I'm A Little Spoiled

I took the kids to Tiana Beach Friday night for the Hampton Bays Civic Association's 90th Anniversary celebration. There was a band, free ice cream and fireworks. We packed a picnic and some warm clothes and settled in for the night.

I was feeling pretty good about myself for having all of the things my family would need to be comfortable at the beach for a long night. Blankets, sweats, baby powder to get the sand off, bug spray, socks, snuggle buggles, glow sticks... I thought we were pretty well set. Then I got there are realized that I am a complete amature and I have a lot to learn about beach bumming, and there is nothing "bumming" about it.

I am not typically a person with a case of the "I Want That"'s. The last time I felt this way was about 3 years ago when I saw the Flavia Fusion on "I Want That: Kitchens and Baths" on HGTV. I went to my friend's mother's house later that day and she had bought one, it's fabulous and so I bought one for us. I still love it as much today as I did the day I got it, and it was, in retrospect, a pretty great purchase.

So, back to the story. The group beside us had a coffee table! They had hors d'ourves and drinks and a citronella lantern all nicely sitting on this great little table. Then I saw another family come, and they too had this amazing table and I watched them pull it out of a nylon bag, unroll the table and screw in the legs! OK, I was totally jealous and could not wait to get home to Google this crazy thing.

I should have remembered where I was, and when I found this ingenious piece of beach furniture I nearly choked on the price tag. Then, dear husband to the rescue, he walks in and said, "If you want it, buy it". Have I mentioned lately that I love this man? I found it for $30 less on another site and so one day soon I too will have an amazing beach table. No more sandwiches dropped in the sand. No more sandy bottomed drinks, no more slumming it at the beach!!!!

Now, if only I had this epiphany in May :)

Food Memories

Our Golden Earthworm CSA has been full of big, red, juicy tomatoes. Any my neighbor, with whom I share a share, is allergic to fresh tomatoes, so I get the full portion! Today I was feeling fall, and currently have a pot of stewed tomatoes simmering away on the stove. As I was sitting going through some mail, I had a flashback to my great-grandmother's farm in Cape May, NJ. In it's day it was apparently a huge plantation, but in my memory there were just acres of lima beans and a kitchen garden. But for some reason, the smell of these stewed tomatoes is making my think of her house. Tomatoes are a staple of summer farm suppers, so I guess that's what it is. I love them fried with gravy, and stuffed with huge, homemade, buttery croutons. I also love a good, cold hunk of liverwurst on white bread with an ice cold slice of tomato and tons of mayo. But that is only something I want once a year, as I always think I like liverwurst, but it's really kind of mushy and strong.
I hope one day my kids can look back fondly on some of the meals I prepare, it is a wonderful link between the generations.

And they all came tumbling down...

... I love my son. He is a true joy and a great blessing in my life. But if he wasn't so darn cute I'd kill him!!!!!
My friend and neighbor has a beautiful pergola attached to her garage with a wonderful tree growing up through it. My son decided to climb the tree and play on the roof of the garage. I'm sure you can all imagine where I'm going with this...of COURSE he fell, he's my boy!
Two summer's in a row we ended up in the Southampton ER with his chin gashed open, and last summer his sister joined the annual trek when she fractured her wrist at Meschutt. Oh, she also fell off the basement stairs and got a concussion.
Can we PLEASE have a summer without injury before my kids are grown? Is that really too much to ask?

Movin' to the Country, Gonna eat a lot of peaches

Anyone remember that song? 6fm?
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/presidents_of_the_united_states_of_america/peaches.html

This year it was apricots I peeled and jammed a million of, but this song has been running through my head thanks to a mental jog by my friend Stephanie.
If I never see another peach, apricot or cucumber it will be too soon!!! Although, I didn't get to can peaches yet this year, and if my kids get into winter without jars of fresh summer peached lining the walls of our pantry it may not be pretty here at the Smith house.

Last year we went to a local U Pick farm after our annual Back to No School picinic. They had lots of cracks* so it was cheap and wonderful. Maybe we will try that again this year, who knows!

*Cracks are fruits that have either fallen from the branch and split open, or have split from being overly ripe. The skin looks atrocious, but the fruit inside if perfect. These cracks are just right for canning and jam making.

Our little girl is growing up!

I went to PA for a few days for one of three annual canning pilgrimages. My sister offered to keep my kids at her house for the 3 days so my mom and I could get everything done without interruption. I got to my sister's on a Sunday afternoon, spent the day there, then went up to my mom's that evening.

In 2 1/2 days my mom and I managed to put up 2 dozen pints of peach jam, 6 pints of pickled vegetables, 10 quarts of bread and butter pickles, a dozen quarts of banana pickles and 29 pints of apricot jam...holy nellie, it was a whirlwind of activity!

On Wednsday morning I left my mom's and went to my sister's to pick up the kids. They had a blast with my sister. They went to the pool during the day and to the Goshen Fair at night. My nephew's won 1st and 2nd place in the Lego competition and my oldest nephew won first prize in the Hershey's cocoa bake off. Not only did he win a cash prize and a big ribbon, he now gets to go to the PA Farm Show and compete with all the other winners across the state!!! What a great time!

Anyway, when I got to my sister's house my yongest child (just shy of 5 at that time) told me she wasn't coming, she was staying with Aunt Dawnie. Well, I nearly fell off my chair let me tell you.

So, i left her there and fretted for several days that she would change her mind and my sister would be left with a whiny child. Turns out she had such a great time she didn't even want to stop playing to talk to me half the time! She went shopping, out to eat, had a sleepover and Grandma's (with more shopping and dining out) and loved playing with her cousins all day.

She is back home now, thanks to a 4 days visit with my sister and another of our friends and all the associated children. Now we start preparing for 10 days without our oldes daughter...but that is a post for another time.