Globe Trottin'

Ok. Maybe not *globe* trotting...more like upper Atlantic Coast trotting...but hey, I'll take it. Saturday begins the end of the summer weekend trips for me, with a day trip to Boston with Kate, Mary and the kids. Should prove to be a good time, and nice to get out of the house. The Boy comes home from CA that night, which will be wonderful. The following Friday Kate and I depart for the "no boys no kids just beach" Martha's Vineyard trip. Then a potential trip to the Highland Games again this year, probably some hiking in the Presidentials with the boy (I'd like to make an afternoon at Franconia Falls an annual thing...it's lovely there), and then October brings Rhinebeck (NY Sheep and Wool). So while I've had a reasonably low key summer, things are just about to ramp up...and not a moment too soon!

blueberry pie

Dan, Duane and I went blueberry picking on Sunday, just before heading back to NH. We got just over 7 cups of fresh berries in no time, thanks to antique blueberry rakes hiding out in the shed. Dan's first request for berry use was pie. Having never made a blueberry pie before (can't stand blueberries, personally) here's the recipe, just so i can't lose it. (ETA: Dan liked the pie. Guess the recipe is a keeper!)

5 C blueberries (fresh or frozen)
5 T sugar
4T flour
juice of half a lemon and a little lemon zest
1t cinnamon
1/4t nutmeg (really just a couple of shakes...didn't measure at all)
by rights there should have been a little butter under the crust, but i forgot it...

I used frozen pie shells, mixed everything together, dumped it in the crust, covered it, cut vents, sprinkled with sugar. Bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
The end!

some news...

For those of you who don't know yet, the boy and I are engaged to be married. No big plans have been set, but it's looming. It'll be heavy on the DIY (too damn many crafty people around for it not to be! His mom bakes cakes, my mom is doing my dress, ciocia Theda will likely do flowers...) and very low key, hopefully. We're both very happy, and looking forward to this new chapter in our lives. We've actually been engaged for a little over a month at this point, but wanted to tell a bunch of people in person, rather than have them find out via the internets.
So...yay!

braised chicken and pasta

Posted here, mostly for posterity...

K and I went to the farmers market this morning in Portsmouth and picked up some awesome fresh produce. Dinner tonight involved a fair bit of it..

Ingredients:
5-6 baby carrots (real ones, not the machine made ones), sliced
6 roma tomatoes, diced
handful of cherry tomatoes, cut up (they were in the fridge...)
5 garlic scapes
2 breasts of chicken, sliced
splash balsamic vinegar
shake of onion powder
2T olive oil

combine everything except chicken in a saucepan, let simmer for about 2 hours. Add some water if the pot seems to be drying out. Put a little sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish, layer chicken on top, cover with the rest of the sauce, and bake, covered, at 350F for about 40 minutes. It won't hurt it any to go longer though. cook whatever kind of pasta you want, and serve the chicken over it.

Enough, already!

They say deaths come in threes or sevens....we're headed squarely for a seven at this point, as we are now at four major celebrity deaths in just over a week....
Tim Russert, host of Meet the Press, and a fixture of the American political landscape. And a devoted father, son and husband, and a heck of a writer.
Tasha Tudor, author, who wrote WONDERFUL children's books.
Cyd Charisse, dancer/actress. Best known to me as the dancer love interest in a couple of scenes in Singin' in the Rain with Gene Kelly.
and last, but certainly not least, George Carlin. He changed the face of American comedy, and was a legend.

All four will never be forgotten, and sorely missed. Here's hoping it stops at 4, rather than 7...we don't need to lose any more talent!

and one more, for good measure.

You Are Kermit

Hi, ho! Lovable and friendly, you get along well with everyone you know. You're a big thinker, and sometimes you over think life's problems. Don't worry - everyone know's it's not easy being green. Just remember, time's fun when you're having flies!

The Muppet Personality Test

a few good quizzes...

36 As a 1930s wife, I am Poor Take the test!

Well, thank the gods it's not the 1930s anymore! :)

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

Well, at least I passed 8th grade, right?