Although there’s nothing more gratifying for a parent than
watching your child move out into the world with confidence and enthusiasm for
the next chapter of her life, I still catch myself at dinnertime pulling four
napkins out for the table. And I have to confess that when I bought our train
tickets (we took her down to Columbia by train), I mistakenly booked a return
ticket for her also.
In the midst of all the transitions these past few weeks,
Chris and I found some time to go for a kayak on Bristol Pond. About three miles north of
our house, this pond is really more of a lake and is one of the best places around for a quiet paddle and an up close view of the front range of the Green Mountains. Some of the
trees on Hogback Mountain are just starting to show a hint of the brilliant foliage they’ll display
in a few weeks.
Bristol Pond is also a great place for birdwatching. Not
that Chris and I are very knowledgeable birdwatchers, but it’s hard to miss a diving
Osprey,
or a Great Blue Heron standing watch
or taking off.
We also regularly pick out Kingfishers, Red-winged Blackbirds,
and even a Bald Eagle, perched high on the top of a tree, its white head
unmistakable.
The shoreline is home to turtles and snakes (Bristol Pond is
legendary for its snakes, but fortunately they’ve always stayed a good distance
from us), pretty plants like swamp azaleas and lily pads,
and the occasional interesting piece of tree art.
The pond can sometimes be smooth as glass, with happy water
striders skating across its surface. But other times it’s choppy enough to make
for a rough and nerve-wracking ride back to the launch. When the girls were
little, all four of us would go out on the pond in our canoe. One time, when Faye
was around two, she almost went overboard, not because of rough waters, but because
she was reaching for lily pad. We can’t all fit in the canoe at one time
anymore, and mostly now anyway it’s just Chris and I going out in the kayaks.
Oddly, this seasonal shift has long been my favorite time of year, even though it marks the end of summer and the days are getting noticeably shorter.
I think it has to do with my own school-age associations with back-to-school
and the energy, excitement, and renewal it would bring. I just wish it would
last longer; that these brief few weeks would stretch out over the next few
months, staving off the bare trees and the sharper breezes to come.
Another reason I love this time of year is because of
tomatoes—vine ripe tomatoes that are so plentiful we can hardly keep up with
them.
We pop them in our mouths right out of the garden, toss them
with pasta, and slice them into salads, like this one made with watermelon and
snipped herbs.
Before Isabel left, she helped me gather a batch,
and I made gazpacho—the smooth kind like I had for the
first time this past spring in Spain.
It tastes like a garlicky tomato smoothie, and has a luscious,
creamy consistency, but without any added cream.
Unlike cooked tomato soup, which I make every September and
freeze in batches, this soup is best eaten fresh and in the moment, at this singular time
of year.
Andalucian Gazpacho
I created this recipe based on other recipes for classic gazpacho, but I increased the garlic and decreased the vinegar so it tastes like the best one I had in Granada. The more olive oil you add, the richer and creamier it will taste.
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 T vinegar (preferably sherry, but balsamic works
fine)
1/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Combine everything in a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate
for about 30 minutes and then enjoy!
What a wonderful blog! Best wishes to Isabel, and may your family have a fantastic autumn!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gail. I'm guessing you know the feeling well having watched Laura move out into the world. I hope you have a fantastic autumn too!
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