Yes, I’ve been gone for a bit, but I am baaaccckkkkk baby and seeing better than ever!

Long story short, I had cataract surgery with the installation of toric lenses. In other words, when they took out the cataract, they installed a toric lense which is really a contact installed in the eye. Under normal conditions I wouldn’t need eyewear except for readers, but I learned yesterday that I still have enough astigmatism that eye glasses may be warranted to make my vision sharper.

Shoot.

Well, my eyes are still healing, it’s only been two weeks for one eye and one week for another, but, no matter what, I can see clearly now, the foggy cataracts are gone!

And, while I was busy with surgeries and eye drops, I was also eating! And enjoying local foods!

Hubby planted several tomato plants and lettuce plants in grow boxes on our porch. Container gardening is great and he certainly has a way with growing things.

We’ve enjoyed a few meals of his home grown lettuce and tomatoes!

And he’s gotten a pickling bug!

He first attempted it when a neighbor went to Ruby’s Pantry and got a plethora of boiled eggs. She’s a widow and lives alone and certainly didn’t need all those eggs. When she offered them, I knew hubby would love some on his salad or for his avocado toast in the morning. And, while he did enjoy them in those lovely menu items, he also took to pickling them. And they were good.

Now he’s pickling cucumbers and tomatoes.

One of our grandsons was eating the cucumbers almost as fast as Hubby was cutting them, Hubs said. So when he pickled them, Grandson took them thinking he was eating a cucumber. He finished the pickled sliced cuke and said, “That’s spicy!”

He didn’t make a face, but enjoyed a new taste treat.

As far as a pickling recipe goes, Hubby just did a general google search and picked one. These are refrigerator pickle recipes. He doesn’t make a lot, and honestly, they don’t last long.

I also made a roast topping it with some jalapeño raspberry jelly I bought at the Fergus Falls Farmers Market. What great flavor! I simply topped the roast as I put in the crock pot.

It is my hope that you are enjoying your summer and also enjoying the wonderful meats, produce and products from local growers…

And now, the stories continue…as I see clearly!