The Great Scape

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When you grow garlic, you can harvest more than bulbs and cloves. In late June the garlic plants begin to flower, sending up delicate curly ‘scapes’ that will eventually burst into a frilly white flower ball. Most gardeners clip these scapes when they first appear to avoid having the plant divert energy away from the bulb building, resulting in bigger bulbs at harvest (in late July). When clipped early these flower stems are tender and can be put into almost any dish to add a delicate garlic note with the texture of a green bean. They are also delicious on their own, braised in a little wine or stock, or stir fried.

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Democracy in Action

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Monroe, Maine annual town meeting 2012. The sign outside the town hall, announcing the meeting, says “It’s Your Money…Town Meeting June 18th 6:30pm”

The hottest discussion was about how many times the snowplow contractor was allowed to wipe out the SAME mailbox on a road before the contractor would be asked to pay for the next replacement…three seemed to be the answer, though last winter one mailbox was hit FIVE times…

Wood Season

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One might think of the autumn as the time one’s thoughts turn to wood…but if you don’t have your pile stacked and drying before July Fourth, then you are behind the game.

Almost Home

After a long day of moving IN, the family gets a chance to try out the living room set-up for the very first time. Ahhhhhhh.

There will be days and weeks before most of the boxes are unpacked, but M&C slept in their new home only a day after leaving SF. Moving may be one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life, but careful planning and packing limited the impact on the Rectors this time. What an accomplishment! I was glad to be able to watch it unfold, and I could tell that M&C look forward to exploring their new house, community, and city.

After a Long Day


We had a late dinner at the only restaurant left open in Colfax, CA (a pretty little mountain town well past Sacramento into the Sierras): Main Street Pizza. It was REALLY good — thin crisp crust, tasty sauce, and lots of cheese. It almost made me want to register on Yelp to get them out of three-and-a-half-star-hell. Maybe it actually will push me over the edge.