Rudders at Home

When I was little, I used to look for salamanders on the road after a rainfall in the summer. During the summer, a nice cool rain would bring them out and you could find them very easily along the road.

This is a salamander, or a red spotted newt, native to the Eastern US. When they’re young, they’re this vibrant orangey red color. They turn brown as they get older and head towards the water.

The weather turned on our last couple days in the US this last time. On the last afternoon, Paul and I took a bike ride down the road. As it had just rained I held out some hope of spotting a salamander, and I was in luck. I thought it might be a bit cold for them, but we ended up spotting two. I had to flag Paul down on his bike though, as he very nearly ran one over! But once he understood what it was all about, he made fast friends.

We didn’t disrupt them too much – just made sure they crossed the road safely!

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And these days, you’ll even hear me call them courgettes once in a while. But that’s only when I slip up.

When I was home, it only took me a day to discover these monsters on the back porch. These are home grown in our family’s garden, and I just had to take a picture because I haven’t seen any zucchini this big in quite a long time. Also, it’s nice to have these weird little pictures from home – the zucchini table.

For scale, I reckon those blocks on the table are about a foot, or just over a foot long. And I don’t know what the story of the cabbage is, so don’t ask.

Later that week, mom and I peeled and grated a number of these. It was fun (I really mean entertaining) activity for us once we had our electricity restored to us. While she froze a a good amount of grated zucchini (I mean at least four or five bags with 2 or 3 cups each bag, maybe more – I’m not sure), she also held back four cups and made some zucchini bread for us.

Mom’s zucchini bread was, simply put, gorgeous. And while I munched it all up with the family, I couldn’t get it out of my head these past couple weeks. So, I guess you could say I was inspired when I returned to London. I’ve had my mind set on making some of my own since, and plenty to share with others.

Here are the fruits of my labor. I added in a broken up dark chocolate bar, because I’m saving my Nestle chocolate chips for something else.

Mom’s Zucchini Bread (makes two loaves)

3 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tbsp vanilla

2 cups grated zucchini

2 cups flour

1 tbsp cinnamon

2 tsps baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

Mix together and add nuts, raisins or chocolate chips as desired.

Bake 350 degrees fahrenheit (180 C) for about 40 minutes or until done.

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You can’t get Libby’s pumpkin just anywhere in the UK, and sometimes it can cost a fortune.  However, I’m lucky enough that a local grocery store stocks it and at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, they don’t get very much in, (unlike the Wal-mart I went to when I was back home), and it always seems that I’m behind the crowd. Last year I was too late, and they were all out, so there was no pumpkin pie in the Rudders household. It was a very sad time.

But I’m ahead of things this year. I’ve stocked up.

I stopped by the grocery store today in order to get some pumpkin puree. I am now officially ready for fall and the holidays. Let the pie making begin!

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Well, I’m back in the UK and trying hard to get myself over my post holiday melancholy before returning to work tomorrow.

I’m not feeling particularly creative this evening, so I figure I’ll talk about the weather. There’s no denying that here in the UK fall is definitely upon us. That’s ok, though, because the weather had turned on my last day in the US. I don’t mind arriving to poor weather if that’s what’s going on back home as well. That way I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.

The weather was so lovely when I was home we were able to have two cook outs. It’s so nice to have a fire in the backyard to cook a hot dog over.

If you are interested in the results of the guys’ big trip north, please head over to Rudders’ Ramblings. I’ve made Paul put up pictures. I’ll be updating things regarding my trip to Ohio soon, as well as some other random things that came out of my three week trip to the States. Stay tuned.

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