School's Out for the Summer!

"Happiness is as a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but which if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."--

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804 - 1864)

     The kids are all out of school now.  For Memorial Day, our family, along with some of our extended family, decided to take an adventure and drive out into the desert to see if we could find some geodes.  We took off in four different vehicles and drove for a long time on both paved roads and dirt roads. 

      There is a mystical kind of beauty in the desert.  There is a high level of appreciation when a tree or a body of water is finally spotted.  There is also an admiration for any kind of animal that can eek out an existance in the middle of nowhere.

     My brother was the only person that found any geodes but we all had fun digging in the dirt and pretending to hunt for treasure.  We enjoyed our picnic in the sun and the kids enjoyed chasing the horned toads and throwing rocks.

    After lunch we drove on to Fish Springs.  We couldn't believe there was a bird refuge there after seeing so much dry desolation.  Overall, we had a great time and singing to the radio together helped make the long drive fun. 

A very refreshing dessert for the summer months is Pink Fantasy Pie.  It is so good and so easy to fix.  It does need time in the freezer to harden though.

Pink Fantasy Pie

1- 2 quart carton vanilla ice cream

1 large can frozen pink lemonade

2 graham cracker crusts

Soften vanilla ice cream and pink lemonade.  Stir together until mixed. Spoon into graham cracker crusts.  Put in freezer and let harden for several hours.  When serving let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.  You can add whipped cream and a sprig of mint for garnish if desired.  You can also add a drop of red food coloring to the ice cream mixture to give it a darker pink color if desired.

 

Another great recipe for summer is Pizza Pasta Salad.  It's great to make ahead and put in the cooler to take along on picnics or as a pot luck for family reunions.

Pizza Pasta Salad

12 oz. pkg. garden rotini pasta                                               1 cup Italian dressing

1 cup diced tomatoes                                                               1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 cup cheese, shredded or cubed                                           1 can olives, sliced                             

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese                                           2 minced garlic or

1 small pkg. sliced pepperoni, cut in half                              1 tsp. garlic powder

½ cup green pepper, diced (optional)                                   ¼ cup purple onion, diced

1 cucumber,  peeled and diced                                              salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Rinse under cold water and drain.  Put pasta in large bowl and add all other ingredients.  Stir together.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  The ingredient amounts are general.  Add or reduce according to your family’s taste.

Summer Winds quilt is named after the quilt block of the same name that it is made from.  A little bit  of floral applique in the middle is a nice touch.



     Since summer has come, I thought it would be fun to list some of the books I have read to my kids in the past.  My youngest daughter enjoyed The Black Stallion, Freckles and Island of the Blue Dolphins this past year.  I enjoyed Jacob Have I Loved.