my car

Did I ever say how much I love my "new" car (2008 Toyota Yaris)?  So much that John ordered these super cool Thunder Blue seat covers.  Now Jubilee and I will really be surfing the highways!  (By the way, I get more than 44 miles per gallon with this car.  The gas tank only holds a little more than 10 gallons, but the extra mileage makes up for it.)

Autumn 2011, the weather has changed

I'd say that Fall is here.  There are the beginnings of color change, and the last couple of days have been cold - 38 degrees in the morning.  John had ice on his windshield.  I notice the change in the angle of the sun.  Shadows are deep even in the middle of the day.  So mysterious.  Most everyone is excited about this change in weather, including Jubilee.

CSA Box #3

At first we didn't know what this was.  John guessed a pomegranate.  Turns out it's a Japanese red kuri squash.  I'm going to have to do some research to figure out how to cook it.

~ 1.5# heirloom tomatoes, Nu Way Farm, CF or Weeping Willow Farm, CF
~ 1.5# white potatoes, Weeping Willow Farm, CF
~ 3# Jonamac apples, Dawson’s Orchards
~ rosemary, Goose Creek Gardens, CNG
~ 1# Asian eggplant, Sunny Meadow Farm, CF or Blue Goose Farm, CNG
~ sweet pepper medley, Blue Goose Farm, CNG or Crighton’s Farm
~ green kale, Clarion River Organics, OG
~ red kuri squash, Clarion River Organics, OG

A Wedding in Staten Island

It was the most beautiful wedding I have ever been to.  The joy of their love for each other made the whole weekend magical!  Our son Eric, and his bride (our new daughter!) Dawn.

Lots more photos in the Facebook album HERE.

CSA Box #2

We got our 2nd CSA Box today.  This week's bounty:

• a pint of edamame (soy beans), heirloom tomatoes and Roma tomatoes from Nu Way Farm;
• Weeping Willow Farm will send ears sweet corn and red Carmen peppers;
• the first pears of the season from Dawson's Orchards;
• flat parsley from Goose Creek Gardens;
• green beans from the Hostetler's Farm; and
• cipollini onions from the Crighton's Farm 

The heirloom tomatoes are quite special.  I saw a restaurant in NYC that was serving a plate of sliced heirloom tomatoes for $18!  Nothing else on the plate.  The yellow ones are so mellow they almost taste like melon, but you know they are tomatoes.

 (For some reason, John had to get that Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald beer in the picture).

Meanwhile, over at Knob Hill, there are signs of autumn down at the ground cover level.

We'll be off to Staten Island tomorrow for the marriage of our son this weekend, so probably no updates here until next week.  We're taking the pears from the CSA box with us!

the marino pigini

Picked it up today (rainy, Labor Day) in the South Side of Pittsburgh.

the last hot day

It may not yet be the end of summer, but I'm fairly sure that this is the last hot day.  Well into the 90s today!  Jubilee went for a swim over at Lucky Paws Resort ...

John tested out the new bike rack on the back of his car.  Room for 2 bikes.

Last night we went out to eat with some of John's co-workers at a place called the "Winery" in Gibsonia PA (fun, fun people and a very popular place) ...

 John wondered if the musician was a man or a woman.  He was definitely Italian!

 Most everyone was eating outside, though it was hot even after the sun went down. 

Supposed to be somewhat less hot tomorrow and downright cool on Monday!  Yeah!