My mind has yet to leave Ireland!
[wpcode id=”76760″]We woke up bright and early, driven by an unknown force, almost on autopilot. After sharing a cup of coffee with Robin, she headed out around 9:00 AM.
While Mary stayed inside to do the laundry, I decided to spend some time in the garden. I carefully made my way through the garden beds, removing plants that had gone to seed and those past their prime. The sunlight filtered through the leaves as I worked, and I could hear nature’s gentle sounds. It was a peaceful and rewarding experience.
I got the berries and the first planter ready to go. Four more planters to go, plus the back forty!
We both emptied our suitcases, and Mary did at least four loads of washing. I assisted Mary when she needed heavy things to be moved. As the day progressed, the suitcases were moved to their original homes upstairs in the ballroom.
I am impressed by how effortlessly she manages to look absolutely stunning within just a few minutes. It’s amazing to see her transform into a picture of beauty and elegance even when planning to work around the house!
Ready to rock and roll!
We strolled through the garden today and were amazed at the growth of the spaghetti and regular squash. The tomato plants are loaded with green tomatoes, indicating that we’ll harvest them in about a month!
The spaghetti squash is doing just fine.
I picked beets and Swiss chard for dinner tonight, brought them inside, and washed them for Mary. The chard looks especially green. After two weeks in Ireland, we know our greens!
Swiss chard before it goes into the pot.
We have over fifty beets, but these are pretty large and will take about three to four hours to bake. I wrapped them in foil and put them in the oven at 400 degrees. Once baking is complete, we can chop them up and use them in a salad or put them in a small bowl and add goat cheese as an appetizer.
Four hundred degrees for 4 hours ought to do the trick!
We love cold beet soup. This Polish cold beetroot soup is traditionally served with hard-boiled eggs. You can also enjoy it on its own or with hearty rye or pumpernickel bread. This soup makes a great starter and is perfect for a summer party.
The soup is very refreshing and is certainly an eye catcher!
Dog-A-Puss, aka Scout aka Luigi, came out to help but once he saw my efforts involved WORK, he mosied back to his bed on the patio and went to sleep.
Scout checks out all the noise I was making!
I ceased gardening around 4:00 pm as my old bones were creaking fiercely. As I walked to the back door, the noise sounded like firecrackers going off! Poor Scout ran under the bed and hid!
Indeed!!
Upon returning from the garden, I joined Mary in the kitchen to help her prepare dinner. My assigned task was to carefully half the squash and skillfully removed the seeds. Meanwhile, Mary expertly crafted the stuffing from scratch. She meticulously blended in cheese, beans, corn, and other ingredients she had gathered from the refrigerator.
Mary made stuffed squash this evening.
We had a delightful dinner and topped it off with a glass of champagne!
Following our evening meal, we indulged in a relaxing soak in the hot tub. We completed two cycles, spending a total of about 30 blissful minutes in the warm, bubbling water. I anticipate that we will have a restful night’s sleep as a result of this tranquil experience.
Tomorrow morning, we have to head to the gym at 8:15 am. We can already feel the pain and suffering but it is well deserved after spending two weeks in Ireland. During the trip, I gained six pounds due to reduced exercise and an abundance of food and spirits.
