Mr. Charles Alexander

This man moved me to tears. This is what it's all about.

NO ON 8 - Oppose discrimation and support separation of church and state

Money from a religious group in another state is the primary funding source to change OUR CALIFORNIA CONSTITUTION! I think they should stay in THEIR state and have their laws, but leave MY STATE LAWS alone!

I urge you to say no to bigotry, hate and ignorance by voting NO ON 8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9T7ux8M4Go

Star Wars is life, the rest is just details - A New Hope

I'm rarely political outside of my own personal bubble save for the little things I choose to share. So much is at stake this election. I have to say that in the primaries, I wasn't opposed to McCain. He certainly would have been the better of the two in 2000, but something happened along the way.

Since I'm a major Star Wars geek, I'll use some Star War references to help explain my feelings. The McCain of 2000 and early primaries 2008 was like the free spirited kid-Anakin Skywalker - full of ideas and promise, but something happened on the way to the Presidency during the general election.

Cut to: the moment that Anakin Skywalker finds his mother dying at the hands of the Sand People. Cue music crescendo and... **POW** a nut goes loose and things start to get hairy... the lines between good and not so good get blurred, the means to the end become slightly askew. I had hope he'd get back on the rails, but then we get the Rogue Diva and never before have I NOT connected with a woman in my life. She's so different I'm not even sure I can find an adequate Star Wars character by which to compare her. Darth Maul.. well they both have painted faces, but wrong timeline... maybe she's more like Emperor Palpatine. After all she's gone rogue and once in a campaign rally referred to it as the Palin/McCain ticket. These are the dark times... the Clone War era, if you will.

Cut to: Princess Leia as her ship is being attacked by Darth Vader. She places information in R2-D2 which is later viewed by Luke Skywalker.

These are the words that I think are the most germane to the time.....she says:

"This is our most desperate hour. Help us Obi Wan Kenobi, you're our only hope."

Yes it is our most desperate hour and I've got my eyes fixed on a ray of hope and his name is Barack Obama.

I believe in HOPE over fear and UNITY over division

A New Hope

Vote for Pat Finger?!

Maybe I have the mind of an 11yr old boy. So what? Undeniably funny.

Amy Poehler, genius!

Well, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are great friends... and both fantastic entertainers. At least they both give me a chuckle and make me feel better.

Catching Up

"Life moves pretty fast.." yes, Ferris had it right. So much has happened in the past couple of months. I suffered a wicked blister on the bottom of my foot during a compass hike (somehow it ended up competitive), celebrated Chris' birthday, learned to play chess at the tender age of 36, visited the new and improved California Academy of Sciences, celebrated 15 years of marriage with my groom, enjoyed a week in Mexico with the fam, trick-a-dooring at school, night before Cal-UCLA game party, Haunted Halloween hikes, corn mazes, TB test for volunteering at school, running like a hamster on my treadmill, running in Veteran's park with deer to keep me company, donating to the Obama campaign, putting up red ribbons at school with awesome families and getting ready for Halloween. Oh yes, and I was a magicians assistant in Mexico! :o)

Here are some photos from Mexico. Click to enlarge.

Happy Birthday Chris

Today is my hubby's birthday.

He still has that boyish impishness to his face when he crinkles up and smiles. I love to hear him laugh. I wish I had magical powers to give him anything that he wants for his birthday and every unbirthday. For now, I'll just give him all of my love.

Maggie and I are lucky girls to have him.

Love you, babela. Happy Birthday!

Omnivore's 100

Thanks to cousin Brandon on this one...

Everyone is doing it these days, so now its my turn. Pass it on.

Here are the instructions:

1. Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2. Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3. Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4. Optional extra: Post a comment here linking to your results.

The Very Good Taste Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (BAM tried to get me to eat that.. I knew better)
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (I’m counting the ballpark here)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche (as in the latte from Starbucks?)
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi (Timmy's in the well?)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (unintentionally, things move fast on a Vespa)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV (at least I don’t think so.. I would probably be dead.. very lightweight.. we Asians can’t process the hooch)
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail (once and if you put anything in butter/garlic it’s palatable)
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare (had braised rabbit once)
87. Goulash
88. Flowers (nasturtium)
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta (once and hated it)
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

34, not too bad?

I don't think I can stay here if it's going to be this hot

I finished my "Disneyland queue knit project" yesterday. I always like to bring a little knit project to whittle away in the queues at Disneyland. I created this little chapeau for Maggie. It's a pattern I've adapted .. I replaced the single Knit Rib with a bobble for fun and more texture. This is made with Noro Silk Garden though I forget what colourway.

Maggie was so excited it was done, she didn't care it was 75 by the time she left for school wearing it (it's 103 today... bleh)

Third Grade

Special day today... today is my mom's birthday. She would have been 72.

Today is also the day that my baby begins anew at school and enters 3rd grade.

It was exciting (and a wee bit disorienting - see "looping") lining up for first bell in a new line, with new classmates and walking to a new classroom! Our school "loops" for 1st/2nd grade and 3rd/4th grade which means they have the same class/teacher/classmates for two years.

Maggie's teacher is Mrs. Pennybacker and meeting her first thing in the morning I knew we had won the lottery. She greets the kids every morning with a handshake as they walk in to start the day off right. Our class mascot is The Bookworms! Which is right up our little family's alley as we are certified book nuts.

Speaking of books... I am reading the most quirky, amusing book right now. I highly recommend this book!

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.... The year promises to be an incredible one filled with new ideas, new learning and .... cursive! Haa! We sure miss our 2nd grade teacher Ms. Rivas but Mags already found her and gave her a hug on the first day.

What was really cool was waiting to see Mrs. Pennybacker after school... a couple of newly minted 5th grade gals popped by to see her and asked Maggie if she was in her class. When Mags said yes, they both heaved an emphatic "you're soooo lucky.. you're going to LOVE HER!!!" You can't get a higher endorsement than tween girls, in my humble opinion.

Still, a little part of me is the tiniest bit sad that we're inching into the "upper elementary" years and soon ... middle school. Sigh. Time really does fly when you're having fun.

click to view larger

Happiest Place on Earth

Shakespeare had it right when he wrote "Summer's lease hath all too short a date". Where did the time go?

To celebrate the beginning of a new school year, we had a last summer hurrah in the Happiest Place on Earth or as Maggie says "we're home" :o)

Here are a some photos from our fun times in Disneyland and DCA. Click to view larger.

Babes for the Brave - Flo, Liberty & Drake

Save for the remaining itty bitty lace skivs I'm knitting for Flo... ze Babes et Dude are feeneeshed. I must say I find them tres jolie and I'm very excited to be sending them imminently.

Below are a few photos of the Babe friends. I was a little miffed at myself that Dude Drake's shirt doesn't close, but he looks so surfer I figured that was cos he wants to show off his surfer washboard abs. I should probably give these kids some noses. I almost always forget that part.

Maggie presents Babes for the Brave!!! YAY!

~ Fin ~

Babes for the Brave - Meet Drake

Mags loves to name the Babes for the Brave. I think she has a good eye for naming their personalities! We introduce Drake!

This is the last of the 3 Babes for the Brave I am knitting for this first batch. Drake just needs some clothes as you will see.. I'll be working on that next! Yes, that is Drake above behind a wild fig plant that has sprouted in our garden :o) How very cliche, I know, but innit it cute?

I had a hard time coming up with a mouth cos I'm used to making heart shaped girl-babe mouths! I think his expression is pretty good though. Maggie likes him so much she'd like me to make a Dude for her next! I'm rather fond of his unruly surfer-dude hair.

At any rate, I hope Drake, Flo & Liberty make some kids happy. These are pretty addictive to make so I'm sure I'll be making more to send to Ronni after I finish some other projects. Wouldn't it be wonderful if like Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium... the Babes and Dude come alive?

And as Mr. Magorium says...... Your life is an occasion..... rise to it!

Update - August 18: Made clothes for Drake over the weekend .... though he's a surfer dude and hip, he loves to keep current on scientific discoveries.

Let us eat cake!

Cake is what we ate... indeed! Sure it was 95 out yesterday and not really good baking weather, but Mags asked to have meatloaf for dinner and I usually try to honor dinner requests when feasible and it gave me a good reason to kill two birds with one stone and finally use our new cake pan! This is the Giant Cupcake pan by Wilton.

So that little pan, makes THIS wonderful cake!

Babes for the Brave - Meet Flo

Flo is done! Now I just have to make up the Dude and add some clothes and I can send them to Ronni!

Babes for the Brave - Meet Liberty

One down, three to go! I have one of the Babes for the Brave finished, the next is ready to be assembled and I only have the legs to knit for the Dude before assembly.

I found some sumptous Cashmerino by Debbie Bliss on Saturday while visiting my fave yarn shop in Pacific Grove - Monarch Knitting. I picked a lovely pale yellow to make soft blonde hair.

Meet Liberty! My hope is she gives a wonderful little girl a lasting friend which to tell her fears, secrets and hopes. I hope Liberty will give that little girl just one more iota of strength to fight cancer.

Napkins for Earth!

Indulging in my need for sewing has added benefits.

• Supporting local economy by buying lovely fabrics at In Between Stitches
• Perfecting my sewing skills
• Indulging my anal-retentive side with order and detail
• Providing clothing for the donated Babes for the Brave
• Making our own earth friendly reusable shopper totes (imminent project)
• Possibly finding something cool enough to sew for Maggie!
• Cloth napkins to lower our carbon footprint!

If nothing else, I feel like such a girl! :o)

Sew irresistable

Because I cannot seem to get the gather stitch right (one thread always snaps) I've taken to indulging the anal-retentive perfectionist side and have pinned pleats. Oh my how delightfully detailed this minutiae! I thought I was finished Friday night, but a little Sunday afternoon jaunt to Joann's proved otherwise. Maggie found this delightful lace edge to put on the end of Jessie's Tea Time Frock.

Yes, I also got inspired and made 8 new double sided napkins last night using Spring Petal Party Farmer's Market line by Sandi Henderson for Michael Miller. We're having some good friends over for fish tacos tonight and I wanted eco-friendly napkins to dress up the table :o) Wow... this sewing stuff is worse than heroin. Though this is supposition on my part as I could never stick a needle in my vein, but I CAN stick a needle through (repeatedly, and at high velocity) some fabric!

Old Tyme fun at Great America

Yesterday we visited Great America for the first time in about a decade. Our last trip Chris and I were "childless". I can remember my folks taking me and letting me bring a friend which is what we did yesterday. Maggie invited her friend Lindy. We had a really good time. Pictures to come later, but this one was sure fun to do with Maggie. Chris calls us Saloon Sally and Nasty Nell. I didn't realize those props were real! The gun was surprisingly heavy!

So here we are a couple of saloon desperados armed and defending our right to booze and gambling.. or something. Who knows?

Another dark rabbit hole!

Well, what can I say ... I am Alice following the White Rabbit (fiber arts). Because of these Knitted Babes need clothing I'm teaching myself to sew since I dont' want to knit every item of clothing. Each little piece I sew is getting better with experience.

Then I found In Between Stitches and I fear my return to normalcy and a singular fiber craft is over. They have the most divine fabrics.. my favorites like Amy Butler, Michael Miller, Anna Marie Horner. Its intoxicating the way yarn is. I am a Muggle drawn to the Dark Arts.. fiber arts.....not just one now, but two! And when you buy Fat Quarters (square 1/4 yard fabric pieces) it seemingly harmless. Just look at these little rolls of fabric art! They practically jumped into my waiting arms needing a home!


So far I've only sewn little clothes for the Knitted Babes, but as my confidence grows so do my aspirations.... I dream of making napkins and placemats... special linens for our tea garden... hankies... pillows... bags! ARGH! Even the little piece worked quilts are starting to look tempting. CURSES! Anyhoo... making something from nothing (essentially) is liberating and exciting. We'll see where this rabbit hole takes me.

Here is a photo of the latest couture I have sewn for the Babes.

You say tomato, I say yess!!!

Summer is finally having it's effect on my delicious little red beauties. For weeks I've watched as tiny yellow flowers full of the promise of rich red fruit emerged into tiny green marbles and now into yellow... yellow-orange and deep crimson red, juicy orbs of joy. The vines are finally heavy with ripening tomatoes and I'm giddy giddy giddy! Of course like most things it's feast or famine.

I found myself rationing the very first smallish red tomatoes. I would pick but not eat one until I saw another about ready on the vine. Why so parsimonious? I don't know really... there are so many on the vine, but the first sweet fruit of summer is so special. Now the vines are cranking out deep red tomatoes every day and I'm beginning to struggle to keep up. However, my mom-apparent Karen (she is my honorary mom) gave me the grand idea of storing tomatoes for use when they are no longer popping off the vines.

So I got to work .. washing and coarsely chopping them. I arranged the pieces on a piece of wax paper on a baking sheet and popped in the freezer. Once they are frozen I will put them in a container in the freezer for use in sauce later! Mmmm.....

Oh they are so beautiful and tasty. Look how plump and red!!! You can't get tomatoes like that at the market and I promise you they are salmonella free in my organic garden :D

P.S. though I occasionally dabble in vegetarianism, I have to say there is nothing more delectable (to me) than a BLT with lettuce and tomatoes from my garden.

Scrumdiddlyumptious!

It's a Big day to be Maggie!

What a spectacularly great day to be Maggie!

Yesterday Maggie tested for rank up to Yellow from White Belt. After six months in karate, she was the first to rank up to Advanced White belt in March which meant she was ready to test. I hate to brag, but I'm gonna... cos she was the first in her level of all boys :o)

Today was the Belt Ceremony. Maggie and her fellow classmate Javier both earned the Judges Choice for Best Student as well as their rank up to Yellow Belt. On the way home she said that all of those months of hard work was really worth it to earn that medal and Belt. :o)

To view Maggie demonstrating her Kata and earning her medal, please see video links at the bottom of the page :o)

Next comes the Library reading program! This program is two months during summer and challenges the kids to read 100 books during summer. Last year Maggie was picking small readers and this year it was chapter books mostly worth 2 - 3 books a piece (ranging 51-101 pages). So, a mere hour after earning her Yellow Belt and Best Student award, she was accepting her 100 books medal at the Library.

We're so proud of Maggie. To quote that song by Luce... "it's a pretty good day.. i'm lookin' forward to tomorrow..."

Wild America Redux - Bullock's Oriole

Perhaps we have a pleasant garden for a drop in, but today marks the second time in a few weeks that we've had unusual bird experiences. Three weeks ago we had a Cooper's Hawk land in our mulberry tree for a morning feast.

Just a few moment's ago as I was working Maggie looked up and said "look at that bird!" I look out of my office window and see a gorgeous bright yellow and black bird. perched atop one of our copper tiki torches. So after some sleuthing I decided to call our WONDERFUL Livermore Parks and Recreation Ranger Office. After having a great laugh with Peggy, Ranger Patti helped us identify what we saw based on our description. Maggie had a wonderful description of a black crown and a small beak with white and black stripes.

Isn't nature grand? I'm thinking of having our front yard named a birding preserve. Heh heh. Behold...... the Bullock's Oriole!

Babe Couture

Jessie needed a travel frock.

I've got you, Babe

It's not that I have too much time on my hands, it's just that I can't stop them from moving. Toward that end I made another Knitted Babe for Maggie. Please meet Jessie.

Jessie comes with her very own cowgirl skirt which will eventually have a little horse motif at the bottom and a new top in a cream colour to match the fringe. Alas I could only do so much last night.


I'm not sure why Jessie is so much smaller than Kate. Poor Kate's melon reminds me of that kid in So I Married and Axe Murderer.. that things like Sputnik! Oh well, each Babe is unique. I also wrestled with my sewing machine and brains to make the little blue dress which is probably good for Jessie, but slightly small on Kate.

I'm looking forward to knitting a couple more Babes for the charity Babes for the Brave which I mentioned in an earlier post. Maybe with all of this practice my sewing skills may very well improve! (I hope.)

Thoughts on Write and Wrong article by Anna Quindlen

I just read this article entitled Write and Wrong by Anna Quindlen in our copy of Newsweek.

As I read it.. I became outraged. For one, how long does it take for a "central office" to review a book? Based on the timeline it seems they had over two months to review. Secondly ANY teacher, especially a 27 year vet, who gets psyched to educate students, is worth their weight in gold.

So I started thinking back.... 20 years ago my Honors American History teacher sat on the edge of his desk on the first day of school and said "I don't care if any of you want to learn, I'm just here for my pension".... what is THAT teaching kids? Obviously that apathy had a lasting impression. In my Honors Economy class our teacher showed us the movie "The Gods Must Be Crazy" to demonstrate how Coca Cola had permeated itself in the far reaches of the world. So what? Did that inspire anyone?

At least Heermann was having her students READ the book and not just watch the movie adaptation. As far as the racial slur in literature...no one is banning that use of the word on the street and I've heard that slur being used as casually as "dude" in certain circles. Why is that acceptable? If words are used responsibly in the context of the story, tone and setting, so be it. Censorship has gotten out of control.

There may be other facets of the story we don't know, but anything that shakes ANY kid - at risk or not - into learning and opening their minds up to the possibility that they can shape their own destiny is valuable and necessary.

Incidentally, prior to this article I did not know this book existed. I only knew it was a movie and didn't see it cos well, I'm not a big Swank fan. Now that I know there's a book I will be reading it.

Spectacular Bleu Cheese Dressing

The hubby and I love a good bleu cheese dressing. I was compelled to make some homemade bleu cheese dressing last night and found a very tasty recipe indeed.
Bon appetit!

Blue Cheese Dressing
From AllRecipes.com submitted by Luckyme9

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 ounces blue cheese
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (can use fresh cloves)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, mash blue cheese and buttermilk together with a fork until mixture resembles large-curd cottage cheese. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

FOOTNOTE

Whole milk may be used in place of buttermilk for a milder flavor. Dressing may be refrigerated in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Babes for the Brave

Batman has the Bat Signal... knitters have the Knit Signal.

Cancer pisses me off. It took my dad when I was 18 and by proxy (in the form of a heart attack) took my mom two years later. I have fought back in ways that hopefully help others. I've knit chemo caps, I've donated my hair to Locks of Love along with Mags two years ago, and we just participated in the LIVESTRONG Challenge in San Jose. I guess it's my way of feeling less helpless in the world and give a little something of myself.

I recently saw the Knit Signal in the form of a post on the Knitted Babes blog. The call for Babes for the Brave switched on another light in the attic and gave me another way to help raise arms against that formidable bully, cancer. If you are a knitter, I urge you to consider knitting some Babes as well.

Knitted Babes by Claire Garland is a treat and you will have a whole world of wonder at your fingertips. You can create wonderful lasting treasures for that special little someone in your life (or a bigger someone!) as well as for adolescent/teen girls fighting cancer by donating to Babes for the Brave. It also serves another purpose... my incessant need to keep my fingers moving and knitting as well as diminishing my recently questioned out of control yarn stash :o)

LIVESTRONG and knit on!

So Sweet Tank v2.0

Three years ago I made a tank top for my sweet. She loved it so much and wore it until it was a belly shirt. Now the tank keeps her favorite teddy bear fashionable. I remember making that tank cos it was right before some minor surgery. Being the worry wart I am I kept thinking I wanted to finish it before surgery so Maggie would have something special from me "just in case". Yes, a morbid thought, but hey you never know when your number's up.

Here is the original tank...

and now three years later (my how time flies... le sigh) .... So Sweet Tank v2.0

Picnic Caviar

Yes, good food and good friends = fun. Below is a little recipe that everyone seemed to enjoy. It is from the July/August Vegetarian Times. Also, check out Chris' grilled fish tacos and tequila lime aoili sauce as well as world famous magaritas.

Picnic Caviar

Ingredients

1/4 cup Rice vinegar
1/4 cupVegetable oil
1 tbs Sugar
2 cloves Garlic, minced (2 tsp)
1/2 tsp Dried oregano
1/2 tsp Dried basil
1 15-oz can pinto beans & black beans (I changed the recipe here)
1 1/2 cups Fresh corn kernels
1 Red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, finely chopped (1 cup)
1/2 Small red onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 2-oz Can diced green chiles with liquid
1/4 cup Chopped cilantro


Preparation

1. Whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar, garlic, oregano, and basil in large bowl.
2. Stir in black and pinto beans, corn, bell pepper, onion, chiles, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Tiny Bubbles

Update.... this is not the best bubble solution .... quite. Far be it for me to say something negative about Trader Joe's, but one thing about their dishsoap is.. it takes alot of soap to keep the bubbles going. I may try this bubble recipe again but with a different brand of dishsoap. Let me know your results!

I love bubbles. We are having a little gathering of friends and food and I knew I had to have a bubble machine. I had one before but it broke :o( Thankfully Target was clearancing some, but no bubbles. What to do when you're without bubbles? Make some! Here's the recipe...

Potpourri

Today's entry is a potpourri... food, nature & knitting.

Food.
I made this delightful little summer squash soup. It's totally fat free (except for the parmesan cheese on top) and vegan (ditto cheese on top). Recipe will be at the bottom of this entry.



Nature.
We have this gorgeous sunflower we started from seed. It's amazing that that tiny little seed sprouted and was an adorable little seedling and is now taller than I am. Yes, I know, surpassing my height is not difficult by any means. Chris pointed out the little loops of pollen. I decided to get artsy fartsy and see if I couldn't capture a little world of wonder. Click to enlarge for detail.



Knitting.
I had long forgotten about this Knitted Babe I made for M!. My first attempt was stuffed at the bottom of a toy chest and I eventually got rid of her. M! was quite upset but I reminded her that she was shoved down there, out of sight out of mind. Not to mention, she was my prototype and not the best work I've done. Yesterday M! brought Kate out onto the lanai for some summer reading. Since she had been paying some attention to the poor thing I decided to make a new top for her which Maggie asked for me to knit. She took Kate on her expedition with Dad and her friend to the Tech Museum today.

Summer Squash Soup

1 box of organic vegetable broth
1 large carrot, chunked
1 large zucchini, chunked
1 small yellow crookneck squash, chunked
½ medium onion, sliced lengthwise
1 medium tomato, chunked
½ C coarsely sliced crimini mushrooms
½ T herbs de Provence (or to taste)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Pour vegetable broth into a saucepan and heat. Add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 20-25 minutes. Serve hot!

Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese on top if desired.
Serve with crusty bread! Bon appetit!

Makes 8 Cups