I just realized that we haven't left the property in 48 hours. How luxurious is that? Quite. Not sure I'm quite ready to break this little run of home time.
A whole weekend at home a bit unusual for us--there's typically something or other that will compel us out of our weekend cocoon. But this weekend I packed a bit of work home, and dedicated quite a bit of today toward getting my home office in better shape for me to actually want to spend time there. I have a problem when things get a little too piled up and stacked up--I just don't want to spend time in that kind of space. So clearing away always makes me feel so much more eager to sit down and get some work done. That, and I stole (I mean, borrowed) Seth's castoff monitor that he left behind, so now I have an extra (and much larger) screen, which is bonus for this aging lady's eyes!
I suppose with that lead up, you'd expect that I'd be here saying it was a kick-ass productive weekend. Um. Sort of? Definitely got a few things done, and made some really yummy end-of-summer meals filled with fresh-from-the-garden produce. And, I did get my office pretty tidy, so yeah, I guess. But there was also some delicious relaxation, and some telly binging too. I finished off The Tunnel, which I enjoyed pretty well, though I found the end a little unsatisfying. It begged a more climactic and twisty end, I thought. Ah well. Still enjoyable.
I'm grateful for all the joys of autumn. For everything between now and January 1, I am almost giddy with anticipation.
I'm grateful for the peace and quiet of our home, for the space to fiddle with hobbies and for our garden and chickens and room for doggies to roam.
I'm grateful for my thoughtful husband, who always considers us, and me, before him.
I'm grateful for music. For getting songs stuck in my head, and humming and singing along.
I am most grateful for the bounty that is so evident around us, every day. Right now the garden pretty much gets up and walks inside for dinner. Well, wouldn't that be lovely? It feels so close, really--tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, kale, squashes, okra... so delightful.
We continue to have stunning sunsets. I never fail to stop and stare, slack-jawed, at our beautiful surroundings.
And having a farmstand to fill in the vegetable gaps (not many right now), and pretty flowers to boot is a fabulous bonus.
I saved up a few inspirations for my week, and of course I have to share.
From my Instagram wanderings...
For laughter, following Apple's iPhone announcements this week...
Given how long it's been since I posted a recipe, you must be thinking to yourself, this is a really special recipe. And you are right.
We have an amazing local chef in Walla Walla who makes a corn salad at his take-out joint (in a gas station, which is awesome), and I have enjoyed it a number of times. But me being me, I thought--actually for the first time, this summer--I should be able to make this at home, right?
And right I was. After a Google/Pinterest search or two, I found a great many recipes purporting to be "Mexican street corn salad," and narrowed my findings down by reading a few and deciding on one that seemed close to what I'd tasted in the past.
So I made it, and tweaked it, made it again, and kept tweaking. It has, over the course of many makings this summer, evolved to a place where it feels different enough from the original recipe(s) I spotted online, and also very, very good.
Fresh corn salad
6 ears of sweet corn, cut off the cob
1/2 medium sweet (I like the Walla Walla, of course!) onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
2 Anaheim peppers, diced
Saute the first three ingredients over high heat, until the corn starts to blacken and scorch a bit (not unlike grilling or roasting). Add the peppers and saute for a few minutes more, until they wilt a bit. Take off the stove to cool.
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cojita cheese, crumbled
Juice of three limes, squeezed
1 generous bunch of cilantro, chopped (at least 1/2 cup)
6 green onions, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl mix the mayonnaise, cheese, and lime juice, and stir until well blended. Add the cilantro, green onion and chili powder, and mix.
Once the corn mixture has cooled slightly, toss the dressing with the corn and stir well. Serve with extra cheese, and adapt at will. We have enjoyed this concoction in quesadillas and tacos, I've added tomatoes and avocados and really enjoyed it that way too. This is probably the most repeated recipe in our house this summer, which--knowing Seth's and my shared penchant for pesto--is saying something!
I highly recommend the fresh corn aspect of this salad. Many of the recipes I found called for frozen or canned, and I think that the fresh corn just makes it. I also tended to up the cilantro as I went along, and got no complaints from the guys! The one time they were less wild about it, I couldn't find cojita (not every town has the cheese selections of Walla Walla, let's just say, and on vacation I had to make do) and used parmesan. Just not the same. Go for the cojita.
I hope you make it and enjoy as much as we have this summer. I decided to blog the recipe so that Seth can access it from college this winter if he decides he can't do without a corn salad fix.
This recipe makes roughly eight cups. So divide that as best among your eaters. In our house it tends to go pretty quickly. :)
That could be the start and end of the list tonight, couldn't it? I had the good fortune of having my window of availability match up with my preferred massage therapist's same window, which frankly, rarely happens. Mostly because I don't get around to even checking to see if there's a possibility. But this week there was and I did and it was divine.
So I laid there and for the first half I did really well. I reveled and relaxed and even snoozed a little. Then, like a nasty germ, a work-related thought entered my brain. Nasty only in that it didn't belong in this quiet space. I did my best to banish it, but ugh. Didn't ever quite accomplish the same bliss in the second half as had been achieved in the first. Still, glad to have had that mostly-peaceful interlude to start the weekend off.
It's officially summer here, so that means that the complaints about the heat have begun. My favorite is, "Satan called, he wants his weather back." I will probably say that enough to drive my family and coworkers crazy for the next six weeks, or however long this bout of hellfire lasts.
This week I am thankful for many things, including but not limited to:
Cooler evenings. Still love my evening wander in the yard, putting up chickens and dogs, and watering this and that to get ready for another blazing day tomorrow. Some night I'd love to sleep outside, but the skunk that's been stalking our chickens makes me think otherwise. Don't need to snuggle with that in the night.
The power of story. While I was mowing the other evening, I just felt in the mood to relisten to an old favorite of mine, "This is the Story of a Happy Marriage," by Ann Patchett. That lady can tell a story. I love this essay more than most, and every time I hear it--probably about once a year, I'd say--a new phrase stands out to me and I love it all over again. The story itself resonates in so many ways for me, but her style is also a big draw. At the recent recommendation of a friend I listened to Elizabeth Gilbert talking with Krista Tippets on her podcast, On Being, and Elizabeth referenced a story about Ann Patchett. I think that must have been what drew me back to *this* story, for a relisten. And another fabulous point--it is almost exactly the length of a lawn mow for me, from pulling the mower out to putting it back.
Our pups. I do adore all our pups, but this one sat still for a photo, so sweet Tess gets the feature. I love our furry buddies so much, and are so glad for their presence in our lives.
Animals that produce something of value. While that might seem like a jab at the pups, it's really not. I'm just tickled pink that the new chickens have started producing. They are a funny bunch, for sure; it's so interesting getting to know chicken personalities. And I can't wait to omelet it up tomorrow morning!
Friendship. Always thankful for friends, near and far. I know that I have more than my share of blooming flowers in my friendship garden, corny as that may sound.
The plethora of summer produce that is available. Currently enjoying tomatoes and basil with abandon, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, kale and okra. Next up, eggplants and more summer squash! Apricots are done, but here comes the plums! And can't forget the watermelon. I don't think a day has gone by without watermelon for some weeks. (I blame Seth. He's influential in the watermelon purchases.)
Seth. Of course. While I have this sneaking feeling I'm going to miss him more this fall that last, I am still so happy that he's on a path that he chose, and he is loving it.
Husband. Also of course, and then some. Thankful for his thoughtfulness, and his humor. Also, that he knows Walton's episodes well enough to tell me what's coming next. How awesome is that? I love it.
Sweet, sweet sleep. I've been doing mostly better in that arena, and of course, the minute I say that I'll have one of those lovely insomnia nights. Here's hoping not. I can usually count on Friday night being one of the good ones. Restful, with the promise of sleeping in and having a peaceful following day.
Summer has arrived! I know, I know, technically summer has been around for a month already, but in my world, summer equals warmth, which we haven't really been wallowing in yet this year. Finally, the warmth feels like it's building; nothing too drastic yet, but slowly, every day a bit warmer. It's delightful, even though it has now caused the rest of the apricots to plunk down to the ground at a rate I can't quite keep up with, no matter how many I give away.
Last night I was doing my nightly rounds while texting with a friend about our mutual need to ignore the current news, puttering with the dogs and chickens, checking the yard, and before I knew it, the sun had gone down. I hadn't really paid attention to the sunset--I was on the other side of the house, I think, when it really went down--and it was super dusky, warm and quiet. It was just so delightful to stand there and feel the night roll in. I stood there, in the middle of the back yard, and thought about the stuff that really matters, to me, and how I need to spend more time reflecting on those things, rather than letting my life get eaten up with less important matters. After a few minutes, it occurred to me that there should be a moon, shouldn't there? Where was it? Then I started thinking about the Pale Blue Dot video and pulled up YouTube up on my phone. I mean, I'm waiting for the moon, so why not go look at a space video with Carl Sagan's voice? I found the one below, which I don't think I've watched before; or if I have, it's been awhile. It's a longer version than just the main quote that gets shared a lot. It always resonates, but last night it super-resonated, what with all the weighty stuff of the world currently.
When the video was over I looked at the horizon and saw the glow. The moon! It was coming! Finally. I texted Seth to come and watch it, and he sweetly obliged his mom and came and watched, chatting as the glow-dial turned all the way up until the moon peeked over the Blues. I couldn't help take a couple of pictures, to try and capture this lovely night. (Of course they don't even remotely do it justice.)
I haven't told one of the stories that brought me back to Friday nights and my list, but I've meant to. There were a few of these interactions over my inactive year (or two) that reminded me of why I'd started doing it, and the value of not just being grateful, but of the act of noting gratitude as a ritual. I was at the spring musical at the local high school--something I did only once in Seth's whole high school experience, so not really my natural habitat. But friends had raved about The Little Mermaid, so I corralled another mom of a recent grad into going with me. We sat in the back (we're similar that way, I knew I was asking a like-minded date!), and beside two sisters and a mom I know. Lovely ladies, you know who you are, and your words of encouragement about missing the devotional feel of this Friday night ritual meant more than you probably realize. Thank you.
Week before last was a rough one, locally, as many lost a dear person, and the gathering that followed the loss brought my dear friend Kate to town. Of course that means gathering, and eating, and laughing and crying and sharing. Of course. Thank you, friends, for the time and space to be together. And thanks for giving me an opportunity to crack open a much-loved but not-enough-used cookbook, and bake up a delightful cake. I will need to make this again, definitely.
This week, I am grateful for:
Hugs from Seth. Those hugs are awesome.
Apricots. Even though I sometimes curse how full the tree has been this year, I am so grateful for the bounty. And basil. And the tomatoes that are coming on, and kale, and zucchini and even the precious few okra we've had so far.
Our pups. Such sweet loves. They know exactly what we're up to in the mornings. They know when I'm getting ready to go, and they come upstairs to get more loving from husband before I put them outside. And of course, General *must* bark when I kiss husband goodbye. He just cannot deal with that affection. He is a funny buddy.
Our view. Being able to watch the sunrise and moonrise from the yard is not something I take for granted. If you follow me on Instagram you know that I'm rather captivated by my surroundings, and find the view very tolerable, indeed. I am stopped short by this landscape, almost daily. :)
Water. Not to be taken for granted, at all, in this world with limited resources. To be able to water my garden and bathe and drink and all the things we *do* take for granted.
Friendship. From my best-husband-friend to my girlfriends old and new, I am blessed beyond what I deserve.
The instant gratification of purchasing an airline ticket on a day when I needed something to look forward to.
The ability, and desire, to be real with people. When I observe un/non-realness (or as a normal person would write = inauthentic), the first thing I think is, why? The world is so much better when people are really who they are. And as I type that, I can think of a few exceptions. (Heh.) Maybe it would be better to say, "In general, it is better when people are really who they are."
Laughter. Always a plus, in any day.
Doesn't it feel like week before last, it was ALL Pokemon? And this week? Crickets.
Last, a few words to remember:
"Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to notice what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me." -Kenneth L. Holmes
Well, I'm officially mailing it in. While Jen and I were texting random nonsense yesterday, and accusing each other of creating challenging blog post topics (it's a blog challenge, doh!), I threw out the idea that maybe a recipe didn't have to be one that we'd actually MADE. Rather, it could be one that we are hoping to make at some point in the near future (who would know if that never happened, the blog police?).
At the time, I had every intention of coming home from our weekend away and making one of the recipes you'll see below. But, I'm not sure what was really going on upstairs (add that to the things to work on: be more realistic about expectations), as time went skittering away quite rapidly upon our return home last evening.
So, I submit to you, three salads (see, not just one!) that I have every intention of making before this season's corn is gone for good. (Which means, in the next week or so!)
The biggest question is: which one should I make first?
What's on your list to make before the summer produce runs out? Or have you already transitioned to fall food? Tell me where you're at with seasonal eating!
Jen and I (and now my mom and Lisa too!) are blog challenging throughout September. You can catch her blog over at Stuff Jen Says. If you want to write along with us, give me a shout and I'll send you the blog prompts.
“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.”
-Meister Eckhart
This week I said “thank you” for:
Seth came home--and we're thankful for much, much more than his lawnmowing abilities!
My favorite David Austen roses are in full bloom!
I didn't plant most of these sweet violets, they just volunteered to show up from last year!
When it's almost 100 and I've been weeding, laying with my feet (well, okay, pretty much my whole body) in the sprinklers is just delightful.
Produce is in full gear: tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, kale and cabbage. Hard to come back from the garden without a bin or two, overflowing.
The weather has been lovely, and the sunsets are typically beautiful and bold. Wishing you a lovely weekend, with a thankful list the length of your arm! Peace.
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