right now

right now

Jun 21, 2010

Summer Solstice, Longest Day of the Year, First Day of Summer, AND...

My Birthday!




Don't you wish life was this simple still?

Yes, I am 40. Forty. The big 4 - 0 . Four Decades. Sometimes I feel like I am still waiting for my life to start, LOL! I think that's just a side effect of being a military family, we are always looking forward to that date when we can live where we want to, in the house that we want. Yes, we have a nice thing going now, but it is always in the back of our minds that we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the military, and we are always subject to whatever housing is available in our price range at any given base. Not exactly ideal, but we work with it. I think this is why I still feel like I'm in my 20's sometimes, still full of plans for the future! And it helps that I have 2 very young children that don't give me much time to wallow in self pity and feel old!

The boys want to know if I want to have my birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's. Hmmmm, no, I think I'll pass on that in favor of hanging out at the pool on base this afternoon to beat the heat and putting the kids to bed early. That's my birthday wish!

On to the latest harvests:


Edamame!



Golden Wax Beans, Hybrid Tomatoes, Blackberries, Raspberries


The raspberries never make it past the washing stage, fine by me - less preserving to do!
The kids don't think much of all the seeds in fresh blackberries and don't like anything but strawberry jam, so I ran all the blackberries through the chinois and then another smaller sieve and put away 6 oz of pure blackberry juice in the freezer for future blackberry lemonade! I think I will do that with all the blackberries this year, I am thinking of infusing some iced tea with it as well.


Pepper plants are out of control. I love the variegated leaves on the Fish Hot Pepper.
Jalapenos are starting to come in and I am not ready!


Peering in to the pepper bed... I'm in a lot of trouble this year.... what is the problem with moderation with me????? I parted the green curtain and they were all laughing at me!

17 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! Your harvest for the week is a good one!

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  2. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ERIN!!! I fully understand how you can feel as though you are in your twenties. I'm 71, but I feel like I'm 45. Mr. Granny just can't understand that, but to me age is of the mind, not of the body. I have no idea who that OLD lady is...you know, the one that lives in my mirror. There are times when she catches up with me though, like when I can't remember.... remember.... remember.... Uh, what was it we were talking about?

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  3. Happy Birthday Erin! I always say that "Life Begins at Forty". It's true and I think it's even better at 45! I was in the best shape of my life when I turned 40...I was riding 60 miles a week on my bike. I need to get back on it now that I have my grandson during the day!

    Your garden and harvest is great!

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  4. Happy, happy, happy birthday!!!!! I totally get how you're feeling. I often go through the, "what do you mean I'M the grownup -- when did THAT happen?" Enjoy your day!!!
    BTW -- beautiful harvest!

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  5. Happy Birthday Sweet Erin!!!

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  6. And those are just the cutest little girl pics!

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  7. Happy Birthday Erin! Maturity has unexpected lovely perks, you will see. You are living such a full and happy life who has time to grow old? Peace

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  8. Happy, happy birthday to you, dear friend! You DO have so much to look forward to in the years to come. When you and hubby retire from the military you will be starting a whole new, wonderful, exciting phase of your life. Woo-hoo, just you wait!

    Love the harvest pics. Blackberry juice in lemonade or iced tea? Heaven.

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  9. Whoa, happy birthday, lady! I'm glad I reappeared and caught this post. I hope you have a wonderful one, and enjoy the amazing amount of yummies in your garden... Mine is suffering from constant lack of attention. Sigh!

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  10. Happy, Happy Birthday!!! Don't worry about 40, it's not so bad, I've been there for a few years and even I sometimes forget how old I am (think you plus 8). We don't have time to get old. And besides, you're only as old as you think you are.
    Have some edamame and a beer for me tonight.
    Judy

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  11. Happy Birthday and that bunch of Edamame beans look great.

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  12. Hi Johanna! And thank you all for the birthday wishes! Kids are now in bed, yay! Now I can have my birthday glass of wine and read... exciting, huh?!

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  13. I'm certainly doing something wrong in the pepper department! Yours look divine. Happy Birthday...but what do you mean we're not in our 20's anymore? I thought the 20's lasted much longer in reality than on paper.

    The last time I went to CECH's I honestly thought about drowning myself in the soda fountain. I'm dedicated. I could have done it.

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  14. Happy birthday! I can't think of a better way to celebrate your birthday than with a bucket of edamame. Yum!

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  15. Happy Birthday! I remember when I turned 40. Was not the best time in my life, but it did get better.

    And , to quote Toby Keith, "Now my body says
    'You can't do this...'
    But my pride says, 'Oh, yes you can...'
    I ain't as good as I once was
    That’s just the cold hard truth..."

    Sigh; I'm not even sure I'm as good once as I ever was... Very depressing.

    I think this infernal heat has something to do with it. Walk out the door into a steam bath, and can't stay out there for more than 5 minutes without wanting to die of heat stroke.

    Anyway, hope you had a nice birthday!

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  16. Happy Birthday!! What a beautiful harvest! Your peppers are looking lovely! Those peppers aren't taunting you, they are totally cheering you on! I wish my peppers were loaded like that! You'll be glad you had them in the end!

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