Results of a shopping trip bring back a childhood memory.

When I have time I really love to cook.  Having time allows everything to go smoothly.  My favorite recipes usually require a lot of veggies.  Getting to wash and cut them all up ahead of time makes the cooking process a lot easier and actually quicker.
Every once in a while I get a week day off and I like to make a really good dinner on those nights. 
I had last Friday off but what was I going to cook.  Not the same old thing...again.
So what sounded good?  Pasta, of course.  But what could I do differently?
Hmmmmm?  I felt adventurous so why not wing it.
I knew I wanted to use white wine in my sauce.  I wanted it to be light and refreshing.  And of course, it was going to be vegetarian.
Are you wondering where the childhood memory comes into this story?
It's coming I promise and this following photo helps introduce it.......

While I was prepping my veggies I found myself alone with my thoughts.  All these gorgeous fruits and veggies and I pondered on the fact that although I really don't like the summer because of the heat I do love the produce it brings.  Summer brings so many things...
And that is where the childhood memory comes into play.  Growing up one of my favorite books was Summer by Alice Low with the very true line - Summer brings so many things.

Here's the cover

I used to like summer more than I do now.  Probably because school was out.  We spent a lot of time at the lake.  The frosty was open.  And where I grew up it didn't get really hot. 
As a teenager I had a job that was really fun and busy in the summer.
The difference now is I live in a place that gets a lot hotter and you don't get summer break from work. 
Back to the book - Let me share just a few pages with you. 

Can't you just feel the heat.
Stuck in the heat- in traffic.

But when you turn the page.....

Now you can feel the cool refreshment.

And now back to the results of my shopping trip.  I came home with watermelon, lemons, apples, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper, green onions.  I already had the carrots and the lettuce was fresh from a co-workers garden.  How refreshing!

A good dinner needed a good drink to go with it. 

Fresh Homemade Lemonade.

 

And dinner... turned out delicious.  I am calling my creation Summer Pasta.
And really quite simple. 
Red Bell Peppers, Zucchini, Yellow Squash and Garlic sauteed in olive oil.  When veggies are tender add chopped sundried tomatoes.
In a saucepan, simmer white wine, butter and a splash of lemon juice.  Add to veggies. Toss with angel hair pasta and sprinkle with shaved parmesan cheese.
The final result.....

I can't wait to make it again.

Crawling out of a literary / I don't have time hole.

Over a month... Over a month since my last post.  Why?  Time and ideas.  When I had time I didn't have an idea and when I had an idea I didn't have time.  Did I write down my ideas when I had them but no time? NO!  Why would I do that?  Oh but I wish I had. 
Oh well.  I can't undo it. 
So here goes.  I guess a fresh beginning.  

Ready, Set, Go!

1939 vs. 2011

"I simply love to have to set my alarm clock for anything." 

      - Quoted from Lost Sunrise by Kathleen Norris published in 1939. 

This sentence really stuck out to me.  I simply love to NOT have to set my alarm clock for anything.  It isn't very often in present time that most people don't have to set their alarm clocks.  Our lives are busy and we have to be woken up to start the day. 
I know some people just automatically wake up around a certain time each day without an alarm but as I am not one of those people, (however I do often wake up 10 minutes before my alarm goes off - but I am not very alert) I just love the rare occasions when I can wake up when I wake up.  It gives me a peaceful feeling when I go to sleep if I know I won't be waking up to my alarm. 
This above quoted sentence, demonstrates that life is different now from 1939.  I know people still had jobs so I don't know why they wouldn't need alarms on a normal basis so that they are happy when they have a reason to set it.  I think life was just slower back then. 
I can understand enjoying the alarm if you have something exciting to get up for rather than the every day routine.  It is always easier to get up in that case.  Say for example, I was waking up to go to Disneyland.  I would definitely enjoy setting my alarm for that.  

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~Author Unknown

I love sharing books.  A great way to find authors you like, or don't like.  I think you can share a bond with people you exchange books with.
When I saw this the other day, it just made me happy.  I don't know how long it has been there but after living in Ukiah for 8 years, I just found it.  I don't live in this neighborhood but I want to donate some books to this Neighborhood Library.

Not a quote but A French Saying

"Measure the girth of a chef and you can rate his restaurant."

I found this quote when I was putting a cook book together for my sister's bridal shower present. 
I love the idea of this.  You can visualize a big jolly chef and know he must create delicious comforting foods. 
But I know that this saying couldn't really be true. Chefs of all different sizes have proved their culinary talents.  Some are just lucky to have a high metabolism.  

All In A Word

Just sharing a word that has stuck with me for many years. 
This is a word that I learned in a vocabulary lesson in high school.  I thought it was quite a useless word because I have never heard it used.  I know I would never use it.  But I guess the vocabulary lesson worked because I still remember the word, its spelling, and the definition.
So here it is.
ANTEPENULTIMATE
an·te·pe·nul·ti·mate
(an-tee-pi-nuhl-tuh-mit)
adjective: third from the end

Have you ever used that word? I haven't.

My Day Off

I usually work Monday through Friday.  Occasionally I work a Saturday and get a week day off.  I feel like those are bonus days.  Sometimes I waste these days by cleaning the whole day and then I am always bummed at the end of the day.  It feels like a wasted day.  So today, I was determined to enjoy my day and at the end of the day say, "That was a good day off."  Well it is the end of the day and I was a success.
Today I didn't wake up to my alarm - I woke up to Kyle's alarm.  I am always up before Kyle and therefore wake him up. But if I get the opportunity to not set my alarm, I ask him to set his.  I don't know why.  I wake up to his alarm before he does.  Anyway, it still counts. I love not waking up to my alarm.
Today I got to watch Rachael Ray's daytime show.  I usually only get to watch this when I am home sick.  Today was a repeat but that doesn't matter since I hadn't seen it. 
I had a small list of things I hoped to get to.  I successfully paid the rent, called Comcast since our bill is way to high and I was able to save $15 a month, and arranged for a new wireless mouse to be sent to me as my brand new one is defective.  I straightened up just a bit. 
My favorite parts came later.  I picked up lunch for Kyle and I and surprised him at work at lunch and kidnapped him and took him to the park to eat. 
I also had a spur of the moment idea to get a manicure.  I haven't had a manicure in four years.  I called a zillion places before I found a place that could take me but I got in.  I wasn't sure if I should spend the money on this but I decided to do it and I am so happy I did it. 
Then what?  Oh yeah, I had extra time to make dinner.  Running home after work to make dinner can really drag the fun out of it.  So I wanted to make something a little special.  I decided on lasagna because I haven't made it in years.  And to top it off, I made lasagna roll ups.  I thoroughly enjoyed being able to calmly make dinner without rushing.  Along with my lasagna I made a delicious italian salad and garlic bread.  Mmmmmm! It was scrumptious!  Do look -

And the best part is....I have lots of leftovers. 

AND:  It is 8:00 and dinner is done, eaten, and the dishes are done and often times we are just sitting down to eat at 8:00.  Crazy.