Summer Days

It's hard to believe that summer is almost over. School starts for us on the 13th of August. I love summer because I get to have my daughter at home. It is such a pleasure to be able to just hang out together and talk. She complains when there are weeds to pull, but she's a trooper and she helps out. I know that there will come a day when she will graduate from high school and then off to college and then who knows what the world will hold for her. What ever it holds, she will excel in it.

I've been busy playing with yarn these past two weeks. I'm knitting a stole and I'm also knitting something called a reticule. I'll have to post the directions later, but it's a very interesting change purse.

My parents anniversary is coming up on the 4th, along with my brother's birthday. It's a hard day for many reasons. My mom will have been gone for two years on the 21st of August. I think I"ll go and celebrate her life on that day. Maybe go out and eat at one of her favorite restaurants. Order raspberry iced tea and toast her.

The garden has gone nuts on me. I'm actually keeping up on the weeds this year, but I have been picking about 100 lbs. of tomatoes each Friday and just as many pounds of cucumbers. I love summer. One of my favorite dishes to prepare is cucumber and tomato salad. It's so easy, but it is something we look forward to each year. I also have been playing around with cooking zucchini. We grow two different types - regular green and gold! The two together make such a pretty dish.

Finally got my daughter to try eating beets. At first she said they were gross but after she tried the dish I made, she decided it was pretty good stuff. Then she had the nerve (just kidding) to ask me if beets were good for you. Of course they are! So, she's eating more of them. Guess I better get geared up to make more beet and pineapple salad!

So, I guess maybe I should post the recipes. I'll have to find a picture of one of our cucumbers. You'll be amazed by the size of them. They are armenian cucs and they are delicious. Burpless, don't have to peel them and they don't get bitter. Just be prepared - they can get big!

CUCUMBER AND TOMATO SALAD

1-2 lbs of cucumbers (yes, pounds)

1 large tomato or 2-3 roma tomatoes

salt, pepper and vinegar to taste (I use wine vinegar)

3 T. Wine vinegar

1 T. olive oil

Toss, chill and serve. YUMMY!!!!

GOLD AND GREEN ZUCCHINI

6 c. gold and green zucchini, cut up in bit size pieces
1 large onion, chopped up in pieces
2 T. olive oil
1/2 tsp. savory
1/8 tsp. thyme
1/8 tsp. cumin
salt, pepper and garlic to taste

Toss zucchini and onions in olive oil. Sprinkle seasonings over mixture and toss again. Place in 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Put in preheated 400 deg. oven. Cook for about 25 min. Stir every 7-10 minutes. Serve hot. Squash should not be mush. It should be firm almost crispy. You may have to add a little bit of salt to enhance the flavor. Test for flavor. Don't overdo it.

CANDIED BEETS

1/3 c. white vinegar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 T. flour
1 can pineapple tidbits (15 oz)
7-8 beets (tennis ball size)

To cook beets - cut off roots and cut of most of top. Wash, boil until tender. Drain. Slip off skins and cut into bite size pieces.

Boil pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar and flour until thick. Pour over diced beets and pineapple. Chill and serve. Soooo good the next day.