just a note

My heart is full and my head is spinning.  I have always loved sending my friends 'just because'  and notes I continue to do it to this day.  Sometimes it's a quick text or a post on their Facebook wall and other times, I pull out the pen and paper and slap on a stamp.  The other day, I was playing around on a website that has some nicer e-cards and I sent a couple off to some friends.  It was one of those things where you feel like you just need to say something and once you do, it's out there and you feel the weight lifted. Plus, knowing they would have a surprise when they checked their e-mail was enough to make me giddy.  You know how they say it's better to give than to receive?  It is.  I get high off making others smile and sometimes, it means I forget that maybe I do the same for the ones on the receiving end. I got a little reminder not long after the first card was sent.

In response to the card, my one friend sent me the sweetest note back.  She touched on some of the memories we shared....funny ones, touching ones and ones that just said that there is no way our friendship will ever end.  I literally sat there reading and re-reading the note with my heart aching and tears welling up in my eyes smack in the middle of the day.  And to think, we were somewhat enemies for the first year or two that we knew each other.  How do you go from that to being in each others lives forever?  I suppose it doesn't matter, now does it?

Card number two....well, I should have played the lottery after that one because once again, another wonderful response. I used to think that it was odd that when I was thinking of someone close to me, they would somehow show up.....a phone call, a dream, a note.  I now believe that it just means that it is someone you have a special bond with.  I have this with both of these people and I do the happy dance every time it happens. The second responder mentioned that we need to get together in the upcoming year and as I read it, I was all, "I was JUST thinking that!!"  Looks like a road trip coming up to see both lovelies.

I was practically walking on air when I ran into a friend that I haven't seen in a while and it turns out that they were not in the same state of mind as me.  This friend has some not-so-fun stuff going on in their life and all I wanted to do was take every bit of good energy I had from the day and hand it over.  I wanted to fix it all for them even though I knew it wasn't possible.  All I can do it be there when they need me and sometimes waiting for that call is the most difficult part of friendship.

I don't know where else I want to go with this post.  In my head I had so much to say but it just seems like run-on sentences when I type so I will end here, appreciating every friend I have and every moment I get to share with them.  I wish you all friendships like the ones I have.

WEN- one month in

As promised, another update on my WEN experience.

I finished up my original supply of Conditioning Cleanser (12 oz.) and ordered the Pumpkin Ginger (16oz.) because it was on sale and I have been loving pumpkin everything this fall.  I was worried that I may start to smell like I lived in Yankee Candle but while the scent is noticeable, It isn't overwhelming (confirmed by Kris).

As I mentioned in another post, I felt like I needed some volume so I ordered the WEN Voluminizer hoping it was as amazing as the B&B on I used to use.  I was told that I could use it before drying or as a hairspray while styling.  I feel like it is a bit too heavy as a hairspray because it instantly makes my hair wet and then crunchy...not what I want.  I have been using the styling cream and then spritzing my roots with a bit of the voluminizer before drying and it works much better that way.  I am still using Victoria's Secret So Sexy hairspray as a finisher because it holds but my hair is still soft, not to mention the amazing scent!

close up of WEN hair

I'm sure you want to know if I will continue to use WEN, right?  There are some tricks to it that are just solved by trial and error.  The biggest thing is that you have to rinse, rinse, rinse! If you leave it in, your hair will feel greasy. Also, you have to stay ahead of the game and keep it on-hand because you can't just run to the store when you run out.

Since I started using it, I have been to the salon one time for a WAY overdue trim and highlight.  I was a bit worried because I saw a few posts online about people complaining that WEN stripped the color from their hair.  I have not had any issue whatsoever.

I can't say that I see a dramatic difference but I do feel like my hair is healthier and I love that it is soft yet full of body.  I don't think it's a miracle treatment but remember, my hair wasn't in terrible condition to start with. I haven't been stopped by anyone complimenting me so will I continue?  Yes. For all of the reasons above, I will stick with this for a bit.

a month (plus or minus) in on the WEN experiment

Please comment or email me if you have any questions I haven't answered yet.  I do not work for WEN or have any ties to their products.  I just wanted to see if it made a difference for me.

Sunday Driver

pineapple ....FYI Melissa, I hope to plant it soon!

It was supposed to be a busy weekend and it did start off that way.  We got some errands done and then celebrated the first birthday of a friend's daughter. After that, I walked away from my phone for almost 24 hours and drank a lot of coffee while enjoying and making use of the extra hour we got this weekend.

I was up early and turned on my DVR'd episode of Ringer.  Kris has half-heartedly been watching but I am in, hook, line & sinker.  At one point I had to pause to fill him in on a few things and as I excitedly explained who, why, and how, his eyes glazed over and I realized that explaining it this show to him was the equivalent of him explaining football to me.

Once we were caught up on Siobhan/ Bridget's ordeals, Kris made French Toast while I cleaned all of the veggies from the farm.  I hate letting things go to waste so I decided that we needed to get roasting!  It still amazes me that you can take a bitter, starchy root of a plant and make it edible.  Just by cooking process alone, you can transform something into a multitude of different things and that's what I did Sunday. 

Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), whole & sliced w/ EVOO, S &P

We got sunchokes 2 weeks in a row from the farm so I took all of them and roasted them.  I did a little reading afterword and found that I could have used them raw in salad but this really brought out a wonderfully nutty flavor,  They get really soft and a bit sticky and chewy where the sugar is most concentrated but they are a nice way to break away from the standard potato. 

Jerusalem artichokes~after roasting

acorn squash before & after

Do I need to even tell you how amazing roasted squash is?  I do it differently each time and this time, I really wanted a little coriander to sprinkle on top but I apparently ran out so just EVOO, salt, pepper and a bit of brown sugar were used.

beets & turnips, before & after

If you don't know by now, beets are one of my very favorite root veggies.  They are pretty and they taste good so many ways. Anyone that has only had canned beets needs to try them roasted.  I promise, you will never look at beets the same way again! Just used the standard EVOO, Salt & pepper again.  Realized after that I had fresh thyme that I should have used.

beets & turnips ~after roasting

Roasting, cleaning, laundry and coffee drinking. Who knew I would turn down a sunny day out of the house for this? It has been a while since I got to have ME time and get things done at the same time.  We were all home but busy doing our own things and it felt good.


Giada has really started to play on her own un-prompted.  She goes from dancing and singing to racing cars around the living room and building 'houses' with her Legos in her room.  I could leave her uninterrupted for hours and she would find things to do and still manage to clean it all up before you got a chance to ask.

around the house

I got to be a 'Sunday Driver' in my own world this weekend and stopped to smell the roses a bit.  I can say all I want that you need to appreciate the small things but doing it is another.  My camera, my friends, family  and this blog help me to do that so to all that read this, I thank you and I hope you find time do do the same this week. Cheers.

around the house

October snow and Birthday #4

Every day is an adventure and this month has been full of them!  Nothing like a freak snowstorm to throw you into winter!

We had a very busy weekend planned.  Saturday was Giada's 4th Birthday but we have learned that having her birthday so close to Halloween means we have to juggle it with other celebrations.  At this age, she loves that it means lots of parties and I hope that she continues to love it as she grows older.

Saturday meant we had to pick up our CSA share but with the predicted storm, we knew we needed to get there early. Pick up included:

• lemongrass (woo-hoo!)
• Jerusalem artichokes 
• salad greens
• garlic
• swiss chard
• carrots
• acorn squash

On our trip back home we thought we'd swing by the grocery store to get Apple Cider and napkins.  What should have been a 5 min. run, in and out, turned into 40 min. easily.  Th place was packed and all abuzz with storm chatter.  By the time we left the flakes were staring to fall and stick.

birthday girl  feet at the start of the storm

misc. Birthday Girl pics....note the 4 fingers to indicate her age :) and the falling snow streaking through the shots

We had to leave for a Halloween Party as soon as we got home so Giada and I  headed over to the neighbor's where Halloween was in full swing!  Our neighbor remembered that it was her Birthday so she gathered all of the kids, turned off the lights and they all sang Happy Birthday to her.  When they went to turn the lights back on, we all discovered that the power was out!

Giada as Olivia the Pig

Giada being silly like Olivia the Pig

The power company predicted that the power would be back on by 8:45pm.  Unless we fired up the grill to boil water, Giada was not going to get the Ravioli Dinner she requested.  Thanks to Facebook and smartphones, we knew that a restaurant we like was open so we get in the truck and hit the road. It took a bit of time but we got there safely and enjoyed a yummy warm meal and Giada substituted her ravioli for flatbread pizza.  There was even someone at the next table celebrating her birthday so it mush have been the place to be that night!

our four-year-old at the 'olive restaurant'  for her birthday

We still didn't have power when we got home so we sang Happy Birthday to her again at her request.  I think that is her favorite part about her birthday because she absolutely glows when you sing it to her.  She says that it makes her feel happy. She opened her gifts from us with light from flashlights and then we all bundled into warmy-warms and lots of blankets since it was down to 57 deg. inside the house.

When we woke up it was sunny but we still had no power. We packed bags just in case we needed to shower somewhere else and went exploring.  No power, but very little damage that we could see in our neighborhood. As we left town we started to see what the storm had done elsewhere. With the extra weight of the snow on leaves, there were may trees that were missing limbs or had completely fallen. We ended up at my parent's house to shower, eat dinner and have an impromptu celebration for Giada and our power returned Monday morning. As of Wednesday, there are still people without power in the Northeast.  Fingers crossed that this isn't an indicator of what will come this season.

photo credit to my friend Jen on these Trick or Treating shots of the kids

Some of the neighboring towns rescheduled Trick-or-Treating but by us, it was on-schedule.  Our town is like none other when it comes to Halloween and living here has renewed my love of the holiday.  We got to share the festivities with good friends and their families and it was a reminder how blessed we are to have these people in our lives.

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."~Ferris Bueller

Going for a Walk

fall grasses

It seems so simple, going for a walk.  Quite a bit led up to the walk we took the other day but first let me fill you in on some of the missing blog posts recently.

CSA Share
We have had a mixed up schedule lately so we haven't been able to enjoy our share the way we did all summer.  A friend took it a few weeks back.  The next week we got there late and got scraps of what was left.  We did get some lettuce, beets, leeks and squash among other items.  They have all been put to good use in the form of soup and salads.  This past weekend, we just missed the pick-up all together.  I feel lost without my veggies.  In the beginning, I felt like we'd never figure out what to do with the veggies but soon it became something I looked forward to.  It helped plan the menu for the week and now that I haven't had that for a few weeks, I'm lost.


WEN
I will need to take another picture soon.  I am still loving it and have kind of figured out the best way for me to use it.  My hair continues to look healthy but I have found that if I try to rush the blow drying or styling, I notice it doesn't look as sleek.  During the week it's easier for me to wash my hair at night and let it air dry so I just have to style it in the morning. This way, I have a few more minutes to primp but I have found the best results are achieved by taking my time.  I have since ordered the voluminizer which I didn't think I wanted at first but then I remembered that I used to use a Bumble & Bumble one  that was amazing.  I called back and the representative told me it can be used as a voluminizer or hairspray.  Fingers crossed it's as great as B&B.

Back to the rest of the buzz here.  Some of you may recall that Kris had back surgery in 2009.  He had a herniated disc that needed some 'trimming' and it was the best decision he'd made in a long time.  Since then, he has gotten back to his usual self and hasn't had any issues.  A few weeks back, he mentioned that he was a bit achy and had a bit of soreness in his back in the same place as last time.  We both took note and hoped it would amount to nothing but about two weeks later, suddenly doubled over in pain, we believed it may be a recurrence of that pesky herniation. An MRI and appointment with his surgeon confirmed our suspicions and just two days after the appointment, we were back at the same hospital for the same surgery.

from kids playing to horseback riding....this is home on our street

Just like round one, it went smoothly and since we both knew what to expect our nerves were calm ( I even got some work done while waiting)  Surgery on Friday and home Saturday.  How is that even possible? They do great work, these doctors & nurses.  Kris will heal at home by taking it easy but so far, he's doing great and is on track much as he was the first time around.  It happened so fast but we are thankful that his pain is relieved and he hopes to see continued improvement. We have been going for daily walks (very slow....like a snail slow) but they get him out of the house and I laughed the other day when I reminded him that I originally wanted to be a Physical Therapist and now, here I am assisting him for free....kinda. 

buds

Giada turns four this week.  FOUR! If you have any doubt that she is as sassy as ever, this morning, she said," ...and you, my dear, can show me that later"  She clearly keeps us on our toes but we love that about her and I think anyone that has met her would say the same. 

It has gone quickly from 60 degree days to 40 degree days with the threat of snow at night.  I don't like it one bit but I will get to use my blankies and fluffy socks again and that makes me happy.

our lone hydrangea enjoying the last bit of  fall

WEN - day 6

We are six days in on my journey to become a WEN girl and here's this morning's look:

Since my first wash and treatment, I have washed my hair every other day. I have found that if I use too much of the styling cream, my hair will start to feel a bit greasy. The picture here was right after a wash with the Cleansing Conditioner and after a good towel drying, I added a dime sized dollop of the styling cream focusing the the mid to end of the hair and finishing at the top with whatever I had left on my hands.  Once my hair was dry, I curled it a bit and finished with a little of the balm to calm the fly-aways You can see I should have used a little more at the roots but 16 hours later, I can still run out the door at a moments notice and still have soft, shiny hair that maintains much of the style you see here. 
The whole 'no lather' thing was a little disconcerting at first but I love not fighting to get a comb through my hair. So far, I'm loving this new product and I do see a difference in how manageable my hair is.  It appears glossier to me as well without adding oils or shine serum.  What do you think?  Do you see a difference?

in a moment of weakness

If you have missed the infomercials for Wen by Chaz Dean you must be living under a rock. I can't turn on the t.v. without seeing it.  I was introduced to Chaz Dean through the show, Flipping Out.  I'm a bit obsessed but Jeff and his crew and one of his clients was Chaz.  As this past season wrapped up, Chaz had a grand opening for his renovated salon space and I noticed that the word 'Wen' continued to pop up in the shots. I realized that it was his own product line but I didn't think much of it until I saw the Guthy Renker spot at 3AM during a bout of insomnia.
Time and time again, I watched the commercial and I was halfway to jumping in feet first. Next, I read every review I could find and I only came across a few negatives.  I asked friends on Facebook and again, the odds were in Wen's favor.  I had mentioned to Kris that I wanted to try it and then one morning he put QVC on and we both stared, open-mouthed for 20 min. easy.  They got me.
If you've looked into this you know that there is the basic scent, Sweet Almond Mint. You can get other scents on QVC but since I had never tried these products I decided to start with the infomercial package to sample a bit of everything.
The customer service rep I spoke with was great.  She answered every question I asked and seemed very genuine. After going over everything, I stuck with the introductory 30-day supply.  It came with:

• Conditioning Cleanser
• Styling Crème
• Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatment
• WEN Texture Balm
• a wide tooth shower comb

I received the package yesterday and immediately decided that the only way I will know if this makes a difference in the condition  of my hair is if I document it.  I haven't colored or cut my hair in a few months so it was in ok condition but it still felt dry.  I'm hoping WEN will help turn me in to a model WEN Girl  :)

Before WEN.  Hair after a day at work

I followed the directions and washed my hair with the Conditioning Cleanser.  As they say, it does not lather but it does get really creamy when mixed with the water and after some massaging. The mint was a bit tingly and cool and I had no trouble running a comb through my hair during and after rinsing.  I decided to jump-start this journey by trying out the Re Moist Intensive Hair Treatment.  I covered my hair with it and clipped my hair up as suggested.  I rinsed it out this morning, added some styling cream and dried my hair.

WEN After: First day

I have to say that my hair felt much softer and smoother but that has happened for me after a good conditioning before.  Time will tell!  I'll keep posting pics from time to time.  Feel free to comment or ask any questions!

who is the one that's "Got Moxie" here?

I believe that when I see something glaringly wrong, I need to say something.  I especially feel that I need to do this if it involves me paying for the thing that is wrong.  If the one on the receiving end of my comments can step back and say, "I appreciate your input and I am considering your opinion" I have the utmost respect for them.  They show that they are humble and feel that they have room for improvement.
I KNOW that I have room for improvement.  I work every single day to be a better person and although it's not always pretty, I try to consider someone else's view on me and assess how they came up with it.  I get that some people won't like me but I can live with that. Unfortunately, not everyone has reached this point in their lives.

Years back, Kris and I stopped by our favorite restaurant and had a waitress that was plain awful.  I called the owner the next day just to give him a heads-up that our experience wasn't up to their usual and he couldn't do enough to apologize.  The next time we were in, with barely a thought, we were immediately escorted to a table and offered a bottle of wine on the house.  Since that day, we have had nothing but amazing experiences there and it continues to be our favorite place.  They continually exceed our expectations and we took note that the bad experience was an exception for them.  This example, among others, has led me to believe that people and companies that have the desire to prosper, will always address the bad as well as the good.  As a matter of fact, the bad will become more important and they will do what ever they can to right that wrong.  It was bound to happen sooner or later.  Eventually, I was going to encounter someone that didn't fit this mold.  Someone that thought they were so amazing that they had no room for improvement.

I really don't think that I am always right.  Those that know me know that I have a strong opinion but keep in mind that I know that I don't always share the popular opinion.  I try to be kind.  I try to address the positive points, probably in effort to soften the blow, as I note the shortcomings.  I am a stickler for rules and 'properness'.

I share this insight into me as a background on a recent encounter I had with a cupcake, or shall I say, three cupcakes.  Kris and I had the rare opportunity to spend a whole, uninterrupted day together.  There were a lot of things we could have done but a town nearby was where I wanted to be.  We drive through all the time but rarely stop.  I wanted to check out the shops and enjoy a meal with my sweetie.  The shop part went well but the restaurant we wanted to try was only open for dinner.  (We will definitely be back after seeing the menu).  We figured we would check out the previously mentioned place for lunch but first, I wanted to make a stop.  I have heard quite a bit about a newer shop that specializes in cupcakes and I 'heart' cupcakes!  We thought we'd check the place out and grab a dessert to go.  Once we saw the offerings, we couldn't decide and we got two to go and one to stay.  The one at the shop was fresh and amazing.  We even commented to each other about the balanced flavors and textures.  YUM! That shared cupcake had me salivating in anticipation of the next offering but we opted to eat lunch and try later on.

The second tasting of the other 2 flavors left us wanting more.  The flavors we chose should have screamed their intended flavors but every single flavor mentioned in the description was faint.  The frosting was anemic and sugary in comparison to the first and although the cake base was the same for the two sets, the person putting them together apparently doesn't realize that different pairings will accent different flavor profiles.
I have heard so many great things about this place and I felt I needed to make my opinion known.  It seemed that the only feedback I ever saw on the Facebook page for this business was positive.  My thought was that it was either intentionally that way or people have NO clue about what they are eating.

In a way I thought was kind, while providing my opinion and privately, not on the wall of this Facebook page, I emailed the owner of this business and described our experience.  I addressed what was good and what I felt needed improvement.  Again....what I felt.  I never explained how I would do it and I concluded with wishing the owner the best and noting that I didn't send this with ill-will or an intention to upset, merely to inform.

This is an excerpt of the email I received in response:

I appreciate you taking the time to email me and your desire to have me have the best product possible. But, after a year and half owning an extremely successful prosperous business, and seeing the retail shop truly take off in a way I couldn't even imagine, and being recognized throughout the Hudson Valley as having the best product, including a Best of award in HV Magazine, I'm happy with how I'm running, baking, and promoting things at this current time. I hope you will visit us again and enjoy the flavors that you like best.

Take this the way you want but I read this as an arrogant business owner that sees absolutely no room for improvement and is pretty much giving me the 'ol 'read between the lines'.

I have been struggling with responding or not even though I believe that Karma takes care of things like these.  The response I received obviously got under my skin but not because the owner doesn't agree with me but because they think that since others stroke their ego, they are right.  So sad.

Wanted: furry scuttlebutt with scratchy claws

We have been chasing groundhogs from our property all season.  We caught one that perished before we got to it and smoked a few in their tunnels.  Kris has also played the role of Bill Murray in Caddyshack hunting them down and I have to say that seeing him out of the corner of my eye trying to sneak up on one was beyond hysterical.  Just the other day, I came down the stairs and saw through the sidelight of our front door, a pretty gutsy guy snackin' away on the clover right in front of the house in the middle of the morning as if  he owned the joint. What nerve!

This may be why when I got home on Monday night and saw one lying on his back in front of the mailbox, lifeless, I silently did a happy dance....and then hopped out of the car to take a pic and send it to Kris.  No, don't go calling the UN on me.  I merely 'documented the evidence for identification purposes'.  This picture will not be found plastered on the enemy's news bulletin.

When I left for work Tuesday morning, the body had apparently been relocated as I didn't see it anywhere.  I assumed a car had pushed it off the road into the ditch or another animal found it.  I returned at the end of the day to find some thing (s) black blocking the road in front of my house.  As I got closer, I was given the once-over by a venue (million dollar word right there) of turkey vultures.  They had successfully located the remains and were having dinner right in the road.  That's nature, right?  Well how do you explain this to a curious almost-four year old?

I try to be as simplistic & honest as I can when I an asked explain things like this. In this case, I just reminded Giada of the dead woodchuck and said that just like people eat chicken and cows, these birds eat meat, they just get it naturally instead of going to the store.  That seemed to be enough to satisfy her.  About 10 minutes later, I saw her standing at the same sidelight where I noticed that nervy groundhog  and she was just staring at the birds.  She told me that when they eat, they stand right on the groundhog.  Nice observation, G.  A few minutes later, she walked into the kitchen and asked me if they eat the face first. "Umm....well....gee....I think they actually start at the belly and eat the organs first".  Really,?  That's the answer you give a 4 year old?  What ARE you thinking?  Hey, the kid acted as if that must be right so I'm not going back on my word.

Kris got home and since this was what seemed to be the highlight of the day, Giada gave him the 411 on the vultures and without waiting for what my response was to the face eating question, Kris told her that he thinks they eat the eyes first.

If I were an outsider, I might think that Kris and I are a bit too blunt with her. We are a bit sarcastic and inappropriate at times but I really think that it will help her in the long run.   Unless she's tired, she takes things in stride and gives it back as good as it's dished out and her sense of humor is awesome.  After some comment by Kris last night where Giada wanted to prove her dominance, she casually walked away and said, "look it up online".  We've created a monster.

clean up on aisle 5

My mind is is swamped. I need to write it all down but I can't do it fast enough.  I keep thinking all of the thoughts over and over in hopes that I won't forget anything and all the while, I am showering, folding laundry and scooting a little one back to bed.

It's par for the course this week.

I had plans to meet up with someone I'm writing a piece on Tuesday night.  I was early and decided to treat myself to a Starbucks Venti Anniversary Blend.  As I sat in my car waiting for her, I spilled half of the coffee ALL OVER MY LAP.  Thank goodness I learned the power of baby wipes four years ago and I try to keep them in the car. I laughed to myself as I was cleaning up thinking about what a klutz I am and wondering how I was going to explain this to a person I was meeting for the first time. First impressions really are important and she could think that I was a total mess or (fingers crossed) understand that I am just a dork.  Yes, dork was a better option in this situation.

She pulled in and I grabbed by bag, locked up the car and met her at the door.  As she apologized for running a few minutes late, I said something like, " I hope you like the smell of coffee because I just spilled 1/2 a cup in my lap".  That was it.....ice broken.

The interview was easy going and wonderful.  I'm still in the midst of putting the piece together but I will be sure to share it on here once it's complete. Diane's business is focused on good food and teaching people how to incorporate it into their lives.  Can you see any possible reason we'd get along?

I left the interview to discover that my phone didn't work. I stopped at Verizon on the way home to try to get it fixed but they determined at it was dead and had to send out a new one.  I got home around 10pm to a sleeping family and Chinese food in the fridge (steamed veggies, tofu & rice).  I warmed up a small bowl and ate it while I checked my e-mail and caught up on Facebook.

This week at work, we were doing soil testing.  I don't mind it since it's a break from the office but no matter what I did, sprayed. wore, the mosquitoes found me and by the end of the week, I had been bitten in almost every place possible.  If that wasn't enough to tucker me out, I had the aforementioned interview,  invites to get ready for an upcoming lia show, had to re-secure Giada's 'listening ears' , 16 phone calls to the cable company, plus all of the general household stuff like dinner, cleaning and laundry. I get it.  There are people that have more going on than me and I bring some of this on myself but this week kicked my a**.

You'd think that  Friday would have brought some relief but you'd be wrong.  I had to race out of work to get Giada and be home in time for the cable guy.  Unbelievably, he was here at 2pm for a 'between 2 & 5" appointment and although he couldn't solve the ongoing issue, he was able to identify it and be on his way by 3pm promising it would be solved early next week. As soon as he was gone, Kris called to let me know he was meeting friends for a drink and asked me to meet him there after I was done with my errands....before we had to sub for my parents in their bowling league.

I have my....well, everything, crossed in hopes that next week will be a bit calmer.

csa-week 16

Week 16 pick-up:

• 1/2 lb. carrots
• 1/2 lb. kale
• 3/4 lb. red peppers
• basil tips
• sm. bunch of scallions
• 1 piece of squash-our choice
• all u-can-pick grapes, beans & herbs were available

Last week (week 15) was very similar with potatoes in lieu of the squash.  We also got a few beets. I didn't get a chance to photograph or blog about it because we had a very busy day and weekend.  We raced from the farm to a birthday party last week and didn't even have a chance to wash the veggies until Sunday. The week was a blur and I'm sure I made something or other to eat at some point but I can't recall what!  All I remember was roasting the beets to have on a salad.

Before we  headed to the farm this Saturday, I made eggs and potatoes (from the farm with farm red onion and garlic) for breakfast. We had to get there by 10 as we'd signed up to volunteer our time setting up for the Fall Festival.  We moved tables, set up hay bales, made signs and assisted with the parking before our shift was over.

I've been trying to find a good use for kale.  I find it tricky because of the texture but Diane at The Food Evolution gave me a great idea. Kale Chips!

chop the kale (minus the large stems) and tops with a touch of EVOO & sea salt

place on a sheet pan lined with parchment and cook @ 350 deg. for 10-15 min (until crispy)

enjoy!  They are light,crispy, nutty & salty.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I couldn't keep Giada away from these Kale Chips.  Every time I'd turn my back I'd catch her sneaking another off the plate.


We took time for a hike after volunteering and then came home to make calzones and test out a new cookie recipe. A packed day, indeed, but so, so worth it!

press pause

Its a little odd, I know, but sometimes when I am all sweaty and gross from exercise or yard work, I feel a million times cleaner when I use Kris's body wash.  It is crisp and clean and although mine is clean smelling as well, there's something about using a different scent that is refreshing.  So, here I sit with hair still wet from the shower and the smell of clean surrounding me and I am thinking that soon, I will have to wrap myself in ten blankies to keep warm.  I love fall.  I love long sleeves and boots. I love the coziness and the rituals and the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg. I love that everything looks so pretty. and hiking is a given.  I do not like that it means winter is right around the corner.

September offers us a taste of fall with some flashbacks of the warm summer weather. This past Saturday, as Kris was sleeping and G and I went to the farm, I couldn't escape the draw of the mountains.  The ridge was calling me asking me to just stop and enjoy what it had to offer and as beautiful as it was, how could I resist? Instead of lunch, Giada and I returned home after pick-up to get Kris, a bag of snacks and a big blanket.  We headed right down the road to our favorite local winery once again and had a picnic. 

 picnic time

 

We weren't the only ones with that idea.  All of the tables and chairs that are usually scattered on the deck and on the lawn were being used and there was a line inside to buy a bottle of wine.  As Kris waited his turn, Giada and I set up camp in a shaded area of the lawn with views of the ridge, vines and tasting room. 

We had wine, of course as well as some cheese, crackers, hummus, olives and grapes.  We nibbled and drank and nibbled some more as we relaxed and just enjoyed spending uninterrupted time together.

I think back on this summer and I have so many amazing memories. For as many things as we did, I still feel like we could have or should have done more.  I have a list of things in my head that I want to do and I wonder; even if I had all the time in the world, would I ever get to them all?

We ran races, drove on race tracks, visited with dear friends, welcomed family from foreign land, rode bikes, spent entire days fishing, went to Mets games, saw live music, went to parties, had playdates, learned to swim,  got to Vermont before the flooding, watched butterflies, held worms, said good bye to wonderful neighbors and formed closer bonds with others.......and it was all wonderful. 
Every bit.

she still loves this tree and insists on taking her picture with it

So, fall is just about here and apple picking, pie making, warm apple cider spiked with Captain Morgan's and pumpkin carving are all knocking at the door. I will let them in soon but I think I need at least one more day to wear a sundress and just sit outside with me eyes closed and soak up some of that summer goodness to get me through until spring.

csa-week 14

just a glimpse of this week's bounty

Week 14 pick-up:

• 1/2 lb. carrots
• 1/2 lb. kale
• 1 1/2 lbs. red peppers
• 1/2 lb. patty pan squash
• 2 red onions
• 1 rutabaga
• 1 sm. eggplant
• eat 'em soon, 'damaged' potatoes
• all u-can-pick grapes
• all u-can-pick tomatoes & tomatillos
• all u-can-pick beans
• all u-can-pick herbs 

We started Friday nite with bowls full of veggies.....potatoes topped with yellow beans and sun gold tomatoes.  An ear of steamed corn with butter finished the meal.  Kris had gone out with friends and in his absence, Giada and I decided to 'camp-out'.  Kris and I used to drag our comforter and pillows out to the living room where the TV was and lay on the floor to watch a movie.  At the time, we were as giddy as kids when we'd do this because it was such a treat.  We'd even gone so far as to drag the whole mattress out on occasion. Giada and I didn't go that far but pillows and blankies were for sure, part of the camp-out.

Even after a full night of camping and movie watching, Giada and I got up fairly early and I figured that we'd be to the farm and back before Kris ever opened his eyes. That certainly did not happen! After a million distractions I looked at the time and realized that now I had to boogie.  I still needed to shower and then  run into town to get gas before venturing to the farm.  Last week, we were busy picking up the yard and missed the distribution by 25 minutes. I refused to let another week go by without our veggies.

rutabaga, red peppers & eggplant, green, soon to be fried, tomatoes and......lemongrass!
I have learned to love the imperfections in my farm fresh food.

We got to the farm with 15 minutes to spare and we grabbed what had been pre-picked and headed off to the u-pick fields.  On the way, we passed a free class on canning and pickling that had started at 10:30am.  I would have loved to have gone but it wasn't meant to be this week.

beans, beans, grapes, yum!

If you didn't know what to look for, you would have thought that the fields were picked over with nothing to spare.  Fortunately for us, we love just about everything we've gotten this season so we were happy to have free reign.  There were 3 to 4 different types of beans so we picked the prettiest.  Some bright green ones like haricot verts and some we haven't tried yet which are broad and pale yellow with purple striations. I believe they are called  'Dragon Tongue'.    We easily picked 5lbs. of  green zebra tomatoes and some plain green tomatoes.  I have never had fried green tomatoes but it looks like this will be the week to try them.  I believe we can just dredge them with flour and cornmeal and them pan fry.  In addition to all of these things, we got grapes! Giada, being only 3' tall, was the spotter.  She'd point and I'd grab.  I don't know what variety but they are very similar to concord grapes, just not that dark, powdery skin and although they are tart, it's nothing compared to the traditional concord.

fresh oregano, lasagna with farm-fresh, homemade tomato sauce

 As I mentioned in the last CSA post, I was looking forward to lasagna dinner with that homemade sauce chock-full of farm veggies. This morning, I got it all together and finally broke in my Le Creuset lasagna pan that Kris got me for my birthday.  I usually make two separate pans; one veggie and one with meat.  This pan is large enough to do both so I just did 2/3 veggie and the remainder with meat for Kris and G.  It's not that I don't want to be fair and go half and half but this way, when I have to freeze some, I will just freeze veggie ( I know Kris will have already devoured the meat) and when I re-heat, anyone can have it. I mix it up and try different veggies but this time, I used zucchini. The beef I used was local grass-fed from someone my parents know and I seasoned it with CSA herbs and garlic before adding. 

Before I wrap this up, I want to thank you for reading this blog and especially the CSA posts.  I started adding the CSA pics and posts for myself  to see if this was a worthwhile investment.  I continue to get feedback from friends that are interested in or have joined a CSA because of my experience.  I can't begin to tell you how happy it makes me.  I hope everyone can have a farm as great as we do.  Please continue to share with me and let me know about your own experience!

Giada and I got to witness our butterfly bush with probably a dozen 
butterflies on it.  We stood right next to it with the butterflies swooping 
around us to get to the next flower.  Simply amazing.

FYI: If you've tried before and had trouble, I have added an option to comment without creating an account so, get commenting!!! I LOVE feedback!

csa-week 12 & 13

mmmm...garlic!

Week 12 pick-up:

• 1 bunch of basil
• 1 bunch of dill (we left for someone else)
• 1 head leaf lettuce
• 4 sm. peppers (2 hot)
• 2 garlic bulbs
• 1/4 lb. patty pan squash
• 1/2 lb. swiss chard
• 1 pint u-pick sun gold cherry tomatoes
• 1 pint u-pick beans 

  This was the day before we expected to see Hurricane Irene arrive.  In preparation, we cleaned up anything that could blow away, fueled the cars and bought extra gas just in case.  I made a pound of pasta and Kris made burgers so at least we'd have something to throw on the grill of the power went out at all. The birthday party we were supposed to attend was cancelled so we invited friends over for dinner and hang-out time.Plans for the afternoon were foiled when our friends cancelled due to a sick little boy at home.  Instead, we watched a movie and took showers in the even that we wouldn't be able to in the morning.
   Sure enough, Kris woke up to the sound of wind ripping some flashing off our roof  at 3:30am and realized that we didn't have power.It would be three days until it was restored.  We only lost a bit of food but were bummed that we didn't get to enjoy the chard or basil.

Week 13 pick-up:

• u-pick beans
• u-pick tomatoes
• u-pick tomatillos
• u-pick herbs (thyme, sage, parsley)

(We were late for distribution pick-up and missed out on potatoes, swiss chard, leeks and squash) 

It has been "one of those" weeks and we didn't get to the pounds of tomatoes we had.  Knowing that another pick-up is quickly approaching I wanted to use what we had on-hand before it went bad. Giada and I made a batch of sauce using our farm tomatoes, garlic & onions.  Fresh herbs were ones we grew ourselves and I even threw in a splash of wine from Whitecliff Vineyard.  I can't wait for Sunday's lasagna!!!

beautifully colored swiss chard

sun gold & heirloom tomatoes with basil

Side note:
Kris stops by a shop on the way to work each morning and has seen a Hello Kitty cookie there often.  As a surprise for Giada, he brought one home for her.  She loved it and ate it piece by piece over several days, savoring the gift her daddy gave her.

G & her HK cookie