Being In a Summer's Day

I do not write in my journal.

My "gift" list lies fallow.

Blogger has not seen me.

I am silent in ink.

Yet in life . . . 

I laugh

I love

I cook

I dance

I play

I read

I rest

I celebrate nothing special . . . for it is ALL special.

* * *

Have I poured out all I have to give/say/write?

No.

Has the well run dry?

No.

Rather . . . I feel as if I am on holiday -- 

a great glorious spate of time devoted to simply being . . . 

. . . at play

. . . at rest

. . . at table

. . . at ease.

It feels so good to enjoy each simple moment, be they devoted to:

peeling a cucumber, 

slicing a tomato,

hearing a harp/flute duet played in the music room, 

reading slowly in a hot afternoon,

sipping a summery banana-pineapple-coconut smoothie,

simply being at summer.

"Remember," whispers the ink pen.

"Capture," croons the paper.

I reach for my journal 

and smile 

at the thought of another 

bliss-filled summer day

ripe for the picking,

sweet to the tasting.

How's your summer going?

Thousands of Words About Summer

* * *

Summer has finally arrived here at Wisteria Cottage.

We welcome you to

settle back into the comfy wicker, 

nibble a lemon bar, 

inhale the sweet fragrance of wisteria, 

and spend a summertime moment with us.  

These pictures make words unnecessary . . .

don't you agree?

From our cottage to yours:

Happy Summertime!

This Blog Has Been Temporarily Interrupted by FLUTTER-BY DAYS

Lately I cannot seem to find enough hours to blog
And live at the same time.
The last days of Summer dawdle in our temperate clime,
Reaching up into the 90s by day,
Dipping low to the chillies by night.

My soul senses change in the goings on in the garden.
My heart quickens with delight at the arrival of Fall,
My favorite season of all.

The arrival of the September Asters

Signals Lydia's birthday afoot

(Turning 14 -- OH MY!)

The arrival of a load of wood
Heralds the coming of Fall,
The gateway to Winter
The burnishing of the bushes

And harvesting of the apple

(Taste-tested by some pesky passer-by, I see)

And the returning of the Mantis Maids
To dance at the final Summer's Ball
Under fairy lamplight on the Mardi Gras rose
(Who will bloom up until nigh Christmas)

Bid me savor the last of the sweet summer fruits
Bathed in homemade yogurt

Or giggle over the latest thrifty treasure,
Asking only $30,
Sized just right for Miss Rachel --
How could I resist?


Upon placing the newest treasure in place
She tried it out
And pronounced it perfect.
Silence promptly hushed the room
As she fell through the doorway of a good read.
I, too, have been reading much,
Fascinated by Madeleine L'Engle's Crosswick Journals.
More and more volumes of her poetry and prose
Arrive from used book shops around the world
Filling my recently reorganized shelving
In preparation for Fall's beckoning days
And the early fall of night --
Perfect for reading something good.

This one reads Fitzgerald, that one chooses Hardy,
A tired one asks for read-alouds
While a younger one votes Fairy Tales for all . . .

But for just this day I prefer to stall Fall
And seek the last roses of summer,
Making sure to dance with one and all

In their vibrant gowns petal soft,

Taking care not to overlook
The last bit of Queene Anne's Lace
Peeking shyly underfoot

I shall return again soon with lots to share,
But please excuse me for just a bit
While I dance and play and live fully
These precious last days of Summer.

: D

Impromptu Fondue

*POOF!*

Off goes the power at 5 o'clock p.m. on a Friday Night --
our Family Fun Night of the week.

Hmmmmm . . . what shall we do about dinner now?

Not that I had any really great ideas on a muggy eve following an afternoon of grocery shopping and thrifting following a morning of experimenting with my new yo'gourmet yogurt maker (which I haven't exactly mastered yet . . . post coming soon). This tired gal found the *POOF* less exciting than did the little ladies that scurried around gathering flashlights and reminiscing about all the fun we always have during a power outage.

"Good thing we have a woodstove," observed Rachel cheerfully.

I bit my tongue rather than mention the humid 90s registering on the thermometer.

"Hey," cried Elizabeth, "Let's make fondue with the fondue set we just got at the thrift store!"

Cheers went up from all corners of the keeping room.

(Did I mention I stood in the kitchen with a shocked look on my face. I guess I expected someone to say, "Hey let's eat bread and apples with a bit of cheese and then mom doesn't have to cook and make a mess which she will have to clean up in the dark without a dishwasher's assistance. Did I mention the crabbiness flowing through my brain on this muggy day? Did I also mention that I often fall apart between 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. if I don't have a bit of respite and a cup of tea about 3:30ish -- which I missed this day?)

The giggles and glee swept everyone up in cheerful busy-ness creating a wave of joy that literally swept away the grouch in me.

Rachel ran to retrieve just the right cookbook.

With a little help from Remy, we came up with a luscious cheese fondue made from cheddar cheese and milk (plus a roux of flour and butter) with a hint of garlic, paprika, nutmeg, and the juice of a lemon dashed with a bit of salt and pepper.

With proper accompaniments like fresh brown bread,
sweet 100s from our garden,
juicy grapes, and generous chunks of gala apples,

Along with a sweet treat of Virgil's old-fashioned Root Beer
(free of any high fructose corn syrup)

We prayed and dug in with delight!

Heavy-laden little forks hefted gooey, gushy, globs of YUM into our mouths.

Fortunately I had the foresight to choose a cheddar-colored table cloth,
so blops didn't distract us.

Long before the fondue ran out
Our appetites ceased calling for more.
We pushed back with a sigh and
NO ROOM FOR DESSERT!!
Imagine that . . .

: D

p.s. The power returned before we sat down to dinner, so I washed dishes in a brightly lit kitchen ALL BY MYSELF (and enjoyed every minute of it after such a fabulous feast).

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, Where Have You Been?

Well, my dear friends, I have been away from the blogs for a fair piece (returning soon to see what you have been up to in my prolonged absence), but I haven't been to see The Queen or even a lowly jester. Instead, I have been about the business of treasure hunting . . . for true wealth, as can only be found in the memories made in each passing day.

With Autumn still about two weeks away from her official debut, the welcoming coolness of these late, late Summer days has paved the way for coming away from the fans and back out into the gardens for fun and work and a host of other activities.

Around here we choose to mix up work and play,
Evidenced here in the building of a treehouse


For one happy girl (and dad, too, I see),

Who will lie back and gaze at this wondrous site.

Not one to enjoy wielding a hammer or saw,
Miss Lydia prefers to run amongst the flowers and trees.
These sweet days offer no finer opportunity
To dance among the trees


Finding flowers laden with unexpected gifts,
Like this Praying Mantis Maiden
Coyly searching for a mate.

Another rich memory greeted us one sleepy morning
When we tumbled out of bed
And found this delightful brunch awaiting us.

Rachel had set the table,
Prepared the meal,
And then simply waited for us
To discover the surprise.

Truly priceless memories found amongst these days.

Still, there's more . . .

More spinning dates.
More to learn.

Like how this unusual contraption
makes a skein of yarn into a tidy package,

Which can then be turned into something very special
(like this blankie Elizabeth has fashioned
for a soon-to-be-born little boy).

Miss Elizabeth has had especially busy hands these days.
Here you see her very first pie crust

And the mouthwatering dinner we enjoyed.
Trust me . . . it was soooooo rich and delicious!

With so much happening around our busy homestead,
We easily lose track of time . . .

But the maturation of these "chicks"
Reminds us that time does fly.

Similarly, some things never change,
As you can see that Miss "Freckles"
Still plays the loner.

"Company's Coming!" always delighted me as a child,
and the passing of years has not changed that one bit.

Getting together with a treasure trove of friends
Makes for a day overflowing
With the kind of wealth and blessings
That satisfy long after the meal has been consumed,
The table cleared,
And the dishes stowed tidily away.

Our dear Friend, Chef Karl,
"Laboured" away over a fully-laden BBQ

While his wife Lily and her sister Susan
Enjoyed catching up on all the happenings
Around here since our last get together.

Relaxed fun for all!
(You can't find that in a bank vault.)

As the sun slipped slowly away
We chatted by candlelight,
Wishing we could find a firefly
To add to our cache of beauty
In this gently, rich life.