Oh My Heavenly Goodness!

You know what happens when I'm left alone on a cool drizzly weekend? I end up at the farmers market where suddenly my car is full of delicious treasure and my wallet is empty, like, not one single dollar left. It was time to go home. What heavenly goodness. It certainly filled up my weekend.

1/2 bushel Bartlett Pears - canned. A&P already took 3 quarts and I think Kyle has spoken for 6 pints. Perhaps I should have bought a full bushel?

4 lbs Big Boy Tomatoes - roasted and frozen for Carrot-Tomato Soup this winter. On a side note, I've already got broccoli and asparagus frozen for making this soup over the winter.

Patty Pan Squash - roasted and frozen (okay, some were eaten as soon as they came out of the oven)

Red and Green Peppers - roasted, some were frozen

There was lots of chopping and dicing and slicing while I made Orzo, Feta and Tomato Salad; Tuscan Bread Salad; and Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Garlic. I ate extremely well for the next few days.

Eggplant - sliced, roasted and frozen. Chicken Parmigiana?

Buttercup and Butternut squash - both are stored in the cellar awaiting another cool rainy day, which is always perfect for baking and comfort food

Garlic - lots of it, now stored in the cellar

Nectarines - Most of these were sliced and frozen for smoothies, but I did eat one while emitting euphoric 'mmm-ing' noises because really, is there anything more delicious than fresh ripe nectarines? 

Asian Pears - eaten! These were a complete surprise to find at the market as I've only eaten them in Taiwan with you. Sweet, juicy with a crunch, delicious! I've missed these.

I did some baking. Berry and Buttermilk Cake. Wisely frozen after eating a couple of pieces.

And because I found spelt flour from one of my favorite vendors, I baked a batch of Carrot-Spelt Muffins from Good to the Grain. These are not diet food by any means, but they are the moistest, bestest tasting carrot muffins ever...in the history of the entire world even. That's how good they are. Egads. These too, ended up in the freezer. I think I'm less apt to eat the whole plate if they're frozen.

It feels good to have fresh food put up and stored again. I feel so smug and self-sufficient. These muffins are going to be scrumptious with a cup of hot Taiwan tea while watching the snow flutter down soon. Ahhh...you know I'll be thinking of you.

This is how we roll!

You know that fun, adventure and curiosity rule the days when we go 'home'.

Um, because the tree was leaning and we had to hold it up so it wouldn't fall on the truck? I know we're not the only ones to do these shenanigans, but I swear, I have yet to witness other families doing what we do. As we were packing to leave, the neighbors came by and said they were going to miss us. haha...is that because we're funny and entertaining, or were they being facetious?

Creative and industrious, that's what this son is, especially when said son forgets to pack chairs.

It would be more fun to say that she kept wandering off and this was the only way we could keep her around, but in truth, we all climbed in this log because it was there. I have lots of pictures to prove it, but no one will let me post them. She's standing, by the way.

Of course we rerouted the river...it was going the wrong way!

Must find out where the water comes from. I heard them say they climbed to the top of the falls through the water.

Sand dunes demand that you leap forth into thin air and that you scream for bloody joy as you do so. By the way, if you look close you will see white caps on the water. We were ridiculously high up. A sign said it was only a couple minutes to the bottom, but over an hour to climb back up. This is the old log slide.

Monkey see...

He had this delightful little sing-song to his voice as he danced a jig on the platform.

Off to go exploring...again. This boy would have stayed on the beach the entire trip if we had let him.

I think you can figure these out.

This was new this year - adventuring via boat. I must say that the view from the water was incredible. I heard 'wow' at least a bajillion times as we cruised up and down the coast.

I love this. I just do. A boy and his dog.

Darling, imagine my surprise...

as I wandered aimlessly about the pier, reading names etched into the metal and exploring the graffiti covered rails when I suddenly stumbled across these.

These have to be from no sooner than 1998. I believe that's the last time we were here with your grandmother since neither of you would go once she became too sick to go with us. I almost remember you telling me you did this. What a delightful surprise.

This one certainly doesn't look the same as he did all those years ago,

And he certainly had no thoughts of her back then. Remember the clay pit?

Some things do remain the same though. He still looks for agates,

and now she looks for them too. Did you know she fell in love with the place from the moment she first arrived 3 years ago?

I never would have let him do this when you were both younger, but I had no fears of him reaching for the waves now.

She was a little apprehensive, but the power of the waves bade her come closer. I'm sure his encouragement helped.

Simply enjoying the power and beauty of nature and her tempestuous ways, letting down their guard just for a moment...

And nature laughed...as did I...as did they...and then we went to find her some dry clothes.

I've been away...

but in truth, I went home...

and now I'm back.

To celebrate...

the boy's birthday.

We celebrated a week early. He didn't mind. It's supposed to be all about him, but he didn't eat and when his momma asked him why, after he so carefully chose all those special foods, his reply was, "I picked it for them." He meant his guests, those of us who came to help him celebrate his day. How sweet...how like him.




I made him a crazy, zany sort of alien card because he's a crazy, zany sort of kid. The idea for the card is not my original idea. I copied a very similar image I found online, but hey, isn't that why we have the internet?


I wanted to give him a special gift (no toys) and this one is straight from my heart. Last year, I took a series of photos of him launching himself off that big tire when we were on the beach in Grand Marais. He was so full of joy as he sailed through the air and I wanted his gift to capture that joy. Besides, who doesn't like to see pictures of themself? I used an exacto knife to cut the images of him from the photos, I collaged the water and sand from the photos onto the paper and placed his images so it would imply motion. When he opened his gift, his words were, "that's me!" Then he looked at me and said, "this is awesome!" Exactly what I hoped for while making his gift.


Oh, and there was cake, of course there was cake. And of course he ate his cake.

Happy birthday, darlin'!

Relaxing...

on a warm summer evening. It's not often that we have absolutely nothing to do in the evening. It would be silly not to take advantage of that down-time, don't you think? We did that, just the other night.

\
The charcoal was lit while the salmon was soaking in a Ceviche-ish marinade, and the vegetables were cleaned and given a light coating of oil. Mind you, I didn't do a thing to get this dinner ready. Someone did all the work and I simply showed up for the cooking and eating. That's kinda nice. 


However, I did pour the beer. Cold, refreshing - we're quickly running out of our stash from the duty-free shop. It tastes so darned good though, we can't help it.


Gin Rummy anyone? I like this game. It's quick and easy, and perfect for two people sitting outside on the patio enjoying a gorgeous evening.


Well, how about that? I haven't seen a walking stick in years. ~grins~ Might it have something to do with their wonderful camoflage?


Okay, you've got me here, this has nothing to do with relaxing on a warm summer evening. It's just me wanting to show off my new toy. I had this lens a few years ago when I was shooting film, but it sort of went swimming with me one March when I rolled my kayak in the river. Oops. Water and cameras don't mix too well. I think I'll try harder to keep this one on the top of the water. This was my favorite lens and I've missed it. I'm so excited to play with it again.

I'm just sayin'...

that somebody should have told me.



I won't buy toys for the grandbabes, but I don't consider Legos to be toys. No, they are so much more than just a toy. They require my babes to use their imaginations, which is why I still have quite a large tote full of them from years of purchasing for my sons for Christmas and birthdays as they were growing up. Nearly every time the babes come over, that tote is thumpity thumped down the stairs from the attic and unceremoniously dumped upside down in the middle of the livingroom floor...and the adventures begin. Am I the only one who loves the sound Legos make as kids (and adults) paw through the piles?

But really now, they make Star Wars Legos? For how long? Why didn't I know? I so would have bought these for him. C'mon! It's Yoda for heaven's sake. No one rocks like Yoda rocks. Seriously!