this time of year

 The crickets sang in the grasses. They sang the song of summer’s ending, a sad, monotonous song. “Summer is over and gone,” they sang. “Over and gone, over and gone. Summer is dying, dying.”

 The crickets felt it was their duty to warn everybody that summertime cannot last forever. Even on the most beautiful days in the whole year — the days when summer is changing into fall- the crickets spread the rumor of sadness and change. - E.B. White, Charlotte's Web

 Image: deviantart

last full week of summer before school......

 

Image via deviantart

Did you catch this?

The piece "Every Teenager Should Have a Summer of ’65"  by Joyce Wadler in the New York Times made me smile today. I loved the above illustration by Rebecca Mock that accompanied it as well.

notes for summer

I feel like snail mail is a thing of the past for some, but I still send cards- birthday, congratulations, just feel better in general cards. There are quite a few seasonal designs out there if something inspires you to drop a summer line... or a thank you ....or a get well.....

Images: tinyprints, etsy, etsy, etsy, etsy, felixdoolittle, riflepaperco, tinyprints

summer's end

I know today is not really the last day of the summer, but it is in this house because tomorrow is back to school! The summer went by so quickly and although I look forward to welcoming my favorite season....there are some things about the warm weather I always miss. Being at the ocean is probably top of the list.
Artist Annie Wildey does the most incredible paintings of the sea. Having one of these hanging in the house year round would be the best part of our summers right there on the wall!

Images: markelfinearts and hamptonsarthub

beach towel sale

It is not quite the end of July and already the beach gear sales are in full swing. Every summer I think,  this year I will replace all of the old beach towels that have been with us since Y2K was newsworthy, but every summer they find their way back into storage. Not this year! I will take advantage of at least one of these sales.....

 Images/Sales: Target, Amazon, Land of Nod, Zappos, Crate and Barrel, Land's End, Land's End, Pottery Barn Teen, Kohl's

salt water taffy

 

If you spend any time near the beach, you have probably had salt water taffy. It seems it is the one must have item in every beach town souvenir shop. No matter how much I try to avoid it, I probably end up eating dozens of flavors of taffy by summer's end!

Having eaten so much of it, I know it is all mostly sugar, but I was still curious about how the taffy is made. Might be a fun project to try with older kids....

 Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon flavoring (your choice)
• a couple of drops of food coloring (your choice)

Instructions

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 1-1/2 quart saucepan.
   
2. Stir in corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking then, without stirring, until candy thermometer reaches 260 degrees or between firm and hard ball candy stage (mixture will form a flexible ball when drizzled in cold water).
   
3. After boiling has ceased, stir in flavoring and coloring.
   
4. Pour onto lightly greased pan. Let stand until cool enough to handle.
   
5. Pull the taffy with greased hands. Cut into 1-inch pieces and wrap the candy pieces in waxed paper.

Recipe: recipelion  , Image: troyerscountrymarket

summer float

When I was little there was an A&W in the town over that actually had waitresses on skates who would wheel the trays of hot dogs, onion rings, and root beer floats right up to the station wagon window....I wish there was a spot like that around now for a summer night out with the kids. While I miss those perfect onion rings and have never found any better, I can make a mean root beer float (first "recipe" I ever mastered :) ).
This is the simplest, one step recipe for summer refreshment!

Ingredients

• 1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream, or prepared
• 32 ounces root beer

Directions

1. Scoop 1/2 cup ice cream into each of four tall glasses. Add enough root beer to fill each glass. Serve each with a long iced-tea spoon and straw.

 Image: mccormick.com, recipe: marthastewart.com

watermelon season

 The color watermelon is one of my favorites. There is something fresh and summery about it- just like the fruit. A little watermelon in your life goes a long way.....

 Images: prettyandpenniless, decorpad, elizabethannedesigns, cupcakesomg, favoritepaintcolorsblog, Funkyarns, jamnglass

BSO at Tanglewood is 75

If that title sounds like nonsense to you, then you are most likely not from the New England area, but whether you are or aren't is not relevant- this is an interesting bit of information (at least I think so :)).

The Boston Symphony Orchestra plays summer weekends at Tanglewood in the Berkshires and this year marks the 75th anniversary of the partnership. The marriage between the beautiful natural surroundings and the scope of musical activities/performances makes Tanglewood an incomparable music festival experience.

The BSO performs in the Seiji Ozawa Hall , a 1200-seat concert hall with the distinct feature of a back wall that opens to allow for an additional 2000 lawn-seated listeners. Now, in 1937 the BSO played on the grounds of a Berkshires' estate to their audience of thousands, and I learned this from the comprehensive article on the 75th anniversary in this week's Boston Sunday Globe. If you can get your hands on it, it is a fascinating piece.
I am adding a trip to Tanglewood to my life's to-do list.

Images: William Rawn Associates Architects,Inc.

simple blue hydrangea

 Sometimes, there is nothing prettier.....

Images: google, pjmommy, pinterest, pinterest, elizabethannedesigns, weddingbee

National S'mores Day

Wednesday, August 10th is National S'mores Day, so grab your supplies and celebrate this traditional summer dessert.
Even if you aren't at sleep-away camp, you can still indulge in this treat with these recipes for s'mores....outside or indoors. It is all gooey deliciousness.

Image courtesy of ggnpc.convio.net

August

"The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot."

- Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

Image courtesy of TheShutterbugEye

Summer, I am so over you...

via Let Us Read and Let Us Dance

There is not a single part of me that wants to be outside anymore. Pull the curtains, crank up the air conditioning, bring me a hot tea - I want to stay indoors and pretend it's October.  I've never been a summer person, but this year I'm really over it. You could blame the multiple days of over 100 degree temperature or the fact that I'm nearing the end of my pregnancy, but whatever it is I am seriously hating summer right now. And knowing I'm not the only one makes me feel so much better....

from EW's "Why We Hate Summer":

''I enjoy being indoors. I enjoy laying on couches, snacking, and reading (watching TV). Summer sucks because it is the only season when, if I want to do this in the middle of a gorgeous day, people (my children) look at me like I'm a disgusting person. Well, guess what? It's 90 degrees out there, it's 68 degrees in here, and this episode of The Bachelorette isn't going to watch itself.'' 

Adam Scott
Parks and Recreation

''The heat makes me lethargic, so goodbye gym, goodbye waking up before noon, goodbye enthusiasm for anything. But I'd have to say the worst part of summer is swampy Spanx.'' 

Whitney Cummings
Comedian

''The reason I think summer is terrible: I'm British. As a people, we cannot handle even the most moderate heat, either physically or emotionally. We were brought up believing that summer is for French people, with their outdoor lunches, sunglasses, and crunchy vegetables.''  John Oliver
The Daily Show

Reason to love rain (#7)

 

via Random tea house

North Carolina needs a serious downpour right now - it is so darn hot. We get the occasional and brief rainstorm, but it only contributes to the humidity. At least for that second it rains - it looks pretty from the inside of my window (though I really need it to start feeling cool on the outside of the window too...)

 via These are a few of my favourite things...

 "Attempt at Flight" by 'Lilyas

via vi.sualize.us

via i am bittersweet

 

"Raindrops on the window" by Shooz