Back to the Land of Blog!

I bet you'd given up on me right? I mean...it's been months since I've posted...life...that is all I'm saying...life (insert big sigh here)..but I am back and ready to start sharing with the world again! Thanks for checking in on me, and for being loyal in my absence (I'm probably speaking to nobody at this point but just in case...thanks you!!)

Sooo many things happening in my world and at this point in my day, I am too darn tired to go into the list, but, I will share in bits and pieces as I try to keep up with the blog.

I planted my garden again this year (well, actually my girlfriend Mary did all the hard work), and it is really growing like crazy! We have been having rain and heat and I guess it all makes for a very happy garden! I have two beds this year, one has zucchini, yellow squash and cucumbers in it...like 3 of each plant and I have TONS of flowers started for the zucchini and squash..I am gonna have it coming out of my ears..but that is so totally okay with me..I'll freeze it, share some with my mom and friends and of course indulge myself in it. The other bed has 4 tomato plants, a red bell pepper plant, a banana pepper plant, my beloved basil, and some dill. Over to the side we have peppermint and lemon balm growing...totally looking rad!

I was able to harvest my first basil yesterday evening! This morning I got up early, washed and dried the leaves and decided that tonight I was going to be enjoying some freshly made pesto sauce. Of course the trips I wound up taking to the grocery store to get just some parmesan and pine nuts was crazy...first time I totally got other stuff, and on the way home realized I had forgotten those two essential items. Round two, Mandi and I head out to another grocery store located right by our Starbucks..of course, stop at Starbucks, get home and realize that I actually don't have anymore garlic cloves (thought I did, failed to check before I went), so back I go for a third visit to the first store! I finally get home and set out to make my pesto...who knew how stinkin' easy it would be..I mean, I had a feeling...just 5 ingredients you blend up in a processor, but still..in minutes the kitchen was smelling heavenly and my pesto was done. Just look at these beautiful basil leaves I collected last night!!


that was just about 4 cups of leaves and it made a nice lot of pesto. I am going to freeze the rest of it in ice cube trays and then I will be able to enjoy it for months to come...not to mention I will most likely have many more pickings off the basil plants!!

So dinner was delish...Mandi kept telling me how good it was...I did a whole wheat pasta (of course, no white pasta for this girl), tossed with the pesto (which I am now going to be calling the "Amazing Cricket Pesto Sauce"), then I grilled some chicken for the girl to add to her dish, sprinkled it with some freshly grated parmesan, a little side salad and viola!! It was pretty darn tasty and my tummy is feeling very happy right now!

I think I kinda like this garden thing! :)

The other part of my day was this morning, I met Nancy for a nice brunch at the cutest little tea place in my town. Very frou-frou and girly and yum! I had an egg white veggie omelet and some fabulous iced tea...it was so nice to catch up with Nancy, haven't seen her in ages! Of course she brought her iPad and now I am seriously on the move for one! I'm thinking in about a month I might be the proud owner...so stinkin' way cool I can't even say! Also stopped at the AT&T store and found out I AM eligible for the iPhone 4...yep, can you say WANT!!! I'm thinking though, might just rather have the iPad instead..I mean...I could do both but that might be a bit over the top...LOL!! Plus, my iPhone is fine, I mean, what am I going to video and who am I skype-ing with??

Laundry is done...dishes are running, it's a beautiful night out...very quiet right now except for the birdies that hang out in my evergreen tree and sing to me (love that sound...bestest sound evah) and I think I'll pop in a dvd and chillax for a bit...

Until next time,
Blessings!

"Fear not, for I am with thee; be not dismayed,
for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee and I will
help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand
of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10