Made and Found: Pickles

Most people who know me are very aware that I'm not a fan of cucumbers. I pick them out of fresh rolls, push them to the side of salad plates, and will slowly edge away from you if you're eating them. Blech and double blech! 

But pickles--now that's a different story. I'm a huge fan of pickles and frankly, find it baffling that something I loathe, when sealed in a jar with vinegar and spices for a month or more, becomes something I love. So, this year we planted pickling cucumbers in the garden and had a go at making pickles...

Home & Away: Back to the Future, the house.

On occasion my Ben loves to surprise me by sweeping me off to fun places on the scooter. Well, on this occasion we headed to Pasadena: our final destination was the Gamble House (built in 1908 by Charles and Henry Greene, for David and Mary Gamble, of the Proctor and Gamble Co.). Most famous for being an ingenious architectural delight, this national historic landmark was featured in the Back to the Future movies as the home of Dr. Emmett Brown...

Fall is coming...

It's starting to feel like the sunny days won't be around for much longer. My succulents and garden still look very green (as evidenced by the miniature horses above sitting in my rockery), but soon everything will start to turn brown...

Plundering mother's garden

I took care of my mom's cats and her horse Sully over the weekend so she could go visit sister Christine in Spokane...ergo I plundered her garden. 

Sully!

To be fair she certainly didn't mind, but boy did I get some treasures--check it out...

fresh from the field

Well, fresh from Mom's anyway...that is, they were last week. 

Still, these puppies are going strong on my desk and coffee table. I can't wait to pick more. 

Sunshine in Olympia!

Yeah, yeah, yeah it's Spring and lots of places have sunshine, but in Olympia, WA, this hasn't happened too many times this year. On Saturday morning, Nicholas and I took full advantage of this (and we had to get our cars downtown from the night before...ssssshhhh). We went all over the place and then even managed to get in lots of yard work. Take a look!

The iris are blooming!

The harbor...tide is out.

A stop by Olympia Seafood Co. for some smoke salmon and lox snacks. It was delicious.

The farmer's market

Fun fact: Olympia's farmer's market has more fresh, locally grown produce than Pike's Place in Seattle. Boom!

Next stop, Ramirez for some Cinco de Mayo quesadilla fixings. This is also the best Mexican food in town.

I bought ready-to-bloom geraniums at Costco.

All our of spring flowers are blooming.

After a few week delay and some lawn mower repairs, I finally mow the lawn.

Peanut assists as always.

I find more snails!

Geraniums potted.

Rockery weeded.

Our radishes are coming up!

Our onions are going crazy.

Then I found the cutest little pinecones possible. Until...

I find even smaller pinecones!

Then I admire the Bigelow House and think how cool it is to live next door...and let's be honest, I think about the
March sisters from Little Women because that's what this house always reminds me of.

And finally, I have dug out (mother helped) every last dandelion from these rocks. This will probably last 2 weeks.

snail friends

This weekend was absolutely glorious--the first really nice weekend the PNW has seen this year. I spent the last 2 weekends in class, but after that was through, I did a bunch of yard work with Mom. We came across these two lovebirds as we were planting radishes and lettuce. I shall call them Edna and Timothy (pssst, the dark shell is Edna). 

They shall be my garden pets. 

We became fast friends.

Then I politely dropped them off back home.

See you around, Timothy and Edna!

Oh and PS, I also saw a dead bird on campus this weekend. I took a picture of it when no one was around. A couple of minutes later this girl rode by on her bicycle. She saw the bird and looked really sad. Then she picked up the dead bird (with her hands BIRD FLU, HELLO!!!), and she put the bird in her backpack.

Weirdo.

Backyarding.

It was a beautiful weekend in Burbank, and I enjoyed it by doing some backyarding. It is not uncommon for us sisters to disappear in planting and various backyarding activities. Here is a taste of my day.

Succulents from a friend's clipping.  My, how they've grown.

Pachycephalasaurus enjoying some greens.

Lovely large succulent going crazy...

...really crazy...

...whoa, this happened in the last two weeks.

Little ceramic buddy and a little succulent friend.

Hibiscus tree, the bees love it!

And I love a PB&J snack!

Unfortunately so do the furry ladies.

Sorry, Lucca.

My view of Griffith Park.

Yea, for backyarding and PB&J!

Tiny Tacoma

I found some tiny items in the garden at Mom's. 

Up next: the woods!

Nisqually walk

Since I was on the west side for my birthday, Mom and I decided we would finally go walking at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. It was an overcast day but still lovely, and heading down the boardwalk into the forest was like walking into a fairy tale. Everything green and glittering and magical. 

We saw tons of Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons, and jovial little Mallards. Three bucks for the whole day was definitely worth it, and all the green puts me in such a happy mood.