Crazy Simple Things

Few things put me in a better mood that good weather.  Be it a golden autumnal morning a blizzardly white winter evening or a splendidly, sunny, breezy summer afternoon, I simply have a hard time staying crabby when the weather whispers to my serotonin levels.  It's those favored days that my creativity level soars and my hands cannot keep up with the ideas, thoughts, plans that my refreshed brain has conjured.  

I knew that today was to be a busy day but unlike those heavy humid, heat oppressive days that we have been struggling with, (20 90degree days!~), the numerous chores at hand seemed positively effortless with the  summer air wafting in the hardly-been-open-this-summer -windows.

It was while I was walking Sir Scout on his mid afternoon potty break that I realized how much simple things absolutely enchant me.

I noticed all the flowering weeds on the city property where we take our MAPB.  I watched how the deep blue of the late summer sky showcased the flimsy white clouds flitting around the stratosphere.

I came back in determined to continue to notice The Crazy Simple Things.

 Next on my agenda was Tomato/Spaghetti Sauce Making!  Fav Photographer Mom had an abundance of tomatoes.  My tomatoes needed company to round out a full day of sauce making.  I was about to have Hubby set up the beloved KitchenAid to puree the parboiled, skinned maters, when my Simple Thoughts stopped him.  I says to the Hubby, 'Never you mind.  I do believe I shall use my handy dandy hand masher squisher thing from Pampered Chef to accomplished this task.'  And what do you know?  It worked just grandly for this humble task.  


I truly don't think I could cook without my garlic press.  I've had this baby since 1975 when I worked in a gourmet/import shop.  And my scraper!  I've had that before I married!  After watching years of Graham Kerr's Galloping Gourmet throughout my teens, I just thought every chef wannabee had to have a scraper.  So I ordered mine through a Lillian Vernon catalog in the late 60's.  It's rosewood handle is still wonderful and with the exception of a little bend on one corner, it looks pretty good after years and years of scraping dough and scooping errant tomato juice from my cutting board.  


My Santoku knife is a new friend.  As is my most wonderful Food Network silicone spatula/spoon tool. .  I have managed to span the decades in delightfully simple tools that make a chore into a delight.

 Look around.  Open your windows.  Saute some onions and garlic and breathe deeply.  Let the breeze carry you outside and list in your vacationing mind all the simple things that you just couldn't do without.


And enjoy.

Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon... the two most beautiful words in the English language.

Henry James
British (US -born) author (1843 - 1916)