busy busy busy

I'm so sorry, my flistees. It's been a hectic few days, and more hectic times to come as DHS is sending me on a two-day training in Brooklyn starting tomorrow.

I've sorted through my Infinitus pics, but I still need to upload them to post. In the meantime, here is a short video of the sorting hat. If you listen carefully, you can hear the sorting hat warn you not to get on the Forbidden Journey actual ride (past the queue through the castle) if you are pregnant or suffer motion sickness. I should have listened - as I can't even ride the subway sitting backwards without getting woozy. Nevertheless, I'm glad I went on it, even if I was still sick the next morning as the other snapecasters unfortunately witnessed.

In other news, I had my dinner party Saturday night and it was a great success. The food came out exactly as I hoped- my brother couldn't get enough of my hummus or my leek tarts. The lemon/fume sauce for the fish and zucchini was light and creamy and frothy just as Eric Ripert describes in the book. And I got the kids to eat veggies, whole wheat bread, and entertain themselves with the kitties and NO TV ALL EVENING.

My SiL wants to do it again. :)

Here is Jenna playing with Calliope


Now I'm off to another meeting, and tonight is CSA night again! I'm hoping for cilantro, as I've got two ideas in mind.

Ciao for now!

CSA and horoscope

Ok, people, I need your help this week! The first two items in my pick-up, I have no idea about them. Anyone? Anyone?

Thanks to a little help from my flist and my amazing powers of google-fu, I discovered that alache is the Spanish word for 'spurred anoda." It's used in soups and stews, and for medicinal purposes. Reading about it didn't make it any more appealing than it looks (spiky and hairy).

Papalos is also called Bolivian Cilantro and is used fresh in salsa and otherwise similarly to cilantro. It smells quite peppery.

Papalos
Alache
Parsley
Lettuce
Kirby cucumbers
Zucchini
Zucchini blossoms

Also, this week's Rob Brezsny horoscope mirrors my thoughts on what it's been like reading about citizenship theory:

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Some of the biggest whales feed primarily on tiny organisms like protozoa, algae, and krill. They swim around with their mouths open, gulping seawater, using filtering structures in their upper jaws to sieve out the stuff they want to eat. Their strategy for getting a meal has resemblances to an approach you may benefit from using: sifting
through a lot of superfluous material to get the rich basics you seek. Discernment isn't the only skill you'll need; relaxed patience will be crucial, too.