Summer Weekend

Got one batch of strawberry jam made.

 Harvested some green beans....

 some collards, cukes and squash

 sweet and fabulous beets to roast and greens to cook - and our first real crop of carrots

and made the best cheesy summer squash dinner.

Visited our local farm market for a tent sale of herbs

 beyond you can see the newly laid out corn maze

 Lar picked his first Better Boy tomato - oh was it good!

 Attended Grand daughter Julia's swim meet - that's her little head there approaching the wall

and got a chuckle out of this shirt....it reads "I have no life - my kid swims" .... isn't that a shirt for all moms?  But it could just as well say "my kid plays ball"  "my kid plays music" or simply "I have no life - I have kids!"

And we went to our local library where they were having a book sale.  Got 16 books:

The Bridges of Madison County - just read the 3rd in the series, but never read 1 and 2; Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood - saw the movie, haven't read the book; Ladder of Years; Obasan; At Home in Mitford; The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - had the second book, wanted to read the first one first!; The Train Now Departing - Martha Grimes (one of my favorites!); The Kitchen God's Wife; The Joy Luck Club; Frozen Fire; Light on Snow; and The Alienist - actually on my to-read list!  Also a couple of mysteries.

All for $5  !!!  Quite a deal.

Gotta go read now.

Places of My Youth

By clicking here you will have a bit of an idea of where I used to live and why I still long for frequent visits to the places of my childhood - places where breathtaking beauty lies just around each and every corner.  I must caution that I have not as yet read all the posts - so I can't say if I agree with those, but the pictures touch my heart with nostalgia and that is what I wish to share.

Living Life - One Day at a Time

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”   Annie Dillard from The Writing Life.

Today has been what might be considered a somewhat typical American summer day.

Although I was awake for 2 fitful, tossing and turning hours in the night, I awakened quite refreshed and feeling well.

Having had one "get-it-going" cuppa, I prepared my to do list for the day.

1. Do some various tidying and dusting – check
2. Check out a new web site I’d read about ( housewaresdeals.com ) – check
3. Exercise – check
4. Finally get a birthday card off to cousin – belated, but – check
5. Purchase a card for Grand-daughters upcoming birthday – check
6. Send off a birthday wish via e-mail to a dear friend – check
7. Meditate – check
8. Read some – check
9. Get a grocery list done for shopping tomorrow – check
10. Get some of the day’s crop of zucchini processed – and get dinner made – check and check - two in one!
11. Sew some – check
12. Call my sister – it being the 10^th anniversary of our mothers passing – check

 So, per Ms. Dillard, I guess the way I spend my life is in attempting to make our home a healthy, functioning, welcoming place; planning and preparing good, wholesome and nutritious meals; supporting my husband in his pursuits and interests; expanding my mind; centering my being; expressing my caring to family and friends; and, in general, just trying to get things to move along smoothly.

I also sat outside for about ½ hour.  With these temperatures and air quality, guess you might say I added just a touch of excitement and danger!  (Well, maybe not, but attempting to have some well-rounded life going on here.)

A Blur of Time

July already!  And June…?  It was a blur!

The lilies have come, and gone.

Our niece's wedding attended:

Very happy Mama-Bride!

Bride's Happy Sister Kelly, and her new baby boy.

Partying Aunt Carol

New Mr and Mrs

Lar had a birthday – 70!  I guess it must be only a number, because it used to sound so old, but he certainly isn’t.

Birthday Boy overseeing the ice cream sundae making

Ian's seal of approval!

Julia and her creation

70 is just another number!!!

Missing one - but happy Grandpop

He was working in the garden plot one day with young Larry (grandson) when a news photographer happened by.

The result:

 The garden is so good for him – although his allergies make him uncomfortable, he is truly content when working the soil.

And I am truly content when working with what the garden produces.

 

Our Sweet Sweet Peas

Attack of the Zukes and Squash

Frozen Basil

My Grandma's Bread and Butter Pickles

Yummy Watermelon Salad with our own cukes, leaf lettuce and mint

We didn't grow them - but my first batch of roasted garbanzo beans

Crumby Blueberry Muffins

Kale

Spinach

Fabulous Kale Chips

Good recipe - our peas and peppers

Zucchini Bread

Beet Greens

Our gorgeous beets - roasted to perfection

Last week we woke up with an intimidating list of to dos.  Go to Costco, go to the supermarket, go to fabric store, and a couple of other items I have forgotten.  The phone rang and it was youngest son, asking us to keep their little one for a few hours while he searched out a new car.  The following pictures may impart some of the joy those hours brought.

Madelyn got mail - full of MomMom's address labels - there would be no chance of her getting lost this day!!!

Walking to Pop Pop's Garden ---- "Where's the cows?"

Walked to "our Julia's house"

I don't know if I've posted pictures of the quilts I made for Madelyn and Ian from souvenir panels we bought in Arizona - finally gave them to them on Madelyn's birthday.

Had so many zucchini, decided to try 8 Day Sweet Pickles for the first time.

Day 1:  Cut up and cover with boiling water - allow to sit uncovered at room temperature.
Day 2:  Drain, do not rinse cover with 1 gallon boiling water and 1 1/2 cups salt
Day 3:  Drain, do not rinse, cover with 1 gallon boiling water and 2 1/2 Tbs alum

 Day 4:  Drain - do not rinse.  Bring to boil 1 gallon cider vinegar and 3 Tbs pickling spices in a cheesecloth bundle.  Pour over the pickles and cover with a towel - no lid.

Days 5, 6 and 7:  Let sit

Day 8:  Remove from the vinegar - toss the spice bundle.  For each 5 c slices add 2 cups sugar.

And on to July ........................