eating, lately

one night, we had grilled cheese (cheddar, arugula, tomato, dijon mustard)  and tomato soup.  will definitely try the full version of the soup recipe.

to get rid of cabbage in the CSA box, i made cabbage with tofu & peas.  pretty good.  you can never go wrong with fried tofu.

also, roasted vegetable curry.  the leftovers were way better than the firsts.  perhaps, good for future lunch boxes?

a megan weekend

matt's sister visited this weekend.  fun times:

• a hike near crystal springs reservoir.  pizzas, salads, and bananagrams w/ m&m's cousins, spencer & eva.
• house of air & chrissy field.  dosa.  21 jump street + popcorn + nutella banana shakes.
  
• SFMOMA, where we saw the cindy sherman exhibit.  stow lake.  san tung.
• suburban big box store overdose.  vega. 
  

discipline, perseverance, and luck

i don't believe much in "smartness" or other inherent traits.  we're all different, woohoo! 

i think what's most important is cultivating the discipline to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve. 

poking around in the dirt

i've been poking around the backyard, trying to remove weeds, plant material, and as much root as possible.  one day, we'll have a patio and a vegetable garden.

i'm trying to learn to identify the weeds, but i can only recognize bindweed (morning glory) seedlings:

(via)

a scary picture, huh?  their roots can grow 20 feet deep and their seeds can live 60 years!  (the uc integrated pest management website rocks.)

other discoveries:  a toy car, fake flower petals, lots and lots and lots of nails, snail shells, bones of random things, a spring from a mouse trap, plastic bits. 

p.s.

i read a silly book i found at the house, "a summer affair."  it is exactly what it sounds like.

overdose

matt and i joined three other couples in an indulgent retreat last weekend.  at a vacation house near half moon bay, we ate and ate. 

dinner the first night:  salad with shrimp chips, grilled pork with fried egg and rice, and douglas fir panna cotta w/ berry compote.  matt and i were in charge of breakfast the next morning:  blueberry muffins, fruit salad, tomato zucchini frittata, potatoes.  rebecca and others' dinner:  caesar salad, tomatoes & burrata, french onion chicken, baguettes, roasted root vegetables, and nectarine upside down cake.

p.s.

we watched the full moon rise.  that was cool.

moab

afterwards, matt & i hung out in utah.  we:

• canoed down the green river, 50-ish miles from mineral bottom to where the green flows into the colorado.  very cool way to experience canyonlands.  not nearly as hard or hot as we expected (except for one windy and wavy section).  plenty of time for swimming, floating, reading, side hikes, watching canoers go by and making up interpretive dances.  we were grateful for the clouds and wind.
  
• stayed at a couple of super cute b&b's.  hammock, hot tub, showers, air conditioning and breakfast :)
  
• watched 127 hours.  i hope i never have to cut my arm off.
  
• checked out arches np the japanese tourist way.  though, we did get out of the car for a couple of little walks.
  
• camped and hiked around fisher towers.  matt and i ate a long piece of watermelon at the same time!
• looked into the valley from the mountains.
  

a good trip.

durango

the hbe got together in durango for henny's wedding.  (see kilted man in middle.)  we also walked to a mossy lake -- only naureen took a dip.

salmon

matt went on a deep-sea fishing bachelor "party" and brought home a salmon :)

it's been fun to prepare it in different ways and to have friends over to share it with us!  cooked it with an herby-butter sauce and lentils for kat and in tacos with no-mayo cabbage slaw, mango salsa and aguas frescas with keqin & gang.

also, tomato tart (with dijon mustard).