i'm engaged

Sourdough starter day 1

5:30pm
I combined 150g flour with 250g of water for a total of 400g. It is left out on the counter and uncovered.

My favorite Salsa

I whipped this up months ago when our garden started to produce more peppers than I knew what to do with. We have been making this ever since. We put it on everything.

Restaurant Style Salsa
1 can (28 oz) whole San Marzano tomatoes
1/4 chopped frozen onion (or fresh if you have it)
2 cloves garlic
3 jalapenos, diced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cumin, ground
1/4 cup cilantro (or to taste)
juice from 1 small lime

Combine all ingredients in a blender and give it a whirl until you get the consistency you like. Less for chunky salsa, more for smooth salsa.

travel

Don't you just hate it when you have been traveling, come home, unpack your luggage and realize that some item, usually small, is missing. I can't find my tweezers, and instead of just buying a new pair I am going over every inch of luggage, hand bag, and carry on we have. I can be like that sometimes.

Life Has Resumed

I stopped blogging for so many reasons; grief, school, a move, and travel, just to name a few. During all of those times I often wanted to write up a blog post or share a great restaurant, but it just wasn't he right time to pick blogging back up. Today though, feels like the right time to bring blogging back into my life. I am looking froward to sharing some of the things that were going on this past summer and what the fall holds in store for us.

More to come....

the house

thereapy in the dirt

I have been putting most of my short attention span into gardening. Its been going pretty well. After my father passed I was overwhelmed with a desire to return to the "normal". I wanted to be back on my routine schedule, going to the same places, seeing the same people. And for the most part that meant getting back into my classes. Well, oops! That ended last Thursday. What is a girl to do?

She breaks out the cute tools and gloves and starts playing in the dirt. I haven't got much of a spot for gardening. In fact I only have a second story balcony. You know I would let something like physics or two flights of stairs get in my way (errrm, the fellas way). I have been putting my extra energy in flowers and herbs. Nurturing is therapy right now, thinning out plants is therapy, enjoying nights on the balcony surrounded by my creations is therapy.

This has actually been more of a challenge than I thought. Most of the balcony is in complete shade. A small corner is full sun. Practically no in-between. I am attempting to grow mint in complete shade. I think it might just work because the summers are so hot here. Other than that, just winging it every single day.