Sunday Happy

I am feeling pretty sleepy at the moment. Actually, all week I have been tired due to the fact that the mr has been snoring so loud that it wakes me up in my sleep. We both have some allergy stuff going on, but he has got it really bad and so he snores really loud. All. Night Long. And I don’t sleep. It is really annoying.

Other then that, well things are just fine and dandy. HA.

The week started off with camping at Half Moon Pond State Park and oh was that place fantastic. A sweetie little pond in the middle of the woods. We got a camp site pretty much right up against the water and there were not a lot of people so it was super quite. This time of year most camping is pretty sparse as far other campers go which is just the way I like it. After setting up camp we took a great hike to another cute pond high up, went back down and did some kayaking. The mr fished, I paddled around in circles. After that we hung out for a bit and then it started to rain just pinch so we walked around until it stopped. Even the rain was lovely, especially watching it hit the water. It was just one of those times when all was feeling right and good.

And then after we ate, sang kumbaya by the fire, slept, and woke up, we made the coffee and headed back as usual.

Then life. Work, people, dinners with the littles. Picked up farm share where we are getting less and less of the sweet summer produce. I trained a person on how to load glaze kilns. Made banana bread. I also managed to spent way to much time on hold on the phone. The mr kept nice and busy spending half his time painting at one of the houses and half his time digging the hole on the back of the house which made for a slight anxious me due to all the dirt he has been trailing into the house. And best yet, I got my first PUMPKIN. Sure, it is just a little bitty pumpkin, but I got it and I will not eat it until I get a few more to strategically place around the house as edible decor. (Why not buy pumpkins that you can look at AND eat?) Plus the weather. All week, all super great. So yeah, a good hardy week.

Yesterday was Jackson’s 18th birthday! (Happy Birthday buttface!) which just sounds freaking crazy. Sure he is not my kid, but I have a nephew that is now a legal adult. That just seems wrong but it is what it is and I am just tuning into a old lady. Ha. And so we partied family style with food and cake and absence birthday cards (thanks to the mr). We jokes (many to dirty to mentioned) we laughed, we ate, then we left. Early because being a Saturday night the boy (man) had his own parting to do. And I am old so I needed to go to bed.

Back to Sunday. Today we head to Gifford Woods State Park. Really excited about this one. Just last week the mr and I heard a story on VPR on how there are very few parts of the forest in VT that have any old growth (over a hundred years) left and there is old growth forest at this park. I am hoping we get to see lots and lots of big ass trees!!!! What more can you ask for? Maybe a long ass nap on the drive down there. Jeez I am tired.

Internet links from the week.

-There is hope yet. Young People Lead Millions To Protest Global Inaction On Climate Change.

-21 Comforting Dumbledore Quotes To Make You Feel Slightly Better About How Shitty Everything Is Right Now. Thanks Dumbledore, I needed to hear this.

-There is a spider that has been living in our bathroom for a least a few months. They don’t bother us so yeah, we just let them be. Why You Really Shouldn’t Kill the Spiders in Your Home, According to an Entomologist

-3 Tips to Keep Apples Fresh for Much Longer. Always a hassle. I always want to stock up on a years worth of fresh apples but know that they will not last THAT long.

-Pictures of how people store books always makes me happy. UPDATE: BOOK SMART.

-Speaking of books, I just finished this one and it was really good. The writing, the story. Just a good book.

-You can’t be productive without routines and rituals. Here’s why. I am all about routine and ritual, like crazy stuck on them to almost a fault. I sometimes think I need to get out of them….

-Tell me this isn’t freaking cute as hell. Stop and Smell the Flowers: Dick van Duijn Captured a Squirrel’s Floral Delight

-The Woman Who Convinced Me That Everything Bad Is Actually Good. Going to take a look at this book for sure.

-I want to go see this DRIED FLOWERS CAVE. -

Pictures from the week

-C

Cilantro Lime Roasted Potatoes

I picked up the first summer farm share this week. (Whoo Hoo!!) In it included lettuce, spinach, kale, cilantro, and potatoes. A heavy on the greens, start to the season, but I am never going complain when it's heavy on the greens. I could eat greens, any greens, by the bucket full (and basically do). And there was pyo cilantro, which I wasn't expecting for a least a week or two so that was just fantastic because oh how I have missed fresh herbs. 

So greens went directly to my stomach without a chance, but the potatoes and cilantro I left so I could make something to share with the mr. Roasted potatoes because that's my favorite way to eat a tater and covered in lots and lots of cilantro because yes, and when you eat cilantro, you must eat a lot of it. Lime juice for good measure and you got yourself a dank little potato dish if I do say so myself. 

The stuff. Potatoes, cilantro, limes (you probably only need one), garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

After washing your potatoes, dice them into mouth sized pieces and place them into a pot of cold water 

Dice potatoes go into pot and need a little boil. If you have a pinch of salt to toss into the water, well you should do that.

After boiling for a few minutes, give the poe test, if you can kind of pierce a potato with a fork, they are done.  You don't want to completely cook the potatoes, you just want them juuuust barely fork tender.. Once they get there, strain them.

Let the potatoes drain for a minutes or two to make sure all the water is gone. In the mean time, mince up the garlic.

Add the garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper and a glug glug of olive oil back to the pot (you could use a new bowl, but why dirty another dish?)

Add in the drained potatoes and toss around until they are all evenly coated.

Dump potatoes onto a baking sheet (if you think of it, preheat the oven with the baking sheet in it... just make sure to be careful when handling hot pans)

Into the oven those taters go to roast and be great.

And sometime between putting the potatoes in the oven and taking them out, chop up the cilantro.

Once potatoes are all nice and golden roasted, remove from oven and drizzle and toss the juice of the lime all over. Place the potatoes back into the oven for a few minutes to let them crisp up again.

And then you toss all that chopped cilantro all over those potatoes.

And then eat them. Maybe serve with salsa and whipped avocado because that is what I did and I did good.

-C

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Cilantro Lime Roasted Potatoes 

Serves 2-4 peoples

• 2 1/2  pounds small yellow potatoes
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4-6 cloves garlic 
• 1 juicy  lime
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 with the baking sheet preheating in the oven as well.

Wash potatoes well and chop into pieces about an inch or so big and place in a big pot of cold water. Once you got all the potatoes in the pot, add a pinch of table salt and bring the potatoes to a boil. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until the potatoes are just barely fork tender.. don't over boil them. Drain potatoes.

In either the empty pot (less dishes) or a bowl, combine 2 tablespoon oil with the garlic, a good pinch or two of pepper, and same with salt. Mix around then add in the potatoes. Toss to coat and if you feel that you might need little more oil, drizzle in a bit more. 

Dump coated potatoes onto a  preheated baking sheet and place in oven for about 40-50 minutes, giving the potatoes a good stir after 30. You want the potatoes to be a nice roasted brown. Once roasted, pull potatoes from oven and squeeze the juice of the lime all over the potatoes. Toss and place the potatoes back into the oven for a few minutes just to crisp up a bit. While the potatoes are crisping up, chop the cilantro. After the few minutes, pull the potatoes back out and toss with the cilantro. Season with more salt and pepper if needed and then just eat them. I like to serve with salsa and some avocado situation, but ketchup or naked works too.