News from the Homefront

Living Arts

The boys are having a new friend over to play this afternoon, a little boy we met at VBS. As you can imagine, they are quite excited. So excited they won't mind picking up their room this morning, I hope? ;) We're going to run to the grocery store early to pick up a few things to serve for a snack, then we'll run back home to spiff things up around here.* It's Tuesday so, in housekeeping terms, it's Bathroom and Laundries day. The trick is fitting those weekly chores in around the many daily to-do's. Throw in a playdate and I get all off-track!

*Breaking news: I determined we have enough food on hand to make up some nice refreshments to serve our guests. Saved: time and money! :)

Almanac

Did you see the moon last night? The Full Green Corn Moon rose in the eastern sky just about 8:30 last night. We first glimpsed it through the bedroom blinds as I read The Chamber of Secrets aloud to the boys. Once we realized the brilliant white light was actually the moon (and not, say, a helicopter - or a dragon, lol), we dashed outside (braving mosquitos and bat wings) to get a better look. Here's what we saw:

Food Pages

These last days of summer, Bill makes almost a nightly stop at the farmstand on his way home from work. Everything is just so good! The other day I found a nice recipe for spoon bread in Parenting magazine, one that bakes in little one-cup ramekins. I think I'll make these for supper tonight, along with some meatloaf muffins and steamed zucchini.

Here's the recipe:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup cooked corn, cut from cob
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 4 one-cup ramekins with vegetable cooking spray. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal, stirring well, and cook one minute. Remove from heat and stir in corn, butter, sugar and salt.

In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. Pour buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture and whisk for 1 minute. Divide batter among ramekins and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until bread is golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean. Makes 4 servings.

Fashion

Bill has a big shindig coming up for work next month, a cocktail party in town. The good news is he is allowed to bring a guest (and guess whom he asked?), but the bad news is (or was or seemed to be) I had nothing to wear! And then I remembered a dress I wore many years ago to a friend's wedding - navy blue, with just a touch of glimmer:

It has literally sat in my closet since then, but I pulled it out last night and not only does it still look good (albeit wrinkled), but it fit! It's off to the cleaners today. I love it when you can make do with something you have, don't you? Not that I don't enjoy buying a new dress now and again, but honestly? I'd rather buy books. ;)

Sports

And finally, the Red Sox play the Yankees tonight in the first of a three-game series. A snoozer according to some, due to the Sox's, ahem, 8-game lead, but any game between these two teams is worth watching if only for the potential theatrics. Now you all know I love the Sox, but I know I have New York friends reading this blog, so I'm not going to say much else about this developing story.

7:05 game time. :)

Well, that's all the "news" for now ... hope your day is a good one!