(The quilt I made in my quilting class in May. Behind it: the corn we have our fingers crossed will actually produce edible ears.)I'm writing this on my porch, a little after noon. For the last few weeks, the idea of doing anything on my porch past, say, 9 A.M. has seemed out of the realm of possibility. Hot, is what I'm saying. Dang hot.
But today it is a miraculous 76 degrees. How did that happen? Do we have some nice, Canadian breezes to thank? I'm thankful to whatever brought this change in the weather about. Because when it's near 100 degrees by noon everyday, you don't want to move, and it's a crapshoot whether or not you even want to breathe.
So we had a nice time at the beach. It was hot there, too, but being near the ocean makes the heat almost bearable. I have to say, I got a little bored by the middle of week, and next year we're talking about breaking our long tradition of going to Sunset Beach and switching over to the Outer Banks, where it's cooler and there's stuff to do. Stuff that doesn't attract frat boys, but is fun nonetheless.
I'm sort of waiting for my summer mojo to kick in. I have lots of plans, but this week have been mostly cleaning and puttering. I need to make lists. I'm working on a new quilt and planning on a oral history project with my mother-in-law. Initially, my idea was to interview her about her cooking life--she is an amazing Southern cook, and in particular I'd like to talk to her about her potato salad and deviled eggs--but now my scope has widened. My in-laws come from Gaston County, NC, and both of them worked in the cotton mills growing up, as did most of the folks in their families. I think it would be interesting to get that part of my MIL's history recorded, and I think it would be good for Jack and Will to know about.
But, like most summers, my main objective is survival. This will call for lots of tomato sandwiches and banana pudding and magazine reading. If you have any other suggestions for making it through the long, hot days, send them my way.
More soon.
7 comments:
When you mentioned tomato sandwiches I thought of my literary heroine, Harriet M. Welsh.
I'm busy with Granny Camp this week. Our daughter and her husband are in Hawaii and I am striving to keep two little lambs happy. I am remembering 24/7 motherhood and all its demands. As I recall, when our four kids were still home, SUMMER motherhood was a marathon and staying creative and cheerful was a big fat stretch. I wish you corn that demands a good scarecrow.
We are doing our best to make it through this summer. Miserable heat!
And if I have to pick up the sofa cushion fort one more time I am going to lose my mind...
Awesome quilt! I know you are looking forward to using it this winter.
Amazing quilt!
My Summer secret: Iced tea. I know you're from the South, but I don't care for sweet tea. Just good old Twinnings British Blend put in a pitcher and set out in the sun for an hour or two to steep. The first sip in a glass with lots of ice always makes me smile.
Secret #2: Eddy's Fruit Bars. They're a whole fruit popsicle type thing. Only 45 calories for one.
Dirty Summer Secret: On a really bad day, I once put 3 Eddy's Lime Fruit bars into a blender added a little tequila. Presto! For the rest of the afternoon, my kids' bickering didn't bother me a bit.
Terrific quilt!
I absolutely LOVE tomato sandwiches. I like them toasted for breakfast and on soft bread for lunch and tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and salt over pasta at night. (But we have no fresh tomatoes here yet)
I love summer. I don't even mind the heat because I can always escape to the house or the basement. But I love drinking iced coffee with just a smidge of half 'n' half for an afternoon treat. I also require one small ice cream cone every day. Buy the cones and a gallon of your favorite ice cream and dip one daily. SO GOOD! Ice cream cones make you smile more, and that's good for you.
Another yummy thing....ice water with fruit floating in it....strawberries, lemons, berries. So delish and refreshing.
Jody
P.S.
Do your oral histories sometimes land in your books? I think it's a wonderful idea.
Jody
Pom Pom--Harriet M. Welsh is my literary heroine, too! Thank you for your corny wishes--the corn gets taller, and we continue to have big dreams.
Heather--I hope you all had the little break we did last week. This week is going to be hell on wheels. And I'm with you on the couch cushions.
Susan--I do the unsweetened tea thing, too--it's my deep pleasure. Hadn't thought of tequila popsicles, though. Oh, you are decadent!
Jody, I think the daily ice cream cone is a most excellent idea! I'm glad you like summer--of course, you suffer through a lot more winter than I do. I bet summer's a big treat. It is here, too, for the first few weeks, and then you just do what you have to do just to get through it!
I hope you write lots about your family's history. And I also have found iced coffee with cream to be the best for hot days....but wait--hot days? What are those? We often get fog until 11 or 12 or 1, and the tomatoes and peppers do NOT like this. When we move, it must be to a warmer clime, though I hope not more humid.
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