A Year in the Making, day 303

Wait a minute! Didn't you just post "day 299" yesterday? Yes I did. And then, with today being July 1st, and the end only two months away, I did the math. There are 31 days in July & August, and with 365 days in the year, that means that somewhere in the last 10 months I messed up my count. Oops! So I jumped four days to put me back on the correct schedule.

I tried an experiment, a lavender custard. I heard them talk about it on The Splendid Table sometime last year, and thought it sounded absolutely lovely, and have been meaning to try it for months. But when I got the serious urge it was the middle of winter, and no lavender to be had. Ours finally bloomed, and I decided to give it a go.




According to the program, you should simmer the lavender in the milk first, then strain it and go on to cook it according to whatever recipe you're using. I gave it a go, but it didn't set, so it's more like lavender cream soup. It's still delicious, though. No pictures, you'll just have to use your imagination.

The lavender is currently the only thing left in our front yard - we are finally getting some landscaping done, 8 years after buying this house. They came in today and stripped the lawn down to the dirt:



They'll be bringing in some dirt tomorrow to level things off, and then putting in new sod and trimming the hedge. (Again! You'd never know I almost killed myself trying to tame that damn thing earlier this year!) We'll have a real lawn! One that I won't break an ankle walking across that isn't a mixture of clover, dandelions, and pricklers!

Look! More exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!

Finished another piece for the gents today, using that pinstripe trim, with another vintage black silk umbrella:

The Steampunk Gents Brolly



Very tempted to go get another helping of custard soup. Wonder how it'd go over fresh canteloupe? I think I'm going to have to find out. Excuse me!