Hello August . . .

Welcome August  . . . the month where the turning wheel of the seasons rolls slowly, and we are grateful for that because we know what comes next and then next  . . . this is the month of leisurely walks and vacation time.  Even the cows in the fields seem to know it as they seek the shade of oaks in the pasture, while they dreamily chew their cud. The cats in the neighborhood tiptoe along the stone walls in the garden at dusk, they are in no hurry . . . the dogs bark only half heartedly and even then it is only when they have treed something. The barns are full of hay and the pumpkin and squash are ripening in the fields, whilst the corn silk darkens in the corn patches . . . 

 

Now comes the hiatis between the hard work of mid-summer and the work to come of end summer  . . . the brisk days of woodcutting, filling woodsheds, chopping kindling, etc. Weeding in the garden almost comes to a stand still.  From now on the vegetables can hold their own, weeds or not. Both nature and man appear to move on a light rein for a few weeks at least, a time of restoration . . . 

  

We have a few weeks now where we can enjoy relaxing in the hammock with a good book  . . . 

  

Time to enjoy bike rides and picnics in the park  . . . 

   

Fish and chips at the seaside . . . 

 

Al Fresco suppers in the garden as the days start drawing in  . . . 

  

Time now to enjoy the blessings of those hot, still days  . . .with rosy ripening globes of the tomatoes, the amber silk of sweet, sweet corn . . . gleaming jeweled peppers and royally purple eggplants . . . the long slender green of the rows of beans.  The vegetable garden is a recurrent miracle of richness and texture at the moment and I think of Yeats  . . .  "Lake Isle of Innisfree"

I will arise and go now, go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

Nine rows of beans . . .  I wonder how long they would be.  Nine rows would give a lot of beans, your days would be spent just in the picking of such a bounty.  Last year we grew deep purple beans, and yellow and green . . .  when the deep purple were cooked, they changed colour into a brilliant deep emerald green. I love the flavour of fresh garden beans . . . I like to simmer them in a bit of milk or cream, salt, garlic and pepper . . . a golden knob of butter added at the end.  So tasty.  Fare for the gods  . . . 

One thing I do really miss over here is corn . . .  good sweetcorn  . . .  on the cob.  They do have it in the shops, but it is always peeled, never local and always brought in from far away . . . .  from places like Hungary or Kenya. Anyone with any taste at all knows that the flavour of sweetcorn begins to deteriorate as soon as it is picked and once it is husked. You have only a short time before it needs to be cooked so that it is at its very best. The longer it sits the starchier it gets and the more lacking in flavour.  My mind is filled with childhood memories of corn suppers around our family table when we could eat our fill of that gold beauty, drenched in butter and salt . . . calories were not a problem them.  We would eat, and eat and eat some more. Our fingers slightly scalded from the heat of the ends of the cobs . . . our upper lips smelling of butter and corn . . . and late summer.  Good times  . . . 

My rule of thumb was to have a large pot of boiling water,

lightly sweetened with a touch of sugar,

pop in the corn and cook only until you

begin to smell it, then, it is

done. 

Crisp, tender and delicious. 

♥

Ahhh   . . .  August.  Be good to us . . . 

A thought to carry with you  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.Always pray to have eyes that see 

the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst,

a mind that forgets the bad,

and a soul that never loses faith in God.

~Unknown   •。★★ 。* 。

  

In the kitchen today  . . . Mexican Salad with a Coriander Lime Dressing.  Yummy!

Have a great Wednesday, along the way don't forget!

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And I do too!