looking forward to a long 4th of July weekend.
feeling sad (and helpless) about all the bad news lately. When will this stop? Can’t we just all “disagree with each other peacefully”? (Quote from Shadi Hamid, author of the book “Islamic Exceptionalism” which I immediately put on my to-read list!, heard on NPR the other day.)
enjoying my Sunday morning trips to the Farmers Market. I just love the atmosphere, the fact that people are out and about on a Sunday morning and shopping local, and all the the fresh, local produce, of course.
eating a bunch of new light and tasty summer dishes. We’ve adapted our meal plan to the scorching temperatures that we’ve been getting here lately. Hit me with your favorite healthy summer recipes in the comments! Any good food blogs you recommend?
drinking smoothies again. It’s totally a summer thing for me, but I enjoy them pre- or post-workout. Good way to start your day!
hoping for my running mojo to come back a little bit. Every mile felt unusually hard the last couple of weeks.
watching baseball. Mostly. The Red Sox are doing well this year (SF, my second favorite team, not so much!). I miss Big Papi though. Dustin Pedroia (he’s from Woodland, CA — around the corner from here, by the way!) can never leave or retire. Just sayin’.
celebrating the Golden State Warriors’ NBA Championship win. They battled the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third year in a row. They won in 2015, were defeated last year, but earned the title again this year. J and I used to watch a ton of basketball way back when the Sacramento Kings were still somewhat successful. We are more focused on baseball now, but we still usually watch the NBA finals.
reading A world without you by Beth Revis.
mourning the death of my former piano teacher. My sister informed me last week that she passed away on June, 9th at the ripe old age of 103 (← I know, right!?). Of course, I knew that this day was coming. I mean, she wasn’t getting any younger. I had kept in touch with her by writing cards a couple of times a year ever since I moved to the US and I did visit her one last time a couple of years ago. I knew that I was probably not going to see her again, but still, the news of her passing did fill me with sadness and a whole lot of nostalgia. I took lessons with her for many years and at the end, she didn’t even charge me anything anymore, because we mutually enjoyed each other’s’ company. She was a very lovely lady and she’ll always have a special place in my heart. Apparently, she talked about me the last week before her death, because she always mentioned to everyone that one of her former piano students still sent her cards from America! That made me smile.
anticipating the harvest of all the little tomato buds that are growing on a ‘stray tomato plant’ in the backyard. I hadn’t gotten around to planting my (potted) vegetable garden yet, when I discovered that a lone tomato plant had ‘planted itself’ in a patch of dirt behind our house. I don’t know how it got there, but I am definitely taking care of it now. It seems to like the spot that it has picked out.
Lisa of Lisa's Yarns
June 21, 2017 at 7:36 amWe do tons of grilling in the summer. I try to turn on our oven as little as possible! My favorite thing to grill is chicken breasts. I pound them out so they are an even thickness and then marinate them in olive oil, lemon juice, s&p, and oregano. They are so cute – especially cut up on salad with other veggies! Mmm. I know chicken is kind of a ‘boring’ protein but marinating it really elevates the flavor!
Sorry to hear about your piano teacher but how awesome that you were still on her mind! Living to 103 is impressive!!
san
June 23, 2017 at 12:32 pmYes, thank you for the recommendations…. I love chicken breast and I love how you can easily switch it up by using different ways to prepare it!
I know, right? 103… I can’t imagine living that long (and what she must have seen in over a century!)
Sandra
June 21, 2017 at 8:02 amLook at that tomato plant!!
We love eating veggies and salads in the summer. Kebobs are fun. Also a lot of TexMex. Guacamole, salsa, veggies, rice, beans and / or some meat in a wrap is a favorite.
Another versatile option is to smoke (or cook in crockpot) some pork shoulder, butt or tenderloin and then shred it. Use some for pulled pork BBQ sandwiches and save some for pork tacos/burritos/carnitas later in the week. The more meals I get out of one cooking session the better :D
san
June 23, 2017 at 12:33 pmYes, kebobs! Great idea!
TObia | craftaliciousme
June 21, 2017 at 1:30 pmWhat a lovely story about your piano teacher and how great of you to keep in touch. I was so scared of my teacher that he actually suggested to stop my lessons. I did give it another try later on but I guess the first experience stuck. I am glad yours was so much more positive.
On another note: go tomato plant! Those are the best!
san
June 23, 2017 at 12:34 pmOh that’s a bummer that you had a bad experience with your piano teacher… I really loved mine. She was this sweet, patient, old lady :)
Feisty Harriet
June 21, 2017 at 8:50 pmI’m sorry to hear about your teacher, there is a woman in my tiny hometown who is well over 100 and has been a permanent fixture in GENERATIONS of lives in that little neighborhood, she’s…she’s been around forever and ever, and it will be so sad for all of us when she is gone.
xox
san
June 23, 2017 at 12:35 pmYes, you nailed it… isn’t it weird if someone who has been around like for GENERATIONS is suddenly gone…
Stephany
June 23, 2017 at 6:19 amI’ve deliberating kept off social media this week because I just can’t handle too much more of the sad news. It’s just too much for me right now. (And then, of course, I feel guilty because how very privileged of me to just shut it all off.)
I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your piano teacher. She sounds like she was a well-loved lady.
san
June 23, 2017 at 12:36 pmI understand – sometimes we have to step back and just ignore the news or else we go crazy!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets
June 23, 2017 at 12:01 pmI have been inspired to make smoothies again..’tis the season! I love that we all of these amazing fruits and veggies to choose from this time of year.
I’m sorry about the loss of your piano teacher, she sounds like a lovely woman.
san
June 23, 2017 at 12:37 pmYes, so many fruits and veggies right now! :)
Akaleistar
July 5, 2017 at 5:33 pmThe farmers market is a wonderful way to spend a Sunday morning!
Lindsay
July 6, 2017 at 4:03 amHey girl,
Great list! I’m enjoying the farmers markets in our area, too, but most of the crops have been slim pickings up to now. As the summer goes, it’ll get more bountiful and I can’t wait.
Reading about your tomatoes, im kinda sad we didn’t get a hanging upside down planter thing this year. We’re away a lot so no doubt we would’ve killed it but still, there’s something so satisfying about growing your own food. :)
Have a great day hun!
Ps totally don’t mind you linking up these posts :)