The meaning of life....

A winding road , Eaton, New Hampshire, July 2010

"Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous." ~ Willie Wonka

So, I am just about to get into bed, smellin' all clean and and luscious after my evening shower (smoothed on some Avon lotion and scent-- Imari Seduction--very va-va-voom). From down the hall, I can hear the daughter singing in Latin(!) some song she learned today in chorus, and I just thought I would do a Blogthang before turning in. I haven't done one of those in quite some time.

The Meaning of Your Life is Pleasure

You don't have to be reminded that life is short. You're going to live it up and have fun. You are more afraid of regretting what you didn't do, and you try to do it all. You want to travel the world, experience passion, eat great food, and have amazing adventures. Whenever possible, you indulge. You want to sample all the world's pleasures, even if your health and finances suffer a little.

What Is The Meaning of Your Life?

Yup, I am afraid the Blogthing has it completely right this time. I just knew my result wouldn't say that the meaning of my life is to serve mankind. I am one shallow, pleasure seeking individual. I can be satisfied with the simple pleasures, though. Just give me beauty, kindness, serenity, maybe a little excitement now and then (a concert or road trip) and some Key Lime Pie, please.

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To those who noticed and commented favorably about the blog's new look -- thank you. It was purely accidental, this change. I hadn't even intended to change it. Out of curiosity the other day, I just happened to click on the "new template designer" tab and randomly selected this design(Watermark) and I liked it right away. It was definitely time for an update.

Monday Morning at "My" Beach

Yesterday, just after 8 in the morning, I took Jewel down to the nearest beach to us. It's on the bay, and there is a small public beach and boat launch, as well as the site of University of Rhode Island Oceanography School. The ship which is sometimes docked there(as it was yesterday), is the research vessel Endeavor.
It was so relaxing to be there, with just a few people--some fishing,
some enjoying the cool breeze, sand and view, and warm September sunshine like me.
And to some canines (always allowed at this beach) there were plenty of good things in the air, in the sand, and in between the rocks to sniff out. The gentle waves lapping at the sand and rocks, the occasional cry of a seagull and the cricket and birdsong from the the grasses and shrubs at the shoreline just added to the mellow September stew.

Ladies Who Shop

As consumerist and crass as it sounds, my daughter and I have some of our best mother-daughter bonding moments when we are out shopping or simply looking around in shops.
She has never once turned down an invitation to go a store with me(heck--she even likes coming to the grocery store with me sometimes) and we both like poking around in the shops in the nearby village of Wickford. The last time we were there, I had told myself that we were not going to buy anything this time, but of course......

Miss R had to find this wallet in The Different Drummer and how could I not lend her the fifteen bucks to get it?!

Yup. A vinyl "candy dot" wallet. Almost looks like the real, edible kind.

Practically Laborless Recipe...

...for the Labor Day weekend.

This is my latest go-to cold summer salad(my other one here) . I have made it quite a bit these past few weeks. It is mild tasting(children and adults alike would like it) and quick to put together(and the ingredients can easily be doubled), so it is also perfect to make for last-minute suppers, impromptu gatherings and cook-outs. I just made it an hour ago and it is chilling in the fridge until we are ready to leave for a late afternoon "end-of-summer" cookout at a friend's house.

Orzo & Green Bean Salad

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prep time: about 15 minutes

cooking time: about 10 to 12 minutes

chilling time: half hour to overnight

makes: about 6 servings

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1/2 lb green beans, washed, trimmed and cut into approx. 3/4" pieces

1 cup orzo pasta

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill(this is optional--I usually leave it out)

1 large ripe tomato, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans(another variation: slivered, dry toasted almonds)

1.Cook green beans in a medium size pot, in boiling water(can use a steamer basket, too). Cook or steam for about 4 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.

2.Meanwhile,bring a medium pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat. Add the orzo. reduce heat to medium-high, and cook for 8 or 9 minutes, or until slightly tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.

3. In a large bowl, mix tomato, dill(if using), salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar.

4. Add cooked, cooled beans(cool beans!) to the tomato mixture. Add the orzo and nuts and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Feeling.....

B ...blogged out
L ...lethargic
A ...apathetic
H ...hard... to get back into blogging after being away so long

I think I have been in a late summer funk these last few weeks. I haven't felt like communicating with both online or offline-world friends. I haven't been doing anything creative and barely constructive with my time. I am a boring blah person these days with not much to say.
I think late August into early September is just never my time. It's sort of like March is not a good time of year for me--energy-wise.
Like March, I am feeling done with the season and eager to be refreshed and into a new season. As if I need some crisp autumn air to re-energize me.
August(and now early Sept.) to me is humid, tropical air, replete with hurricane weather,
dried out vegetation,
a tired and dragged out look to the landscape.
I haven't been doing much of anything, other than work and flopping down onto my bed at night to read. I have read some very good books--all summer, in fact. So there's a good thing.
I think I have read more books in the last two months than I did all last winter.

The books I have read are as follows:

*The Tutor by Peter Abrahams
A sinister psychological thriller in a Stephen King vein, but with a kind of lame ending.

*The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
The perfect summer "thumpin' good read".
Sort of a A.S. Byatt-lite type book. I'll be looking to read more novels from Morton in the near future.

*I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak
This was listed as a "Young Adult" book, but was recommended to me by a bookclub friend, after we read Zusak's excellent "The Book Thief" two years ago. All this time, she has been pleading with me to read this book and I finally got around to it last week. I am glad I did--it was funny, whimsical and moving at the same time.

*The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larrson
Even better, I think, than the first book in the series. Just could not put this one down--was even reading this with breakfast!

*A Year In The World by Frances Mayes
How did I not know what a wonderful writer Mayes was until this summer?! I picked this hardcover book up for a dollar while up in the White Mountains at a library book sale, and simply swooned over her evocative travel and food writing, especially the chapters about Portugal, Naples and Sicily. I'll have to read her books about Tuscany now, too.

*Little Face by Sophie Hannah
A promising psychological thriller that petered out towards the end.

*When Will There Be Good News? by Kate Atkinson
Another good one from a favorite author of mine-a mystery with a difference, meaning literary depth and interesting, real main characters.

My next book from my pile(which I have whittled down from a tall tower to a small, manageable one)is "The Girl With No Shadow" by Joanne Harris--the sequel to "Chocolat".
I'll start that tonight. We are supposed to have some heavy wind and rain(from Hurricane Earl, churning up the coast, but staying further out to sea) which would make my ideal reading-in-bed scenario(I love reading in bed, while the rain and wind lashes the windowpanes).

Here's some video footage of the waves off the coast of my town from earlier today: