Sunday at the Park

I spent Sunday with my grandchildren. We ate a late breakfast at Cracker Barrel.

We took the kids to the local state park, where they played on the neat playground. They wouldn't be still long enough to get any good pictures.

They did like playing in the dirt...

And taking a short hike with their 'walking sticks.'

Here's another scenic view...

And one more.

After our visit to the park, we stopped at Earth Fare, a gourmet grocery store with lots of organic foods, and I couldn't resist the deserts, so I bought a sampling.  I just ate a bite of each, honestly!

The kids still had energy left over to jump on the trampoline. Whew! I was tired.

Coffee Cake and Tea Break

I'm in a baking mood once again. This cake didn't last long. It's great for breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea. I didn't have any nuts on hand, so I omitted the walnuts. It's good either way.

"Streusel Coffee Cake"

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

3/4 cups sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup sour cream

(Topping)

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

6 tablespoons cold butter

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch square pan with wax paper and grease thoroughly. For the topping, place ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork or your fingertips, until the mix resembles coarse crumbs (streusel).

For the cake, cream the butter with electric mixer until soft. Add the sugar. Continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until mixed well. In another bowl, mix the flour and other dry ingredients. Fold the flour into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the sour cream. Pour half of the mixture in the prepared pan and sprinkle half of the brown sugar topping mix over batter. Pour the remaining batter in pan and top with the remaining sugar mixture. Bake until browned, 60-70 minutes.

A Day at the Park

Sunday afternoon at the park.

It sure is hot. 

Let's go for a swim!

And get others to join you. Quack quack! Come on!

Look at those fish, Mawmaw!

Let me watch them for one more minute!

Okay, I'm tired now and ready to go home.

A Lucky Day

My granddaughter's Kindergarten class had Kite Day this past Friday. However, there was barely a breeze, so the kites didn't make it off the ground. My granddaughter tried again the next day, excitedly dragging her kite along the ground, hoping for a lift-off.

My daughter and her husband finally tilled their garden this weekend and shopped for plants. Erika was so excited about the garden and couldn't wait to put the seedlings in the ground. She gave up a shopping trip with Mawmaw to stay home and help Daddy. "Today is my lucky day," she said, referring to the garden. She is five years old. Things that we take for granted are a big deal to a five-year old. Simple things. Flying kites. Vegetables. Sunshine.

Time to Slow Down

Things have been so busy lately

that my feet haven't touched the ground.

I'm running from morning until night,

with no end in sight.

I need a minute, or two, to collect my thoughts,

to hit the pause button on my life,

and breathe slowly.

I need to slow down;

there's so much cramming in my head,

and not enough time to savor the moments.

Get up, go to work, go to bed.

I want to stop and smell the flowers,

gaze at the moon and the stars,

take a drive down a dusty road

and forget the time on the clock.

I want to have long conversations with an old friend

over iced tea on the front porch

and we'll hug each other's necks

when it's time to leave and say good-bye.

because old friendships are a rare and beautiful thing

I want to browse to my heart's content in second- hand stores

finding lost treasures that someone slipped in a box

or the vintage find that reminds me of a childhood memory

now collecting dust in an antique store

I want to sip coffee, slowly,

with the newspaper spread all around

and time to clip recipes and coupons;

read the funnies and work the crossword puzzle.

I want to play with the children

and get down on the floor,

 read stories that make them laugh

and tickle their funny bone

I want to bake from scratch

the recipes my mother used to make

and pour me a cup of tea

from the teapot that I inherited.

I want to listen to soft music

that drowns out the noise

and latest headline news

I want to spend time talking to God

and listening to what he has to say

instead of always feeling rushed

and being on my way

And when I do,

He'll give me a moment, or two

To slow down 

and hit the pause button

So I can stop and breathe.

(c) Anita M. Ashworth 2010