saturday lunch

After the art festival we went to Panera to have a quick lunch. It was not a quick lunch. I forget that Nicolette does not eat as much the appetite that she shows towards the food.   She still eat from her eyes, I still wanted her to have a girl’s out day. She had fun from morning till dinner,  this little girl could dine out an entire day. 

We will be cooking a lot on Sunday for the week just to catch up alll the food we consumed on Saturday. Including Sunday meals as well. No more eating out. 

I had a chocolate pastry, french onion soup, pasta with pesto, and a green tea.I love the portions, they were small but not ity bity portions.  

Art Festival at Mansfield Commons

This local event in town, was worth waking up early on a Saturday morning. There was this feeling of excitment was taking over me, and  after a long time because, I was looking forward to go to this festival. I have been secretly planning to attain this eventfor past few weeks. It was a bonus that guys were out of the house because this was my kind of FUN activity. 

Nicolette was excited to see the moon bounce even though she did not get to participate because we were super early. Vendors were getting their morning coffee and setting their booths while catching up with fellow vendors, chit chatting, and greeting the early morning visitors. 

Ironically we were in the early morning crowd. I guess it was pure excitement. We peeked into some of the booths, pet few dogs, we were greeted by people who were setting the whole exhibition. 

I love the children’s art work and I secretly wished for my son to participate in the exhibition but, I know this is not his cup of tea at least for right now but who knows. I was  tingled to walk among the middle school and high school entries not many but there were few that took my breath away!

I did like the adult entry’s, it was a nice mixture from photography, acrylic paintings, and water colors. The music was good to listen. I assumed they were high schoolers but they performed neat songs! 

weekend activity...

I woke up on Saturday knowing Nicolette and myself will be going to spend a lot of time together as the boys have left home for activities. Niegel was gone camping and hubby was gone for a class. I try to sleep in and that did not work because I woke up as hubby was getting ready to go to class. I needed to get the grocery, and had a long list of errands to get done. This lead to not a chance to get back to sleep.  

I could not resist Nicolette’s urge to get donuts for breakfast and feed the ducks. First thing first, we decided to head towards the pond to feed the ducks. She was happy to run along the road to feed the ducks. We both stroll along the sidewalk to feed the ducks! It was a fun event! 

Duck population have grown from my last visit to the pond. We fed them two loafs of bread. Nicolette practice her throwing skills as well. I was afraid that the ducks would attack us to get access to the brown bag. 

No matter how far we threw the bread pieces ducks, worked really hard to get closer to the brown bag. I was afraid that ducks might peck us too see if we were edible. I guess that may be the duck's nature to get closer to the food source. On our way back we could not help notice some of the later summer blooms.

Green Tomatoes...

Getting back to work, keeping up with my own children, and entertaining them intellectually while taking care of five loads of laundry was pushing boundaries to limits. This was indeed a balancing act for me this past weekend. This busy schedule did not held back my interest to wonder off in our yard. Surprising, I could not help noticing the abundance of green tomatoes. 

I read a neat post what to do with green tomatoes from here and I remember to mark the page because it looks so good. It is the end of the tomato season at least for us easterners and I know they are not going to turn red anymore as we are in the brink of Summer but I do not want to give up hope. 

After my spin class on Sunday, I took the liberty to go grocery shopping for few items including couple of ingredients for green tomato recipe and hurried home only to find rest of the family went out for breakfast. I could not refused the nice invitation to join for breakfast. After breakfast I got busy making this lovely pickle. It does needs some prep time which I have been working prior to the assembly. 

I have already given couple of these guys away and heard lovely comments mainly the presentation was beautiful! I love the colors! It taste great cannot wait to try this with some bread!

Apple picking...

This year we have been picking our fruits with kids it started as blueberry picking now that we are in to Fall we are still picking. This is a new experience for us and for our kids. It was fun to use all these produce in jams and jellies and to get them involve in the process. 

One of my co- workers mentioned a farm about pick your own apples and I asked Little Nicolette if she would like to go. Her instant reply was a yes. 

After lunch we decided to head over to the farm to pick our own apples. Line to get in was way too long it has to do something  with the timing. Many families were trying to get in before they close for the day which was by four that was my feeling. 

The line was moving to the pace of a tortoise we figure out to go with the flow. Observations around the neighborhood which leads to the farm grounds was interesting to name few neighbors had chicken coops in their yards and even signs for bunnies for sale. Both our kids were fast a sleep from the ride even though it was only less than half an hour. The price for pick your own apples was a bit too high comparing to the supermarket. One from the line was complaining it was a rip off! 

However, if you work in numbers, there was no parking fees, and ten pounds for $22.00, I do not know what to say. We were not offered apple cider nor donuts. It was way too busy and too many people in the orchard. I had no idea what kind of apples we have picked but we have ten pounds of them. They are bit sour, sweet, and juicy!

Back to School

My little girl was excited to go back to school, This was her first day and she is now an afternoon kid in other words a PM Kindergarten student. Loved her first day back at school!

Late summer garden - harvest

This years’s late summer crop has been giving us a bit of a joy with the magical butternut squash harvest. We are happy to be outside and watching some of our late summer crop. We still have not yet enjoy our butter beans. Now we know that we need to get them in the ground very early. I should mark my calendar on that event. Planting beans early.

We still have an awful lot of green tomatoes my guess is hopefully they will ripe before frost if not I may have to find few recipes to work with green tomatoes. Basis keeps giving up every day more new growth I need to start my lunch pasta salad before it is all gone. 

Butternut squash have been giving its harvest. I harvested my very first butternut squash this weekend.  It is possible that I might do a whole one entry on my butternut squash one of this days. 

Speaking of it I did harvest the tips of this beautiful vine.  In Sri Lanka, some people will cook pumpkin vines with dhal as a curry. I initially tried when my aunt made it at her house. 

I am very determined to make it happen. I did had a lot in my plate this last Sunday before the full swing of back to school. I will write a post on this lovely butternut squash vine and its harvest!

Farm Play Area for Kids

 

I was in a hunt for raspberries but I could not get any from our local farm. The trip to the farm was a bit disappointing but while our way back little Nicolette was pulling my hand towards the playground. Niegel took the initiative to take her towards swings while I return the empty boxes to the farm store for credit.

Retuning to the playground Nicolette was up on the swings. I liked how the big tractor tires were buried into the grounds for kids to hop from one to one. It was a great obstacle course for kids. 

Niegel of course guiding her with high goals as not to touch them as she jump on was a bit challenge. A little bit of guidance, encouragement, and holding hands was all she needed to move through this obstacle course!

simple dinner for less...

We easterners during Summer get a great break in seafood. I am talking about lobsters. They were on sale so inexpensive the store had to limit the numbers to their customers, so it was fare I guess for every one. I bought a couple of ponds. 

I usually steam, shell, and use them in pastas. I have not got my hands arounds to make a lobster sandwiches or otherwise known as rolls in New England yet. 

We had these guys for dinner, It is hard for me to give up seafood but my goal is for next year is no to LOBSTER!

Probably this is the last Summer I am having them! How do you make your lobsters?

4 H Fair Middleborough, MA

This came to us through a girl at work. I decided to head over to check the fair. It was a long time that I have been to this kind of a fair in VA. Location was not to bad it was not too far but at the same time it was not too close. 

First exhibit we entered was the rabbit display it was pretty interesting. Their were many varieties of bunnies, which I have not witness before in my life. 

Next we entered the chicken coops, yes, and it was fun to watch. 

Nicolette, wanted to get her face painted as a pirate and then she was thrilled to get a sword as well! Later, I move towards the room where they displayed wining entries who had received the blue ribbons. It was very neat, the variations of entries from onions, eggs, quilts, pictures, to many more...

We headed home... our older one was a bit bored from the 4H fair I guess he is not a guy with that kind of interest as his mom!

Fire Pit...

Late evening tasks in the yard make us use our new fire pit more often these days. 

I needed a mental break more than a physical break the other night! After two drooling days of workshops, and had mentally drained all my energy. I could not think any more and I was tired. 

Purchasing few books from the work shop have added a new task to my agenda but  kind of looking forward to it. As the presenter explained it should be tools to aid kids in the classroom!

I sat down to watch the fire, dance, crackle of the burning wood, smoked air, buzzing of the bugs, little Nicolette’s joy, teasing her brother, inviting him to chase her, and Niegel’s swift attempts to keep the fire burning. 

Watching the wood burn adds a bit of a charm to our yard on this late evening. There is a un explainable calmness in the air! The swaying of the branches worry me sudden growth of fire might catch the branches. Feel like my brain is exercising again, which I am happy to enjoy again!

Getting use to this unusual energy. Which brings when we lit the fire place is all too new to me and to kids but, it gives us a reason to be prepared  to fast approaching school year! I am looking forward for this school year! 

How do you handle the chaos of end of Summer and the beginning of FALL!

home made bath salts...

Summer brings a lot, working in the yard could make ones body a bit painful at the end of the day but, in an unusual way. A bit of a satisfied pain and lately I have been going through it bit more often due to weeding and cleaning. No matter what, I believe a good long soak in the tub can magically cure all aches. 

I like investing on bath salts a bit, recently I decided to make my own bath salt. With my little helper, I made couple of batches. The first batch of course for me. 

Gathering all the materials took a while but the process was fairly easy. After the initial attempt we decided to make few batches for gift giving. 

I bought culinary lavender from from amazon shop, and bought epson salt. I had lavender essential oil from a previous project. I used two cups of salt to 1/4 cup lavender seeds and then few drops of essential oil. Mix them well and stored in a jar!

I did used mason jars to store the rest of the batch for gifts! Neat gifts to teachers, friends, and baby sitters! 

I personally loved it. I feel like totally renewed after a bath! 

Sandyneck Beach, Barnstable 2013

 

I hope this is could be a place for us to take our kids for a nice getaway from the busy week. Not a very sandy beach but rather rocky/pebble beach. I bumped in to a Puerto Rican lady at the beach, she was kind enough to share her story of collecting rocks which were  heart shape. 

She explained some of the pebbles are smooth enough for her to smash garlic in her cooking. Even though it was bit harder to navigate in this rocky beach there were many occupants. There was a family reunion and a fire pit. 

The sunset was breath taking to watch. I kind of like this beach, so far we have not designated a beach as our go to beach.
I guess we are still looking, we originally are Island dwellers, and  hard to please when it comes to beaches. I know as a fact, Sri Lanka is well know to its beautiful rolling beaches. I do miss the down south landscape. 

I did kind of fell in love with this beach mainly the landscape was very calming, closer to home only takes about hour and a half so give or take, few shops to view, and the crowd was much pleasant!

I enjoyed the cool breeze, wish I had a book, and love my new beach chairs I got last year from Target!

Both my kids stroll to the beach hand in hand to wade in waves. As always, the teenager was very protective of his sister. On the other hand little Nicolette, persisting on pushing boundaries to explore the beach with her new skill of dog paddle!

She insist that I take her to the waves instead of her big brother so she could have a little freedom to play. I enjoyed her requests so I can step into the cold water to rejuvenate my tired feet!