And in case you are wondering ... those little cream colored babies ... they are "Italian ice" tomatoes! Sweet and delicious! I asked the grower this spring how they were and he replied "you try them, and we will both know!" :-) So I couldn't resist, and so happy that I did! I love my lilac peppers again this year, and of course the sweet banana peppers! What a snack!

Here is what I am making for dinner!

Panzanella

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread (Bread Oven is the best - and a day old too!) cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

This salad is always a hit when we have friends over, or I take it to a summer potluck! So fresh, full of flavor and just wonderful!!!

This was my FAVORITE house from the 2008 Street of Dreams. Even though we love our builder ADC and I loved their craftsman style home, this house by Curt Hofer stole my heart. It looks like the home I grew up in! Randy calls it my "Ratatouille" moment. True, there is something that draws me to it because of childhood memories, but I really did love it for its modern statement and some rather fun touches. Dad would have been impressed ... there was a little orange-red spicket in the front yard.

It was next to the little vegetable garden and shed that housed an antique tractor. The property looked like it had been their for a century and only recently renovated the to modern tastes and clean lines. The master bathroom looked like an art installation. And did I mention the views? Rolling hills covered with green and dotted with acreages that nestle into the natural landscape. We went through this house twice, and we have the lot information for the neighborhood ... dreams indeed!

Oh, and a quick thank you for all the well wishes on my dreadful tooth ordeal! My only concern was with the history of problems deadening the pain. After all, if Vicodin didn't work, I wondered what the shots would do for me. I lost track of how many times that awful looking needle came toward me. At one point, when we were all convinced things were numb, the Dr set on his task, only to find me shooting out of the chair in pain. Tears and a panic attack later, (and even more needles) the root canal proceeded. That night I slept peacefully for the first time in over a week, and best yet - laying down flat that evening! What relief!

It truly can only take two words to instill fear into ones mind. "Root canal".

I blame it on the cracker mix I baked up for the 4th of July, and the little evil corn-nuts. I was snacking on the baked-buttery-ranch goodness and while savoring the last bite, it happened. I bit down wrong. The pain was instant. And it continued to bother me.

Now this tooth has been a problem ever since "this dentist" put some computer-laser created thing on my thin shell of a molar 4 years ago. "Oh the sensitivity will go away" he said. What a liar. My feelings toward this man were headed south. After all "this dentist" was quite impressed with his creation, and gushed how he felt like a sculptor! "This dentist" also said that I indeed could not feel the procedure, it was "simply pressure". Well, after many shots, and attempted starts, "this dentist" believed me that INDEED I COULD feel what was happening. There was no choice but to finish what he had started. His conspirator ... I mean assistant even had the audacity to say (and in a whiny childish little voice) "Does someone want a whittle teddy bear to hold on too?" I could have decked her. It was all the ingredients that nightmares are made of.

Well, needless to say, I went to my check up, and after that, broke all ties with "this dentist." Except for the bills that continued to come for his "sculpting masterpiece."

Well with the pain worsening, I made an appointment with a highly recommended dentist. After several xrays, some poking and prodding, my worst fears were confirmed. I needed a root canal. He was even going to send me to a specialist. The only saving grace was that he too question why "this dentist" had placed this "sculpture" on my tooth. It sounded like a cap would have been a real dentist's choice. For the past 4 years every time I chewed on that tooth the "sculpture" expanded and caused me pain.

I left the "real dentist's" office with a prescription for penicillin and Vicodin. What??? Well the pain wasn't that bad. I didn't feel it necessary to take what is often unnecessary and over prescribed antibiotics. Let alone what on earth did I need a highly addictive narcotic for??? So I called my beloved chiropractor and proceeded to pick up some all natural tablets and drops for the possible infection. It was a blend of odd herbs and plants and though a bit peculiar tasting, I was quite sure, would do the trick.

Well I went on soundly in my decision to take these little miracles from the Amazon, press on a few pressure points, and blissfully believed that perhaps a little Advil would do. Friends were shocked when I told them my appointment of impeding doom with this specialist (aka root canal) was a whole 7 days away. "Why?" I wondered. This wasn't too bad. The horror stories I had heard seemed a bit over exaggerated.

Then it hit. Sleep had been dwindling over the nights. I began to sleep propped up on a plethora of pillows because that is what felt most comfortable. But what came on Saturday was like nothing I had ever felt. I honestly thought the left side of my head was going to explode. Nothing worked. Randy dug the prescriptions from the bottom of my purse, and drove straight to Walgreen's. I didn't care if it was narcotics, antibiotics, or a live cricket. I would ingest what ever it took to rid me of this pain.

After about 45 minutes, my forehead felt like it was disjointed from the rest of my body, and when I walked, I floated about 2 inches above the ground. The bad news ... the pain was still there. I was told to take Advil in addition to Vicodin. It still wasn't doing the job. The professionals seemed stumped and I was desperate. I even begged for an earlier appointment of doom. Dig my Dremmel tool out from the shop, and I will attempt this thing myself! Apparently the infection is causing a great deal of pressure and that is the source of all the pain.

And whatever you do, DO NOT GOOGLE "root canal infection". The pictures are truely terrifying, and I stared at them all like a deer caught in a car's headlights!!! Needless to say, I am eagerly am awaiting my 2:45 appointment today! :-) Which reminds me ... it is time for more pills.

And pardon me for my narcotic induced rant! I hope it made you chuckle ... what other choice is there! :-)

And you may reach artist Tom Hubbell at 6310 Binney St, Omaha NE 68014. His phone # is 551-5587! You will LOVE his work! We have loads of it! OK - we are addicted to it!

Well, the good news is, the dip was a hit. Everyone asked what was in the dip. The bad news ... I really didn't have a recipe. One more cocktail and I may have dumped the memory of how I made this forever.

Fortunately, on Saturday evening, I whipped up another batch, taking notes as I went, and to the BEST of my abilities here is the recipe ... Here is my test kitchen!

Carrie's Artichoke Dip
- 13.75 oz of artichoke hearts - drain and squeeze dry in paper towel
- 3/4 cup lite sour cream
- 3/4 cup real mayo
- 1 cup fresh finely grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
- 10 oz goat cheese
- 1 TBSP lemon juice
Blend together with fork until creamy and smooth. Add:
- 3/4 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Blend into mix. Add:
- 1/2 box frozen spinach -thaw, drain, squeeze dry in paper towel and chop
fine
Stir all together and place into greased baking dish. Cover and bake @ 350 for 20 - 25 minutes.
Uncover baking dish and bake an additional 10 minutes May need to broil to brown top as desired

Serve with garlic Melba toasts or fresh baguette.

For Randy, it is literally all about balance these days! He swings in the gentle breeze under the deck in his brand spanking new "birthday hammock". Note the clouds reflected in his glasses! Conveniently it seats two (Coincidence? I don't think so!) Laying there is so relaxing. Listening to the birds as they come and go from their feeders and watching nothing but the clouds role by is a perfect way to let an afternoon slip away! We need to make more time for the hammock.

Life needs to be more about good friends. Friends who play Badminton!

We can get a little crazy at the Huber house with our badminton! Yes, there was even a double elimination tournament! There was also a dinner menu, an official drink and BADMINTON 2008 t-shirts! Next year we will further expand the madness!

More friends over the holiday weekend ... Friends, grilling and fireworks...

and home made marshmallows...

and beautiful sunsets!

pool side fun ...

and lighting up the night.

I love having my planters on the front stoop. I wait all winter long for the day to go out in search for the perfect color and specimen of coleus, grasses and sweet potato vines that will be greeting guests throughout the summer. I thought this year everything looked perfect! Better than ever in fact!
The Husker Penstamen in the front of the house were reaching their blooming potential, the various hostas and hydrangeas along the north side were getting ready to bloom. The blackberries and black raspberries were ready to be trained on the new post system that R and I recently put in.

And then it came.

Now in Nebraska, they may say "storm warning with high winds and a chance of hail" and you may miss the storm. But not on Friday June 27th. There was a wide wall of 100 mph winds headed straight for Omaha. And there was also a 100% chance of hail and flooding rains. There have been a lot of weather oddities this spring and summer, but this one takes the cake. Poor plants. Our poor roof!



I said the front stoop and walk looked like snow and tossed salad. We were without power for only a short time. 165,000 other people were not so lucky. Happy that both my husband and I were home safe when the tempest hit was good enough. Anything else can be replaced.



We had so much hail, there was still a small "drift along the front of our house even the next day!



I didn't take any pictures during the brunt of the storm, but our 15 foot tall willow tree was waving wildly about! I should have taken a picture of it at that time, but quite frankly I was a little fearful of leaving the safety of the basement to go in search of my camera! :-) This is our grafted Artic Blue Willow in winds that were only about 40 mph. And, yes, that is hail floating in the flood streaming through our back yard! YIKES!