The View From Here: Clouds & Matzo Balls

Today I am exhausted. I had planned on going outside to do a little yardwork (emphasis on the word LITTLE), since we have been getting so much rain and everything is turning into a jungle. Today is the first day in a week that it hasn't rained at all, though it has been overcast all day, and cool. Ideal for doing work outside. So outside I went, after generously slathering myself with bug repellent cream. I was going to mow the lawn but then I thought, hey, I'll trim the hedges too, it won't take too long. Next thing you know I was cutting tree branches and pulling weeds, and it was after 6pm when I came back inside. Work always turns into more work, it seems. But the job is done and it looks nice. And I had a chance to think as I worked, which is always nice too. Naturally, as I look out the window while I type this, it is getting darker and darker, so we probably will get some rain after all. Glad I got it done in time.

Here are a few photos I took of the clouds around here. They are all taken on different days, and all taken with a cell phone camera. I like the way I was able to frame the shots and how interesting the clouds looked:

No, I wasn't driving when I took this picture.

This one looks like a painting to me:

I like how the trees are framing the clouds in this shot:

I almost forgot to mention: at Easter-time this year, I decided to make matzo ball soup for the first time. I looked online for a simple recipe and went to the store to purchase the supplies. But alas, when I went to purchase the ingredients individually, I was not happy with the price. So I decided to make a prepared mix. Streit's matzo ball soup was on sale, so I bought that one. My daughter enjoys matzo ball soup as much as I do, so she was interested to see how I made it. I followed the directions, shaping the matzo into small, meatball-sized balls. I thought they were going to stay that size, but they expanded nearly 3 times as much once the soup was done. It was very good, but it didn't taste like the kind that we usually get from the diner. Next time I will splurge and make it from scratch to see what it tastes like that way; I like the experience of making food from scratch, even if it takes longer. I sprinkled a little italian seasoning on top before I ate it: