Billie says...
Hello world. It's been a while!
So, we have this beautiful crop of basil happening outside our side door. Big, green, beautiful basil. Aaron likes to check on them every morning. It's really heart-warming how excited he gets over our plants.
I started them as seeds around January, and the first batch died... so I over-planted the next one hoping that maybe at least a fourth of them would live.
Well, all but just a few did.
SO! Now we have beautiful basil!
We've made pesto twice this week and it's been a success both times thanks to Aaron and our new food processor.
We also discovered that you can freeze pesto in ice cube trays for warming up later when you so desire fresh pesto. I feel spoiled rotten every day.
We also learned how to make some pretty fantastic bagels after our trip to New York (recipe here). It's been tested by one of my friends in Seattle (their adorable baby boy is allergic to eggs, so I'm on a quest to find lovely egg-free recipes for them) and she had excellent results as well - so you should give it a try if you're feeling adventurous!
Did I say New York? I did! Aaron played at The Lincoln Center for their Midsummer Night's Swing event with his band The Mint Julep Jazz Band. You can check my Instagram for pictures of the city that never sleeps! We had a blast. My friend (and lawyer) Jodi came up to visit and we had a grand time. We had brunch with my friend Kim from my UNC School of the Arts and her boyfriend at Smith's. We did every touristy New Yorky thing we could think of! We had a blast.
Before that it was Moab, UT for my cousin's wedding with The Feather side of the family. SO FREAKING BEAUTIFUL. Are you into Canyons? Crazy landscapes? Rivers? Adventure? Fossils? Cave drawings? Everything!? Y'all should seriously go. Make a trip.
Around July 4th, I went to Pennsylvania with my Dad to the beautiful Feather Farm where we helped my cousin build a tiny house in three days. My uncle is making his own wine from the grapes on the farm and we now have blackberries and snowpeas. It's just magical up there.
Where in the world are we going next?!
Wanna guess?
Yep! THE BEACH!!!!!
This weekend! Hopefully I'll blog a bit from out there. We'll see!
OH! But not before playing the Cardinal Direction Beer Fest in Carrboro, NC. Come out and see The Holland Brothers (such fabulous people) - I'll be on bass and Aaron will be sitting in with us for the night. It's fun to make music with your friends.
Right now, I'm sitting in Winston-Salem sipping some lovely iced coffee, about to spend the evening teaching music. It's nice to just chill for a second. I've always loved Winston-Salem. Durham is quickly becoming home... but it will never be Winston for me. :) I guess that's what happens when you spend 11 years in a place!
What's Aaron doing tonight?!?!
He's playing with the North Carolina Jazz Repertory Orchestra at the Sharp 9/Durham Jazz Workshop. If you don't know about Sharp 9... you seriously should check it out. There's some really great music happening over there.
Gotta jet... that's it for now!
More adventures soon!
