Beach Saturday

Our sweet Crane Beach was full after having been featured in USA Today as Massachusetts' best beach... So we went up to Plum Island!


















We're up early today so we can head North! Acadia, here we come!

Why are they called Wisdom Teeth?

Mr. Norwood got his wisdom teeth out today.
He's making it! He has been mostly good today and even been able to eat a little. He specially requested cheese soup with ham-and-swiss-poppyseed-rolls. All of those things are soft and easily edible so of course I was happy to do it!
It was our first trip to the surgeon on our own away from family, and even though I know wisdom tooth extraction is no big deal, I was still a little nervous about doing this by ourselves. It took less than an hour total this morning and we've been fine all day! Whew!

What a Ham

Salt Water

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen

Today mine was the sea. How I love the sea.





We picked up our summer beach pass!








And camped out in the sand for four hours.


New towel in hand.


And of course my book about salt itself. It was a fitting title for the beach today.

Happiest of Saturdays to you too!

It's Friday Friday

Best dark and stormy! Everything's better with homemade concoctions! Thanks for the reminder about this delicious drink, Sophie!

Any weekend plans? The beach is calling me.

Happy Friday!

Ginger Beer

We get to add one more liquid concoction to our repertoire of homemade fun! Ginger Beer!
Ginger beer is non-alcoholic and if you haven't had it, it is usually a more spicy carbonated form of ginger ale. It's a tasty addition to cocktails and a refreshing drink to sip if you need a little zing. the spice of the ginger is pretty great.

We started two kinds tonight: Jamaican and English. Jamaican isn't naturally carbonated (but it will be after a spin in our twist n' sparkle) and the English version is.

I worked on the Jamaican batch.
First thing's first: a couple pounds of fresh ginger



Peel it. (with a spoon--- it's the easiest way, oddly enough)



Add a little water and give it a three minute spin the the amazing food processor (for which I am thankful at least three times a week! I love that thing!)



Then strain out the liquid and repeat a couple more times.



Lastly, restrain into a pitcher and add some freshly squeezed lime juice (squeezed by Mr. Norwood) and some sugar to taste!




Bryan mixed up the English batch.







His batch is a little more involved because it will ferment and be naturally carbonated.
He combined water, sugar, and finely grated fresh ginger. To this, he'll add more sugar and ginger each day for a week and then we'll add water and bottle it.

We'll compare when they're both done and I'll let you know what we think! If you want the real recipes, just let me know... Or you can pick up the awesome cookbooks they came out of! The Jamaican version here and the English version here!

A Happy Box!

My sweet Mama sent Bryan and me (and Lily) a box full of happies!! Thank you!
It was perfect timing too. I forgot my umbrella this morning and was pretty wet by the time I made it home this afternoon. Walking in to mail addressed to me made me smile!








It's pretty much a perfect beach kit. Sunglasses for Lily. A new beach towel for me (after five or six years, my old one is a bit threadbare). New music for Bryan. Sunscreen, snacks, and games for all!

We will be trying everything out this weekend! Fingers crossed that the weather cooperates!