Friday, April 25, 2008

Nutwood Update

I haven't been writing much lately about our daily goings-on, so I'll get caught up with that.

Nothing real exciting, though! Ken has finished his one-night-a-week night shift. Yay! Although I'll miss our days together during the week, I'll be happy for him that he can get back on a regular schedule. One night in the middle of the week can really screw up your routine!

A cold front will be coming in for the weekend, but the weather this week has been wonderful. I can't believe how green everything is getting in just a week! What a treat to see color appear in the drab post-winter landscape.

Hey, I've been really good about trying to work out a bit each day! Wednesday was a mile on the treadmill, Thursday was a mile on the recumbent bike, and today was using hand weights for my arms. (I might do more of that this afternoon.) Since I'm just starting, I'm feeling it out and seeing what my bod has to say about it. No grumbles so far, so I'll start ramping it up a bit in the coming week.

We made a trip to Lowe's yesterday afternoon, after Ken got up. We recently got a big new Lowe's nearby, and it's one of the best stores EVER! I've always loved hardware stores, even when I was a kid, and I love looking at all the gardening stuff and plants...oh man. Cousin Shane and I laughed about when they first opened this store, and we walked in there for the first time, we actually felt a little verklempt! Lowe's rocks! One of the things we got was a new wheelbarrow, as the old one we had was on its last...wheel. The new one has two wheels. Oooooo. Actually, it will help Ken out since he won't have to stoop down so low, and it will help me out in that it's a lot more stable. If I was carting around a heavy load of dirt or whatever, sometimes the thing would almost get away from me. I managed to never dump anything out of it, but it was close a couple of times!

Since it was so nice yesterday, Ken barbecued some chicken--he's got it down to a science, and it comes out just perfect! We also roasted some corn on the grill, which is always yummy. I was a little disappointed in this corn, because I don't know where it came from, but they hadn't let it get completely ripe! I can hardly wait for some locally grown, but I've got a little while before it's ready. I don't think any of the local farmers have planted their corn yet. I also sauteéd half of a Vidalia onion. I got my shipment yesterday--YES!--and I just couldn't stand to not have a Vidalia! I get a 20-pound box shipped from Georgia each year, and put them into nylons and hang them in the basement. I'll give Mom and Dad a few, too. One year I got a 40-pound box, and I was giving everyone onions! That's a little too much. I love Vidalias because they are so delicious and so sweet. There's nothing like them. One of my favorite things each year is a big garden salad with Vidalias. Here's what I do:

 

  • Pick a big bowl of loose leaf lettuce
  • Add sliced mushrooms
  • Fry a little bacon and keep a couple of tablespoons of drippings (just for flavor)
  • Crumble the bacon into the salad
  • Add a thickly sliced Vidalia separated into rings
  • Make a light dressing of the bacon drippings, olive oil, and cider vinegar

 

We'll eat that for dinner with nothing else. (Although it would be a good night to have some strawberry shortcake for dessert!) It's not quite wilted lettuce, which I also love, but similar. Wow, that made me hungry!

Of course, to be able to pick a bunch of loose leaf lettuce, one must first plant it! Ken and I will start getting a garden bed ready as soon as we can. We got a few 1x6's at Lowe's--or were they 2x6's?--to make enclosed raised beds. Our beds up until now haven't had sides, and we're just losing dirt back into the walkways. Our weeds get so out of control, too, so we'll probably put down some black bed covers to try and get a handle on those.  

And I think that brings us up to date! For now....

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

They were 2x6's.  I love having a Lowes close.  I have not decided for sure whether Lowes or Home Depot is best, it seems that Home Depot workers are more knowledgable.  But proximity trumps it for me, especially since I usually know exactly what I need.  :o)

Anonymous said...

My husband works for Home Depot, so were a little partial in these parts !!  : )
That salad sounds great. The Corn grown here on Long Island is aswesome, I suppose any corn on the cob is great though, nothing beats that on a summer night!!!
Be well,
Ellen

Anonymous said...

Thomas and I LOVE vidalia onions and are always trolling the produce section of supermarkets and grocery stores or produce stands searching for them, and then asking the clerks "when will you get vidalias in?"  Now I guess I know I have to order them from Georgia!  Glad you guys are doing well, and glad Ken is back on a regular shift.  We are going through that right now, where Thomas is helping out on other shifts, and it's messing ME up more than him I think!  What cold front?!  I don't want a cold front to come in this weekend!
Lori

Anonymous said...

Yum, yum!  It's early morning as I read but you have
me hungry for that great meal.  My Mom loved to cook
with onions, especially Vidalias.  She firmly believed
in the medicinal vallue of onions and garlic,  so her
food was always so tasty.  Enjoy your gardening!   Pat

Anonymous said...

It is great to hear from young people and you, my girl made me hungry.  I love Vadilia onions,  It is cold here in Nebraska and 3 days ago I almost got to hot working in the yard.  That seems to be Nebraska weather.  They had a future forecaster on with our regular forecaster.  She was in 5th grade and she read the letter she wrote to get on the station and uin her letter she hit the nail on the head.

Anonymous said...

I can not eat lettuce or corn. If i did, i'd end up in the ER. I miss salads so much that i get envious just reading about your dinner! LOL     You never know what your gonna miss till you can't have it anymore. Sounds like you had a nice week.....good for you with the exercising.
HUGS

Anonymous said...

I love the recipe I may have to try it is a little more complicated than my own salad
hugs
Sherry