13 July 2008

Lazy Daze

I love this time of year. The business slows down (ha!) the lakes are warming up, and even though the days are getting shorter they are relaxing and warm :)

My parents are visiting from Colorado. They haven't been out here in almost two years! We are eating lobsters, shopping, playing Mexican train, kayaking, and other fav' activities of theirs.
We went over to MacDowell Lake the other day for some kayaking and walking. Polar was so excited that he was invited! He had the biggest dog smile on his face when he was boosted into the truck with Art. He is an old boy now, but he still did his best to keep up with the kayakers. We didn't tell him that we kept it slow and near shore just for him ;)

Enjoying every minute!

They are here for raspberry time! Two weeks of succulent bliss. I LOVE raspberries! When I pick them it is so hard to fill a bowl quickly, because two go in my mouth for every one in the bowl! We have raspberry ice cream, raspberry muffins, raspberry pancakes, raspberries with cream. I make a mean raspberry mouse, and of course smoothies... Even though we have been pretty neglectful of the raspberries they are giving us a good crop. I love these hardy plants!
Here is a quick recipe for my (rightnow) favorite-
Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream:
4 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup cream
one cup whole milk
1/2 package chocolate pudding
1 tbps. cocoa powder
5-10 drops stevia (sweeten to taste)
3/4 cup raspberries
Mix pudding pack and cocoa with milk and add to beaten eggs. Add cream and stevia. Add to ice cream maker. After about ten to fifteen minutes (about 3/4 way through) add raspberries. YUM!

Our greenhouse guru did a few somethings to our apple tree and for the first time since we've lived here we have baby apples. Our pear tree is doing great as always- we should have an abundance of pears this fall :)>

4 comments:

Amber M. said...

Have fun with your visiters (eating lobster? YUM!) and have a handful fo raspberries for me...that recipe is a must-try!

Renna said...

You must be pretty young, 'cause your parents sure do look young!

I've never kayaked, but you guys really make it look fun.

The chocolate rasberry ice-cream sounds divine! I dearly love those two flavors combined in coffee, and I bet I would in ice-cream as well.

Thanks for the compliment you left me on my knitted dishcloths. I tried for years to learn to knit, too, until I finally discovered online (free) videos. I'm still not a great knitter, but it's fun. :-)

PS-I love your dog!

Shannon said...

amber- Thanks! I think I have had enough raspberries for about fifty people- but we still have a week or so to go ;)

renna- you are too kind. I am actually 37 this year- but my Mom sure appreciated the compliment! You wouldn't still have the links to the online knitting do you??

Renna said...

Shannon, here are a few that really helped me:

http://www.knittingtipsbyjudy.com/videos.html Scroll down to "Video Index"

http://www.knittinghelp.com/

http://www.knittingatknoon.com/demos.html

The KnittingHelp website, along with the videos, has message board forums. You can ask questions about instructions in a pattern or anything causing you trouble, and they'll happily try and help you through it. It was a great resource for me, since I often struggle with written instructions.

Also, the Coats & Clark Knitting Made Easy CD rom was very helpful to me, as well. It's less than $10 and available in most craft stores, as well as online.

You should give knitting another go. Let your grandmother's knitting legacy continue on in you! :-)