Mary Oliver

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do

with your one wild and precious life?"









Monday, June 27, 2011

Summer List

Yes, summer is here and it is hot, hot, hot. We're trying to keep the AC set at 80 degrees and using lots of fans to keep cool. I'm also listening to Bela Fleck's Throw Down Your Heart Africa Sessions, to try and embrace the heat.




I went to the library booksale Saturday and was lucky enough to buy a copy of Sark's book, The Bodacious Book of Succulence for $1. It reminded me that I want to have a summer fun list, in addition to a summer to-do list. And although I could only come up with two goals (for now), they are pretty broad ones: Add more color to my life and add more creative time.




So after I got home from the endodontist this morning, (yes, my third root canal, thank you very much) I decided to make a bird bath from stuff we already had on hand. I may end up painting the bottom of this clay saucer to prevent the water from seeping out too quickly, but then again, it may work just fine as is. I put a couple of seashells in for decoration. What do you think? So far, no birds have been sighted, despite the stale breadcrumbs I put out to attract them. I'm thinking about making a collection of birdbaths.





Stef got home from Sicily, and she gave me this plate, isn't it cute? I love it!





I made some bread on Saturday as well. One loaf has cheese in it and the other has garlic and rosemary. I think I'm going to make some raisin bread next. This counts as a creative endeavor, I think.And despite the heat, I made homemade mac n cheese to welcome Stef home.

Last night the girls were kind of bored and so I gave them my Moosewood Cookbook and The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook and told them to find something to make for dinner. Here they are working on the deliciousness that is Broccoli and Tofu with Peanut Sauce. Over rice.





It was yummy! I decided to make the Lentil & Bulgur Salad as well, since I had most of the ingredients, including some lemon infused olive oil that Stef brought us from Sicily! It's a cold salad that keeps very well in the refrigerator; perfect for hot summer days when we're trying to avoid cooking!





Finally, I'm working pretty steadily on my mom's summer sweater. Tomorrow will be one week from the start date and I'd say I'm close to half way done, especially since it's going to be short sleeved. I'm trying to stay monogamous with it, but I am really tempted to start some more new things! So much knitting, so little time, to coin a phrase.



What are you doing during these hot summer days?


6 comments:

  1. It's not exactly hot here--our high temp is what you have your A/C set to deliver. Still, it beats 20 below and the garden seems to like all the rain.

    I like all of your creative endeavors here. When you go ahead and make your raisin bread, look for a Belgian raisin bread recipe. They're the best!

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  2. i love throw down your heart. all of this looks fantastic.

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  3. I need to apologize. I was reading my email today, while in the car (where else would I be) and hit delete instead of publish for your comment. Thank you for stopping. And btw...80 with the air on?! That's warm, but I guess it's comparable for us and the furnace. I try to keep that at 68 in the winter. My sister in law freezes when she visits from Dallas.

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  4. That sweater is really coming along. I know how hard it is to stay true to those big projects.
    Your birds will thank you for a bath with that kind of heat. We're a lot (a lot!)cooler here and the birds still appreciate a splash.

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  5. I can't believe how much you've got done on your mom's sweater! She is so lucky!

    Speaking of my mom,she's in Wmsburg and is dying in the heat. Think it will cool off for my July visit???

    I am so with you on the color and creativity.

    Cooking, especially bread, in this heat -- pretty amazing. I have time to do bread in the summer, but I don't do a lot of it.

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  6. I love my Moosewood Cookbook. We make the Felafel all the time. And bread making is great in hot weather It rises so quickly. Unfortunately, our outside temperature here is only 68 degrees today, so we're not in the quick-rise zone!

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