Lettuce Talk Forever. (The Ultra-Long Post)

So I just found this super neat idea that would be a super great way to test out lettuce growing. Take lettuce seeds (Buttercrunch: $2.29), potting soil (already have some), and a colander (dollar store: $1), and you get a fabulous little lettuce growing machine!

Container Gardening | Lettuce In A Colander

Okay, okay, so it isn't a machine by definition, but it is a neat little setup, isnt it? And it's easily transportable, so I can put it out in the morning and take it in when it's the afternoon heat. Or just leave it in a partially sunny window all day. It's also lucky that buttercrunch - also known as "butterhead" - lettuce is a heat tolerant type, and my favorite type of lettuce. So delicious! Yup, I'm definitely trying this one out.

Right now there's a pot roast a'cooking in our kitchen. This time I added more salt, more vegetables, and we're cooking it on low all day (last time we did 1/3 high and 2/3 low). So exciting!

H. has ordered a new wedding ring. gasp! His old one had a domed shape that wouldn't allow him to close his fingers comfortably, and it would cause bruising on the two adjacent fingers if he did close his hand. In our never-ending adventure dealing with incompetent jewelry people, we went back to the store we purchased the ring from, intent on getting a half size smaller. We worked with the same lady we've always dealt with, and she actually had a solution for our problem. She found us a ring that H. liked that was flat all the way around, and even though it was a little more expensive than the ring we had, it would mean H. could actually wear his ring. (That's right folks, he's been walking around pretending to be single.) 

So the lady did some work at the register, gave us one receipt for purchasing the ring, and worked on a second receipt for ordering it in a half size. We looked around at some of the crazy clearance stuff they had - one was a two-finger ring with the word peace on it in diamonds - before getting called over to the register by the lady. Apparently the ring we picked out had a handwritten SKU number on it, and that number belonged to a gold band. "I looked at it and tot, dat's really weird, no? Dis isn't a gohld ring at all. Didjyou want a gohld ring?"  ... "Um, no. We want this ring."  "Oh, okay, jwell, let me get de numbar for dis ring here."  Yup, we almost got a second gold ring ordered for us when we didn't want it. I can't wait to go pick up the ring when it comes in in two weeks.

One thing that surprises me is the amount of green that's sprung up here seemingly overnight. The trees have stayed green a lot longer than I thought they would (I know I would burn if left out in the sun all day), and there are little shrubberies popping up that weren't there before springtime. One such shrubbery that has been populating our little apartment's gravel yard is the Bubbly Plant. Yes, that is its scientific name (until I actually find it).

Doesn't really look like much from far away - just a green little shrub with sunset flowers. But when you get up close ...

See those nodules up at the top of the stalk? That's why it's the Bubbly Plant. I love love love love the flowers on this guy, they're mighty eccentric indeed. I hope they keep flowering for a long while - it's a nice addition to the constant taupe color around here.

Last week, I bought a watermelon for $1.88. I didn't want to bruise it by putting it on the linoleum, and we had no room in our fridge, so I put it down on the carpet in our apartment and promptly forgot about it. Yesterday, I found it and wondered whether it would be any good. Upon cracking it open with the largest knife we own, I was greeted with the red color that makes everyone's mouth water.

Now take a close look at this picture here. How much of the watermelon do you suppose I cut up? Here's another picture for perspective.

Any guesses now? Here's the answer: in the bowl is give or take one quarter of the watermelon. I'll be taking bets on how long this watermelon will last the two of us. I'm thinking at least another week. This watermelon will be the best $1.88 I ever spent on summer delicacies.

Speaking of summer, another great food find I found while I was out finding food was some sweet summer corn on the cob. I was super elated to discover that the price per ear of corn was $0.16. Sixteen cents! So I scooped up four of those suckers and plopped them into a steam bath that I'm sure they enjoyed. Add a little butter and salt and mmm-MMMMM they were good.

There's a picture just in case you haven't seen corn before. On a side note, I absolutely love the smell that happens after you husk a corn cob. It's like a refreshing scented shower of nature and corn. So good.

So yeah, I think that's it for my extra-long post. Tune in next time when we cover the dictionary.