Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Farewell to summer.

My daughter reminded me that technically summer has two more weeks, but for teachers, summer ends when that first school bells rings.

So, since while you're reading this, I'll be meeting my new class for the first time, I thought I'd do a bit of a farewell to summer post.


Blueberries
This was the summer of blueberries. Honestly, I'm surprised I didn't turn blue. But they're so healthy and so delicious.

I froze some and roasted them with some peaches for an end-of-summer treat.


Peaches
Discovery of the summer - roasted peaches in salad. You've heard alot about them in my various salads so I won't belabor it except to say this was the best salad yet - shredded honey mustard pork in a salad with roasted peaches and toasted sunflower seeds. I could eat nothing else for the rest of my life and be happy

Salads

I rediscovered my love of salad, mostly due to this little package. I gave them a try one day and WOW! It's such an interesting mix and even though I wash them, the pre-washed ones save so much on my least favorite part of salad-making - washing all the greens.



Writing
Oh, this has been the best summer I've ever had of writing. I didn't go anywhere, just stayed home and wrote every day. #sheer bliss No pictures of that. LOL

Nature

You all are always sharing such gorgeous pictures from where you live. I don't often have the chance to reciprocate given that I live in the city. But I've been noticing all the trouble people in my neighborhood have gone to in order to bring some of nature's pretty into a bleak cityscape. I've been photographing so I can share.


A few splashes of color.


It's hard to see, but most of these are succulents and they are thriving!  




 These pictures fascinate me. The "garden" is outside the local bank. The day before I took these photos, I had a conversation with a woman who was picking the herbs to use them. There's basil, mint, rosemary, thyme. And something else that I couldn't identify.

I'd be a little wary of eating them since it's right in the middle of a street of parked cars and I know it was a favorite "watering spot" for local dogs before the plants arrived!


These corn plants come back each year - and yes, they actually grow ears of corn (though the raccoons and squirrels usually eat them).
These two are part of a program the city has created to prevent flooding from rain. The flowers are much bigger now than when I took this photo.


This garden of peppers tickles me. There is a man who sits outside our supermarket begging every day, all day. He pretty much camps out and chats with everyone. Apparently he also has a green thumb because he grew this garden of peppers in the tree pit outside the supermarket. He also had an amazing pit full of tomato plants, but someone tore them all out. :(



I always enjoy this song, so here's a sendoff.

Farewell summer of 2016. It's been fun! Summer of '69




10 comments:

  1. It sounds like you had a great summer, Cate. I think summers full of little pleasures give us more lasting and better memories than any other kind.

    And those city gardens! I'm a country girl at heart, and I've avoided living in the city most of my life. But for seven years we lived on a half city lot at the edge of small-town downtown in a century old house. Loved everything about it...except for the limited garden space. :) I still miss that house, the neighbors, and the tree-lined streets.

    BTW, that roasted peach/pork salad looks delicious. You have to share more of the ingredients with us!

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    1. Not having a backyard is the hardest part of city life for me, Jan.

      The pork was easy. I heated a leftover pork chop in water and honey mustard and served it over the salad.

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  2. Happy first day with kids! I have to admit to fighting the blues this week as everyone goes back to school except me. :-( But there's so much crazy going on in our school libraries that I'm kind of relieved too. The latest verdict is to have the classes come to the library on the days the librarian isn't there. :-0 Funny thing about me -- I like kids and I like kids books and I like to mix the two of 'em together and have some fun which is why I took a job in a school library. Sigh.

    So, I am definitely all about fall and I'd happily show summer the door except she's too busy sweltering all over us this week. Nasty high temps and humidity to boot. She just doesn't know when it's time to leave.

    I love city gardens and how people can find a place to grow things in unlikely places. Hmmm...think theres a kid's picture book about that -- The Garden by Sarah Stewart? Something like that. I have read that you shouldn't grow edibles close to the road where they are exposed to car exhaust though. Not healthy -- especially for kids. I love the corn though -- and can imagine the raccoons all decked out for a night on the town once the corn ripens. That would make a cute picture book.

    Praying you have a blissful and productive school year!

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    1. Kav, you would love our local public library is installing an outdoor reading garden for the children. I'll be sure to get pictures when it's complete.

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    2. Ooohhhh...a library that promotes reading with children. How novel! The reading garden sounds awesome!

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  3. That photo of corn cracked me up!! Thanks for sharing the photos, Mary Cate. I love a taste of city life!

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    1. Isn't that a hoot, Missy. They grow it every summer and I always intend to take a photo.

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  4. I missed Mindy's post yesterday! EEEK!!! Cate, I'm in love with those gardens! I love going into the boroughs and seeing the mini-gardens. They're beautiful! It's so tricky to bring that taste of home and whimsy into a bustling, high populace city like NYC, but I notice more and more rooftop gardens.. I love them! What a fun idea!!!

    And you've rejuvenated my love of salads this summer. You rocked the salad brigade!!!

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  5. I love the corn plants! And I really love that song. I have no idea why. I wasn't even alive then. But it's just a happy song, right?

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  6. I love the corn plants! And I really love that song. I have no idea why. I wasn't even alive then. But it's just a happy song, right?

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