Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Ten on Tuesday - Try This!

This week's Ten on Tuesday topic is Ten Things You Want to Try. I've just started my list and I already have five things, so I might not even have to try too hard!

 (Not really; I just like The Simpsons!)

1.  Pickled Chard
Our garden grows lots of things, including chard. I know it's healthy, but it's still not my favorite, unless I add bacon, defeating the healthiness. I found a recipe for pickled chard stems, so I'm hoping that may actually help make that row of chard more palatable.

2.  La Folie and Transatlantique Kriek
Beer is not my beverage of choice, but a few months ago I had some Kriek at a brewpub and really liked it. Nothing similar is available nearby, so I was thrilled to see these two beers available at New Belgium Brewery. We're visiting Oldest Son later this summer and he's been kind enough to test these and pronounce them delicious. I'm looking forward to the aroma (and taste) of "wise cherries"!

3.  Hiking in Fort Collins
After enjoying some beer, I'm going to need some exercise. Luckily, Fort Collins is a great place to do that. We've explored Fort Collins a bit on some previous visits with Oldest Son, but we're ready to see and do more. I found two books on hikes in and around Fort Collins and already sent them to Oldest Son so we can enjoy some quality time together in the outdoors.

4.  Garden gloves that actually work
I've been digging in the dirt almost every day lately, and my hands and nails look awful. My SIL gave me some gloves that actually fit for Christmas, and while they are good for things like pruning and mowing, they're still too robust to allow fine weeding. I'm going to try weeding in surgical gloves later today!

5.  Becoming more patient
I'm not a patient person. I'd like to think I have become a bit more patient over the past several years, but I'm not sure my family would agree. I would like to make a real effort at gaining some patience, but I'm not sure how to begin and proceed. Suggestions welcome!

6.  Go back to school
Oldest Son is pursuing his Ph.D. and Youngest Son will graduate from college next year at this time. That means we've only got one more year of tuition payments, and I'd love for it to be my turn again. My college and graduate school days were many years ago, but I'd love to take some real courses just for the sake of learning, not because they're required for a major. Apiculture, Virology, and Literary Interpretation? Sign me up!

7.  Reading (a bit) outside my comfort zone
My reading time is very valuable to me, so I tend to choose what I'm reading very carefully. I try to make sure I'm going to enjoy my next book, based on reviews and recommendations. While this has worked well, I'm beginning to see that I may have bypassed some books that could have enriched my reading. I've been afraid to read A Constellation of Vital Phenomena because I don't know enough about Chechnya. Margene was kind enough to mention that it was the best book she read last year, so this is going to be my next book and I'm looking forward to it!

8.  Some new recipes 
I make dinner for two, three, or sometimes many more almost every night. My cooking creativity is running low after years and years of dinner-making, and I'd love to try some new recipes that are easy, not fussy, nutritious, use pantry staples and/or fresh garden produce. In the summer I grill a lot, so I'd love a really good chicken marinade. Heck, I'll take any suggestions I can get!

9.  Travel to the Pacific Northwest
I've seen much of the country, thanks to our big cross-country RV trip and family vacations to National Parks, but the one area I haven't been to is the Pacific Northwest. I fully intend to see Washington and Oregon, and would like to try to "Keep Portland Weird"!

10. Try to perfect my pie-making skills
My grandmother always said that people are either cake bakers or pie bakers. She could do both, but she made excellent pies (and occasionally baked them in a wood-fired oven!) and she made it look easy; my MIL does the same. Cakes come more naturally to me, because I have never, ever been able to make a pie crust without plenty of strong language and patched pastry. Since Youngest Son is home this summer, it seems like an opportune time to try to better my pie-making skills.

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
-Thomas Edison
What would you like to try?

6 comments:

  1. I haven't found the perfect garden gloves as yet, either. Learning to be patient (and more pleasant) takes a lot of patience and practice...I'm trying, too. If you perfect your pie-making skills I'd love to try one. :)

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  2. Definitely #9 is on my bucket list! :)

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  3. Really enjoy your list and have added #s 3, 5, & 9 to my own list (on my bulletin board as of this morning). I've actually become more patient -- or maybe I've just become more tired and resigned to some things. lol I decided about 10 years ago to do #7. Because I read so much in my job (English professor, and before that, English teacher at the high school level), I had turned to reading only for escape/pleasure in my free time. I decided to read one book outside my comfort zone each month of summer break. I continue that today except now it's 2 books a month minimum and 2 over Christmas break as well. Oh, my but the great books I've read! Have fun!!!

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  4. what a thoughtful and well-rounded list! (what I'm learning to expect from you!) I would love to read a bit more outside my comfort zone, too, and await your review of Constellation...

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  5. I'm not patient either but I'm okay with it :) I love your list and pie making is an honorable pursuit !!

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