My Kitchen Smells Good This Week!

Specifically, today it smells good -- I have red beans (pinto beans) in the crockpot. P.S. I just learned this week that when my mother makes Red Beans & Rice, she uses pintos! What the what?! I never knew this. If Mandy were still reading here, she'd have something to say.

I've felt pretty good about the last few weeks of dinner menus, although I didn't post any. Some memorable ones: 

Pasta Primavera, but using the veggies I had (spinach, broccoli, bell pepper, zucchini), so basically nothing like the recipe I just linked, lol.

Chicken Fried Rice. This is one of the easiest things, I don't know why I don't make it more often. I made teriyaki chicken (made up the recipe, really - soy sauce, garlic, a little honey, voila).

Breakfast for dinner! One night I decided enough was enough (menu planning, I mean) and we had pancakes, but the really great thing (once I got over my need to control the kitchen) was that KATE made the pancakes! I just told her, "You are in charge of the pancakes." She made blueberry, chocolate chip, AND regular... and a mess, naturally, but still. A kid who cooks, I'll keep. ;) We had fruit salad, too, and bacon.

A variety of quesadillas. I've had this container of BBQ pork in my fridge for a week or 2 (or 3), and the other night I decided to use it for a fancy quesadilla. I added red onion, BBQ sauce, and cheddar, and made a sour cream sauce to go with it. If I'd had cilantro, that would have made it better, but I didn't. Also made a plain chicken-and-cheese, and a black bean quesadilla, because those are always good. Served with canned corn and chips/salsa.

And tonight is Red Beans (and Rice), but from scratch, not the Zatarain's box (which we normally use, and I do love). They've been cooking since 8:00 a.m. and are going to be delicious, with corn bread muffins. I need to add the sausage at about 4:00, then cook it 2 more hours. 

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School is going well! The local newspaper headline this morning about the private schools who went back (including ours): "So Far, So Good." Teachers and students seem to be doing really well with mask wearing and enforcement, as well as taking "mask breaks." Kate says it feels pretty normal, all things considered. Honestly, I hope the administrators find value in the new practices that can carry over into the future, when things really ARE normal again -- like holding more classes outside, taking a 10-minute walk (mask break) around the school once in the morning, once in the afternoon, and virtual teaching when there's a need for it. I heard a report saying lots of schools have decided "We'll never have Snow Days again," and to that I Strongly Disagree, as will kids everywhere... but ... it makes sense, really. And a little virtual schooling on Snow Days couldn't hurt.

Back to School Today

Today Kate goes back to school, in person. 

She was so happy this morning, ready to see her friends and get out of the house, even if it means wearing a uniform and a mask. 

Her school has done everything in its power to create a safe, clean environment for the kids and teachers. There are multiple new hand-washing stations; mandatory masks; extra furniture was moved out of classrooms to create more space for desks to be further apart; Kate's homeroom is actually in the cafeteria because her grade is one of the bigger ones; no one's using lockers because they're too close together; they're going to spend plenty of time outside; no food is being brought in, every kid brings his/her own; and on and on. 

It's going to be so good for the kids to be back in a school environment, with structured days. Wow, does Kate need that. She has been very bored lately. Doing her best, I mean -- she tries to keep busy with crafting (friendship bracelets, tie dye, painting) and practicing piano and playing games online with her friends, but, um... those things do not a full life make. Confession, I've not done the best job alleviating her boredom. It's hard to do when I'm trying to keep my job. Working from home full-time has been amazing and I hope I get to do it forever, but I've not been that good at creating summertime balance. I've tried to start my days early (7 or 7:30), but inevitably I keep working until about 4:30 -- instead of planning ahead to finish up after dinner, for example, so that we can go do something fun in the afternoons. I've spent the last few days feeling really guilty/sad about that. 

But on the other hand, we have done what we could. Lots of swimming when we had the chance. Our lunchtimes together, every day. "Big" outings to Target or Publix or WalMart. Watching some movies in the dark living room when it's been stupid-hot outside. 

In a way, I'm pretty sad that this time of ease, as far as not having obligations or places to be, has to come to an end. I know it's what we all want - back to normal - but being homebound has been nice, too. Now we'll be waking up on time, and I'll be driving carpool every afternoon. We opted not to use after-care this year, in an effort to save the money since I'm at home most days, anyway. I could say it's also safer than spending MORE time with a wider variety of kids, but mostly it was just that I'm available for the first time in my life, to pickup every day at 3:15.

It's a weird day, at any rate. I'm for sure not going to be very work-productive.

Wildlife!

Being home more (always) has given me a glimpse into the Nature living around my house. I hung a red hummingbird feeder last spring for the first time in years, and it did bring hummingbirds; what a delight to have seen so many of them when it was still cool enough to have my coffee outdoors! Even this past Sunday, I had a hummingbird fly up and, it appeared, look me directly in the eye from about 8 feet away. 

One Sunday morning back in April, as I was sitting at the kitchen table, a deer walked into our backyard. We've seen them back there before, waaaaaay back in the forest behind where our lawn ends. But this one just casually walked into the grass. WELL into the yard, right by one of our brick-edged flower beds. I was indoors but when I moved to the window to try to get a photo, she (I assume she was a she) moved away and bounded off, back to the woods. She was so close!

The next day, a Monday, Kate and I were sitting outside on the front porch. Our porch is hedged with... um, hedges.... and we noticed some movement in the leaves. I thought, are there birds in there? But no, they were lizards. Two of them, and they were, aah, puffed up and doing what must have been a mating dance. I don't know, I've never seen one before! Kate got a giggle out of that one. They were not fazed by us watching them, and it went on for at least a half hour. *big eyes*

We frequently see hawks around here -- the Atlanta basketball team is named the Hawks for a reason -- but one day last spring, I watched a hawk perch itself on top of our trampoline for a few minutes. They're so ominous looking, but thrilling. 

One of the MOST interesting animals I watched was on a Wednesday morning (I only know that because I noted it in this draft) -- it was an actual, factual FOX. In my yard. It started in the back, and I noticed it out of the corner of my eye while I was on the laptop in the kitchen. Thought to myself, "I think there's a stray cat out there." I looked up. NOPE. Was not a stray cat. Had a fluffy tail and a pointy nose, and everything. I "followed" it as it went through our side yard and I went to the front door (inside!), and peered out the front door windows. It trotted along out to the street. Yikes. Shawn says a fox won't hurt you, but I'm not so sure. All the years of fairy tales where the Fox is Sly make me nervous to actually SEE one. But still, a little thrilled!

Finally, in mid July, two black wild turkeys visited. They took the same path as the fox had, through the side yard and coming out to the front, then waddling into the neighbor's driveway, and even boldly walking to their front door, before heading across the street. Wild turkeys! So weird! 

Updating to add: Hummingbirds! This week (Aug 10) I am seeing at least 2 hummingbirds, one of which is perching, not just flying, right outside my kitchen window! They are so wee and so cute! I refilled my hummingbird feeder yesterday and it worked -- they're here! But it's remarkable to see them sitting instead of moving! Eeeeeee! I love birds so much.

I've been on the lookout for more appearances from all these creatures, but haven't seen any lately (of course now it's summer, and hot). Woodland creatures! An unexpected Covid blessing, of sorts.