Summer Project #4: Grandpa Niehaus' Pasta Sauce

I thought it would be a good idea to write this down somewhere.
2 lbs of tomatoes - peeled and seeded (I used a mix of the five varieties that I'm growing in garden)
1 med onion - chopped fine
24 oz. tomato paste
46 oz. tomato juice
12 oz. hot water
1/2 cup sugar
5-6 "toes" of garlic
A handful of oregano (dried from the garden)
A handful of basil (also dried from the garden)
2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp celery flakes
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 bottle red wine (I used Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from Chile)
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I added some bay leaves, a minced seeded jalapeno, and fine chopped green pepper.

All the ingredients in the pot (yes, that's Grandpa's pasta sauce pot). 

Raise to a boil and then reduce to low (a constant simmer).

Six hours later.  Don't underestimate the importance of the wooden spoon.

Mangia, mangia.

Summer Project #3: The Front Yard

I haven't done much to the front yard this year.  Everything seems to be doing well.  I added two types of Phlox and some violas.  Most things have come and gone already.  The daisies (from my sister's wedding) were over two feet tall and will be moved to the backyard and replaced by columbines.  The rose of sharon is blooming nicely and will need a severe trimming in February.  The lilac on the left probably doesn't get enough sun for its location; the burning bush in the middle has done nicely and will add some nice color at the end of the season.

The crazy Russian Sage makes the yard look like mess from this angle.

The Rose of Sharon

 

I thought this was going to be the last daisy of the year, but it looks like there is another one that will be ready in a couple of days.

Summer Project #2: The Mailbox

This is our old mailbox.

It is rusty and sad.

And this is our new mailbox.  It came from Water Glass Studios in Canada. It is handmade and copper. 

 

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Summer Project #1: The Garden

Here's the far garden.  New raised beds this year.  The cucumbers are taking over the yard on the left, the squash (acorn and butternut) are wandering in the yard to the right.  The tomatoes (celebrity and beef) are about six feet tall and producing like mad.  The okra and sweet peppers are a bit small, but the sunflowers are going gangbusters and are over eight feet tall.  The green onions are done for the season and the eggplant are still getting started.

A closer shot of the back garden.

Side view.

And this is the near garden.  Over head shot from the deck.  I got plenty of radishes, lettuce, and kohlrabi earlier in the season but never got around to taking a picture.  This is tomatoes (juliet and roma), hot peppers, okra, brussel sprouts, and zucchini.

Another shot of the near garden.

View of Brussel Sprouts and Roma tomatoes.

What!?

What has happened to the real news?! I'm watching Nightline on ABC tonight and so far Terry Moran has covered how the media covers Britney Spears too much - the real coup of this report was going to a book store and asking the employee how many covers Spears is on per week. At one point, an interviewee points out how depressing it is that his content (covering Britney) is more viewed than real world news.

Commercial Break

Terry Moran comes back and starts talking about the brassy hip-hop group "Salt N Pepa". I turn off the TV.

Seriously, Terry, there isn't some sort of major crisis that almost caused a war in South America this week that you could spend a couple of minutes talking about; there isn't a war going on in Afghanistan and Iraq; there isn't a major political race happening; there isn't anything else that you could cover?

Good grief.