Sunday, August 17, 2014

A cool summer of plenty

Volunteer Hibiscus in my yard
I'll be heading for Italy again next week, but wanted to comment on the fabulous summer we've had in Lawrence this year. It's been so cool I've hardly used the air conditioning at all. And lately, it's been raining enough that I haven't had to water the garden for weeks.

The mini-computer on my handlebars
I've been on an exercise regimen for the past several months, swimming laps at the outdoor pool in the mornings, and riding my bike in the evenings. My son gave me a computer for the bike which tracks my mileage, and it's spurred me on, to ride more than 400 miles in the past few months. Funny how a little thing like that can become a taskmaster! We have a great public pool in Lawrence, and in the mornings, it's open only for lessons and lap swimming. It's like going to a private country club. There's a group of  about ten of people that I see there every summer, avid swimmers like me.

My favorite place to swim: Outdoors!
Lately, I've made batches of blueberry/peach jam, blueberry preserves, basil pesto and tomato sauce made with roasted Romas, fresh from my garden. The peaches came from my sister's trees, and the blueberries were on sale at a  nearby store. Such plenty is always welcome!

Blueberry-peach jam and a few tomatoes from the garden.

Next week I fly to Rome for a two-month stay in Italy. The first week will be spent in Rome, Naples and Ischia, and then I head to Florence. This year will be quite different, as I'll be sharing an apartment in Florence and traveling with friends most of the time, instead of by myself. I'll also have several friends from the States visiting, including my brother, who's coming on a motorcycle!

By the way, if you want a mouth-watering roasted tomato sauce, here's the recipe I used. It's easy and incredibly delicious! 


a presto!

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