I returned from art camp, excited to see Rick and hear how is bike hike went. (It was good!) Finally we would be able to celebrate his belated birthday! (Thanks to those who wished me one -- it's actually in mid-August but Kate and I celebrated early!)
It was 90 degrees out so it was definitely a grilling night. I brought the food down to Rick's and it was quite a good menu! That said, the weather didn't cooperate. We did grill out (under the eaves, in the pouring rain) but ate inside!
We started out with steak and corn on the cob. I pre-cooked the corn in the microwave and then we reheated it on the grill to get the good charring.
There was also a caprese salad. Our tomatoes here still aren't rocking it, but it was close enough!
To go with this, a nice rich red wine. (Though I admit, on a night like this, a very chilled white would most certainly have had its charms!) For dessert, a peach and black cherry crisp with fresh fruit from the market. I forgot to take a pic of that while it was in its pretty dish. Bad blogger!
The next night, Rick's friend Jacob came for dinner. The weather was much improved and it was chicken on the grill and pasta salad! After, Rick and Jacob played music and oh, the sounds coming from those instruments couldn't have been lovelier.
Jacob's headed to NYC for a career in law, having graduated from University of Michigan law school and taking the bar exam. In one of those ironic moments, we discovered that the hotel we will be staying in while in London (in an area called Swiss Cottage) is only a couple of blocks away from where his flat was when he lived in London. I know we'll keep in touch.
In other news, a couple of photos -- my neighbor's garden. She's so much better at gardening than I am!
And, if it's time for your primary, don't forget to vote!
Finally, thanks for all the kind words on the last post. July was a rough month; art camp made it bearable. I'm feeling better. I know I will deal with these infections periodically for the rest of my life. Hopefully they are over for a bit!
Sharing with: Share Your Style / Friday Face Off
57 comments:
...you sure know how to celebrate.
Happy belated Birthday to Rick and ohhhh,,, love a BBQ in the rain!!!
We once had the rain-proof sun-brolly out and it was soooo beautiful on the balcony.
Your food looks great And that garden is really beautiful. Fun with how you ended up near your friend in London, too!
And yes, I hope for clever voting in your country. I think it will be important to all of us.
So sorry I missed birthday wishes to you, Jeanie, and belated to Rick. Your dinner looks delish! We haven't grilled out all summer, because it's too hot outside, haha. Sounds like your art camp was the best medicine available!
I love birthdays! It looks like you celebrated Rick’s birthday well.
This election year is getting more exciting all the time!
A lovely birthday meal. I hope that all the UK violence settles down before you get there, Jeanie. It seems to be festering and has the potential to spread. Fingers crossed.
Such a lovely birthday celebration for Rick. ! Interesting about the proximity of your hotel to where Jacob lived in London. That Caprese salad looks amazing!!
Happy belated Birthday to Rick and happy soon to be birthday to you, Jeanie. The Caprese salad looks wonderful. I need to make one while my basil is still growing.
Have a lovely time in London. I hope the political climate doesn't get in the way of you having a good time.
Happy belated birthday to Rick, and it looks like you had some fun times. We had steak and corn the other night. It felt like summer and tasted like it too. How long until you leave for London? And wow, your neighbor has some nice grass too. I only notice because my lawn is a disaster. Have a super mid-week Jeanie hugs-Erika
Happy everything:). You make the most out of every single day:)
Happy Belated Birthday to Rick and happy Birthday to you, Jeanie! I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling better. A dear friend of our is dealing with MRSA. The doctors were concerned about it going to his heart, but after tests it showed it didn’t. I’m not a steak person, but your Caprese salad sure looks yummy!
What a fun celebration!
I hope your symptoms ease. Life is hard enough without being ill.
Happy birthday to you both. Grilling always taste better. Your dinner sounds lovely.
Happy belated! Our primary was yesterday but there was only one contested seat, so we didn't go vote. My daughter has to get set with her absentee ballot for her first presidential vote!
Food, music and gardens! 👍
Glad you're feeling better.
I smiled at your comment about the tomatoes being 'not quite ready.' Ours have disappeared, per usual. They don't enjoy so much heat and rain. But, we have the advantage of a second crop in the fall, when everything up your way is declining because of the cold.
Belated birthday wishes to Rick, and birthday wishes to you, too! I do hope things have calmed down in England before your trip.
Happy belated birthday to Rick! Sounds like a delicious meal - especially the fruit-based crisp! Yum! I love desserts like that yet I rarely make them but I don't think the boys or Phil would eat them or be as excited to eat them... I should get a fruit-based bar from the local GF bakery, though.
Happy early birthday to you as well! I know yours is close to my mom's which is on the 14th!
How nice was all of that? Couldn't be better. I love guitar and violin duets.
Happy belated birthday to Rick! Looks like it was a good one.
Glad you are feeling better for now and hope it lasts a good long time! (Magically disappearing for good would be even better, of course.)
I'm sure Rick enjoyed his birthday with a beautiful meal of delicious food. Always nice to welcome friends and glad the weather improved for that. Glad you are feeling better, take care. A Belated Happy Birthday wish to Rick..........
Happy belated birthday, Rick! Hugs!
Wishing Rick a happy belated birthday..glad you are feeling better... Corn on the cob and steak. One of my favorite summertime meals. Your salad looks very good too. Hope you're having a good week
Happy Birthday Rick! I just had a birthday too. Great meal rain and all. You gather the most interesting friends.
Cathy
How lovely Jeanie! Home concerts are the best and the food sounded very yummy. Early Happy Birthday to you and a belated one to Rick. Your neighbor's garden looks very pretty. Bet you can't wait for your trip to the UK. I'm excited for you :)
Happy belated Birthday to Rick! Your food is making me hungry 😊
Good grilled food, great music to listen to and a celebration of a birthday. Sounds perfect to me. Happy birthday to Rick!
Belated Birthday Wishes. Glad the rain didn't stop play, there's always an alternative plan! With good food, good wine and the company of good friends it doesn't matter if it's inside or outdoors.
Happy Belated Birthday to Rick. Birthday dinner sounded so good! Your neighbors gardens are just lovely too. Janice
It sounds like you had a wonderful time despite the weather! The steak and corn on the cob sound delicious, and the peach and black cherry crisp must have been a real treat. How nice that you could celebrate with friends and enjoy some music. Your neighbor’s garden looks amazing—gardening can be so rewarding!
I just posted a new blog post at www.melodyjacob.com. I invite you to read. Thank you!
Happy belated birthday to Rick. It's always good when "our guys" come back from their bike trips whole and healthy. Your neighbor has a very beautiful garden, it looks very lush. Our primaries are long over and the November election will be interesting - California and my county and city have some important decisions to make, beside, of course, the most important decision. We have to vote early since we won't be in the country at the time of the election.
Rick’s birthday meal looks delicious, yum caprese salad! A delicious meal and the next night fabulous music, it all sounds delightful. A belated Happy Birthday wish to Rick!
I'm so glad you are feeling better Jeanie, and it must have been wonderful to see Rick again.His birthday dinner looks delicious. I didn't know he plays the guitar and it's nice that he can make music with his friend.That is a lovely photo of the two of them. I wish Rick a belated Happy Birthday, and if I don't "see you," A huge Happy Birthday to you too. Your visit to the UK must be coming up soon I think it's this month. I hope you have a great time. What a coincidence about Rick's friend's apartment being near your hotel.
All the best
Keep well
Sonjia.
The steak and corn, and caprice salad, and then a great dessert, not to mention a good wine!! Well done.
Happy Birthday to Rick, and you! How lovely to create live music on his own BD. I’d love to hear the duet guitar and violin. Hey, how about you taking a video of any future music performance by Rick and hopefully with Jacob again (as a violin learner I’m eager to listen to that) and post it onto your blog here. That would be lovely. 😉
Happy birthday to Rick!
Happy birthday!
It looks like Rich had a great birthday! Take care and stay well.
Happy Birthday Rick!
Happy belated birthday. Food looks good. Great picture of them together.
Happy birthday to you both.
It is so nice to have someone to play music with. I love it when I can get together with a friend and play and/or sing.
Belated Happy Birthday to Rick. The Caprese Salad looks delicious. I'm impatiently waiting for tomatoes to ripen in my garden. They are so late this year.
Sounds like a nice "extended birthday". They are the best sort! And what a coincidence about Jacob's flat 🙂
Looks like a fun celebration!
Merriest bday Rick. Looks like you had a great time and that salad looks great. I love the neighbors flowerbeds, and you can still get the mower through there.....that is what I am wanting to do, make my whole front yard a flowerbed, via a bunch of beds.
Happy Birthday to Rick!
Happy belated Birthday to Rick! Looks like a nice celebration and dinner. Your neighbors garden looks lovely. Take care, enjoy your day and happy weekend.
Swiss Cottage is very close to where I live -- like, less than a mile away. So funny! Glad you didn't let the rain put you off your grilling. :)
Happy Birthday to both of you! The birthday dinner looked delicious, sorry it rained, but you made the most of it!
Jenna
Happy Birthday to you both ~
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Happy Birthday to Rick! What a yummy menu he had for his birthday. I love that caprese salad. Nel has made that before, and it's so good. Steak and corn on the cob looks delicious. The peach and black cherry crisp is perfect for the birthday dessert. How nice that his friend came over and they played music together. That is always soothing to hear. Your neighbor's garden is so lovely, Jeanie. It just looks so green and flowery and peaceful.
I hope you have pleasant and lovely days the remainder of your time at the lake. : )
~Sheri
Happy belated birthday. Food looks good. Great picture of them together.
Sounds like a wonderful celebration for Rick's belated birthday, even with the rainy weather!
The grilled steak, corn, and caprese salad must have been delicious, and the peach and black cherry crisp sounds like a perfect summer dessert.
How fun that Rick and Jacob played music together.
Your neighbor's garden is lovely.
Hope those infections stay away—take care!
Happy to hear you are feeling better. What a lovely birthday you arranged for Rick. Happy birthday to you Rick. I envy your musical evenings, must have been so nice. What kind of music do they play with a guitar and violin? I would presume classical, but might be wrong.
That salad looks especially delicious. Happy birthday to Rick!
I hope you have no more bouts with infections this year.
Oh birthdays everywhere. What a nice meal and fun time. Thank you for sharing it all with FFO.
wow...rick had quite the wonderful birthday celebration and a meal fit for a king!! i thought the caprese salad looked awesome!! we have an awning over our grill and grill in the rain often, for some reason, i love doing that!! your corn looks so good, ours has been delicious this year!! i see gifts too, it's nice that you can buy him gifts for his birthday, my husband is so difficult to buy for!! happy birthday rick!!
Happy belated birthday to Rick and happy birthday to you soon...
Wow! I totally missed this post. What a lovely celebration for Rick. Belated Happy Birthday! You must be getting excited for your adventure in the fall. London will be wonderful. I have never thought to cook corn in the microwave then on the grill, what a good idea. I just bought corn today; so will need to give it a try.
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