Poor Timing

I’ve discovered that growing a vegetable garden and taking summer vacations doesn’t work out too well. There’s always something that needs harvesting at the same time a fun trip could be had. I may decide to not plant so many veggies next summer. I hope I’ll still be able to have the fun trips next summer.

Naturally the raspberries decided to come on a bit earlier than usual this summer, so they were going strong during the time I was away. I enjoyed watching the grandsons competing in a roller hockey tournament in Fort Wayne, Ind., much more than I would have enjoyed picking all those berries.

The State Wars Roller Hockey rotates between three cities. Next year it should be in Saint Louis, Mo/, where I have family. Then Detroit gets a turn. I had no idea rollerblade hockey was so huge. There are professional adult teams competing. The Australian professional women’s team was selling the souvenir gear and clothing (I resisted purchasing anything there).

Our grandsons were representing Florida. The 12U A team took fourth place, missing out on the bronze medal in a squeaker of a game. The 10U A team was composed of kids (both boys and girls) from Florida, New York, and California. Don’t ask me how they managed to form a team (team Jedi) because I don’t know. For never having played together before their first game, they did quite well. The first game stunk, but they rallied. Although they didn’t place, they had fun. And in my opinion, they had the coolest jerseys. But of course the Golden Knights have the best looking helmets.

Back to gardening: The beans (I have yellow wax, flat romas, as well as regular green) also decided my absence was the perfect time to really start producing produce. A friend came a couple times and picked the berries so I wouldn’t come home to them rotting on the canes. And a relative offered to take care of the beans. Both people benefitted from my largesse. I’m still getting pickings from both now that I’m (briefly) home. We’re eating the berries as I pick them, and I’ve given away a lot of beans.

There are beets ready I need to do something with, also, but they’ll just have to wait another week. I have another short trip this week (taking the grandsons back to their home). There are no more immediate trips planned, so I’ll be busy running the sprinkler constantly. The lawn has really suffered from this heat. Dennis did keep the garden watered, as well as my numerous outdoor planters.

I’m looking forward to using the following two recipes:

Brown Sugar

Glazed Beets

3 Tbl dark brown sugar

2 Tbl orange juice

1 Tbl butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 C steamed beets, skinned & cubed

Combine the first five ingredients in a large non-stick skillet. Cook, medium heat, until butter and sugar melt and start to bubble. Stir in beets. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beets are coated, about 6-8 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Beet Green Salad

With Sherry

Vinaigrette And Feta

8 C beet greens, cut up

1/4 C feta, crumbled

1 small clove garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp kosher salt

3 Tbl EVOO

1 Tbl sherry vinegar

1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

Freshly ground black pepper

Mash garlic with the salt to form a paste. Whisk with the oil, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl. Put the greens and feta in a large bowl. Drizzle with the dressing. Season with pepper. Toss to coat.