A great fail

I took this photo as I was getting all set up to make a vegetable barley soup to have along with the latkes we're having at our Hanukkah celebration.  I can't eat latkes anymore (sob) because I can't eat potatoes.  So I thought this would be a way to have something everyone can eat, as there is at least one vegetarian in our group.  I followed what was to me a new recipe (when I make my own mushroom barley soup it starts with chicken stock and usually includes some sort of meat) and was devastated when I tasted it to discover that it hardly had any taste and what it had was dreadful.  All that time and energy wasted.  I've tried adding spices, but so far it's still awful.

I suppose I could try again tomorrow with something else, but I'm discouraged.  Fortunately Lex will be making a cioppino, so my soup won't be missed.  We'll be getting together at Lex's house tomorrow afternoon to share latkes and presents and see the twins again.  I'm looking forward to that.