B-E-E-T-S

Last night we harvested our Bull's Blood Beets and it was a full night/morning of home canning. We made pickled beets & onions and Grandma Carlson's Beet Jelly. The smell of boiling beets was nostalgic. In the morning, all the cans had sealed, and we had beet jelly on toast... it was well worth the effort.

The pickled beets were cooked with allspice, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.

We'd borrowed canning supplies from Mom & Dad. (Thanks folks!)

Beet jelly.

Beet jelly and pickled beets.

The Greatest Show on Earth

We had a great evening with the Pricketts eating at The Melting Pot and watching the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show. It was our first time at The Melting Pot; the experience was fun and tasty. Ken and I haven't been to the circus since we were little; our favorites of the night were the elephants and the tigers.

Mike and Kandi ready to do some damage with those fondue forks!

For the main course we cooked up ravioli, steak, salmon, chicken, and shrimp; Y-U-M!

NOW FOR THE CIRCUS PICTURES!!!
ZING ZANG ZOOM!!!

Before performing this stunt he prayed.
It was amazing and he wasn't hurt.

Oktoberfest!

Once again it is time for Oktoberfest! This year we enjoyed the festivities with the Serbeck family. Friends, music, bratwurst and beer made the trip worthwhile. Prost!

Harley and Dusty on their way up to the alpine slide.

No race for me...

Yesterday, I visited the UofU Orthopaedic Center and had x-rays taken of my knees to discover the source of all the pain in my right knee. Since my attempted 20-mile run on Sunday, which turned into a 12-mile run and 1.5-mile walk/bike ride, I've been off of my right foot using a cane, office chair (works great on hardwood floors), crutches (thanks Rich), and Ken (after all, he is the Sherpa) to get around.

My x-rays and having my leg woman-handled (my doc is a lady) did not result in any answers; the next step was an MRI. Today, the MRI revealed a stress fracture in the head of my tibia bone.

What does this mean?

• Four weeks on crutches, which could be lessened to two weeks if I have no more pain (hello couch!).
  
• Wearing an ugly-ass brace.
• Use of a stationary/elliptical bike starting in four weeks.
• PT of water-resistance running starting in eight weeks.
• Possible running (normally) in 3 months.
  

X-ray of my knees.

My MRI pictures.

Note: I turns out that I am a fidgety little thing and it was a bad choice to ask them to play a "Garbage" mix on the headphones during the MRI. The MRI guy had to tell me "Don't move. Your pictures are not going to turn out. I can tell that you are moving."; oops.

Ken, my chef...

This weekend we harvested tomatoes, carrots, and zucchini from our garden. Ken has put our abundance of zucchinis to good use and has prepared some tasty dishes. I, as his sous-chef, keep the kitchen clean and the mayhem level low. Below are a few kitchen pictures.

Veggies from our garden.

Ken preparing ingredients for Zucchini Quiche.

DING - quiche is done...

Y-U-M (it was sooooo good).

Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Tart - its got BACON in it!

Rock & Roll Wine Experience

The wine, the cheese, the CHOCOLATE... the Rock & Roll Wine Experience (presented by 97.5 The Blaze) at The Depot was great fun! Marion and I preferred the Ste Chapelle 2006 Soft Red and Ken preferred the Ste Chapelle Gewurztraminer. Can't wait for this event next year!

2009 Utah State Fair

Each year we try to make it out to the State Fair. Our friends, Marion and Ryk showed off their creative talents and had several entries in the Creative Arts Department and Home Arts Department (check out some of their ribbons below!). Ryk also entered the Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship; his caramel blondies were delicious, they should have placed. Enjoy the pics!

The Welde's Bears.

My Bear with some strange buoy made into a spider.

Ryk with his Best of Show piece!

Ryk's Lemon Poppy Seed Bread.

Marion's Banana Bread.

Ryk's Sauerkraut w/ Caraway.

Marion's Pepper Jelly.

We ate alligator on a stick and frog legs! Eating a frog leg landed Ken in the dentist's chair the next day (bum deal; stupid frog leg; frogs are going to pay).

Lion Bunny - too cute.

More bun-buns!

Piggie!

I want me a GOAT!

Feet, please keep a movin'...

After a 14-mile run last Saturday, I'd thought my left foot was in big trouble. I had pain throughout the run and a huge swollen bump on the top of my foot. Since then, I've been icing it and taking anti-inflammatory drugs. On Wednesday, I visited a podiatrist; x-rays showed no sign of stress fractures. The doctor shaped an insert to place into my shoe, which is meant to take the pressure away from the top of my foot; thus far, it has been working and I've done a 5 and a 6-mile run. I am still on my way to the St. George Marathon!

Hammy Video

Just a littl' short vid of the Harley Hammy
(she starts off in the ball - top right).