End of summer, new beginnings

Embracing the last day of summer before fall classes begin tomorrow means:

-enjoying leisurely reading with a cup of coffee in the morning
-doing some final sorting through my closet
-eating heirloom tomatoes, basil, red onion, mozzarella for lunch
-drinking one final glass jar full of sweetened iced coffee
-ignoring those lingering household chores, and instead watching tv episodes til I can do so no longer

Loved having a summer full of less school, and more time with people.

corn pancakes

I have been wanting to make corn pancakes ever since I saw this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen. Memorial Day seemed like a fitting day for them, especially since corn is now abundant at all the supermarkets. These were super tasty --- buttery, a nice mix of savory and sweet, the perfect summer breakfast.  We topped ours with butter and a little maple syrup -- enjoy!!

Flowers

Picking neighborhood flowers from common areas may or may not be a crime? I couldn't decide how sneaky I needed to be when I set off on a short walk this morning, shears in hand. There were a number of full bushes of peonies and roses blooming right around the corner, and I figured one or two wouldn't be missed. I'm pretty sure all of the other flowers are considered "weeds" by most...

  (a little strawberry!)

(ant)

Prepping the flowers ---

Ready to be placed around the house ---

Sunday morning

Easter bread

I know this post comes a little late, but Alex made some really delicious bread for Easter from our Williams' Sonoma baking book. It has been fun to see him learn this new hobby of bread-making, and he often has the patience required to make some recipes that I would not take on. The above is one of those, but was well worth (his) effort -- a danish pastry braid with chocolate cream creme filling, sprinkled with slivered almonds. Yum.

Our Easter was fairly low key, but we enjoyed it. I made a little Easter basket with treats (and a bottle of wine? who says Easter baskets are for kids only...) Alex spent much of the day working on his breads and I was in the middle of writing a big paper, but we did break to go on a walk in the nice weather and explored a little French themed gift shop in Shirlington.

moments of inno(sense?)

There have been numerous times in my life when I have made assumptions or reached conclusions that are both faulty and humorously naive.  See below for one such occasion that happened this week, and another that should be shared, just for good measure ---

Faulty assumption 1:
Approximate date: Junior year of high school
I purchased a shirt from Urban Outfitters that had the words "Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky" printed largely across the front, wrongly assuming that "Gettin' Lucky" referred to winning a few hands of poker.
Naively (and rather boldly), I wore a shirt with a sexual innuendo to school, church, the grocery store, not understanding why anyone might have a problem with it. I just thought the kelly green, stretchy tee looked cute with my blue jeans. I think it was a year later that my sister clued me in and I trashed the shirt.

Faulty assumption 2:
Approximate date: April 1-2, 2012
Upon hearing on the radio that there was traffic caused by "sun-spots," I excitedly told my fellow classmates about this new phenomenon where people were SO EXCITED by the sunshine that they slowed down so as to drive more slowly through these sections of road, basking in the warmth and beauty. A day later, I discovered that sunny spots actually cause traffic because people are forced to squint against the sun, causing them to drive more cautiously. BAH. My explanation was better.

Sestina

Those living on the black clean
Streets, families and men,
wake up today.
Early thoughts fall like snowflakes,
Gently.
By the door are boots.

Those with the heaviest boots
Leave the house with clean
Faces, close the door behind them gently.
They are working men.
Townsmen will have teeth like snowflakes
Because they made tubes of factory toothpaste today.

Mothers, too, work today,
brush dust under rugs, clean dirty boots,
and wish to be loved like snowflakes.
Sleeping dogs on hard, wood floors dream clean
Dreams. The women dream of the men
as they sweep into house-rooms gently.

Figured in peace gently,
It wanders, forms and falls today
on earth-dirt. Men
are glad that it is white, and clean, unlike boots.
The cold, wet, pure,
Four-thousand trillion snowflakes.

The children dance amidst snowflakes -
Bounding, diving, gently,
with purple mountain air to clean
their complexions. Play outdoors today,
or do nothing. Kick your boots
for the whimsy of young women and men.

The children await the men.
They run home with snowflakes
for noses, run towards the boots
moving up the walk. Mothers gently
whisk them in. All rose-cheeked today,
greeting smiles shine purely.

The clean ending of each man’s day today:
together watching earth-bound snowflakes gently fall on tired, brown boots.




________


From senior year poetry class. Just for fun.