My baby is 12!!!

My baby turned twelve today.  I find it very hard to believe.  It seems like just yesterday he barged his way into our lives three weeks early.  But it also seems like so very long ago that I snuggled him late at night when everyone else was in bed (because he had his days and nights mixed up - don't you remember???   I should have had a blog then!)

He's quite the kid.  He and I just returned from his hockey camp at Weyburn.  I think I can safely say that he talked pretty much non-stop for seven whole days, particularly on the long drive to and from Weyburn.  He even talks in his sleep.  He was even talking when we thought he might have a concussion.  I'm pretty sure they got him out of emergency so fast so that they didn't have to answer any more of his questions,  or, arguably worse, listen to his answers to theirs.  (Long story short - he had a lot of pain from an ankle injury caused by ill-fitting and, I might mention, extremely expensive skates, coupled with fatigue and dehydration, that caused some dizziness and confusion, but he is fine.  In fact, he was fine about 20 minutes before we left the emergency room.)  But he still gives me hugs, and I love it!

I enjoy my time in Weyburn.  This is the third year I've gone, once with Stephen and twice with Derek, and I find it quite relaxing.  I do a lot of reading, take along some projects that I seldom do, visit relatives, and sit in a cold rink when it's 33 degrees outside.  And I never have to cook or do dishes.  All in all, a good holiday.  The highlight of this year's trip was when my newly found cousin, Susan, drove about an hour to meet me for supper.  We visited steadily for two whole hours before she had to head home.  I keep thinking of the line "blood is thicker than water"... there is a definite connection between relatives, no matter how far apart you live or how often you see each other.  Sometimes that's not so great, but in this instance, it's wonderful.  I predict more visits in our future.  Then again, perhaps it's just our mutual love of white wine...

Which brings me back to Derek's birthday, because I enjoyed a glass of white wine with the supper he ordered - BBQ steak, no potatoes, garden veggies, salad, and garlic bread.  Oh, and ice cream cake.  It was a great supper, but it was rather strange to have only three of us seated at the table!  I couldn't reach Adam to invite him (his phone has been acting up, so we'll chalk it up to that!) and Stephen is on his second, and last, shift up north.  He arrives home on Wednesday.  Derek will be busy cleaning Stephen's room, which he sneakily inhabits, on Tuesday.   Derek didn't even have any presents to open (refer to previous mention of extremely expensive skates), but we celebrated all the same.

It can get very hot in Weyburn, and they have some wicked thunderstorms.  It was 33 degrees on Monday and on Tuesday, but it cooled down to about 28 on Wednesday.  There was a thunderstorm every night, with heavy rain.  The clouds looked absolutely amazing.

Actually, there have been some pretty impressive clouds around here, too, and lots more rain.  Normally that would be a good thing, but the peas and lentils are ready to be swathed, and are starting to get some mold.  Many of the crops are lodging and will be hard to pick up.  I predict a long and gruesome harvest.    Oh goodie!

Thanks for stopping by!
Chandra

Mmmm-mmm-mm! Pink soup!

Actually, it's borscht, but the boys always called it pink soup.  I was ever amazed that they even ate it - I mean, it's just vegetables.  But man, is it good.  I've been told that I make good borscht.  One of Derek's friends will only eat mine - he told his mom hers tasted "like crap"!  I think it's just the fresh veggies.  Today I went from this:

to this:

...in about two hours.  Wanna see how?

First you gather all the veggies and clean them up. 

Then you melt some butter (yes, butter.  Margarine will NOT suffice here!)  in a large soup pot and saute the chopped onions.  Lots of onions.

Then you chop the beets and cook them for a few more minutes.  

It's so pretty! And pink!

Chop the potatoes and carrots and stir them in, too.  Cook for about five minutes.

Then fill the pot with water and bring to a boil.  In the meantime, cut the beans, and chop the beet tops 

and dill. 

 

Lots of dill!

Stir it all up.  I put in a bit of chicken soup base and some pepper.  Bring it to a boil and simmer until the veggies are tender.   Did I mention how pretty and pink it is?

Oops!  I forgot to mention that I also chopped up a bit of cabbage and threw that in, too.  While it is simmering, I add some vinegar, to taste.  We like lots.  

When everything is cooked, turn off the heat.  Stir in some cream - you will notice that I used the deluxe 36% stuff today!

Don't let it boil.  Stir well.  Aaahhh, perfection!

Derek came home while the soup was simmering and said, "Oooh, what smells so good?"  And that was before I even added the vinegar!  He and his dad were eager to try the season's first pot of borscht.

And now we all feel extra healthy and well!  

I took a walk today to see the beautiful blue flax blooms.  I just love it when Clem plants flax around the yard!

Roxy was sure we were going for a walk!

The macro setting on the new camera seems to work quite well.

Here's the view from up by the quonset, looking northwest.

An ocean of flax!

Couldn't resist a couple of artsy-fartsy shots.

Who knew thistle and clover could look so good??

Potatoes, anyone?  Dill, perhaps??

Well, I'm off to pick peas and beans.  I feel a bit like Henny Penny!

Thanks for checking in!

Chandra