A long absence from the computer usually means that I'm too busy working in my garden to touch down. Currently, I'm planting some fall crops, mainly lettuce and red-leaf mustard, and doing my fall production. I'm dehydrating again this year ~ tomatoes and zucchini. Sliced zucchini can make good crunchy chips: Just dehydrate thin slices, then spray them with olive oil and kosher salt and oven-roast them for a few minutes.
Just like potato chips, only healthier.
I wanted to wait awhile before posting any of these photos, so Ruhiyyih could share the news of that incredible day. I assure you, Matt has seen these photos of "The Dress!
It was such a fun day with both my daughters. We picked Laurel up in Renton and headed over to David's Bridal, where we had planned just to look at patterns and fabrics, then try to get an idea of what Matt's mom could sew for Ruhiyyih...a wonderful gesture made monthes ago, when Matt and Ruhiyyih were determining how to keep the costs down.
Laurel is as frugal as I am, however much more of a consumer. My attitude is minimum consumption, make do with what you've got. So, while Ruhiyyih was trying on dresses and twirling in front of the mirror, Laurel and I talked frugality during hard economic times. We discussed all the current measures used by retailers to boost sales, including the federally subsidized program 'cash for klunkers' which helps get old cars off the road and car dealers to sell new cars.
"Never purchase anything full price".
"Wait a day or two before you decide, to avoid impulse buying."
"Put it on hold, get out of the mall, and check your options."
As Laurel and I chatted, Ruhiyyih tried on her choices.
This one was pretty, but had too much fabric...
Laurel had a concern about this one...
Suddenly Ruhiyyih came out in a dress that we thought was perfect. We just gasped and looked at each other. All our prudence and frugality evaporated! 
Now it was a matter of readjusting all our priorities, and a phone-call was made to Matt. Would his mother mind, if we just went ahead and bought the dress?
We voted: Laurel, yes! Mom, yes! Ruhiyyih, yes! Matt, yes! Even with the most prudent of inclinations all of us were sideswiped by the pull of beauty.
She NEVER should have tried that dress on! Because, once we saw her in it, we were determined she should have it. Well, to make a story short, we forgot all our rules.
Now, I'll add to my list, "Never try on a dress you cannot afford. Because once it is on, it will be yours."
Ruhiyyih and I drove up to Seattle this week so I could purchase some spices at the World Spice Merchants near Pike's Market. This is an excursion that I make once a year, and it is always a pleasure to enter the shop - you can inhale the exotic spices before you enter the shop!
I browsed the spice blends for about a half hour, and purchased six - Poivron Rouge, Hawaij, Syrian Zahtar, Chipotle Chili Powder, Pink Peppercorns, and dried Tomatoes.
My most heavily used spice, excluding cinnamon and pepper blends, is Poivron Rouge. This is a Moroccan spice that provides a delicious red pepper flavor similar to Hungarian paprika and is an intense deep red. I add it to soup, chili, and chorizo dishes.
Polenta Chipotle Soup benefits from the beauty of Poivron Rouge.
Tony Hill has written an excellent book, "The Spice Lover's Guide to Herbs and Spices". It provides not only the various blends but also provides the history, horticulture, traditions and techniques of particular seasonings. He says, "My work has given me access to the paprika fields of Hungary for authentic goulash, the saffron plantations of La Mancha for a fragrant paella, and the chile markets of the Andes for a properly spiced Peruvian stew".
Spices are thrilling and memorable. A simple meal, like 'Moong Dal and Rice Khichri' (rice and black lentils) is brought alive using cumin, turmeric, cardamon and cinnamon. Today, I varied the spices, using a fusion approach of Chinese, east Indian and Chilean condiments. 
It had a fantastic flavor and punch from paunch puran, Tandoori and Curry Masala blends, and Hoisin Sauce. I added sauteed onion and garlic, black currants, and crushed nuts. I enjoyed sprinkling peppermint buds over the top. Their cooling essence was inhaled while the palate was savoring hot, spicy and sweet.
I'm harvesting tomatoes from my garden now...sliced, with a sprinkling of Tellicherry peppercorns and a pinch of sea salt. Last summer I sliced our tomatoes and added a simple borage flower . . . so colorful! So beautifully simple!
George and I have returned from a wonderful trip along the Washington and Oregon coast.
We did some great canoe paddles, hikes, and exploring. George was the primary photographer, putting over a hundred photos in our Flickr account. 
I took very few photographs, but one, of malva flowers along a weathered wall, is my favorite.
We tent camped two days along Long Beach, four days at a RV community that allowed tent-camping, and one night at Hebo lake where we were the only campers on the lake.The RV campground at Buck Lake was so delightful, a 65 and older residential community of older mobile homes. Two little lakes and huge sand dunes buffered the sides of it and the walkways and everything was well-maintained. 1950's style, with cute hand-made mailboxes. Every lot had flowers and nic-nacks to provide enchantment. We were the only tent campers and used this campground as a 'base-camp', from which we drove to all our picnic, canoeing and exploring locations. A blackbear came through the first night we were there, tipping over a garbage can. We were warned about him when we registered, that he visits, but wouldn't bother us if we left him alone.
At this campground I got to know a few of the people as I walked around the loop, and they were all so friendly. Rob, a man who camps there permanently while doing some odd repairs for the place, had a tent not far from us. He made sure we were comfortable. He gave information about the area, and also kept attuned to our habits - when we shut down for the night he turned off his music and sat quietly in front of his fire. He has a lawncare business, so worked in town every day. He'd sit in front of his fire alone in the evenings, and putter around. He told me he started helping his mom financially with the bills when he was only 10 by working crops; at 14 he left home, never completing school. Although he is only in his late 30's he seems much older...some teeth gone, his knees all busted up, a damaged shoulder and a scar on the top of his head.
The morning George and I packed up I put a plastic container of s'mores fixin's on Rob's picnic table (a big Hershey bar, marshmellows, a packet of cinnamon grahams and a little bag of powdered crushed walnuts). 
Beside it I left this bouquet of flowers I'd picked the day before. I wanted him to know that we really appreciated the kindness he'd shown us. I could just see him laughing at those old flowers, which probably would have wilted a bit throughout the day. I left a metal roasting stick too, and I imagined him sitting by his fire, alone, saying "well, it's been awhile since I built one of these s'mores, but that's what she wants me to do...".
I did the best cooking! I filled one cooler with fruits and veggies, another with meat, eggs and milk products, and another one with salads and condiments. Rice pancakes, Thai soup, Moroccan couscous, Lebaneese cucumber salad with homemade yogurt; blueberry pancakes, shukshooka (Israeli breakfast of eggs, tomatoes, etc), barbecued veggies and chicken. Flickr sets of the various locations on the trip feature videos of my camp cooking. 
It was cool along the Oregon coast ~ most days were in the upper 60's. What a welcome relief it was, from the hot days here. The day we left Tacoma to drive down the coastline, temps rose to 104 degrees here! We got out just in the nick of time.
Rahmat watered my garden while we were gone, but he and Ruhiyyih didn't pick any of the zuchinni. I had to haul about 100 lbs of it home, much of it over-grown. 
Now, when anyone asks 'what's for dinner, I say "zuchinni". Zuchinni fritters, zuchinni stir-fry, Thai soup with zuchinni, zuchinni bread...
A long absence from the computer usually means that I'm too busy working in my garden to touch down. Currently, I'm planting some fall crops, mainly lettuce and red-leaf mustard, and doing my fall production. I'm dehydrating again this year ~ tomatoes and zucchini. Sliced zucchini can make good crunchy chips: Just dehydrate thin slices, then spray them with olive oil and kosher salt and oven-roast them for a few minutes. 
Just like potato chips, only healthier.
Lunch at the mid-point of our hike.
This one was pretty, but had too much fabric...
Laurel had a concern about this one...
Suddenly Ruhiyyih came out in a dress that we thought was perfect. We just gasped and looked at each other. 
Now it was a matter of readjusting all our priorities, and a phone-call was made to Matt. Would his mother mind, if we just went ahead and bought the dress?
Ruhiyyih and I drove up to Seattle this week so I could purchase some spices at the World Spice Merchants near Pike's Market. This is an excursion that I make once a year, and it is always a pleasure to enter the shop - you can inhale the exotic spices before you enter the shop! 
Polenta Chipotle Soup benefits from the beauty of Poivron Rouge.
It had a fantastic flavor and punch from paunch puran, Tandoori and Curry Masala blends, and Hoisin Sauce. I added sauteed onion and garlic, black currants, and crushed nuts. I enjoyed sprinkling peppermint buds over the top. Their cooling essence was inhaled while the palate was savoring hot, spicy and sweet.
I'm harvesting tomatoes from my garden now...sliced, with a sprinkling of Tellicherry peppercorns and a pinch of sea salt. Last summer I sliced our tomatoes and added a simple borage flower . . . so colorful! So beautifully simple!
George and I have returned from a wonderful trip along the Washington and Oregon coast.
We did some great canoe paddles, hikes, and exploring. George was the primary photographer, putting over a hundred photos in our Flickr account. 
Beside it I left this bouquet of flowers I'd picked the day before. I wanted him to know that we really appreciated the kindness he'd shown us. I could just see him laughing at those old flowers, which probably would have wilted a bit throughout the day. I left a metal roasting stick too, and I imagined him sitting by his fire, alone, saying "well, it's been awhile since I built one of these s'mores, but that's what she wants me to do...".
I did the best cooking! I filled one cooler with fruits and veggies, another with meat, eggs and milk products, and another one with salads and condiments. Rice pancakes, Thai soup, Moroccan couscous, Lebaneese cucumber salad with homemade yogurt; blueberry pancakes, shukshooka (Israeli breakfast of eggs, tomatoes, etc), barbecued veggies and chicken. Flickr sets of the various locations on the trip feature videos of my camp cooking. 
It was cool along the Oregon coast ~ most days were in the upper 60's. What a welcome relief it was, from the hot days here. The day we left Tacoma to drive down the coastline, temps rose to 104 degrees here! We got out just in the nick of time.
Now, when anyone asks 'what's for dinner, I say "zuchinni". Zuchinni fritters, zuchinni stir-fry, Thai soup with zuchinni, zuchinni bread...
