What I Did On My Summer Vacation

It seems that I took an unannounced hiatus from writing. Having children with busy summer schedules will make any (responsible) adult neglectful of her beloved blog. But look! I have some great photos of what I've been up to this summer. And since most of us like pretty pictures...

Riding Around On Two Wheels
This is my bicycle. Yes, I get looks and comments around town while to-ing and fro-ing, mostly of the appreciative variety. It's just a regular single speed with some bamboo and rattan thrown in for that hipster effect--despite the fact that I am far from being a hipster. (There will not be a need to set any hipster traps in my neck of the woods, that's for darn sure.) I have grown to love my bicycle, which says a lot about me since I loathe to move any faster than the speed my own two feet.

Cooking, Cooking, and More Cooking
Although I did not have a creative/cathartic outlet via writing, I did have cooking. And I added a lot to my culinary repertoire. My most important feat? Learning how to convert my gas grill into a smoker. That in itself is not a huge deal, but I learned how to smoke baby back ribs and whole chicken legs with a Tennessee style rub. Sadly, there are no photos. In my haste to get the falling-off-the-bone goods from the smoker to the table (where hungry children and child-like adults eagerly waited), I forgot to document the moment. But fear not: smoked ribs and chicken shall rise again from my grill!

The farmers' market has been a weekly destination for fresh corn, heirloom tomatoes, okra, onions, garlic, eggs, various herbs, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and plums. Here are some dishes inspired and made from each week's shopping excursion:

Zucchini and Carrot Pancakes.

Penne with Tuna, Garlic, and Spinach.

Fried Okra, Garlic Rice with Tomato/Cilantro Salsa, and Corn.

Fruit n Juice Pops.

Popovers.

I'll try to post recipes sooner than later. (Really!)


Wallets, Bags, Cards, and Collages
You know what happens when the computer is turned off? I read the newspaper and the magazines that have been piling up around me. Heck, I even read a few books, but I digress...

The newspapers and magazines have provided ample graphic inspiration for new wallets, bags, and cards for my Etsy store. I've decided to try my hand (again) selling at flea markets and fairs. Most of the time I post pictures of my stuff on Facebook, but here are some of my latest and greatest:

Last Friday I participated in Jersey City's Creative Grove Market. Many thanks to Uta Brauser for welcoming me to the Creative Grove family. And a big hi to fellow artisans Yanni, Eddie, and Diane. See you ladies in three weeks when the market resumes.

Back in June I wrote about the collage art of Kurt Schwitters and Richard Meier. Feeling inspired to use my knife skills in more creative ways, I started making my own collage art. 

There are more photos for sharing, but I'll end this post here. In my next post, I'll talk about the Jersey Shore, a day trip to Beacon, NY, and racing through the Harry Potter series with my kids.

Until then...