Graces, #17

I really need to do this today. Because the dark cloud found me again this afternoon and for a minute there I thought I was going to dismantle something small. Like an exterior wall.



Somehow managing to completely blow out of the water my new goals for both book reading and blogging. Goal A is Finish a Book a Month for the Rest of My Life. Since making that goal in May I've read 7. Goal B is Blog Weekly for a Year. I'm on it.

Eating Birdie's leftover noodles. In a robin's egg blue bowl. With wine.

Managing to stay at this first weight goal for longer than a minute. Even though the past few weeks everything continues to conspire against my being able to exercise more than 3 days a week. I'm so close to seeing a huge breakthrough that this is endless FRUSTRATING. I wanted to be down another size by the middle of summer and into another set of my old clothes, winking at me daily from the closet. But the children care nothing for my goals. Also, nothing for my sanity.

(This is taking a turn from the gracious... Let's see if I can get back on track...)

Time with friends today. At their house, so I didn't even have to mop! Coffee, snacks, lunch, a craft for the older three, lots of heart-talk. (Such a good morning that I just don't know where the sadness came from this time...)

Plans beginning to sprout in my head for Pea's schooling. We're still a year or so off from really needing to do anything, but I'm convinced of the importance of honoring a child's natural hunger to know. And she is chock-full of questions all of a sudden.

Graces, #16

Pea still calling them "handburgers". Birdie saying shoes (shhhh)and ball (bah) and being obsessed with both.

Tall, clinkety glasses of iced tea, with lemon balm from the garden.

Playtime with friends today--sack lunch packed early this morning and lots of time to talk around the four kids playing.

Leftover muffins from last night. They SHOULD be good, with that much butter, and so so easy that I've filed the recipe away to make again and again. I might be starting to like this baking thing after all.

The sound of chickens from up the hill behind us, the sound of sprinklers from across the street, the calling of birds from every tree on every side. Breeze through the wide-flung windows. Leaf patterns on the shady street.

Graces, #15 (Picture version)

Graces, #14

3 days at the beach.

Escaping the heat of the city for two nights of cool, salt-rimy air and enormous stretchings of sky.

Ice cream cones with the girls. Pea asking for "chehwy ice kweem in a cone!" and then dancing along the sidewalk, cone in hand, from sheer July holiday happiness. Birdie sank her teeth deep into my waffle cone again and again, sucking out huge mouthfuls of peaches and cream. (At least one of the girls missed the cold-sensitive genes.)





Small town parade. Antique fire trucks, antique cars, candy, flags, a terrifying Jonah and the Whale float spouting water and covered in commands to repent (yikes), grown men in coconut bikini tops, Cub Scouts, children dressed as the town's first schoolchildren, the mayor, the works. The town we go to is 100 years old this year.

Pea's face when she came back from seeing the over-the-water fireworks display with Jeffrey. Shining--absolutely shining out from her stripy fleece hat. She told me she'd seen purple shooting stars and that "now that I'm threeeee, I'm not afwaid of firewooks anyMORE!"

Noodle salad two ways...and more

What to eat when it's hot? Something icy cold or something that can survive at room temperature for a bit, something requiring little effort or sweat. Even better if it also has some protein in it, making the preparation of anything else unnecessary. EVEN better if the leftovers taste especially good the next afternoon, eaten with a tall, frosty glass of minty-lemonade.

First off, my variation of a friend's recipe. I CANNOT leave things alone, which is why I shouldn't/don't bake much. But I fiddled with this 3 or 4 times and here's the final version.

Cold and Crunchy Asian Noodles





Cook 1/2 lb. soba or spaghetti noodles to al dente, then drain. Be sure to err on the al dente side--a bit firm is better than mush!

1/3 c. toasted sesame oil
1 heaping tsp. crushed or minced garlic
juice of 1 fresh lime (get every last bit)
1/2 c. seasoned rice wine vinegar (be sure it's made with sugar, not corn syrup)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more, for more of a kick)
1/2 TBSP grated fresh ginger (or more, if you like)
1 heaping tsp. sugar
sea salt, to taste

Whisk this around a large mixing bowl until sugar has dissolved. Taste and adjust flavor to your preferences. Then grate directly into the bowl:

2 carrots, peeled and ends removed

Whisk to incorporate, then add:

1 orange, yellow, or red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and chopped into half-matchsticks
1 big palm-full, ready-to-eat edamame (Trader Joe's, salad section)

Stir well, then add drained and cooled pasta. Top with cilantro or fresh mint, whichever you prefer.





This goes really well with firm tofu that's been pressed for a few hours (to lessen moisture content), sliced up and marinated in Soy Vay of some kind for another few hours and then seared in a lightly oiled pan. (Or wok. I do not know how to use a wok, but one day Jeffrey is going to show me.)

Next up, SUPER easy.



Greek Tortellini Salad




Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add:

1 16 oz. pkg Trader Joe's (or other) dried tortellini pasta with pesto or mushroom filling.

Ignore their cooking directions!!! It will be al dente closer to the 9 minute mark--NOT 16 or 18 or whatever they're still printing on the back of the wrap.

Drain pasta and cool.

In big serving bowl, mix together the following:

1-2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
2-3 cups chopped and seeded tomatoes (seeding will keep the salad from getting soggy)
1 can black olives, halved OR 1 c. chopped and pitted Kalamata olives
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

If you don't like olives, throw in a jar of (drained) garlicky marinated mushrooms, marinated artichokes, or something else pickled or salty, as the olives are pretty much just adding salt and color.

Shake some good, flavorful balsamic or red-wine vinegar over veggies and cheese, crack some black pepper over it, and add the drained, cooled pasta.

That's it. You're done.

I guess you could add some fresh basil. Or some jarred roasted red peppers. But that's pretty much it. The salt from the olives and cheese and creaminess of the cheese and pasta mean that vinegar and pepper is really all it needs. And good luck trying to save it for later.


My other current favorite salad is from the amazing Smitten Kitchen: Pesto Potato Salad Need I say more? Well, here's a picture.




You know you want some--go get the recipe! Next week I'm going to try the red potato, pea, and mint salad a friend just made. YUM. Will post the results.

Graces, #13

Birdie discovering her tongue and sticking out everywhere, all the time, at anyone. Completely innocent and hilarious.

Making lists and lists and lists. Making lists is often a reminder to me of how lucky I am, how much choice I have, what a peaceful life this is in comparison to a good half of the rest of the world.

Pea having a swimming lesson from her Auntie and hearing how game she was for (almost) all of it. She couldn't handle the entire-face-in-water part (anyone who's heard her during bath time will get this) but kicked, jumped, floated, and blew bubbles like a pro.

Birdie's eyes, the minute I open her door each morning--the way their dark grey-blue with yellow sunbursts suddenly sparkle. She calls my name, husky and almost mischievous, and then, once she's in my arms and cuddling her face into my chest (her little finger-claws squeezing every inch of exposed flesh on me--hard) she starts whimpering for "Nanana!" Banana. She eats 2-3 every day. It's a miracle she poops at all.

Not having to cook dinner tonight. Dinner with friends at their house. I'm going to leave this house a complete mess and be ever so grateful.