Weather, etc.

The weather yesterday afternoon and evening was an interesting grab bag, starting off hot enough to make me sluggish and boring, then finally raining some, enough to make a rainbow :-), and continuing into thunder and lightning, particularly nice since it managed to be not only spectacular, but cool things off enormously.

Yesterday also included a stop at a dock in Waltham to dunk a pot, a couple of rounds of Citadels, and some yummy salmon, braised swiss chard (mmm), also a green salad.
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Food associations

(Yet again, inspired by Tigerbright's journal entry, though not as nicely formed as hers.)

Some people, places, and times (none particularly recent) that have particular associations, in no particular order. (  just a ramble through my brain when slightly overtired...this gets long. )

First bike ride of the year!

I finally managed to get enough momentum and get myself out on my bike :-). A short ride, a half hour, and it was good to feel the wind around me (I'd brought water bottles, didn't wear the Camelbak). I also managed to find a route that had a minimum of sun in my eyes, not an easy feat half an hour ago, and ride on one street that was newly paved.

What I found out:

I am sorely out of shape. Not a surprise, just a confirmation. By the end of the ride, I was noticing my lower back (which happens sometimes, but usually after a longer ride...), and thinking it might be good to get wrist guards, at least for my left wrist, which was noticing the bumps more. Happily, I had no issues with my left hand other than that :-).

Also, I need to raise the seat of my bike around an inch or so; my legs didn't extend fully during the pedal rotation. Next time I need to remember to wear the old black sneakers, which fit into the toe clips properly, not the newer, jazzier, blue-and-grey ones, which don't, really. I'm hoping that those two fixes will help the left ball of my foot, which was starting to go to sleep, sort of. Oh, and I should probably oil the bike chain.

Still, I did it! After months of not being able to, then not getting myself to, I finally used the bike again!

Veggies, week 6

This week in the box there was:

a big bunch of collards,
a little bunch of cilantro (that I gave away)
a mid-sized cucumber
two largish heads of lettuce
a bunch of basil
two yellow patty pan squash
3 yellow summer squash
about 18 small new potatoes, ranging from really tiny to half a fist

When I went to pick up my share, the vague guy who runs the farm was there (Oakes), and he introduced this year's farmer, John. John and I ended up talking for a while. He wanted to know how things were this year, both for general quantity and for more/less of specific veggies. As other people came by, I found that I am apparently in the minority for being happy with the amount of lettuce; others are feeling inundated. I got to hear about some of the upcoming veggies (yum), and we talked recipes. He asked for some, and I said I have descriptions, but not recipes: I don't measure, just cook by look/taste/feel most of the time. Interesting chat.

And in porch news, I have another half dozen or more cherry tomatoes ripening :-). Highly exciting.... perhaps some salad next week will feature farm lettuce and my tomatoes....