Hot.

Seattlites are weenies. It's true!
I went to college in Arizona, I should be able to handle this, but a week of temps in the 90's (well today is supposed to be the hottest day on record, topping over 100 degrees) and we Seattlites are reduced to a puddle of misery.
Like the four feet of snow we had last winter, we are not prepared to handle 90 degree weather (much less 100 degree weather). People are waiting overnight outside home stores in hopes of purchasing air conditioners being trucked in from Chicago.

So between cold showers (at 9:30, 11, 6 am, and 10:30...) I am making a list.

My top 10 ways to beat the Seattle heat:
1. The cold shower is a must. It ranks number one for proximity (you don't have to brave the boiling outdoors to get there!) and cost effectiveness (if like me water is included in your home owner dues).
2. Hang out in your freezer. There are sure to be boxes of tasty treats (in my case 6 kinds of popsicles and icy things), and the air in there is cold. Cold is good. Oh, but don't hang out too long, those tasty treats will melt.
3. Go to work. If you work in a respectable office building, it will be the only place to find air-conditioning. Barring work, head to a shopping mall. We took a trek over to University Village on Sunday, they have air-conditioned shopping and frozen yogurt. I was quite pleased.
4. If you decide to stick it out at home, make sure all windows and doors are open. Check fans obsessively to ensure that are working. Try placing bowls of ice in front of fans, and invest in a misting bottle filled with ice water.
5. Iced coffee. Drink by the gallon. It is Seattle after all, I know you know what iced coffee is!
6. Contemplate sun tea, that too could be iced.
7. Nordstrom sale. Again, air-conditioned, and they have cute shoes!
8. Dream of Hawaii, it is cooler there. It is cooler on most tropical islands.

9. Be thankful that you don't live in Vegas (sorry Carrie!) it is presently 102 there, with an expected high of 105 today. Yikes!
10. Dream of fall and winter, they will come soon enough. Maybe you should just enjoy the heat now?

Update:
11. Add some ice packs to the bed!

Cucumbers and other delimas

I feel like this has been a particularly difficult summer for growing veggies! My standard houseplants seem to flourish though our recent heat waves, but my veggies are unhappy! My pepper plants were the first casualty, they had a nasty case of aphids. The banana tree hatched so fungus gnats - I learned they have to be watered from the bottom lest they attract these small fruit fly like bugs. My tomatoes are struggling, bug and disease free, but slow growing this year.
...And that brings me to the cucumbers.
I think all of these problems are the result of starting veggies from seeds (that are not disease resilient varieties), using organic soil, and heavy watering to combat heavy heat/sun exposure.
I haven't ever had this many problems with my veggies! It saddens me really.
The cucumbers are loosing their leaves to some kind of fungus, after googling I think it has something to do with the watering.... *sigh*
Anyone have any ideas on how to save my 23 baby cucumbers? :)

Cinnamon-Rhubarb Muffins

A friend from work gave me some rhubarb from her mother's garden... it was chopped and frozen, eating away at me, begging (from inside the freezer) to be baked into something delicious!
I found this recipe on FineCooking.com, but (of course!) have made a few alterations:

Cinnamon-Rhubarb Muffins
The recipe notes that the muffins are best when still warm... I kind of disagree. I sack all of my muffins by two in Ziploc bags and toss them in the freezer to take to work for breakfast/snack, I think the muffins were better after freezing, the flavors became more clearly recognizable.

2 cups flour (I used one cup white and one cup wheat)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sour cream (I used 1/2 cup Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup sour cream - both fat free)
1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups 1/4-inch-diced rhubarb (I used about 2 cups, and felt like I could have added more, though my chunks were larger than the recommended 1/4 inch cube)

For the topping:
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
(I used a premixed cinnamon and sugar shaker that David brought when he moved in and that I now love) :)

Preheat your oven to 4oo degrees. Slice the butter into 1 inch cubes, place in a oven safe dish and toss it in the oven while preheating to melt.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon , baking soda, and salt - whisk to blend.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. I loved this part, your end result smells like tasty vanilla custard - but no tasting! It contains eggs! :)
Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not over mix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb - your batter will be very thick.
Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups, sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mix, and then bake until golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes.
When you take the muffins out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for the first 10 minutes or so, this helps them firm up and will hopefully keep all of your rhubarb in the muffin (I did have one casualty!)

These muffins are so good and remind me of my Mom's Rhubarb Cake! Just make sure to use paper muffin cups or Pam with flour baking spray (the one with flour is like a magic trick, nothing sticks!)

I hope you enjoy! :)