Some of our summer
Monday, September 12, 2011 at 1:00PM 
I thought it might be a little bit fun to share pictures of some of our summer. Photos of days of holiday; of longer evenings and lazy mornings, of trips to the farm and to the city.
I wanted to go through some odds and ends, all in the aim of the business of catching up.
There were meals out with friends, and peaches on the back porch.
We discovered an addiction to strawberry lemonade popsicles, then green peas lightly braised with shallots and tender lettuces, then salads of summer squash, corn and chili.
We've been bottling up this summer, in glass jars that now are stacked and lined on shelves downstairs. We preserved some whole, made ketchup (!!) and jams, and I'm considering a batch of nectarine chutney or tomatillo salsa before we put the big pots away.
There were carnivals, and roller coasters and one last ride to officially say farewell to the season.
School's started. There's a small backpack that's taken its place by the front door. There were pumpkins outside the market yesterday and stacked hay bales and lined up corn stalks. Apples are around, too.
Looking ahead, I'm thinking of pies. I'm itching to get into warm sweaters and scarves, and socks pulled up the knee.
First though, we're planning a trip to Louisville, with thoughts of friends with whom it's been too long since we've shared a meal. There's a whisper of bourbon before dinner and biscuits for breakfast - and I can't decide which excites me more.
I'll be back with more words and a recipe soon. I'm hanging tight to these moments and not quite ready to let go of them yet.
Until then, friends.
Above photographs taken with my phone.
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My pal Justin sent me a book about cookies the other day. It's one with a backstory and an even more important intent. It makes me want to get out the bowls and warm up the oven. If you can give it a look, please do.
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And, finally, I was recently hired to represent Canada in a friendly competition between the United States, Australia and us - over mushrooms. With thoughts of the Maple Leaf Forever and all that, I couldn't turn down the job. If you'd like to find out more, and vote (yup, you get a say in this too), please click over to Mushrooms Canada and Tastespotting for the full explanations.
It involves Butter Roasted Mushrooms, which are something I think you should know about.
Reader Comments (23)
oh man that mushroom sandwich! I want that right now, my boyfriend hates mushrooms so I can never cook them for our meals. Every time I am at a resto I will order anything with wild mushrooms. As a vegetarian its the one thing that has such complex and earthy flavors. LOVE :) and of course love the instagram pics
Oh, summer. You captured it's sheer fleeting essence in these photos. Simply beautiful. That said, I'm also thinking about pie and maybe scarves and knee socks soon.
Bourbon before dinner and biscuits for breakfast sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing your summer, I'm so excited for autumn I can hardly contain myself. Here in Colorado there is a crisp breeze blowing...
Lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing part of your summer with us. :)
I'm stuck back at bourbon and biscuits!
Beautiful post. Your photographs of summer are stunning - I particularly like the one of the red barn. Good luck with the competition - you've got my vote!
Gorgeous post .... Fabulous photos. The end of summer is always bitter sweet (and the sweet being those pies and scarves!)
Wow, that mushroom sandwich looks amazing. Can't wait to try. We're still in the thick of summer here Oakland, CA (we got a late start), but I'm looking forward to some fall cooking, too.
Love the pictures of your summer! I would like to start canning too so I can enjoy it all winter long!
I haven't canned much this year; it's tough having only one kitchen cabinet for foodstuffs. Last year I made a terrific batch of five fruit ketchup, though, so I'm with you on being excited over that:)
Your pictures remind me that I should really get my paws on some new film for my Polaroid from The Impossible Project. Love seeing last glimpses of summer - hold on to them (through your sweaters and tumblers of bourbon)!
Love your summer in photos - man do I need to get me an iPhone.
And mushrooms and butter - does it get much better??
Summer is ending over there just as we're beginning ours...sounded like you really enjoyed the season. Can't wait for the fruit to arrive...
Gorgeous photos from your phone! x
a lovely summer and a lovely mushroom sandwich. i would have still voted for you even if you weren't representing the good ol' maple leaf. there is something about mushrooms on toast (especially cheesy toast) that i find so comforting and delicious.
Hello everyone! So chuffed to hear that we are all of like minds when it comes to this time of year. We've had days of cloud and cool followed by the brightest sunshine that you'd think it was still July! Thanks for all the kindness and votes - here's hoping things are swell on your end.
looks like a great summer to me. ours is just beginningin SF ;). and as far as the bourbon and biscuits, that's a tough choice for most, but i'm easily sold on the biscuits - enjoy!
love your photos :)
You have such a knack for making the everyday magical.
I love your summer photos. Did you use the Hipstamatic app? I am just about to post a recipe for biscuits as well, my great grandmother's recipe.
i guess i need to master taking photos with my iphone. these seem much better than anything i have.....and i took it to europe
Your photo collection looks look so amazing! Summer makes everything better!
oh, tara. these photos are all so good.
and i bought mushrooms and blue cheese tonight...is that blue cheese?...
anyway.
hi.
xo.
Love these photoes.So beautiful!
Re the mushrooms....I hope you won because that looks like a superb way to treat such a mushrooms. Only a few months from now I'll be heading back out to the forests for the mushrooms every week. It's why I love eating as the seasons dictate. I'm excited like a little kid and it's still January!