A day of Tomatoes

Is this not a happy kitchen counter?

Some Mary may have a little lamb, but the Mary I met yesterday has a lot of tomatoes. A lot of tomatoes that, according to her standard, are not good enough for the farmer's markets anymore (but if you asked me, they are some of the best I have ever tasted!). And this Mary happens to be so generous and kind and real that she let me come back today to pick tomatoes to my heart's delight!

I am planning to make Tomato Tarts for an article, and beyond that, I am sure we will have many tomato-related things around here: canned, stewed, tarts, sauce.

I am a pretty happy tomato-girl!

Farm outing

As you can see, my soul was fed today!

Last Shot

It's not often I have time to take a picture of myself (or even think about it). So, I took the opportunity when I did before we left Boston.

Boston

I have never really been a tourist in this city before. When you live in a place for a while, it becomes home, and you move about your home the way it's most convenient and comfortable for you.

For instance, this may be the first time that I am actually staying at a hotel in the middle of Boston. Though familiar to the area, I could not help but feel, well, like a tourist today.


So please enjoy some of these photos I took during my 4 hour walk from Commonwealth Ave. to Newbury Street, to the Boston Public Garden to Beacon Hill.

Boston is a very bike-friendly city. We should take after this, Columbus!

Dunkin' Donuts is everywhere here.

This sign made me happy.

Happy geese at the Public Garden.

A side street in Beacon Hill

Fall foliage

The John Hancock building

The Boston Public Garden, an oasis in the middle of the city.

We are only scratching the surface of this place!

Home away from home

We are taking a short little trip East to one of my 'homes'.

Oh, home is such a complicated phenomenon for me. It is so many things and it involves so many places and people.

Home is where my family is. Home is where I feel most comfortable. Home is where I feel most familiar, most myself. Home is where I have years of memories, good ones and bad ones. Home is where I feel a sense of place. Home is neither here nor there. And yet, I have so many homes everywhere.

So, I am home here, for the weekend. It's good to be without a car and yet be able to get everywhere. It's good to reconnect with my life partner without interruptions. It's good to see the old 'hoods, and some familiar faces.

Before I know it, I will be ready to go back home again.

Buckeyes

It is no secret that we are now in the Buckeye State.

Not that we have not seen these before. Somehow, though, because it is the nickname of the State, and the people, and the Football team... they are treasured and collected by the children like you would not believe!

Not that we have converted into Buckeyes by any means... We just like these shiny jewel-like seeds. I only wish they were palatable...

Camping

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This was our first time camping out in Ohio. It was a very short and rather bitter sweet trip.

The bitter part had to do with both Jim and myself getting our shoes stolen from a beach (by a pond) at the State Park. I can't say that has ever happened to me before...and I have been to many beaches in my life.

Despite the disappointment from the petty theft, we enjoyed camping at Strouds Run State Park, just outside of Athens, Ohio. We used the campsite as our 'home' from the Pawpaw Festival we attended (more on that later!). It was a fine home away from home with lots for the kids to explore and a sweet little trail into the woods for a morning hike.

Fall foliage has not put on a show here yet. We may have to go camping once more before we lose all the leaves and colors into the greyness that awaits.

Reward

We are finally getting some of our own cherry tomatoes!

Lovely little 'people'

Check out my post at Cool Columbus about this little park!

Playing around

The days are still warm. The first graders still have no homework (!!). The neighbors can still play a little (after they are done with their homework).




It makes every parent happy to see their children with such joy! (And to see the tomatoes ripening. Hurry up tomatoes!).

French Baguette: First attempt

You know I have made bread before, right? Would you believe me if I told you that I have never really tried to make French Baguette, my most favorite bread of all?

It must be fear: fear from knowing what a really good baguette should taste like. I have been spoiled by having real fresh-out-of-the-oven baguette in France. It's warm, and crusty on the outside, and soft and spongy on the inside. There is just enough salt to mix with the naturally sweetness of the flour. I fear that nothing can compare.

I am still searching for a bakery in this new city that will come even somewhat close to what I am looking for. So far, no luck. There are some bakeries here...but I am afraid they have not shown me a winner. I am also afraid that most people here are fine with the chain stores, the sliced bread, the bake-your-own-for-ten-minutes-dough. I miss Iggy's of Cambridge, or Gayle's of Capitola.

Well, I am on a mission to make my own then. It's a good challenge. I have gotten whole-wheat bread down. Easy peasy. Now it's the supposedly easy french baguette that I have to master.

First attempt... not the best. The crust was good. Flavor not bad. The inside though? Total disappointment. Even the kids said it didn't taste like a baguette. We hypothesized about what could be different. More yeast? More time to rise? Different flour? Higher heat? We will see. I am not going to give up just yet.

Apples and Tacos

This is a post from Cool Columbus!

Just outside of the Columbus proper, you can be in farm-country. Now, because we are in the midwest here, there is a lot of corn in the farm country. A lot.

There are other things, too, of course. We have found some orchards, vegetable farms, farm markets. This being apple picking season, we wanted to have some for our favorite apple-related things: crisps, pies, cakes, or just plain crunchy apples for a snack.

I won't tell you where we went apple picking because we won't be going back there again (sad, I know). And I will be sure to tell you if we find one that is more to our pace. The apples are fine, don't get me wrong. We are just a bit more off-the-beaten-path-organic-crunchy-type apple pickers than we thought.

What we will tell you about, though, is our favorite taco truck. I wrote about them before. In fact, they made it as my first posting on this blog! Taqueria Morena.

Tucked behind a small market, on Livingston Ave, this Mexican family makes some very good tacos and burritos. This weekend they had melon fresca for a refreshing drink to go with the flavorful dishes.

If you think apples and tacos don't go together? You may have to think again!