Boston, You're My Home

All is quiet before the storm. It's hard to think about anything else, so I thought I would leave you this weekend with one of the photos I will feature in a future post about scenes around New England. And, of course, a recipe. You can tuck it away for a chilly October night or make a batch for your Labor Day weekend barbecue.

Boston Baked Beans

2 cups navy beans

1/2 pound bacon

1 onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Soak beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until tender, approximately 1 to 2 hours. Drain and reserve the liquid.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees           

Arrange the beans in a 2 quart bean pot or casserole dish by placing a portion of the beans in the bottom of dish, and layering them with bacon and onion.

In a saucepan, combine molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and pour over beans. Pour in just enough of the reserved bean water to cover the beans. Cover the dish with a lid or aluminum foil.               

Bake for 3 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until beans are tender. Remove the lid about halfway through cooking, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from getting too dry.               

It's the Week Before School

And all through the house... children are whining, mom is quiet as a mouse. I'm not sure who dreads going back to school more - me or them! I haven't been to the beach enough this summer, there weren't enough star-gazing evenings marked on my calendar, and I definitely need a few more giggle-fests with my girls. My youngest daughter is going to be a freshman in high school. When exactly did that happen???

Along with the excitement (it's not all doom and gloom) comes the return to crazy schedules, filled with hours and hours of homework, as well as all of those extracurricular activities that demand even more of their time. What's a family to do? Ours tries to manage the insanity with a little pre-planning. Here are our House Rules.

#1 Family time is still sacred. I try to keep the girls from becoming too over-scheduled by limiting their outside activities. I'm old enough to know that you really can't do it all. We eat dinner together several nights a week because we just can't manage more than that. Instead of beating myself up, I've come to accept what I can plan and what I can't.

#2 Communication is key. I'm fortunate enough to be able to pick the girls up after school. During the ride home (and again during dinner), we catch up. Of course the first words out of my mouth are "How was your day?" followed by "How much homework do you have?". But I do try not to just talk about the have-to's. Once the work has been spelled out and we're all up to speed with schedule adjustments, it's all about trying to find a way to laugh about the day.

#3 Homework is done right away. I do let the girls relax for a bit in front of the TV or the computer, but then it's time to hit the books. If they have an after school activity, homework then needs to be done right after dinner. And I check to make sure it's actually getting done. Not because they wouldn't do it, but because we can all get distracted if we're surrounded by stereos, ipods, and a closet full of clothes you just have to try on again and again. I wish when I got sent to my room as a child it was half as much fun.

#4 Breakfast and lunch can be tricky for teens. They don't exactly skip out of bed in the morning, so I've cut them some slack. A piece of fruit, a cereal bar, or even a glass of Carnation instant breakfast works for me. I just want them to have something fairly nutritious in their bodies to fuel their day. As for lunch, I leave it to them. Salads and hummus are (thankfully) mainstays of my daughter's diets.

#5 Organize the night before. This is our biggest challenge. My youngest daughter loves to organize herself for the next day, the older one... not so much. But, if I can at least run down a check list of what needs to get packed for the following day, I've done what I can.

#6 Early to bed, early to rise. Teens need more sleep than they think. And although I can't really make them sleep, the girls are in their respective rooms by a certain time, regardless of their expected grumblings. I also remind them that if they didn't have such wonderful parents to drive them to school in the morning, we'd be happy to set the alarm an hour earlier so they can get out the door on time.

Believe me, it's not all sunshine and roses here. Just like your home, it's filled with arms and legs and furry beings just trying to jockey for position. But in order to manage the day, even the tiniest bit, you have to have a game plan. This is ours.

Good luck with yours!

Makeover: Now and Later

Much of my design career included working with what the client already owned. Why oh why would I ever want to throw out something that was functional or could be made more attractive??? It's simple. I wouldn't. And you shouldn't either. In today's economy and with "green" design methods cropping up all around us, using what you have - yet still making small improvements - is what it's all about. So how can you make changes in an afternoon, a day, a weekend, or even a week, in your own home? Start by taking a good long look at your room. What do you love? hate? What would you change if you could? Look at how the room is being used. Is every corner being utilized? Do you love hanging out in that space? For example, in the picture above, you see a very ordinary, white/beige/brown non-descript kitchen. It's not very functional either. The table under the painting is too small. And although I do love a breakfast bar or island in a kitchen, it's best to pick your battles and realize what your room can and can't do. My function first motto says it's best to re-purpose this room by moving the island and bringing in a table and chairs.

That's better. In just one hour, you can re-position furniture (the butcher block island now sits on the wall and allows the homeowner to use it as both storage and a functional prep surface) and bring in a table from another room. I realize you may not have a proper table, but you'd be surprised by playing with what you do have available. If the table is dented or scarred, throw a cloth over it. And don't forget to infuse a little color (flowers and fruits work well) into the room. Now this kitchen looks more inviting.

And speaking of color, if you have a weekend available, you can paint the walls and the table for more impact. The white cabinetry now pops against the blue/gray walls. The color is warm enough to invite you in, yet doesn't overwhelm. (Be careful not to use too cool a color in "cold" rooms like a kitchen or bath.) Because the wall color is a bit more sophisticated, the green table was painted white to coordinate with the chairs and cabinets. The black chair was also painted white to blend with the rest of the woodwork. Switching out artwork from room to room is an easy way to update a space.

If you have the whole weekend, and a little more money in your budget, consider hanging shelves to add style and storage. These easy-to-install shelves came from Ikea and work wonders for the space. Once they're up, pay attention to items you display. Bring in a new color into the room, like this French blue, with vases, plates, bowls, and tumblers that can be used for a variety of tasks. Move the color around the room to help balance each element. And while you're at it, add an inexpensive pendant light over the table for added drama.

Images via O Home magazine

Herb Salt

After weeding the garden beds this past weekend, I decided that I would use my herbs in a variety of new ways this year. Thoughts of rosemary potatoes, pots of bubbly tomato soup, herbed focaccia....all began dancing in my head.

Herb Salt

1 cup of mixed, dried herbs (dill, rosemary, chives, lemon verbena, tarragon, thyme, oregano, basil, lemon thyme, sage)
1 cup sea salt

Mix the herbs and sea salt in a large bowl. Stir. Use mortar and pestle to pound mix or food processor to blend. Spread on a cookie sheet. Bake the salt mixture at 200 degrees for 45 minutes to dry the salt and stir frequently to break up lumps. Cool the herb salts completely before storing them in clean, airtight containers.

It's best to use this recipe when fresh, so if you're thinking of giving these goodies as gifts, simply dry fresh herbs (see below) and make salt mixture just before giving.

Drying Herbs

Air dry - Bundle herbs and dry upside down in a cool, well ventilated room, while keeping dust and sunlight exposure to a minimum. Once they are completely dry, store them in jars. (You can use a screen or cheesecloth instead of the hanging method, but they'll need to be flipped to dry properly.)

Oven dry - Lay individual herbs out on a baking tray (so they don't touch) and bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes. Be careful. Some herbs, like sage, may ignite. Store them in jars.

Refrigerator dry - Place small-leaved herbs on a plate and place in the refrigerator. For larger-leaved herbs, like basil, place leaves on a tray in the refrigerator. Check on them frequently and stir them around to avoid wilting and to ensure an even drying process. (Each type of herb has different drying times.) Once they are dry, place them into containers or freezer bags.

Image via talkoftomatoes.com

The Dog Days of Summer

Meet Dante, the newest member of our family. He has been to the vet this month more than Cooper has been all year. Boosters, new shots, a few exams....finally he is cleared for take-off. My wonderful vet assures me that in a few months' time, Cooper will be okay and both dogs can give and receive love without World War III breaking out. (Please feel free to chime in if you have any advice.)

If you were to ask me just a short month ago if we would ever be a two dog family, my answer would have been an affirmative "heck no!". In fact, when David and I went to pick up some plants a while back, we saw an Australian Shepherd that caught our eye and he asked me if I was willing to give it a try. (Insert the "heck no!" here.) Well, the joke is certainly on me.

He is a complete love. Stay tuned. The adventure is just beginning.

New England Clambake (How to)

A New England tradition, the clambake is as indigenous to southeastern Massachusetts as its originators, the Wampanoag Indians. An early clambake may have consisted of native oysters, scallops, soft-shelled crabs, quahogs, and fresh water fish along with squash and corn. A modern clambake, however, consists of lobster (usually only in the restaurant variety "bake"), clams, mussels, potatoes, corn and onions. Fish, sausage and chicken can also be used. But the art of preparing a traditional pit-dug clambake is no small undertaking and it's still practiced by a few local bakemasters whose techniques are passed down through the generations.

A large pit is dug, filled with stones, and then a wood fire is built to heat the stones until they are red hot. The fire will burn for several hours. Crates of clams, potatoes, onions, sausages, corn, and fish stand nearby.

Volunteers have been opening packages and filling crates all morning. Fish is placed in paper bags and will steam cook next to all of the other goodies.

Once the stones are hot enough, the wood coals are raked away.

Seaweed is watered down and dumped onto the hot stones.

Once the seaweed is placed evenly over the stones, the food is then layered on top. The clams go first.

Food is piled high and ready to be steamed.

Several wet tarps cover everything so the food can steam. After about an hour, the food will be ready to eat.

Summer Reads

One of my favorite activities (of course) is reading. My girls and I treated ourselves to several books prior to leaving. Here are some of our favorites...

If you have a teenage daughter: The Daughters series by Joanna Philbin, and The Beautiful Between by Alyssa B. Sheinmel.

When in Rome: When I'm at the beach, I like to read about the beach. Author Elin Hilderbrand writes about her hometown of Nantucket in her books, Barefoot and The Blue Bistro. (And don't forget Harwich author Joan Anderson.)

Food for thought: Reading about writing is not work for me. I highly recommend Julia Cameron's, A Right to Write, and Marion Roach Smith's, The Memoir Project.

Living In the Moment

While I was away on vacation, I was usually up before the birds, but never the squirrels. These little critters were everywhere this year (last year it was rabbits) and they kept themselves busy playing with the chipmunks. I enjoyed watching them run back and forth between fallen logs and under piles of pine needles, to and fro, here and there, without a care in the world. Luckily, I had my camera nearby when this little guy decided to take a break and pose for a photo.

It was in moments like this that I was reminded to slow down and just enjoy what was happening, when it was happening, and not worry about what’s coming next. This was especially true this year knowing my sister-in-law was suffering from stress headaches, my youngest daughter from swimmer’s ear, and while I waited to hear the results of another surprise surgery for my Mom. I needed to remind myself that unplanned events will continue to happen and I just needed to breathe and focus on my emotional health, too. It’s easy to let it get away from you.

Life is busy and we’re always on to the next thing never slowing down to enjoy the time we have right in front of us, and often letting the present slip away. We work for the weekends, and when Friday finally arrives, we cram as much as we can into those two days until it’s time to worry about facing Monday. Then, we fly through the weeks as if time doesn’t matter. We give even less thought as to how we will get from A to Z with any sense of fulfillment. It’s no wonder we have trouble taking things in one at a time.

Psychologists believe that if we live in the moment – also called mindfulness – we can reduce stress and chronic pain, boost our immune system, lower blood pressure, and solve a host of other physical and emotional disorders, such as depression and anxiety. Mindfulness (a state of active, open, intentional attention on the present) involves being with your thoughts as they are, neither grasping at them nor pushing them away.* If, like me, you’ve ever experienced a moment when you have no memory of the previous 15 minutes, you’re not alone. These autopilot spans of time are what Harvard’s Ellen Langer calls mindlessness – times when you’re so lost in thought that you aren’t aware of your present experience.* We’re so sure we know what to expect that we stop paying attention to it.

So what do we do? Don’t just do something, sit there. Enjoy each and every moment as the day unfolds. Start small. Wake up early to enjoy breakfast or a morning walk, read or journal. Use a pretty plate and cup for breakfast or tie a colorful ribbon in your hair to keep it out of your eyes as you walk through your neighborhood or the woods. When you’re at work, focus on what you’re doing first, and then pat yourself on the back when you’ve completed a task. Set manageable goals – things you’ll get done between certain times or morning vs. afternoon – in order to feel like you’re making progress. Take it one step at a time and forget the big picture for a minute. Drink and eat slowly savoring every sip and swallow. Pack your lunch with care and tantalize your taste buds with sweet and salty, smooth and crunchy. Sit at the table instead of standing. When you get home from work, take care of any chores immediately so you can enjoy some leisure time. Treat yourself to something fun or indulgent once a week – a soy vanilla latte, a small bouquet of flowers, a night at the movies. Let the things that bring you joy into your daily life and don’t wait for a special occasion, the weekend, or your next vacation.

Like you, I am trying to be mindful of being mindful. It takes effort. Just be careful not to plan too much. I have brought the joy of living outdoors back from vacation and revel in nature any chance I get. I’ve learned that connecting to the outdoors, in any way, improves my mood immeasurably. I enjoy meals more if I eat them outdoors. I feel less stressed about something if I take a few minutes to walk outside and take a deep breath. I even try to work outside to make some of the more tedious parts of my work entertaining. And while I’m there, I do take the time to look around and listen to the wind.

It’s a start.

*Psychologytoday.com