Gator Pam

Y'all do you. For me, especially as November has Thanksgiving, which I love to cook for, and Black Friday and Cyber Monday, I say...

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!!

I'm subbing at a middle school in the office this week, and the office staff are dressed as Starbucks baristas today. They emailed me a couple of weeks ago about it, so I could take part. How fun!

1. For my budget and giftees, Walmart. 2. I anticipate not buying anything this year, so am not planning on hitting the brick and mortar stores at all on Black Friday. If anything should jump out at me while I'm online, I may check it out. But, I'm currently not even planning on looking at ads. 3. I've never participated, but I loved reading about the several day camp out line ups at Best Buy. I would love for the in-store sales to justify that happening again and reading about the experience of those who do so.

Congratulations!

Even though this year's prize has been sent out, I'm missing the off topic updates from everyone. What have y'all been up to? Our extended dry summer here on the Eastside of Seattle was predicted to end Thursday night/Friday morning with the prediction of our day long gray skies and all day mist/rain returning. Yay! The air quality here from wildfires, and the fires themselves, have been awful. I have been taking advantage of the dry weather, and left my tomatoes on the vine, as they were planted late and most of them are still green and hard as rocks. This novice gardener has heard I can still ripen my tomatoes 'on the vine' by clipping them, bundling them together, and hanging them upside down in a protected space. I spent Thursday afternoon doing so, and wound up with three hanging bundles, as well as a window ledge of tomatoes which fell off the vine wrapped in newspaper. I'm glad I got this done, as yesterday morning we had a pretty intense hail storm for about 5 minutes. If it hailed as hard in the community garden where my box garden is located, I think I would have lost most, if not all, of the tomatoes. I need to drive by and see how my collard greens and chard weathered the hail storm. But, I've been told those vegetables are hardy and can go through the first frost, so I'm hoping if slightly damaged that they'll bounce back. Has anyone else done this with tomatoes? Does it work?

Huzzah!

Photo #1: How much is that toddler in the window? The one with the cute yellow car? How much is that toddler in the window? His imagination will carry him far! Photo #2: "All clear to the right." "All clear to the left." Here we are Stuck in the middle with you. Photo #3: "I dunno, hon. Maybe we're carrying this Baby Shark theme too far?"

I make vanilla essence in the Instant Pot. The recipe claims it's ready right away, but I still like to do it a couple of months ahead. The IP gives it a definite head start,though.

bah... Sometimes I forget to do some things I've been looking forward to doing for quite awhile. This year is my first year with a garden box at Marymoor Community Garden. I planted my first ever heirloom tomatoes, two Chocolate Stripes from starts by the local TomatoLady. We got a late start due to waiting for the boxes to be constructed, but the plants are thriving and are full of fruit, although most are still green. However, I just cut into the first ripe tomato, which is delicious! ...but I forgot to take any photos. Hopefully I'll remember with the next one. It's an unusual coloring.

Time to feast and express gratitude.

Celebrate every day.

For those who like to cook with accuracy, the MEATER wireless thermometer. I would love one of these myself. https://www.amazon.com/MEATER-Thermometer-Rotisserie-Bluetooth-Connectivity/dp/B07H8WTFHW/

Huzzah!

When what to our wondering eyes did appear?

I don't have room for anymore stuff, but if I did, it would probably all be kitchen focused.

גְמַר חַתִימָה טוֹבָה

Love my surprise today. Thanks Brad!

Aww...Thank you.

Also all of the GD shirts I won over the years, as well as my blue and gray GD canvas shopping bags.

I'm at the point in life where Beorn is grown and no grandkids or great nieces or nephews in the picture yet. So, I honestly mostly window shop for deals and think, "If I had the need, room, and money, that would be a great find!" I still find the hunt fun, even if I no longer actually purchase anything.

Next up for me will be Break Fast after sunset Wednesday night. I'll go super easy, since it's still just the three of us and I really won't want to cook after fasting without water for 27 hours. Smoked whitefish Lox Creamed herring Bagels Cream cheese Lettuce, tomato, onion, full sour pickles Creamy cole slaw If guests were coming, I would probably purchase Trader Joe's cheese blintzes and mae a blintz casserole as well. But the bagels and fish will work for us.

I did, with no kids to spend it on. Let me know if you still need.

Rabbit Rabbit! Rabbit!!