Wednesday, June 24, 2009

It was time to do a little snipping to my basil plants to get them to leaf out even more. By the time I finished snipping I was excited to see I had enough leaves for a small batch of pesto! MMmmmmm, pesto :) So I picked off all the leaves and tossed those into the blender. Then I threw in a few cloves of garlic and some olives. I then drizzled it with olive oil.
Other great additions, if I had been prepared, would have been grated parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and sundried tomatoes.
Then I pulse the blender. Because this was a small batch I had to keep pushing the stuff back onto the blades. Went you do a larger batch the stuff seems to stir itself a little better. I didn't mind the extra effort, we were gonna have fresh pesto tonight for dinner!!!
Still blending...but almost there!
Perfect!!!
As it settles, the oil will rise to the top and seal in the freshness. The flavors will start to blend together and by dinner time, we will be able to have pesto over pasta, pesto on some toasted bread, pesto in spaghetti sauce, pesto on top of crackers with cream cheese...oh my gosh, I am suddenly very hungry!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Camp Kengi knitting

As you know, I am a knitter. I am always working on knitting projects, most especially while we drive up to Camp Kengi and back.
This is my lastest knitting project I finished and I absolutely love it!!! It is the perfect Camp Kengi hat! Covers that dirty grubby hair in a super stylin' way!!!! I love it so much, I have already started a second one...you will probably see me in it the next time you are at Camp Kengi with us! :)
Besides my hat, I wanted to share this super cool photo of a skunk cabbage plant.


I don't know if you can see it very well, but there are rain drops all over the leaves and it totally looks like little drops of diamonds.

Even though this plant can be somewhat of a nuiscance because of it's size and rapid growth rate, I have to admit, this act of nature made it something to really appreciate...if only until we weed-whack it down the next time we are there!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Do you believe in curses?

I never did...but now I do.
4 years ago we were searching for a house in an insane, highest bidder wins, market. During the second week in June 2005, we had recieved a counter offer to our offer on a house and we had to decide, right then and there, what to do. In that very moment, little did we know that the curse that came with this house was beginning. We accepted the counter offer.
During the second week in June 2006, as we got ready to go watch Ken's niece play ball, I went to give my little Berkman, a happy and healthy bunny, a quick snuggly before we left. We never made it to the ball game, we spent the evening at an emergency vet's where we said goodbye to my little guy.
During the second week in June 2007, it was a normal summer afternoon. Ken's kitty, Denver was hanging on the deck with us as usual. Then she started making horrific moaning sounds. Off to the emergency vet's again. That was the last time Denver ever hung out with us on the deck.
Just before June 2008, enjoying a BBQ with a friend out on the deck and a beautiful evening. Just over the back fence we hear a cat being attacked by their dogs. It was our cat. We spent the evening at the emergency vet's. That was the last evening we spent with Halebano. Maybe because the curse of the this house was off by a couple weeks, that is why a month later Piper, my happy and healthy bunny, for no apparent reason passed away.
And now, during the second week in June 2009, I held my breath, loved my critters and knew each was healthy and happy and hoped that it was all a coincidence and this year would be different. I hoped so much that I didn't dare say anything out loud until the second week in June was past. Unfortunately, silence didn't do any good. Maquiri was hit and killed by a car and I found him while I was posting signs that he was missing.
This house is cursed and the second week in June is the most horrible week of every year.
As I spend another second week in June, with my face raw from wiping tears away, I am going to do everything I can to make sure this family and all it's critters are not in this house this time next year. Mark my words!