Celebrating Half A Century

Lenore's "Just Desserts" non birthday party was filled with flowers, sugar, and maybe a little too much humidity. But it was a sunny day that even included a parade, which we walked in to promote the depot/Farmer's Market. People sang Happy Birthday to Lenore along the way, so I think she totally bought that the parade was for her birthday.





Flowers for a 50th:



(I have to include this little nosegay, because my dad is the only one who went upstairs to use the bathroom, even though I made the concerted effort to clean and tidy it. Well, at least that's done for another year...)


(Thanks to Kim and Doug for bringing these fabulous flowers from their yard!)

(Purple and orange! The cute basket was hand made by my cousin's husband, Rich, who also refinished and made leaves for my bargain hysterical society dining room table.)


A few of the desserts:




We had a pre birthday dinner and mom's Kalua torte on Saturday w/Mom, Dad, Amy and our husband Roland.



Lenore got a fox for her garden from Roland and Amy. Hoops wasn't sure what to make of it at first, then she made friends.

Just Cuz

We had a relatively quiet weekend, but I still took a few pictures. Saturday was busy with marketing, lawn mowing, and planting -- all of which we wanted to get done since Sunday was going to be so blasted hot (which it was). I planted mom's Mother's Day pots (shown here, followed by a shot of the not-so-attentive supervisors), and Lenore and I (but mostly Lenore) made another batch of strawberry-rhubarb jelly, this time with organic strawberries and local honey. It tastes the same as the first batch, really, but we can be more smug when eating it.





I got most of my garden planted Saturday (herbs, Swiss chard, four teeny tiny asparagus plants, and a lot of tomato plants), and I planted some flowers on Sunday that the squirrels are no doubt busy digging up right now, the little bastards.

Whirlywind Weekend

Every now and then a most excellent bargain on a treasure you never knew you needed crosses your path. Like this fabulous Whirly-Pop popcorn maker, which I found at the Farmer's Market last week. And guess how much I paid for it? A dollar! ONE DOLLAR. According to "the Google," they retail for $22+, so I'm feeling mighty smug. I had given up on microwave popcorn due to all the chemicals, so this is a happy alternative to scorching a saucepan of oil laden kernels over the burner. With the beloved Whirly Pop, kernels are done popping in about three minutes in as little as 1 tsp. of oil. Giddyup!




Joules, her neighbor and I also caravanned out to my co worker's homestead for some organic compost. How much poo can you fit in a Mini Cooper? About 10 kitty litter buckets, that's how much. One of Julie's neighbors did a double take and asked, "Wow, what kind of cat do you have?!" to which I replied, "A lion, why?"



The source: George (up close) and Annie (in the distance). Their deposits are combined in compost bins with household scraps for a delicious blend that is savory with fruity undertones and a clean finish.



Dad helped me get it all tilled into my humble little garden plot. Thanks again to Dave and Kathy for the use of the teeny tiny tiller. I hope you'll be bringing it with you next year when you visit us from Montana!

I should note that Molly and David cultivate their poo by carefully aging, monitoring and turning the piles. Here's Molly checking the temperature.



A cozy temperature of 140 degrees (taken in a newly dumped pile, not the aged connoisseur piles).



Here you can see the one-year (in the distance), two-year (middle) and three-year piles, each carefully tended and turned, not unlike fine wine.



After shoveling poo, we stopped at Duke's Alehouse for some beer and burgers. I ordered a bison burger, which was delicious, but a tad more rare than I prefer.


Gaaaa! I can't believe I ate that.

Also, since it was the daily special, I neglected to ask the price. FIFTEEN DOLLARS. For a burger. I ate (after further cooking) the other half for dinner, thereby slashing the price to $7.50. Still...good thing I got such a good deal on the Whirly popper and the poo.

Here's Joules and her ridiculously dark beer. As if a maudlin song about this shipwreck weren't enough... It makes the beer all that much darker.



Also, here's another nosegay, jus cuz, and an allium update.





This weekend will be dedicated to Farmer's Marketing, planting stuff, and perhaps a picnic or two. Lenore's feeling a little more chippper now that the transfusion has had a couple days to "settle," and she's gearing up to going back to work next week. It's not ideal timing, but apparently the powers that be at disability decided to stop paying her.

For some lively market updates, join our Facebook fan page. Just go to the Dundee Depot and Farmer's Market page and click the "like" button. Pardon the limited commercial interruption.

Later that same month...

Smackdown Incentive

The front desk lady at the college fitness center is very good about decorating for the various holidays and what not. Recently, despite having no budget whatsoever, she created this fly bulletin board to coincide with the latest incentive program. It's made out of crumpled up paper! That in itself was impressive to me, but then, today, whilst working my abs on the adjacent mat, I noticed someone had accessorized her mountain.

"You may get to tent #1, but then you have get by THIS GUY!!! Grrrr!" I found out later, it was one of the guys from the "Wilde Bunch," which is basically all the retired guys I work out with in the morning. I guess he raided his grandson's toy box.




This was not the extent of my week's excitement though. Roland's cousin Klaus Peter passed through town on his way to New York! It's always fun to see representatives from the German contingent.



In other news, we've been trying to promote the Dundee Farmer's Market on Facebook and Twitter, so if you're on either, be our friend! It's under Dundee Depot & Farmer's Market. Twitter is @Dundee Depot I think. Someone else is doing the tweeting; I'm not that hip yet.

On the medical front, Lenore managed to get anemic enough to warrant a transfusion, which, though there are risks, we were kind of hoping she could get, because she really feels like crap, and the exhaustion is getting old. So that'll be Monday, and hopefully she'll be a whole new vampire then. They are going to irradiate the blood as a precaution since her immune system is not so great; as an added bonus, she'll glow in the dark!



Don't forget to check the face blog for some new additions. Lenore and I both had (maybe) photos chosen for a "Faces in Places" coffee table book that's being published by someone across the Pond. Her name is Jody, and she has a Faces in Places site that was recently featured in Reader's Digest. American Express totally stole our idea.

Perky Plants

Can one ever get too much of nature's nurture? Maybe, but I'm still going to continue posting, with some restraint, things that catch my eye(s). Like the allium bulbs I planted last fall. I was at war with the squirrels, who kept digging them up, but it looks like a few bulbs survived. I've never seen alliums being borned before and it's fascinating! I hope recent torrential rains haven't knocked their little heads off before they've had time to assume their fireworks phase. Check it out!









In other bucolic news, handyman Tim moved some fence panels for me (long story about rear-yard neighbors, now gone, who were fence placement impaired), and I was worried we may have bisected the hostas. I think they're gonna be OK. My Jerry Garcia neighbor will get a few hosta parts and ferns in the bargain, but that's OK.



Then Lenore thought (out loud) that I should be sharing the occasional nose gay of mini bouquets I've been plucking out of the yard, so here's a couple-two-three of those.





Pretty soon all the sweet little flowers will be gone, but I'm thinking of planting some sunflowers this year.

And basil -- here's my baby basil growing from seeds.




Non documented kitchen news (which involved potholders, so that's why I'm bringing it up) has to do with recent success baking more (and better) bread in the crockpot. This is good new for hot summer days ahead.

I created a Facebook page for the Farmer's Market, and Saturday is our first opening of the season, so, weather permitting, I may take some pictures to post. If you're not a fan ... why not?! And Joules and I are going on a poo run in Woodstock. Co worker Molly has horsies and brews compost on the side, so that'll be an exciting outing as well.

Hi to Lenore and all, who are in SC celebrating Lenore's soon-to-be FIVE OH with dragon boats and poppyseed cake. 50. Hmmm. Fret not, it's the new 30.