Things We're Thankful for Today

Every good gift comes from above...

44. random shouts of whoo hoo! darting through the High School as students finish their last final exam.

45. spending time with my Little Builder on the floor, finishing a Lincoln Log chicken coop.


46. Black-eyed Susans standing tall along the side of the road and in the ditch near our driveway.

47. Our 4x8 square foot garden, which used to be 16 blocks of 2 inch tall seedlings!

Thank you, Mamma & Daddy, for keeping it watered while I was away!

48. cherry tomatoes cascading down the vine


49. Surprise plums, no bigger than cherries, tart and sweet...Purple-red jems hanging on trees that I thought were just ornamental...Little Builder savoring the insides and then spitting out the pit, just like they do in his Cherry Festival book.

50. After 4 years of attempted gardening - Ah ha! A real, actual zucinni!
On the vine...

51. ...on our plates!


Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 little zucninni
bit of butter
shakes of parmesan to your taste
salt (I'll add pepper too next time, and I'm considering oregeno...)

Steps
1. Have the almost-5-year-old use a plastic knife to cut the zuccini while you feed the toddler an afternoon snack. This is the only way to achieve the varying shapes so distinct to this dish.

2. Put zuccini bits in a paper towel in a colander & sprinkle with the salt. Let them sit there while you play outside. This helps drain some of the liquid and any unwanted bitterness (works on eggplant too).

3. Heat bit of butter in a small pan, throw in zuccini, and saute until it is just starting to go golden-caramelly.

4. Take off the heat and sprinkle with parmesan. Toss a few times in the pan to melt the cheese onto the zuccnini.

5. Laugh at the books that tell you that getting a child to grow veggies in the garden and then help prepare them will make that child more likely to eat them.

6. Force child to eat two bites, then secretly be glad you get to eat his too, because you really are about to finish all of yours and want just a little more...

...which brings you to reflecting on the things you're thankful for:

52. Relishing every inch of that boy, who yesterday said he was too big to be kissed, but tonight is curled up in my lap with his head on my shoulder, falling asleep in the rocking chair.

53. The ache that come with that fervent prayer in the dark, Father, please bless this child, because the ache is a sign of deep love in my life.

54. Having you to share with me every good thing given from above!