Saturday, July 5, 2014

Still crazy around here with all the two and four legged houseguests. Because it certainly wasn't crazy enough, we had Mary and Mozart over for a barbeque!

It's hard to photograph three dogs at the same time, especially when one is a spazzy puppy!

The dogs thoroughly exhausted themselves, and we had all kinds of good food. We grilled mushrooms, peppers, fennel, artichokes, squash, burgers, sausages, and corn on the cob; and made both boiled and roasted potato salads, quinoa salad, watermelon, chips and dips, fresh squeezed citrus punch, and mini vanilla bundt cakes with homemade fresh strawberry ice cream, which I didn't photograph because I was too busy eating it :P

Friday, July 4, 2014

Today we got a Sadie:

Sadie is a 4 month old Wheaten Terrier puppy... belonging to my next-door neighbor. We're puppy sitting her this week while our neighbors are on vacation. Hamilton isn't sure how to feel about her. He vacillates between indifferent, to playful, to annoyed. She still isn't sure how to play with him. She will try to engage him, but if she does she panics and runs away scared.

We also have Erica, Christine, and their two cats for the weekend while their kitchen floors get redone. Finally, Scott was in town looking at apartments, so we made a big lunch of sushi rolls and summer rolls.

I picked this massive Kohlrabi in the garden and julienned it for the summer rolls. Delicious!

Sunday, June 29, 2014

This morning's brunch was Tofu McMegans, Hashbrowns, and fresh pineapple. I'm pretty sure I'm done eating for the day. I couldn't even finish my McMegan. Brett also had a massive smoothie. I think he has a hollow leg. Also featured in this picture - my new placemats!

The garden is doing well. Everything is suddenly getting big. I think the peas doubled in size after our heavy rain this week. Beans are starting to grow up the fence, though they're kind of obscured here in a sea of green. Also Sweet Dumpling squash in front.

Shell Peas are climbing.

Tomato Forest with some Broccoli along the front

Snap Peas are taking off

Summer Squash and Okra

Kohlrabi!

The first wee eggplant.

A nice broccoli crown.

Radishes. I picked two yesterday.

Some cherry tomatoes are growing!

Saturday June 21, 2014

Brett and I took Hamilton for a walk at Lock 7 in Niskayuna. Fortunately it was less muddy this time, though Hamilton still got mud splashed up to his belly, which in all fairness is not very far off the ground.

A garter snake Brett spotted.

A chipmunk not-so-hiding in a tree.

Mushroom pictures for my mushroom pictures collection.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

This morning I tried out the griddle on the new stove for the first time and made blueberry buckwheat pancakes! It worked great! Now I can make more than one pancake at a time!

All ready to be eaten with a side of sausage patties and a bowl of fresh berries!

Even Hamilton got a Pup-cake! No blueberries though; I learned the hard way that he rubs them into the carpet before eating. :|

Hamilton needed to make sure there wasn't anything left for him!

Friday, June 6, 2014

I got behind! Here's what's been going on... I finished Fuzz' sweater in time to bring it to her with all her other birthday loot.

Fuzz enjoyed her gifts, and enjoyed Hamilton's company.

In addition to birthday gifts, I brought oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips and almond paste. Katie requested cookies with almond paste. The almond paste made the cookies really crunchy as the sugar re-crystalized when it hardened, but they tasted good. I was impressed by how well they came out for gluten free, and I think I'll try to make them again without the almond paste.

The baby birds from under the back deck have grown up and taken off. I peeked at them when we got back from our trip and there was one giant baby bird in the nest, and it flew out!

I've picked three strawberries so far. Quality is definitely worth more than quantity in this case! They are so sweet and strawberry-y.

My second set of peas finally came up, and I planted all my tomatoes (15), eggplants (6), and peppers (6)

Tuesday brought tons of rain, and flooded the park as we found on Wednesday. Hamilton still enjoyed his walkies.

The front planter seems to be happy with all the water, too.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Feeling much better today! I was able to make brunch for Brett and me. I made buckwheat crepes with fresh organic strawberries, almonds, powdered sugar, and a side of sausage.

Hamilton had a play date with Mozart and spent some time posing under a tree.

When we got home we worked on the front flower bed. Before... and after.

Helper dog