Peas, Posies and Papa

Here's a three-in-one post, my attempt to get caught up on the news from Anthonyville. First up in the discussion is:

Peas

We just harvested our second batch of peas for the season. Yum!

The peas went wild this year! I think the cooler, rainy spring had something to do with the peas being so happy. Unlike years past, we have actually picked peas twice this year and are hoping to get one last pea picking in before the hot weather is here to stay.

Here's one of my favorite simple recipes that combines three of my faves: peas, pancetta (well, bacon of any kind) and Parmesan!

farfalle with peas and pancetta

Servings: Serves 4 as a main course.

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh peas in pod or one 10-ounce box frozen baby peas
1 pound sugar snap peas and/or snow peas
1/2 pound sliced pancetta or 1/4 pound sliced bacon
2 shallots
1 pound dried farfalle or rotini
3 tablespoons olive oil

Accompaniment: freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preparation

Shell fresh peas if using. Diagonally cut sugar snaps and/or snow peas into thirds. Finely chop pancetta and shallots separately.

Fill a 6-quart pasta pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for peas and pasta. Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water.

Cook fresh or frozen peas in boiling water until tender, about 2 minutes, and with a slotted spoon transfer to ice water to stop cooking. Cook sugar snaps and/ or snow peas in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes, and with slotted spoon transfer to ice water. Reserve water in pot over low heat, covered. Drain peas in a colander and transfer to a bowl.

Heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook pancetta, stirring, until golden brown and edges are crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in shallots and cook, stirring, until just tender, about 2 minutes.

Return water in pot to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Ladle out and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta in colander and add to pancetta mixture with peas, 1/4 cup reserved pasta water, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat mixture over low heat, gently tossing (and adding more pasta water as needed if mixture becomes dry), until just heated through.

Serve pasta with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

I've used any kind of bacon you can imagine, any kind of onion I have handy and any kind of pasta I'm in the mood for. Works every time.


Posies

The late spring/early summer flowers are showing off right now. Flower gardens everywhere are absolutely glorious this time of year. We don't have much more than a few pots here and there, but we're enjoying every bloom that smiles our way.

Taylor's marigolds.

Love the fuschia snapdragons we put in pots this year.

Taylor stopped to smell the flowers at an outdoor flower display in Old Town.

Papa

Taylor treated her papa to an ice cream date for Father's Day. The two of them have had many a laugh over a scoop of Ben and Jerry's finest. This ice cream date with dad was no different. John tried a new flavor and Taylor had her usual, mint chocolate chunk. But since it was Father's Day and all, she upped the ante and had M & M's on top. Now that's what a call a scoop of ice cream!

I don't know. Who is supposed to be Ben and who is supposed to be Jerry?

Looks like two partners in crime. I cannot fail to notice that Taylor refused to stop shoveling it in, even for the posed photos...

Almost seven years of fatherhood and he's still a kid at heart.

That's it for now. Work wiped me out this weekend and I'm still in recovery mode as of Tuesday night. Either I'm getting old or critical care nursing is more brutal than I ever suspected.

Kristin

Happy Frog Makes a Happy Dog

I don't know what it is that makes my dog go nuts over Happy Frog fertilizer for veggies, but he goes nuts in a major way. This is my second year of using Happy Frog fertilizer for my container plants and is also the second year that the smell of that fertilizer has turned my geriatric dalmatian into The Great Spotted Ass.

Last year, when my back was turned attending to other important gardening matters, my dog went crazy and ate, ATE, three of my tomato plants and ALL of the soil they were planted in. I will let your imagination run wild with exactly how that played out over the next 3 days. Not pretty. This year he is threatening to do the same thing again and I cannot have it happen. I have now become the border patrol guard of my back yard. It's amazing what a weekend gardener will do for a few home grown tomatoes.

I must be in denial, but for the life of me I can't figure out his excitement about Happy Frog when any other fertilizer leaves him unfazed. I went to the FoxFarm blog to try to figure this out. Apparently bat guano and worm poop are the epitome of gourmet dining for canines. Who knew? Shouldn't there be a warning label visible on the package? "Warning: The odor of Happy Farm fertilizer may cause uncontrollable pica in canines. We strongly recommend heavy sedation, a titanium kennel and the use of a straight jacket for the first 72 hours after application". For me or the dog?

Kristin

A "Plan B" Kind of Day

fading light

over this town wanders

a shade of clouds

Not to ruin the serenity of the moment, but REALLY. How does the weather change from a blistering 90+ degrees yesterday to wind and clouds with 56 degrees today? No bike rides or park play dates for us today. Grrrrrr....

Since outdoor activities are somewhat curtailed for today, Taylor and I have been enjoying the books in our midst. Taylor has fallen in love with the Babymouse book series. Who knew graphic novels were being made for kids? And by graphic, I don't mean graphic, I mean graphic--as in comic book style. At first I rolled my eyes a little. Pink, saccharine, lollipop type books weren't on my Top 1,000 list for Taylor. But then I learned a little more about the author, Jennifer Holm, and quickly changed my mind. She's got some great chapter books that are winning awards left and right. Taylor likes those too. What a relief!

I have been reading "March", by Geraldine Brooks and I am completely captivated by the story and by her style of writing. I have been reading pages, then re-reading them just to go over the wonderful words again. To wallow in the prose. It is magical what she does. I have also gone to her website to listen to her talk about the book and the historical underpinnings the story is based on. It's been a long time since I've gotten into a book this much--what a wonderful surprise.

While a day outside was my dream for the day, I cannot deny the mountains of laundry insulating the washer and dryer, nor can I remember the last time a visit to Taylor's toy room didn't turn into an impromptu agility training session. Perhaps Mother Nature is trying to tell me something? I'll take the hint, for now...

Kristin

My First Framed Piece

I picked up my first ever framed stitching piece from the framers last week. I started this project last October while on vacation at the Outerbanks of North Carolina. It was fall at the time, which inspired the interest in this piece. I love how it turned out!

Prairie Schooler primitive sampler design finished in autumn silks and a weathered frame. This will be the first piece I actually keep for myself.

I first learned to stitch from my Grandma Gladys, who came to stay with us when I was sick with the chicken pox. In between bouts of calamine lotion and chicken noodle soup, she taught me the basics of embroidery and cross stitch. Ever the crafty one, my grandma passed along a love for such things to me and I have played with fabrics and fibers ever since.

If Grandma Gladys was my first teacher, then my mom is definitely my biggest fan. I know that she doesn't necessarily understand the mind of someone who would fiddle around with such miniature things for hours on end, yet she is the one who has my first attempts hanging on her walls. If I were half so talented in the art of turning anything you like into interior decor, I would be a lucky girl indeed!

I am now on to my next stitching obsession--a Quaker style sampler with 20+ motifs organized around the single word 'Forgiveness'. This one is a huge project, but I've already got all my stuff and I'm ready to go. According to my calculations, I should post a picture of the finished thing right here on this blog sometime in 2011. :)

Kristin

TIme to Party!

Hanna, Willow and Taylor share some good times to kick off the summer.

Taylor's BFF Willow had her birthday party today at the community pool. Taylor was so excited about this that she had her wardrobe and birthday present planned weeks in advance. Pokemon anyone? Willow and Taylor are both Pokemon fanatics and find every opportunity to dazzle each other with new Pokemon names, powers and facts. I don't understand one single word those two say when they're together, but apparently I'm not supposed to!

The pool was cool, very cool! I was fully dressed with a jacket on (no swimming in 70 degree weather for me, thanks!) and still had goosebumps half the time, but all of the kids were more than happy to frolic in the water for almost three hours. The determination of a brand new seven year old is a thing to behold. :)

There were so many squirt guns, beach balls, noodles and floaties (only the good kind, I promise) in the pool that there almost wasn't room for the kids. I have never seen such a sweet pool set up in my life. Almost made me go home and put my suit on just to have a little fun too. Notice I said almost.

At last! Taylor's turn on the 'throne'.

The Cadillac of the swimming pool floaties was definitely the purple dragon. The sharks, killer whales, Kanoodles and beach balls were cool and all, but the purple dragon won the day. After the inaugural ride by the birthday girl, the kids took turns riding the Purple Beast. The greatest thing of all? The hit toy of the party cost a whopping $4.99 at WalMart. Can't beat that with a stick, can ya?

After jello cake, snacks, opening presents and one more dip in the pool, the party was over. Taylor and Willow have set up pool dates through the summer, complete with the purple dragon and a chance to show off other cool swimming suits they own. Taylor can't wait to turn seven herself and get a chance to be the "hostess with the mostess". :)

Kristin

A Haiku For You

I went through the last of Taylor's school things today. Homework papers, pieces of artwork, math tests and sight word lists. I found some fun poems she worked on in school--who knew?!?

Her haiku:

GRASS

grass smells just like rain
grows so tall it needs a trim.
grass looks like small stems.

Here's an acrostic poem using the word 'spring':

S Sleet is falling.
P Plants are being planted.
R Rainbows are in the sky.
I Insects are buzzing.
N Nectar is being sred. (What? Anyone?)
G Grasshoppers are crazy!

We are beginning to fill out the scrapbook for her first grade year. It's fun to look over the whole year and see the incredible amount of growth and learning that happened. Before I know it she'll be learning to drive! Time is going by so very, very fast...

Speaking of spring, we've been playing in the garden in between deluges of rain. Taylor is so excited that the raspberry canes have finally produced their first blossoms of the season. She asks me every day how long it will be until they're done. I have to tell her that I have no clue, as I've never tried to grow them before. If we even manage to get one ripe raspberry off these plants I'll be squealing with happiness! And yes, you guessed it. You'll be seeing a picture of it on this blog. :)

We also have high hopes for the eggplant seedlings this year. Last year was the first year I was able to get one to mature before the growing season ended. Who knew they took so long? At first, I was just playing with the plants because the blossoms are so absolutely gorgeous. Then I found out that grilled eggplant is ridiculously good and became very intent upon growing one of my own. This is the earliest that I've ever had a seedling grow up and blossom. Wish me luck!

Kristin

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Taylor woke up this morning feeling a little under the weather. A little fever, sore throat, some coughing. Not the ideal way to kick off summer break. Boo! Hiss! Seventeen in-house activities later and we still have half the day left!

We decided to continue browsing through our picture files and have had a good chuckle over some of the treasures we've uncovered. Good times! Funny thing, though. Once the laughing was over, we found ourselves just a little sad about how long it will be until we see our loved ones again. Sometimes the family vacations just don't come soon enough or often enough. Sigh.

Taylor's top three pics (picks?) from today's browsing. In case you can't tell, she absolutely ADORES her cousins! Not all of them are pictured here, but we'll get to that in the near future, I promise. :)