Loving Right Now

:: That there is fresh fruit - growing in my backyard!




:: These "Grab 'n Go Crispy Granola Bars" from Missy Chase Lapine's The Sneaky Chef cookbook. I grabbed this used book last week (it's a title I've had my eye on for a while). I have to say, I found it slightly disconcerting to pick up a cookbook that someone else had already deemed discard-worthy. But these granola bars have put me at ease. As summer outings become more frequent, I've been looking for something we can easily take on the road that I can feel good about feeding my child. While these aren't completely homemade (they contain brown rice cereal), they fit the bill. Oh, and they're yummy. This was the perfect rainy morning project to begin our day. We just might have to do an encore performance tomorrow. Yes, something tells me that the author's intent was not for us to eat all the bars (uncut in the picture, with Audrey picking out the chocolate chips) in one day. Oops. While her website doesn't have this recipe, it does have a list of freebies to try: www.thesneakychef.com. But I have to warn you, as soon as you pick up a cookbook specializing in techniques such as hiding pureed cauliflower in macaroni and cheese, you may find yourself fielding questions from your husband such as, "What's in this that I won't eat?" "Did you hide anything in here?" Maybe your poker face is better than mine.




:: The blooms of the balloon flower - blaring evidence that this perennial has decided to survive another year! Oh, and the purple blossoms aren't too shabby, either.

:: Audrey's suit drying on the fence. The leftover bits of a successful swim lesson, and the hour of splashing and playing around in the pool after, just because.

:: The thyme, growing like wild and thriving without any help from me. Now if only I could get the rest of my time to multiply this way...