Mothers’ Day is Sunday (but you didn’t need me to remind you) and like many such days comes with all kinds of expectations of declarations of love and devotion, breakfasts in bed, dinners or brunches at fancy restaurants, and general fussing over mom. Fathers’ Day is more my style, relaxed backyard barbecues (not that I […]

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  • May 8, 2015 - 8:36 am

    Peggy Gilbey McMackin - Happy Mother’s Day! We are going to Brunch which will no doubt be crowded but still I get to spend it with my daughters, Mom, and Aunt Betty, and that is what counts most of all to me.ReplyCancel

For my family, vacation meant camping, and each summer we’d pack the car and head out somewhere new. With four kids, camping was clearly the most economical option, but I think my parents (theoretically) enjoyed it. We had two tents, a large one for the kids, and a smaller one for my parents, making setting up […]

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  • May 6, 2015 - 9:00 am

    Peggy Gilbey McMackin - Great Story Nancy.ReplyCancel

  • May 7, 2015 - 10:57 am

    Quirky Chrissy - We camped a lot when we were kids, but we had a motorhome. I vaguely remember my parents sometimes sleeping in a tent outside. I thought nothing of it as a kid, but as a grownup, methinks it had something to do with them wanting to be alone.ReplyCancel

    • May 12, 2015 - 4:07 pm

      nrlowell@comcast.net - No doubt. I think of my parents, newly married with four kids, on a camping trip…ReplyCancel

      • June 7, 2015 - 8:12 am

        Aaron Freeman - Boy, was I able to relate to the part where all trips started with the parents fighting! Ha ha. But my mom always had too much to speak to my dad about so she’d cave.ReplyCancel

        • June 8, 2015 - 9:31 am

          nrlowell@comcast.net - Aaron, both my parents were dig in your heels kind of people… I think a lot of family vacations start with a lot of tension around getting out of the house. The more kids the more tension!ReplyCancel

I like kale more in theory than in practice, but lately I’ve been making kale salads that are winning (even) me over. No matter what type of kale I use, I remove the stems, tear or chop it and blanch it to a brilliant green. I like to dry it well either in a salad spinner, or […]

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  • May 4, 2015 - 7:13 am

    Kelly - These look good, Nancy. We incorporate baby kale into our salads on a regular basis. We never had kale by itself, but these make me rethink that. Thanks for sharing.ReplyCancel

  • May 5, 2015 - 7:57 am

    Peggy Gilbey McMackin - Hi Nancy, like your salads here. I like kale in salads raw, sauteed, blanched as you share, and in soups. Happy your daughter enjoyed the first salad as her lunch, its nice to find those simple yet healthy ideas that can be put together easily. Have a great day!ReplyCancel

This morning I burned my toast, and the only bad part was that I set off the smoke alarm. Though I didn’t intend to have it that way, I like burned toast, not blackened, turned to carbon, bitter, burned toast, but I have no problems with some black edges. I especially like really well done English […]

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  • May 1, 2015 - 11:41 am

    Peggy Gilbey McMackin - Fun Post Nancy. I like toasted rye bread to be a bit crunchy, with no moist center, a great way to make breakfast sandwiches I think. Not a breakfast eater besides yogurt, or occasional cold pizza, but as far as breaking up the toast pieces, I go out to breakfast about once a year- and always do that, don’t know why, maybe I learned it once. Have a great weekend!ReplyCancel

I have spent most of my life wondering what made me who I am, essentially filling in the blanks. My mother was an only child, and after her death in those rare moments she was spoken of it was in hushed and reverent tones. She must have been a saint or something. There was no one who […]

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  • April 29, 2015 - 7:58 am

    Valerie Newman - Thank you for this read. I lost my mother as an adult with adult children. I still wish I could ask her questions about this or that in her life. I can’t imagine losing her at 9. I did lose my father at nine, but he loss seems inconsequential to losing a mother at that age. For support, I’m going to tell you your Mom would be proud of what you have written right here.ReplyCancel

    • May 1, 2015 - 11:54 am

      nrlowell@comcast.net - Valerie. thanks for the kind words. I liked your yellow squash recipe; it looks divine!ReplyCancel

  • April 29, 2015 - 8:40 am

    Peggy Gilbey McMackin - Life is sometimes hard to comprehend, such as your circumstance with losing your mother at such a young age. In faith, we say it was already part of the plan, and you are the person you were meant to be. Your mother sounds like a special person. You are beautiful too Nancy.ReplyCancel

    • May 1, 2015 - 11:55 am

      nrlowell@comcast.net - Peggy, I appreciate your POV regarding faith, sometimes I see things that way, and sometimes I am unable to be that circumspect.
      As always, great to have your feedback.ReplyCancel

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