Photo Friday: Season of Sun

I discovered a new setting on my camera while on vacation last week and played around with it some.

JoAnn, poolside

Click to view on black!

Sun through the Elm Leaves

Click to view on black!

Photo Friday: On the Horizon

Flatrock at Sunset

Please go see it on black!

Wishcasting Wednesday

Jamie asks, "What fun do you wish to have?"

Oh Jamie, how perceptive you are this week... seeing into my heart and knowing that with the summer upon us, FUN is all I have on my mind. It comes with plenty of free time for this substitute teacher, but also a slowing of funds for things like gas and parking and admission to state parks and beaches and campgrounds, which are the fun things I am wishing for this summer.

To be able to not worry about the few extra dollars in gas to visit the lakeside nearly daily, or the cost of parking to visit the state parks near-by, or to even have enough funds to make it to a campsite with the kids for a weekend or two throughout the summer, AND have enough to pay the necessities like rent & electricity & internet, and maybe even the NetFlix... That's the kind of FUN I wish for...

Lazy days, sun and waves, picnic lunches & dinners, swimming, chapters read in the sun-dappled shade, THOUSANDS of pictures, and art by the armload! WORRY FREE. No worry about whether we're going to bounce checks, no worry about if the car is going to make it, no worry that I won't be able to make the kids happy enough.... That's the kind of fun I wish for...

Photo Manip Class is Over

I feel a bit short changed because 2 of the days were "self-checks" and not actual tutorials (down with unnecessary testing!), but for a free course it was pretty good. If anyone is interested in seeing the 14 I mean 12 13 photos I have manipulated for this class (I did 2 for the 11th tutorial), hop on over to my deviantArt. Here's the final project:

Friday Favorite!

Yeah, I am big on the alliteration; so sue me... Today's topic is my favorite summer recipe, and while this is more of a whole meal, I'll include the recipes for everything, and you'll get more than just one! ^-^

First off is what my family always called Pepper Steak. We never had it any other way; so there was no confusion until the Chinese Buffets started growing in popularity around here; and their pepper steak features, of course, green peppers. So now we call it by the whole recipe name:

Chuck Wagon Pepper Steak

• 1 round bone arm chuck roast or boneless arm roast, cut 2-inches thick (about 3 pounds)
• 2 teaspoon(s) unseasoned tenderizer
• 2 tablespoon(s) instant minced onion
• 2 teaspoon(s) thyme
• 1 teaspoon(s) marjoram
• 1 bay leaf, crushed
• 1 cup(s) wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup(s) olive oil or salad oil
• 3 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
• 1/4 cup(s) peppercorns, coarsely crushed or 2 tbsp cracked pepper

1. Sprinkle meat on both sides, no salt, with tenderizer; pierce both sides with fork, place in shallow baking pan.
2. Mix other ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Pour over and around meat, let stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours, turning every half-hour.
4. When ready to grill, remove meat, pound half-crushed peppercorns into each side.
5. Cook 15 minutes each side or less.

The rest of the meal is also cookout fare, at least for us: Corn on the cob and salt potatoes. I understand, that outside of our area, salt potatoes are something of a rarity, so I'll get real specific with this recipe; although here we can just buy a bag complete with the perfect potatoes and portioned salt.

Salt Potatoes

• 4 pounds new potatoes (find the smallest potatoes you can, the smaller the better IMHO)
• 1 1/2 cups salt (should be about a pound, some people say rock salt, some say fine salt, some say sea salt, I say it doesn't matter, but the water should be saturated with it)
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted (more or less to your preference)

1. Wash the potatoes and set aside. Fill a large pot with water and set over heat; stir in salt until it no longer dissolves and settles on the bottom. Place potatoes in the pot and continue to bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes. Drain; cover to keep hot.
2. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small pan over medium high heat, or in microwave. Serve immediately poured over potatoes. (If you're going to eat the potatoes hot this step is unnecessary as the butter will melt right away anyway.)
NOTE: These are even better cold out of the fridge the next day, and they make AWESOME fried potatoes!

Grilled Corn on the Cob

• Corn on the cob
• water
• salt & pepper to taste

1. Clean up your ears a bit; take the dryer leaves off an some of the silk, just for appearance sake. Then soak in water overnight. We usually fill the sink and soak them there if you don't have a big enough pot.
2. Get your coals or grill hot, then place the ears - husk and all - over the fire. Some put them right on the coals, others on the grill like the steak, it's your preference.
3. Turn the ears occasionally until the husks are blackened all around, about 15 - 20 minutes.
4. Remove from the grill and let sit for 5 minutes. Be careful when removing husks and silk not to burn yourself!
5. Add butter, salt & pepper, and enjoy!

BlogCarnival: Summer Edition!

The school year here is winding down. Yesterday I subbed a half a day for a 6th grade teacher who sadly missed out on half a day of the 6th Grade Kickball Tournament. Apparently it's going all week long! The temperature is consistently in the high 60s if not 10-20 degrees higher now, and the weather is mostly sunny. These are the days we live for: grilling everything, having the windows and doors open, heading up to Flat Rock to swim (if the water's warm enough!) or just hang out on the rocks, watching the birds and bugs, dressing in hardly a thing...

For me the very best days are the ones when we all pile in the car and head to the lake, swimsuits on, picnic lunch packed: sketch book, colored pencils, and reading book included! When we get there, we choose a spot and spread out a big blanket. The kids run off to swim & explore (they're old enough now to do that without direct supervision!) and Jacqueline and I lie down and read or sketch or take pictures, just enjoying the sun and lake and the grass and birds... *le sigh*

How about you?

Summer Nap

Robins and chickadees
and birds I don't know
sing songs to each other
across the yard
Crickets and cicadas
call out for a mate
and the neighbor mows
his yard
Children laugh
and scream in joy
somewhere in the distance
but nothing stirs in the room
save a housefly
buzzing in the window
and dust motes
lazing in a beam of sunlight
that creeps
ever higher
up the walls

Happy Summer Solstice!

Written on Friday, June 20, 2008
TodayYesterday, we held our Solstice ritual and feast! It was lovely! ^_^ There was much fun & revelry, and as usual, my fingers are black and sticky from roasting marshmallows! ^_^ Everything was finger food: watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and cherries; bright orange cheese curls; hot dogs cooked on sticks; sunshiny orange cupcakes with lemon frosting; and s'mores!




Our Summer Solstice Feast

It's been cool, so the skeeterz weren't too bad, and I used the bug repellent so they didn't bug me too much at all... (Ha! Pun not intended but so welcome! ^_^) We took some time to write our annual letters to our future selves, then tied notes of things we wish to get rid of to the wicker man*. Jacqueline then told us all a story (from which we could draw our own lessons), and we all got to read our letters from last year. Then we headed out to the fire where we each got to take part in calling the quarters.

omg tired... need sleep nao...

Written on Saturday, June 21, 2008
And then I crashed... LOL! So yes, anyway...

Here we are about to cast the circle...




Yep, that's our Yule Tree!

Then we lit the bon fire. The tree went up pretty fast, the wicker man was burnt, and we spent a few moments reflecting on and discussing the things we wanted less of in the coming year: poverty, car problems, lack of self confidence, etc...




It burns, and with it our flaws...

Then we got to the feasting! ^_^ The kids had cut sticks for everyone, and we roasted hot dogs, and marshmallows, and the kids tried to roast some of the fruits, with mixed results. We all stuffed ourselves, and I could have eaten more but I was just so tired!




Cooking hot dogs is hot work...

So Jacqueline & I headed inside, where I attempted to document our celebration, but failed... XD When we went to bed, the kids were still outside roasting marshmallows and playing Organization IV.

Today it is over 80 and sunny, and although I was going to play outside, I am thinking it's too warm now, and I have been goofing off doing other things... But as I write, Jacqueline is packing up the perfect picnic lunch for us, and we are going to head over to Mexico Point Park for lunch, and hopefully we can swim... ^_^ If not, I might just be forced to stop where we can!

There are only 4 more days left of school with 3 of them 1/2 days, and I assume that I am done for the year. I was really surprized to get called for yesterday, though, so maybe I will get the chance to work some more... If not, I have faith that something will come along!


Heee... Like my new icon, BTW? ^_^ Get it? Rocks... on the beach... in summer regalia? XD






*The wicker man in our case isn't big or made of wicker or a man, but rather a small lady made of fallen twigs; this year sporting bright red hair (yarn scraps) made by Lia. I wish I had gotten a picture... Oh I kinda did! He's there on the table with our feast in the first pic, behind the bread, next to the ketchup, in front of the marshmallows & chocolate! ^_^

Mermaid Summer

Perhaps it's presumptuous of me to assume we're going to go swimming as much as I hope to, especially with gas prices going the way they are, and the way summer work is looking, but I am moving forward with positive intentions and have dubbed the summer of 2008:
Mermaid Summer

We've already begun by reading some of the Emily Windsnap books and Mermaid Park by Beth Mayall, and we've watched Splash and will soon be getting Aquamarine from Netflix.

In addition to books and movies, we'll be playing mermaid ourselves at the lake, and doing all kinds of mermaid crafts too! So do you have any good mermaid books or movies or crafts you want to share? I'd love some suggestions!