Sunday - 86th

I spent the great part of the day in the kitchen. What can I say -- I needed to catch up and do some advance prep work for at least some of the dinners before us.

Oh, there was the usual morning stroll through the gardens to feed the animals. And the usual breakfast. On the porch.







(Dance joins us. I speculate if cats recognize physical beauty, because Dance always chooses these lovely spots to take her daytime nap.)






But after, it was all about chopping stirring mixing and planning ahead while the young families played at my older daughter's home.

Ed mumbles -- you fuss too much and stress over stuff.
Not so, I respond. I find working methodically in the kitchen a pretty calming activity, so long as I am not overly ambitious. And this week I am not overly ambitious.

I did have time not only to prepare the basic stew for shakshuka -- our supper tonight, but also to make a crust for pizza later in the week and finally, finally to make use of the rhubarb -- at least a small fraction of it. We have so much rhubarb. Want some? Really good for baking!

In deciding how to best use this spring vegetable, Ed and I volleyed back and forth over the definition of compote (he suggested I may make compote). Is it a sauce or beverage? Ask a Pole and they'll say the latter. Still, no compote for us. Just a simple cake.







Okay, late afternoon. Tables set, food nearing readiness. The young families arrive. First, the older family...






(Happy observes the commotion)












(Sandbox!)






Followed by Primrose and her parents.




















Inside, the cousins played a boisterous game, spearheaded by Snowdrop but enthusiastically supported by the two toddlers, called (by me) "take everything out that you can think of." I believe it was to be a pretend play about a restaurants, but the concept of "food served" was very broad.


The moms caught up. If there's one thing that this visit has given them it is that -- an opportunity to spend time catching up.






Dinner. On the porch. On one of the most beautiful evenings of the year.










Not many photos to commemorate it. Porch dinners require some dexterity in getting the food out and the table cleared for the next course and keeping the kids happy all the while. It's not possible to reach for the camera as often as you'd like. Not if you're the cook, pretend restaurant crew, kitchen crew and evening coordinator all at the same time.


(One last appreciative glance at a happy little girl...)






Outside, the peonies bloom their heads off. It's their big moment. By the end of the week, we'll be looking in other places for the next flowers. The life of a garden does not stand still.