Contrary to popular belief, it’s not ALL about biking. So lets take a little peek into what else has been going on around the house.

But lets crack a beer first. Grab one out of your fridge, I’ll wait. I, personally, will be indulging in a Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale at the Pay N Take. I’ll just say that it’s in honor of my dear sister, who recently moved back to new zealand for what appears to be an indefinite vacation (which also happens to be where the hops in this delightful brew are from).

Speaking of beer, the latest batch of brew is in the secondary fermenter, conditioning as we speak. It’s a fairly traditional Kolsch-style ale, with a little bit of honey malt to add a little sweetness to an otherwise dry pilsner-type beer. For you beer geeks out there, I’ve got the recipe (as usual) up on Beertools.com right here.

As some of you may remember, I set the wheels in motion last year on growing my own hops. Hops take some patience, because the first year they are just growing roots, so last year was mostly just laying a foundation for what I am hoping will be a bumper crop of hops this year. They sprouted early, and have been making a solid attempt at taking over my backyard. The 8.5′ high trellis was topped out quickly, and some heavy pruning has resulted in some seriously intimidating hop plants.

The varieties are Mt. Hood, Nugget, Cascade, and Fuggle. It’s gonna be a brewing extravaganza when they start flowering.

Then again, it’s kind of a brewing extravaganza as it is.

Just in case you thought that my gardening expertise was simply beer-oriented, we got a full garden in this year as well.

Lets do the rundown:

• Tomatoes – Cherry and 2 full-size
• Corn
• Peppers – Jalapeno, Habanero, Green
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Lettuce
• Spinich
• Zucchini
• Spaghetti Squash
• Potatoes
• Onions
• Assorted Herbs

Yeah, that’s how I roll.

Other than that, it’s mostly situation normal around here. Some housework (tore down a shed), some real work (I feel like it’s always too much, no matter how little I work), and some prep work for my trip to europe at the end of july.

Well, it’s about that time. The bottom of the glass is becoming clearer, and the steaks I have marinating in the fridge at home are beggin for me to start the grill. So, on that note, I’m outta here.

Keep the rubber side down.