyway.   

a little busy, but in a neutral color, that was different from the riot of colors on the front but somehow went with them

I am on the home stretch on my quilt.  Time for binding the edges.  What did we do before videos on line to learn how to do something we thought we might know how to do but it turns out we really don't have a clue about?  Sheesh! 

I had not idea that you would have to connect the binding for the entire quilt (versus doing one side at a time), or that you should sew the strips together at 45 degree angles, not to mention how you figure out how many strips to cut and how wide they should be.  If the really really nice helpful young woman hadn't been at the fabric store today I would have had to call my brother the mathematician. 

I selected the fabric for the binding in the same way I selected all the fabrics for the quilt.  I just picked what I liked.  I wanted something a little busy, but in a neutral color,  that was different from the riot of colors on the front but somehow went with them.  As soon as I saw this I was sold. 

I would have made a start on the binding but when I stopped for lunch the peaches on the table started talking to me.  I had to attend to them.  Speaking of lunch. 

I show you this only to demonstrate the proper ratios between the tomato jam, the roast beef, and the cream cheese.   The jam is the most important ingredient as you can see.  If you have a rustic bread that is good too, but if all you have on the counter is some Sara Lee 100% whole wheat it will fill the bill. 

don't look at it in the middle of the day

I was happy to see these fellas on saturday morning at the market.  I think everything looks better when there is lively music in the air.

Tomatoes remain front and center in the produce offerings.  The heirloom tomatoes are so interesting looking.  I got a Krim to add to the mix for our salsa.  The lady who grew it said they have a smoky flavor and would add an interesting element to the flavor profile of the salsa.  I needed no further convincing. 

I was delighted to have another chance at some locally grown peaches.  This man said this was a new variety and for the life of me I can't remember what he called them. 

I also saw my first pumpkin of the year.   I hereby do solemnly swear that I will not start my pumpkin eating kick until the first of October.   Unless I can't hold out.  Then I will have to break my pledge. 

Here's what I couldn't do without this week.

I asked the lettuce lady this week how it was possible to grow such nice lettuce in the middle of August in Kansas when it's so hot.  Her reply is worthy of repeating...   "harvest it regularly, don't irrigate so the roots have to go deep for water, and the most important thing is don't look at it in the middle of the day".  

fresh salsa season is upon us

The tomatoes are coming on strong now.   You know what that means.  Chris pulled down the ancient cuisinart, sharpened the knives, and got out our favorite salsa recipe  last night.   

 

Taco salad last night with salsa, poached egg over pinto beans with avocado and fresh salsa for breakfast.  Tonight it's hamburgers with mexican pasta salad that uses sour cream and salsa mixed with a little mayo, cumin, and lime juice for the dressing (recipe from pioneer woman can be found here).  At this rate I predict that giant bowl of salsa will last only another 24 hours.  

In case you don't have a favorite salsa recipe, and have an excess of tomatoes on your hands, here is ours.  It's from the frugal gourmet. 

 

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running into people I hope are my future self

She was ahead of me in line today at Josie's Posies.

Luckily we were both there early and there were plenty of posie's to choose from.  I followed her lead and stocked up on a few sunflowers myself.

I love running into people at the market that I hope, hope, hope, are my future self. 

I will try to draw one of these sunflowers this week.  Oh the treachery of trying to capture the magnificence of this multidimentional flower in a two dimensional medium.  I will do my best.  

I personally want the non-stop flight when I get seriously ill

Every once in a while the palliative care nurse in me fights with the cook, gardener, sketcher, knitter, sewer, hooker, and blogger in me to try to get some air time here at Tall Tales.  That leads to a post about serious stuff.  This is one of those.  

I have recently been involved in the care of several people my age or younger who suddenly found themselves critically ill in one of the intensive care units at my hospital.  Seriously ill meaning they had a breathing tube down their throat, were on a ventilator, were not responding in a meaningful way to stimulation, and were beginning to see other problems develop - kidney failure, multiple infections, etc.  Both of these people had been up walking and talking before admission to the hospital.  Neither ever expected to find themselves here. 

Both patients had come to a crossroads.  They were at a point of it being very reasonable to ask "do we keep on pushing ahead with very aggressive care knowing that they are unlikely to get back to anywhere near the quality of life they had before this event happened?   OR are we at a point when the patient would tell us, if they could, that they wanted to focus on comfort knowing that their time would be short if the breathing tube was removed. 

Your weekend assignment is to talk to the person you have named on your durable power of attorney for health care decisions to make decisons for you.  Tell them what you would want them to tell  the doctors to do about your care in this scenario.

You can NOT say "I don't want to be a vegetable."  Why?  Because it's never that straightforward.  There is ALWAYS uncertainty.  Small or medium chances that you might make it.  Talk about all those scenarios.  

There is no right or wrong answer.  It is as equally acceptable to proceed with every treatment option you are offered as it is to stop all treatments.  The important thing here is not to make your loved one have to guess what you would want.  How much would you be willing to endure to get better?  Is it ok with you to stay on a breathing machine for weeks or months?  Are you ok with getting a tracheostomy and a feeding tube?  What degree of disability are you willing to put up with?   Do you need to be able to recognize and speak with your family to have a good quality of life?  If you can not communicate with your family are you ok with living in a nursing home for months or maybe years with the hope that you might improve?  Would you have to have a 50% chance of recovery or is 5-10% chance ok?   

None of us is getting out of here alive.  We are all going to get our tickets punched sometime and life on earth will be over.   I personally want the non-stop flight when I get seriously ill.  I do not want any long layovers in a hospital, rehab center, long term acute care hospital, or nursing home.  Even if my family is told that there is a high percentage that I will come out of it and be able to have some kind of meaningful quality of life.  I am taking the first ticket I am handed.  This means that if I have a wreck on the highway and end up in the ICU on a breathing machine and I am not responding in a meaningful way and it looks like I might have a long road of recovery ahead of me I am NOT to be left on that breathing machine.  Take it out and make me comfortable and let me die.  No matter if the doctors tell Chris I have a 50% chance of getting better.  I know a lot of people who have died.  I am not afraid of being dead.  I am afraid of suffering. 

What else do you want to know about the kinds of choices you may have to make?  What terms have been thrown at you that you are not sure you understand?  This post is not meant to make you take the route I have selected for myself.  It is about helping you understand what choices you may face and talking about it before it happens.  

 If you want to download your state's advanced directives form go here.

with cream cheese and roast beef on sour dough

Around Thanksgiving my favorite sandwich is the cranky turkey.  Grilled french bread, cream cheese, cranberry sauce, and turkey.  Yum.  Yum.   So when I saw this recipe for spicy tomato jam in the newspaper last week I immediately thought about sandwich spread.

So far I have decided to try this on a grilled cheese, with cream cheese and roast beef on sour dough, and on baguette with brie as an appetizer. 

In case you have ideas of how you want to use it, here is the recipe.  I cut it in half and got that jar pictured above.  I ended up letting it boil for about 10 minutes and stirred frequently during that time to be sure it was going to get thick enough for my liking.  I used 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and it is nice and spicy.

 

six more movies to go

We went to see "The Hundred Foot Journey" last weekend.  On the opening weekend no less!  That might be a first for us.  If you like France, and you like food, and you like Helen Mirren... go and see it.

We spent 2 perfectly lovely hours being entertained while we watched.   It's a "nice" movie (as Angie would say) even if it is predictable.    Sometimes predictable, and sweet, and enjoyable is just the kind of 2 hour escape I need. 

Six more movies to go to make my "one a month for 2014" resolution come to pass.  I think I can, I think I can....

we have a very fair division of duties at this house

This past weekend Chris took a picture of the supermoon the night before it got super.  So I guess it was a pre-supermoon.

While he was doing that I was sketching some flowers.

Chris also went to the store, did the re-cycling, and went to the dry clearners while I was counting the tomatoes in order to calculate when we might next be able to have BLT's.

Then while I was applying the watercolor to my zinnias he made beef and broccoli for dinner. 

Later on I went and took a picture of the sky and clouds and told Chris if he hurried I thought he could get my car washed and filled up with gas before it started raining again. 

I also got the paper off the driveway and made coffee on Sunday morning then found time to work on the ever challenging plain white coffee cup sketch while he made breakfast. 

As you can see we have a very fair division of duties at this house.   I may have forgotten to mention that I washed all the dishes and spent a considerable amount of time thinking.

snack, dessert, or middle of the day pick me up

I hate to do this to you, but if you haven't made any peach cobbler yet this summer you better get a move on. 

Thank goodness I found the booth with the only peaches at the market on Saturday before I went into full blown tantrum mode.   I haven't used white peaches before but this lady in the pretty apron assured me they were good.  She was right.    

Maybe it's just me, but peach season in Kansas seems to have flown by this year.  

For the first time EVER I had success at the "dip in boiling water and then ice water" method of removing the skins.   It sure makes the whole process of cutting up the peaches easier. 

I did not allow myself to get seduced by other recipes this year.  I used the one that makes the peaches the star of the show.  Go here for the recipe.   

With ice cream or without.  It is the perfect summer snack, dessert, or middle of the day pick me up... I leave it to you to decide when to serve it. 

 

lettuce. in august. in kansas.

I saw cute girls with purses and cute girls on bikes at the farmers market on Saturday.

There were also scads of georgeous looking tomatoes.  All makes and models.  Of which I bought none because I am sleeping with a tomato growing expert these days.

My favorite find at the market this week was ...

... beautiful, tender, lettuce.  In AUGUST.  In Kansas.  Unheard of.   My mouth must have been hanging open because this nice lady just smiled and handed me a bag to fill.   I will be back to this booth again. 

This is the kind of lettuce that you want to make a very simple salad with.  Lettuce, a sprinkle of nuts, a few raisins, maybe some feta or goat cheese and a very light hand with the vinaigrette that has a hint of dijon mustard in it. 

I also visited Josie's posies, bought some sage to go with more spaghetti squash, and found what I think are the last of the peaches.  More about them later. 

I have lettuce to eat right now.  Plus zinnias and sunflowers to draw.   Happy Sunday. 

 

this is like having a new bag of potato chips to eat when you have only eaten tortilla chips for a year

These are my new little watercolor/sketch pads.  I needed something I could easily throw in my purse or the car.  The one on top is 6x6 square and the one underneath is a landscape orientation and measures about 5 1/2 x 8 1/2.  

It was very fun experimenting with how this cold press paper takes ink and watercolor.  Very different from the hot press paper I have in my other journals.   I like it.  It really draws the ink and water in quickly.   The water soluble ink does bleed but it takes a bit more water to make it happen.  I am still in love with hot press paper, but this is like having a new bag of potato chips to eat when you have only eaten tortilla chips for a year.   If you know what I mean.  

I fully intend to draw this bottle of ink no less than 10 more times, but holy crap - the first time was fun!  So was doing the zinnia and practicing writing with my new paint brushes with water color.   It is very freeing to grab an inexpensive little book and just start without thinking too much. Thinking is so over-rated. 

I sketched the nasturtiums out back and the columbine out front.  The squirrel out front with the big nut in his mouth that went scurrying across my porch did not stop long enough for me to capture his image.  It might have been because I told him he better not even think about burying that nut in one of my pots.  

she is going on vacation soon and wants to look good in her bathing suit

As I was driving to El Patron on Southwest Blvd in Kansas City Thursday night I happened upon this.  Some mighty colorful street art.  Even in suboptimal light, it was pretty spectacular. 

 

Then I thought I saw what looked like a plane.  Perched on top of some buildings.  Right on Southwest Blvd.   Flying perilously close to the power lines!

How was I to know that one of my favorite coffee places in KC had a DC-3 aircraft suspended over their factory?  I crossed several lanes of traffic and pulled over to investigate.

It was cool to look at from all angles.  

Had I been to El Patron and had my classic margarita on the rocks (with a salted rim) before I found the plane it is very likely that I would not have taken this photo.  As it was it made me a little bit dizzy looking up from that angle. 

While I am at it, the guacamole at El Patron is second only to the guacamole I had in San Miguel de Allende at La Gruta.  In other words, exceedingly good.   I had the fish tacos which were sublime but will also admit that I ate one third of Joan's chicken enchillada with mole sauce.   I only did it because she is going on vacation soon and wants to look good in her bathing suit.  I don't plan to wear one anytime soon myself and just wanted to be helpful.  

P.S.  if my bouncing from topic to topic while reading this post made you feel like you were in the cockpit of a plane doing loop-de-loops ... I just want you to know, I meant to do that. 

 

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I prefer to think of it as an unruly toddler

When the crocus, the cherry, the tulips, the iris, the alium, the penstemmon, the hydrangea, the coneflowers, and the hostas have all done their thing, you know it's time for the morning glory to show up.

I know some people refer to the morning glory as a weed, and I will admit to having to rip it back so it doesn't completely choke out my Karl Foerster Reed Grass and yellow twig dogwoods.  But still, if it wasn't for it and the zinnias (and the one red rose bush I dared to plant in memory of Angie despite the threat of witches broom) things would be pretty dull around here right now.  I prefer to think of the morning glory as an unruly toddler that will benefit from some love and positive reinforcement. 

 

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grocery store safety pins are a little on the dull side

Last night we moved the table out of the dining room so I could lay out the quilt to put all the layers together.  Who was the one who thought it was a good idea to make my first quilt be so BIG?  Oh right.  Me. 

In case you get the idea to embark upon a quilt making adventure here are some things I learned today.  It takes way more safety pins than you think it will to keep all the layers together.  Grocery stores do carry safety pins if you happen to go to Super Target at 7am to get some and discover they don't open until 8am.  You will have to buy about 4 boxes of the mixed sizes though because they don't have any packs of just the big ones.  Grocery store safety pins are a little on the dull side. 

Stitiching in the ditch is way harder than you might think when you are trying to guide an industrial sized quilt through your machine. 

And yes, if I would have waited until the safety pin store was open, and if I would have went to the Bernina store and had them show me how to put on (and use) my walking foot, and if I would have had any one of the 3 people I know who are excellent quilters help me, this would have been much easier.  But what fun would that be?

I am the exact same kind of quilter as I am a sketcher.  Highly enthusiastic.  Poorly trained.  Loving every minute of the process.  

heretofore never cooked by me

You are gonna thank me for this.  You might even name your next cat after me you are so grateful.  Today I discovered the perfect summer supper combination and I am about to tell you exactly how to make it. 

It starts with a spread.  I made mine early in the day and put it in the refrigerator to let all the flavors mingle.  Then you put the spread on some bread  and add some thick slices of tomato.  This creates the tomato sandwich that will be giving the the BLT a run for it's money for the rest of the summer.   

OK now that the main dish is squared away here is what you serve it with.  

Introducing the one, the only, the heretofore never cooked by me,  spaghetti squash.   How was I to know it was so easy to fix?  I have only eaten it in fancy restaurants before and assumed it was complicated.  Au contraire.   

You cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and pulp.  Put it in a baking dish cut side up.  Rub some olive oil and salt and pepper on it.  Add a little water to the pan and cover the whole thing with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 375 degrees.  Take it out of the oven and let it get cool enough to handle.  Scrape it with a fork and like magic the "spaghetti" happens.   I put it in a skillet with a little bit of olive oil and added some fresh thyme but that step is not necessary. 

Recipe below from The Farm Chicks Cookbook.  I checked it out from the library the other day just because I wanted to try out the new express check out system.  I picked well!

Have I mentioned how glad I am Chris decided to grow tomatoes this summer? 

 

the fourth most important thing is to play with all your left-over paint when you're done

Last night I decided to draw my house.  Because it was there.  Plus I wanted to use my brand new pen.

It's a Noodlers Ahab Flex Fountain pen.  I ordered it from the Goulet Pen Company.  Don't click on that link unless you plan to buy a pen.  You won't be able to leave without one.  

So I sketched it out with the pen using some water soluble ink and then I added a little water color.   This doesn't look exactly like my house but it's close enough for you to pick it out of a line-up.  Not that you'd ever have to do that.  

The most important thing about sketching is to have fun.  The second most important thing is to keep going.  The third most important thing is to relax and not get all rushed.  The fourth most important thing is to play with all your left-over paint when you're done.  

I have to go and watch the sketchbookery video on drawing trees again.  I'm going to take my new pen with me when I watch.  It's important to have quality bonding time when you plan to have a long-term relationship with your pen. 

I feel certain that together we can improve upon our techniques. 

a special committee formed to report on the troubles in Kansas

Chris and I went on a field trip to the public library today.   It's been closed for extensive remodeling for months and I needed to familiarize myself with the new set up. 

Its got a wide open, industrial feel to it.  In a good kind of way.  With touches of art work and plenty of places to sit.

There's a room filled with the history of all things Lawrence that will be interesting to explore further.  Did you know there was a special committee formed to report on the troubles in Kansas? 

I have a schedule for trying out all the chairs in the months to come starting with this one below.  I think that green one above has "sketching chair" written all over it. 

The library people didn't call me personally to ask for my input on the remodeling, but from what I could see today, I like what they did.  

He said he wasn't sure he was ready to take that step yet

Warning:  Ridiculously large number of cute cat photos follow.  Proceed at your own risk. 

Today this cat and I entered a new phase in our relationship.  The one where he rubs his head on my feet.  Where he lets me show him my kitty foot rub moves after a healthy dose of cat mint.

The phase where he says "hey where are you going, I'm not done with you yet", when I start to go inside.

The phase where I thought it was time to ask for a little committement in the form of a daily visit at 6pm everyday.  He said he wasn't sure he was ready to take that step yet.  I guess I'll have to show him my special back of the ears scratching techniques. 

birds of a feather

Friday night fun can consist of drawing black birds.  With a blue water soluble ink.  Then painting them black.  Adding some black lines.  And a title.  With yellow watercolor.

Being able to easily entertain myself is one of my very best qualities.   

P.S. Congratulations Greatgrandma Marti and Grandma Jennifer!  you let me know if you want me to come over and sketch that new baby :-)