Friday, July 27, 2007

Summer ruminations.

Even though it's not August yet and school doesn't start here until the day after Labor Day, it feels like summer is winding down. It doesn't help that because of drought conditions here, some trees are starting to turn already. Not to mention all the Back To School sales. Sheesh.

I have "Buy a new snow shovel" marked on August in my calendar. Because we need a new snow shovel. And you can't find a single snow shovel in the state of Minnesota during winter, we discovered last January.

I've been busy doing all the things I won't have much time for once I begin working full-time. As you can see from the photo in the previous post, the garden is starting to give back to me for all my hours of care and labor. Yesterday I snapped beans, chopped them into bite-sized bits, blanched them and put them in a freezer bag. I'll serve them for dinner while my parents are here so they can be suitably impressed at my green thumb. Well, I'd like to think they'll be impressed but they tend to be stingy with the praise.

My butternut squash plant has grown like crazy, starting to encroach my blueberry bush and, soon, the lawn. I'll need to try to train the vines in other directions. I don't even know what to do with butternut squash, really, other than seed it, bake it and then mash it with seasonings and butter or something. But I've started searching for recipes and hope to find a few things to make.

In preparation for my parents visit, I'm making these cinnamon rolls, which I've made before and are a big hit. The Pioneer Woman has some great recipes. I love her and wish she'd be my best friend but she has a kajillion friends already.

A tree guy is supposed to drop by today or tomorrow to give us a quote for cutting down the tree that lost its branch. We'll also need a quote for cutting down an even larger tree that has a split down the middle. I hate losing trees in our yard. I'll miss them.

4 comments:

Maureen said...

Hah! Love the comment about the buying a shovel in August. We here in Winnipeg never even put them away; mine is still in my van... even though it's over 100 degrees we never seem to forget about the snow that will surely return.

Anonymous said...

You're becoming such an earth mother. :)

Anonymous said...

thanks for the link - her recipes are wonderful!

You are just TOO good... snow shovel buying in August! LOL! It is true, tho', you can't find 'em when you NEED 'em.

Unknown said...

Those rolls look delicious and so do those tomatoes. I love tomatoes with balsamic vinegar/garlic salt.

As for the shovel, it was hard to find shorts in Hawaii in the summer.