On second thought, “Top 11” Summer Favorites…

Addendum:

We simply couldn't pass up a sale on lobster at our local little market for $10 bucks a pound. I requested a lobster roll, and the Chef (husband) quickly obliged.

Lobsterroll

The simplest things are always the best:

Simply pull out the meat, toss with small amount of mayonnaise, lots of freshly squeezed lemon juice, diced onion, diced celery, dill, italian parsley,salt, pepper and VOILA!

Then just spoon into a buttered (we grilled ours)bun and there you have it.A little slice of summer heaven.

My Top 10 Summer Favorites

Ladies and Gentlemen: Summer is here!! So I thought I would present a Top 10 list. Enjoy!

1.LL Bean tote: this guy never goes out of style. classic.


 

2. Cape Cod Chips, I’ve said it before, some foods are worth being fat for. these fall into that category. the saltiness, the double cooked crunch and i have a real thing for the ones that are folded over thickly. i’m sure i’ve eaten a whole bag within a day at one point or another. one of my fondest memories of life include watching the sunset in Madaket with my newly named husband, one day after our wedding. we left the honeymoon cottage with a bottle of chardonnay, a bag of these and sat in fold up chairs watching the sun dip into the atlantic. perfection.

Capecodchips

 

3. Eating a ripe peach: dripping over the kitchen sink

4. Light late nights: this time of year is what those of us in Seattle live for. A mild, dry,evening with a clear sky. A chance to sit out on the deck or garden with lingering conversation.

Adirondak

5. Red White and Blue Popsicles: a.k.a.”bomb pops” probably not a p.c. termthese days, none the less, what my brother and I called them. retro and the perfect post-bbq, or a straight-out-of-the sprinkler–or better yet, before-the-sprinkler treat.

Popsicle

6. Flip Flops: the more basic the cuter. designer flip flops are not for me. i love haviannas and reefs. nothing says, “i don’t care” more than this fashion statement.

Flipflop

7. Black Eyed Susan’s:

these are quintessential summer for me. i picture masses of these lined up in my grandmother’s darien, ct. garden. every time i see one, I think of her and how dearly I miss her.  pretty much every day.

8. Heirloom Tomatoes:

Heirloom%20tomatoes

another defining fruit of summer. my favorite come from Bartlett’s Farm in Nantucket. A perfectly ripe one literally tastes like sunshine tome. drizzle with some balsamic, extra virgin olive oil, top with freshly chopped basil and salt and pepper–it doesn’t get much better.

9. Seersucker

light breathable fabrics are key plus there’s the “prep” factor that i’m always all over. my husband came home from a business trip the other day sporting a penguin seersucker suit. i about died. what a sucker i am for seersucker!

Ties

10. Fireflies; these little creature sdon’t seem to be a summer-time occurrence in Seattle, i’m sure there’s some scientific or weather-related reason. but to me, catching fireflies on a summer night is the stuff of dreams. 100% magical and care-free.

  • Fireflieseverlasting summer…P.S. can you tell I’m missing Nantucket and the East? only about a million mentions in this post…:)

Perspective

I write a blog and while I really enjoy it…it’s definitely not the only thing I do. I’m not promoting a business, don’t have a specific angle per se, but view blogging as a chance of expression with a voice. I have a full life as well as a full-time job. At times I wonder, should I keep doing this?What is the goal? Does anyone even read it?

I must admit when researching other blogs in the universe frankly,I feel humble. There are so many inspiring and creative blogs out there, there is clearly a “next level”to this. Fortunately, I don’t have too much spare time to put into the practice of blog surfing as one can get so sucked into them all as this could easily fall into the category of shall we say,overwhelming?

While indulging today in some drilling down of what I would consider similar-subject-matter blogs, I found a recurring post. I discovered 10 or so blogs that brought attention to a blog is called Holding Court and it’s creator. It was written by a gal named Marija, this is her photo.

Marija2[1]

Marija tragically passed away in a car accident just a few days ago. Reading the last post, written by her husband gave me moment for pause. A wife, mother and fabulous young creative type used to “holding court” and having it all.

And in a flash it was all gone. It was so poignant.

It reminded me to have perspective. To be grateful. To live in the moment. To not stress about the small stuff. And to realize the power of a voice, as she clearly touched so many.

Sum Sum Summa Time!

Stay-cations are great and all, but family road trips are the stuff of memory making, right? Doesn’t everyone remember arguing with their siblings about who was “crossing over the other one’s side” while cruising along in the family truckster? This past 4th of July we took a little drive out to the mountain resort of Suncadia, and thank god it was actually pretty close to home!

Suncadia
When looking through the pictures, my sister in law commented that it looked like Max Kellerman’s Camp from Dirty Dancing. She was pretty much right.There were many firepits sprinkled about the grounds for S’more making, a watermelon eating contest, paddle boats, bike trails, pool with slides for the kids and a’hem, my husband too.And of course a cozy lodge that boasted gorgeous views as the centerpiece.

I also loved the little old-fashioned town of Roslyn, WA. An old coal mining town that reminds me of the ones I would love to visit in Colorado. So nice to visit a spot like this where everything moves a little slower, like this ride.

Car
Check out our littlest Pat.

Up next, camping. Maybe…

 

Don’t Let Youth Be Wasted on the Young

Last night we cashed in on Aaron’s Father’s Day present. 2 tickets to the Widespread Panic show held at the Paramount Theater.  Scrambling to get to the 7:00 show on a”school night”was far from the party atmosphere of old that we used to enjoy, though once there, I had an epiphany.

Listening to their soulful lyrics, felt like coming home. Like one of my favorites, Diner.

“Given time, Lord I’d build her a mountain for a room.  Given an hour, an hour, I’d build a rocket to the moon. Might take at least a week to find the strongest tool. Might take the rest of this lifetime to find the strongest fuel”

Even the song, Expiration Date sent a powerful message. I was reminded of how many times we would enjoy watching this live band with friends. Soaking up the sun and twirling in a field somewhere, with a cold can of beer in hand, donning a sundress and a straw cowboy hat. There was Aspen (here we are in 2002 with our first born barely 2 months old (who had to have custom made little cotton balls bandaged to her ears, for a sound barrier–it was actually very cute),

Aspen
Red Rocks, Alpine Valley and so many more. Days where I had far less responsibilities and far more fun (oh and as it happens sun too). Days before I was a slave to my I-phone, the emails, the texts, the always being “on” Note: Need to scan in some old/er photos, there are some good ones, including Aaron wearing some hilarious patchwork pants!

Somehow along the way we went from car-camping to carp-pooling in a car that cost more than my whole first year salary, though I still managed to go out 5 times as much. We went from parking lot grilled cheese sandwiches, to artisinal cheese. From dirty flip flop/grass stained stained feet to pedicured ones. I’m not complaining, I love my life now too, but it reminded me how much I would enjoy simple and good pleasures.

Whatever it takes to get you black to that place, of carefree and fun. Go there! It’s not too late. Have some fun and and don’t let youth be wasted on the young. As in the words of Widespread, “Ain’t Life Grand?”

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