It is H O T. The kind of hot that makes you drip sweat even when you are standing still. The kind of 'hot' that turns the metal part of your seat belt into a weapon with a risk of burn. So hot, that even at 9:30 pm, doing the polka makes you look like you just went swimming. Not that it has ever happened to me or anything . . . Summer is a big bowl of cold watermelon on a hot day. I look forward to watermelon season all year long!! These days I am averaging at least one watermelon a week. Reading and frozen desserts, much like watermelon, are also major requirements of summer. I was lucky enough to find a brand spankin' new copy of The Big Gay Ice Cream book at McKay's Used Bookstore last week. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I AM OBSESSED. Their sorbet recipes inspired me to make watermelon sorbet.
FLAT CAP COCKTAIL - Bourbon + Orange Cream Soda Syrup + Bitters
We try to make it a point to try new things, especially when it comes to cocktails since we only know how to make, like, three to four cocktails. (Rhubarb Rumbler, Negroni, Gin & Tonic [does that even count??] and gin/st.germaine/grapefruit juice.) Chris, ordered the Flat Cap which is bourbon + orange cream soda syrup + bitters. IT WAS RIDICULOUS!!
Then we went back and he had another one/I had half. The next steps were obvious. I had to figure out how to make it. So here it is!!
WE BUILT THIS - Garden Planter Ladder
Four trips to Home Depot, 3 boxes of different sized deck screws, 2 crooked planter boxes, and 1 discarded planter. We have successfully completed our first big project involving wood, a saw, sanding, and a drill.
I have been looking for classes to take on woodworking or how to build stuff, etc. here in Nashville but have been unable to find anything! It was one of my goals for 29 in 29 and I have been looking periodically since last June!! I figured that instead of waiting around for a class to pop up, I could actually start doing something! This was THE PERFECT project for a good ol' learning experience!
Strawberry Rhubarb Tart with Cracklin' Oat Bran Crust (<--- I KNOW!!!)
Our car broke down again, for the second time in the past couple weeks, so Chris takes our working car and I work from home. Unless I have to run an errand, then I literally run them. So there I was, running an errand. It was a drizzling and I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Selected Shorts. Wham. Bam. Alakazam. Cracklin' Oat Bran. I wanted some. And wouldn't that make such a yummy tasting tart crust perfectly matched with fresh hand picked strawberries and rhubarb??
STRAWBERRY SEASON - Hand picked Strawberries from Bradley Kountry Acres
Strawberries aren't supposed to be crunchy. They aren't supposed to taste like iceberg lettuce. They're not all the same perfect size and shape.
Real, locally grown, strawberries, farmed by a handful of human beings, are bright red! They vary in shape and size. Some are perfectly round, some beet shaped, and some do have the perfect cone shape we see in the grocery store. The flavor is exquisite. Every single bite is sweet, juicy, and a little bit tangy,
For the past four years, we've made the 45 minute trip up to Bradley Kountry Acres in Cottontown, Tennessee to pick strawberries.
Rhubarb Rumbler Cocktail
Refreshing. Light. Springy. Sweet/Salty. Tart. DELICIOUS.
I've had a rhubarb plant for about four years. Rhubarb was something I really missed about Minnesota. In Minnesota, I feel like everyone has a rhubarb plant/plants. Am I right Minnesota friends???
I have great memories of delicious rhubarb crumble/cobbler/crisp/pie/bars. YES BARS. Thats a shoutout to my Minnesota roots.
EASY Butternut Squash Pasta with Chickpeas & Roasted Hazelnuts
One of my favorite people in the world, Brooke, told me that she has a special term for May; 'CRAYMAY'. CrayMay INDEED.
Butternut Squash Pasta is one of my go-tos when we need a good substantial dinner in a short amount of time. Super delicious, easy, and quick! You probably already have several of the ingredients on hand. The only ingredient I usually have to buy is the butternut squash.
The #bigpayback and Girls on the Run Nashville UPDATE!
$14,285 = 60 full scholarships, 60 pairs of new running shoes, and new curricula and activity sheets for 30 program sites (which is equal to about 450 girls). Obviously the scholarships and running shoes is SUPER EXCITING. Selfishly, I am pretty excited about the new curricula which is something we don't really talk about that often. In particular, the new curricula for Girls on Track (serving girls in 6th - 8th grade) focuses on the whole girl - body, brain, spirit, and social connection. It also addresses life skills such as team building, developing a support system, boundary setting, decision making, and asking for and providing help.
Developing a support system? BOUNDARY SETTING???? Boundary setting? Can I just tell you that it was only a few years ago, maybe three to be exact, that I even learned what boundary setting was and why it was helpful? Learning about boundaries CHANGED MY LIFE. (thats a whole different post in itself) Asking for help??? CRIPES. That is good stuff. And you know what? Middle School is where we need to be learning this kind of life-giving stuff, especially if we have parents who never had the opportunity to learn it, or aren't capable of teaching it to their kids.
20 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD donate to Girls on the Run Nashville!!! #BIGPAYBACK
The Big Payback is a 24 hour day of online giving here in Nashville. It is a day to celebrate 755 participating non-profits from Middle Tennessee. Girls on the Run Nashville is participating and I would love to have your support in reaching our goal to raise $8,000 to provide 30 full scholarships to GOTR participants, 30 pairs of new running shoes for GOTR scholarship participants, and new curricula and activity sheets for 30 program sites in the Fall! If you feel moved to donate, click here!
Here is a list of 20 reasons why you should donate to Girls on the Run Nashville! It was quite difficult to narrow it down to 20!
Marathon Music!!!
For the first 10-13 miles, I will probably be successfully distracted by the specatators and other runners on the course. But for those next thriteen, more specifically, miles 20 – 26, I will be conducting orchestras, marching to the beat of the drumline, joining a gospel choir, and pretending I’m in the Hunger Games as I inch towards the finish line.
Here is a sample of what will be on my playlist tomorrow! What I need from you is suggestions for music to add to my Marathon playlist!! If there is a story behind the song, please share that as well! Please leave your suggestions in the comments section, or comment on my Instagram post!