This beautiful place is in unceded Mi’kmaq territory. I hope today is that the light that is being shed on the atrocities that have been committed against indigenous people in this country will result in systemic change, compassion and understanding of what they have endured at the hands of settlers. And appreciation for the light that they have managed to carry despite it all.
July
Things to Notice: Fireflies
This one might not be accessible to everyone, but the fireflies have just appeared around our pond, and it is the most magical light show after dark. If there is a swampy spot near you, it is worth making the effort to stay up a bit late and see if you can find some. Even if you don’t, the experience of being outside on a warm summer night is just lovely. When we were in university in Fredericton, Adam and I used to go out biking or rollerblading after dark - it was just too hot earlier in the day. It was so much fun, and I have such lovely memories of those summer nights!
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It’s finally summer, and there are so many things happening! I’ll keep the ‘make’ and ‘do’s short and sweet for July and August.
Make
Rosemary Shortbread
This is quick and easy, and a great way to use some summer herbs. You could also use lavender instead of rosemary, with equally delicious results. These were originally featured in my Nova Scotia Kitchens podcast project, and shared by my friend Sally.
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, cold and cut into chunks
Preheat oven to 325.
Pulse all ingredients in a food processor very briefly, then press the crumbly mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.
Bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before cutting.
Lavender Gin Fizz
This is Sally's signature drink, and it can be made using tonic or soda water. You can freeze ice cubes trays with fresh lemon juice and the lavender syrup for quick assembly for summer parties - just top with the gin and soda or tonic water. Glasses rimmed with lemon juice and sugar would be so nice, and a garnish of a sprig of lavender and a curl of lemon peel would be perfect! And you can simply omit the gin to make this a non-alcoholic drink.
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup food-grade lavender buds
fresh lemon juice
gin
soda or tonic water
ice cubes
For the lavender syrup, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, add 1/4 cup food-grade lavender buds and steep for 15 minutes. Strain out lavender buds.
Add a couple of ice cubes to glasses (rimmed with lemon juice and sugar if you're feeling fancy). To each glass, add 1 part gin, 1 part fresh lemon juice, 1 part lavender syrup, and top with soda or tonic water. Garnish with a curl of lemon peel or a sprig of lavender. Enjoy!
Do
Sleep outside. Even if it’s an afternoon nap in a hammock or a deck chair, or a blanket on the beach. It is the best. Rest is so important, and summer can be so full of busy-ness and fun that it’s easy to forget that.
Have a wonderful summery July!