Today is quite literally one of the most beautiful days I can remember, especially for August in DC. It's just over 70F, not at all humid, sunny with a light breeze...I'm in heaven. We went to a nearby farm that sells their own as well as local produce and stuff and picked up some nectarines and two dish towels with chickens on them for a wedding gift for friends (they raise chickens). Now Danny is out hacking back bushes and mowing the lawn (after he spent yesterday washing all of my parents windows, which is not an easy feat considering they have twenty-two floor-to-ceiling windows that make up the back part of their house!) I'm going to hop out there in a little while and prune my tomato plants which are, to put it simply, out of control. They're bushy and healthy and I'm getting more of the fist-sized ones instead of the cherry ones which my parents prefer to use, so that's nice. I got all excited last weekend and started planning out how next year I want onions and squash and peppers but then I realized I won't really be here next year since rotations will have started. Boo.

Speaking of vegetables, you're probably wanting to know how the vegan thing is going. One word: awesome. In the few short days since I made the leap, I have made a bunch of new recipes (I made falafel last night for the first time ever - everyone liked it!), lost three pounds and just felt good in general. My first real challenge was last night: my dad made an awesome chocolate cake for my grandmother's birthday dinner last night. I was able to resist pretty easily last night but when I sat down to eat lunch today a big waft of chocolate amazingness came floating up to meet me and it was so hard not to reach over a swipe a glob of fudgey icing off the plate (don't worry, I didn't.) I've been trying to focus my recipe searches on things that are either already vegan or easily made vegan. I think once I'm completely "over" animal products, it will be easier to swap in vegan meats and cheeses; right now, when I remember what a good steak tastes like, I think I'd just be setting myself up for disappointment if I tried to make something Really Not Vegan taste like Something Vegan, if that makes sense. I have had frozen vegan burgers, but I've always liked them so I don't think that's as big a deal.

Anyway, it's a glorious day outside - not going to spend it in front of the computer! Happy lazy Sunday :)