You may remember the edition of LLO that Maddy wrote for Father’s Day where she talked about the four things I love to do (when I’m not gardening, of course): hiking, biking, climbing, and camping. I was lucky enough to do three of the four the week she wrote that newsletter, and then to cap it all off, we had the most amazing Father’s Day dinner: soft shell crabs.

I realize that I write about as much about eating things as I do about outdoor activities, but I can’t help it, and besides, you need to be well fueled for outdoor adventures! One food I absolutely love is crab. I am crazy for crustaceans, and a few weeks before Father’s Day, I showed the girls a recipe for soft shell crabs that I’d found in a magazine. Pretty soon, a box of soft shell crabs showed up in our freezer. We cleaned and fried them up just like the recipe said, and wow, they were delicious. We’ve done a number of crab boils for Father’s Day, but then you have to pick and clean the crabs to get the crab meat. With soft shells, you just take a big, deliciously pan-fried bite. Yum.

I’ve told you about a couple of our Tampa Bay crabbing adventures in past LLOs, but I’ve probably never told you about one of my fish tanks. I had a couple of saltwater aquariums when I was a kid, and I loved filling them with anemones, clown fish, and whatever cool saltwater fish I could. But there was one tank with a special purpose. We’d go crabbing, and when we had a few extra crabs, we’d pop them into the tank and feed them until they molted. The moment that shell came off, we’d pop them in the fridge and get ready to fry up a perfectly soft, just-lost-its-shell crab. Not a practical way to have a feast, but you did get them at their absolute softest.

Great memories and delicious meals capping off a day of fun outdoor activities is just about the best way I can think of to spend time. I hope you are having just as much fun with your summer and enjoying your favorite outdoor activities. There is lots of fun coming up soon at the nursery, including Yoga in the Garden and our 2nd Annual Plants and Pets event. We hope to see you soon in the garden.