Friday Favourites: August Ends with Sunshine

 

I don't need the calendar to tell me that the end of August approaches. The patch of bright Rudbeckia under the birch tree is a sure sign that autumn is just around the corner. While I love that beautiful season, there is a corner of my heart that wants to hang onto summer. The bees are so busy among the flowers these sunny days. I wonder if there is a hive nearby for they have been so plentiful recently. 

We wait all year long for deliciously sweet Okanagan peaches. Last year we had none because of unexpectedly cold weather in January, but this year there is a bumper crop. How sweet and juicy they are. I wanted to use peaches for a cold beverage to serve to guests. After searching online, I put together this most refreshing drink. 

Peachy Mint Lemonade

1 cup water

1 cup sugar or honey

1 cup fresh mint leaves

4 ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 - 3 cups water or club soda

Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add the mint leaves and let cool completely. 

Place the peaches in a blender and process until smooth. Press through a sieve, getting as much peach pulp through the sieve as possible. 

In a large pitcher, combine the mint syrup, peaches, and lemon juice. Add water or club soda. Taste to adjust the lemon juice and water to your liking. Chill well and serve over ice, if desired. 

Makes about 6 generous tumblerfuls. 

Best enjoyed outdoors on a summer evening.

Cosmos are blooming like crazy just now. Mostly this medium pink, but a few dark ones and I spied some white ones just opening. I love to watch the flowers dance on their delicate stems when a breeze passes through the garden. They remind me of ballet dancers swaying to the music. 

The garden is producing abundant green beans. I cut, blanch, and freeze most of them to use in soups throughout the winter. My zucchini is not producing as well as it has in the past. Some years are like that. The other day I made Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, and Avocado Sandwiches (shall I call them BLTAs?). There is absolutely nothing to compare with the sweet taste of a garden ripened tomato blessed by the sun. 

Sunflowers were planted late and I wondered if I would get any flowers at all. I'm watching the flowers forming now and think that in a few weeks they will open. Warm temperatures last through September here, so I'm confident I'll see some of those cheerful faces. I've noticed that it's not just the flower that turns toward the sun, but the entire plant. Throughout the day the plant shifts, following the path of the sun overhead. 

Another delicious dish using peaches is this Chickpea Peach Salad. It makes a lovely light lunch served along with bread. I substituted basil for the mint called for in the recipe, added cucumber chunks, and used lemon juice in place of lime because that's what was in the fridge. Leftovers keep well, too.

This week I've spent time with my two eldest granddaughters, on separate days. One wanted to sew a new book bag, and the other wanted to jazz up a pair of jeans. They both learned to use the rotary cutter and did very well. I neglected to take a photo of the book bag, but remembered for the jeans. Do they not have a 70s vibe? They just make me smile. Both girls enjoyed sorting through my stacks of fabric to find just the right ones for their projects. 

The jeans reminded me of my college days. Tim and I attended the same college and one day he asked me to mend his jeans. My roommate Carol and I decided to embellish the jeans with all sorts of floral embroidery. Oh, we had fun. Tim's face was a sight when he saw his jeans. He said he spent hours unpicking all of our hard work - he wasn't about to wear them in public! When I reminded him of the incident today, he said he would definitely wear them now. 

Labour Day is this weekend, followed by school starting on Tuesday. It's summer's last hurrah in many corners, and we've planned some family events to celebrate. 

I wish you all a most lovely end to August and a beautiful beginning in September.