City farmer

Over the Independence Day weekend, we got ourselves a composting bin. It's a large garbage can with holes in the bottom and in the cover. Following tips from my sister (who has recently gotten into composting herself) and from the City of Vancouver I've got the first three layers in the bin and a bunch of leaves waiting to be added as more fruit and vegetable scraps accumulate.

Home ownership

We closed on our house yesterday. People seem genuinely glad to hear we are now home owners. Perhaps it is a piece of evidence that at least a part of the American dream is alive and well.

Summer

We Minnesotans love to complain about the weather. And today, for everyone who does not like heat and humidity, there's enough to complain about.

We're cool enough indoors without our air conditioner. But a dish of ice cream would still hit the spot.

What do you like to do on a hot humid day?

Spontaneity

My husband came home from work announcing that we needed to get out of the house. Considering that our toddler is enamored with buses, he thought we ought to take a bus ride. It was only a half an hour before dinner and my first thought was about the terrible timing. But rather than insist on sticking to a schedule, as I often do, I started getting our son's shoes on and suggested a destination that didn't involve a transfer. My boys were were out the door before I'd even collected the quarters, replenished the snacks in the diaper bag, and filled the water bottles.

We enjoyed the sights of the city and got to teach some new concepts, such as opening and shutting bus doors.

On the way home, our little one began singing "The Wheels on the Bus" at the top of his lungs. "Your dream of riding the bus has come true," his daddy concluded. And I was glad I'd been open to something spontaneous.

What was the last spontaneous thing you've done?

Rhubarb pie

We got some rhubarb yesterday at Dad's. And it was time to make a pie, I decided this morning. I was thinking about the time Uncle Harold hired me to make two rhubarb pies. I was a teenager who had relatively little pie making experience, and I am not certain the crust was as light and flaky as a pie's should be, but he and Aunt Betty happily took the warm pies with them when they dropped my little brothers off. (I don't remember where they'd gone, though.)

Today I ventured away from my usual recipe from the old Betty Crocker in favor of one that called for almond extract. It was a good choice.

Oh, and when making the crust, I've found it helps to chill the shortening first. Then it takes less time to chill the dough before rolling it out.

The rhubarb I used was rather tart, so a bit more sugar wouldn't have hurt. But after the fact, what can one do? Serve the pie with ice cream!

Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar, 4 cups chopped rhubarb, 3 heaping tablespoons flour, a dash of salt, 1 teaspoon almond extract, and 1 large egg (or 2 if you like it more custardy - I used just one.)

Pour this into a pastry-lined 9-inch pie plate, add the top crust, seal, and cut slits on the top to let the steam escape. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35 minutes.

Cool somewhat and enjoy this Midwestern spring tradition.