Comfort Food

I very rarely get out for lunch so I have a stash of natural peanut butter and crackers to snack on during the hungry hour. The other day, while preparing my crackers, one of the maintenance men came by and recanted how he and his sister used to watch the monster double feature on Saturdays with peanut butter crackers (his had jelly too). My director used to reminisce too. While sharing a multi-ethnic Thanksgiving dinner a few years ago, this topic came up. It was interesting to hear the variety of 'comfort' one finds in what one is culturally used to eating. Surprisingly, both my adult children reminded me that there food was 'pastina' - I used to make it on Sunday nights because it was easy and economical! It was a macaroni and egg dish my aunt used to make me when I visited her in Providence. Guess I inadvertently passed on the tradition. Got me to thinking. What foods are YOUR comfort foods?

It's been a while since I've blogged. So long, in fact, that I had to reacquaint myself with posting! Life has a way of getting too involved that sometimes the things that we like spending time doing get overlooked. So, enough of the excuses. I'm back. With the exception of a few trips to Chicago and NYC, I've only been traveling locally over these past few months. Thought it was time for Ty to actually see other parts of the Massachusetts area. Over the summer, long weekends were spent hiking along the coastline cities and towns and being tourists among out-of-state tourists! I've had the opportunity to check in on some of my blogging friends and hope to get back to others I have been absent from for a few months. Most I have kept up with on Facebook so I am able to keep quick notes to self about blogging friends. The photo is from this year's Falmouth Road race - a ritual for the family. This year the weather began rainy but as the day and face progressed there was a cool breeze for the runners. My daughter is in training for the New York marathon in November so she and her running friend joined my niece and her family as the Shore Street Team this year. I hope you have all had a remarkably safe and happy summer. It's been hot in the East -- but at least I haven't seen snow! Stay well!

ABC Wednesday: M is for Marion, MA

A lovely summer place to hide from the rest of the world. Time does indeed seem to slip by this tiny town sitting a the edge of the Cape Cod Canal. Have spent many a summer weekend enjoying the tranquility of Marion.

ABC Wednesday: L is for Legend

Near the beginning of the Napali Cliff trail,a 5 minute walk from Ke'e Beach, are the vague remains of Kaulu Paoa Heiau. Large stones now create a long flat grassy platform. It was once considered an ancient halau and most sacred, where legend has it, the goddess Pele danced the hula and fell in love with the high Kauai chief, Lohiau.Present-day hula halau (troupes) still leave lei and other offerings to Laka (goddess of hula) in crevices in the cliff face.

PLEASE: A Heiau is a sacred place to the Hawaiians. Please be respectful. This place is not a marked area and does not have signs posted to NOT trespass. BUT IT SHOULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT NO ONE SHOULD VISIT THIS AS A TOURIST SPOT.

ABC Wednesday: K is for Kells

As in Book of Kells. This is a stained glass window in one of the college's libraries. Although the image is one of Celtic heroes, they could almost be Evangelist portraits from the Book of Kells.

ABC Wednesday: J is for jewelry

Still trying to play catchup: J is for jewelry. In the past, a summer family tradition was jewelry beading on the eve before the Falmouth Road Race in August. We would 'help' our younger family members bead jewelry. All this was to raise money for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Museum. As you can see, everyone (males included) were recruited to lend a hand to designing something for the younger siblings to sell. Actually, it became a contest to see whose design, male or female, would sell first. (The men have been the winners in that category.)

The morning of the road race, while those who were running were shuttled to the starting line at Woods Hole, the younger ones would set up a lemonade stand and jewelry display for the bystanders along the road race route.

It was a great way in demonstrating to the young'uns HOW to give back to their community while having fun.

PhotoHunt: Spicy

What Ty misses most of Hawaii is his food. So, we made a special trip (a few times) to his Hawaiian food haunt for poi, lomi lomi and other specialities. I've tried the food but found it - spicy because of the use of onions. Really can't get my taste buds around poi either - although that is the first item on his wish list for visiting relatives!