who cooks for you

 

I spent some of last week at Lake St. Catherine state park in Vermont camping with both of my daughters, my son-in-law and my 3 grandchildren. 

We had the best time! 

My daughter, Hannah, went for a bit of a walk on Sunday morning when much of the campground had cleared out. She came back and invited us all to go see something with her.

It was a barred owl sitting in the low branches of a beech tree!

Here we are watching the owl watch us. He didn't seem to mind us observing him one bit. He just sat there in his tree observing us right back. 

Perhaps he was on the lookout for a tasty treat or perhaps he was just taking a bit of a rest.

Every year we go camping together as a family. We always camp in a rather remote campground, though this year we had token operated toilets and real toilets! This was a bit of an upgrade since we normally camp with no running waters and a rather questionable outhouse. 

Encouraging my grandchildren to enjoy and respect nature is very important to me. 

There should be a deep reverence for the natural world in every person. 

Perhaps that is what this wise old owl was trying to say to us from his perch in the beech tree.

Nature notes

Apple zucchini bread

 

Since apples and zucchini are so abundant at this time of year, it’s only natural that the two be used together in one recipe. I don’t really know the origin of this bread, but I do know it’s been one of our favourites for many years.

Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon backing soda

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 eggs

1-1/2 vegetable oil 

2 cups sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini

1 cup peeled shredded apple

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In another bowl, beat eggs. Add oil, sugars and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients; mix well. Stir in zucchini, apples, and pecans (batter will be stiff). Spoon into three greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until done. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Yield: three loaves

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Busy Monday

Mercy

 

t

For mercy triumphs over judgement.

James 2:13

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Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is god for building up, as fits the occasion that itmay give grace to those who hear.

Ephesians 4:29

Scripture and a snapshot

The one where they go camping

 

Me and my grandchildren on the last day of our camping trip.

We sure did have a lot of fun!

We camped on the beautiful Lake St. Catherine. Our site was just up the hill and I could see the lake through the trees from my tent! We heard loons at night and in the early morning. So pretty.

My daughter went for a short walk and when she came back she told us there was an owl in a Beech tree just up the way. So we all walked up to see it. It just sat there watching us watching it. 

There was a swimming beach at the bottom of the hill we were camped on and we went swimming a couple of times a day!

One of the families from my classroom gave me a gift certificate to L.L.Bean at the end of the school year and I purchased a camp stove with it. It worked great! 

But the best part was getting to spend time together with my family!

Friday fave fives

Meadow hawk Dragonflies

 

As I was leaving work one afternoon this dragonfly flew right by me and landed on the fencepost I happened to be walking past. 

I believe it is a meadow hawk dragonfly or a darner dragonfly but I am not absolutely sure. 

Shee sat there for quite some time...we both sat there watching one another. Well, I was watching her and I assumed she was watching me as well but it was difficult to tell.

I awoke early enough to walk down to the harbour and get a photo of a beautiful sunrise. It was a bit muted because of the smoke from the Canadian wildfires. 

Nature notes

Tansy patch in August

The weather has finally turned from beastly hot and humid in July to beautiful, "sweetheart" summer weather in August. I have been enjoying the out of doors as much as I can. 

I spent the weekend at the farmer's market picking up some things for my upcoming family camping trip.

Myself, (my husband doesn't come because he has health problems that prevent him from camping) my 2 adult daughters, my son-in-law, and my three grandchildren all spend 4 or 5 days camping in our tents once a year in August! It is so. Much. Fun!!

I will be doing some cooking this week so that I can bring all sorts of things with me.

I will be pre-cooking: apple-zucchini bread, chocolate chip cookies, gingersnap cookies, an oatmeal chocolate spice cake, Tuscan beans with sage, baked beans, corn bread, a three bean salad. I'll also bring a large piece of salmon to cook over the fire with corn on the cob and small new potatoes, a giant watermelon, apples, berries, and bananas, green salad and various other sundries.

The last night we usually make a succotash and/or a soup with all of our leftovers.

My daughters will also be bringing things to eat so we are in no danger of running out of food!

It is such a joy and a blessing to get this time to spend with my family. We are able to relax and just enjoy one another's company.

🩷

Busy Monday

 

Sweet tea and friends

Walk in love

 t

Fill us in the morning with your unfailing love,

that we may sing for joy and be glad all of our days.

Psalm 90

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scripture and a snapshot

Waltzing in the milkweed

 I have been having a slow and easy week at work. Most of my families are on vacation and so we only have 3 children in class this week. Today we only have 2! I have been pre-prepping for our official prep week when the school will be closed so that all faculty can get classrooms and the school ready for the new school year and do some professional development together.

This is part of my classroom. It still needs some work before the start of the school year. We are outside much of the summer so the shelves are fairly empty. They will be full of more activities in September.

At home I've been preparing for my annual family camping trip. Myself, both of my daughters, my son-in-law and my three grandchildren drive for four or so hours into the middle of nowhere and spend 4 or 5 days together with no electricity and very little running water! 

It's my favourite week of the year!

Here are a few pictures from our camping trip last year.

The weather this week has been absolutely beautiful. The kind of weather Charles Dickens refers to as "sweetheart weather." 

I've been doing some walking around the neighborhood and the hydrangeas at the bottom of my street are particularly beautiful.

The lavender in my back garden is huge this year...and so pretty.

This rather large ant was crawling around with a rather large spider in its grip on the playground the other day. The children I work with were all very interested.

It was, I admit, a bit gruesome. 

Friday fave five

The Milkweed waltz

"We are all connected; to each other, biologically. To the earth, chemically. To the rest of the universe, atomically."

-Niel DeGrasse Tyson

"All are needed by each one; nothing is fair or good alone. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

I work at a small Montessori school. We have students from infants to 8th grade.

 I am a lead teacher in one of the toddler rooms.

I am very thankful that we have had only a few children in our classroom this week due to so many families being on vacation. 

It's given me a chance to plan out some work/activities for the school year. 

One of those activities/lessons that will be on the shelf in September when our full class resumes is this human figure with a box of flesh coloured crayons. 

I am in the midst of creating a mission statement/manifesto for our classroom.

One of the items on it will be to teach the children that all people are different, all people are the same, and all people are to be celebrated. 

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Thankful Thursday

A Spiritual Life

blackberry blossom

 1. The midpoint of summer (believe it or not) is August 7th. Describe a perfect summer day. Have you had one this year? 

I always like to have one foot in summer all the way through until the Autumnal equinox. I work in a school so Fall does start just after labour day but I try to make it to the beach a few days in early September. 

Last weekend we had absolutely perfect summer weather. I call it sweetheart weather. I think I read that once in a Charles Dickens novel. I enjoy a leisurel morning sipping coffee outside, a walk down to the harbour, a day with friends, a hike, a bike ride to the farmer's market...

2. What's one thing you wish you knew before starting high school?

Oh gosh, that was soooo long ago! I'm pretty sure I knew everything before I started highschool.

I sure wish I knew that much now! ;)

3. What's something that bothers you if it's not done perfectly? 

I don't like when artwork is crooked on walls. I think if you're going to do something you may as well do it right. However, I'm not much of a perfectionist. The Japanese have a saying? Wabi sabi. It means (basically) to find joy in imperfections. * see this or that #3

4. What's the most overrated food you're convinced people are just pretending to enjoy?

Oooh I agree about Matcha. I can always taste the powdery stuff. I think bacon is over rated but I'm not sure people are pretending to enjoy it. 

5. Wrapping it up this week with five fun this or thats...

personal stylist or personal chef? 

I love cooking so I wouldn't want a personal chef...maybe a part-time personal chef. I think I have a pretty good sense of style but I wouldn't mind having a check in with a personal stylist every once in a while. Could they job-share!

dance like nobody's watching or sing like nobody's listening? 

Absolutely both!!

unlimited tacos or free pizza?

Unlimited tacos. 🌮 

bookshelf organization-by size or by genre? 

Oh my...by size. Maybe I need to rethink my wabi sabi answer to the perfect question!

ten minutes late or ten minutes early? 

ten minutes early. I like to be able to sit and contemplate..or just get myself together. I really don't like being rushed. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I was listening to some music last night and came across this old bluegrass tune. 

I'm in love with the title. It makes me want to go walking in the late spring and watch a breeze blow the bushes around.

Blackberry blossom

Wednesday hodgepodge

The Hannah Glover

The good: My sweet cat Tucker was curled up on my bed when I came home from work the other day.

The fun: The lavender in my garden is absolutely beautiful this year. It's huge!! I think it likes the dry heat. It's been so fun to watch it get bigger and bigger and to have enough to bring bunches of it into the house. Smells heavenly...I feel as if I'm in Provence.

The random: I was walking with friends along the water and happened to see the Hannah Glover heading into port. My step-son worked on the boat one summer bringing the children from the town landing out to children's island for their day camp. My daughter's name is Hannah and my grandson used to call it Aunty Hannah's boat!

 

The good, the fun, the random

Busy Monday

harden not your hearts

 

t

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Hebrews 3:15

Scripture and a snapshot

A Spirit of Simplicity

1). When are you at your blogging best - a.m. or p.m.?

I am best at everything in the morning...except sleeping.

2). How many blogs to you have? Please include the links in your answer.

I have a few blogs. My main blog is aspiritofsimplicity.com which used to be blogger but I changed it to wordpress and I don't like it. Switching it back is quite time consuming so I started a new blog on blogger. This one...Hopiesong.blogspot.com

3). Do you prefer silence when you compose your posts and write your comments?

Yes. I prefer silence most of the time. I do love to hear laughter and music, the sound of rain or the ocean but maybe not while I am trying to think.

4). What's the grossest thing you've ever spilled on your keyboard? 

I can't remember spilling anything on my keyboard but I'm sure I must have at one point or another.

5). Ever post while intoxicated?

No. I rarely drink.

Sunday stealing

Tansy patches in August

 1) Number 1 on the charts in August 50 years ago, "Jive Talkin'" was originally called "Drive Talkin',"because it was inspired by the "chunka-chunka" sound the Bee Gees' car made as it rolled over the bridge from Biscayne Bay to Miami every morning. Tell us about a drive you make regularly. What do you love, or hate, about it? 

I drive to work every day and I both love and don't love my commute. I have to drive through Salem, MA which is absolutely crazy with tourists! September and October are the worst and my commute time doubles during those months. Once I'm in Beverly, which is the town I work in, I drive past the beautiful Dane Street beach and sometimes I even have enough time to pull over and walk the beach before work!

2) Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb always enjoyed singing together and as kids, practiced their harmonies in the bathroom because that's where the acoustics were best. Do you sing in the shower?

I absolutely sing in the shower! I sing all day! I love singing. My granddaughter loves singing as well and so did my mother but neither of my daughters do. 

3) Early in their career, the brothers wrote and recorded a radio jingle for Coca Cola. If we were to peer into your refrigerator right now, would we find any carbonated beverages? 

I almost never have any kind of soda. Every great once in a while if I'm not feeling well I will have some gingerale. Or, in the summer I may have one or two root beers. 

4) Though their sound depended on tight harmonies, all three Bee Gees were heavy smokers, which is bad for the throat. Do you smoke? Are there smokers/vapers in your life?

No. I don't smoke and neither does my husband or anyone else in my family. I can't remember the last time I was around someone who smoked. Gross.

5) Robin Gibb agreed to perform on the CD Sesame Street Fever so his kids could meet Cookie Monster. Who is your favorite Muppet? 

I have a soft spot for Grover. I'm tired of Elmo.

6) In addition to younger brother Andy, who also scored hit records, the Bee Gees have a sister, Lesley. Unlike her siblings, she didn't go into show business. Instead she became a dog breeder. Tell us about a dog who holds a special place in your heart. 

When my daughters were little we had a dog named Obie. She was a love. My mother had a dog named Sally that was also a love. 

Let's look at the summer of 1975.

7) That summer, producer Lorne Michaels was auditioning talent for the Not Ready for Prime Time Players. This band of comedic performers would premiere that October in a new show called Saturday Night Live. In the days before DVRs and streaming, Saturday Night Live was considered "appointment television," a show you wanted to catch when it aired so you made sure you were in front of a TV to hear "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" Is there a show you go out of your way to watch when it airs? Or is most of your viewing either recorded or streamed? 

I almost never watch TV. I can't even remember the last time I turned it on. When I do watch it's normally something I have been wanting to see and I stream it. I am old enough to remember turning on the TV to watch the original Saturday Night Live though.

8) The top movie at the box office that summer was Jaws. Have you seen it? 

I watched in the movie theatre of my small town. My town, Marblehead, MA, was actually considered for the setting before they settled on Martha's Vineyard. I remember not wanting to go into the water at the beach that summer.

9) In 1975, Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles was having a career season and won the second of his three Cy Young Awards. In 2012 he put all three trophies up for auction. As proud as he was of the awards, he said, "My priorities have changed," and the money would help pay for college for his grandchildren. Think about your belongings. Is there anything you would never part with at any price?

I love to have my things and the things that have been passed down to me around me. When my mother passed away in 2021 I gave many items to my daughters. None of us are taking anything with us when we go so we may as well give it away while we're here.

Saturday 9

Lavender

 

The lavender in the back garden is so abundant this year. I think it likes the dry, hot weather. It's been humid but we haven't had a lot of rain. 

It's so pretty and there is so much of it that I picked a whole bunch and have it in vases in my bathroom and my bedroom. 

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One of the little girls in my class got her foot stuck in the top of a plastic watering can.

So silly!

Fortunately I was able to turn her little foot and pop it right out.

I'm thankful that my work days are typically filled with challenges that are easily fixable.

~

I made a lemon blueberry bread over the weekend and by Monday we had eaten it all up.

It was a big hit with my husband, Hey-Joe. He didn't even realize it was vegan.

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I have been friends with Sue for 33 years! A lifetime really. She and her mum came down to my house to spend the day and we had a delicious lunch at the Landing restaurant on the water. 

~

One of my class families gave me a gift certificate to L.L. Bean. when their daughter moved up to the "big school" in June. I wondered what I would use it for and then remembered that my annual family camping trip was coming up in August so I ordered this little camp stove. I will have to buy some propane for it before I go...and remember how to use it!

Friday fave fives