Sunshine, Showers, and Strawberries
Some early summer recipes—and activities—to help you make the most of the season's specialties.
I can’t believe June is already nearing its end. My son’s summer break is in full swing, and I’ve fully dedicated myself to getting ready for the baby, working hard to make sure that I have plenty of recipes prepared for you all while I’m postpartum. There’s a lot to do, but I’m excited to share it all with you when the time comes. I’ve been taking some time to rest my body as well, but it’s difficult when I love the work I do so much.
This specific time where late spring transitions into early summer is such a treat to watch, especially with our garden. Many of the plants are still fairly new, and I get so excited when I see them begin to flourish. Our lettuce is doing particularly well! Almost too well—I’ll have to use it all up while I can.
I love spending my mornings sitting on our back patio and admiring the garden. The days aren’t too hot yet, so it’s the perfect time to enjoy the sunshine—though, we’ve had quite a few days of clouds and rain, too. I’m sure the plants enjoy the rain and the mellowed sun. Personally, I’m relishing the last few weeks of peak strawberry season.
Speaking of, look at the berries we’ve grown! I think they look so cute and their flavor is nice and sweet. Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of them thanks to the local rabbits… I’m still very proud of our berries though, especially how big our strawberries have gotten. You all know I’m a berry lover, and right now I’ve been especially fond of strawberries for their gorgeously bright color. Stay tuned for some summer treats featuring strawberries below.
Summer break usually means lots of travel for my family, but we’ve had to scale down on our usual plans because of the baby. That means my son’s days are filled with a lot of playdates and day camps. It can be difficult to find things for kids to do with all their newfound free time.
The balmy early Summer weather is absolutely perfect for spending time outside in my opinion. As I mentioned, however, we get a fair amount of rainy days as well. So, I’ve put together some of my son’s favorite (and Mom-approved) activities—both outdoor and indoor!
Washable Chalk: A classic! However, we once made the grave mistake of drawing on our driveway with non-washable chalk… Lesson learned.
Water Guns: Any toys with water are an easy favorite in the heat.
Reusable Water “Balloons”: Water balloons are another summer classic, and these reusable ones result in less mess and waste.
Educational Workbooks: Even though they are educational, my son enjoys Brain Quest and Summer Bridge workbooks. They’re great for road trips and travel as well.
Jenga: A family favorite of ours! In a previous newsletter, I shared my family’s favorite board games. Feel free to take a look if you’d like more ideas.
Books!: My son’s a big reader and also loves graphic novels. Some of his favorite series are the Wings of Fire, The Wild Robot, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Last Kids on Earth, The Bad Guys, Ada Twist, Dog Man, Dragon Kingdom of Wrenly, and the Pixar Storybook Collection series. I’ve provided lots of options and a mix of age levels since I know ultimately it’s up to parents what they are comfortable with their child reading!
Some desserts just scream “summer,” and banana pudding is one of those. As you can see, this isn’t your typical banana pudding. Strawberries and bananas are such a beautiful combo, and they work especially well together here. You can layer the components in individual dishes like the photo above, or you can layer it all in one large dish for a crowd. It actually gets better as it sits in the fridge and the vanilla wafers become soft and cakelike!
You all know I love to make everything from scratch when possible. It took a few tries, but I’ve made the perfectly crisp vanilla wafers. Use them in the Strawberry Banana Pudding or your favorite trifles, if they last that long! They’re delicious on their own or with coffee.
Strawberries and bananas are not the only lovely pairing for the fruit. This Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce is a perfect blend of tart and sweet, and pairing it with complimentary textures and flavors in the forms of Vanilla Crepes and Lemon Ice Cream makes it pop! Enjoy as a special breakfast or brunch, or serve for dessert.
I hope you enjoy this batch of sweet summer treats. I would love to hear any gardening tips you may have, or if you have a favorite fruit or vegetable to grow, so please share in the comments!
So glad to receive your Newsletter Betul. Thank you.
You're such a kind and generous soul, and I'm so grateful I found you❣️ I pray nothing but health, happiness and blessings for your new baby and family🙏. I look forward to your next post so I can practice my cooking and baking skills. May your God continue to bless you😘. Love and peace!