Box Tops for Education

Savor the Season

Here in the Upper Midwest, it’s imperative to get the most out of the Summer.  Many of my friends and colleagues go “up north” almost every weekend to get out of the city and enjoy the North Woods.  My family, however, prefers to keep it local and enjoy the most the City has to offer on beautiful summer weekends. 

We ride our bikes to neighborhood parks, beaches, pools and friends’ houses.  We listen to free concerts, watch movies in the parks and explore the Sculpture Garden.  We shop at Farmer’s Markets and picnic outside.  Access to such fresh produce without ever having to leave the City is such a beautiful part of summer.  Who doesn’t like to eat raspberries right off the bush?  If you don’t have a plant in the backyard, the market’s the next best thing. 

Splitting a share from Honey Creek Farms CSA with another family in our neighborhood is a way for us to feel connected to a local farm, while also trying new types of vegetables and herbs.   We are surprised every week with something new that we’ve never tried before.  Grilling eggplant wasn’t something we’d done until the beautiful purple vegetables appeared in our basket.  And, we’re still using the Thyme we dried from last year’s bounty.  And try these recipes for berries and  zucchini!  I plan on making something yummy to share at our National Night Out Block party on Tues., August 3^rd.

I loved traveling the country for this year’s Box Tops University tour, but am very happy to stay put during the Summer and it feels like Fall is just around the corner.  When you see the joy on your 2-year old’s face after he’s jumped in the pool, it makes you feel like a kid again. This picture is of our son, Asher, during the 4^th of July weekend.  His face says it all!  What are you doing to savor the season?  -Sarah

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Tags: recipes, summer, swimming, block parties, farmer's markets

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