Sunday, July 29, 2007

garden finds

this must be the very peak of summertime from a garden's perspective...


if you haven't grown garlic, i highly recommend it. it's easy to grow, you get garlic scapes (garlic in a non-bulb form) early in the season and then garlic bulbs right about now.
mmm....

Saturday, July 28, 2007

cupcakes

if you're ever in boston... beantowncupcakes
my sister-in-law's friend's place
which looks pretty amazingly delicious.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

$210,000 tab... what are people thinking?

you know, he could have donated this money to a non-profit law firm and deducted it. we would have even bought him drinks. he could have bought a little summer cottage on lake superior.
i don't know... something with less of that hangover feeling.

family reunion

to michigan last weekend for a family reunion full of games...

here, putting the final (macabre) touch on our table centerpiece...

little cousin and pinata...

celebrating the hostess's birthday...

Sunday, July 15, 2007

summer scenes

it's been a while since i've updated the readers on the garden, and suprisingly, we are in the middle of the summer somehow. not the part where the tomatoes have taken over and ridiculous summer storms have tested the strength of long stems, but the middle, where it's growing, but not overgrown, and everything (but the black-eyed susans (shrug)) is in bloom... painted tongue
and snapdragon


long line of potatoes... the reds are contemplating retirement...


oh yes, another flower that is not yet in bloom but awes us nonetheless as it is a dinosaur in the land of birds... the datura


our cilantro this year got a later start, providing us with realistic portions...


we bought marigold plants for our balcony a year or two ago, and this year grew them from seed. maybe it was all of that doting over the little plantlings, or maybe they simply like growing in the ground better than growing in pots, but rather than growing an inch or so and then dying, the plant continues to put all of its energy into these now monstrous flowers... so that i have forgotten all about dead-heading and think that when one of these finally does whither away, it will call for a rather elaborate goodbye...


front beatrice... really the only one worthy of some mention...


peppers....



cucumber plants...

a peek under the leaves reveals...


tomatoes of varying colors....
the red one had no chance of even making it into the kitchen.


a walk through the prairie...



a look at the farm where the remainder of our vegetable diet comes from...


to the adjacent property with a spacious green area for the mr. to learn all about the wonderful world of fetch.

on walks he tends to carry sticks in his mouth. if he drops one, he says, "no no, we must go back and get it," as in a wallet, left in the cart in the grocery store parking lot.

as i type, he is learning to dig holes and bury bones in our newly fenced-in back yard.


to the capitol building... where concert on the square, madison's ravinia, is well into its own season... and though working a mere two blocks from it, we have yet to dig out the picnic blanket and crossword puzzles and crackers and cheese and enjoy a nice summer evening listening to the orchestra with all of madison...




lastly, back home, to a courtyard of lights....

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

independence day

year two (veralouie-time) of the evanston fourth of july parade...

marching bands... a personal favorite...

the penny-farthing... a novelty in this 21st century...

and politics... asserting our 1st amendment rights on independence day...





and even sports... mixed with politics... the most dangerous of combinations...

and then back to marching bands...

and clowns...

for julie...

and the winner of the best-looking dog-and-owner pair...


and finally... puppy cousins...

Sunday, July 08, 2007

miles and miles

driven in one week. to illinois, to indiana. true, not far from wisconsin, but when you are only going there and back quickly enough so that your cats can fend for themselves, it can be somewhat tiring. and at each destination oliver made new dog friends. two in illinois and five, yes five, in indiana. you cannot say we are not dog people, like cat people are cat people. greg and i now claim membership in both groups... the rarest of breeds indeed.

Monday, July 02, 2007

small talk

to get some size perspective...


big puppiness


small, in comparison to greg...


and the couch...

Sunday, July 01, 2007

meet oliver







the newest member of the family.


yes, a puppy.
no, we really couldn't resist.
brutus the dog, was hanging out with his soon-to-be owner on saturday when we got to the shelter spot. oliver the puppy, on the other hand, was being small and cute and unclaimed...
so... we came home with oliver.
a stray from georgia, who in his 3.5 months has already survived mange and an allergic reaction to an antibiotic which claimed his little sis. he is probably not a chocolate lab because of his size, but possibly at least part terrier because of his wiry coat.
small for his ego.
a good runner.
a low bark.
brave.


in other news:

an old neighbor stops by... the only person i know who can make a story about rewiring a house sound interesting.

more flowers...


fireworks...