Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy

It’s summer and we have officially begun our summer vacations from school. Much like our children, we are firm believers in taking a little break from the grind to sit back and enjoy the sunshine, fireflies, BBQ’s and family time. 

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The Unofficial Start of Summer

Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning to the season of sun and outdoor fun. Even though we were graced with an unseasonably warm winter (except for all that "Snowtober" nonsense!), we're still looking forward to the lazy days of summer and reconnecting with nature. In preparation for the official start of summer, we've gathered a few of our favorite things.

1. Cheery garden gloves from Hable Construction would make lovely companions to their other garden accessories.

2. The Bird Cafe bird feeder from Fred Flare lets your local chirpers nibble in style.

3. No room for a vegatable garden? Have a sunny window? Grow your very own micro-greens (red acre cabbage, mini-carrot, tom thumb pea) in this windowsill planter from Potting Shed Creations.

4. Light up the night with the Soji Pod solar lanterns. Fours hours of sunlight will keep these pods glowing all night long.

5. Soften your step with the geometric hooked indoor/outdoor Patio rug by Company C for Garnet Hill.

6. Capture the moment by snapping a credit card-sized instant photo with the Instax Mini by Fujifilm. After it ejects out of the top, feel free to shake it like a Polaroid picture...

7. Sure you've heard of yarn bombs, but what about seed bombs? Toss a few in the yard for an instant wildflower garden.

8. Refresh your guests from a easy-to-find bright and cheery Hampton bar cart by World's Away from Zinc Door.

9. Feeling the need to read? Leaf magazine is the best of its kind, celebrating outdoor living and more. Look for the summer issue coming in June.

Summer Salads via Mark Bittman

It's hot; it's summer; it's salad time! In my house, you won't find me anywhere near a stove for more than 10 minutes during the summer. It's just too hot for me to add more heat to my already sensitive temperament ;) So I make salads! I have one go to bible for making summer salads: Mark Bittman. I've professed my love for Mark before now and I will say when he published his 101 Summer Salads several years ago, I fell in love. I mean there isn't anything you can't find on that list that isn't amazing and perfect for ANY occassion. 

Photo credit: Francesco Tonelli for The New York Times

Here are my top 10 from the list:

1. Cube watermelon and combine with tomato chunks, basil and basic vinaigrette. You can substitute peach for the watermelon or the tomato (but not both, O.K.?). You can also add bacon or feta. This is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and the kids LOVE it too!
2. Grate carrots, toast some sunflower seeds, and toss with blueberries, olive oil, lemon juice and plenty of black pepper. Sweet, sour, crunchy, soft. YUMMMM!
3. Mix cooked cannellini or other white beans, chopped cherry or grape tomatoes and arugula or baby spinach. Lightly toast sliced garlic in olive oil with rosemary and red pepper flakes; cool slightly, add lemon zest or juice or both, then pour over beans. This is one of my all-time favorite dishes; ever.
4. Halve avocados and scoop out some but not all of their flesh. Roughly chop and toss with black beans, queso fresco, cilantro, chopped tomatillos and lime juice. Serve in the meaty avocado shells. So very refreshing and clean feeling to eat!
5. Slice roasted red peppers (if you must use canned, try to find piquillos) and fresh mozzarella. Toss with cooked white beans, olive oil, red wine vinegar, a chopped shallot and fresh rosemary or parsley.
6. Sort-of carpaccio salad: Broil or grill skirt or sirloin steak very rare and slice very thin. Arrange on a plate with tomato wedges, lettuce and lemon juice. So very good and melts in your mouth.
7. Cut pancetta into matchsticks and crisp in a skillet with some oil, then caramelize onions in the fat. Toss both with chopped bitter greens — radicchio, escarole or endive, for example — toasted pine nuts and halved cherry or grape tomatoes. You had me at pancetta.
8. Sort of classic pasta salad: Pasta, artichoke hearts, sliced prosciutto or salami, chopped plum tomato. Dress with olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar, perhaps with some mustard.
9. Mash a canned chipotle with some of its adobo and stir with olive oil and lime juice. Toss with drained canned hominy, fresh corn cut from the cob (or drained pinto beans), cilantro and green onions. I think you can tell I tend to have a spicer palet.
10. Mix lots of arugula with somewhat less cold whole wheat penne, lemon zest, olive oil and Parmesan. The idea is an arugula salad with pasta, not a pasta salad with arugula. Works well for my girls who MUST have pasta as often as possible.

So what do you think? Any of these sound yummy to you? Do you have any summer salads that you LOVE? Share and share alike!

Summer Essentials on DomestiKated Life

When Elise and I attended Blogfest last month, we had the pleasure of meeting lots of great design bloggers whose work we respect and have been following for a while. It was a real treat, then, when our new friend Kate over at DomestiKated Life asked us to contribute to her Summer Essentials series.

We'd love it if you'd come on over and see us wax poetic about our favorite summer destinations. While you're at it, don't forget to share with us what we might have overlooked!

See you there!

 

Wordless Wednesday: Sunny Days

I'm done with winter. He can go back where he came from. The snow is almost melted in my yarden (4 year old's word for yard+garden). We are going away on vacation in 2 weeks to somewhere warm and sunny. It made me think about these two photos of my girls while we were on vacation in years past. I see them and think wistfully to warm, lazy days spent in our swimsuits eating watermellon ice and listening to the sounds of summer. 

When the day that lies ahead of me seems impossible to face
And someone else instead of me always seems to know the way
Then I look at you and the world's alright with me
Just one look at you and I know it's gonna be
A lovely day - 

Lyrics from "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers

Have a lovely day~