Frost warning tonight!

Wonderful. . . last night I went to bed with my air conditioner on. Tonight it will be the heater. Yes, even though tomorrow is June 1, there is the potential for frost tomorrow morning. I don't really think Rochester will get that cold, but the outlying areas most likely will. Welcome to New York State!

Reminder

Don't forget I'm switching to cell only. Before June is up, my landline will be disconnected. I think most of you already have my cell number. If not, contact me and I'll give it to you. I'm doing better than I expected keeping track of where I last put down my cell phone!

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

I had another very productive day working in the yard today. Tonight I cooked bbq ribs on the grill and made potato salad.

My To Do list is shrinking!

I just love checking off things on a To Do list, especially when those things are not my idea of fun things to do. At the end of the second day of our three-day weekend, I only have two more things to do. . . mow the lawn and go for a bike ride and/or kayak paddle. Okay, everything on my list doesn't have to be work! My gardens out front have really taken shape. The big one, closest to the road, was really looking ratty with weeds and overgrown perrenials. I trimmed back the perrenials, planted petunias in the empty spaces and what a difference that made. I really think the impatiens that I planted on Friday afternoon have grown since I put them in the ground. When the petunias get bigger and the perrenials are in bloom a few weeks from now, I will post a picture.

Busy Day

I spent almost 5 hours in the yard today, pulling weeds, trimming back bushes and perrenials, and planting petunias. My pile of yard debris at the end of the driveway is growing! The Town comes by once a week and picks up any yard trash we put by the road. I am seriously tired! I made a major dent in my weekend To Do list.

Today I planted impatiens

I always plant impatiens under the big tree in the front yard every year, after the daffoidil blooms are gone. I took this afternoon off from work to get a head start on my traditional Memorial Day "work-in-the-yard" weekend. Over the weekend, I will prepare the other garden in the front yard which has mostly perrennials with a few colorful petunias thrown in. I have to plant deer-resistant plants in the front yard. It is not uncommon for me to open my front door in the morning and find a deer or two looking back at me as if they are thinking, "What are YOU doing here???", as they help themselves to my plants.

The six lilac bushes that I planted in the back yard two years ago are doing just great this year with dozens of blooms on each bush.

Walking the dog

I've always found it a peaceful experience watching someone walk their dog. The same is true when I walk Molly. I think when people are walking their dog, it is a calm time, free from stress and worry. There is an old gentleman and his miniature schnauzer that I often see on my way to work in the morning. He always waves at me, and the times that I pass by him when I walk to work, he has a kind word or two to say. Molly knows we are going for a walk even before I use the word "walk"!!! I think she can read my mind sometimes. Another activity she loves is chasing a ball that I throw for her in the backyard.

I really feel sorry for people who don't own a dog, or even worse, those who don't like dogs. They don't know what they are missing in terms of quality of life.

Happy Birthday, Andrew!

My youngest grandson, Andrew, is four years old today. Happy Birthday, Andrew!

Juicing

If you want a really refreshing and highly nutritious drink. . . get into juicing. Just yesterday I made a drink with fresh cranberries, half a peeled lemon, two apples, and a handful of grapes. I put the ingredients in the chute of the juicing machine and in seconds my drink was ready. I buy fresh cranberries when they are in the stores and freeze them, then thaw what I need before putting in the juicer.

You will need a good quality juicing machine. These aren't cheap but you don't want a cheap quality machine. I've had mine for quite a few years. I think they currently retail for about $250.

Here are a few combinations which I particularly enjoy. Keep in mind that these don't sound good. But the taste will surprise you.

fresh spinach and carrots

fresh pineapple

one beet, 2 carrots, 2 apples

3 or 4 kale leaves
1/2 cup brocolli florets with stems
1/2 head cabbage
2 carrots
2 apples

1 beet
1/2 of a medium sweet potato
3 carrots

There are dozens and dozens of combinations you will find once you start using your machine and rarely have I found one I really didn't like.

Some people use the solids that are left over to thicken soups or stews or to use in muffin or quick bread recipes. I've never done that but it's a good idea.

Cookbooks

I can't imagine my life without my cookbook collection! I have no idea how many I have. . . I can't count that high! I've been collecting them for 40 years. The picture you see here is only a small part of my collection. If I were to stack the others next to this bookshelf, they would easily tower over it.

Included with all the published cookbooks are the binders I have of recipes I have found on the internet or that were given to me by friends, oh, and then there is the long metal card file box filled with old recipes too.

I think eating should be an adventure and not just something you do out of necessity. I enjoy trying new recipes as well as old ones I haven't used in awhile.

Mother's Day

Yesterday I received a package from my daughter-in-law, Jen. Thinking it was only the towels I had used to pad a package I had sent her recently, I didn't open it right away. Imagine my surprise when I finally opened it and found this kitchen towel decorated with my three grandson's hand prints! It is now hanging proudly on my oven door handle.

Autumn's Harvest Farm

I want to share with you a wonderful discovery I made. Autumn's Harvest Farm. Their website is www.autumnsharvestfarm.com. They are a small operation, a young couple who do all the work with help from his dad. They raise grass fed beef, pork, and poultry. Now a month ago, I couldn't have told you the benefit of meat from a grass fed environment. Now I am a true believer. Yesterday a friend and I drove over to their farm near Romulus, NY. We were greeted by Timothy and Sarah, a very friendly, down-to-earth young couple, with a baby and a toddler, who proudly showed us their small farm and their animals, along with explaining how these animals are fed and raised. The chickens are in portable pens that are moved twice a day to give them plenty of fresh grass to eat. There are fruit trees near the pig pen. The pigs eat the cherries from these trees. The cows are in a large field with room to romp. One of the cows had just given birth yesterday morning and she let us know she didn't appreciate us coming near her newborn calf! If you go to their website, along with www.eatwild.org, there is a better explanation than I can give you of the benefits of eating grass fed meat. Tonight I cooked one of the T-bone steaks that I bought from them on my grill. Wow! After just one bite, I could not believe the difference. The meat was tender and very flavorful. On the eatwild website, you click on your state and there is a list of grass fed farms in your area. I encourage you to check them out. We are all more conscious of what we eat these days and finding this farm and their methods of raising their animals has been a real learning experience for me.