Katy Trail - Part 3

This morning we headed out for part 3 of our Katy Trail ride. We got started later than we would have liked to - but as the weather was cool and beautiful it didn't matter too much.

We began at Pittman Hill Road and (some of us) went as far as Weldon Spring, and back. A total of about 14 miles I think.

We stopped by the river and had a little rest and snack.

Dh and the girl made it all the way to Weldon Spring...the boy and I - not as far. Ds was having right wing issues and so we turned back and rested awhile.

It was pretty slow going coming back due to the sore arm, 2 snakes (1 dead, 1 living), 1 peacock and a deer that was sighted. Also - we took a little side trip.

The girl and dh spotted a large (according to the girl) lizard.

Aren't webworm "nests" creepy?? Reminds me of the large spider cocoons I saw as a teenager watching "Kingdom of the Spiders" on television.

At the end of the road, everyone agreed they had had an enjoyable time, all things considered. What could make the experience any better than to top it all off with a Happy Meal at McDonalds.

Tomatillos

The tomatillo (toe-ma-tee-oh) is a small round fruit (used as a vegetable generally) that is a member of the nightshade family (as are tomatoes and eggplants). These 4 little tomatillos cost 75 cents. Tomatillos are used in Mexican cooking.

The tomatillo is covered in a papery "husk" that when removed, there is a sticky residue that needs to be washed off.

Both kids liked the taste...dd said "It tastes like a pepper - a sour pepper." Ds said "I like it - it is kind of like an apple."

I was surprised how sour it was. Dd was right - it is sour and has the taste of a mild green pepper...the consistency is firmer than a tomato - kind of crunchy and juicy like biting an apple slice.

After tasting it fresh - I cut it up, and made it into a cooked salsa that I mixed in with a taco salad.

T. Boone Pickens

I've just got to say - that guy has one of the coolest sounding names! I've heard him talking on the radio a few times recently and his name totally fits his voice.

Alfalfa Sprouts

The kids really like bean sprouts so I thought I'd give alfalfa sprouts a try. I like how thin and fine they look and figured they'd be good on a veggie sub type sandwich.

I didn't like them. The kids DID like them - go figure.

One problem for me was that when I was eating them they kind of reminded me of hair - and there isn't too much that can as quickly ruin my appetite as finding a hair in my food.

Homegrown Tomatoes - Exotic?

Are homegrown tomatoes exotic eating? Well if for 11 months of the year the only tomatoes you eat are the pale, tasteless store-bought variety - you'd probably think homegrown were exotic!

Yesterday on our way home from church we noticed a couple of houses with "tomatoes for sale" signs posted. We stopped at a house we'd been to a year or so ago and the tomatoes were $1.50 per lb. Seemed a bit high so we moved on to the other house with a sign - just one street over. Tomatoes - $1.00 per lb.

I walked up the sidewalk to the front porch where a table was set up in front of the living room window (curtains open a crack for peeking I suppose). On the table was a scale, tomatoes and a cash box with a note saying it was "the honor system".

I weighed out 2 lbs and then out walked an elderly gentleman bringing some more tomatoes. These ones were larger - so I got another lb.

The tomatoes were great just sliced and sprinkled with some salt and pepper or on toast with fat-free mayo/salt/pepper/pickle slices.

Katy Trail - Part 2

Yesterday after an early supper, we headed out to begin "Part 2" of our Katy Trail ride.

Last time we went as far as the bridge above - so this time we drove to the parking lot by the bridge and started there.

It was a very pleasant evening on the trail. Few riders/walkers/joggers and the temperature was relatively cool. All together we rode about 10 miles - which means 5 miles further down the trail and then back to our starting destination.

Now here was a kind of odd thing that happened on the trail.

We were riding along the trail when coming in the opposite direction was a lady and a man. I instantly recognized the lady as someone I had seen at a restaurant about an hour away, three days before.

When they passed us coming back I heard them talking to each other for about 5 seconds - and in that 5 seconds they mentioned the name of the restaurant we were at.

If we lived in a small town of 10,000 and this occurred it would not have been so surprising. But we live in a pretty large metropolitan area - and I NEVER ever run into anyone I know. Well let me correct that - I did run into our librarian at the Big Lots one day - but the library is almost right next door to Big Lots so that isn't so surprising.

In Case You Are Like My Mother

and are wondering what ever happened to "Exotic Eating Experiment" - I'll tell you.

This blog started out about the kids and I trying new foods and then blogging about it. Throughout the months it has morphed into more of a "typical" blog about what is going on in our lives. Our families and friends live hither and yon - and so this is a good place to let them all see what is happening in our corner of the universe.

We continue to try new foods once in awhile - whenever we come across something that looks interesting - but I haven't been as active in scouting out new things for us to try. Our great international food store is about a 1/2 hr drive and for some reason I haven't been as enthusiastic about driving out there as regularly.

So this is the reason there hasn't been as much food experimenting going on...