It’s been a hectic couple of weeks. End of semester and grading, conferences, trips to Chicago, extra volunteer work …. and any minute now I am going to hear from my CSA farm that the deliveries are about to start and it’s time to start writing recipes. And there’s still some from last year that I never added to my website as yet, and even though it’s my “new & improved” recipes the site needs work – I have these random favorites images in the side bar that don’t actually connect to any recipes, among other things. Oh for “world enough and time” Sigh.
I got some nice flowers for Mother’s day, and then the weather turned hot, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were highs of nearly or 90° and humid – and they shriveled. The daffs went by Wednesday and the tulips by Friday.
We had a simple Mother’s Day brunch, scrambled eggs with smoked chicken and spinach and cheese, toast, and fried potatoes. Later Al & Emma came over for cheesecake, this Nigella one that I totally recommend
Wednesday one of our former AFS kids, who is German, and has been traveling in Central America and Mexico since January came over for dinner with her best friend from the exchange. The best friend is from Madison, and has also traveled a lot. And the best friend’s boyfriend. They both work in restaurants and coffee places here in Madison. I made pizza and salad, and it was great to see them.
Thursday I went to the Wisconsin Library Association public library conference, WAPL, that we pronounce like wopple, in a trying-to-be-like-a-resort hotel right off the highway in Pewaukee, on the same road as a big golf course. I went with one of our newest faculty members, and we were gabbing and I inadvertently got on I-90, heading to Chicago, instead of I-94, where we should have been, heading to Milwaukee. We took a couple of Google map directed detours on county roads and got back to I-94 and we still were at the conference in about and hour an 15, when it was supposed to take an hour – so not too much of a loss.
Friday I was determined to do nothing but grading. Grades aren’t due until Monday night, but Sunday was iSchool graduation and I had to present the student awards and we won free tickets to see Neil Gaiman in a lottery, so limited Sunday time. Plus Monday night is my Bake for Ukraine cooking class.
Also Friday I had a zoom meeting at 10:30 and another at noon. Despite those interruptions, I got one of my classes all graded, and finished the other Saturday morning.
Post-grading, post bike ride Saturday brekkie
One of my extra volunteer gigs was going to one of the dorms to collect leftover food that the kids dropped into a barrel for the food pantry. I had to go past the stadium, where graduation was, so I left at about 2:30 thinking surely graduation, that started at 11:30, would be mostly cleared out. Uh uh. Still lots of traffic and lots of sunburned people coming out. Because the heat finally broke but it was very bright on Saturday. But I made it to the dorm and filled up my car, and dropped it all off at Goodman, and was home in about an hour and half.
Later on Saturday I did finally have time for a little bit of cooking. I made these Nutella scones, a Grace Parisi recipe. The instructions were good, but I think I rolled the dough a bit too thin; they’re not as pretty as Grace’s. I made 12 skinny scones instead of the 8 plump ones Grace made. Next time I think I will divide the dough in half and cut each half into 6 – they won’t be so skinny then.
And I got the first asparagus of the season (my Saturday morning bike ride was over to Lakeside Street for the pick up farmers market), and made this turmeric chicken & asparagus that I’ve had tagged to make since winter as a possible CSA recipe when their asparagus comes in. I think it qualifies so I took a bunch of pictures.
And, we got email today, CSA starts June 2 – whew. I should be ready by then.
A week ago Friday when we were in Chicago for the symphony and I was wearing new shoes, I slipped on some train tracks and fell and bruised my elbow, but I think it’s healing now.