Eat local, eat well

There's something beautiful about picking food right from the plant, rinsing off the dirt and tasting the sun in produce so recently attached to the earth. There's also something beautiful about paying $1.60 per pound for organically grown strawberries. 

Last weekend, while in Virginia Beach, I spent an hour in the morning sun, crawling down rows of strawberry plants, sweeping aside leaves to check for deep red fruit. It was hard to stop picking fruit when my bowl was full. The farm also had veggies at its stand, and I left with not only berries, but also vidalia onions and two massive sweet potatoes. These are about three times the size of the ones in the store, all for $1 each.

Produce farms weren't the only local businesses I supported that weekend. About half an hour drive away, in Knotts Island, N.C., are two family-owned vineyards, more than 10 and 20 years old. The marshland itself was lovely, as was the tasting at the Moonrise Bay Vineyard. More than the boardwalk and tourist attractions in Virginia Beach, I enjoyed getting a taste of the area from the land itself.

(Knotts Island, N.C.)

(Marshland near the Virginia-North Carolina border)

(Moonrise Bay Vineyard on Knotts Island, N.C.)

(Virginia Beach, Va.)

(Bald Cypress trees at First Landing State Park, Virginia Beach)

(Photos by H. Farrell)

Easy pasta and bean salad

I made this pasta salad entirely out of food I already had in the pantry and fridge -- and it took no more than 15 minutes to make. The recipe below is pretty mild, so if you want more flavor, boost the amount of seasonings. Or, make up your own dish with whatever you have in cans or in the freezer, waiting to be eaten (I don't care for black olives, but if you do, I bet they'd be great in this). Also, experiment with different ways of serving it: this recipe goes well over chopped green leaf or romaine.

Easy pasta and bean salad

1 box whole wheat pasta shells
1/2 bag frozen petite peas
2 carrots, diced
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 T sesame seeds
dried basil, black pepper and sea salt to taste
olive oil

In a large pot, cook pasta al dente according to directions, with salt and olive oil added to the water. Drain and set aside. In the same pot you used to cook the pasta, sauté in olive oil the carrots and peas, add lemon and balsamic, beans, sesame, and spices. After a few minutes, add the pasta. Stir constantly for about a minute or until the pasta begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and let cool. Chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight.

(Recipe by H. Farrell)

Cherry Blossom Festival

Finally, after years of living in the D.C. area, I made it to the city's cherry blossom parade and Japanese street festival. The parade reminded me of the one on the Fourth of July (there were some familiar balloons), but who doesn't like watching the colorful floats and listening to the bands as they march past? It also gave me a chance to use my new camera. It was quite an upgrade, so I'm still getting used to the differences. But already I love the improvement in picture color and clarity.

(Photos by H. Farrell)

More cherry blossoms photos

Images from the Tidal Basin during the cherry blossom peak blooming time...

(Photos by H. Farrell)

Cherry blossoms and kites in DC

It's that time of year when Washington realizes that winter is (finally) over and tourist season has begun. I plan to join the crowds around the Tidal Basin this week, but we have some of D.C.'s favorite flower right in our front yard. The old cherry tree that looks so sad most of the year (and lost a couple of branches in Snowpocalypse) finally has its week to shine. And, the always-entertaining event on the Cherry Blossom Festival's opening day -- the Smithsonian Kite Festival -- happened on a beautiful, sunny day on the Mall. 
Happy spring!

(our poor cherry tree went from snow-covered branches to ones full of blossoms!)

(Photos by H. Farrell)

Pittsburgh's colors

Growing up in the Midwest, I know how gray everything can be after months of snow, dirty snow, salt-covered roads and cloudy winter skies. A clear, sunny day -- no matter the temperature -- is always welcome, if only for the blue sky and brighter landscape. It was one of those days on a recent weekend in Pittsburgh. The sky set off the vivid yellow bridges downtown, giving even more color to a city awash in black and gold.

(Photos by H. Farrell)