Summer's End is Near....Black Bean Quesadillas

All summer long I have had a mantra. "With Grace and Ease" let summer unfold." Now here we are nearing the end and I'm not ready to say good bye. Is it just me, or is saying goodbye hard for you too?                

Along our life's path, our moments of letting go are numerous and I often feel that if I could just get this surrender thing down pat, then I would be ready to truly live in the moment. This easy, free flowing process eludes me, although I think I do a pretty good job based on how I feel. Happy and content most of the time. Tremendously grateful always. And yet, saying goodbye, or transitioning into another phase of life is tough for me.

Looking back, this past summer held so many lovely memories that I will hold close to my heart. A few highlights are the following......

Mitchell brought his guitar out when we went camping in July

Kate, Tori and Will, taking in the lake

This week was the hottest week of the whole summer...and of course we are camping!

Grace and Harrison are chilling but in the evening they are competitive scrabble players....lots of great words!

David and I on the rock behind our campsite

My best friend T comes to visit in July...I took her up the mountain behind our house and we snapped a selfie

My sister's C and J, explore the lavender gardens after a morning of making lavender wreaths

I got some great ideas for garden design at the lavender farm....don't you love this iron work?

Here's the wreath I made...it smells great in our guest bath

While everyone isn't looking in this picture (namely Will and Grace) I loved the picture of Sunny, my sister's dog

My sister C and brother in law D, and their sweet dog, Sunny

The kids were endlessly bringing up great produce from our garden...I'd turn our whole yard into edible space but having a bit of lawn is a great source of mulch to retain the moisture in the ground

Our oldest Daughter Alysa came home for a brief time this summer as her best friend was getting married. We walked down to the lake one day and the smoke from forest fires was so thick that you couldn't see all of the beach I think she was happy to return to London where she will spend another year teaching and experiencing life in the U.K.

Mitchell showing me his green transportation that he will use when he returns to University....I asked him if he was going to use a helmet and this is the look I got....."Mom!"

When kids grow up, who knows when they will be together again? Alyssa and Mitchell the day before Alyssa returns to London

My sister C and I at our family's goodbye party for Alyssa and Mitchell

A final, early morning huddle before Mitchell leaves for University....Alyssa flies out later the same day...BOO-HOO!

A final goodbye....have a great year at school Mitchell!

My first baby getting ready for the big trip back to the U.K. on August 31st....If you can go to London....you can do ANYTHING!

If I wasn't reading about eating raw...I was reading about being a minimalist

Here comes a massive cucumber....looks like we are eating a Greek Salad tonight

Victoria and Dugan.....Aunti B and Uncle J's new puppy...Victoria would love to KEEP HIM!....Below, Uncle J and Doogie....this puppy is so easy and laid back

My sister B and I on the morning that they are leaving...we were watching the owl in our birch tree

Will puts down his binoculars to say cheese with his beloved auntie, B

It's hard to say Goodbye

Can you see the owl in our birch tree? He spent the whole day sleeping in our tree

At the end of the day, he left the tree and spent about an hour sitting on our roof...he was screeching like crazy every few minutes......really surreal! to see something so wild, so close.

Here are all the kids looking at the owl. D brought out his computer and matched up the owls vocals with a computer web site....looks like this is a great horned owl

 We have had evening visits over the years with owls but we have never had one linger for the whole day around our house. It was a bit strange and then even more strange when I looked up the symbology of owls.  

If an owl has visited you, an incredible gift has been bestowed.

On the day of our owl visit, I dug up some potatoes and had Clark carry them up, since he LOVES them.

So many great moments. How was your summer? Will it be hard for you to say goodbye to it too?

I have glimpses of what the next season will hold. Our little girls started their first ballet class last week and they are beyond excited to be dancing at long last.

As I was sitting in the ballet school's waiting room the other day, it occurred to me that this was the LAST, first day of ballet, I will ever experience. All of our daughters attended this ballet school and it was bittersweet thinking that the first day will never come again......and so is the nature of life.

There are firsts and lasts and it's up to us to decide how we want to experience it all.

This month is the 50th anniversary of my Dad, Marvyne Derwent Clark's death. I'm now older than he was when he passed away and in a way I feel I'm already living on borrowed time. When you live to an age beyond the age your parent(s) lived, there is a sense at any time, you could also be leaving the earth. We just never know, do we?

My mom Ethel and my dad Marvyne Clark

I remember my dad smiling always, and in the evenings I would fall asleep hearing him tapping away on his typewriter or playing his voilin.

My 3 sisters with mom and dad...I'm in Dad's lap

Little did we know that Dad would only be with us for only a few years more

This weekend, since the weather was warm we heated the pool and the kids swam, albeit in rather cold water, in what I told them probably is the last swim of the season.

 After a barbeque dinner, we roasted marmellows and ate s'mores, since the campfire ban had been lifted. We laid on the trampoline, bundled in blankets and under a star filled sky, we counted shooting stars and made wish after wish. Today, as David painted the window frames, (a job needing to be done before winter arrives) Harrison and I made "his" famous dish, "Black bean Quesadillas.

Earlier this summer he made them for the first time and they were outstanding. Today, he taught me how to make them and they did not disappoint. As our family moves towards eating mostly vegetarian meals, (me having dreams of being a raw vegan) this is definitely a favourite. It's easy to make and economical, not to mention a healthy meal.

Join us in the kitchen and we will make it together.

Along with Physics, Pre Calc, and French, Harrison is taking "Foods" on line this term, I'm looking forward to LOTS of great meals this fall.....he's such a natural in the kitchen

Harrison's Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients

2-4 tbsp of Vegetable Oil
3 cloves of garlic 
1 red or yellow pepper
1 hot pepper (we used jalapeno)
1 onion (we used 1/2 white and 1/2 red)

1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp red hot pepper flakes
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
salt and pepper

2- 19 ounce cans of black beans
1-1/2 cups of salsa
8 whole wheat tortillas
2 cups of grated cheddar cheese

Directions

In a saucepan, heat oil and then saute the garlic, peppers, and onion. Add the seasonings and cook until onions are translucent.  Add the cans of well drained beans, and the salsa. Heat well and cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat.

Lay a tortilla on a plate and add the bean mixture to one side. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and fold over.

 Cut in half and place on a lightly sprayed cooking pan. Place in pre-heated (425 degree) oven for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the tortillas and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and top with grated cheddar cheese. This recipe serves 8-12 people. If you have left overs, this meal is perfect for freezing.

We served our quesadillas with basmati brown rice, a kale/Greek salad, and organic taco chips. You can choose the level of spice based on the salsas....we used a medium since we were serving them to our little kids, but our older kids like their food HOT AND SPICY.

D takes a break from painting.....and enjoy's Harrison's Quesadillas

I don't know who likes eating outside, me or the kids....I like not having to sweep up rice, etc from the ground...they like being able to lay down when their tummy gets full

Kate, who can be a bit fussy about what she eats...loves these black bean quesadillas

Tomorrow will be the start of the last week of summer. As I spend this week, fondly remembering all the moments with my family and friends, I will also be thinking of my Dad, knowing that even though he hasn't been physically with me for almost all of my life, he is right here in my heart. I wonder if the owl that came to visit us last week, wasn't his spirit coming to remind me to enjoy the moments fully and let go with ease and grace.

 


Until we meet again, may you be well, happy and peaceful.

Blessings from Hope