[cottagebythesea]

It's a dark, rainy morning here. I'm off to the car dealership for an oil change before heading to the farm, and I think I'll walk next door to The Cracker Barrel for breakfast while I'm waiting on it.

My garden is going crazy with all this rain, and I have a full load of zucchini chips and cherry tomatoes in the dehydrator right now. I think I'll take some zucchini with me and have the girls bake some zucchini bread for me to take to the lake next week, but I'll make sure I leave a loaf with them to enjoy, too.

Well, I'd better run and finish getting ready. Have a wonderful day!

[TwynnB]

Cottage - I have about 6 cukes sitting on the counter (although the plant is already dying ), I even thought of trying my hand at canning. Enjoy cracker barrel!

I jinxed myself....out 1 1/2 hours late yesterday (I took all but 7 teeth out of a dachshund...Disney would be jealous!) and it wore me out. I have no idea what my schedule is today, but we'll see what happens.

Penmage - LOL! Hoppin John is a traditional southern New year's meal...black eyed peas with ham, celery, onions, garlic...cooked down in a crock pot. My kids all whined about it, then actually took a bite and enjoyed it . I serve it over rice. Yum! It's not truly SBD b/c I use a ham hock (cheap cheap!), but it's the only fat in the meal, so I'm cool with that.

[Ruthxxx]

Good Thursday morning! Dull and rain-ish here too with t-storms predicted.

Linda, I so envy you your garden - my weed patch is growing well. The beans are over but I do have lots of cherry tomatoes and basil. I know there are two zucchini plants out there and will try to find them today since I've not had zukes for ages. I have a chocolate zucchini cake that I'd like to make. I must get out my dehydrator and start "puttin' food by" as they say around here.

Baking is definitely on the list today. My butterscotch bars were a huge hit as part of the dessert in the Cafe last weekend so I'm on the hook for more. The Mill is also throwing a chicken BBQ on Saturday with homemade desserts. I'm doing my pineapple cake and maybe a couple of lemon chiffon pies. (This all should be censored!)

Today is payday for the Mill and I will get those cheques written before I go into Betty Baker mode. We are going to have to re-work the student schedule from now until the end of the season, Labour Day, because there was a mistake made and they have been working too many hours per the grant regulations. It's either that or pay them out of money we don't have! Not sure how this will work but am darned glad it wasn't my mistake! The Mill manager reports to the Mill curator so Paul will handle the problem.

Time to crank up the day. Both dogs have been pottied and fed and are doing what they do best - dozing at my feet.

[Ruthxxx]

Hi Twynn. I won't tell Disney about her rival in the tooth removal game. She very quickly recovered and was eating hard biscuits by Day 3. I've never had Hoppin' John but did know about it. Sounds good.

[Beth19]

Morning ladies. Cloudy this morning with a little sun peeking through; maybe it will clear up.

Spent a boatload of time outside weeding the perennials yesterday. A few years back I got a little crazy and expanded my beds. They look beautiful when they are in bloom but do take quite a bit of maintenance.

Ruth, I don't know how you do all that baking and not partake. I was thinking of making DS1 a zuc chocolate cake but I'm not sure I can resist eating it too!

Linda and Tammy, I am almost dreading the impending torrent of cherry tomatoes. They are just beginning to ripen and I'm going to be overwhelmed soon. I guess I need to go back to canning. Haven't done that in years.

Need to take out the garbage soon. The truck has been coming early the past few weeks.

[Lexxiss]

Good Morning

Linda, I, too, envy your garden!

Twynn, yay for cukes! I just bought a big fat organic one yesterday. No gardening here this year.

Ruth, a busy day, as usual. Happy baking!

Me....I hit the deck running this morning. I was dressed with my work shoes on before coffee was finished. I accomplished lots in Denver yesterday but need to head down again today to complete returns. Bro arrives dinnerish and I've decided to go to WhFoods deli for dinner stuff instead of cooking, since we'll be at mom's. Her kitchen isn't stocked too well. I was *thinking* of something easy yesterday so I'll contemplate the "cook" whilst getting my niggles done.

Have a great day everyone!

[jekel383]

Good morning. My garden did not thrive at all this year!! Which might be for the best. My weeds have taken over the flower garden as well. IF we get a dry day anytime soon I will tackle it.......hopefully

Penmage good luck with the interviews

Maybe it's best I have never heard of chocolate zucchini cake

Hopefully my bike will be ready today, granted it is raining so no rush. Laundry going, will tidy up before going anywhere. Need to make my grocery/meal list for next week. Greedy little me took 2 twelve hour OT shifts on my long work week. I over spent on vacation (shocking) so I need to replenish my bank account.......or maybe I am a winner in last's night's powerball drawing lol. If you don't have powerball, the jackpot was $425 million dollars!!! I wouldn't want to win the entire amount, just enough so I wouldn't have to watch my money all the time. A million would be lovely, pay off the house, put money in savings, pay off the car, pay DS education and have enough left over to help out my parents and a few friends. Ahhhhh I'll keep dreaming as I finish my coffee. Have a great day

[Lexxiss]

Ouch, I just turned the heat on for the first time....it is chilly this morning! I was happy, though, to hear the boiler pop right on! It's a very old system.

Twynn reminded me....when I was at the organic farm last year I bought a bunch of cukes and the grower told me to store them in plastic bags because they dehydrate and shrivel quickly. I started doing that and now they last alot longer. I wrap one to a bag and get all the air out then store them in the fridge.



penmage, best wishes with your interviews!

Beth, we crossposted....I'll bet your flowers are spectacular! Several years ago I canned loads of cherry tomatoes and they made a spectacular pasta sauce.

Jennifer, hope your bike is fixed. 12 hour OT days will help fix the budget!

OK, must get back to work!

[Pearlrose]

Good morning,

I have no garden but my neighbors do and they let DD2 plant a couple tomato plants so I should be getting some soon.

My list of to do's for work keeps growing hoping to tackle some of them today. Not sure what is on the agenda for tonight, DH has tixs for baseball game but I am hoping I do not need to go.

Yesterday eating was OP and this morning the scale was up again, crazy but I know how it works so I will stay OP and eventually it will move in the right direction.

Hope everyone has a good day today.

[CyndiM]

Good morning I've been up for awhile but made a stone fruit crumble for breakfast and have been catching up with some long ago good friends online.

No garden here this year but looking forward to one next year. I do need to get to the farm stand and the blueberry fields and get some produce to freeze and dry for the winter. Right now I have a huge box of peaches in my kitchen waiting for me to tackle.

I am off today with wedding and travel prep ahead. I'm going to make a list and see how much I can tackle

[seabiscuit]

Hi there,

I am going back on SBD, I did it awhile ago. Currently, I am reading the SBD book and I think I will get the SBD Wake-Up Call book. I hope that we can support each other and I can get some good advice here.

Take care.

Amy

[Natasha1534]

Evening, ladies. Just popping in to say hello. Had a nice lunch today w/ my mom and my brother at one of our favorite local burger joints. I will say that I did as best I could, pretty much, choosing to have my burger on whole wheat bread and opting for a caesar side salad over fries, but the fried green tomato that topped my burger was deliciously off-plan. So worth it, though. I'd describe the burger, but it's total food porn...just know it was yummy and totally worth any slight blip that I may see on the scale tomorrow.

I just got asked to come in on some emergency OT about an hour and a half ago. So I hopped up, threw on a work polo, and headed in. All in all it's only going to be about 3 1/2 hours of OT, but money is money!