Sunday update. herbs, crafts, recipe and more

As my sister in Florida,  is hunkered down in a school shelter riding out the hurricane, we, here  on the eastern plains of Colorado are hot and dusty.  I took full advantage of this morning cleaning the water containers, the goose pool and watering the gardens. It was hot and sweaty but the heat is giving the outside plants another chance and I picked cantaloupe, peppers, zucchini and tomatoes.  Tonight I will pick baby pumpkins, spaghetti squash, lettuce... lots of lettuce, and flowers. 

Yes, I like to sit out there with the birds to talk and watch them. 

While I did all that Dude mowed. As you can see it is extremely dry here . Oh, and you see his copilot? Yep, Norman the puppy is riding shotgun. 

I came inside, rescued from the heat and took tarragon and oregano out of the dehydrator.  I love oregano and used so much last year that I finished off the jar I had a couple of days ago.  I think a visit to my mom's herb garden is due again. 

Oregano

Tarragon... never used it or grown it but my prairie sister, Sunny has and gracious shared with me. The word tarragon is derived from the Latin dracunculus, ‘a little dragon’, so it is believed it cures bites and stings of venomous beasts... just in case you meet up with a dragon.  It is great with all kinds of meats including fish. Don't eat meat you say?  Then I will try a tarragon vinegar for all that lettuce I have in the greenhouse! Plus, it's good combined with goat cheese stuffed peppers.  I read it is good for tummy ailments, arthritis, and I love the old wives tail about putting some in your shoe to give you strength on our walks. (need to give it a try since I have been slacking this week in my walking). 
                                      Tarragon - smells so sweet.

Yesterday I took my mom to her first glass class.  It still needs to go into the kiln but nice start. This is a picture of my friend Susan.

These are mine, below . The small ones will be necklaces. The round on is a bowl, The autumn plaque is the second one of my seasons and the medium rectangle will be slightly rounded to be a tea bag dish. 

My mom's. Round one will be a bowl. The rectangle is a spoon rest or soap dish and necklaces. 

Another person made dragonflies for her bathroom.

More bowls and a loaf dish. 

Dinner was a kind of sweet and sour pork steak with egg noodles. Grilled the pork should steak with salt and pepper.  Boiled egg noodles.  For the sauce. I took a few things from the garden and chopped up. 

Saute with a can of pineapple chunks. 

Make a sauce.  In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup of ketchup, 1/2 vinegar, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, add some garlic, ginger and mix up. Pour over the vegetables leaving a 1/4 of a cup to mix with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Heat the pan and stir in the remaining mix to thicken.  Pour over noodles.  Top with hot sauce like Tabasco. 

I did manage a craft for the Halloween party.  I found these large skulls at the Dollar Store. 

They are a glittery felt. 

I wanted to make it easy so I used stickers and squeeze paints. 

And there you go! 

Peace