Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

The weather this July has been cooler and cloudy... but still no rain. It's good and bad.  I find myself wishing for a good downpour, and then the clearing and sun that follows.  But, all the sky does is threaten.

Our 4th of July staycation was AWESOME!  Besides doing a lot of relaxing, some gardening, coffee drinking and playing with the dogs, we also went to the Girdwood Forest Fair.

 
 We hiked to Rabbit Lake (trail head just a few miles from our house).

After a few year hiatus, we busted out the canoe gear and went canoeing at Eklutna lake (about 45 min north of Anchorage) while our friends kayaked.  First trip in a boat for Chuska.  It took him a bit to settle in... but after about an hour, he fell asleep :o).  It felt sooooo good to get back out on the water that we have started planning future canoe adventures.

This weekend was the Fireweed 400 bike race.  Four of us completed the 100 mile ride (aka - a century ride).  It was a gorgeous day for a ride!  I feel lucky to have great biking partners.  We all worked together so well as a "team".  I don't think I could have done it (happily or at the same pace!) without them.

I spent yesterday relaxing and made my first ever batch of kimchi! I followed a recipe that uses red cabbage instead of napa cabbage (traditionally used). It should be ready (depending how fermented I want it) in anywhere from 3 to 7 days.

I also put some garden rhubarb to use and made a small batch of rhubarb jam.  It has a great puckery taste and is such a beautiful pink!  I can't wait to use leftovers to make thumbprint cookies :)