Picnic lunch & cleaning out the pantry, Feb 24

After my usual breakfast smoothie, I packed up a picnic lunch for the two of us. We'd been wanting to do some exploring along Lytle Creek Road -- every time we pass the Sierra Road exit on I-15, we comment that we should go for a drive back there, but we never had time to do it while we were thinking of it. Well, I thought of it last night and so we decided to go today since it was such a beautiful and sunny - but brisk! - day.

Into our insulated carry bag I packed:

• leafy green sprouts
• bread (for Brianne)
• low-carb tortilla (for me)
• cream cheese
• dried apricots
• homemade dilly beans
• dark chocolate-covered macadamia nuts 
• white seedless grapes
• a bamboo knife (to spread the cream cheese)
• chopsticks (to eat the dilly beans)
• collapsible bowls (that function as plates when collapsed)
• a big bottle of water

On the way out, we stopped at our local grocery store (Stater Bros) to pick up some lunch meat - turkey, ham, roast beef, and salami.

After driving and exploring for a bit, we stopped at the Applewhite Picnic Area in Scotland, California, right along the Lytle Creek. (Aside: I think it's funny that there's a Scotland in California, AND there's a California in Scotland!)

We took the long way home, going east rather than west on CA-138, and then took CA-178 into Hesperia, which helpfully let us off on Main Street, which we followed west as it turns into Phelan Road, and back home.

Things I also did today:

• rinsed and refreshed the water on my soaking green peas, Lady Cream peas, garbanzo beans
• started some almonds to soak
• started some wheat berries to soak

The wheat berries are soaking because I'm going to add them to brown rice that I'm going to cook, portion out, and freeze for Brianne. The best part is, I can cook it in the slow cooker! The reason I'm adding the wheat berries is because I only have about 1/2 cup of them and it seems silly to throw them out. I'm soaking the wheat berries to soften them but I'll only soak them until tomorrow morning, when I plan to make the rice, so it's not a full-on "sprout" just a soak. I also have some wild rice that I'll add into the crock pot with the rice and wheat berries. 

I also went through my pantry and gathered all the pasta so I can give it away to my local Buy Nothing group.

Tomorrow, I'll also take our recyclables in to our local recycling center. I'll post more about that when I do that.

Now it's almost 6pm and I need to make something for dinner! I'll post again later after dinner's done.

TTFN!

.