Happy 4th! Happy Birthday, Jack!

What a fun day it's been. I woke up to Like a Prayer blaring from Jack's room at 5:15am; Oliver was up soon after, and we woke T up at 6. Big breakfast, presents, play, the Batman movie (a hit!), family lunch with grandparents and a cousin, more presents, more playing, and now we are all tired but in the happiest of ways. The boys are vegging in front of Busytown Mysteries, and I'm digesting the absolutely fabulous lunch: corn, fresh burgers and my favorite turkey burger recipe -Southwestern style with cumin, chili powder, crushed blue corn chips, cilantro and salt- fruit salad, and the pièce de résistance, this incredible shortcake. It's a James Beard recipe, and I added the blueberries for a patriotic touch and the cinnamon because I like it. Aah!

My different sons

Perfect example of my son's different personalities.Me: "oh boys, promise me you'll always come visit after you grow up and move into your own home!" Jack: "I'm not going to move out. I want to live here with you forever!" Oliver: "First I will drink some wine at my house, and then I will come see you." Hah!

Watermelon Rind Preserves- video, pie

The sour cherry pie was scrumptious! Wow! You might recall that when we were in Louisiana visiting my parents in late May, I made my mom vats of pickled watermelon rinds. She loved them, secreted them away, shared them grudgingly and just finished the final jar yesterday. Good as they were, they weren't quite what she remembered so fondly from her childhood; those were watermelon rind preserves. I knew I needed to try making some. Both make terrific use of the part of the watermelon usually tossed out with little to no regard, and as you know if you read Em-i-lis with any frequency, I love to avoid waste and go "head-to-tail" whenever I can. Last night, still feeling rather spunky and light despite the loss of power and resultant temp increase in our home, I realized that as my gas stovetop was still functional, I could finish up the rind preserve project I'd commenced earlier that day. My mom has some weird food allergies, and I love to make her things she can eat with abandon. And you know how I feel about canning. So... I can't wait to taste them and give my mom the big jar when I see her next.