Monday, July 30, 2012

Living Like Kings

It is summer, and we are meandering through green and golden days saturated in abundance -pleasures and possibilities like fat, low hanging fruits ripe for the plucking. I am awash with gratitude these days. I wake with my heart resonating richly-harmonious, and fall asleep with a prayer of thanks on my lips. I am quietly and deeply glad, and oh, so appreciative of things great and small -my husband, my boys, my sisters, my friends, warm weather, long days, strong rum, bright skies, good food, my home.

It could possibly be the "best summer ever" (are people over the age of 14 allowed to say things like that?), and not for any particularly grand reason. We are mostly just hanging at home.

We put an above ground pool in the backyard for the boys, and they swim for hours every day, emerging from the pool hungry and happy and marijuana-mellow (not that I would know about such things); limbs strong and tan, and long hair bleached extra blonde from all the sun. It is the very best kind of therapy for them.

I have developed a burgeoning interest in tiki drinks. I couldn't even begin to explain why or how that one sparked, but it is without a doubt the DH's favourite of my obsessions so far. I've been learning terms like "rhum agricole" and "pimento dram", making my own homemade falernum, developing a half a crush on "Beachbum Berry", and enthusiastically concocting libations with such names as Zombie, Painkiller and Jet Pilot. I love the idea of these complicated, carefully balanced cocktails with an emphasis on fresh, premium ingredients and craftsmanship. These are something special. The exotic represented in a glass full of spice and sunshine.


I'll come back and post a recipe or two...another day I think. Right now I have to put my house in order, after a marvellous weekend with my next eldest sister, in preparation for the DQ's arrival (yay!).

P.S. We went to a local gallery yesterday, and were lucky enough to see "The Long Awaited" and other works by Patricia Piccini. My mind was all kinds of blown. They were such powerful, beautiful pieces, and completely took me by surprise. If you have the opportunity to see any of her works, I say run, don't walk, and go, go, go. Truly astounding, perspective expanding stuff.

Happy summer!

4 comments:

  1. Seeing a new post from you guarantees a smile from me! So, so glad your summer is going so well! I went clicking over to BeachBum Berry and I knew you were doing tiki drinks, but I didn't understand. Now I feel like trailer trash for drinking citron vodka and fizzy diet lemonade all weekend! I did not know that rum had nuances like wine, but now I do. I've discovered a few interesting liqueurs like St. Germaine, made from elderflowers, so now I have this whole new world to explore, thanks.

    Speaking of whole new worlds, I looked at the images for the Long Awaited and almost cried. It's beautiful.

    Enjoy, enjoy. And when you get a minute, your favorite tiki recipe would be greatly appreciated!

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  2. Lovely to find your post and news of a wonderfully mellow and happy summer. I am at the airport in cedar rapids iowa, returning home after a long family visit. Definitely good for me. It was good to spend time with my cousin, her kids and hubby, and help a bit with my aunt and uncle. I leave feeling grounded and connected to something other than the rush to and from work, it's like stepping off the merry ground. I have to figure out how to do that more often.

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  3. I just reading your posts- like lying on cool grass on an autumn day- looking up and seeing color whereever your eyes dart- and taking a deep breath- smiling- and saying- the world is good! Thanks for your exquisite writing!

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  4. Hey there! I was blog hopping and on the second page of this one, thought of you and your art, thought you might like a look-see. You know it was the moths that drew me in :)
    http://suebrownprintmaker.blogspot.co.uk/
    Hope the magic continues.

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