7.29.2010

Bunny Stink

I got to pay bills today sitting in what smells like a barn but is my kitchen. That's urban farm living for you. That's the dirty underbelly of this green revolution everyone is so hot for. It's not all sexy.

7.25.2010

Poor Bunny

I was chastised once for not having a separate place for my rabbit in our house. I was assured she could not be comfortable just being "free" in our house when we have a 125 lb dog. "That is a natural predator," this person told me. The rabbit must live in constant fear. This is Pirate Betty and Porter this morning, just after I kept PB from shooing Porter away from his own food so she could eat it. Now she's drinking while he eats. 

7.23.2010

Lazy, Will Offer Urban Homestead Experience

Yeah, um, the garden and house just aren't that attractive to me right now. They are not tops on the priority list. The garden has gone bad - rogue chard is invading each bed, radishes gone to seed, flowering broccoli (how indecent), and the lettuce has had the nerve to bolt.

No grandiose home improvement plans for the next month. Work gets the kitchen remodel attention.

2010 can come and go for all I care. Bring on 2011. Let's just skip fall and head right into New Years. The cool mornings make it seem like mama nature agrees with me.

7.20.2010

War

There's a war going on in our back yard. Grenades, guns, surprise, stealth, sabotage, and.... laughter. Yup, it's a water fight. The vision of our neighbor daughter running around the back yard in her swim panties and rubber galoshes, screaming with joy as she gets caught in the crossfire; late afternoon sun giving everything a golden tinge, will stick with me forever. Jovi sneaking up on Cheryl "watering the garden," George resorting to the low, low tactic of the garden hose, me giggling behind the bedroom curtains as I hear the water splosh on our new deck... Happy suburban times.

7.10.2010

Our First Broccoli

I'm so proud! OK, so I think I picked it a little late as you can see some of it has started to flower. I'm thinking broccoli salad.

7.07.2010

It's All Greek

It's 90 today and time to break out the grill. I refuse to cook indoors in this weather. No AC and SUNSHINE in the Northwest; not cooking inside and not heating up my house. It's my own recipes tonight and floating in our kiddie pool.

I have my own chicken souvlaki that I've concocted based on taste tests at my favorite Greek restaurant, Cafe Akroteri in Bellingham, Washington. I start with the dry herbs and I only use whole herbs from my garden when possible. Tarragon is the secret ingredient, oregano, savory hand rubbed. Add fresh ground pepper - lots of it. Fresh ground coriander and this time I'm trying a bit of sumac berry and the slightest amount of cardamom. Last, I add some coarse sea salt. Oh and fresh chopped garlic - one or two cloves. Toss in a little good olive oil and red wine vinegar and the juice of one lemon.

As for the red wine vinegar, I never buy that anymore. I just let part of a bottle of fairly cheap red wine stuff go to vinegar.

I'll let this sit for a while and then cube chicken to marinate for a couple  hours. All this will get skewered and grilled with red onion and green/red/orange peppers. Then we dip it in a cucumber, mint and yogurt sauce.

Side of greek salad. Yum and hello lobster floaty.