Decoration Day

Kind of a run and shop weekend here. Our family does not gather for Memorial Day BBQ's, but instead gather at the cemeteries to pay respects to those who have gone before us. Decoration Day, as my grandmother would call it. We would go out to the cemetery, spruce up the graves, place geraniums ( a white one and a pink for the ladies, red for the men) , and tell stories about them. It was not until years later I heard of the day called Memorial Day with the intention of honoring the fallen Vets. There was only one member of my family who served in the military ( desk job- never saw combat), so that aspect was not involved. It seems that after WW1 the practice of honoring Vets was started, and my grandmother did not want to leave anyone out and so the practice was started to honor the whole family. I will go tomorrow to pay my respects, and perhaps encounter a few of my living relations in the process.

Meanwhile it has been shopping, and some further adventures in gluten free. Last night for dinner I made something called Cottage Cheese and Spinach Pie, but substituted red swiss chard for the spinach

Cottage Cheese and Spinach Pie ( gluten free)

1 package frozen spinach (very well drained -- (10 oz.) water squeezed out)
1 cup low or non-fat cottage cheese
3 egg whites
1 small onion -- chopped any way you like
A handful of fresh basil -- chopped
Fresh garlic cloves to taste (I used 5 medium)
4 tbsp. Grated Cheese (I use Romano)

Combine all ingredients. Place into non-stick sprayed casserole, or 9-inch cast iron skillet. Bake at 350§ for about 45 minutes or until top is browned.

Verdict ? Swiss chard, when frozen , gets a very strong flavor. Next time I will use spinach ! The fact that this is a crustless pie makes it gluten free, low carb and lower in calories than a quiche. I served it with a salad of romaine, dandelion greens, watercress , berries and pepitas.

Today is going to be a shopping quest. I have to find an outfit for a wedding ( for both Nick and I) that happens in a couple of weeks. Problem with this one is that it is an outdoor wedding. While it is casual, it is still a wedding , so I don't think shorts and tee shirts will cut it. I am scratching my head as to what to wear for this one and hoping I will get inspiration once I see what is offered. Second objective is a new computer for me. Sharing a computer with Nick is simply not working out. We do most of his school on the computer ( and we are doing summer school this year) , I use it for household management, research, gathering of homeschool materials and more. While we have been able to share, it always winds up one of us is up into the wee hours of the morning trying to catch up with the tasks we could not accomplish during the day. So before we start getting sick from lack of sleep or becoming aggravated with each other, a another computer will enter out lives. I just need to find room to put it !