The Joys of Summer

It's the second day of autumn already, and we're supposed to experience a 20-degree swing in temperatures tomorrow.  I remember how LOOOOOONG winter seemed to drag on (well into what I would otherwise have termed "spring") and so I want to take this chance to reflect on the joys of this past summer, which I have, until now, failed to share.  What a fabulous summer it has been.

I was once again put "in charge" of the beautification committee for the front of our subdivision.  Actually I AM the committee.  You may recall from earlier blogs that I started a bunch of zinnias from seed to plant out front.  Well, they were tiny when I put them out, and they stayed tiny for quite a while.  I gave it up as a failed experiment, when everything just burst into bloom:

My Facebook friends will remember the great pics I posted of the tomato canning session with my sister, She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on the internet.  Here are a few more, of me in her plot at the community garden, and of our canning session:

These grapes tasted just like grape Kool-Aid.

And who could forget this little gem on a sidestreet near She's garden:

That's right.  A stretch Prius.

We had some lovely dinners as well, and this fantastic pinot at one of them.  I'm posting a picture because I really don't like pinot (a handicap for one living in Oregon) but this one was exceptional.  Many thanks, She and She's husband!

I also had the chance to see She on one of her two rather fine horses, and learned that there is more to dressage than sitting on a horse tapping your heels against their flanks.  I learned this  because her trainer never stopped shouting out crazy commands, like "right hip down" and "left thigh out."  Does a horse really feel that through a saddle and all?

When driving home from She's city, with a nice box of home-canned tomatoes in the backseat, and a belly full of tomatoes (in more ways than one), I laughed aloud when I passed a convoy of these:

My own tomatoes are ripening sloooooowly, but I'm getting two Black Crims and plenty of Green Zebras a day.  When it threatens to freeze, we run out and cover everything. We have the added security of Walls of Water in the beds, but even those won't keep things going for much longer when the cold weather comes.

She also came to visit us here in Oregon, and joined me on my morning walks with the neighbor ladies.  Of course, we had to wear our competing NFC North gear.  Ignore the "Champion" part on her shirt.....  I love her anyway. 

She found a pick your own potato patch, and we visited it with Stevie.  We had a great time.

Ted and I went to see A Prairie Home Companion's summer of Love tour in Bend, and it was one of the best concerts ever.

At intermission, Garrison and and female singer (lead singer of the Wailin' Jennys - can't think of her name) walked through the crowed singing whatever tune came to mind.  It was fantastic, and all the people in my neighborhood loved it.

All in all, it's been a beautiful summer of love!

It's Not Easy

A Day at the Fair (with moooving pictures)

But first, another outdoor concert in Redmond!  Judy and I this time, and it was another beautiful evening with good food, good wine and good friends.

More people in my neighborhood

Including this tiny genius - GO VIKES!

And these two sitting next to us in the shade

Again, the band stunk but I'm taking a lesson from the locals - enjoy the beautiful weather and company.  It's nice just to be outside on an August night without melting in 117 degree heat.

The next day Ted and I were off to the Deschutes County Fair!  We had a great time!

Part of the fairgrounds as viewed from the Ferris Wheel

And another part

Ted as viewed from the Ferris Wheel - what a good sport!

You get the idea - I dig the Ferris Wheel.

Thence off to the livestock competitions.  I never thought I'd have so much fun looking at 4H and FFA exhibits, but it's a blast.  Bunnies,

This is a bunny being blow-dried.  Lordy.

and chickens,

goats,

and my personal favorite, this guy from the Jersey Shore.

We even saw baby longhorn cattle,

and the place where the insurance defense lawyers were meeting.

One of the highlights was watching a dog water leap practice (if there's an actual name for this, I do not know it).  The dog you are about to see first ran to the end of the ramp (without his owner), dropped the retrieving dummy in HIMSELF, then jumped in after it.  Ted and I predicted a quick elimination for that pup, but once his owner got up there, he was poetry in motion. 

Well, darn.  I can't load an avi file.  That's a shame because he was AWESOME!

All in all, it was a wonderful day, one I wish we could have shared with our loved ones.  Maybe next year!

New Eggs

Hooray for Druscilla - the first pullet in my new flock to lay an egg!  Here's the pretty little green egg:

Nestled picturesquely amongst black grapes

and here's Druscilla:

She even laid it in a nest box.  Good girl!  Not two days later, I found a little brown egg under Fiona, who was also in a nest box.  How do they know??

Fiona is the white Delaware

I must admit to being puzzed as to why Lucy, the sex-link, hasn't kicked it into gear.  She was supposed to start about two weeks before the other breeds.  Hmm.

As for music and events, Ted, Judy and I saw a great jazz trio at a local restaurant the other night, the Pamela McGuire Trio.  They had only been together a few weeks, but sounded fantastic.  Pamela was flat-out amazing, and I look forward to seeing them again soon.

Not so amazing was the swing band Judy, Lillian and I went to see at a local park.  Now, it was wonderful being outside with friends,

I always like seeing the people in my neighborhood, like the Sesame Street song,

and it cracks me up when people put "service dog" vests on their pets to get them into a place where they may otherwise be forbidden,

A service Yorkie?  Really?

but the band wasn't that hot, so no picture for them.  Thanks to both my buddies for letting me eat their food and drink their wine as I didn't think to bring any - next time, I promise!

Finally, Ted loved the trout I made last night so much he said TWICE I should include it in my blog, so here it is:  Carmelize a pile of onions.  Dredge your cleaned trout in  egg whites (you may skin them first but that's a pain when they're raw).  Stuff them with seasoned panko crumbs and cleaned morel mushrooms, and fry/poach them in a frying pan in a little bit of olive oil and beef stock, adding more stock as it evaporates.  I also dumped more seasoned panko on top as they cooked, which in retrospect was kind of dumb since I skinned them before serving.

Bone and skin the trout and serve on a bed of the carmelized onions.  Delish!  Thanks to Ken and his guests for bringing me their fresh trout - love my neighbors!