Winston

Winston, the coyotes' favorite target, fights me for baby cucumbers.  We discovered this yesterday as Andy had a pile of them beside him waiting for me to munch away with dabbles of salt.  Normally he places them on the counter, but this day they were on Winston's favorite swing and he got a taste for these delicate morsels. Since I am not a fan of big seedy cucumbers, Andy must be quick to pick this treat and get them, along with green onions, into the kitchen.  I lean against the counter gazing at our backyard dipping them in salt and marveling at our luck in getting this place in which to enjoy our lives. This is our 33rd year in this home and I am thankful every day.

Today is Andy's first day of summer classes at OSU and my less fun activity...the dentist.  I like Dr. Ward, but when I think of him, I think of pain or fear of it at least. I fear I am in for several visits.  I have a long list of to-dos this summer and the dentist is the first and the worst on the list.

I have started the menu for 4th of July.  The first thing I am trying is homemade baked beans baked with a brisket sitting atop in a slow oven for hours. I had the beans soaking overnight and they are now in a slow cooker.  Once they are soft I will add the good stuff to complete the taste of the beans and the brisket that has also been well seasoned.  Another long, slow cook and we will have something succulent to enjoy.  We have so much Swiss chard growing so I added several big leaves of that to the slow cooking beans.  Lined up like soldiers going to battle is catsup, yellow mustard,  onions, peppers, salt, pepper, some dried red pepper flakes, cumin, BQ sauce...you get the idea. If it is in front of me the beans get a dash of it. I haven't had a party in so long because of all the good and bad things that were and are still happening in the large family.  The death of Joe F. at age 60 is still a painful memory from a few weeks ago. But, we have a lot to look forward to as well, so we are positive.