The first weekend of summer is upon me and it is
glorious. My spirits are not at
all dampened by the rain we had last night nor the sprinkles that soaked my
running clothes this morning.
Every bit of water we get is precious during So Cal’s drought. Speaking of which, there are so many
ways we can all do our part to save water. On the trail this morning I saw two gentlemen walk past the
water fountain and declare, “What a waste of water!” as they continued on. I approached the fountain and found
that the lowest trough, designed for our canine friends, was overflowing.
Next time, fellow trail goers, don’t merely walk on and
grouse, but give the button a bit of a giggle. That stopped the flow in no time. With very little effort
and thoughtful awareness, we can all take responsibility for our vital
resources. This concludes my
public service announcement for the day.
Back at home, my hubby and I spent this pleasantly cool day
in the garden. We worked until fairly exhausted and needed a nap. After
attending to some much needed house work, it was time for dinner. We had discovered a beautiful cucumber
in the garden during our labors. The garden also had some lovely carrots,
basil, rosemary, and cilantro to offer.
With some help from my stores in the kitchen, I tossed together a fresh
tomato cucumber salad and a frittata with potato, artichoke hearts, carrot,
onion, some cheese and herbs.
The garden yielded another culinary opportunity today. When trimming back a very aggressive
patch of nasturtiums, I found the green pods, which would eventually turn to
dried seeds were abundant. As I
trimmed and pruned, I harvested the green pods remembering that the whole
plant: leaves, flowers and pods are edible. I remembered a recipe that my canning mentor, Kevin West,
had included in his cookbook for California capers, which involves brining then
pickling the pods. I’ve got the
free time, so I think I’ll give it a try.
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