First Red Tomatoes

8/11/08, 6 p.m., MST.

We think these are of the Goliath Hybrid variety, from two different plants in the yard.

Oh, red tomatoes, I'm gonna eat ya.

Random

• Why aren't the tomatoes red yet?

• We had a good visit with my parents this weekend. They are shocked by my brother's treatment of them, but we still ended up having a great time. We played one of our favorite board games, Sequence, and were spanked by the old folks. Rematch in 2 weeks.
  

• Why do some people believe that others are lucky, or have it easy? I think it's like Harvey Dent says: you make your own luck.

• I am full-on hooked on the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris. I'm currently reading #6. These are really fun books.

• I'm listening to Lord of Chaos, which is Book 6 in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I just heard something really important that I missed on the first read. These are great books and I'd recommend them to anyone.
  

• The Angie Zapata murder in Greeley, CO is really sad. If you haven't heard the story, a trans woman was beaten to death by a man who grabbed for her genitalia and discovered her penis. Anything I could say about how the case is being handled has been said better here. It's not easy to be queer right now.

• Severe rain and thunderstorms are predicted for tonight in the Denver-metro area. Bring it on! Our grass needs a drink.
  

Now for something more uplifting

Okay, my rant was necessary this morning. Now, I feel good. Here's the good news:

• Sly B and I get a 3-day weekend all to ourselves.

• I am working on my second 14er ESB of the evening. ESB stands for "extra special bitter" and it is teh yum.

• I love Jack Mangan's Deadpan community. Love it.

• I watered the plants, flowers, and roses in the front yard this evening. We are working on a pretty well-established landscape. We're old. It has it's benefits.

• I'm listening to Lord of Chaos, book 6 in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. We got them all off of audible.com and I'm really enjoying them. Sly B is on Book 10, and thinks it's the weakest.
  

• I picked a small bowl full of peas tonight. They are to die for.

• We're going to eat our weekly rice bowls (with fish, asparagus, pinto beans, and hot sauce) while watching another Eureka episode. We really like the show, and recommend it to anyone who likes good scifi and comedy.

• Tomorrow is the last day in a short work week. Best news I've heard all day.
  

Tuesday Random

I'm having too much fun to blog tonight! Right now I am:

• Listening to Galactica Watercooler, THE BEST damn BSG podcast out there. Sly B and I agree with Audra: Where's the Statue of Liberty? Don't they have phones?
• Making shrimp fried rice.
• Drinking a lovely AVERY brew, I don't know what because I already threw out the bottle and am too lazy to go look in the fridge.
• Watching Sly B water the garden. Hot mama. Nice yard.
  

*Sigh* Life is good.

Saturday

We planted tomatoes today. We bought an assload of green chili plants today (10 Anaheim, 9 Big Jim) that we'll plant tomorrow.

Oh, and THIS is definitely post # 250.

Yum

• O'Dell's Brewery Levity Ale - 9 outta 10 nipples
  

• 4,3,2,1 dry rub on spareribs (roasted in the oven because we couldn't light the frackin' grill)

• Grounds for Change coffee

• Full Sail Brewery LTD #1 - 10 outta 10 nipples
  

• Planting cold-weather seeds: radishes, beets, peas, and carrots

• Watching Season 3 of The Wire on DVD

• Listening to Sly B practice

Red Tomato!!

First one of the season -- 8/8/07, 5:00 p.m. MST -- about 5 oz. -- Beefsteak.

Ah, Zucchini

We garden a bit, and since we live in Colorado grow zucchini. If you've ever grown it, you know that it is abundant. By the end of August, you hate the stuff. I'm always looking for new ways to cook it.

Last night, we tried a new 10-minute recipe that I found linked from Evo Terra's blog, and I'm here to tell ya it was great! If you've got spare summer squash, try it:

• 1 or 2 medium zucchini

• 3-4 cloves of garlic (and I threw in about 5 scallions because I had them and they were fading)

• 1-2T of decent olive oil

• a small hand full of fresh herbs (we used basil & oregano)

• Salt & Pepper

• Parmesan cheese

In a skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic for a minute, then saute the zucchini until slightly tender. Add the herbs. Toss with pasta, sprinkle parmesan on top.