Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Rainy Day This and That



We're having a spectacular summer, weather-wise. Endless days of sunshine, but not too hot. Almost endless days, that is. Last night I awoke around 2 am to hear water trickling through the gutters. A gust of rain-freshened air blew across my face. Ah, delight.
 

The rain has mostly stopped now and the earth is busy absorbing it all. Perhaps this will help the forest fire situation, and will certainly green things up a little around here. Our Bolero Rose had another bloom, all sweetly scented ruffles.
 

Zucchini is busting out all over. I made a big batch of garlicky zucchini soup concentrate and froze it in jars for cooler days ahead. Ratatouille is next, when I get to the market for some eggplant and red peppers.
 

Our new favourite summer salad. Tomatoes picked warm off the vine, sweet Okanagan peaches, a little red onion (or not), fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Nothing could be simpler or more delicious.
 

This is the scene showing on my walk last night around 7:30. Summer holds so many delights. Are you still enjoying this season? What's delighting you at the moment?

29 comments:

  1. My delight matched yours as the rain started in the wee hours.
    You've been busy! No fresh garden produce or canning at Pondside this season, but the farmers' markets will be a good source for the little bit I'll do.
    Lovely to see you this week!

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  2. That salad looks wonderful and your last photo is divine - one to study when wanting some tranquility perhaps. We have had a lovely summer and although it is now showery and much cooler we are hopeful that it's not yet over and that the warmer weather will return later for a bit longer.

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  4. Woke up today to a wet deck--yippee! Now the sky is clearing. I am happy to see slightly cooler weather again...it's been so hot here lately.
    Your salad looks totally yummy--love the color combination!
    Blessings,
    Aimee

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  5. spectacular day! e have the tomatoes, rain, peaches, but not the zukes. cuckes tho.

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  6. e should be we evidently. (need to clean the keyboard)

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  7. Oh that salad looked so great that I had to pin it.

    We're having a rainy day, too. Hence the baking of blueberry cake. Not as healthful as the things you are making, but tasty!

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  8. Your house must provide plenty of delicious meals for anyone lucky enough to eat with you! I'll have to try putting some Ontario peaches I just bought with the tomatoes from my garden. Thanks for the tip, Lorrie!

    -Karen

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  9. The weather you describe sounds like perfection. The rose is gorgeous and the salad looks like summertime in a bowl. Must try that one before summer is past.
    Since you have visited me today, I guess you already know what is delighting me at the moment. :)

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  10. I love the thought of tomato and peaches together.

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  11. Glorious sunshine, not too hot, overnight rain to refresh the earth...what's not to like?! Here in the East, our summer has been pleasanter than usual, so I am not longing for it to end as is often the case in mid-August. (I do confess to feeling a twinge of excitement as I passed an arrangement of mums at Home Depot yesterday.) ;)

    Your zucchini soup looks appealing, as does that gorgeous salad!

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  12. What beautiful photos! We're enjoying our view of the mountains. The sun came out bright today and I changed my banner again! lol Sweet hugs!

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  13. so nice to hear from you dear Lorrie...it has been a long time...we are well and pray the same for you and your loved ones on your beautiful island.
    Victoria blessings, Karla

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  14. The tomato dish photo looks like summer in a bowl! The hummingbirds are delighting me this time of year. So far, they are much to skittish to sit still on the perches for a photo shoot. So I am practicing patience...

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  15. We've had a cold Winter ( for us !) which I have enjoyed but not a drop of rain so everything is brown and the grass crunches under your feet. However we have been warned that a big rain event is on its way for the weekend so we shall see. We need it badly , let's just hope it doesn't do too much damage !!

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  16. You found a great use for your zucchini! That salad looks so refreshing! Enjoying the washed landscape around our house.

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  17. I'm going for peaches now tomorrow! Sounds so good and I have the rest. Ratatouille? I just picked an eggplant from the garden and all the way back to the house wondered why I planted it when I really don't know how to fix it very well. I fried it once years ago and wasn't impressed.

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  18. Is your zucchini soup recipe on your other blog? I can't find a link to that blog from this one.

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  19. I too love the sound of the rain as it started in the night last night, isn't this a great relief from the warmer weather. Mid 70s is fine with me - we had gotten up to 90 one day and I was slug most of the day - but the evenings are wonderful even after a hot day. I'll take a few more days of rain - but welcome the sunshine back too.

    Your flowers are lovely.

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  20. Well right now your beautiful pictures are delighting me! We finally had some rain last night as well, thank goodness. Nothing like the scent of sun baked earth soaking up the rain, delightful!

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  21. I will have to try that salad, sounds great. I just tried peaches and blueberries in a green leaf salad this week and it was really yummy too. That last photo, what a marvelous scene~

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  22. What is delighting me are your wonderfully mouth-watering food shots!! YUMMO!

    We, too, loved the rains these past few days. Our lawn & flowers needed it. I always seem to get a lot done inside when it rains. I'm Still quilting awayl...need to take some pictures to post!

    Thanks for sharing your lovely world, Lorrie.

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  23. You are enjoying summer. And how lovely to have the rain kissed breeze floating into your bedroom (coming from a place where we rarely can open our windows). The salad looks so good-- and it's pretty to look at too!

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  25. Summer has been best ever, tho hole year actually. Never ever so long and warm ( hot ). It changed on 11 th. We had a wonderful rain. And weather is cooler now.

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  26. I'll be pinning the salad too, it looks so refreshing and delicious!
    My delight is coming from all the fresh vegetables that are ready, especially the white lightening corn one of the farmers grows.

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  27. What a beautiful salad. I must get some good peaches, as I have an abundance of tomatoes. Curious about the zucchini soup, hadn't thought about making something like that and freezing it. Just enjoying the weather. Humidity was terrible at the beginning of the week, but it is gone now and I am loving summer again.

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  28. Oh, please share your recipe for your garlicky zucchini soup. It sounds like something wonderful to pull out of the freezer on a cold and snowy day :)

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  29. Your soup and tomato salad both look and sound amazing!

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