"BE" ♡ CapeScapes '13

Jonathan

Terrace View

Sharing Dune Space

Bell of Beach Freedom

Terrace-View Sky

Moonstruck

Lunch Date (What can I say?)

iPhone Photo! Have to admit that I'm becoming a tad impressed by its capabilities.
The pretty dragonfly made me remember (link) Jennifer Diamond, ND's niece.
Hopefully, it winged away with my caring vibes.

"MUD" the Movie and Other STUFF

Hands down, Joe wins in humor arena. It's not uncommon to find little surprises around the Ranch. Surely, he had to go looking for Old Stuffed Bear, left in the new-and-improved kids' room after Chloe gave him some overdue lovin'. Ah, huge smiles erupted, when I found Mr. Mascot on our neatly made-up bed. And then...

Master Of The House attempted to protect the flower tower.The poor petunias took a terrible hit, a few weeks back. Hey, what do you do with YOUR SportBrella when there's no sandy stuff around?? For the record, the beach issue is soon to be rectified... but meanwhile...

There is MUD. Lots of the stuff. So, why not watch an appropriate movie? Precisely what we did during yesterday's deluge. It was terrific. A modern-day Huck Finn, starring cute-even-when-muddy Matthew McConaughey and a fantastic supporting cast. See for yourself.

Today? Same deal. Dark. Cloudy. Threatening. An occasional tease by Old Sol. But the tomatoes don't give a damn. And the Black-Eyed Susans? They've not bloomed in nine years. Go figure. We're thinkin' they timed an awakening to muddy stuff.

Cheers!

End-of-Summer Blues... Another Version???

iPhonePhoto'13

I know, I know. There are more Best Blues and Revised Best Blues on CMI than any one person needs. But as is often mentioned, "Anything... and I mean anything... goes," when you enjoy your cucina to its max. So it goes and so it goes...

The basic recipe is here. Today, I subbed about half white whole wheat flour; used coconut oil; and instead of topping with milk to make the two cups of liquid, I used water. Oh, and one more change: I used organic raw sugar from Trader's... still sweet, but less processed.

Topped with coconut and a spritz of PAM, they tantalized us with amazing aromas, as they baked. Surely, bad blues are chased away, when delicious blues join an end-of-summer hydrangea to be photographed in front of Mom's decorative Italian plate.

Buon Appetito. 

Summer Fare

Every now and again, I get soooooo sick of my own cucina. But I'm a harsh critic, elsewhere. We seek out places that use first-class ingredients and prepare them simply, without tons of additives and salt. First prize went to a River restaurant, this summer. Ah, their light 'n' fluffy lemon-raspberry dessert was to die for. Once refreshed, I'm rarin' to go again, in an attempt to fill the larder with healthy choices for our family.

Pretzel rolls (topped with sesame seeds instead of salt) and pizza crusts were popular items, this Summer. Just pick a rainy day and make lots of yeast doughs. Sous chefs, aka GrandLoves, are great to have around - they love kneading and punching down. Pre-bake individual crusts to freeze. Make a combination of thin 'n' crispy and doughy 'n' chewy. The kids have different tastes and love creating their own pies: with tomato sauce - without; fresh tomatoes - no, thanks;
lots of cheese - a little; veggies - none; parsley and oregano - or not...
HINT: Substitute about half the flour with white whole wheat. Healthier. No one will know the difference.

We were caught short one day, when Hunter requested ranch dressing for his salad. We use EVVO and balsamic vinegars and never purchase bottled dressings. What to do for the Little Man? 
HINT: Whip together a little Hellman's mayo, a little more Chobani plain, fat-free yogurt and skimmed mild to thin. "This is the best dressing, G'ma!" Jazz it up with some chopped chives for those who like them.

Ah, they all scream for ice cream... yes, they do. Skinny Cow sandwiches were popular, with the kids renaming them Fat Cows, 'cause they ate so many. Well, till I made real sandwiches on homemade pizzelles. Again, that recipe for success won Hunter over with breakneck speed. We're comfortable with Breyer's 5-Ingredient Vanilla, seemingly a popular and healthy choice. 
HINT: Skip the anise in the cookies and make them with vanilla and lemon zest. Again, sub in some white whole wheat flour.

Everyone loves summer fruit. Skip the fruit salad and pile a gorgeous bowl or two with cut-up melons, pineapples and berries. Individual tastes will be satisfied and there won't be a shred of red, yellow or blue remaining.
HINT: So you purchased too many bananas and blueberries, right? Well,you might remember Bananas 'n' Blues, a post from a few years ago. Joe and I are here to say that this dessert didn't get any less delicious or nutritious!

Worth a mention are fingerling potatoes, washed and packaged in a microwaveable bag. You can find them in your produce department. To deem them fantastically flavorful would be putting it mildly. Also, in my never-ending quest to tweak recipes in a healthy way, I've subbed quick-cooking oats for bread in meatballs. They turn out extra tender and again, no one would guess. And before I sign off, I need to mention a new twist on pancakes... Gavin's Pancake Muffins.
Go with your imagination!

KEY TO SUCCESS FOR ALL RECIPES:

You know! Dine al fresco and BUON APPETITO!

Picassos On The Rise

In between painting with the kids, this Summer, I did quite a bit of freelancing, so to speak. Just ask Joe! 

When it wasn't deadheading flower-tower petunias so they'd stay pretty for Chloe, my right hand constantly carried a brush, sponge or colorful can. The mission to update Color-Me-Inspired space where the GrandLoves can exercise freedom of expression was somewhat accomplished. However, when Old Man Winter arrives, surely there shall be more frames, matts or resurrected pieces of furniture to sparkle up a bit, as the kids paint snowy ski mountains on canvas.

There were lots of photo frames floating about, some from Mom, others from my own past collections and still more from past auctions. They make perfect showcases for kids' artwork and they accept paint beautifully. Old, yellowed matts can be revived to look as though they were purchased yesterday. Toss the glass. It's simply not kid-friendly.

The once-pink-now-orange bookshelves were presented to me by my G'pa Firemark, an accomplished Russian carpenter, when I was just ten years old. How's that for an update?

With a little luck and lots of lovin', the expansive walls shall evolve into an amazing art gallery. The painted letters shall be decoupaged with photos of each child - when they have time for more crafty fun, that is. Busy is the operative word, here!
So, you think your calendar is tight???

That's right, Picassos are on the rise, here at The Old Homestead.

Rules Created by Gav 'n' G'ma, with a little help from PhotoShop
♥

And The Winner Is...

There's nothing like the Dog Daze Days of Summer. I love them. It's the staring. You know... sitting by water of some kind and just staring at a cerulean sky under brilliant sunshine and in ninety-degree heat. Yep, I'll take 'em. But, Mother Nature dished us more rain than our norm, this year. So, we caught a few flicks.

We loved "Parental Guidance" (Bette and Billy - adorable together and so on target with family issues) and "The Big Wedding". Nothing deep here - believe me. But both were perfect for awaiting the return of Old Sol.

"42" was incredible. Jackie Robinson. What a man. Find the Kleenex and watch,
if you've not already.

"The Lucky One" was typically sappy, from Nicholas Sparks' book. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it, especially the song by Brandi Carlile, already posted for your listening pleasure,
a few posts down.

"The Great Gatsby". Jeesh. A near disaster, perhaps saved by the last half hour or so. We raised our 1-to-10 rating to a mere 4, by its looong awaited ending. Let me know what your thoughts are, please. Wonder what Mssr. Fitzgerald would think.

"Smurfs 2". Well, we actually paid to see this one in the theater, as a treat for Hunter and Chloe. They loved it. LOVED IT. Joe and I thought it awful and we were ever so grateful that we didn't opt for 3D. Honestly, I would have had nightmares. Having said that, I have only happy memories of Smurfs. You see, at Hunter's current age, all Christian wanted for his birthday was a stuffed Smurf. Joe drove hundreds of miles to find one. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I severely injured my sewing machine to make him a furry blue character, for Hallowe'en.
Ah, memories are made of this. I digress...

"Diary Of A Wimpy Kid - Rodrick Rules" - LOVED watching this, at home with Hunter and Chloe. Aubs has been talking about the books, for quiet some time. It seems that Coz Hunter has enjoyed them, as well. Since we all enjoyed the movie, we found another... and the winner is...

"Diary Of A Wimpy Kid - Dog Days". See? The old dog days always win, in my view. The books are queued up for a read by this Granny.
No joke! Check out the website here. Jeff Kinney's is a story worth reading.

It's A Sad Song

Grooming Date - Photo by Rock Ridge Kennels

Last week, Mason joined Ike and Sam on Rainbow Bridge. 

The story began with Sam, Brian's Christmas gift from us, quite a few moons ago. What a beauty! Next came our mischievous, sweet Ike. He was from the same breeder and shared Sam's father, Otis.  Bri 'n' Kell found Mason and brought him home to share space with

BossMan Sam. 

Our Airedales. Happy Memories.

♥♥♥

September Signs

So, it's the first of the month. I've a new way to tell, without looking at the calendar. The Hummers. They swarmed about us all summer long, breeding little ones like there'd be no tomorrow. As we had breakfast al fresco, yesterday morning, one lingering fella came to bid us "Adieu". This morning? Nada. Not a long-beak left. They've begun their journey south, after gracing us with an amazing presence, all summer long. Our little buddies.

Still, though, we have the "Good Morning" Glories to greet us upon our awakening.

We'll have to settle.

Happy September.

Summer Daze

What can be more dazzling than Summer days? They fly by with a vengeance, leaving us in a blur that was the rarity of the season. Sure, we still have almost another month till the calendar declares Fall. But the reality is that Labor Day signifies the transition. Pools are closed, schools are opened and cool-weather clothes sit ready and waiting for kids who will soon need them. Sigh. Thing is, it's up to us to create boatloads of memories to sustain us till it's once again time to rekindle mindless fun and ice-cream days. 

DAZZLING BIRTHDAYS

Since my July 21st entry, we've added new numbers for Christian, Lyla, Brian and Dawn, 40, 1, 43 and 42, respectively.
It was our good fortune to light a few candles together, and yes, it's true - Lyla was the star!

DAZZLING SLEEPOVER

Finally, the older GrandLoves enjoyed a sleepover, here at the Ranch. Kind of reminded us of days gone by, when Kim and Vicki would join the boys for some fun in the sun. There's nothing like good history repeating itself.

DAZZLING VISIT

Our attempts to have Hunter and Chloe come to stay for a week have been thwarted all year. Finally, a fantastic week happened. Even the weather cooperated, giving us mostly sunshiny pool weather. Mambo was exceptionally pleased.

DAZZLING PASTIMES

In between laps, the basketball court got a pretty good workout, as did the new-and-improved playroom. And the kitchen. Good Lord! When's the last time you tried to keep 9- and 8-year-old boys full? What you see here is Hunter munching on a third overflowing taco...

DAZZLING REMARKS FROM THE MOUTHS OF BABES

"Do you know why grandmas and grandpas are better than moms and dads? Because they have fewer rules." Hunter

"G'ma, you have the best diner in town." Gav

"G'ma?" ("Yes, Honey...") I love you with all my heart." Hunter

DAZZLING EMOTIONS

And that's all she wrote.

Buon Giorno! The Story...

It's nearly impossible to believe that over a month has gone by since my last entry! August is flying by with boatloads of family activity.
I'll share "The Story" soon and hope to hear beautiful renditions from y'all, too. Meanwhile, enjoy the waning days of Summer. 

Be well and happy. xo

HIATUS... Thanks So Much For Stopping By ♡

Michelle Mail

When I least expect it, (link) Michelle arrives in our mailbox, always bringing warm smiles.
How gorgeous is her photography, after just one year of classes?!
Needless to say, this shall be framed and then displayed in a most prominent spot.

Her health has been challenged, once again. She needs our hope and prayers.

 G-d, I love that girl. Everyone else does, too.
Please join Team Michelle.
♡

Today

The kids had planned to return to camp, today, but the morning air was even more stifling than that of the past few days.
So, Camp Soll was in full swing, once again.

They worked hard on the old bulletin board that shall be rehung in the newly remodeled playroom. I'm especially pleased with this, as my only input was to provide supplies. They planned and executed without supervision, to produce a real keeper.

They love to mix a few primary colors to make gorgeous shades of this and that. Gavin named one of the above "Sandy Beach".

Pretty clever. Can you guess which one it is?

 The three kids were very entertaining, with antics that included the big-island raft. That thing has paid for itself several times over.

When Brian arrived at pick-up time, Gavin told him that he'd "hit the jackpot" of worms, to take to their campsite for some serious fishing. 

It's nearly 8:00 p.m. and outdoor temps have only dropped to a still-hot 84 degrees.

Just color us tropical!

Keepin' Cool!! What A Great Day!!

A Gavin Good Morning to Y'all ♥

Pool Break - Art Time

It's almost two years since we shuffled off to Buffalo to spend an amazing weekend with our Tee-cousins. Joe had gathered souvenir slate from the shores of Lake Erie, to bring home for my art projects with the GrandLoves. Well, it certainly took long enough to whip out the oil paints and get to it. Yes, I said, "...oil paints..."!! We'd always stuck to wash-away water or acrylic paints, but this endeavor called for permanent colors. Whew. That was tricky. I digress...

After hosing and drying the stone, Gav chose to do a drawing of Angry Bird. Aubs opted for a rainbow. I'm sure Hunter and Chloe will make unique choices of their own, when the opportunity arises. Meanwhile, how brightly does my garden grow.

As Birthdays Go

Yesterday morning, I awakened to the promise of a hot and steamy July day, just what I'd asked for to celebrate turning... ahem... well, you know! The morning temp when I hit the great outdoors at 6:30 a.m. was the exact number of my new age. Of course, that temperature reached 90, before the day was through. Years truly do fly by, but thankfully not at that warp speed!

Joe took the day off, as he always does when my day falls midweek. Really. What do you do with a Tuesday?
Well, a few surprises fell into place.

Deeply grateful for the fact that I still have Joe after our scary episode this past winter, I tapped into that gratitude even further during the morning cruise he executed. Yep, communing with Nature on Wanaksink Lake can only cement one's appreciation for life's blessings. No ocean liner here. Just a little kayak to transport us to an inner peace that is sometimes lost in the worldly shuffle.

A poolside lunch and cooling swim set the afternoon in motion. Bri came by with the kids and Kell joined us later on, for some wet and noisy fun that lasted till almost dark. Time truly does fly when you're havin' fun, so we arranged for a sleepover and two days off from camp. They'll be here momentarily, so with no further adieu, I just want to extend my loving thanks to all who celebrated
July 16th with me...

Included with no less gratitude are friends and family members for loving phone calls and cards, as well as my virtual pals across the pond, who always seem to remember.

I am touched. ♥

Giving Thanks

Do You Charge and Talk? I Do... Did...

Link Here for tragic story

Inside Looking Out - Our Spotty View

It's 8:30 p.m. real time and nearly dark. But look who came by just moments ago for a little snack, affording me an awesome photo op. Joe and Mambo watched the show, as well. Which of us is the most curious?
We wonder.

 Were it not for the picture window separating us, we could have reached out to pat them.