summer | Amy Bailey…I am

The summer’s coming to end. The days are definitely getting shorter. The weather still has some heat, however my garden is getting tired. The tomatoes are not really turning red and the zucchini are growing few and fingerling sized.

School is back in session which equals to hellish commutes…who’s whining? 🙂
But I do know that love is about and shows up when you least expect it sometimes.

Today I decided to take out most of my garden to get it ready for the Fall garden. I usually dread this task because it is admittance that summer really is over. After clippinga and pruning the vines I was left with a few pounds of immature tomatoes. And what does one do with all that fruit? Make relish!

Being raised on the West Coast, green tomato relish wasn’t something that I ever had. However after reading this recipe Farm Girl it had a familiar resemblance of chili verde. So I decided to give it a try.

I had all the ingredients handy and it didn’t take more than an hour and a half. You can find the recipe on the link above to Farmgirl.

I used a water bath method to can them. I will share a few jars with my family, however after sampling the finished product it was amazing. Not only can it be used for chips and dip, but I can use it to make chicken chili verde too.

With the end of summer, good things do come from the changes of the season. Finding the heart shaped tomato today validated my decision to grow food for my family, which I shared pounds of tomatoes with friends and family with my abundant crop…taking the time the other night to look at the beautiful sunset then stare at the stars reminded me to be grateful for what I have and the life I live.

Onwards and upwards to your dreams…

I have been wanting to write about so many things lately. But once I sit down to write an entry, the fatigue sets in and I begin to yawn, then my breathing slows and then I almost fall asleep.
I truly have had some great ideas and insights lately and know that I’ll eventually write about them, but thank you for your patience!

It will soon be my 1year anniversary of my new job that I began July 3 last year. The position allows creativity, the staff are down to earth for the most part and really the worst of it is my commute. Somedays it takes up to 3 hours to arrive. Other days it only takes 1-1/2 hours. I forgot to mention that is a mere 21 miles door to door.

Halfway into my commute I drive over a bridge and through the surrounding salt flats. The Leslie Salt Company moved out years ago, so the birds have moved in. The land is marshy, with levies that are continually being adjusted and moved with the tides. This part of my drive is really beautiful as hundreds if birds migrate here throughout the year. Being in Northern California, the weather is mild. I’ve seen lots of bird use the salt flats as a nesting ground and nursery.

When I first began this trek to my new job, I noticed huge white pelicans flying over the highway, elegant and stoic. I’m used to seeing the California Brown Pelican near the coast but not these white ones. Each day as I drove to work I would count up to 50 white pelicans all flocking together in a remote area of the flats away from all the other birds. It almost took my breath away seeing so many orange pitcher mouths together!

I eventually did a little research on the interwebs and learned these species are from the Half Moon Bay, which is around 15 miles away over the ridge. They spend their winters at the coast and breed inland! Voila! Mystery solved why I never saw any white pelicans during winter.
Here’s a little more info on the American White Pelican. I’m not a huge bird enthusiast but seeing the countries largest bird fly over my car spiked my interest to learn more. It reminded me to appreciate my life more. To remind myself to slow down and this time, to watch the pelicans.

Amy Bailey…I am

She knits and grows and cooks and crafts and writes…kind of.

Tag Archives: summer

Summer was just here, I swear

They are back!