Our quiet weekend away for my birthday turned into something a little bigger. We were heading over to dance on Alki Beach, at an organized salsa and bachata on the beach event, anyway. Besides Nordstrom holding their annual sale to coincide with my birthday each year (thank you!), Bite of Seattle was going on, so we were able to go eat lots of cool foods, watch cooking demonstrations and listen to music while we were over there, too. We were not at Bite when the shooting happened, and we are praying for the victims and all the people who were there and terrified. Rich rented a cute little beach bungalow, and we got to ease into our mornings, and walk along the beach or to restaurants, and since our church has liturgy in the evening, we could even take Sunday morning much more quietly. Some dear friends here in town took the kids who are still at home so they could be with friends instead of alone, and that made it a fun weekend for them, too.

We have a couple dinners out this week, one without the kids, and the other including them. They get to come to the survivor dinner after airshow, and be appreciated for all their hard work, too.

We are approaching the Dormition Fast, and with having the granddaughters over more and all the stress in our lives, I think we are going to be more lax this year, as we were with the Apostles' Fast. We don't know if this is a season in which we need to be easier on ourselves, or if we would benefit from fasting more. The burden of what we are carrying right now feels like a big fast, all the time.

We are starting to reap the benefits of the growing season here, and had delightful salads from our own lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, and garlic, we've been cooking up arugula from our garden, have loads of peaches through our gleaning club that are just perfection, plus beets galore for salads and braises and gratins and pickles that Rich was able to glean from a local farmer with them. Our farmers' market has blessed us with lovely tiny zucchini, pie cherries (which we pitted and froze for later, not having time to cook them up right now), plums, tomatoes, eggplant, tomatillos, and raspberries. It is the best time of year here.

Our 250th Anniversary of our country Melting Pot-Luck is this weekend, and I am looking forward to that. It is fantastic to taste the foods of other people's heritage and get to know the people in our area more. Yet again, our parish family is taking care of the meal for tonight. We told them of our birthday plans, and they all stepped up to help. We could not be more grateful for them.

• Sunday - Feast of Saint Anne, mother of the Theotokos
  Breakfast: Leftover Cake, Bacon, Mixed Berries, Milk and Coffee
  Dinner: Pot of Beans with Chard and Turkey, Shrimp Ceviche with Tortilla Chips, Garlic Bread, Fruit
• Monday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Smoked Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese, Butterflied Tempura Shrimp, Meatballs, Fruit Plate
• Tuesday
  Breakfast: Leftovers, Milk, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Airshow Survivors' Dinner
• Wednesday - Feast of Saints Mary and Martha
  Breakfast: Toast with Peanut Butter and Honey, Plums and Pluots, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Tomato and Eggplant Sauce with Pasta, Garlic Arugula with Lemon, Fruit Plate
• Thursday
  Breakfast: Cinnamon Nut Raisin Bread with Cream Cheese, Pears, Milky Coffee
  Dinner: Cafeteria Pizza, Salad, Fruit Plate
• Friday - Feast of Saint Joseph of Arimathea
  Breakfast: Potato and Vegetable Hash Breakfast Burritos with Salsa, Peaches, Tea with Honey
  Dinner: Vegetarian Waraq 'Ounab, Rice, Duqqus, Strawberry Sorbet*
• Saturday
  Breakfast: Syrian Rice Pudding, Sliced Oranges, Tea and Coffee
  Dinner: Leftovers from Melting Pot-Luck

What is on your menu this week? If you want a recipe, ask and I will provide it as soon as I can. If there are any starred recipes, I will follow up separately with a weekly recipe round up on Saturday.

Labels: Church Year, Faith and Morality, Family, Homemaking, Menu Plans, Prayer Requests, Romance and Relationship, Tales from the Kitchen