Salad Days

I don't do hot and humid well at all. In fact, I made sure that I went to the grocery store very early today to pick up a few items for nice, cold meals. Egg salad and Caesar salad, complete with last night's leftover grilled chicken. Right?

No. Grilled chicken? Late night snack - twice. Oops! I forgot. My clone is living back at home. Yes, I am being repaid for all of the late night raids on my mom's refrigerator.

It's fine with me. I just need to adjust my meal plans, and label those items that I would prefer to use on another day. When the weather gets near 100 degrees F, I wilt. I do not function well. Food no longer appeals to me, and I tend to prefer salads and other light meals.

Today was one of those days, but my daughter decided that she wanted to cook. She started with a tart jam of kiwi, raspberries, nectarines, and strawberries. I still have 3 of those kiwi fruit left! (They multiply by night, no joke!)

Of course, muffins needed to be baked to accompany the jam, so Herbes de Provence savories were added to the menu. The discovery of the missing chicken led to another run to the market in 103 degree F heat.

Several 400 degree F ovens later, and dinner was finally served. Out on the deck. In the heat. I have to admit, the muffins were a nice treat with the salad, and there is plenty of jam left to enjoy on toast.

Like her father, my eldest is a composer. She writes lyrics and songs, loves to draw, and enjoys creating her own recipes in the kitchen. I joke with her and call her "The Chemist," as she was originally a Science major in college.

At this very moment, she is creating a city out of paper bags for a music video she is planning on shooting.

Dinner came and went, but I have this photo to remind me of how active my kitchen was today. A friend made mention today of finding that memories mean more when we have to savor them in our heads and hold them in our hearts. I agree with him, yet still find myself drawn to forming my daily "Blip."

I never know what I will end up photographing or writing about until I am sitting at my computer, uploading whatever photos I have managed to take each day. Some days are more difficult than others, but I really do miss it when I am forced to skip a day... or three.

Today was the first day of Summer and the longest day of 2012. It's hard to believe that I was wearing fuzzy socks and a hoodie yesterday morning.

Time flies by and everything must change. That's what makes life so complex and flavorful.

Of course, some things never change. Like the mess on the Family Room floor. Then again, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Her city is really cool!