the breakfast from yesterday

 was piperade with scrambled eggs, another one from the cookbook.

We enjoyed it.

I didn't end up making the shrimp until lunch today. I wasn't crazy about them. I wasn't crazy about any of it. Maybe it's because I just wanted some chicken from Cane's, or a burger and fries from anywhere. Things just weren't in my favor. I had a headache most of the day. I got busy and didn't eat breakfast. I didn't have breakfast so I didn't take any vitamins. I didn't drink my coffee because I don't even remember why. I had errands to run. When I got home from running errands I was tired. My head was still hurting, and probably more since I was hungry and under caffeinated. I pulled the shrimp out and saw that they still had heads and needed cleaning. I didn't know what to serve with the shrimp so I heated up a quinoa/bulgur mix that I picked up from HEB. I made black beans to mix with it. (If everything else flopped, I would settle for plain beans.) 

So, here are the broiled shrimp.

They weren't much different than how I normally make them, seasoning wise. I normally don't cook my shrimp with the shell on. Having to peel cooked shrimp is just ugh.

I need to find some MD friendly meals that don't require so much prep. I need some convenience meals. I need a fast breakfast for when I know I need to take my vitamins, but where I also don't have to spend 20 minutes getting it ready. I have other things I need to get done as well. I can't just focus on food. It's exhausting and annoying and discouraging.

Speaking of discouraging...

Another ripe fig that something else found before I did.

Better luck next time.

i just posted the picture

for week two of the photo challenge.  The topic was hidden, but more specifically, a faceless self portrait.  Here's mine.

 

I've noticed something, I'm not doing anything wild and crazy with my pictures like some of the other participants.  I don't know if that's part of the challenge, but it's not really my goal.  I went into this not only because I'm always up for a photo challenge, but I want to pull out my camera more.  My goal isn't to do anything crazy in Photoshop, I just want to work more on documenting everyday things... with my camera.

Now, about this picture.  I didn't just pick a random object to stick in front of my face, I picked the watering can because seeds have been planted.  WOOHOO!  I have squash, zucchini, and bell peppers in seed pots.  I'll start the tomatoes this week, and I also have potatoes and a few bare roots that need pots.  I'm still sticking with containers because I just am.

That's that.  I'm going to rest now.  I stayed up way too late and there's talk of going to the airport later to let the granddaughter look around in an airplane.

seeds are

ordered, soil is purchased, and pots are waiting.  I went to Home Depot on Saturday and saw some big pots that I really liked.  There were a few colors: maroon, blue, and I think they called the last one yellow.  It definitely didn't look yellow to me, but there was one in the very middle of all these oversized (and not light) pots that I wanted. 

 

At first I wasn't going to be difficult and ask for help, but I wanted it.  I asked for assistance and got it.  And while I had help, I also asked for them to get another one I'd been trying to pull down but couldn't reach.  Side note: I really like the way those blue ones look in this picture, but they were a lot lighter in person.  Anyway, I'm on the way to being ready for planting.

Speaking of self sufficiency...

 

I'm not a Starbucks regular.  I actually think the Starbucks hype is kind of obnoxious, but hey, that's just me.  One morning a few weeks ago, I made a stop for some breakfast.  These are awesome.

 

I was determined to find a recipe to make them at home.  I found a version for baking and bought the ingredients... except for the monterey jack cheese.  I just saw that listed in their description.

Ta dah!

They were NOT the same.  I didn't expect them to be perfect, but I was hoping for a little better than this.

 

By the way, that pan is STILL soaking with that Dawn soaking spray... and it's been scrubbed.

I think I'll stick to the occasional trip to Starbucks.  Also, I halved this recipe and it made 12 mini muffins.  The Starbucks order comes with two and they're so rich that one is really enough.

I need to go.  We've got birthday celebrations tonight and while I managed to get a key lime pie and cheesecake baked and in the fridge last night, I still need to go buy stuff for dinner.  The cheesecake didn't look the same as it normally does.  I really hope it turns out better than the egg bites.  

Starbucks, anyone?

i picked up a few

things at Home Depot yesterday, just because.  I have no idea if any of this will work or last, but I thought I'd give it a try.

I'd already planned on strawberries, but probably should have picked a different variety for this area.

Grapes might be a total waste of time and energy.

 

Meyer lemons seem possible.

 

 

To be honest, I was thirsty and lemonade sounded good when I picked this up.  But look at that warning label.  Can you imagine what would be going through your head if you'd seen that a few years ago?  Or what about if you saw it during The Walking Dead craze?  Yikes.

I'm excited to see what happens with it all.  Who would've thought I'd ever try any of this?  Definitely not me.  I guess my brown thumb's curiosity is getting the best of me.

look what I have

going on in this box.

 

 

Potatoes.

I'm going to try growing potatoes.  I heard someone say, "turn your waiting room into a classroom."  So while these potatoes are waiting, I'm reading and trying to learn what to do.  I'm going to stick with containers because I'm not ready for anything else yet.  And while we wait, the potatoes are in a box in the laundry room.

So yeah, that's what I have going on.

I also found a really good deal on large containers for plants.  I added a few 15 and 20 gallon pots to my cart and before I checked out with my $36 subtotal, I saw that shipping was $280.  Yikes.  I decided to keep looking.  I'm sure there's a better deal elsewhere.

That's what's going on in my gardening world.  In my covid news, I realized something.  Coke sometimes has the chemical flavor while Diet Dr. Pepper never does.  Cosme suggested that the sugar could be part of it.  That's disheartening.  Also, Goldfish crackers and plain Saltines have the campfire flavor, but Cheez-Its and Saltines with butter don't.  Raise your hand if you're tired of all the covid stuff.

I'm not talking about here on my blog, I'm talking about in the world.  If it's happening to me, I'll post about it here and if you don't want to read about it, go read something else.  That's not all I'm over, but we won't get into politics, internet trolls, nastiness, or intolerance right now.  Okay, maybe just a little.  I'm tired of people with the same views as myself being grouped together and called names and made fun of by people I know.  Do the people I know actually know how I feel or where I stand?  Probably not because it's not about them.  Am I going to come out and start being vocal about it?  No, because that's not how I am.  Okay, that's enough.

Dad tells me I need to take more pictures.  I agree.  I take a lot of pictures with my phone because it's fast and easy, but I want to start doing more.  I'm not talking about dropping everything and doing it full time, but it's what I like to do and I want to do it because I enjoy it.  I started a 12-week photo thing this morning.  When I finish here, I'm going to take some time to think about it.  I don't have the granddaughter today so I might try to read up and focus on that challenge.  Not to get all deep or anything, but sometimes I get busy doing so many other things that I don't stop to do any of the artsy fartsy hobbies I've always had.  If it's not your thing, then you might not understand the feeling of needing a creative outlet.  I'm definitely not some amazing artist, but it's something I've always done and it usually gets put on the back burner.  And sometimes, when that stuff stays on the back burner for too long, I feel like nasty moods come along.

So that's enough of that.  I'm going to TCB.

if you also might be

dealing with parosmia and your soap all of a sudden smells like strong chemicals, I have a suggestion.

Ivory soap.

 

 

I had some in the cabinet and pulled it out to try instead of my regular Safeguard.  It smells like Ivory soap.  That chemical smell/taste is something else and I wish I could describe it better.  I don't get it with everything, thank goodness.

Also, I've added something else to my garden research.  Blueberries.  

And now I'm signing off to do just that.

well, well,

well.  How's it going?  It's been a while.  My last post was back in July and my zucchini seeds were sprouting.  The zucchini didn't make it.  I had blooms and all was promising, but then I went away for quarantine and the plants died.  The tomatoes survived and here we are in January and things are looking like this.

 

To make a long story short, things got super crappy and now they're getting better.  I started to post a few times and then didn't.  The 'rona hit our family towards the end of September.  Dad had the worst case, I had a few symptoms, and Mom had none.  Thankfully, we were the only three to test positive.  My smell and taste were the most annoying of my symptoms and while it all started to come back after a couple of weeks, it wasn't full strength.  Over the last couple of weeks though, I've been getting what the web tells me is parosmia.  Certain things smell and/or taste like chemicals.  It's odd, but I'll take it over no taste or smell.  That started to cause a couple of panic attacks.  Other than that, and trouble catching my breath at times, all was fine... except for Dad.  And Dad being in the hospital made everything worse.  Dad was stuck in the hospital alone and an hour away while Mom and I were in quarantine together and banned from the world.  

 

Anyway, that was October and here we are in January 2021.  

 

Covid is still going strong and all we can do is wait pray for normal to come back and hope that the government doesn't kill our economy in the process.  In the meantime, I'm researching things so I can add a few more containers to my garden.  I'm thinking onions and potatoes, if those are even springtime things.  Like I said, I'm researching.  I'd also like to plant a fruit tree, probably oranges.  The pandemic and grocery shortages really made me see things a different way.  The tomatoes and zucchini were a test to see if I could do it.  I did, for the most part, so now I'll keep going.  Then, there was a moment while waiting in a long line at Honey Baked Ham with my golden ticket at Thanksgiving that really made me start feeling like "this isn't a first world problem".  I didn't like it.

 

I'm going to try to get back to posting regularly.  I get busy, then distracted and eventually, tired.  I can't just stop posting.  This is basically a scrapbook for me. 

 

That's enough for now.

everything was going my way

yesterday morning.  I don't know what it was, but everything was just working out.  That wasn't the case this morning.  I was ready for a redo before 9:00.  I think the garbage disposal might've crapped out on me.  It was humming and not grinding, then it wasn't even humming, and then it started stinking.  I went ahead and got a new one today in case the other needs to be replaced... the other one that isn't very old.  I don't know what it is with me and garbage disposals.  I guess it's better than head gaskets.

One thing that wasn't a bummer this morning was the seed progress.  Looky here.

Yesterday morning compared to this morning.

And don't forget about the tomatoes.

Then the zucchini in the pot.

And guess who else decided to come out and party?  The zucchini in the flower bed!

My small containers should be here today.  I can't wait to move some of this stuff.

Oh well, it's the baby's nap time but the guys could show up at any time to mow.  I'm really hoping "later today" is around 4:30 or 5:00.  That would be ideal.  I guess I'll go sit and chill.

I'll try not to post any garden updates later, but I'm not making any promises.

I have one thing to

say... wow.  This was what the zucchini looked like this morning.

Here it is next to yesterday's picture.

So, of course I'm obsessed and I had to check on them later in the day.

Look at the change from this morning to this afternoon.

After taking the afternoon pic and zooming in, I noticed two little nubs sticking out on the tomato side.  Here they are later in the afternoon, more than nubs and actual little things.  Sprouts?

What if this turns out to be my calling?  That's wild.  It also might not take much to amuse me when it comes to something I know nothing about.  I'll just keep learning as I go.  I ordered some bigger containers today, but that wasn't easy.  I had to find something that was food safe and BPA free.  I'm turning into one of those people.  ugh... I figured though, why go through all the trouble growing my own stuff if it's contaminated with some funk from plastic?  Anyway, I found some containers and they're supposed to be delivered tomorrow.  Want to know why I need them ASAP?  Because the roots are busting through the bottom of the egg carton.

So that's the latest in my adventures of gardening.  I did have a bit of panic this evening though.  What will I do when spring comes around and caterpillars are everywhere?  I've come up with a couple of options and am hoping I might have it figured out.  More to come on that.

All the vegetable excitement yesterday had me wanting to cook.  (There hasn't been much of that lately.)  I bought tomatoes the other day to try something I saw and we ended up liking it.  I don't remember the actual name, but you roast little tomatoes and smash them.  Cook some chopped shallots in olive oil, then add the tomatoes and some garlic with a few capers and a TBS or so of water.  Mix all that up with angel hair pasta and also toss in some basil (which I had growing outside, thank you) and fresh, torn up mozzarella.  (And I don't get the fresh mozzarella thing.  Isn't most mozzarella fresh if you plan on eating it?)  Whatever the dish is technically called, this is it.

It was good.  I also warmed up some french bread and found a copycat recipe for Carrabba's herb oil dip.

That's it for now.  It's almost my bedtime so I need to go research gardening stuff before I fall asleep.  And don't fret, I should have another plant pic tomorrow.

There are

big little things happening around here!  To make a long story short, I'm on my way to being a gardener.

Look at the zucchini seeds I planted on Saturday.

And here are the ones I put in a pot.  (Yes, those are packing peanuts popping through.  I wanted something down there to help it drain and not waste so much soil.)

The ones in the ground still haven't done anything, just like the tomato seeds.  I'm not giving up.  While I'm waiting on the tomatoes though, I really need to research and find out what I'm supposed to do next with these seeds that are sprouting.  Wish me luck.