I was invited to assist in a workshop Debby and Eileen were having in the Sage Garden kitchen. Anyone who knows me well, knows that Paul is the main chef in our family. Still, the workshop was on making sushi rolls and this I knew very little about. I could however greet people, help with cleaning, and serving tea and saki. This is the second workshop that Eileen and Debby have done together and it seemed that all the participants learned a lot and were able to make delicious looking rolls. We set the tables, put on our kimonos, heated up the saki and invited everyone back inside to feast. There were few leftovers but I now have recipes for all including the miso soup and cucumber salad.

Eileen Rogers is a close friend of Debby’s and is also a gardener. After viewing her plants at the local Bandera farmer’s market, Paul and I decided to visit her and her husband Bill’s farm. We enjoyed looking at all the garden beds and plants that they started.     Eileen also does a wide variety of succulents and had some on display in a green house. Besides gardening and cooking, Eileen has many talents including clothing design. She sells many items on-line and you can buy them at toesteesocks.com. I am starting to get an itch to return home and get going on some of my own projects.

Bandera continues to surprise us with its friendly people, beautiful hills to run in and variety of lifestyles. Paul and I ran in Government Canyon Natural Area last weekend to take advantage of our Texas Park pass. We were not blown away by the views this time but the trails are diverse and there are many. We felt both challenged and relaxed by the subtle beauty of fields, rocky trails, canyons, and trees. It made 22 plus miles a bit easier.