Fab-o summer spread and a thank you

This time of year means good and fresh eating. And I just love it. Despite an incredibly busy day, I was hellbent on making a marvelous dinner tonight, and it was worth the effort (and the come to jesus with the children about how I am not their servant, not least because I'm unpaid; heh; #parentalwinning #seriously) to sit down to this spread.

the best-ever baked beans

These are the best baked beans: Five kinds of beans, bacon, onions, molasses...these are a hot, saucy mess of goodness.

strawberry-rhubarb pie, version 1

All delicious, plenty of leftovers, and seriously, the talk with the kids was very good. 

More on that later, but I want to thank you all -those of you who commented here, elsewhere on social media and directly to me- for your thoughtful responses to and in support of my pieces on the massacre in Charleston. Change will take so many of us, and together our voices are stronger and louder. 

Good food and bad, a "Don't"

Sugar snap peas are hot off the presses right now, y'all. Are you eating them by the truckload? We are! While the boys love them raw and plain (indeed delightful), I like to play around and make summer veggies like the sugar snap into more substantial side dishes or salads. 

I haven't made my Sugar Snaps with Bacon, Feta and Mint in a while so did on Sunday night. Delicious again. Surprisingly, Tom thought the mint was distracting. I do not concur, but if you're not a mint fan, feel free to make a bad decision and omit it. 

Tonight, I'm gonna do something with this mess of fresh favas that Ol helped me pick out at the farmers market. I also have hull peas and corn, tomatoes, plums and peaches. A plum tart is coming and beyond that, well, the night is young.

I feel exceptionally lucky to have a babysitter today. Three hours of blessedly quiet free time. I left the house immediately because Oliver had donned the Hulk gloves and Jack was steamed. Tired as get-out, I stopped in at Starbucks to get a flat white before ambling over to get my stinky toes cleaned up and polished (see above for lovely result). 

Just before my order came up, Jack called me. Now, I am glad that he knows how to make a call, but I will tell y'all that he sometimes abuses the "call in an emergency" admonition. Today was such a day. Because I was so distracted by his Oscar-deserving tale of woe, I picked up the wrong drink. Might as well have thrown $5 in the garbage. 

Anyway, I beseech you to NOT order whatever this is. It was disgusting and this key is incomprehensible. What is 2R syrup? #adont

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

The kids are such great travelers, but today was hella long. The drive between DC and Wrightsville Beach is about three hours past crazy-inducing, but it's so nice to be there that it's worth it. 

We were sad to leave by also very happy to pull up in front of home. Home. That word conjures so much. During the last couple miles, we talked about what we looked forward to returning to: Nutmeg, "my room," "my bed," amongst others. 

Walking in did not disappoint. Hugs all around for pets and things familiar. I cleaned out the fridge, Tom mowed, the kids crafted a buffet of Minecraft-related perler bead things.

And then dinner. Thanks to our freezer (shrimp), crisper drawers (corn) and garden (greens and herbs), we ate well and were thankful to do so. Off to bed now.