Summer Says

Summer's in full swing and I have a small collection of things to share. An old-fashioned blog post if you will, which is my favorite kind to write and my favorite to read. A day in the life. What I'm cooking, creating, and savoring in the middle of July. 

My limelights are blooming and they're so pretty. 

I cut a few blooms for my kitchen island and they make me smile every time I walk in the room.

 Hydrangeas say summer to me. 

Crepe myrtles too, but only the crepe myrtles on the left side of my driveway. The one on the right looks like this-

They were planted at the same time, both when the house was built. Both have grown and both do bloom in spite of what it looks like here. This one is about three quarters the height of the other one, and blooms later and not nearly as much. I'm sure there's a reason and suspect it has to do with an electrical box on that side of the property, not too far from the tree, but who knows? 

I bet The Grumpy Gardner knows. 
I should ask him. 

The Grumpy Gardner is not my hubs, in case anyone is wondering lol. The Grumpy Gardner is the garden editor for Southern Living Magazine and he has a lot to say about crepe myrtles

Next thing...'mater sandwiches-

I didn't grow this tomato, actually purchased it from our local grocery store. Tomato sandwiches are usually made with red red ripe tomatoes but I couldn't resist this heirloom and it made the absolute best sandwich. I think the law also says you gotta make a tomato sandwich on white bread, but I don't do white bread so wheat it is. Lightly toasted and slathered with Dukes light mayo. Add a good shake of salt and pepper, and enjoy. Tomato sandwiches say summer to me. 

As does a Caprese salad-

I'd love to have a small garden, but that never happens here. We're away too much to manage the watering and weeding, plus it's ridiculously hot and humid, and we have a lot of red clay in the soil, which isn't the best. Or maybe it is and I lack a green thumb? No matter, my daughter's in-laws have an abundance of fresh veggies growing and are happy to share. They bring me squash, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, and the absolute best cucumbers I've ever eaten. Sweet and crispy which is how I like them. 

I am managing to keep two easy-to grow edibles alive, things we eat on a regular basis that don't need a lot of care-basil and mint. Hubs makes a mean mint julep and I love a Caprese salad. I'll probably make some pesto in the next week or so because that's another favorite round here. 

Caprese salads say summer to me, and I'm sure hubs would add his hand crafted mint juleps to the list too.

Like a lot of places around the country we've had some wonky air this week. If you read here you know I'm all about a great sunrise, and we've had some really unusual daybreaks lately. Normally the sunrise is splashed across the canvas in all the pastel colors of the paintbox, but this week we've awakened to a lot of haze and a giant hot pink ball in the sky. The reflection on the lake has been so pretty, but those in the know tell us this air is not great for outdoor activity. 

Is porch sitting an outdoor 'activity'? 

We have our coffee on the porch come clear or cloudy skies because sunrise coffee on the porch says summer to me. 

Hubs and I have basically been in regroup mode here since the grands left and we enjoyed a boat ride one evening, just the two of us. Some dark clouds rolled in and then later thunderstorms, but it was fun while it lasted. Late day storms and sunset cruises say summer to me. 

We finally found a plant that can withstand the afternoon sun in the front of our house and is beautiful to boot. It's called purslane and is related to portulaca, but the leaves aren't as spiny. I looked it up online and apparently it's edible and nutritious too, high in Omega-3 fatty acids. 

We're just watching ours grow and congratulating ourselves that after almost seven years in this house we've finally found something that works on our front porch and in the pots beside the garage. 

Blooming things say summer to me. 
So do plants that wilt from the heat, but hooray for blooming things. 

And hooray for the beauty and sweetness of summer.