It's the Fourth of July, which means, of course, that the 80- and 90-degree, relentlessly sunny, azure-skies days that we've enjoyed for a week have abruptly ceded the stage to gray, overcast, low-60s weather. Fingers crossed it brightens up a bit. (Nice weather is scheduled to return--natch--after the weekend.)
But! Still in the works are the other joys of summer, aside from sun and heat, namely the holiday's signature RED...in the form of fresh Rainier cherries...
and white (in the form of marshmallows that will later be smooshed in S'mores over a backyard fire--Jet-Puffed, of course, because they are apparently "America's Favorite")...
and BLUE, in the form of locally grown blueberries (which admittedly look more purple now because they've been baked into the Blueberry Yogurt Coffeecake, made using a recipe from the wonderful cookbook Dungeness Crabs and Blackberry Cobbler).
No, really, it WAS hot the past week, and not just "Oh, you Seattle-ites think a 70-degree day is roasting" hot. Really, 80s and 90s. MID-90s! Proof: here is the sign put on a fence up the street by an enterprising girl who was busy plying the thirsty multitudes with beverages. Note, please, the parched dragon.
If overcast skies persist, we might not see much of the colorful fireworks, but by then we'll be working on the colorful Rhubarb Marionberry Crisp, shown here before it's gone into the oven while a bloom of frozen condensation still rimes the berries (from the Phinney Farmer's Market) nestled among the rhubarb grown in the backyard garden.
Even if we don't get to see any fireworks, we can always find a rainbow somewhere, such as this celebration of the Supreme Court's recent ruling on DOMA as exhibited by Adirondack chairs up the hill.
But! Still in the works are the other joys of summer, aside from sun and heat, namely the holiday's signature RED...in the form of fresh Rainier cherries...
and white (in the form of marshmallows that will later be smooshed in S'mores over a backyard fire--Jet-Puffed, of course, because they are apparently "America's Favorite")...and BLUE, in the form of locally grown blueberries (which admittedly look more purple now because they've been baked into the Blueberry Yogurt Coffeecake, made using a recipe from the wonderful cookbook Dungeness Crabs and Blackberry Cobbler).
No, really, it WAS hot the past week, and not just "Oh, you Seattle-ites think a 70-degree day is roasting" hot. Really, 80s and 90s. MID-90s! Proof: here is the sign put on a fence up the street by an enterprising girl who was busy plying the thirsty multitudes with beverages. Note, please, the parched dragon.
If overcast skies persist, we might not see much of the colorful fireworks, but by then we'll be working on the colorful Rhubarb Marionberry Crisp, shown here before it's gone into the oven while a bloom of frozen condensation still rimes the berries (from the Phinney Farmer's Market) nestled among the rhubarb grown in the backyard garden.
Even if we don't get to see any fireworks, we can always find a rainbow somewhere, such as this celebration of the Supreme Court's recent ruling on DOMA as exhibited by Adirondack chairs up the hill.
