Car trouble this morning on top of an already crummy set of circumstances means I need to cancel classes.
Which isn't the absolute worst outcome in the world -- I was already in a bad mood! Might be best for all involved! -- but not an easy choice at the end of the semester, when every class really matters.
Called the auto service desk. Recording picks up, says "We're here to provide you with the very best service."
Then hangs up on me.
While I'm waiting for the service desk to straighten out its phone system, I'll share a few *good* things that have happened in the last few days, bc I've been complain-y lately.
1) We planted a lilac yesterday. Got it from Gurneys (?) a week or two ago and it has been really happy to be alive. It will be even happier where it is now, near our chicken run and one of our main paths.
2) I had a nice student compliment the other day. She asked if I was teaching anything in the fall, because she'd like to take another class with me. "I usually don't like history classes but this one has been great." It's always nice to have students vote for you that way. Way better and more practical than evals (although, of course, wanting to take a course with the same prof can mean a lot of things).
3) Our efforts at starting seed at a much larger scale than we ever have before have been mostly good. We've made a few mistakes. One of our pepper varieties barely germinated. But most everything got good germination and is fairly healthy.
I feel like I've learned as much about seed starting from this last month and a half -- where we're managing about 12 trays, lots of variety, at different stages of growth -- as I did in all my prior gardening life combined. Again, not everything has gone perfect, but lots of success to celebrate.
We'll pot up tomatoes and peppers in the next day or two.
4) We made a really good pasta primavera dish the other night! Have been stuck in a cooking rut but really wanted something that had a fresh feel with lots of veggies.
Not very difficult and felt very fresh, despite all the cheese. A keeper for sure.
Ok, that's some good stuff. Crossing fingers that my service appointment, which I just booked for this afternoon, goes well.
This vegetarian pasta is a great way to use all of your fresh vegetables from the farmer’s market (or even the ones still hanging on in your fridge). The vegetables are cooked until they are just tender and still crisp, then coated in a delicate, lemony cream sauce and sprinkled with fresh Parmesan and herbs. Originally, this recipe was made with spaghetti, but a shorter pasta shape that’s the same size as the vegetable pieces provides a more enjoyable bite. “Primavera” means spring, but any vegetable from the spring and summer season is welcome in this dish. Feel free to add asparagus, cherry tomatoes, carrots and more — just note which vegetables cook faster than others and adjust as needed.
Trevor Burrows