Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Oh Beans!

This is the wealthy time for fresh veggies and fruit. Even in dry Colorado, we have plenty of the best, crunchy produce, including Rocky Ford muskmelons (worth the extra price, if you can get your hands on them) and Olathe sweet corn. (Ditto) This weekend, we'll be picking up bushels and bushels of peaches from the Western Slope...but before that, the first green beans out of the garden should be pickable.
    Oh goody!

A British app -- Too Good To Go -- that lets you order about-to-be-discarded food from restaurants, at much less $$.  Interesting concept...saves food, saves money.

15 Olympics scandals.  Just to keep you focused while watching this summer...

Olivia Havilland talks about Errol Flynn. The great actress also had her 100th birthday July 1 -- Happy Birthday, Ms. deHavilland!

Mr. Bean's 25th anniversary...much of this is a revisit of some of his earlier schticks. I love this weird little man --

Did you realize Natalia Molchanova has been missing for more than a year? The body of this famous Russian free-diver, who disappeared while on an easy pleasure dive near Ibiza, still has not been found.

The Doig trial. This is a weird one: a former prison guard wants to sell a painting by, he says, the famous Peter Doig. According to the guard, Doig was in his prison, and sold him the painting for $100. The issue: Doig says he never was in prison. Yet, at least according to the trial info posted, there are several mystery years in his life he refuses to explain his whereabouts. Doig also denies he ever painted the painting -- says he doesn't recognize it.
    Why is this important? If Doig did indeed do the painting (a desert landscape), then it's worth millions of dollars. If he didn't:  a few hundred bucks. It's the first time, though, I've ever seen an artist taken to trial for refusing to authenticate a painting he's said to have painted. Usually it's the other way round...
     Update:  Doig takes the stand and denies yet again that he was in prison OR painted this piece. (He does, however, admit to repeated drug use, but says he's been upfront about that all along.)
     Update redux:  More on the trial, including a look at the i.d. card of 'Pete Doige.' (Peter Doig says this is someone else other than him...and he's got Doige's sister backing him up.) Scroll down to the post "Doig, Or Didn't He?"
      Update #3:  Trial's concluded, with some weird closing statements. Now waiting on the judge's decision. (He said he wanted to think about it some more.) Ironically, the plaintiffs want $7-8 million if the judge rules this is indeed Peter Doig's painting...and $100,000, the amount their expert says it's worth if it isn't. If the judge goes along with it, either way they'd win.

Frugal accomplishments. (From Simple Is Good For You)  Other bloggers have been doing regular posts like this -- I'm starting up, too.

What college students REALLY need. I would add: cans of chicken noodle soup. Our girls doted on this, especially when they weren't feeling well. (From Living Life in Rural Iowa) And in keeping with that:

Six-word phrases every person headed for school should keep in mind. (From Cracked)

Homemade butter in a jar. This could be a good deal cheaper than buying it readymade. (From Hundred Dollars A Month)

Quiltville Quips & Snips -- take a look at the wonderful table runner Bonnie Hunter is working on here.

Nine distinctive cookies and their origins.  Some recipes, too.   (From Mother Nature Network)

Kylie Jenner has a special way of cooking ramen. Which makes her fans very happy.

Black bears in Finland get handed their lunch (or have it taken away) by wolves. Interesting photos here.

Chicken-fried Steak...that isn't.  This is said to be delicious -- I've got to try it on the Brick. Vegetarians, take note.   (From The Prudent Homemaker)

'Above, Below, Forward and Back:' in other words, a painting class on perspective.  (From David Dunlop)

Soft French bread with garlic spread -- the how-to's. This recipe has gotten rave reviews from all sorts of people.  (From It's Always Autumn)

Ripening an avocado -- it will take 10 min. this way. Tops.  (From Lifestyle)

Titanic artifacts have been coming up for auction in recent years...including the cup Molly Brown presented to the captain of the Carpathia.

Twenty classic books you can get for free online.  (From Brad's Deals)

$2 on food every day for a month. A reporter takes the challenge. (From Business Insider) Now, contrast it with her decision to live on:

$4 on food every day for a month. Equally interesting. Although I think she could have added more variety during the $2 challenge, especially. As she points out, once she figures out how to make a smoothie (!!!):  "The result could not have been more glorious; it's also exciting to add a bit of variety to my diet and eat something new."
     Go figure, Honey.

Gwyneth Paltrow tried the Food Stamp Challenge -- but only made it to Day Four. In true form, she doesn't conclude by donating a bunch of money to help out people in her community...but gripes instead about Others Who Don't Care, corporately and governmentally. Yep, I'll bet that helped. Poor baby. (From Goop)

Ten Depression Era hacks you can use, too.  (From Dusty Old Thing)



You've got better things to do in this warm, sunny weather than hang out on the computer. 
Regardless of what you do this week, have a good one.