Vegging out

This box of veggies came from the farm this week. The cool-looking long, curly things are garlic scapes. I'd never seen a garlic scape before, but the things are delicious. We also got three pints of fresh strawberries (little jewels of tasty goodness), asparagus, lettuce, kale and more.

It's almost a shame to eat the things, considering how cool they are and what they can do.

In a recent column in the Washington Post, Sally Squires writes about the nutritional virtues of fruits and veg. Although it's nothing you probably haven't heard before, Squires points out there's still much scientists don't know about what goes on inside fruits and veg - and what goes on inside your body after you eat them. It seems there's a new wave of nutrition science which -- instead of trying to extract the good bits out of plants and putting them into pill form -- is telling people to just eat the whole plant.

mmmm....phytochemicals and beta carotenes never tasted so good....

When the cat's away...

The mrs. has been away for nearly a week exploring Costa Rica with her ma and sis. So, what's a guy to do? I've been doing a lot of cooking, sleeping, enjoying an occasional vodka cocktail and playing guitar. One day, I got it in my head to go crazy with the Garageband and let my inner Joe Satriani out. Yes, I am a guitar nerd.

Here's what it sounds like.

I also rented some movies the mrs would never watch. Like The Empire Strikes Back, Family Guy's Blue Harvest, and Cloverfield (although I had to stop the movie when the people started walking through the subway tunnels. Too scary).

As Sting sang, "the bed's too big without you..."

Highlights and lowlights of the past week

Here's a few:

Got called to do an assignment for work that involved driving to Winona, MN (140 miles one way). During the course of my 14 hour work day, I spent about 5 hours in the car.

Next day - the alternator in the car goes on the fritz and I spend $482 for the repair. Also, my battery is weak and will need to be replaced before winter.

However - Saturday is a beautiful day. Wife and I ride downtown to BluesFest for the afternoon and then hang out at a backyard bbq in the evening. Over the course of the day, I got to hang with good friends and their adorable children, hear some good music, ingest lots of beer, grilled meat and vodka. And, to top it off, I got lucky.

Ice Cube aint' got nothing on that day.

Happy Anniversary

Dining by the lake at sunset

Food cooked by fire

Serenaded by loon calls

Deep gazes into the flames of a campfire

Huddled under a cold canopy of stars our love is warm