Posing with Carrots

I paused this morning on my way to the car, to admire and photograph the colorful artwork on my sidewalk.   Don't you think my youngest niece's rainbow hair is lovely?  After a fun filled evening, which included playing in the swimming pool, running in the sprinkler, tasting vegetables from the garden, playing keep-away with the dog, sidewalk self portraits, hop scotch, and campfire marshmallow toasting (oh my!), it was nice to see some evidence of the good time which seemed to go by in a blur of toys and popsicles.   

I like the cute green eyelashes and button nose on the drawing of my older niece.  She looks just as cute in real life, but normally her eyes are blue, and only look pink in photos with a bad flash.  What's with the blue halo or spacesuit, I wondered?

My contribution to the portraits was to outline their bodies when they laid down on the sidewalk.  I had to work fast, since there was some worry that the ants on the sidewalk wouldn't remain on the sidewalk given the opportunity to colonize prone children.   After studying the drawings this morning in the daylight, I decided the blue helmet must be to protect her from the raindrops which are coming from above.  At least I hope they are raindrops...

What kind of aunt asks a kid to pose with a carrot?!  I just couldn't miss the opportunity to combine the cuteness of brand new front teeth, with the cuteness of baby carrots from my garden.  I said "you look just like Bug's Bunny!," and I got a polite smile in return.  Who?  

My worst party faux pas, by far, was that I didn't have any ranch salad dressing to dip the carrot in, and we had to settle for a vinaigrette!  Some of us really enjoyed eating the little carrot, and some of us didn't, but the highlight was really getting to pull them from the ground and washing the dirt off.   

The kids weren't the only ones enjoying the garden harvest this week.  I've been making green smoothies using kohlrabi, chard, beet leaf, parsley, and carrot top, blended with banana's and frozen fruit.  My sandwiches are over loaded with lettuce, and a salad with homegrown lettuce, sugar snap peas, and chopped fennel leaf was a highlight of the weeks menu.  

Mmmm....liquid vegetables...  Cheers!