Today Is A Little of a Few Things!

I just got some news that makes me so happy!!!  Actually, two happy things to share, but before I tell you about them, building a little suspense and a "do you know what this is" photo...

Can you identify this?

You are right, sunflower seeds!  I am fascinated by my recently acquired awareness of the pattern that sunflower seeds make as they develop in the flower...absolutely intriguing...sort of like rows in a garden:)  We are harvesting the seeds from 3 huge flowers (each one is about 12 inches in diameter) thanks to our friend and neighbor Charlie.  Our sunflowers were not giants like his, but maybe we can harvest something from them as well...they are still blooming, so I'm not sure yet.  We sure are looking forward to harvesting these seeds, we love nibbling on them, good hiking food!  I understand that all you have to do is wait until they turn darker, then clean and roast (if any of you know any different, please let me know).  Yummy!  I'll let you know how it goes.

Today was Liam's picture day at school, doesn't he look adorable and proud?  He is getting so big so fast!  My first happy news I want to share is that I will be spending 1:1 time with him in November when his mama goes on a trip!  I am really excited, love the alone time with him!  Love this child!  We have so much fun together, and I am tickled that my travel plans make it perfect timing for this to happen:)  

My other happy news is Ronnie just stopped by to touch base about our deck project.  He says he can come tomorrow to finish the job!  Let me tell you why this excites me so much...because today Mountain Man and I (after having to rebuild a fence around our carrots, salsify and lettuce because something figured out how to get in and demolished the salsify, ate a bunch of carrot tops, and got a good start on the lettuce) worked on the deck flooring.  Let me tell you, though it seems like it should be like putting a simple puzzle together, it is almost like geometry!  And working at keeping all the lines straight, despite bowed wood, is a challenge.  The two furthest rows to the right are what we completed today, and it took us 3, I say three, hours!!!  So when Ronnie came with his news, I was elated!!!  Can everyone say WOO HOO, and/or HURRAY, and/or YIPPIE with me?!

Finally, Lobster mushrooms for my pasta sauce...no, I'm not giving the entire recipe, only because my building activities today distracted me from my camera.  You also see one Old Man of the Woods mushrooms (one of my favorites) in the right hand corner.  Fresh mushrooms make for delectable pasta sauce!  I made whole wheat pasta with a homemade red/cream/wild mushroom sauce for dinner (oh, and I threw in some grated zucchini), along with a salad; good eating after all that physical labor today:)  Tasted yummy, relatively simple, and lots of sauce for future dishes.  In fact, with Ronnie coming tomorrow, I believe I will have to use some of tonight's sauce for lunch fixin's tomorrow!  This calls for another woo hoo!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise