Lemonade for Grown-ups and the Yucca Jar!

Several years ago, I discovered the joys of vodka and lemonade. I was in Scottsdale, preparing mass quantities of pico de gallo and guacamole in advance of a Rent-a-Party West/Sewing Circle mashup. It was hot, I was thirsty and there was lemonade.

I occasionally revisit that cocktail. If I'm not in the mood to make my own lemonade, I've found that Simply Lemonade is probably the best commercial brand available. Sugar, not corn syrup, as a sweetener, lemons and water. Can't get much more simple than that.

A short while later, we were shaking it up and consuming the first of what would be many Yucca Jars before the night was over. Definitely a party drink, as each batch makes a gallon. Tastes like lemonade and goes down like lemonade - which could offer some interesting results.

Yucca Jars waiting to be called to duty!

The most appropriate way to consume Yucca - straight from the jar! Well, you wouldn't be partying with all these people if you weren't friends, right?

Too much Yucca can lead to bad things...

A Yucca Jar can make you dress a little "different"

Many Yucca Jars can lead to spankings...

And the morning after can sometimes look like this...

It's summertime! For complete recipes for homemade lemonade and a Yucca Jar, read Spirited Lemonade: Refreshing Summer Cocktails.

Rockmill Brewery - Amazing Belgian Ales from Ohio's Heartland

Please forgive me:

"I like big beers and I cannot lie..."

During the March edition of Ohio Market Day at The Hill's Market, we arrived a little too late to sample everything that was offered. That didn't matter because Matthew Barbee was still going strong pouring samples of his Belgian ales from Rockmill Brewery.

I'd been seeing mentions of Rockmill on Twitter, so as soon as I realized we had the opportunity for a tasting, I nudged Harry. Of course, all he needed to hear was the word "beer" and he was in, too.

We picked the Saison as our bring-home bottle and enjoyed it a couple of weeks later. There was still snow on the ground!

When Shawn comes home for a visit in August, in addition to the 9-year reunion of Rent-A-Party at Barley's Smokehouse & Brewpub (and all the debauchery that will certainly ensue), we are also planning a private dinner and tasting here at the cabin. While I am no doubt less experienced in the beer pairing department, I can guarantee that dinner will be magnificent and the tasting may last until sunrise!

And we will include all four offerings from Rockmill Brewery.

Once Harry goes on shift in mid-July, it will be much easier to make plans to tour Rockmill Brewery and the farm near Lancaster.

Read my complete review of the four Belgian ales from Rockmill Brewery, follow this link.

Garbage in the Garden? No, it's added nutrition!

Thanks to rosym over at sxc.hu - beautiful!

THIS is what I'm waiting for! I want bowls and bowls and kitchen counters FILLED with tomatoes. Then, I want my freezer filled with tomatoes for the winter!

But, to get there, I'm turning to my friends who are much more experienced in the garden. Earlier this spring, I found an article from my friend Marie Anne St. Jean over at In the Garden with Sow and Sow. MA had written about using egg shells to start her tomato seedlings a few years ago. That led to a discussion on Facebook. Jaipi Sixbear added that she always places a whole egg in the hole with her tomato plants.

Now, these ladies have been gardening for more than a couple of years and I appreciate their wisdom. So, while Harry and I didn't start our own seeds this year - and I'll be saving back seeds from this years crop for next year - I did follow Jaipi's advice about the egg.

I've done some digging around and found out there are a few other great uses for eggs and another kitchen scrap in the garden. To read more about what I've learned regarding kitchen scraps and the good that can be done for my garden, read "Sustainable Home Farming: Kitchen Scraps Improve the Soil"

With four black thumbs, why would we try to grow a garden?

We tried to make a go of The Wright Taste this year, but Harry's work schedule is more important. I can't possibly ask him to roll out those cinnamon rolls after he's been inside that hot factory all day. That doesn't mean we still won't support our local farmers markets. After all, there's a much larger variety than what we could ever hope to produce.

I guess we aren't complete black thumbs. We have managed to grow a few tomatoes and last year's cucumbers were a huge success. We can easily search the net and ask more experienced gardeners for advice. But, there are several reasons we want this garden to be successful.

In our advanced years, we've been embracing more sustainable food sources. We've also become rather snobby when it comes to the produce to be found in the middle of winter. After my success with processing tomatoes for the freezer last year, we were reminded in the middle of winter how good a spaghetti sauce can taste when it's made from home-grown tomatoes.

Freezing takes some time, but I can do it without adding salt. If our tomatoes grow properly, I won't have to buy a single can of tomatoes ever again. The cost savings will add up, and it's one more thing that we will do to reduce our carbon footprint.