The other day I spent a few blissful hours running through a sprinkler with my niece on her 7th birthday.
And yet, just beneath the surface of my thoughts, I could feel that familiar end-of-summer dread seeping in. The few remaining dog days are beginning to fly by at break-neck speed. I’m avoiding TV because I can’t bear to watch back-to-school commercials. I can’t go to the pharmacy because it’s been infested with Spongebob Squarepants erasers and High School Musical 3 notebooks. Shops and fashion mags are already navel-deep in fall’s turtlenecks and woollen coats. It’s a disaster. Give me bikinis or give me death!, I want to shout at them.
Some things on my things-to-do-before-summer-ends list: can as much as possible before the tomatoes and corn and end-of-summer fruits disappear, go to the pool as much as possible, go for ice cream a few more times, and get in one more picnic (at least).
Every few days I hit the market, clutching madly at late-summer’s bounty.
Like zucchinis,
green beans,
late season cherries from BC,
tomatoes (the best are yet to come),
watermelons,
sweet corn,
And some very juicy, very sweet late-summer strawberries from Île d’Orleans.
I know the little spring ones are better for jam, but I couldn’t resist. I plan on making some strawberry-lime cuz I got a bunch of limes in my fridge. The strawbs are pretty ripe, hopefully not too ripe, and perhaps a little too juicy (too much water?). We’ll see what what kind of jam they morph into. I’ll post soon about my results.
Also: doesn’t my friend M.’s pedicure go great with this towel? Summer! Don’t leave us this way!!!
3 Comments
Hi Genevieve:I think we are still going to have more summer weather to come. I loved the pic of Linea on our lawn under the sprinkler.
I’ll be waiting for a jar of the new jam
m
Fun reading Genevieve,
September has rolled into the Ottawa Valley disguised as a July day! Beautiful! Our local corn is still wonderful. Shepherd peppers are in the grocers’ and are begging to be roasted and frozen, and my friend Patty is making crabapple jelly with fruit from her tree. I used to make it with my Granny, Susan would remember her well. It was a laborious process, but with a delicious result. I looked for her wonderful OLD recipe for you for Chili Sauce–very sweet, not hot, but spicy–but couldn’t find it. I haven’t made it in years since I discovered Willie’s by Strub’s. I will ask your Great Aunt Gloria. Enjoy the rest of the summer, all 21 days of it! Best, Mary
Yeah, after complaining about the death of summer, it’s been all sunshine and balmy temps here too. Love it!! Looking forward to hearing about any old family recipes you dig up, would really be into trying them out.
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