Panzanella!
Jul/100
A recipe for success:
This (homemade nonetheless)…
plus this…
and this…
a bit of this…
and a touch of this…
produces one very tasty, homemade, fresh, local, and CSA-based dish!
I had never heard of Panzanella before, but it sure is a fun word. The word calls to my mind exclamations like “Eureka!” and “Bonanza!” Maybe I’ll just start exclaiming “Panzanella!” whenever I have a Eureka moment in the kitchen upon discovering a new fun food…
Recipe found here, and it was perfect timing for the vegetables we got in our CSA that week. It was very picnic-friendly for a Friday night at Summerfest, too. Not to mention, an appropriate addition to our breakfast spread for our Belarusian guests last weekend… (tomatoes and cucumbers are frequently served at breakfast in Belarus…)
Raspberries.
Jul/100
We were surprised to discover one of our raspberry plants was producing fruit this year – we were expecting to have to wait until next year for berries. But these beauties were just waiting to get picked this week.
Our mini bell peppers are also turning from green to yellow to orange…
Summerfest and Friends.
Jul/102
Our picnic basket has already been getting a lot of use this summer! One of my personal favorite events of the whole summer (as you may recall from our summer checklist) is Summerfest, formerly known as the Lexington Shakespeare Festival (or, Shakespeare in the Park). While the outdoor theater series has changed over the years, from Shakespeare-focused to incorporating musicals and modern plays, I am still always eager to go to the UK Arboretum and experience a show.
My love for theater is tied to my high school experiences, when I spent all 4 years of high school working in backstage theater, often with my friend Lauren. I had the privilege of stage managing or co-stage managing three productions – The Crucible, Psycho Beach Party, and the musical Annie Get Your Gun. After high school, I did not continue with theater in college; instead I pursued and got wrapped up in other interests (crew and soccer). But on a college summer break, I was asked to be the Assistant Stage Manager at the Shakespeare Festival for The Taming of the Shrew in 2001. It was my lowest paying job, ever (I calculated that I earned less than a quarter an hour for my time), but a rewarding experience. It now causes me to feel more connected to the annual festival in Lexington, and I regularly recognize familiar faces from my theater days.
This year, Summerfest featured The Merchant of Venice, Pride & Prejudice, and the musical Rent. Trevor and I decided to jump for season passes and try to catch all three shows. We are watching the last show this weekend. Last week we enjoyed the company of dear friends, my former Belarusian roommate, Yulia, and her fiance, Taras, and my wonderful friend Ali. It is great to share things I love with the people I love.
Gorge Adventures Together.
Jul/100
As a birthday gift to ourselves, we decided to spend a weekend camping overnight at the Red River Gorge at the end of June. Enjoy some pictures of our shared adventures!
Dangerous cliffs…
Reading Psalms on Auxier Ridge…
Primitive camping…
Together at Chimney Top…
Waving from the suspension bridge…
Feet in Red River…
Trevor on the river bank…
A Boy and His Beard.
Jul/100
Over the past year, while I was abstaining from shaving, I received many questions about my ever-growing beard. The most popular inquiry, I believe, was: why are you doing this?
Most people weren’t satisfied with my initial response of, “Why not?” So, on a few occasions, I had to explain myself fully — as I am about to do here.
First and foremost, it should be said that not shaving for a year, or growing a large beard, isn’t much of a big deal. I was actually pretty surprised at how much attention it got me, and how people seemed to always be interested in what was going on with my facial hair. I think, in a special way, it became a journey not only for me, but spectators as well.
My motivation was simple — to not shave for an entire year to see what kind of beard would emerge. My dad is my facial hair hero — able to grow a complete beard by 3pm. My mom’s side of the family is more smooth (and not just by choice). So, I was hoping for paternal proportions, but preparing myself for somewhere in between (which is about where I hit — pretty good length, with some sparse sections that didn’t grow as full as I’d hoped).
While I can’t say the journey was something spectacular (it’s a pretty passive experience, except for the occasional mustache trim), I was somewhat fond of the outcome. I didn’t feel especially sad when the time came to part with the beard, but looking back now, I can’t help but feel a special bit of nostalgia. After all, the beard and I had many exciting adventures over the past year.
I’d like to give my thanks to friends and family who supported the yeard (especially my amazing wife). I imagine it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experiment, but it was fun while it lasted.
10K Training
Kristi's Training Mileage:
Trevor's Training Mileage:
Good Reads
Kristi's read shelf:
Trevor's read shelf: