mattie g

Really impressive...and really cool!

And so much btching about heat or sun or whatever. FFS, people...

At the center of our solar system.

One of my favorite things to eat in the summer is caprese salad, with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden, as well as homemade mozzarella (which is surprisingly easy to make). Add a few drops of good extra virgin olive oil, a drizzle of high-quality aged balsamic (I don't care what the "purists" say), and a bit of fresh cracked pepper and you've got yourself a quick and delicious summer lunch!

Had a couple of the DDH AC (Citra/Galaxy) this weekend and really enjoyed them. Really looking forward to doing a side-by-side with the DIPA version!

That picture is one of the more extreme examples, but you definitely see holes and cicadas when you lift up rocks and such. A few random holes in the ground otherwise. With the warm weather coming up, I suspect that by midweek it’ll be rockin’ around here.

Found this under a 10x10 brick path stone. Pretty much the same thing under every big rock/stone/log you pick up: Edit: Buku -> big

Nice! Just ordered DDH Double AC (Citra/Galaxy) and a few other 4-packs. Really looking forward to it...

Down to 33 yesterday and 32 this morning in Burke. Chilly, but I'm fine with it as long as the comes out and it's relatively short-lived. And there's little wind. We've affectionately referred to them as "pollen bombs." We used to have laurel oak catkins everywhere when we lived in Fairlington, but now we're subjected to the circular beech pollen bombs from the multiple 80+' tress in our neighbors' yards. They're beautiful trees, but they shed catkins in the spring; then the squirrels start eating the nuts and dropping the (pointy) casings in the summer; in the autumn, the remaining nuts fall; finally, in winter and early-spring winds bring down the remaining casings.

Been hardening off my tomatoes and jalapenos for the last 10 days. Everyone seems to be doing OK, so I'll probably end up planting late next week. I need to build a new raised bed for cucurbits (mostly just cantaloupes right now), so might do that this Sunday or in another week or two. No rush, as my cantaloupe seedlings are only just getting their first true leaves, but it's been on my mind for a while, so I just want to get it done!

I hope you covered both for the last two nights!

They can just do yoga and treat themselves with essential oils and they'll be fine.

Looks great! I've always wondered what the cedar actually contributes, as I've never had cedar-plank salmon. I've been wanting to do it on the BGE for a while now, but just haven't gotten around to it.

I’m not really sure what you mean when you mention what the vaccine does to your body chemistry. What a vaccine does is preps your body to fight a disease by prompting it to produce antibodies to that disease. I get that some folks have reservations, but the alternative of potentially contracting COVID seems a much less desired outcome than any side effects of getting the vaccine.

Was about to say that I hear some high-pitched, constant screeching out there tonight.

Just got a Public Safety Alert on my phone that Virginia is opening up vaccinations for everyone 16+. That was a little unexpected, if I'm honest. And not only that, but it freaked me out a little when it came through!

It was good to go back, if nothing else! As an admitted beer geek, Aslin has been the "local" go-to for me and my buddies over the last five years or so, and we're currently members of the Mug Club. Their quality has definitely gone down in the last couple years, though it's still good to very good - just not what it once was. It's definitely worth a trip, but they have a much larger variety outdoors, where they pour from cans only. You can get beers inside, but the tap list is pretty limited.

Not bad. Didn’t get as much done as I’d hoped, but did get the Big Green Egg table stained (finally) and most of the areas of the deck that needed it sanded. Hope to finish up tomorrow!

It was fantastic. Really thick, not overly sweet nor oaky, and incredibly well balanced. Honestly one of the best Aslin stouts I’ve ever had, which is saying a lot given the quality of their stout/barrel program. They say it’s 10%, but I think that’s the ABV of their base stout; though as stouts age in barrels, like spirits, their ABV tends to increase.

Meeting my best friend at Aslin Alexandria this afternoon to try the (accidental) 4-year-aged bourbon barrel stout they have on tap. We’ve had a few beers together over the last year (probably hung out 4-5 times outside), but definitely haven’t been to a bar-restaurant. Both of us are fully vaxxed at this point. Hanging out outside without much worry on a cool spring Friday should be pretty awesome!

Thanks! For NY-style pies, I run it at 500 or so - Neapolitan pies are 750 or thereabouts. i love having the steel. It makes a big difference when you’re cooking multiple pizzas because they hold heat so well. On the Egg, I stay the cook with the screen on the steel, then slide it into the steel about 5 minutes in. This keeps the bottom from getting too burned while also helping to crisp it up. In the oven, I start with the screen on the top rack, then slide onto the steel on the bottom rack at about 5 minutes. Yup...72-hour ferment is ideal. Flavor is spot on and it allows for much better/more even browning. A pizza oven sounds awesome! Would love to see some results!

I think a lot of people are concerned about flying because they’re packed into a tube with a couple hundred of their closest friends who may or may not have COVID. The others aren’t traveling because they don’t think they need to given the public health emergency.

Yup. The first shot was *so* painless that I honestly doubted they actually poked me! I felt the second shot more, but I've been much more uncomfortable while receiving plenty of other shots in the past.

Agreed with those who say just the spot where the needle went in. The second shot was more of a general shoulder muscle ache, but nothing different than pretty much any other shot I've ever had.

It’s worth the search. The 50-lb bags from RD are like $20, so if you have access or know someone with access to RD, give it a shot! It also makes good bread. Another suggestion is to use a pizza screen. Not absolutely necessary, but I’ve found it makes a real difference in the evenness of my cook.