summer sunday....

there won't be to many more of these. today was spectacular. yesterday it rained so hard it filled every glass hurricane lamp on my deck to the brim. yesterday even my mood fit the weather. so today i was squeezing out every last drop of summer before it fades into fall.

that includes sweet corn, fresh tomatoes and peach crisps. i hope you are enjoying your last days of august as well.

friday, friday, you are here again....

sometimes i am one stoplight aways from making a decision to go to dunkin donuts or starbucks and truly at that moment i still do not know what my decision will be. i find that is true in my life also. i almost hate to admit it but i don't have a big plan. i hate rules and long range plans. i make plans but there is always the possibility of change. this is not to say i am not dependable i "think" most people would say that i can be counted on to do what i say. i just never seem to have 100% certainty of things - there is always this 2% gap that i have open that says go with the flow in case i have to shift gears at a moments notice. maybe this is a good thing. i read a blog post the other day where the person had an entire snippet of their blog posts for the next 2 weeks. this person clearly even has an organized blog future so unlike me who is blogging while i get dressed or between making dinner or writing a thought down as i think of it before it escapes me forever. so beware my blogs don't have a lot of prework to them. sometimes it's just what's in my heart at the moment. and at this moment i say fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.

final sail...

i am not a big political person but i have to admit i have always been enamored with the kennedy family.

"Ted Kennedy was, of course, not everyone’s cup of tea… or chowder, as he would probably prefer it be described. Indeed, he had his flaws. But even his harshest critics will acknowledge he was a tireless and effective senator for the people of Massachusetts."
"memories "

the statement from his family says it all. "We’ve lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever." RIP.

say what you need to say....

i am not sure i can squeeze one more thought into my brain today. it feels like every cell is full of thought and all it will take is a gentle knock for the whole thing to explode like wishes from a dandelion.
the weekend was fabulous. weather turned out way better than they predicted. the surf was amazing to watch. the location is spectacular. we are on the finishing side of the summer of 2009 but it has been fantastic. some indescribable moments. this picture is so calming. it looks like the perfect spot for a picnic.

early start...

hope you enjoy yours xo

moments enjoyed...

hi
happy wednesday.
i started to blog on monday and didn't finish.
the days pass to quickly.
how was the weekend? seems so long ago.
mine was nice. really sunny and hot.
on saturday i went for a bike ride it ended with breakfast - eating more calories than i peddled.
ate nice food with friends on sat night. i loved having them. hope they will come more often.




















sunday - a sunny afternoon at the beach. . any days spent with my bff christine
are always so inspiring. she is incredible - a mentor on how to act when life
gives you a whole bunch of lemons.
soaked up the sun. admired all the colorful beach umbrellas and thought of how soon they will be gone, packed away for another season.
monday - went to dinner with my boys. had some enlightening conversations
i love them so very much.
tuesday - did some shopping therapy. survived michaela sleeping out in tents with friends overnight. who said the third kid is easier?
wednesday - lunch - not the food.

happy weekend...

drink it all in. every now and then take a good look around because it could all change tomorrow. hope you do something wild and free this weekend. ride a motorcyle down the coast, feel the wind in your hair, feel the excitement, be reckless for a moment. hold on tight because just a moment is all it takes to change everything forever.

dinner idea for your weekend... xo

tip: when making pasta, wait until the water boils to add your salt. add a large handful and let the water boil again.
you want the water to taste like sea water.

tagliattele with garlic, asparagus and mushrooms

6 bulbs garlic, trimmed of the stem and scape, cut in half lengthwise
1 bunch asparagus, shaved into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 lb of mixed mushrooms, cleaned and stemmed
1 c white wine
½ c half and half
1 lb fresh tagliatelle
salt and pepper

boil water for the pasta. in the meantime, in a heavy skillet, add 4 tbl of olive oil and sauté the garlic until caramelized and just soft. 10-15 minutes. add mushrooms and cook until they give up their liquid. pour in the wine and let reduce by half. cook the pasta and remove from pot when just al dente. add the cooked pasta directly to the vegetables and turn to coat, keeping the flame low. pour in the half and half and toss. add zucchini ribbons and toss. Remove from heat and shave some parm-regg over top and toss. plate and drizzle with a little truffle oil and more parm-regg.

i'm back to work ...

and i'd rather be fishing...

sunshine and sisters. sand and sweatshirts. canoes and fish buckets. wet tresses and watermelon. sleeping in the same single bed. bluberry stained fingers. my favorite things of days gone by.

happy monday...

well my little vacation is over. back to work. back to my regular life. the one with the ordinary movement of the morning, the dancing around the house to get ready, the curse of traffic, the coffee stop. the buzz of my computer and the ringing phones. the chatter in and outside the offices, the daily grind, my email. i need regularity, i need my regular life, it inspires me to seek newness, and makes the time away seem so much sweeter.

sounds like life to me...

it starts in the smallest part of yourself. it's the simple daily acts. life is in the routine of things. change is good, the pursuit of happiness lies within ourselves. embrace change, the difficult kind and the good kind. a change of pace, a change of seasons, a change of wardrobe. but if you look closely pieces of you remain the same the details define who you are - in this picture loving hugs are always nearby. or as you can see my sense of style or shall i say vanity (check out rollers in hair) obviously vanity - still totally in tack.

and in this case change is really good.




















thanks for visiting us a the beach joe hopefully you will be coming every year xoxoxo

a better view of paradise...

my week is almost up. fun in the sun is almost history for this year. it's early morning and i am sitting on the deck of my rented beach house, the same beach house i have rented for over 15 years - at a beach where i have been residing the first week of august for decades. i am sipping coffee, listening to birds chirping and watching the lady across the street tend to her beautiful flowers - i can hear the ocean. this has by far been the best week of the summer, this summer we have been plagued with endless rain. this week has been near perfect, i am grateful. it's peaceful here, i am surrounded by lots of family, lots of friends, the same drill we have been doing for years. everything is so much "the same" and everything is so different. each year there are new memories made. there is a cool breeze blowing - it's august letting me know that summer is actually shifting toward it's closing sign. a man strolls by with a cheerful hello, the sort of man people notice, tan and fit, he has silver hair. we smile at each other he moves past. i wonder if he has been coming here as long as i have, if he has memories here and history. today my little niece turns 21. every year we have celebrated her birthday here - how can this be year 21? i remember the year she was born - i picked forbidden flowers from a rented beach house to bring them to the hospital. she sported a ribbon in her hair - such excitement - a little girl, after two big brothers, one of those brothers just recently engaged. there goes the time again. she was visiting the beach within the week of her birth being pushed by her little cousin who is now about to birth her second child. i watch the kids running on the beach, a new generation and i feel grateful, so many memories here. people come and go things change every year, but memories can't be taken away another year of memories packed up and stored away. another year of special moments. it's like riding a motorbike down the coast - exhilarating and fun, freedom, a feeling of completeness, a feeling of love. thanks summer of 2009 for another summer of sweetness a promise that more special moments are to be had.
each year new memories are made and there will be many more to come. Happy Happy Birthday Katie !!

family dinner summer 2009.

,

sentiments of the moment...

xoxo