pink

though I don't remember doing this. apparently I decided, back in those early days of hopeful spring-to-come, to only plant pink & green zinnias.

they are quite pretty. (I like this misfit, not quite blooming as the others do)

but, I now miss, all the usual oranges, reds & yellows. so, next year.

evening

in july.

riches

moments like this. will help me get out of bed in the dark, cold misery of February days.

green

zinnia.

best with salty butter

so, yesterday. was an oddly cool day. and a whiff of a comment from a passing friend, who mentioned it would be a good day to bake bread, stuck in my brain.

once again, I used the honey whole-wheat recipe from Martha's Baking Handbook (and basically here, on her site). forgetting to coat the tops with something for a moister crust.

I also lost my will power to keep kneading the dough, about halfway through the rec. time.

whenever I'm kneading bread, I feel like I should be in some old, 2-story, white farmhouse. plopped in between a grove of cottonwoods and a wheat field. with windows open, and kids running through the kitchen. a husband in the barn. and outside the window over the kitchen sink, a view of laundry on the line.

anyways. the bread was good. shortened knead time and all. I sliced a piece before it was cool. and layered on some butter.

purple but green, beans

it was raining yesterday at the farmer's market. big drops that actually hurt, if you look up for some reason, and they hit your eyes.

the only beans I found were these. they were labeled, "green beans $4.00/pound"

of course they are purple. I wonder if they will get darker after being bubbled around in boiling water for a bit. I'm curious. with a little trepidation. as I prefer vegetables to stay of the standard variety, and fit their name. call me old fashioned. or...boring.

Update: when you drop the purple beans into boiling water, the purple instantly disappears. and they become...dark green beans.

pesto pesto july

yes, again. with the pesto.
but the basil keeps growing. so I keep pesto-ing.
wish aroma could translate through a jpg.

and I learned that if you run out of parmesan cheese, a little salt does the trick.

and pine nuts go from lightly toasted, to burned, in super-lightning-speed.

the fourth

for the morning, spent at mom's picnic table. a sunny & bright morning. muggy too. we had fresh out-of-the-oven cinnamon rolls, fruit and icy water.
nephew and I squealed over a crop of kittens in the barn.
Picked & ate my first fresh cherry tomato of the season.
the windmill was barely creaking, as the south wind was not in action for the morn. I finally felt the summer sweat on my skin. (wasn't as thrilled as I thought I'd be, these past weeks of cool, rainy days).

for the afternoon party, at another farm. few miles north of town.
a slip-and-slide had been set up for the hot kids. an 2-gallon jug of Mojitos had been made for the adults. we also had plenty of High Life keeping cool. then a storm rolled in. we watched it come for about an hour. the dark clouds just keeping getting more and more steely-blue. then the wind came, and leaves began swirling in the air. then, the rain. a slow, soaking, summer rain for the rest of the evening. we ate grilled chicken, baked beans and chips with a salsa straight out of the day's gardening. with umbrellas in hand. or standing under the old tractor shed next to rusty a rusty combine. and eventually, the fireworks came out. which the boys (and kids) set off, in the rain. indignant, or just accustomed, Kansans do what they must. even when the weather is uncooperative. especially, when it involves setting off expensive and noisy fireworks.

there was also an escapade involving someone's dog catching & killing a rooster. since somehow, the chickens got out of their coop.

came home buzzy from the minted rum, and ready for some dry clothes.

seeds

in the winter, especially that horrid bout of February. when all is dead, and has been dead too long, one of my escapes is to dream of the garden I will one day plant.

Recently read about this at yougrowgirl.com, and am excited at the prospect of what is found in the Kitazawa catalog of asian seeds. I quickly ordered one...it is always fun to look beyond the world of Burpee. (Though, I spend much time poring over it too). Will stash it away until those darks days are here....

for now, am just waiting for all the rain to stop. So my plants full of green tomatoes, can begin to turn that lovely shade of red.