I just found a CF card from almost a year ago. A lot of the photos on it are from a Hop Farm tour I took in early August last year. It was so much fun, but I never did manage to write a post about it. Now I’m in southwest Washington State and vaguely contemplating the post again. Why? Because far away in Washington state there’s a hop museum. I live in Chicago, so even a drive of two or more hours feels practically next door. Of course, one just opened recently in Wisconsin, so you’d think I could just go there. But, really, I don’t see why I can’t do BOTH1. Then write you guys a post. In late July.

It’s 85F here today. A temperature when I want to eat myself silly in tomatoes. Unfortunately, it is not yet tomato season. Last year, at the end of the season, I ended up with a ton more tomatoes than I could eat before they went bad. So I threw them in the smoker, then made a variation on this tomato jam recipe from Food in Jars. It’s amazing and I was shocked the other day to discover I still have a jar or two. Once I get back home, I’ll be devouring it.

But, since we’re not home, we’re swimming instead. This is our neice, Hazel, getting ready to dive on in. She’s a very good swimmer for her age (about four). Better than I am, frankly. But I am more ready than I ever have been to get better. Maybe I even will.

1 Probably not, actually, as I don’t think I can get to the WA Hop Museum this trip. ➥