Project Dresser

You know how you behave differently around different people? Well, I have one friend in particular who brings out the very bravest in me and spurs me on to tackle projects that are really much larger than I think I can handle. So a few weeks ago when she visited and I told her that one of the things we really needed for the nursery was a white dresser, she took me shopping and picked out this from Goodwill:

Notice it is not white. She also convinced me that painting it white was a totally reasonable project and even went to the hardware store with me to get advice and to buy sand paper, primer and paint. Then her visit was over and she left. I can't say somewhere along the way (primarally during the sanding phase) I didn't regret her influence. But DH helped with the sanding. And after a coat of primer and a few coats of white paint I was feeling much better about the project (and our friendship).

I picked out some great new knobs

And now, thanks to a great friend, I have a fantastic dresser all set in the nursery!

One Ugly Tomato

At this point in the year I typically look out at my garden and assess its success.

This year: pathetic.

beans: have climbed the trellis up and down and sideways (making a fun tunnel for Jonathan) but have yet to produce one bean or one flower

cucumbers: out of 6 plants, yield = 2. One ripened when I was out of town and got too big by the time I got home. One we ate.

onions: small harvest of small onions.

okra: plants look very nice, but seem to produce only 1 or 2 pods per week- which makes it difficult to use in the kitchen

peppers: as always they are limping along. so far 1 pepper

basil: half the plants died, the other half are enough to keep us supplied with pesto.

Of my large tomato plants, only one has produced anything more than food for hornworms. And it is quite possibly the ugliest tomato I have ever seen:

The only decent spot in the garden is my collection of Roma tomato plants. The leaves are being eaten by flea-beetles and so they look pretty bad, but they are still producing like crazy.

All of this begs the question of whether it is worth it or not. Honestly I don't put that much work into the garden (and I suppose it shows). So for the time invested a few cucumbers, peppers, basil and a plethora of Romas isn't too bad. But I am always so disappointed when I survey the plants in August and begin to pull up the ones that have not and will not produce for whatever reason. Alas. Maybe next year will I will be more diligent and have a better crop.

Cleaning & Scrubbing

My mom cross-stitched this sign to hang in our nurseries when my brother and I were babies. It is such a good reminder of what is important- and what is not. Jonathan has been fascinated by letters and words lately and wants everything read aloud to him (and then spelled letter by letter.) So we've read this sign above his changing table a lot over the past few weeks!

In case you didn't quite catch it the words are:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

Babies grow up, we've learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs and dust go to sleep

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Cucumber Limeade

Last week I found myself with a huge overabundance of cucumbers. We'd eaten them in salads, with couscous, plain, in tzadziki, etc. And while I love the summery-freshness they bring, I was SICK of eating them. So I decided to try to drink them. I took the three I had still sitting on the counter, chopped them coarsely and popped them into the blender:

I strained the green goo through a sieve and popped the very green juice into the refrigerator.

I had seen some recipes for lime-cucumber beverages, but they all involved juicing limes and making simple syrup. I was feeling lazy. So I mixed equal parts premade limeade, cucumber juice, and tonic water. Voila! A super easy and super refreshing drink! And even better if you muddle some mint in the bottom of the glass first! Kind of like a pregnant ladies' mojito!

Jonathan liked it too and has even on occasion requested cucumber juice to be added to his lemonade since then!