This is an older photo of the pups. We’ve been so busy and they are always on the move…or asleep, it’s difficult to get a good photo. But they look pretty much like that all the time. The backyard has transformed – all the plants and landscaping have been replaced by heavy duty grass for play. And most of the plants relocated to the front yard. I’ve added blueberries to the patio, some hanging baskets for color and of course the veggie garden and the grapevines are doing their thing. I’m heading out to weed….
I’ve been casting around for a pet sitter, because there is a lot of travel coming up and it seems we should probably have a professional around. The second one I contacted has two Danes of her own, so I think we may have found out match. We’ll see how our meet and greet goes. But I’m hopeful.
I’ll post this week’s recipes tonight and we will have a writing thread tomorrow – normal time.
What’s everyone up to this afternoon?
Open thread.
Brachiator
Angela Merkel just called Trump a “Deplorable.” Dayum!
Big Ole Hound
Supposed to be 100 again here in northern California so the afternoon will include some golf on TV, a nap, some reading then about 9:00 light dinner on the patio.
trollhattan
@Big Ole Hound:
Yeah, our slice of paradise was 107 yesterday and they’re promising a repeat today. Hooray?
eclare
@trollhattan: But I’m sure it’s a dry heat. Supposed to get into the low 90’s here in Memphis, the Fightin’ Ninth.
Mnemosyne
Bringing my travel-related whine up from the previous thread:
So LAX is one of the airports where you have to remove ALL books/notebooks, ALL snacks, and ALL small electronics (Kindles, iPads, etc) from your carry-on bag and put EACH of them in a separate bin before putting it through the x-ray. Plus you still have to take off your shoes, too, which means you have to keep track of FOUR SEPARATE BINS in addition to whatever bag(s) you have. What a pain in the ass.
Right now, we’re waiting to board.
West of the Rockies (been a while)
@trollhattan:
How about a NorCal BJ meet-up? Anyone on the north end of the Sacramento Valley?
narya
lovely here in chitown; sunny and in the 70s, which means I have the oven on. Roasting shredded carrots (for carrot cake) and eggplant; will also roast shredded zucchini (they’re salted/draining right now) and broccoli and maybe the kohlrabi, too–all of the roasted veggies will be toppings for a salad, because I have 3 tons of lettuce from the farm share at the moment. And tomatoes and basil and fresh mozzarella. And tacos with thinly sliced venison, cheddar, and some caramelized onions. And maybe make something with the sugar snap peas.
I’m really not much of a salad fan, but I get so much lettuce in the share that i have to come up with stuff to add to it to make it more closely resemble a meal.
and resting my ankle. According to the internet, i have tendonitis; I also have a 5k next Sunday.
dmsilev
@Mnemosyne: Huh? I flew out of LAX just last week, and all I had to take out of my bag was the laptop (not the iPad) and the little baggie with toothpaste etc. that went in the second tray with my shoes, phone, keys, etc.
Mnemosyne
@dmsilev:
It’s a random pilot program (no pun intended) and we got stuck in that line.
japa21
@Mnemosyne: Don’t know how long you will be in Chicago, but today is probably the best of the next 10.
Brachiator
@Mnemosyne: What a pain. I guess I already semi comply with this. I rarely travel with physical books anymore, but keep electronics and snacks and such compartmentalized already in a backpack which can fit under the seat. Also keep the snacks and such in see thru mesh bags. Nothing but clothes, etc in the carry on, which I will sometimes just check in instead of carrying on.
Still, a pain.
Btw, safe travels and have fun, if appropriate, wherever you are going.
Mnemosyne
@japa21:
Arriving today, leaving Saturday. But I have my umbrella and raincoat with me, so the forecast will probably magically clear up as soon as we land. You’re welcome!
dmsilev
@Mnemosyne: That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Just what we need, more security theater to make the flying experience even more enjoyable.
Mnemosyne
Okay, boarding now — see all y’all on the flip-flop.
scav
@narya: Roasting carrots for carrot cake? Mmm, please tell me more, especially as I just caught wind of a savory carrot cake recipe. This could be developing into a theme of experimentation! (just had some unroasted but shredded kolhrabi on a salad here, so might be a double win). And, a good summer day in Chicago. Multiple people to envy in this thread.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Brachiator:
Is May capable of being correct or smart on any subject?
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@Mnemosyne:
When we came back from Sydney at the end of May, the domestic security line immediately after exit from international arrivals was running at a glacial pace, so we opted to go find a TSA precheck line at another entrance (for some reason, the airports/TSA never offer a precheck line on reentry after customs).
Brachiator
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes:
No. And I love how the BBC satire and comedy shows (News Quiz, Dead Ringers) just nail her on this.
Aleta
Here’s a great dog mind-body in action: https://mobile.twitter.com/RonBaalke/status/883224050180411392
TriassicSands
@Brachiator:
I’ve never been much of a fan of Merkel’s, but with Trump in the White House (soiling it every day) I have to admit I’ve come to appreciate her more. Although she appears to feel that civility – at least in public – is required, she seems to have judged Trump accurately and is not afraid to stand up to him. She’s so much better than Theresa May.
Why do I think that Merkel thinks that Trump is an idiotic POS?
Brachiator
More reasons I hate Trump. From the Guardian G20 coverage.
At least Trump did not have her sit on his lap.
But he is treating the presidency as a Trump family outing.
Aleta
Got invited out to sail on the Appledore !! It’s several hours from here so I have to hurry and shed my despair and anxiety of the day and get in the car.
TriassicSands
@Brachiator:
That is a very generous, even flattering description. I know you know this, but it’s much worse than just a family outing. Your description at least deserves to have the word “Corleone” inserted before the word “family,” in place of ” Trump. “
PaulWartenberg
getting rained on and sleeping. MAYBE laundry.
Another Scott
@Aleta: :-)
Cheers,
Scott.
narya
@scav: two things I hate about most carrot cakes: they’re greasy (because most are made with oil) and they’re gloppy (because the carrots are too wet). So: I grate a bunch of carrots (another thing that is in abundance because of the farm share–about FIVE tons of carrots), then spread them out on a sheet pan to roast. if I’m feeling particularly ambitious, I’ll melt a tablespoon of butter to toss them in, but it’s not necessary. turn em over a few times. I use about four cups (or so) of the carrots after they’ve roasted; it’s probably a couple of pounds of carrots. I tend to make extras, because roasted carrots work on salads just as well as raw ones.
THEN I use butter instead of oil AND I substitute pureed pumpkin for some of the fat. I end up using about 6 T of butter, and 250 grams of pumpkin (I freeze the rest of the pumpkin if it’s a larger container). I’ve also used butternut squash when that’s in abundance. Recipe is roughly: 6 T butter creamed with 300 grams of sugar (half brown, half white); dries mixed together (200 g whole wheat flour, 30 g oat bran, 30 g AP flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1.5 tsp salt, 2 tsp cinnamon, 2 tsp ginger); add 4 eggs one at a time to the butter/sugar, then alternate the dries with the pumpkin, then add the carrots (4 cups or so), then add 200-400 g of fruit and/or nuts. I”m using 110 g of cranberries and 110 g of raisins today, and no nuts. It makes about 24 muffins, which is how I like to portion it, because it’s easy to freeze and then grab for breakfast.
Laura
@West of the Rockies (been a while): I’m IN!
Laura
Yesterday I started a gazpacho with the first tomatoes, Persian cukes, sweet bells and jalopeno, fresh red onion, lemon juice, sherry vinegar and some local olive oil and let stand in the fridge overnight. Chucked it in the blender with half a small watermelon and pureed and strained it with final adjustments of pepper salt and vinegar.
The test cup, in a frozen pint glass was so icy cold and delicious -it’s bottled and sitting in the back of the fridge for dinner. 107° was too hot to eat last night and this is going to hit the spot.
narya
@scav: oh, and 15 g. of buttermilk powder in with the dries. you can do without that, or use a splash of yogurt or something.