My Favorite Things

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I thought it might be fun today to share a few of my favorite things – summer style!

This time of year is always filled with sweet memories from my growing up years on my family’s Eastern Oregon farm. I spent a lot of time with my dad as his official “sidekick,” but I also spent time with my mom, who was determined to “domesticate” me. It took a while but I think she finally succeeded!

At any rate, there are certain things that, to me, say “summertime” and are among my favorites for the summer season.

I adore roses anytime of the year, but I have several rose bushes and love, love sniffing their fragrant blooms. I think they smell the sweetest in June. My favorite color is pink, so pink roses have always been my absolute favorites.

Idaho Spud Bars (which have appeared in a few of my stories) are one of my favorite sweet indulgences. When I was a kid, the local grocery store would often have them on sale in the summer  – four for a $1! Mom would stock up on them and keep them in the fridge. On a hot summer day, there was nothing quite look a chilled Idaho Spud bar. The pillowy, soft cocoa marshmallow center is surrounded by chocolate and rolled in coconut. It is so yummy! If you’ve never had the joy of experiencing one, I hope you get to someday! They are made by a company that has been in business for more than a hundred years.

Music is something I enjoy year round. In the summer, though, I have certain tunes I like to listen to and The Beach Boys are among them. My brother had several of their records and my sister liked to play them. My oldest niece thought the words to Little Deuce Coupe were “Little Goose Goop” so I think we played that song often just to hear her sing her version of the lyrics.

 

I love summer sunrises, but the sunsets are often far more showy in our little corner of the world. Watching those colors glide across the evening sky makes such a spectacular way to end the day.

 

Parades, particularly a 4th of July Parade, are another of my favorite things. The little town near our farm always had a big parade and rodeo for the 4th of July. It was a highlight of the summer to attend both. There is just something so patriotic about watching a parade go by (or participating in one!).

Those rodeos I went to as a child are what ignited my love of rodeos and writing about rodeo cowboys!

 

One year when I was about ten, my sister-in-law brought homemade banana ice cream to our 4th of July gathering. It has been my absolute favorite ice cream since then. When I introduced Captain Cavedweller to it, it became his favorite too. We generally make a batch of it to celebrate Independence Day.  If you’d like to give it a whirl, here is the recipe:

Banana Ice Cream

5 eggs
2 1/2 cups sugar
4cups whipping cream
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. banana flavoring
4 cups milk
4 ripe bananas, mashed
* Warning! Consuming raw eggs may increase your risk of food borne illness.   If you do decide to make this and use the raw eggs, please choose eggs that are fresh with no cracks in the shell.
Start by beating the eggs until they are foamy and light. I let mine go about six minutes. Add in sugar and continue mixing. Slow the speed on the mixer and add in the cream followed by the salt, vanilla and banana flavoring. Continue mixing and add in the milk, blending in the bananas last. Pour into your ice cream freezer and freeze according to machine directions. We are usually unable to restrain ourselves long enough to put this in the freezer and let it get firm, but if you can, you can do that. There are never any leftovers, but if you have some, store in a covered container in the freezer for up to a week.

What about you?

What is one of your favorite things about summer?

 

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After spending her formative years on a farm in Eastern Oregon, hopeless romantic Shanna Hatfield turns her rural experiences into sweet historical and contemporary romances filled with sarcasm, humor, and hunky western heroes.
When this USA Today bestselling author isn’t writing or covertly hiding decadent chocolate from the other occupants of her home, Shanna hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

44 thoughts on “My Favorite Things”

  1. Watching Minor League Baseball because my wife is a big fan of tge game. Visiting Giant Spring Park, and walking in the garden of Gibson Park.

  2. I love spending time in my garden, & then relaxing with a good book! I also enjoy finding yummy salad recipes that won’t heat up my kitchen, since we don’t have air conditioning. It can be so fun to get those creative “juices” flowing!

    • Oh, I enjoy finding new summer salad recipes too. Once I have my kitchen functioning again, I can’t wait to try new recipes. Enjoy your garden and relaxing evenings with a good book!

  4. Summers meant a two-week trip to Tennessee.

    I’ve had Idaho Spud candy. In high school, I had a friend from Idaho, and she would bring them home from visits.

  5. Early morning walks just right before daylight hit’s. Get to see the different colors of the moon on certain days.

  6. #1 favorite summer activity has to be outdoor gatherings with family and friends around the grill, playing croquet and cornhole.

  8. I don’t really care for summer. Florida gets waaayyyyyy too hot in summer!!! Summer means I have to do all of my testing for my insurance re-certifications to sell for the next year, too. When I was still in school, it meant a nice break from homework and schoolwork!

  9. eating watermelon and we just finished up Church camp and now to get ready to show llamas at the county fair!

  10. Oh boy! I’m like Trudy, summers are too hot! So late evenings and early mornings are for my enjoyment in my flower garden. I have knock out roses which do really well. And I do love daisies, but I love hydrangeas and crepe myrtles this time of year! We also love grilling out on the Fourth of July(Independence Day!). Boiled peanuts, hotdogs, hamburgers and yes…watermelon! Shanna, I have too many favorite things to name! But, most important is family and friends gathering! And Gator Football games are coming!

    And cornhole seems to have replaced horse shoe. Why is that? Easier? LOL Just something I wonder about!

    • Your favorite flowers are some of my favorites too! Can’t wait for my hydrangeas to bloom, but it is usually closer to the end of August here. Yum to grilling and so fun to gather with family and friends. That is a good question to ponder about cornhole vs horse shoes! Have a beautiful summer, my friend!

  11. A favorite summer food is eating Hermiston watermelons. They are the absolute best! And I saw Idaho Spuds in the grocery store a few weeks back and thought of you. They are definitely a fond childhood memory for me.

    • They are the best melons! So, so good! And so fun you saw Idaho Spuds. They will always and forever take me back to my childhood summers. Have a great summer season, Barbara!

  12. The best part of summer is swimming and sitting on my pool deck, my happy place. And potato salad. I only make it in the warm weather.

  13. welcome today. and thanks for sharing. depending on my age and stage of life, summer things change. I have always loved being a part fairs and rodeos. I love parades. for many years my husband and son were a part of the fourth of july parade as Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. my daughter and I would sit on the side line and encourage them all on. our daughter loved taking pictures of them. I love to encourage my husband and son in reenacting. Civil War, WW2. I have always loved to plant/sow veggies and flowers and than can . there are many other things I love for summer, that change with time and age quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

    • Hi Lori,
      Our favorite things do change as we age and life changes. So neat you have fun memories of parades and fairs and rodeos. It’s so fun to plant seeds and see what grows. Enjoy your flowers and garden, and have a lovely summer!

  16. I love bar b ques, the fresh vegetables, the beautiful flowers, and spending time with family and friends.

  17. Eating garden fresh tomatoes,cucumbers, and watermelon. Listening to the summer night bug noises and watching lightning bugs light up. Cooking hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill outside. Watching my pots of flowers for new exciting blooms, and cooling off with a cold glass of tea or lemonade.

  18. I love spending quality time with my family, playing board games or cards or just doing some crafts and chatting. I love that my grandchildren are out of school for the summer. I love going on picnics.

  19. I enjoy the time in the garden. I am way behind with my flower beds this year, too much has been going on. Hopefully I will at least get all the weeds out and maybe find some “orphans” that need a place to recuperate and bloom. We had asparagus this spring and it was wonderful. We have had 3 meals of green beans so far with more in both the fridge and garden. Swiss chard is doing well and delicious. My husband brought in a cucumber last night. It grew out of our compost pile.
    Meals and breaks out on our porch are delightful. No matter what the weather, there is always a nice breeze in one corner. We used to make ice cream frequently, but since the kids grew, moved, and started families of their own, we haven’t had the muscle to do it.
    Some hikes in the mountain forests are planned. It is a bit cooler but not always less humid.

  20. I have never heard or saw an Idaho Spud Bar but must be something like a mello cup that you can sometimes find here. I think my favorite summer thing would be tomatoes fresh off of the plant which I put a few plants out every year.

  21. I enjoy reading ARC’s for authors as well as helping them to spread the word. I also enjoy reading fresh vegetables out of the garden. Thank you for sharing. God bless you.

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