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Don't you just love this weather? It's in the high 80's here today. Last night we sat on the deck and you could smell all the BBQ's in the neighborhood wafting our way. We discussed how great it would be to bottle that BBQ smell, perhaps mist it over the deck sporadically; yummy! With summer BBQ's I have cravings for things like pasta salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, brownies, and cherry crisp. Wow! My mouth is watering, is yours?

I remember as a young girl, our families had a yearly family reunion and everyone would bring their favorite dishes to pass. What a feast! Not to mention, catching up with loved ones, great stories and loads of laughter. My, but the stories were GRAND.

Here's an illustration inspired by summer, loved ones, and good food. The pasta salad was a yummy dish my talented SIL Nelda Jane made for us while we visited her and my brother Buck last year in Florida. K and I still rave over the fact that they were the most incredible host and hostess - Buck and Nelda, thanks for the good time, and for spoiling us-you rock! Wish we were there!

Today is my Mom's Birthday, and she and Dad are spending it with Buck and Nelda down south, WE LOVE YOU MOM and hope you have the best birthday ever! We can't wait to see you and Dad in a few days!

Labels: BBQ, chef, food, illustration, Maggie Summers, Margaret Albert Summers, pasta, summer

Every time I exercise like I did today outdoors I have a huge craving for ice cream. It must go along with the warm weather and sunshine because I don't eat ice cream very often- well there was the time about a month ago, that we had ice cream- Moose Munch to be exact- at my parents and children, every night while we were home with them. Yes, that's right, I said EVERY night.

I really watch what I eat and ice cream in just not on my list of every day foods. Eating it every night was all my Mom's fault! :) She has been allergic to everything dairy for most of her entire life and never ate or drank milk products. When we went out together Mom would always have sherbert. Then, one day a couple of years ago, she did the forbidden and ate some ice cream and didn't get sick. It turns out that she CAN eat Moose Munch ice cream. Well there you go, she opened Pandora's Box and now has it in her freezer she and my Dad it all the time! And, of course Mom wanted K and I to join her and Dad-what could I say? What would you say when it was presented to you like this? :) The cake was double chocolate-Mmmmmm.

We ate this dessert on a gloriously sunny day on their deck on the river, watching the ships go by. I'm still working off those calories! :)

Labels: "ice cream, "Moose Munch Ice Cream", dessert, Mom, summer