Blueberries Up, Blueberries Down

With a moving date looming in the near future, I'm starting to feel the pressure to get everything done -- pack, take care of business, (who knew there was so much paperwork involved in selling a house, renting an apartment, and starting a new job?) say goodbye to those I'll miss the most, revisit all my favorite places in Rochester, and still try to keep a semblance of order in the house for Frances. So I was relieved to have a "day off" from moving-related tasks to visit one of my favorite places for an afternoon of eating and friendship. I returned to Hurd Orchards, this time with friends, for their Blueberries Up, Blueberries Down luncheon. When we chose the date back in June, we had no idea that it would turn out to be one of the most pleasant days of the summer thus far.

The barn, where lunch was served, was awash in sunlight and flowers. There was a gentle breeze blowing through the open doors, with lovely aromas coming from within the kitchen. In keeping with the blueberry theme, the entire meal had blueberries in one form or another.

Salad with blueberries and apricots in a toasted almond dressing.

Honey oatmeal bread with blueberry-cherry jam and mini blueberry muffins.

Chicken with blueberry catsup, zucchini fans and yellow transparent applesauce, (first apples of the season!).

Blueberry buckle for dessert.

It was a perfectly enjoyable day, and one that I was so happy to have. Time slowed down for a few hours, and I wasn't concerned with checking items off my "to do" list. But now it's back to the list, with high heat and humidity making a return as well. I'm not wishing away my remaining time in Rochester, but am wishing that I could just get everything done and not have to worry so much!

My Favorite Excursion

Finding myself with some free time and a gorgeous, sunny afternoon, I decided to make the most of my Saturday by taking a trip to one of my favorite places: Hurd Orchards. The love affair began three years ago when I happened upon this little gem looking to pick strawberries. It's an idyllic place where you can pick your own fruit, poke around their little shop, or attend a luncheon. This time I was there to pick blueberries, but first took a gander around the market.

Feeling inspired by all the red, white, and blue, I set off to the blueberry patch to pick myself a bucket of blueberries.

Hello cuties!

It was the perfect day to be out in the field with the beautiful sunshine, lovely breeze and ripe blueberries. The ladies at Hurd told me it was an especially great year for blueberries because of all the rain we've had, and I have to agree. They are delicious! Perfect for my patriotic dessert.

Blueberry Rhubarb Crisp with Pistachio Crust, served warm with vanilla ice cream. Yummy! Happy 4th of July!

Dachshund Parade 2010

What's that you say? There's a dachshund parade in town today? What do you do at a dachshund parade?

Eat hot dogs.

Wash them down with a beverage.

Meet new friends.

Strike a pose.

Show off new outfits.

Bust out the jewels.

Strut your stuff.

Keep things under control.

Beg for treats.

Try not to get too excited.

Look cute.

Watch it all from the comfort of your grandma's lap.

Delivered Hot

I'm a big fan of pizza, and have my fair share of favorite places to order from, (here if I want white pizza, here if I'm in the mood for red sauce, and here if I'm out with friends). Not surprising, since there are nine pizza joints all within a two-mile radius of my house. Really. We like our pizza here in Rochester. Lately, however, I've become a big fan of homemade pizza, and try to make it at least once a week. It started when I discovered that naan bread makes a superb crust, especially when cooked on the grill. I don't have to fuss around with making my own crust, it's already thin, just the way I like it, and the perfect size for a personal pizza.

It's fun to experiment with different toppings and flavors. This sausage, red onion, and wild mushroom pizza had some nice spice, which counteracted well with the earthy mushrooms.

I've found that it's really easy to make pizza a healthy meal, and also an excellent way to use up some leftover vegetables, as was the case with this asparagus, fingerling potato, and goat cheese pizza.

I prefer to cook my pizza right on the grill rack in order to ensure a crispy crust. This artichoke, goat cheese and chicken pizza was oozing with cheese -- just the way I like it!

The best way to enjoy pizza, however, is al fresco with a bottle of wine and good company.

Spinach Feta Pizza from The Vegetarian Grill, by Andrea Chesman

1 pizza crust

1 pound spinach, tough stems trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 Vidalia or other sweet onion, thinly sliced

1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill.

2. Steam the spinach until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain well. Taking a handful of spinach at a time, squeeze out as much water as possible. Coarsely chop.

3. Brush the top side of the pizza with olive oil, then flip over. Brush the other side with olive oil and scatter 1 tablespoon of the garlic over the crust. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and top with the spinach, feta, and onion. Place the pizza on a lightly oiled grill rack and grill for 5 to 8 minutes, checking the crust after 5 minutes.

4. Slice the pizza and serve warm.

Stormy Weather

This past weekend brought with it some crazy wind. We're talking 60+ mph wind. Frances and I were planning to attend the annual Rochester Dachshund Parade, but fortunately it was cancelled, otherwise there could have been hundreds of airborne doxies!! Instead we ventured up to Lake Ontario, to one of our favorite spots, known as The Secret Sidewalk. But not before taking a picture of what was happening in our neighbor's backyard.

See the big crack? And the power lines? A recipe for disaster.

The Secret Sidewalk is not really a secret, but rather a public sidewalk tucked in between Lake Ontario and some pretty nice lakefront properties.

I was hoping to see some huge waves, but aside from the occasional gust, it wasn't too windy up on the lakeshore.

Most residents not only have gorgeous, sprawling lawns, but they also have these sweet little gardens growing between the sidewalk and the beach.

Or just a great "room with a view." Seriously, imagine those summer nights.

Frances stayed put on the ground, and thankfully we enjoyed our stroll. When we got home, it was a different scene.

That's my fence, so you can see how closely my yard avoided the destruction caused by the fallen tree. My neighbor lost a garage, and all I lost was my power. For roughly 36 hours. Yikes! But I'm back in business now, and still counting my lucky stars that the tree didn't fall on my garage.

Lilacs

Nothing screams, "Hello, spring!" quite like the lilacs do here in The Flower City. The official start date of the Lilac Festival is May 14, but the lilacs were eager to strut their stuff early this year. Frances and I headed to Highland Park to get a good look before the crowds descended upon the loveliness.

The thing I love most about lilacs is their scent.

My next favorite thing are the color variations. I can never decide which color I like the best, but right now I'm leaning towards the light, light lavender. The ones that look almost pink.

The park was awash in color, made more brilliant by the grey sky.

Look closely. Did you spot the peonies? My most favorite flower of all!

Hello, pretties!

Just A Perfect Day

We take it when we can get it in Western New York, and today was simply that. A perfect day. The kind that makes you want to get outdoors and smile, smile, smile as the sun beats down on your face.

Spring is my most favorite time of the year.

Luckily for me, this year has been splendid.

I took a break from yard work and went out in search of pretty.

And wasn't the only one enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

Oh such a perfect day.

I don't think it gets much better than this.