Cultivating Mint and the love of it

A few years ago I brought home a small pot of mint.  I'd read that it spreads easily, and I hoped it would as I planted it in our flower-bed out front.  Little did I know!  It has reproduced and spread to cover at least a quarter of the bed by now.
After three years or so of not using nearly as much as I'd like to, I've finally tried to figure out how to use some of it, and I'm pleased to say that I've had a couple of successes this week.
I've already known that I liked mint in my water for quite a long time.  I simply stick a few stems of mint in the pitcher, fill it with water, and place it in the fridge.  I'll refill that pitcher three times or so before throwing the leaves out.
Today, I plucked a stem of mint and plucked the leaves off, setting them in my big coffeemaker, which I use for regular tea.  I placed a family-size teabag on top and allowed it to percolate.  After chilling in the fridge, it is an excellent beverage--I'm tickled as can be about it.  Stash makes a 'Moroccan Mint' tea that involves green tea, maybe, and mint.  Anyhow, this reminds me of that.  Delicious!
My big success this week, however, was in making quinoa salad with mint instead of cilantro.  I'd been thinking about tabouleh, which I believe is made with mint, but, since I'm gluten-free, that's not an option.  In thinking of variations, simply subsituting that herb came to mind.  It's fantastic!  I ate the quinoa salad the past two days, and I used quite a bit of mint in the process--straight from my garden!
This is exciting for me because I consider myself to have a brown thumb.  I have no skill at growing anything.  With this mint, though, I must have stumbled upon just the right combination of soil conditions and all, because my mint is thriving!  I love the idea of consuming our own plants--absolutely fresh with 100% of their nutrients, just moments after picking.  Generally, I've failed dismally with growing successful garden plants, but I've decided to learn to love my mint, and it's working!

My writing chops don't feel up-to-snuff just now, for some reason, but I thought I'd throw in a blog anyhow.  

What's new with us?

Well, we got those chickies.  Surprisingly, we haven't named them yet.  Not really.  I sort of want to wait for a while, but I think I'm also holding back from getting too attached.  I hate to be callous, but I think I am, a little.  So cute, anyhow, though...

Michael ran an ultra-marathon.  Crazy, crazy man.  That's 50K, or 32 miles.  Relieved he didn't get injured, and rather hoping he's 'been there, done that', you know?  That's just too far!

The kids are in sailing camp this week, which makes me pretty darn happy--because it's just one of those things like horseback riding lessons, you know?  I'm happy to give them new experiences, especially fun, affordable ones.  Things that will make them confident in the future, under a variety of potential conditions.

Well, I suppose I shouldn't say I stick with 'fun' stuff there, because I'm also requiring Alex to do his medical terminology workbook again this summer.  It's a later edition of the one I used for medical school, so it's definitely challenging.  It was one of the best uses of time I ever had in medical school, though.  I learned SO much in a short amount of time, basically.  Alex is learning all these Latin roots and now has the ability, really, to understand most legible medical charts, for the most part.  Not sure if he's gotten to the abbreviations yet, though, but I really believe that, whatever medical condition arises, he's going to feel more comfortable with reading up on his condition than he would have before completing the workbook.  I'll probably start Fiona on it next summer.  She's completing a music theory drill book and is learning the flute this summer.

What about me?  Well, I suppose I'm just trying to navigate socially--visiting SC and trying to straighten up there, dealing with kids and such, etc.  I feel a little lame at not having more to say about me.  I'm not writing right now, I am dealing with a few symptoms and side effects, and much of that feels like I'm spinning in circles.  Parenting can be a little like that, though, and I focus on the kids especially in the summer.  Fiona and I are enjoying Once Upon a Time together, and next week I hope that we resume our summer 'routine' (that isn't a 'routine' yet):  First, I'll elliptical for a half-hour and then stretch while we watch our show.  Fiona will bounce on a ball for 'exercise' meanwhile.  Next, we'll change into swimsuits and then ride our bikes down to the pool, where we'll swim and splash for a while (under an hour).  Believe it or not, this thoroughly exhausts me, is good bonding time with my girl, and so is a very productive use of time, as I see it.  

My counselor tells me not to feel guilty about spending more time with Fiona than with Alex.  He says that it's totally normal for a 14-yo boy to not spend a lot of time chatting with his mom.  Obvious, I know, but still a comfort to hear.

That's about all I have to chat about right now.  Hopefully the summer continues smoothly...the kids have one more camp--Peace Camp at the UU church.  Fiona's finished an oil painting class, and that's it!  I'll have my hands full...