There is an excellent recipe for ribs over at family.com: it takes a long time, but it does this quite independently with almost no hand-holding on your part. Yum yum yum. Also, donut cake. Because you were wanting to make donut cake, weren't you?
Of course, I want to be the kind of blogger who posts gorgeous pictures without detracting from them with self-ironizing commentary. I want to be all, like, sure, a "summer" pennant--hardly worth mentioning! But please. I made that while the kids were at their last day of school and then practically waited by the door for them to get home--and then when they finally arrived, they both had friends with them and headed straight upstairs without noticing. "Did you see the banner? Did you?" I asked, after following them up, because I am five years old. And so, because they are good kids, they bolted back down and said, "Wow, Mama!" and "That's *so* nice!" and I felt like I was about as big as a deer tick.
And the peonies. "Did you see the peonies?" I ask everyone as they arrive. And if they didn't, then I have to take them by the hand and lead them back outside to look. I just can't believe we have peonies in our own yard, can't believe our good luck and beautiful lives. "Look!" I keep saying in a million ways. "Can you *believe* that?" Love and joy be with you!
Hahaha! Glad I'm not the only one who does that.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous banner! ;)
oooooo. i love the summer pendant banner. you absolutely *should* be beaming with pride. xo e
ReplyDeleteI do that, not only to my daughter, but to my HUSBAND. "Did you see I made cookies?" I will inquire, stalking him on his way to the bedroom to change clothes after work. "Did you SMELL the cookies? That I MADE?"
ReplyDeleteHa! If it makes you feel any better, before I even got to the end of the post I thought 'Oh, what a cute banner! What a beautiful flower!' and I made the picture of the flower my desktop background. So there are others out there that appreciate it! :0)
ReplyDeletehee! Like Michelle, I totally noticed as I was scrolling down. I thought, "Oh, now THAT is a stunning flower" and then "Oh, the banner. DARLING!" I assure you I would not have walked past either one. I see nothing wrong with taking someone by the hand and inviting them to experience beauty (and craftiness!).
ReplyDeleteIt is deep winter in New Zealand (I walked to work today through crunchy deep frost)so your summer photos are glorious. Please post more photos; they're like sunshine - and we need that in the antipodes in June!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Awesome peone photo! I would be so thrilled if that was blooming in my yard.
ReplyDeleteI am the same way! Love the photos, the banner and the pretty peonies! Yea, summer!
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I do that too. Except sometimes I even POUT(!) about it. *blush*
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU for not being that blogger who rubs your adorable banner and peonies in our faces by withholding the part of the story that makes us all love you!
ReplyDeleteI think the SUMMER banner is quite fabulous. I totally call my kids out when they don't notice something special I made for them. I couldn't help laughing at your ribs post, despite the veg in me wanting to gag at some of the pictures. Only you, Catherine, can make me read a food column that involves meat and make me glad I did. :) We'll definitely be trying the donut cake this weekend. Even though it's supposed to be a busy-day kind of thing, I'm just lucky to get dinner made most days.
ReplyDeleteI feel better after reading this because just the other day I visited a friend and while the kids were playing I complimented the peonies in her front yard - she responded "what peonies?". She had beautiful peonies lining her driveway and hadn't noticed! Glad I'm not the only one who marvels at the beauty in life. xo Catherine You are the best :)
ReplyDeleteOh yes--I would do things like that too.
ReplyDeleteI so miss the peonies we had at our last house. Sigh!
Love the banner, the peonies, and how you write!!!
ReplyDeleteI loved the banner! How dare they not notice ;-) (I wish my kids noticed as much stuff as your kids seem to.)
ReplyDeleteThe peonies are so beautiful. Everyone should stop and enjoy them!
As always, I love your writing!
I always want to comment but feel my writing is so inadequate. I always just want to say "ditto" to everyone else's comments!
Oh, I do that too. I should get stickers like the kind my son's kindergarten teacher gave out - "Made By Beck, Aged 36."
ReplyDeleteI like banners. I never make any, though. Too lazy. That's why I want everyoen to make a big huge fuss when I do ANYTHING.
Those are rather magnificent peonies.... I'd be doing that too!
ReplyDeleteHappy summer to you!
Peonies are my favorite flower! I think that is what made me by my house - I finally got my peonies. Bush peonies not the ones that pop up from the ground. Only bad thing about them they are very early bloomers and aren't around nearly long enough. BTW - what a cute banner!
ReplyDeleteThe peonies! Oh how I miss the peonies. I lived in a glorious hundred year old house for a year and half and had at my last count, before we moved, 7 different kinds of peonies PLUS a climbing rose bush that wound its way up into the limbs of a tree. Oh how I miss the peonies...
ReplyDeletelove your summer photos! my question is there some new way to print out the recipes on disney? i can't seem to get them to print.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine,
ReplyDeleteI've been reading your columns since babycenter (sounds like a worn out cliche). The donut cake was great and one of the best things about your columns are the book recommendations (read Out Stealing Horses, purchased Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, etc.). I've checked Taste of Country Cooking out of the library and am wondering if you can shed any light on the Royall Baking Powder issue. Will the recipes not work if you use Rumford or similar?
Thanks so much,
Kathy
Catherine, I wanted to tell you, in case you don't know, that peonies can be divided until you have as many as you want. Just dig them up in the fall, cut the root so that it has 3-5 "eyes", and plant about two inches deep (any deeper and they won't bloom), "eyes" up. Be warned however that a newly divided peony is resentful and won't bloom for a year or two, then it gets over itself and blooms again. So I never divide more than a few of my peonies at the same time. I have them lining my long driveway next to a split rail fence and let me tell you, it lifts my heart to see such an incredible mass of flowers in the spring. My MIL has them completely surrounding her house, after 20 years of dividing and replanting.
ReplyDeleteThat banner is the cutest thing ever. I love it. And years from now Ben and/or Birdy will be, like, in their dorm rooms (gasp!) and they'll be talking to friends about cool-and-cute-things-their-parents-did-when-they-were-little and they will tell everyone about the S U M M M E R banner and everyone will sigh over how sweet that is. (And then they'll all ditch class and go to a party. But whatever, it's college!)
ReplyDeleteI so wish I were a mom who made a summer banner... But thanks to you, I at least got to be a mom who made donut cake twice in a week, and then the delicious ribs. (Both of which I dreamt of constantly until making.)
ReplyDeleteExcellent call on the addition of the cornmeal. It was perfect!
"Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteI so wish I were a mom who made a summer banner..."
And here I am, the mom who saw the photo and thought it was a bummer banner. Typical. Typical, and late on the comment, besides.
This has been on the internet for over five years, but I just have to tell you that I love you so much I might have a heart attack. I just made a paper wreath for our front door, and every time my sweet kids see it, they wonder aloud if the neighbors must be jealous (we live in an apartment building). Life is lovely and wonderful. I can't even imagine what would happen if we were to grow peonies. xox
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