A few Garden Delights

 

This year, our garden was small but the fruits and vegetables it did produce were delightful.

We had an abundance of strawberries. They were a perfect match with a green salad. Or just plain! 

The cherry tomatoes and few larger tomatoes also contributed to some pretty tasty summer salads.

There really is nothing like a homegrown tomato.

We had chili peppers, that Don has enjoyed every morning with his eggs.

We have had good luck with red onions. They are not just good eating but so pretty to look at.

We have had avocados (or pear as they called them back a yard). Also great for salads or as a side with a meal. Or just plain. Our tree produces small pears that pack a mighty tasty, smooth punch.

When we cook kale, collards or other greens, Amara or Don will go pick a lemon. Zesty, fresh, it makes any food pop. In the past, the girls have also made lemonade.

We had a few zucchini. Fun to eat, not that much flavor this year, sadly.

And apples. Apples bring me pack to my childhood. I'd go apple picking each Fall. To have a handful growing in the yard is such a generous gift from Mother Earth.

Lasagna by Havana

 

Havana is a wonderful baker but she only cooks sometimes. But when she does, she knocks it out of the park. Being a teenager however means I can't always get her to get in the kitchen, especially with me. When I can coax her, I am over the moon. Havana has mad kitchen skills but she is also a great cooking partner. She entertains with her jokes, dancing and facial expressions. I cherish any time with her in the kitchen. One of her signature dishes (and let's keep it real, there are only few; she is a baker!), is lasagna,

I have been making the Moosewood recipe for years. It comes out pretty good. For some reason though, when Baby Girl makes it, it is far superior. This past weekend, when some of our primos from Argentina were visiting, she made her signature kick ass lasagna, to bring to cousin Jenny's as part of the dinner menu. All but a small piece was devoured.

One again, Havana knocked it out the park.

Below is the recipe, to make it for yourselves.

I am not clear why we put that lone noodle like that. We surely did not cook it that way!

Tomato Sauce- 16 oz, at least. I like a lot of sauce-I like Newman's)
12 lasagna noodles (I use Oven Ready Lasagna Noodles- We like TJ's or Whole Foods brands)
2 cups ricotta 

2 beaten eggs
Salt & pepper
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup. grated Parmesan cheese

9x13 pan (I love to use the colorful Le Creuset pan- serving in a nice pan makes it yummier!)

Spread some sauce in pan

add 1/3 noodles 

1/2 filling 

another layer of sauces 

1/2 mozzarella 

1/3 more noodles

rest of filling

sauce

rest of mozzarella

rest of noodles

one more dose of sauce

Parmesan on top. 

Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes covered at 375 degrees.

 
Uncover last 10 minutes. 

Total cook time 45 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes

Goes well with a nice green salad.

Cosmic Cosmos

Don planted cosmos in the backyard.

They have taken over.

Their softness is welcoming.

Their colors soothing.

Their wildness is invigorating. 

We love to gaze out the window, sit on the balcony or walk through the yard; taking in the magnificence of the Creator's artwork.

They are also delightful.

Joyful.

Innocent.

Flowers, to me, represent, the vast, endless of Creations Creativity. Reminding us that we come from a beautiful source. That we are part of that source. That the source is part of us.

All that from Cosmic Cosmos.

Me & My Havana Gal

Havana does not like when I take selfies of us or photos of her. I like to take to do both. This annoys her greatly. But recently, I was able to get some photos, albeit silly ones and others, where her annoyance is evident (a picture is worth a thousand words, right?!) I want to capture her, and us, at the different stages or her young life. Havana is growing quickly and physical appearance is changing rapidly, so whether she likes it or not, I will keep trying to get some photos in!

 

Parent's Walk Around The Sun (2023)

 

Don and I have birthdays about 6 weeks apart. But life has been very busy. Amara and I were gone for most of August, taking care of Nana in Florida. Then school started, mom went back to work and now, it's mid-October and I am finally getting around to sharing some photos.

The girls always take great care and effort to make our birthdays special. They picked out a baseball hat in Spain for Don and some funny gifts in New York. They took their time picking out a cake and had dinner at Luca's. A place in Berkley that Don really enjoys.

For my birthday, I took the girls, and some friends, the dad before up to Petaluma to do thrifting and on the actual day, we had a morning hike, before dinner with friends at a place I love in the City. 

Having our two small gems take time and effort to celebrate us, it shows us how much they care. We are not the perfect family, by far. But we have raised two small gems who are caring, thoughtful, kind and generous. Whoever they care about, when it's time to celebrate them, you can count of both of them to make sure you are feeling loved and appreciated.

Our two small gems, as corny as it sounds, really are the best gifts we could have ever asked for.

Casa de Cinco Los Gatos Locos

Samson

Kai

Simba

Rio

and 

Daisy.

Cinco Gatos.

We never planned on having 5 cats.  Two,  we planned on, so they'd keep each other company and have a playmate.

So after Bodhi passed we got Kai to keep Samson company.

They never really bonded. Samson tolerates Kai. But he still misses Bodhi. 

Then Simba showed up in the backyard during covid. After a month or so of visits, he moved inside. 

Literally.  

Simba fell in love with Don and while he can hunt like a lion on the Masai Mara and prefers the outdoors, he always finds his way home to sleep, eat and lay on Don's lap.

Then Havana asked to foster cats. Okay, but we were not going to keep any. 

I fell in deep with Ri Ri (Rio), the 5 oz runt and could not imagine life without them.

 So then we were four. 

Four.

That was enough.

But then Nana got ill and had to move to ALF. I had to take Daisy back to California. I thought some friends were taking her.  I medicated her and flew her back with that intention.

It did not happen.

And so Daisy made five.   She may be the sweetest and gentlest of the posse but Kai is mean to her. Rio thinks she is his sister and playmate. Samson is scared of her because she has a crush on him. And Simba, well, I am not sure he even notices her presence much.

So, we are the Crazy House of  five gatos. They are all special in their unique way. We love them all equally but have our own relationships with them all.  They eat alot (alot). Poop alot (alot) and mostly get along, sometimes fight, but for the most part, we all seem to cohabit in peace.