Summer reading

Here is my summer reading list. Of course, more books will probably be added as the summer wears on but this is my must read pile. A couple of the books listed aren't out yet which is why they aren't in the picture. Some of these I've bought, a couple are from the library and a few have been gifts. There are also a couple that I am waiting to get from the library, those are the ones with the LONG waiting lists.



There's nothing like the reading bug!



*Intellectual Devotional by Kidder and Oppenheim

*History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer

*Whitehorn Woods by Maeve Binchy

*Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

*Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris

*Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

*Gap Creek by Robert Morgan

*Hot Flash Club chills out by Nancy Thayer

*Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by J.K. Rowling

*Elizabeth by Eileen Dunlop

*The Emperor's Children

*Animal, Vegetable and Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver

*Miles from Nowhere by Barbara Savage



Oh and the two read alouds for the younger kids are "The Penderwicks" and "Tom Sawyer"

Granny's Cookies

My Granny made the best oatmeal cookies...thin, crisp, with a hint of nutmeg. I finally tracked down the recipe and made them. Almost as good as Granny's!

*Granny's Oatmeal Cookies*

Stir together the following and put aside:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Cream 1 1/2 cups of margarine or butter.

Add:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

Add flour mixture and combine well.

Turn onto lightly floured surface Knead until smooth. Roll into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Cut into 1 1/4" squares.

Place 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Makes lots!!

Camp food

Dinner the first night.
Step one
Get it on the fire.

Step two
Get it cooking.

Step three

Let's eat...glazed ribs, carrots and onions, with potatoes. (The hole in the potatoes was my fault. I was checking to see if they were done. Can't blame the cook for that one!) I've got to admit I don't even like ribs but these looked and smelled so good that I just had to try them...WOW, I'm now a convert.

Chef at work. Notice how everything is laid out ready to be used. This was dinner on Saturday night. The Chef made a wonderful meal of chicken with a Jack Daniels BBQ sauce, potatoes baked in the coals and steamed carrots and onions. Absolutely delicious. Too bad I ate it all before remembering to take a picture of the finished product. Sorry!

Sunday breakfast cooked on the fire. Bacon and eggs just don't taste like this at home! Notice the paint scraper...necessity is the mother of invention. (Needless to say it was new)

Breakfast the last day

oatmeal with pears, apples, nuts ,brown sugar and cream

Okay so I am totally spoiled. I admit it. And very, very lucky to have such a great guy in my life.

Other than boiling water, warming soup and making toast I didn't cook a thing all weekend!!

Gone Camping

The campsite was virtually empty, except for a few feathered companions.

View from the ridge on an afternoon hike.

Sharbot Lake campground

What a wonderful weekend. No kids, no schedule, no responsibilities. As much as I love my children it was BLISS!

Mind you the sleeping in didn't work. Steve and I were both up with the birds (literally). It rained most of the day on Sunday. And I almost sat on a big black and yellow spider (thank goodness for flashlights).

Despite all of that it really was the best four days I have had in a long time. Relaxing in nature with someone you love...it doesn't get better than that.

The Water Lily

Beauty can be found anywhere.