Home Run

It's a little alarming when zucchinis grow to the size of tee ball bats while your back is turned.  When this happens, as it always does... bake.  

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One In One

I'm not sure how long it will be before the tomatoes are ripe, but I do know that we're only a week away from the arrival of my family for a week-long Oregon adventure.  Hip-hip-hurray!

Together

While looking for something else (notebook paper, stamps, or another stationary item), I stumbled across Amanda Wright's Hobby Compatibility Quiz from Whit & Whistle that J. and I completed some time ago.  If we were to take up a hobby together, it apparently would be something along the lines of... antiquing, astronomy, bird watching, canoeing, composting, gardening, home brewing, meditation, photography, vegetable gardening, or watching foreign films.  Some of these things we've naturally started doing, but it may be time to revisit the quiz to see how our mutual interests have evolved.

Silver White Winters That Melt Into Springs

This week kind of zipped by.  Unfortunately it has been marked by several variations of I'm hungry, I'm hot, and I'm tired.  Despite general malaise, I did...

...get a little inspired and learn a few tips from the Dog Whisperer.

...spend about five seconds interested in making kafir.

...watch a video about a mural in motion.

Dog Days

Since moving to Oregon three years ago, my heat tolerance has dramatically decreased.  The week I spent in Michigan this May reminded me how terribly hot and humid the warmer seasons can be.  Apparently, in the Pacific Northwest, I've been spoiled by moderate temps most of the year.

With the arrival of Marrow to our household, I'm totally getting a picture of what it means to be amidst the dog-days-of-summer.  It's hard to remain at a full level of heat-induced crankiness when there's water fun to be had.

Half

It will come as no particular surprise to anyone that I didn't start the year with any particular resolve to do or not-do something new, but I did have a couple ideas for the year.  One hope was that I would get lost in a book like when I was a kid and could spend a whole day, or summer even, reading.  It has been quite some time (years?) since I really got sucked into a novel.

  

Thank you Rachel of Elephantine for your June favorites.  As usual, I promptly checked all three out from the library.  After a half-year mediocre attempt to find a book that would draw me in, I've finally landed on one and am halfway through.

Birds of a Feather, or, It's Art

One of our birdhouses has the cutest squatters, a family of swallows with chubby little babies.

Damn Hot

A while back I noticed Thug Kitchen and was immediately drawn to its straight-forward, no-nonsense cookery.  Last week, I got around to making the Buffalo Falafel with the addition of tzatziki.  ...not excellent, but good.  The big problem was that I skimped on the hot sauce.  Note to self (and others): don't buy the cheap stuff.

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"Pulled Out a Plum"

A kind neighbor offered up a tree full of plums ripe for the picking, from which I was able to procure two and a half gallons of delicious plums weighing in at about seventeen pounds.

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Mongrel

J. and I have finally decided upon a name for the beast.  Drum role please...

I formally introduce to you Marrow Bone (or just Marrow really), formerly known as Gus then Orzo, Caper, Kale, Sencha, Ponzu, Pavot, Shumai, and Pinot ...among others.

Monochrome

At the moment, our corner lot is showing off with quite the array of purple.  Can you identify these dramatic plants?

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But Surely

Too bad grown snails eat the hell out of the garden.  This one may have lived to see another day.  In the end, this teeny-tiny snail was enjoyed by one lucky chicken, but it really was so cute.  

Snowflakes That Stay on My Nose and Eyelashes

It's not uncommon to receive pre-made dinners and offers of housecleaning when one brings home a new baby.  Now I know that new owners of young dogs could benefit from this same kind of generosity.  Nearly two weeks post dog adoption, things are beginning to come back into focus (...somewhat).  There have been a few points of interests this week.

Clicker training for the pup.

I heard Piper Kerman on The Moth podcast and am planning to check out Orange Is the New Black.

Grow a pharmacy.

The dangers of lady layers.

"Mr. Golden Sun"

Sunflowers, even though I'm not much for snacking on their seeds, are pretty amazing.  Only one of the Mammoth sunflowers has truly blossomed, but the tallest one is now over one hundred inches tall.  What?!  

Meeting

Thanks Ami.  It's not often that J. and I call eating out a date night, but tonight's dinner, with more relaxed talking and less hurried eating, felt like a date.

Poppy

I finally got around to making the Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake that I had been craving for a few weeks.  It was more adorable than tasty.  Although I'm developing a taste for olive oil and lemon cakes, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the strong flavor.  Even so... the cake didn't last 24 hours.

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Added Support

Someday, maybe we'll have a pergola to train the grapes to run across.  Until then, twine will have to do.

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Rather

I am supremely content but exhausted all the same.  This week, when I wasn't tending to my new canine pal or watching yet another episode (or seven) of Game of Thrones... well... I'm not entirely sure what I did.  I expect that this weekend will bring more of the same.

Hope your end of week is tiring in the the best of ways.

"Celebrate Good Times"

Happy Fourth!  I hope it's spectacular.

Lady Luck

It's nearly impossible to admire the garden without spying lady bug after lady bug.

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Loss

One shouldn't be cavalier about introducing a cat and a dog, or blood will be shed.

...or a rabbit and a dog for that matter.

Long-ish

For years and years, I've been longing for a dog to call my own.  Well... that day is finally here.  Yesterday, J. and I adopted a Labrador Retriever Great Pyrenees mix.  He's about 5.5 months old, 44 lbs., and 22 inches tall.  He has the potential to be sort of enormous, but I think that he'll just be a longish, Lab-size fellow.

He's a goofy pup but a little blood-thirsty as far as the chickens are concerned.  He has a white chest with white on his paws and a bit of white at the tip of his tail.  We're looking for a one or two syllable food/plant name for him.  Any suggestions?