The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter. All exams and papers are marked, and grades calculated. All that's left is report card comments and some tidying up. Whew! Bring on summer!
One early summer delight is raspberries. They've ripened early this year and we've put 6 quarts into the freezer, eaten them by the handful, enjoyed them with yogurt and nuts for breakfast, and with ice cream for dessert.
The last food lab the Grade Eight class completed was mini cheesecakes. It was a new-to-me recipe so I tried it out on the family a few weeks ago. Easy and yummy! The students used frozen strawberries for a sauce on their cheesecakes, but here at home, home-grown berries were in order.
Delight number two - my Bolero rose bush is showing off this year, producing bloom after bloom of intricately folded petals with a scent I just can't get enough of. Some days after work, before I start dinner, I go out to the garden and take a whiff. Heavenly!
Two years ago our across-the-back-fence neighbour, Doug, gave me some poppy seeds. They produced a few flowers last summer, but this summer the blooms are spectacular: layers and layers of delicate, fringed petals. The blooms don't last very long, especially with the wind we've had, but more seem to pop up without fail. That's delight number three.
Summer salads are delight number four. Tim was away in Ottawa for a week at the beginning of June and I cooked...nothing. The weather was warm and I ate salad after salad. I did buy a roasted deli chicken, but hardly needed it.
The salad above has a southwestern vibe: corn, black beans, red peppers, tomatoes, and avocado, with a citrusy cumin dressing.
This is the simplest salad ever: chunks of crisp sweet watermelon, salty feta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, a squeeze of lime juice, some pepper and fresh mint. I could eat this every day.
Delight number five: Hydrangeas. I planted a lace-cap hydrangea a few years ago and it didn't do very well. I think it was overshadowed by the light and soil hogging buddleia nearby. The buddleia went bye-bye this spring, leaving space for the hydrangea to thrive.
Then followed that beautiful season...Summer...
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
I'm linking with Amy's Five on Friday gathering. And I'd enjoy hearing about what delights you about summer just now.
Marvellous photos of delights! The greatest wonder for me are the poppies! Never seen before such especially and beautiful poppies...
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Germany
Oo that salad looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteI have a few simple poppies in my garden but your massive, fluffy ones are gorgeous.
Such vibrant colours! Gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI thought you had probably finished at school by now, Lorrie, but no ~ you are doggedly marching on. It can't be long now!
The lacey hydrangeas have long been a favourite of mine, too, although I've no idea about their structure. Funny how only a few florets? appear at a time on them.
A beautiful post of colours and vitamins!
Such a beautiful visual post. The look of the salads made my mouth water, a real delight. Have a wonderful weekend.
ReplyDeleteA lovely five. Those salads look delicious, particularly the melon one. Your poppy is so like mine but not. The infinite variety of poppies is amazing. Enjoy your holidays when they arrive. B x
ReplyDeleteWonderful colors so cheerful!
ReplyDeleteMersad
Mersad Donko Photography
A lovely five, I love Raspberries and summer salads too. Your poppies are beautiful. Have a great weekend xx
ReplyDeleteYour frilly poppies are so pretty. I had the same in France, and they did tend to seed themselves in unexpected places. So next year you may have more.
ReplyDeleteI've not seen a hydrangea like that before--so interesting. And the salads look delicious. Here summer has been in full swing for awhile and the garden isn't happy with all the heat and lack of rain. Enjoy every minute of summer!
ReplyDeleteMy stomach is growling now! The food looks fabulous, and I'm smiling again over your food lab with the kids. That makes me smile as much today as it did when I first read about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to look for poppies like yours. It's beautiful and would be a perfect color to plant with my darker and lighter pink peonies. Lovely!
How wonderful that you can teach children such skills, Lorrie...the cheesecakes look divine!
ReplyDeleteI eat like you did almost all the time now...deli chicken & fresh fruit/veggies. No fun cooking for just one person.
I had a lace cap hydrangea in FL & it thrived beautifully! I was sad to leave all those flowers behind. I love your white rose & really should look into planting more of such around the sides of my house. I do have to keep an eye on the pink & yellow ones I have out front as the Japanese beetles love to eat them.
Thanks for sharing your pretties!!
ps How about sharing that cheesecake recipe??
ReplyDeletepps I thought Poppies were RED????
Five delightful things to thrill the senses and delight the eye what a great way to kickstart the season.
ReplyDeletebon weekend.
How nice it is going to be when you are fully into summer vacation mode and can enjoy the many delights surrounding you.
ReplyDeleteThe cheesecakes are a work of art and a wonderful learning project for the kids. Lucky kids to have a teacher who designs lessons plans such as that :).
Your roses and poppies are simply gorgeous and I must say I have never seen poppies like that.
Your eating plan looks just right for this time of year.
Have a wonderful weekend, Lorrie.
Summer is my favorite season! It's nice to live in Florida where it's summer time so much longer. And hydrangeas are my favorite flower. Enjoy your weekend fun! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteYour food choices are perfect for summer, Lorrie, and looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are beautiful. I just can't believe that you have raspberries already, ours haven't even formed yet...
It sounds like you are finally free for summer fun now.
Enjoy it, Lorrie!
Beautiful pictures! Your raspberry one makes me so hungry. Yum. I love the poppy one. Those flowers look so delicate and fluffy.
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend
Raspberries, roses, salads, poppies, hydrangeas ... wow! Mother Nature at her finest. Gorgeous images.
ReplyDeleteSuch a delightful five with lovely flowers and food. The pink poppies are amazing - so pretty.
ReplyDeleteWonderful photos!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely weekend!
Beautiful photos! I am definitely trying your salads!! Your flowers are a delight! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteOh my, gotta find some of those frilly poppies - so pretty Lorrie!
ReplyDeleteLove that rose too - I wish I had fewer huge trees and therefore more direct sun - my roses are not doing well this Summer, and my buddleia looks pathetic too!
The salads look really good - now making many also, so enjoyable with the now daily oppressive heat. Love the raspberries - how great you have enjoyed such a wonderful harvest this year, especially as they are always so expensive at the store, and of course have usually traveled miles so have lost flavor and are often mushy.
Happy weekend Lorrie -
your post was very refreshing. love those flowers.
ReplyDeleteYum! Those salads look wonderful. I too am a fan of being off school in the summer - that's a delight for me with my three boys - I also enjoy the warm nights when you can sit out and listen to the sound of the sea and the houses around you with a gentle breeze.
ReplyDeleteSuch pretty flowers and your salads look amazing, I love summer salads.
ReplyDeleteOh my, your salads look amazing, my friend! And those tarts at the beginning of the post...yes, please!
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful weekend, dear one. Hugs!
A wonderful five! Love those crazy poppies! So many raspberries already, we are a bit behind and are only enjoying strawberries at the moment. :-)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers, the light at the end of the tunnel, and good eats - life is good. :-) I'm enjoying the sun and the warm temps. :-)
ReplyDeleteYour photos look like they are straight from a glossy magazine they are so gorgeous. I've yet to get into the whole salad craze but imagine with hot weather you don't want to eat hot food. #FiveOnFriday
ReplyDeleteSuch a a happy and delightful post.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
Oh the salads look delicious! How I am loving seeing those poppies. Always love roses of every kind. Good luck finishing up school and then celebrating summer!!!
ReplyDeleteThose poppies! I've never seen any like them! Your salads look delish and I always love your beautiful flower photos!
ReplyDeleteI am being delighted by hollyhocks and larkspur, hydrangea, grilled food, summer salads, warm weather, lights in the garden....I think I may have to do a blog post about this!
This is the second season for our lacy Hydrangea. I am coming to appreciate them more. The deep purple-blue ball blossomed Hydrangea are my favorite, but the lacy blossoms are winning me over...yours are gorgeous :) I have never seen such wonderful poppies! Thanks for sharing your creative salad combinations, too, Lorrie.
ReplyDeleteYour header makes my heart sing. And thank you for the Longfellow quote to add to my collection. Beautiful post this week. Love your photos.
ReplyDeleteI too love your header, how pretty. the hydrangeas are lovely as are the poppies (I have always known those particular ones as opium poppies). the salads look very refreshing as well.
ReplyDeleteDiana
Interesting how your summer has yet to officially begin and here I am, feeling as though my summer is already half done. I love hydrangeas! One of my favorite flowers. I'm always wanting to get one and see if I can't change the color by placing coins near it.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful summer delights! I am sorry to be so late visiting, we had a minor domestic drama yesterday - nothing serious in the end, all ok - but I didn't get a change to do any blogging. Thank you so much for taking part in Five On Friday, I do appreciate it! Hope you are having a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteOh Lorrie the watermelon salad looks so good and refreshing. I always love your 5 on Friday posts. They are chock full of goodness.
ReplyDeleteI could live on salads too and I like the black bean one for colour and taste.
ReplyDeleteThat hydrangea is going to have beautiful colour, bit of pink and purple due to your soil. My lace caps are pink and although I could amend the soil with aluminum sulphate to make them blue, I just let them be.
I've made the mini cheesecakes, Lorrie, and would love, love tour homegrown raspberries on top! I have a salad every, single day at lunch time and never tire of them. I've also made the watermelon feta salad and it is, oh so refreshing! I just this year saw the lace cap hydrangea at the Dallas Arboretum, and thought it was so beautiful. It looks like yours is thriving now! Happy summer, Lorrie!
ReplyDeleteYour pic's are all just beautiful! And the salads are calling out to me. Glad your hard work is almost behind you...and you can enjoy the summer!
ReplyDeleteHello, Lorrie,
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet post! Your raspberries and salads are tempting me. Hydrangeas are pretty. I liked to see the tiny world you have shared with us.
I remember your previous post of a visit Prince Edward Island. I was finally able to finish the original book of“Anne’s World, Green Gables. It was struggling but I liked it. I am not fast in English though. Have a good day.
Oh I am craving those raspberries now, especially on that cheesecake! :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous pictures of fruit, flowers and food here Lorrie! I love raspberries and those look especially delicious. Like you I am enjoying the roses at the moment and all the early summer flowers just opening. Wishing you a happy summery week!
ReplyDeleteHelen xox
You will have to share your secrets for the hydrangeas if mine starts to fail. So far the flowers are fading, succumbing to the head not doubt, understandable. The leaves look green and health. And I LOVE the poppy. I can't seem to get them started here in this garden. Great salad. In fact, I'll be fixing a bean salad for supper. No meat. Just a big bean salad. Enjoy your week, Lori.
ReplyDeleteHi Lorrie!
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm catching up late. So happy to hear you're almost done with school "chores" and will be fully free to enjoy summer!! ;)
Your photos of your flowers are just beautiful. And your salads are making me hungry right now. Lol 2 of the best things about summer - flowers and salads!!
Blessings on your week ahead. xoxo
School's out for the summer! Yippee!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and the salads are making my mouth water!