Creamy Lemon Tart

I have a garden!! My very first garden!! The Geologist came home Friday with a window box for me. Technically it's not a box, but it's exactly what I've always wanted. He knows how to make me happy! A neighbor asked , "Isn't it Father's Day? Why is he buying you presents??" Because he likes me :) Besides, we're celebrating Father's Day next weekend, since I seem to have caught yet another 24 hour bug of some sort. Anyway, of course we had to go out and fill it immediately! I bought:

Two kinds of dahlias,

Small & Wonderful Things 27

Soft, fluffy, clover patches

Buttermilk Scone Muffins (Scuffins!)

I had the greatest experience in the grocery store today! We were walking by the little aisle of cheap little toys, and Stephen saw something that looked like a portable Nintendo thingee... honestly, I don't even know what those are called anymore. Anyway. It was one of those games where you tilt it around to get the tiny balls in the holes, not a real Nintendo. He asked what it was, and I told him. Then the magic words: "Mom, what's a Nintendo?" Ha HA! Victory!! The best part was the employee shelving things next to us said, "Wow. You don't hear that much anymore, do you?" Now, I'm not a horrible techno-nazi mom, I promise. My boys have played with Wii's and things, dancing games and Mario-Kart and such. But we don't own one, and we won't for a while. Someday! I'm not against them completely. They're lots of fun! But first I want my kids to play outside. Or together. Or read. Or explore. Or dance like crazy around our living room. (I guess you can do that with a Wii... whatever) I hope that when they get older, they'll be the ones that invite their friends over to play basketball or something. Technology will be very controlled in my house. I don't want teenagers who spend their weekends in the basement staring at a TV, sorry!! 

Grilled Mustard-y Brussels Sprouts

Ah, summer. Both kids at home. Some days are all sparkly and idyllic (like yesterday), some, not so much (like today). Not awful, just kinda... wearing. It's one of those days when all I want to do is listen to Maroon 5 and watch interviews with Benedict Cumberbatch. Oh wait, that IS what I did today! HA! Hee hee, I love that my spell check cannot handle Benedict's last name... giggle... Don't worry, I did a few useful things today, like work out (training to do a pull-up!! woohoo!!) and take the kids to the pool, and do some laundry, so I'm allowed a little me-time drenched in silliness. 

Ahem! Back to the point here. Food, right? Yep. Food is yummy. 

Spicy Honey Chicken

I've been doing a lot of reading on food photography lately. I'd say my pictures have improved quite a bit over the past few months, with a new camera, and lots of practice. But there is always room for improvement! There are some things I probably won't ever do, like buy reflectors and set up a real photography station. I will probably never buy a gigantic camera with a zillion lenses. But I am learning how to use the manual settings instead of automatic, and I bit the bullet and bought a REAL digital photo editing program. My biggest problem is still light, and there is only so much my Windows Gallery can do. I decided on Adobe lightroom, and I LOVE it!! It will take me a while to learn the ins and outs, but so far I am thrilled!! I'll show you this chicken before and after as an example. If you're looking for a new editing program, this might help! :)

This was as good as Windows could get it... Not bad, but still a little blue, and dim...

Soooo much better!!!!

Weekly Menu June 10

Source: m-i-n-t-leaves

This week we have...

Spicy Honey Chicken

Grilled Mustardy Brussels Sprouts
Buttermilk Scone Muffins (Scuffins!)

Creamy Lemon Tart

For today, June 10...