I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Saturday, August 29, 2015

A Pink Blue Moon - The Corn Moon


Hi! Quick Saturday night post to show you tonight's full moon. I had a few friends over to watch it rise at 7.38. Stunning. Pink not blue....the second full moon of August.

Friday



 Saturday evening.






Later. Kind of spooky, isn't it.







love

lizzy

gone to the beach....





Earlier on the town beach, another wedding....


Thursday, August 27, 2015

A Week of Small Doings



Hi! Some weeks are like that, little stuff happens, little stuff get done. Like--I got my car inspected. Do all states do this? The next day the gas station guy filled my tank and pointed out kindly that I had a nail in my tire.
So much for safety inspections.
He kindly repaired the tire [for free!] and told me he'd check the patch next time I come by for gas.

My TV remote died.

Mo was sick. Everywhere, poor little man. I'd been not-ACing to save a few pennies, I believe he was overheated. He also ate cornsilk, from the corn I was shucking, maybe that was the prob?


Some things were good! In the Better Late than Never category, the Goose family finally got their swim suits on. Yay!


But not Baby. That makes me sad, can they not at least give her a hair bow or something?


We saw morning glories in bloom.


Mo got a new crate liner/ bed. He says it is Yummy.


My friend L's dog got a Thunder Shirt. We hope very much that it helps her big dog who is terrified of storms. Mo is like, Lalalalah. The deli turkey treats and happy voice "Good Thunder!!!" method has worked well. (And pugs are pretty oblivious anyway.)


We went to Home Goods and looked at Halloween stuff. And Thanksgiving!  Yeesh.




Turkey dinner plates, only 4.99!

And I made my brown rice quinoa salad. It was very delicious, great lunch or snack or served with steak or grilled chicken.


I used this rice mix, but there's many to chose from.


Even Uncle Ben's makes a quinoa rice mixture now. Do NOT overcook the rice and reduce the water or broth volume to equal amount of rice. [you can add a bit more liquid later if it's too al dente but we don't want mushy rice.]. So one Cup rice, one Cup water etc. Test after the water has absorbed, add a bit as needed. It can just sit on hot stove to to finish. Or on very low heat.


I cooked the rice with onion, garlic, broth. We ate some of it that way as pilaf.
The next day I added minced garlic and red onion and diced tomatoes and cucumbers. Cauliflower tiny florets. Cooked well-drained summer squash, optional. Parsley. Vinaigrette made with olive oil and lemon juice. [whatever you have or like is fine].




Feta cheese.


Things that would be good to add: avocado, capers, black olives, bleu cheese. Maybe skip the cukes. as they overpower the delicate other tastes. Delicious!
Best if brought from fridge an hour before serving, so it isn't too cold.


Sometimes my friend L and I run errands together, including grocery shopping. It just makes things more fun....so this week she is making this Pork Ragout! She likes to experiment. It looks so good. But it seems snow day, to me.


Thursday is salads and sandwiches here at the beach. Project Runway night, remember.

Have a good rest of the week!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

and PS here's a video, for everyone, especially Kit.


Sunday, August 23, 2015

August



Hello, hello!


August just seems to roll on endlessly, doesn't it. The summer days have acquired a sameness, a routine, dare I call it a bit of tedium? Picnic, BBQ, afternoon swim. Sandy floors and wet beach towels. Day after day of heat and sunshine.
Summer will last here through the end of September, there is no point is talking about crisp air and frost on pumpkins. Not til November usually. School here never ever starts til after Labor Day. And is only held in a desultory fashion though the September Jewish holidays.


But who is complaining!? Not me. Endless summer is fine with me.


Swimsuit. Shorts and tank top. Flip flops. Pony tail. I can be dressed and out the door in seconds. Remember winter's layers? It took me ten minutes to suit up for Mo's long walks.


I did begin drying ''botanicals'' to fill autumn bowls with a hint of fragrance.



Tiny roses that self-dried in their vase. Orange peels. Sunflower heads.


Last year's gourds still hanging patiently in the corner, well-dried by now.


On our walks I've been eyeing the drying hydrangea heads on neighbors' shrubs. I wouldn't dare just snip them off but I might ask if I see them being pruned. The other night Mo and I peeked through a park fence and saw this lovely sight!



A sunset wedding at the beach, in August. A perfect setting.  The gowns match the park kiosks, I see.



A new neighbor has this Nantucket basket on her bike. How cool is this! Right now I don't have a bike but it is on my wish list and I would def need a basket just like this. Nantucket Bike Baskets


Here are my August Pokeberry blocks:



Black-eyed Susans in an old crock is finished. I'm quite pleased, though on close inspection I see the design is a bit too symmetrical..


Not so sure about the robin's nest and apple blossom wreath.



I trimmed down and repositioned the leaves after I saw this photo. I think it will be okay....



Now my friend brought me his just-harvested giant--enormous!---sunflower to try to dry.


It measures almost 15" across and must weigh 15 pounds.



He pulled out most of the rest of the sunflowers...we're having fun, imagining the seed heads sprouting next year, and the landfill will be covered with giant sunflowers. Maybe? It could happen.


If the giant head dries nicely I hope for a display like this one from my Pinterest board.

...
image via Pinterest

Mo wants me to play! So I'll say goodnight. Have a wonderful week.



love

lizzy 

gone to the beach...





Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Blueberry Cornbread and Kitties



Hi! This week the farmers market was red white and blue---red tomatoes, white sugar corn, and blueberries stole the show.


Tomatoes for sandwiches, or to fry, or for my next project: quinoa-brown rice salad.


I love dark brown many grain bread sandwiches with tomatoes, mustard, American cheese.
The corn is just picked and very sweet.


White corn is prized here.


Though I must admit I prefer bright yellow, large kernel corn myself.
And blueberries.
So adorable. Look at this blue! And always in the sweet little turquoise paper boxes. If they didn't make your teeth turn purple they be just about the perfect fruit.


If I don't have time to use the berries immediately, I put them unwashed in a baggie and freeze them. Put in a colander and rinse well; pick off stems, pat dry when you're ready for them.





Lately I've been hearing mention of blueberry cornbread. I love cornbread,and have been waiting for the berries to arrive so I could make some.


I must have really wanted CB because I found two mixes in my fridge's pantry drawer. I'm not a purist. On a hot summer day, a Betty Crocker mix is fine, a quick way to have fun baking without too much work or angst.


I used the Krusteaz this time, the word ''honey'' on the label was enticing. I like things sweet and this was to be a dessert, so I added more ''sugar'' [Splenda.]


Fold in the berries at the end.


Sprinkle some real sugar on the top.



Next time I'm going to use my bundt pan so the cake looks prettier.
Yum.





Many yums!



I suppose summer is kitten season, isn't it. My neighborhood's feral cats here have been neutered and returned their usual haunts, which means they are healthy and safe but we have no new babies to love. My blog friend Kelley, who lives on the West Coast, does a wonderful job with feral kittens. Here is her link, for her current little guys. If we lived nearby I'd be tempted to bring them home for Mo [he gets lonely, banned from the beach fun as he is].
https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/32662366/


My friend Mel recently adopted a kitten. This cutie is named Meekay, which is (phonetically)  the Japanese word for calico. She is a calico tabby kitten, also known as a calibby.


I love her white mittens and back legs, such a beautiful girl .



Her big friend is Spook. I remember Spook [patiently snoozing on the right ]being a tiny kitten, my how he has grown.



And my last bit of news is that my friend L and I braved the hot highways [and a Jimmy Buffett concert in progress] to go to Joann's for fabric for our little Dresses for Bolivia. Lori at Humble Quilts Dresses for Bolivia  We had such fun! We plan to have a sewing day soon, especially if we ever get a rain day. It's only rained twice , two mornings, since early June. Great for the beach, not so great so sewing indoors.



What are you all up to in the final weeks and days of August?
Have a great week.

love 

lizzy 

gone to the beach.........

windsurfer