the end of summer campfire

 

 On the last Friday before the nephew a-go-go returned to school, we a-go-gos packed up a plethora of snacks, beverages and other bits of goodness and hit the beach for an end of summer weenie roast.

 

 

 

It was overcast and cool, then hot, then cool again and then cold once the sun set. We were prepared though with umbrellas, sunscreen, jackets and a campfire.

 

 

 

 

There was digging and reading and chatty-chat chatting with a walk to the pier and a gape at the mad number of pelicans diving into the sea. Sadly we were too far north to see any whales but we did see some sea lions and the aforementioned pelicans.

 

 

 

 Hot dogs were roasted, s'mores were enjoyed and ghost stories were read. It was the perfect tribute to the summer's end...a-go-go style.

some trees may have been climbed

 

 It was too hot and too late in the day for any mushroom sightings but the wander was quite pleasant and the trees, well the trees were ready and waiting for company. There is something utterly dreamy about oak trees. They fill my heart with calm and I feel like I am at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

lickety split!

 I'm a bit of a book fiend. Most specifically chidlren's books. My book wishlist is enormously LONG and well I can sit for quite a while at the library soaking in all those picture books. So it is pretty safe to say if I had the chance I would probably buy far too many picture books.

The crazy thing is, recently I was gifted with a handful of Amazon cards (from more than one person, thank you kind friends!) and I did not purchased a single children's book. I purchased all of two titles, both educational and the rest of the fun funds went to an assortment of not-so-needful things such as this and this and this.

The rest (plus my rewards dollars) went to an ice pop maker, this ice pop maker and no, they are not sponsoring this post, I'm simply in lurve with this ice pop maker. So much so that I shelled out moolah for extra sticks and a storage case and I have been whipping up ice pops like crazy. I have even checked out some recipe books from the library. Which now I think I may need to purchase. This one and this one....so fabulous!

ready and waiting...

I picked up the duu set as it was on sale and I figure with just me and the mister two was all we needed at one time. But summer here has been warm and who wants to wait 15 minutes for a popsicle? So I shelled out for the storage case and while it all totaled up stupidly, I have to say it was/is worth it. So far, I've only poured in what we've head on hand but I'm quite ready and excited to work on some recipes from t he books.

time to freeze

  The maker takes a little bit more time than it states. Even with it super cold but that's okay, I pop the whole dealio back into the freezer for the time being. I also use a liquid measuring cup to pour my liquid in, otherwise it gets all sloppy-slooshy alll over the place. The drip guards only marginally work, melty sweet still oozes through the seams but for the most part, your hands remain sticky-free (wrap a napkin around the handle, just in case). And if you want to make a soda ice pop, be warned, it fizzes up like crazy. It still freezes and actually makes an interesting airy pop but I think I will reserve soda ice pops for flat soda.

l-r ruby cherry, cranberry, coffee

 So here in the casa, we have ice pops and at the homestead we make slushies. So far this summer has been sweet!