hello!!!

This recipe is absolutely fantastic!  I had a plethora of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant that needed some attention, and this was one of the first recipes to pop up upon googling "eggplant pepper recipe"...This garden has been so satisfying and I will be sad to see it go (but on to Fall vegetables!).  I made a big batch so plenty for a week of lunches and some to go into the freezer and maybe Dan can try some in a few weeks when he returns home!  I also made a loaf of bread...mmm fresh bread with butter and the eggplant braise - delicious!!  Well worth sweating in the kitchen for the hour - whew!  I heeded some of the advice in the reviews of the recipe - tripled the turmeric, added some ground fenugreek, cayenne pepper, and coriander and a teaspoon of garam masala at the end for that full on "Indian" punch...I've been surprised how satisfying these veggie meals have been - the heat certainly curbs the appetite as well.  I've also surprised how little basil I've been using....It's been growing great but I just haven't had the desire to add it to many meals.  I went out for Thai yesterday and I noticed their parking lot was lined smartly with alternating bushes of Thai basil and lemongrass - how functional!! I snapped off a small stem of the basil and I'm hoping it'll take root!!  Although I don't seem to be using it much in cooking, I love the smell of basil when I go out to pet my basil plants....

For the next recipe adventure I may try this one.  I went to the organic market last week when picking up a friend from the airport and we loaded up on goodies that are scarce or pricey here in Tuscaloosa - chocolate covered espresso beans, dates, unsweetened shredded coconut, and these dates rolled in coconut flakes that Dan got me hooked on in Moscow. mmmm.  Anyhow, the recipe sounds pretty tasty, and I never cook with dates (except wrapping them in bacon thanks to Adam!).

A few random pics

AND!!  From Dan:

"Check out this seminal paper that was just published.  I have a feeling it may revolutionize science as we know it.  "

Congrats dearest!

:)

xo

hi-o!!

a new round o pics!
xo!!

Sigh...

Well we are t-minus 1 month and a day until Dan returns to T-Town.  sniff sniff..We get by with short chats on the phone (about 10 minutes), random skype sessions when we overlap with the 5 hour difference, and reminiscing by looking at old pictures.  Aw shucks....So here is a photo album that I haven't posted on this blog, but I have shared it with some in the past.  It's from 2009 Memorial Weekend Day which was one of the funnest weekends ever - I think it was our official "trip" together.  We drove out to Leavenworth, WA, camped and bouldered near my field sites, and then went to the Gorge for the Sasquatch Music Fest.  It was so much fun an looking at the pics make me miss the Pacific Northwest so very much (as well as Dan!).

anyhow, enjoy a blast from the past that I at least enjoyed hope you do too...

xo

A few random pics...

Here.
:)

An Iceland post from Alabama...

Hi there, this is just a reminder to check out the Iceland blog, the Hengill Diaries.  As an aside, when you type in "Hengill" in google, this link is the first thing that pops up!  Cool!!

There are pictures of the heat exchanger that I've been slowly taking apart and packing up here at work.  Keeps me busy along with gobs of lab work and the smattering of field work!

xo

ct

More pics!!

Here's another batch of pics from some garden changes from the past few days!!  I unfortunately now know what a lizard egg looks like... eeps - check the pics for more info..
xo

A video greeting for dad!

My dad had a hernia surgery yesterday, all went well but he'll be laid up for a few weeks. So here's a get well greeting Hannah and I made for him! (Hannah does not take direction well - such a picky diva!)

Get well soon Pops!  Rest up and do your daily exercises!!! Love you!