I am writing this post using Windows Live Writer for the first time.
Another first is that this past week I’ve been enjoying the first white nectarines of the season.
Saying they are “the first of the season”, however, implies there is a long season for white nectarines. Oh, contraire. Blink and you miss it.
So I have been enjoying juicy, sweet, perfect white nectarines like they’re going out of style. Because they will be, soon, actually.
It’s also the first time I won a giveaway that included beans, grill tools, a cooking pot, and a $50 Visa gift card!
I want to extend a big thank you to Bush’s Beans and Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod. I won her Bush’s giveaway that she hosted a few weeks ago and just received my prize yesterday.
I can’t wait to cook up some beans in my new pot! I’ll be cooking them up the beans savory style.
I also want to take a can of beans and use them in a Cheezy Vegetable Bake
Whatever fresh veggies or canned beans you have on hand will work. It’s a very flexible recipe.
But there will be No Beans In Desserts for me, though. Not yet, anyway. I still haven’t jumped on board that trend.
There will never be beans in White Chocolate Blondies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting, ever.
And now it’s time to announce the winner of my Coconut Oil Giveaway:
Beth on June 8, 2011 at 5:38 am said: I’m subscribed to TT’s newsletter.
I use coconut oil in pie crust, cookie dough balls, raw vegan coconut chocolate snowballs, protein bars, and raw vegan chocolate / fudge.
Congrats, Beth! Email me your shipping address and your coconut oil will be on the way!
Thanks for the great comments, thoughts, and perspectives from my last post, Rising Food & Grocery Prices. Most of you said that yes, you unfortunately have noticed rising food prices and you’re just trying to cut corners and do the best you can to deal with it.
Many of you mentioned that gas prices are really inching up and that is worrisome, too.
Let’s not talk about rising prices. Let’s talk about something sweet like Rice Pudding with Raisins
Questions:
1. Do you like white nectarines? Or peaches and nectarines in general?
I love apricots, peaches, nectarines, and there is just nothing better than a perfectly ripe, in season, juicy peach, nectarine, or apricot for me! Eating out of season fruit is not even worth eating. Especially when it comes to peaches. <—Wood much?
2. What’s a First for you lately?
As I am concluding the end of this post, from editing the pictures in Lightroom 3, saving them on my computer, then getting them uploaded into the post and just figuring out where everything is on the settings in WLW, this post has taken me at least 5 times as long as it would have had I not tried to use Windows Live Writer and just blogged directly from WordPress.
I resisted the urge about 17 times to just quit WLW and go back to WP because I knew it would have been faster but everyone swears WLW is faster so I hope I get the hang of it and am whizzing around on it in no time.
Now, fingers crossed, the post publishes ok. I am saving a copy before I hit publish. If I lost this post, I would start crying!
Honestly, maybe I am missing something, but I don’t see how this is going to be that much faster? I can almost feel myself going back to just blogging from WordPress’ platform for all you inquiring minds because with my new computer, it has taken me far less time anyway.
All that…for possibly nothing. Ahh, well, live and learn and you never know til you try something, right.
And I haven’t ruled WLW out completely yet, but it did just take me forever to write this post!
One other first was our ocean boat ride with Skylar. Firsts lived through the eyes of a child are the best.
3. Weekend plans?
I am working but plan to spend some time with Skylar.
And I plan to get some nice runs and yoga in, as well as hopefully some time outside and keeping my fingers crossed for sunny weather!
TGIF and enjoy your weekend!
Pleaseee keep us updated on WLW! I’d love to know if it’s worth it on my Mac!
read my comment replies on my site, I am addressing some of it and dont want to retype it all but it’s in my comment field :)
Thanks for the white nectarine reminder. I’ll be lookin’ for them this week, esp at the farmers’ market.
Hmmmm, maybe you can return or sell the WLW if it really isn’t your bag? Though I’m sure you’ve already thought of those options ;-)
Firsts: First few watermelons of the season. Yum! First bike I’ve owned in NYC. Just rode it today for the first time, in fact.
Weekend plans are mainly work, but some fun time with friends, loved ones, and outdoors.
WLW is a free download but eveyrthing else, about $300 worth of software, wasn’t. Oh well :)
was it a huge pain in the ass to set up windows or was it just $$$??? i really want live writer!
both.
to get WLW on a mac you first need to install windows, then parallels or vmware, and then WLW.
and i dont love it. lessson$$ learned but I am glad i tried.
Mmm I love nectarines with everything lately! On pizzas, in salads, snacks, mmm! And this is the first I’ve heard of WLW — I’m always learning from you gals :) My plans for the weekend include packing up our place in SF and getting ready for the move!
good luck w/ the move!
averie, you are just queen of the transitions/flowing from one topic to the next with a linking word/idea. i am in awe! :)
wow – if you’re having a hard time adjusting to WLW…i am rethinking my belief that i *need* that program…i’ll look forward to reading more commenters’ comments and also what you have to say in the next few days…i hate that i’ve lost a few posts with wordpress, but at least i more or less get it.
GREAT prize to win – wow!
i dislike stone fruits. esp peaches. you said it – woody and i hate the strings.
have a great eve!
No, you dont need the program! Based on what you’ve told me, about you, how you operate, your level of tech knowledge, I’d say just do what you’re doing now :)
And thanks for being in awe :)
Very cool on Live Writer, does Windows run okay on your iMac?
Great giveaway score!
1. Yes in just about any form – in smoothies, fresh, dried.
2. Trying more dehydrator recipes and a new protein powder.
3. Working on our new office and hopefully enjoying the hot weather a bit.
does Windows run okay on your iMac? = yes, it runs ok.
but i am reminded that i hate windows in general!
and that I am not that impressed with WLW. It’s meh to me.
Probably will just end up not using any of it. Now that I have it all on my machine. ha!
Do you know if just having it sit there, not in use, so yes in theory it’s tying up RAM or memory by being parked there, but do you think it will slow down my machine, overall? I have 8 GB ram installed. I doubt it, but would love your thoughts.
I dont necessarily want to un-install it all on the if-come I do want to try it again but so far, am just sticking w/ WP blogging and skipping WLW.
I am more of a peach fan than nectarine, but you are right about out of season peaches being NASTY. I don’t even bother. Same with most fruit. I had a really mealy watermelon the other day that was so beyond disappointing. Ugh.
i was getting great watermelon in aruba (imported in from the US) and the one i just bought at ralph’s in san diego last week…meh.
I have another one waiting to be cut into, we shall see.
Oh your email about getting PS Elements. You’d love to use all that software, it’s fun! But a timesuck!
I’m more inclined to buy the watermelon that has already been cut so I can see it… otherwise I always pick the crap watermelons! :)
I love nearly all stone fruits, white nectarines *especially*. I could eat them all day long. For months. :)
Did you buy yours at a farmer’s market or a grocery? I can’t find any nice ones at the groceries near my house (unless they’ve just got a new crop in, like, today…) but usually white necs from farmer’s markets are way better anyway. ;)
groc store
Love peaches and nectarines :D I love all fruit like that. I honestly can’t think of anything I don’t really like. But like you said, everything has to be in season otherwise it’s just not worth it.
I think my weekend is going to spent mostly at home. We’re working potty training and I don’t think going out is worth disrupting the schedule we have. Can’t wait for this to be over, haha.
You do use beans in a dessert… those sweet garbanzo beans with sugar and cin. that taste like roasted peanuts! They may not be Bush’s beans but hey as far as I am concerned you have journeyed down the avenue of making beans a dessert!
I almost linked those chickpeas…yes, they are pretty dessert like, huh!
The food looks delicious. I’ve been waiting all year for the summer fruits to arrive and those nectarines look fantastic.
Love all your dessert and ball recipes, keep ’em coming!! Any recommendation for best chocolate chips? Dark choc? Vegan?
See this post
https://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/06/stevia-chocolate.html
the ones i featured or trader joes
My first? Well, today I am colouring my hair brown – I haven’t done that in years! I don’t count the mess my hair is in now… it’s pretty much black :(
This weekend I am going to a gluten-free cooking class! It’s all baking, so I am learning how to make bread, pizza dough… lots of delicious things!
I am jealous of how tidy and urban chic your desk is, Averie. :)
Congrats to Beth!
Nectarines sound delicious!! I love this time of year :)
I like peaches and nectarines but I have to peel my peaches cause thy fuzzy texture on the skin bothers me! Totally random I know but it’s one of my weird food quirks.
And running and yoga are most definetly on my weekend agenda too! And shopping to stock up for my tripps this summer :)