who knew?

In addition to several green tomatoes, zuchinni, and squash, we now have beets! Though I had never in my entire life (or Rial's) ever tasted a beet before, I had some seeds last february, and a little space, so I planted them. I thought, well, if for some reason they're just not my cup of tea, I'll give them to someone I know that loves them.

Last night I cooked my first one in a plastic bowl with some salt water in the microwave for about 6-7 minutes. For all the experiences I've had with microwaving things, there are few that make the top list. The fork, varies bugs (though technically that was my brothers), marshmellows, and now beets. Beets are really neat cause its an art project and a side dish all in one.

Besides being delicious all by themselves (and Rial liked it too), the water in the bowl was turned the color of a garnet, a red as deep as blood. And oh the possibilities one could do with a deep red liquid! I thought how it could be added to pancakes, or a smoothie perhaps, or anything really in need of a little color and a few suble beet nutrients. Or one might dye clothes red (or maybe it would turn out more pink, I haven't tried it yet). or playdough, or play a prank on a young child wanting some "juice". Or possibly use it as ink for an old fashioned letter written with a feather. The options seem only as limited as one's imagination.

But I am now in need of recipes that use beets, because cooked plain is the only way I know. So if anyone out there knows a good recipe that uses beets, please, please, please share.

Devil Weeds

"Oh Golly! Your whole yard is cover in holes Lisa!"

"Why yes, yes it is."


"Gophers?"

"Weeds."

"My! Those must be some weeds."

"Why yes, yes they are..."

"... some devilish, deep rooted, joke of a weed."

Cum-ala, cum-ala, cum-ala Vista

I have an itch. And oh, what I wouldn't give to scratch it. Scratch and tear it up and drive it away forever! Like in that song from girls camp.

I want so badly, to have everything, finished, complete, and done-right now. New flooring: done. New lovely kitchen: done! And a nice garage, a front yard with a little white picket fence, and a sweeping grass lawn with a beautiful garden simply bursting with spring goodness! Oh! let's not forget, perfectly clean air vents and some soft warm walls that don't remind me of cardboard everytime I look at them. Ohhhhhhh, Ahhhhhhhhhh, that would just hit the spot.

But of course, I thought the same thing when Rial and I we're building our chicken coop. "Let's just get this thing done so I can have what I want!". And it was right there, when the feelings of frustration that come with large, time-consuming projects made me stop and step back and think, "Woah, I just felt like a child on the verge of throwing a temper tantrum because they had to eat their dinner before they got their dessert."

But I'm there again. Haha, its like I've time traveled into the past. Now that we've made a big mess by tearing out a wall in our kitchen, I'm itchy all over and I just want my dessert. You can take the nutritous experiences, just give me my dessert.

And now its time to remind myself, "but lisa, you like roast beef and zuchini and mashed potatoes and gravy. You like building things and making things and having fun creative projects to do."

And I'll whine back, "yeah, its fun to make things, but THIS is just so much work!"

"But it can still be fun."

And thats really how it should be. Even though its alot of work and sometimes frustrating that it takes so long, I can still enjoy myself and the time I get to spend with Rial and say 'wow, look at all this great stuff we accomplished! And now we're that much closer to being done!' And years and years from now we'll be talking about, "You remember when we were working on our house and then (blah-blah-blah-blah-blah ) happened?" And we'll talk and laugh about it and finish it up by saying, "Yeah, I'm really glad we were able to do that together, we had so much fun."

Its like: though the destination in life is important, its the journey that makes the memories. And we're the one who deceide what kind of memories we make.

Bee-be-dillie-a-boatin'-bop, Bo-bop-a-beaten-dot- Shhhhhhhhh, Vista!