Adventures in tomatillo salsa and murphy beds

Keith and I have a special place in our hearts for burrito joints. First there was Taco Del Sol in Missoula. When we moved to Portland, Laughing Planet, a short walk from our apartment, was a frequent dinner/lunch option. And in rural Idaho, we have a taco truck! Amazing, right? It's good, too.

But we've always wondered about the recipe for the green salsa at Laughing Planet. Slightly sweet and delicious, it's not your regular salsa verde.

My co-worker gave me some tomatillos from her garden, so I had a bright idea and Googled "sweet tomatillo salsa" and the first result was a winner. And super easy! This is my new go-to.

Tomatillos after being boiled for 10 min. or so.

Finished salsa, about 10 min. later with all ingredients added.

The popcorn is almost ready. Keith's picked a couple of ears to dry and then we'll stick them in the microwave or something and that's the true test. They're beautiful, whether they pop or not.

The garden is coasting at this point. We've been dealing with tomatoes and cucumbers and not much else. In fact, tonight we went and fed some delicious organic produce to the neighbor goats. Produce we'd picked but it was starting to turn after sitting on the counter for over a week. The goats enjoyed it anyway. They come running any time we even walk in that direction.

(new goats on the right, little black one and little brown one)

That goat would kick Lazlo's ass if it got the chance.

Keith has been Mr. Mechanic (The Renger has major health problems), so the interior of the tiny house is on hold for now. I painted the window casing/trim with primer (with a roller) and we're seeing how we like that before I finish.

We're kicking around the idea of having another bed. A different bed. A bigger bed? Two humans (one over 6' tall) and two pit bulls in a queen size bed = animosity and, often, a bad night's sleep.

The dogs not sleeping with us is not really an option, in practical terms. We've tried. As soon as we go to sleep Lazlo jumps up on the bed, leaving Mia to shiver on their beds on the floor. Also, Mia is thin-skinned and has hip problems, so I feel guilty leaving her on the floor all night. Short of some pigeon spikes, the dogs are a permanent fixture.

Two options: putting a king-size bed under the window, put a king-size murphy bed on the same wall we're on right now. Both would require a considerable amount of work. Maybe neither one will work, or we'll find something altogether different that will work. That's the tiny house adventure!