LEMON LIFE!

Our little lady is 8!!!!

And when her wish was for a lemon cake

(with a Little Mermaid theme)

I was happy to oblige.

Breakfast waffle with Daddy and theatre with friends - what a fun day!

After two full days of celebrations

Eight is Great and so are you my sweet girl.

May God bless you and keep you humble, kind and curious ...

All things Lemon seems to be the theme for this July life.

Homemade lemon-aid to enjoy on the deck.

Lemon birthday cake

Limoncello

Lemon curd

Lemon water

The Limoncello

is bottled and in the freezer. 

Dreaming of some apres dinner sips with friends on hot summer evenings

and remembering our trips to Italy!

Limoncello Recipe:

8 large organic lemons - washed and peeled with a vegetable peeler being careful 

not to include any of the white pith.

Reem the peeled lemons and save the juice for other uses.

Put peels/rinds into a glass jar and soak in 4 Cups of high proof vodka

Store this mixture in a cool dark place - giving it a good shake every day for 2 weeks.

After 2 weeks make a simple syrup of 3 Cups Sugar and 4 Cups water.

Bring to a boil and then cool.

Strain the lemon peels from the vodka liquid and discard them

Add the cooled syrup to the lemon infused alcohol - stir

Pour the liquid into bottles leaving some head space for freezing

Store the filled bottles in a cool dark place for 1 week and then

pop them into the freezer

Best served ice cold in small shot glasses for sipping.

I froze the juice from the peeled lemons into cubes and used it for making lemon curd etc.

Where did July go?

It was filled with sunny lemony days...and some heavy downpours of rain too.

Vacation Bible School

5 days of songs, memory verses, crafts, snacks, dramas, experiments, change maker machine,

making bed mats out of milk bags, comforter knotting, bouncing bubbles, all with lot's of energy!

What a joy to see these young folks so engaged.

Our future "Change Makers".

Admittedly I was exhausted by day 4 (or was it by day 3) - eek!

Evening walks down to the park/river.

Razzamajazz on the barge always delights.

Pretty poppies in the Festival Gardens!

Bread baking days with this guy ...

Daily struggles and lonely evenings ...

Morning coffees, like so many things, are when I miss him the most!

Trying to live my best life over here.

These two and their mommy and daddy are what keep me going.

So thankful for them and for 

dear friends and family!

Saluti  ...

Till next time ... stay safe and when life hands you lemons - you know what to do.

June Joys

Continuing to seek the joys - June was full ...

 

Strawberry Pies and cute taste testers!

Shenanigans, ice-cream and hot tubbing!!

Moon Flower (a.k.a. evening primrose) watch is on.

This never gets old.

Blyth Festival - "Liars at a Funeral"

Theatre with dear friends - always a treat!

June 15 came and went ...

with beautiful flowers from thoughtful

family arriving at the door.

My "charge" and gifted bougainvillia - babysitting the hanger one for my sister

while she is gone to her summer home in Newfoundland. 

Finally finished and hung ... 2020 "Wish You Well" block of the month quilt.

Limincello on the go - see you in a few weeks!

My darlings - school's out for the summer!!!!!

Happy Canada D-eh!!!!!

Till next time ... finding joy in the faded patina and even more beautiful flowers of June.