Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
We checked the calendar and, to our shock, the only thing on it is Mary’s painting class — apparently, even our schedule needs a break. We messed around the house in the morning, and Mary got ready to go to her painting class at noon.
While she was gone, I tried to fix the front yard sprinkler system, but school pickup traffic remained absolutely undefeated. I didn’t finish the whole thing, but I did repair and adjust a bunch of drip lines. So now the yard is happy, the neighbors are happy, and I’m somewhere between “cautiously confident” and “surprised I didn’t accidentally flood the block.
The front yard is arrayed with flowers.
Mary returned at 3:15 pm with artwork in hand. I should’ve known something was up—she rolled into the garage honking the horn, waving banners, and revving the engine like she was leading a tiny victory parade.
I saw her latest work of art and was amazed by the detail in the picture. The Birches looked so good, I was ready to plant them! Another amazing job; that girl has talent!
Here are some birch tree trivia facts:
- Birch bark is famously papery and often peels in thin layers, especially on younger trees.
- Many birches have white bark because of a substance called betulin, which helps protect the tree.
- Birch trees are pioneer species — they’re often among the first trees to grow in disturbed or open areas.
- Their seeds are tiny and wind-dispersed, so that birches can spread over large areas pretty easily.
- Birch wood is strong and fine-grained, which makes it useful for furniture, plywood, and even tools.
- Some birch species can live surprisingly long, though many are relatively short-lived compared with oaks or pines.
- Birch sap can be tapped in spring in some regions and used for drinks or syrup.
The Birch Tree was perfect!
We took a tour of the garden around 4:00 pm, and Mary decided it was stir-fry o’clock. She picked and bagged the veggies while I hauled the goodies inside for their evening bath. Little did they know, they hadn’t been harvested—they’d been drafted for dinner.
Me? I stood at the sink and prepared the carrots, kale, Swiss Chard, and onions! I gave them a bath in salty water and then removed the veins, leaving a large pile of greens.
I get the great jobs, cleaning and scrubbing the ingredients from the backyard.
The carrots got a proper spa treatment first, and Mary dispatched them in no time. The zucchini was so perfect it was practically showing off—sweet, smug, and delicious. And the eye surgeon? Let’s say that knife was in the hands of a true professional: razor-sharp prowess, zero room for error, and a deeply unsettling amount of confidence.
Time for stir-fry!
The chicken, zucchini, and onions come first, then the greens. I was sure they would not fit, but after just a few seconds in the heat, they wilted down into a manageable size.
MARY! It will not fit into that pan!
She kept stuffing the greens into that tiny pan, and I was there waiting with an overflow container.
She keeps putting the greens into the pan with the chicken.
I was only slightly incorrect—okay, I was spectacularly wrong. Mary had this under control the whole time. The mountain of greens vanished so fast it looked like they’d been enrolled in a witness protection program and reappeared as a delicious stir-fry.
Here are some stir-fry trivia facts:
- Stir-frying is a cooking technique that originated in China and became widely used because it cooks food quickly.
- A traditional wok is ideal for stir-frying because its shape allows heat to spread quickly and evenly.
- The term “stir-fry” became popular in English in the 20th century.
- High heat and constant movement are key to keeping food from burning.
- Stir-frying helps vegetables stay colorful and crisp.
- Many cuisines beyond Chinese cooking use stir-fry methods, including Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese.
- The technique works well because small pieces of food cook faster and absorb sauces well.
I’ll be darned, it all shrank down and fit.
From frying pan to the plate! We are ready for a magnificent meal fresh from our garden!
Another wonderful dinner, with everything from our yard, save the chicken!
After dinner, we cannonballed into the swim spa and spent 45 blissful minutes being gently kneaded by our own personal soup at a toasty 95 degrees. After our amphibious spa session, we retreated to the TV room and continued our highly serious mission of watching Lost in Space.
After a delicious meal, a glass of wine, and a nice soak in the hot water, we all conked out for a bit. Then, at 11:00 pm, I rallied the troop, gently herded Mary to the bedroom, and we all officially called it a night.
After some TV, we crashed.
