Tastes like Fall

John made (from scratch) caramel apples yesterday. Delicious!

(P.S. John's blogging now http://middleofnowheregourmet.blogspot.com/ )

Fall pictures

I wanted to get some Fall shots this morning, so I went out to the Maloney Nature Reserve. It has a great nature trail, and it was a beautiful morning to be out there (just me, the crickets, and the mosquitoes).

My favorite shot from this morning



I didn't notice the little guy right away...and then I couldn't resist including him and his antenna in the shot.

It was almost like we were playing a game. As I circled around to get more of him in the shot, he would inch around the other way. I wondered how long we could've gone on like that.



I love fall colors but a lot of my pictures end up looking brown/gray/blah...this one actually had the look I was going for (YES!!)



Wildflowers




I got this one by putting my camera on autofocus and just shooting without looking through the viewfinder.

I get a lot of crummy shots that way, but every now and then, I get something I really like. And after thinking about every shot, and taking multiple shots at different angles, etc, it's nice to shoot without overthinking.

It also made it possible for me to get a really low angle without having to lie down in the mud (lay down in the mud? Ugh...one of those grammar rules I can never remember)

What I did during the summer...

And the final summer list looks like...

Picnic at the lake
Wash car with hose
Pheasants baseball game
Go to Farmers Markets
Watch fireworks
Use fire ring/bowl
Go canoeing
Make popsicles
Make ice cream
Go to an outdoor concert
Go camping
Visit/photograph a winery
Play frisbee golf
Visit Palisades
Go to an auction/garage sale
Ride whole bike path
Go to a you-pick-it fruit place
Host grill-out at our house
Make banana boats on the grill
Eat corn on the cob
Go to a drive-in/outdoor movie
Look at stars (through a telescope)

Now time for the Fall list...

Catching up

We had an incredible time in Ohio at Jimmie and Erin's wedding - such a beautiful wedding and an awesome reception (what can I say, my family throws awesome weddings ;) )



and visiting friends in Athens (I LOVE Athens and my Ohio friends!!!!)



Nancy, me and Yvonne



Jin and me



Steph's knitting that's named after me! (abbie-grey)



Jackie O's...Yep, I tried Bacon beer...and now I never have to drink it again ;)

I'm not posting a picture of the dead fish, but I'm going to leave this reference in here just so I don't forget.



Beer awesomeness in Downtown Columbus



I am totally in love with my lunch

I came home and took some pictures out on the bike path...



It's kind of pretty here...

and I started my Fall List (to be posted soon)

30!!

Turned 30 today--got sang to twice, 3 different kinds of cake, got to ride a hovercraft (seriously), and tore more perforated judging cards than I've ever seen in my entire life.

Looking forward to the wedding this weekend and seeing some old friends! Can't wait!

Mmmm....

Made Lemony Goat Cheese Zucchini Pizza for dinner (finally! I've been planning to make it since I made the grilled pizzas). Delicious (and if I made it about 10 more times, we might use up all the squash we have)!

Earlier today I went to the Steam Threshing Jamboree at Prairie Village with my Dad. He was on a mission to find a few house things at the flea market, and I just wanted to take some pictures.



A portrait in the Wentworth Hotel (love, LOVE the wallpaper!)



Rolling pins in the Old Madison Hotel--I'd been in both these buildings before, but more of the Madison Hotel was open to walk through. Very neat to see!

We also went to a few garage sales (mark that one off the list!)...didn't find anything that I had to have, but it was still fun (and Dad got me a mini Blizzard at DQ)

Something new (and old)

I've been looking at and reading about using expired film/polaroids/toy cameras to get some interesting pictures and wanted to try it out.

Luckily, I never took the last Polaroid (back in May 2004 when I last used that camera) - so here's my first attempt at using expired film.

Buying more film for the Polaroid may have to wait (it's a little $$)--but it turns out I have 4 rolls of expired 35mm AND 8 rolls of undeveloped film from 6 years ago. I have NO idea what's on the film and can't wait to get it developed (may go drop it off this afternoon--I'm actually not even sure if the drugstore here will develop film...)

I also busted out both of my SLRs--I'd forgotten all the fun stuff I had to go along with my AE-1 (filters, shutter lock, macro lens and wide-angles that won't get eaten up by being digital). I'd really like to load it up with film and head out, but the battery is pretty much dead...so I'll go with the A2-E for now.

Fun!

Pictures from this morning

Sunflowers from the Farmers' Market (there was NO way I was going to bring any more veggies into our house--not until we dig out from under the pile in the kitchen). I think this may be my best $2 purchase ever!



Cooper chilling on the couch

Not sure what my plans are today--feeling like knitting or reading. I need to mow the front yard (but maybe I'll just wait until it gets MUCH hotter to do that) and I already did some dishes, so I'm feeling pretty accomplished.

And another one...

because I used my fire ring tonight =) Would've been a little easier if the dogs hadn't kept stealing my sticks...and now I totally smell like bug spray and campfire (so I really need a shower before bed). There's just something about a campfire though...

I ALSO made grilled pizza for the first time (and I used all veggies and herbs from our garden - zucchini, yellow squash, orange and yellow tomatoes, onion, banana peppers, parsley, and basil) - so, SO delicious. Now if there were just a pizza recipe that called for pickling cucumbers...



A couple websites I used to make sure I didn't mess up too much ;)
http://annies-eats.com/2010/06/24/grilled-pizza/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/grilled-veggie-pizza-recipe/index.html
http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/08/grilled-eggplant-and-olive-pizza/

Cross another one off the list...

because yesterday we went to the Palisades!! We took the backroad/scenic route, but once we got there, WOW! It was beautiful, pink cliffs rising up from the river - totally not what you'd expect for Southeastern South Dakota.



Yes, that's John...

Does this make anyone else a little nervous? Just me? (At the time, I was also thinking, "not enough life insurance not enough life insurance not enough...")



John and his friend Peter on more solid ground



Wildflowers growing up through the pink rocks

Definitely going back--I'm thinking a picnic or a camping trip would be perfect!

More pictures from today

Pimm's and Lemonade with the smell of BBQ ribs on the grill behind me. Peter is here visiting and John's got ribs, german potato salad, more of our green beans (eat them so we don't have to find a place to put them!!), and beer/cocktails ready for dinner tonight.



(Soon to be) Pickles and peppers...we're getting buried in pickling cucumbers



Yep, turns out they're supposed to be orange...couldn't let them sit on the vine any longer...might turn some into an spaghetti sauce (orange sauce?)...or else I better get busy eating them as snacks and putting them on salads

Another update

Our first yellow pear tomato harvest from earlier this week

The garden is doing good - John has two Brandywines turning red, and I'm starting to think my cherry tomatoes are supposed to be orange....hmmm

Still getting yellow squash and the zucchinis are still growing

Garden update

Whew - crazy week with John's birthday and my first Achievement Days here(it went great, and I totally caught a greased pig - 3rd place for adult women! =)).

Got some pictures of the garden yesterday evening...



An overall picture - the Brussel Sprouts got eaten up, so we're not sure they're going to work out, and something has eaten/killed the base of the zucchini plant (so we may only get one zucchini).

Otherwise everything else it doing its thing. We haven't been home to cook so there's a pile of veggies on the counter inside (and a huge amount waiting to be picked and brought in). I looked at the green beans, but decided I didn't even want to go there (guess I'll have to today)



Not red yet - but close. John also has a habenero that's finally turning orange (one of the million that we have growing!) and two red cayennes.



He also got stakes for the tomatoes - so now they're not quite so tangled up and crazy.

John's 27th birthday

We celebrated with dinner at Rumors Bar (John, me, Mom, Dad, and Erin). They have a new cook and the "best chinese in the area" so we tried the Chicken Lo Mein (not bad!)



After dinner, we came back to our house for presents, cake, and chocolate ice cream (homemade by me!). John got coffee-related gifts (and Scheel's gift cards).



Cake and ice cream--you guys can forget about my first ice cream success--this is it! I've learned my lesson-when in doubt, use an Alton Brown recipe...

Garden - end of July

Still waiting on tomatoes





My second ever harvested squash



The first two banana peppers of the summer

We're starting to have more veggies than we know what to do with - cucumbers and green beans coming out of our ears, beets and squash waiting to be cooked...John's already canned one set of pickles, some pickled beets, and made refrigerator pickles (with green beans, carrots, and one or two cayenne peppers - which he accidentally gave my dad thinking it was a green bean - oops!)

Garden update

Everything has gotten HUGE! At the beginning of the summer, I was afraid we wouldn't end up with any veggies. Now I'm wondering what we'll do with them all!



The tomatoes are knocking over their cages. We keep propping them back up, but it seems like a losing battle. We're going to be buried in tomatoes when these all turn ripe. And it's getting closer--as of this week, some of my cherry tomatoes are turning yellow/orange.



The first squash I've ever grown (!!!) with one more yellow squash and two zucchinis on their way.

Beets!

Our second beet harvest (I missed getting pictures of the first one)

Busy week--been working on the house (who knew getting baseboards would be so exciting?), traveling to Huron twice for 4-H events, clothing swap on Thursday, and John went to an auction on Wednesday and got us an awesome loveseat (now more than 2 people can sit in our living room!)

Garden update!

Everything keeps getting bigger and taller! We've just been watering, and John dusted the brussel sprouts and beets with Sevin to keep the bugs away.

John also harvested our first beets and onion for dinner last Sunday! The beets were good, and the onion was little (but we were all out and he needed it for the pasta).



Turns out we just weren't looking hard enough for the Brandywine tomatoes. There are a bunch of them--just hidden down behind all the leaves.



We also overlooked these huge cucumbers until two days ago (were too excited over the pickle-sized one on the front of the plant to look any farther).



Our beans are doing great--and the squash is still doing okay. I'm concerned we may lose them all (again--UGH powdery mildew!).

Mmmmm

Yesterday, we went to Downtown Sioux Falls, particularly the Market on Phillips, to check out their Crazy Days sale. John had fun getting wine, cheese from Italy, and a huge bottle of capers.



This was our after-shopping snack, enjoyed on their patio (John loooooved it, but next time, I want the cheese plate ;) )

Ice cream success!!

Honey Buttermilk Ice Cream with Homemade Strawberry Topping

Make it. Right now. Recipe at Eat Make Read.

Also--rode the whole bike path today. Great day for a ride and exactly what I needed after a harrowing morning at work.

=)