4th of July, revisited

Yesterday was quite a day, both in the sense of exciting and lengthy. Many boyfriend duties to perform; visiting the girlfriend's family for a 4th of July/birthday celebration, etc. I got to see some of my friends, but since my main objective isn't seeing how much I can drink, I generally only stay for a bit and watch the jackassery. For instance, last night--and I really should have had a photo of this--when the early twenties kids had roman candle wars. This of course, is in direct conflict with the lesson from last year when someone got a localized 3rd degree burn on their chest from an expertly-aimed firework. Alas, these people also vote. 

But I am most excited about the other 4th of July tradition: pulling up th

e garlic that you've planted 9 months earlier. It's like waiting for a baby that you have to dry in the garage for two weeks then braid. 

There are two varieties in that patch, a hardneck and a softneck. I don't remember which varieties of either. 

Here is the whole harvest, drying on a screen next to the tiller. I use a lot of garlic, and should have grown more. Lots more. I am eastern European in ancestry, and there's a built in goodness meter for most meals. They (including breakfast) should include garlic, onions, cabbage and sour cream. Since I don't eat a lot of dairy anymore, I need to double up on the other ingredients. Garlic is magical for your soul, your vascular system and your overall sense of well-being. A couple weeks of drying, then hopefully a passable braid or two.