In the Good Old Summertime

My peach trees has about a dozen peaches this season and I’ve got my eye on every one of them!

Summertime and the Livin’ Is Easy

At the farm this past weekend, it was hot, dry and sunny. I’m a “warm weather person,” and lovin’ every minute! It means tramping through the woods, picking wild flower bouquets, mushrooming, cranking up the cob oven (a.k.a. outdoor pizza oven), and weeding, watching and wondering what will bloom and bear fruit this year. But most important of all, it means cooking new foods with old friends.

So here’s a pictorial update of a weekend at the farm in the good old summertime.

Ken Gilberg shows an exuberance for horseback riding that amuses his daughter, Lily, as well as Robin.

Coco, our youngest equestrian, learns to trail ride in the woods and to cross the stream on horseback.

Stalking the Wild Fungi for Fun and Flavor

Ken Gilberg, attired for the “hunt.” The intrepid mycologists could be the centerfold for the Mushroom Gazette with his fashionable, canvass mushroom basket, alert stance and keen eye. Note the jaunty, wide-brimmed hat and chic, woodsman sunglasses. Duck tape at shoe/sock juncture discourages ticks and chiggers or, at least, gives the pesky, little critters something to laugh about before they dig in.

Black Trumpet mushrooms look like they belong in a tiny gnome village.

The haul of Chanterelles and Black Trumpet mushrooms.

Cleaning the Black Trumpets

Mushroom pancakes the next morning.

But the best use of the Black Trumpets was in this breakfast fritatta.

Black Trumpet frittata and papaya.

Lots of Hands Bring the Evening Meal Together

From the deck, I got this photo of Lucy arranging wild flowers, that she cut along the roadside to use on the dinner table.

Robin instructs Coco and friends Lily and Leo in preparing the pizza crust.

Coco always forms her pizza dough in the shape of a heart. This one looks more like a sock. No matter; it’s the taste that counts.

A dish of sautéed chanterelles ready for dinner

While waiting to eat why not hang out with the fish? When you feed them, they become “tame” enough to enjoy your company.

There’s always a cool breeze on the north porch. We ended the evening with a blast—-a fireworks display, that is, compliments of our neighbors, Paul and Martha.