Outside of my kitchen, I enjoyed brunch with these lovely ladies this morning. I apparently didn’t get the memo about the preferred shirt-style but still had a good time.

Melissa Gray in “All Cakes Considered“

Luckily our neighbourhood markets are bursting with fresh produce so I picked a plump zucchini from the bin and made this divine galette.

I’m usually hesitant to make anything that involves a pastry crust as my dough turns out soggy on the bottom and burnt on the edges. But I forged ahead thinking my luck was bound to change and sure enough it did. The crust was oh-so buttery and flaky, and held up well under a generous layer of ricotta and zucchini.

Was this a fluke or have I defeated the pastry monkey on my back?

Now that Nolan is approaching six weeks old, we’re also looking for ways to reclaim our “old life” or, more accurately, bits and  pieces of it. On Saturday, we packed up the stroller and walked to the farmer’s market at Trout Lake. Nolan was so well-behaved that we even dared to stop for lunch at a local cafe. Little Nest is an easy place for getting back into dining out but it still felt like an accomplishment for us: such is life these days. Next up: I attempt to read something other than a passage in a baby book.

Fast forward one year and I find myself with another Medd boy to love and cherish. Here are Nolan and I celebrating my first Mother’s Day. Nolan and his dad set the bar high for future Mother’s Days with a luxurious gift of a day at the spa (obviously for use at a future point in time.) Thanks boys! I also got a very cool necklace made from an “N” scrabble tile and a tomato plant from Kate and Drew. Will my track record with plants improve now that I have some real-life nurturing experience? Stay tuned to see if we can harvest some tomatoes this summer or if the plant goes the way of all the other greenery I have attempted to cultivate.