Idaho

People are always asking me questions about Idaho. The most common question I get is: What do you miss about Idaho? Well here it is:

A beautiful sunset in Roseberry Idaho.

Payette Lake in McCall Idaho

I really miss the beauty of Idaho. People are always cracking jokes about the potatoes and how backwards they think Idaho is, but the funny thing is that most of those people have never even been here. They have no idea of how beautiful it is here. I also miss the people of Idaho. We went to the music festival in Roseberry and it was fun just to relax and listen to the music. It was also fun to sit back and look at all the people. I can't exactly put my finger on what exactly makes Idahoans look different, but part off it is the laid back attitude. I also noticed that once you head north of Boise, most men don't shave. Gillette must not make any money here.
The old general store in Roseberry Idaho.

It was great to be able to go back home for a visit. When I first moved away from Idaho I felt so free and independent. I loved exploring my new surroundings and feeling proud of myself for being brave enough to move away. But now I feel myself being homesick more often. I'm sure that part of it is Isha, but I also think that as the newness of Virginia wears of I miss Idaho more and more. I feel guilty that I took so much for granted when I lived in Idaho. Virginia is beautiful and I really do love it here, but it will never be a replacement for Idaho. There is something about the place you grow up. It becomes a part of who you are.

You know you are in Idaho when you get out of your car and step into a cow pie. I like to call this an Idaho welcome mat! Ha Ha.
It was great to see some wildlife while I was at home, like this deer that ran through the cottage neighborhood in McCall.
My grandmother came to visit and we were able to get a picture of all four generations together. I have a 4 generations picture with my Great Grandmother and I want Isha to have one so that someday she can look at it and see all of us together.
It breaks my heart sometimes that Isha won't grow up an Idahoan, but at least I get to bring her home and take her to the places that I grew up and that are important to me. She will probably always be a Virginian at heart, but that is okay because she will have her own special memories just like I do.
The one thing I miss most about Idaho is my family. Sometimes I feel like I have cheated Isha out of a lot by living so far away from home, but then I remember that if it wasn't for meeting Jai and moving to Virginia, I wouldn't even have Isha. So I just do the best I can. Isha may not grow up in Idaho, but at least she will have lots of good memories of time spent there.

Go Local Challenge Week #5

I know that this is a little late, but better late than never. I didn't have time to post our last local meal that we had before I left town for Idaho.

I made it down to the Byrd House Market and found lots of yummy stuff to buy. I spent an arm and a leg for two local chicken breast, but when you meet the people who did all of the hard work to bring you that chicken you don't feel as bad spending so much on it. Along with our chicken we had fried green tomatoes, corn on the cob and roasted red potatoes for dinner. I didn't get any pictures of the meal. Jai always laughs at me when I take pictures of the food. I can't help it, I am a proud local eater!
We missed making a local meal last week because Isha and I were in Idaho. We won't be making a local meal this week, because after all of the traveling I don't feel like driving around and looking for local food this week. BUT, next week I am going to cook local all week, except for Friday because we always go out on Friday night. Wish me luck. Hopefully I can find lots of good stuff to fill up our fridge!

Go Local Challenge Week #4

I tried to find some local meat for this weeks meal, but unfortunately it just didn't happen this week. Sara sent me a link to a store that carries local meet, but when I went there they said that there have been problems getting the distributors to send them anything. They did have a few whole chickens, but I wasn't up for spending $12. I do know that I am going to have to fork out some dough for the meat and after Jai's reaction to this weeks meal I will probably be doing it next week! This week we had local peppers stuffed with not so local brown rice (this is what freaked Jai out), quinoa and cheddar cheese. The corn, beans and cucumbers were all local and the sauce on top of the peppers was my left over spaghetti sauce from last week. I really enjoyed this meal and Isha chowed down on the corn and stuffed peppers!

I got a hold of my friend that works for Ukrops and he said that their meat comes from many different states, but that some of it is actually local. So I guess there is the potential that the meat in the spaghetti sauce was local! Finding local meat has been the biggest challenge. The demand is so high for it that it either flies of the shelf or stores can't even get it in. There is a farmers market on Tuesdays called The Byrd House Market were local vendors bring meat and there is also a farm in the neighboring county that is open to the public on Saturdays so we may head out there to get some local meat! A trip to the farm sound like fun.

Heaven

Dessert was so good that I decided that it needed it's own post!!!
I love peaches and nectarines, but I had given up on eating them because the ones from the grocery store are awful. They are hard as a rock with absolutely no flavor and half the time they never ripen properly. When I saw these ones at my little fruit stand I decided to buy a few and give them a try. They were so good that I had to go back the next day and get more!
These nectarines came from a farm just outside of Charlottesville, VA and they were wonderful. I sliced them up and sprinkled them with a little sugar, which they really didn't need and some cinnamon.
The best part was that I found some local ice cream, from Homestead Creamery in Burnt Chimney, VA, to eat them with. They tasted so good that it was like being in Heaven!!! This was the best ice cream. It was totally different than all that mass produced junk. It tasted like the stuff that we used to make at home.

Isha's Little Dress

Here is the finished product. I am glad that I finally got around to finishing this because it turned out to be really cute and if I had waited any longer it wouldn't have fit her! There is a head scarf that goes with it, but I am not sure that I am going to make it. Isha isn't good about keeping things on her head. Plus it is so hot here in the summer that it would be uncomfortable to wear.

I had to redo the stitches around the top because the hole was to small for her head to fit through. After a few tries I finally came up with something that worked. This pattern can be modified for bigger kids so I might even make another one for her. I think it would be cute to make it shorter and then use it as a shirt. I have even thought about making one and putting a long sleeve shirt underneath and some cute tights and then she could wear it in winter. We will see if I actually get around to any of these cute ideas.
We went out to dinner last night with some friends so we will be doing our local meal tonight instead. I will post our meal here tomorrow. It isn't very creative, but that is the beautiful of local meals, you just go with what ya got!