Sunday Tally: Bon Appetit

Yesterday morning I wrote a post-it note and stuck it to the microwave. I completed 6 of the twelve tasks on the note and feel worthy!

The tally?

15 pints of tomato glut--I used a recipe from Joan Gussow Dye's This Organic Life: Confessions of a Suburban Homesteader. I've made it for years, and I usually make enough each summer to last fall, winter, spring. I use it in soups and stews, on pasta and with rice. I grow virtually everything needed--I only buy the celery, and this year had to buy bay leaves as our bay tree hit the dust around about March.

Three-quarters through with Drums of Autumn. Brianna just met Jamie. Have I mentioned before that I think Diana Gabaldon is a terrific storyteller. Planning to go to the Tattered Cover in Denver on September 22 to get her final book in the series, An Echo in the Bone: A Novel. Am dog-earring all pages in Drums of Autumn that contain the phrase "echo in the bone." Two so far. Planning to go to her reading September 23 in Highlands Ranch. Anyone else going? How cool is it that she will be in Denver area that day after her final book in the series launches?!

Refilled quilted pillows and hand-stitched opening. My husband and I made a gorgeous quilt for our bed that he finished while I was travelling this June with our older daughter. We started it three years ago, and it's gorgeous--almost exclusively Kansas Troubles fabrics. Love that palette. Anyway, for practice, before we tackled the quilt, we made two throw pillows that the cats adopted last year. Last month, I took them back. Unstitched one side, washed them, restuffed them, and then yesterday finally restitched the open side. The kitties are happy :)

Made 3 pints tomatillo salsa, trying to duplicate the Cantina Laredo salsa. Again, everything from the garden except the tomatillos. Next year, we grow tomatillos. Got close. V. good. Could live on this stuff, but maybe more charred cilantro next time?

Went to church. Haven't been since before Easter. Something always comes up, but it was great to go and feel part of my Methodist church family again. Wish I could bottle the music. Pat the organist has a rare talent.

Went shopping with 14-year old son. Bought two pairs of jeans, converse sneaks, henley shirt, zipped sweatshirt, backpack. He's happy. It doesn't take much.

Saw Julie and Julia with husband and two of three teenagers who call our house home. Fantastic. Loved it. Didn't find Julie whiny. Found both interesting and funny and inspiring. Came home and cooked favorite summer stew for dinner. Ready to tackle Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon. Have added Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One (1) (Vol 1) and My Life in France and Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously to Xmas and Bday lists. Totally marvelous to hear two fourteen-year olds laughing out loud with parents during movie!

Watched disc 2, episode 1 of Playing Shakespeare. David Suchet and Patrick Stewart debate and demonstrate two different interpretations of The Merchant of Venice's Shylock. The most interesting point is that director John Barton claims that he gave both of them the same direction and each came up with a very different approach to the character. I think I like Suchet's better, but it's hard to really say having viewed only parts of four scenes, but I liked how Suchet handled the final exit of Shylock versus how Stewart did.

Framed the poster of Top Withins that I picked up at the Haworth Parsonage when I visited it in June. I googled trying to find the image to share, but to no avail. But, it is wonderful, very Van Gogh-esque, and will be a nice image around which I hope to add some book shelves to my office walls soon.

What didn't I do? Didn't make zucchini bread. Didn't do the expense report for the biz trip I took last week. Didn't sew the button on a jacket that has been sitting on the mending pile for several weeks.

All in all...a good weekend.