Almost the end of birthday month

You know, this has been a weird summer.  Just odd and strange and it is going too fast.  Sigh. I  am feeling more than slightly unsettled by the whole thing, and there just isn't much I can do about it.  More life things have come about this week, nothing that is shocking or life changing - but it is just another example of the universe telling you you are certainly not in charge of your life.

In less than a week it will be August, I will have a string of company coming, I will be traveling a little bit and then  (insert both silent and hysterical screaming) the school year will begin.  I am getting more and more resistant to the thought, so I know that within 5 years I will be teaching my last year.  Not sure of the timing on that, so don't go around and pass rumors people.  There is enough of that silliness around, just don't participate.

Once I get there I'll be fine, but as with positive anticipation, the negative is also very strong.  Gah.  Anyway, on a positive note, I think I have found a place to hang some photos for sale.  I really never intended to do that in my life, but (remember that universe thing from above) I have had a few sales that were totally unsolicited so maybe I will give it a try.  I just need to figure out what I should get printed, etc.  Gallery wrap, canvas wrap, etc.  If it doesn't work out I will have some photos to hang at my house or gifts or whatever.  :)

Then the framing issue, which I detest doing, but the gallery wrap thing might solve that whole problem.

Anyway, I am investigating that.  It is interesting when things appear before me and I am actually alert enough to understand that **this is a sign, Debi**.

I NEED to finish a few parts of my house this week so I can have company and not stress out over the  remnants of this cleaning binge I have had.  And there are some things upstairs that need to leave my house, so I have to get it all to thrift shops or the transfer station.  I hate to use every minute of my last week to myself cleaning the freaking house, but that seems to be what this summer has turned into.  This could be part of my discontent!

Anyway, one of my goals today is to get another Portland day recorded- this is always time consuming, and this time I have to use all phone pictures for the latter half of the day as I left my camera in the car for the museum.  sometimes you just have to do that.

I better get on with it here, my coffee cup needs a refresher.  Have a wonderful day and be sure to find time for some joy.

Roasted tomato sauce

We have a school garden right outside of the art room, and it is a cool thing as far as I am concerned.  I have been watching it this September and spied some pretty nice tomatoes out there.  When no one had picked many of them right before that first heavy frost of the season, I decided to do something about it.  We were all over that- I wish I had a pic of little Greggy picking tomatoes with us.  But I don't, so you just have to use your imagination.

The Mad-Science teacher did some research and told me about this roasted tomato sauce.  It basically involves tomatoes, a few aromatics and some herbs/salt/pepper.

The process is simple: choose the size of pan according to the amount of tomatoes you have.  I really didn't have that many, so I used a cake pan....  Some of us were able to use a turkey roasting pan because we have so many tomatoes.....  That will be me next year.  Plans are being made.  Anywho,  after you core and maybe if you are feeling ambitious, cut up the tomatoes, add in a chopped onion, a handful of partially smushed and completely peeled garlics, a pour of olive oil and a bunch of fresh basil.

Spray Pam on the pan!!  

I used a combo of full size and cherry tomatoes- these tomatoes were so sweet that the sauce is pretty sweet too!  Bake the veggies for about 3 hours at 375.  Or until the water has pretty much cooked out and reduced to a thick sauce.  

Still needs some reducing- I put salt and pepper on  it at about this point

After it has cooked down, you can remove some of the skins.  I probably took out half of them, but you really don't notice.  You can also use a food processor or immersion blender and make the sauce smooth if you want, but that isn't what I care to do.  I like it less processed.  When you stir it up the garlic and onion sort of melts.  

This is the chilled and finished sauce

As I said above, the sauce was sweet, so I put a little chopped kalamata olive in it when I reheated it, which added a salty and tangy note to it.  This would probably be less sweet with more traditional tomatoes, but I used the heritage tomatoes that were in the garden.  A super dark paste type and a few very dark (maybe Cherokee purple??) larger tomatoes and a whole bunch of yellow sungold cherry tomatoes.  Goodness!  You could throw in some fresh thyme or oregano too- and maybe a little bit of cayenne???

Pasta, the sauce with olives and some parmesan

It has been discussed that we could saute a bunch of veggies (peppers, zucchini, carrots, broccoli) and throw those in there as well.....  could add lots of things.  ALSO, Laurie freezes hers in bags, so they stack flat.  This was truly one of the best things I have eaten all summer.  Well, all fall too I guess.  Oh summer, come back to me....  that will be for the next post, though.

This is some serious good!  And it gave me a whole lot of joy!

The best of the summer- kayaking on the Big Lake

I had some amazing days and nights this summer.  It is hard to choose what the most memorable, but we all know that the kayak was most likely involved.  I loved going on my spontaneous (and provoked- haha) 30 mile bike ride, and going on the bike trails.  Of COURSE I loved seeing my children and grandbabies, and MY FREAKING BIRTHDAY MONTH was so cool.  I covered all the people I got to see and hang out with.....  but "firsts" are always memorable.  And I had several firsts this summer, and certainly the thrill of kayaking on Lake Superior was right up at the top.

Naturally we chose to go up there on safe days- days when the wind was projected to be lighter, and we went in the mornings when the breezes are less likely to be a problem.  And of course sunny mornings are perfect- mostly- for photography.

Yes, putting my feet up on the kayak and paddling and snapping photos was a sick obsession.  Don't judge me!

I want to see this sign again soon, preferably in a car heading towards that round-about

Though the Mad-English teacher and I put on a lot of kayaking miles, we would not consider ourselves "experienced" when it comes to rough water.  In fact, one rough day on a smaller lake put us right in our place - we would have been terrified, but we were too busy paddling like Mad people...

So, like the incredibly smart people we are, we chose to tackle Gitcheegumee while she was calm and snoozing.  And she is just beautiful in repose.  

Paddling up the shoreline and visiting the caves and looking at all the rocks on the bottom made for perfect mornings.  There are little beaches all along the Chequamegon Bay, and we got out at a few of them and filled our pockets with little stones and covered our feet with the sand.

Yeah, I know, again with the feet...

Such a varied terrain along the shore

The marsh area across Hwy 2 from the lake in Ashland

There was a lot of weather that happened in a short time period on both days we went up there.  And lots of good photos to be captured.

LOVE the rocks and cliffs and trees and caves...

And as you can imagine there were moments to be shared with people who weren't even with us.  You know who you are!

When the days were done, we put on over 6 miles.... and replenished our bodies and souls with a trip to Coco's and then later to Bayfield.  Because..... well Coco's and Bayfield.

I will always think of these two trips with great fondness.  It was a time of awe-inspiring beauty and we felt like we were one of the cool kids with the kayaks on the car driving up north, parked in Washburn, and tooling around Bayfield.  Sigh.

I think the Mad-English teacher would agree that these trips, along with the whole Denver experience, are certainly the best times WE spent together this summer.  And since we did a lot of stuff to keep ourselves happy and active and occupied, that is saying something!  

I absolutely can not wait to see what life brings me next summer.  Some of it I have planned, some of it I am hoping for and some of it I can't begin to anticipate I am sure.  And certainly I will find a lot of joy in it.

To all of you who complimented me on my summer activities, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  It gives me a smile and some part of the summer pops to mind every time.  Whether recorded by this blog, shared with special friends or just moments that occurred, I had a spectacular time. Not every minute was fun, much was uneventful and even sometimes sad and stressful- but those times make the good ones stand out.  And that is all part of a joyful life.

Summer Memories: Scene 3- It's the People, people!

You know, the thing that really was spectacular about this summer,

Bayfielding with my friends

besides the activities that I ADORED doing, was all the company that I got and the places that I visited.  There are a few of my favorite peeps that I missed out on this summer, but I have great hopes for another time soon.  My friend ,Callen, pops to mind almost first.  I try to get together with him, one of my oldest (as in longest in duration, or years I've known him...... um, yeah, I will stop here while I am ahead) friends once a summer since I hunted him down on Facebook.  I'm still thinking it could happen this fall!

Pedis with Rose and Emily!

And final product!  

Aunties Linda and Ruth, plus uncle Dave.  All my dads siblings- aunt Cathy is off to the side in blue

A few cousins I haven't seen in forever! Rose, Debi, Kurt, Theresa and Karla

I started my summer with some awesome stuff.  Of course the required Bayfield kick off with the Mad Science teacher and the Mad English teacher, followed closely by a visit to my seester-Rose's house.  I invited myself there, since we were planning a lil visit to the south to hangout with my aunties and uncle and cousins.  Not to mention my Jon, Sarah Grace and Ella!!

One of my favorite pix of the summer, and a sad moment for both of us

A quick coffee and visit with Bonnie at Caribou Coffee

Next, I did my fantastic trip to Denver with the Mad-English teacher, where I managed to meet one of my internet friends totally by accident and got to walk and talk and hug my dear dear friend Lori and her adorable girlies.

On the plane

My lovelies - Lori, Bridgid and Brianna.

Hanging out with Leland on my last day in Denver- I seriously covet his selfie stick!  :)

Then there was the best EVER visit up HERE from my friend Cheri in July- SO awesome!!  And in there was a stop at Jon's house again, with a stop at my sister's on the other end of that visit.  And a second Ella encounter in one week.  It was SO amazing.

Stayed the night with Jon and Sarah after picking up Cheri!

Cheri and Debi at the Pixley Dam

Kayaking with Cheri and Adam

In this period of time we were absolutely BLESSED to have the second Mad-Son and our Sarah-Jane and Greggy move up to the great north!  This has been an amazing addition to our lives!

Greggy and Gramma

Sarah and Greggy resting for a moment

The last section of the summer involved a lot of the Mad-English teacher and our quest to kayak all over the north, my sister visited me up here, Jon and Sarah were up here again as well, plus I got to see my former coworker, Jen for the first time in over a year.

Not sure, but I think a certain Jennifer is mocking me!!!  Lol

My sweet friend Jen, who I finally got to see after a year!

School friends, past and present!! Jess, Sheila, Paula, Adam and Jen

Vibrant!  No actual pic of my new friend Keith- sorry!

There were other miscellaneous kayaks with friends, and weddings and bike rides as well, which just added up to a whole lot of good summery times.  My birthday week was chock full of guests and visits and kayaking, which about did me in, but I had a GREAT time!

Rose and Emily at Houghton Falls

Birthday Dinner- the elusive Mike and the equally camera shy MA

I got to see Karen this summer!

Never see this lady enough! Love hanging out with my dear friend Cat.

Kayaking with Annette and Carol- didn't get good shots of them- they are elusive!

Connecting with my friends and family is surely the most joyful part of all...