Suzanne Duncan Lees's Blog (16)

Family gatherings--Joy, joy, joy!  Sometimes not!  Cranky ones, loud ones, yappin' pets, crabby kids--but, in the end, it is all joy.  This too shall pass and David and I begin our journey of empty nester-dom!  The beginning of this transition is this Saturday as our first leaves our nest, to thrive in a NEW nest--a St. Joe's hawks nest! 

Odd how the whole thing happens.  We trolled down the aisles of Target and Bed, Bath and Beyond over the past few weeks.  Hangers, shelves, shower…

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Knowing how I like my eggs (over easy) I believe that an egg cooked on today's sidewalk, would be grossly overcooked!  That being said, it is wayyyy to hot too heat up your kitchen on a day like today!  If you have some leftover pasta hanging out in your refrig, this recipe is for you.  Most of the ingredients can be found in your produce and deli aisle, making it a perfect summer meal.

 

Tonight, I'm doing a variation on this, as try to reduce red meat in our diet. …

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"Mommmmmmm--meatloaf again?"  You'll never hear this in MY house because I am not a big fan of meatloaf.  However, this recipe caught my attention--individual loaves--check.  Tangy sauce--check.  No need to scrub the meatloaf pan--CHECK!  Extra sauce on the side is welcomed, as it is delightfully delicious to drag that delectable bite through the delicate sauce and gobble up every morsel on your plate!  The final straw is my children loved it--CHECK.

This freezes beautifully…

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It seems to me as if we have fired straight through spring right into summer!  After spending a hot day inside a humid middle school with a host of malodorous middle school students, I was ready to cruise home, fire up the AC and let the cooling begin.  Hitting the screen door, flying through the kitchen--I dropped my bags on the counter.  My sweaty palms flew to the thermostat to dial up the cool air.  Click....click...nada.  Sweat dripped from my brow as I hastily dialed my…

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Temporarily jettisoned back to 1983, I pull out my fax copy of a recipe that my roommate, Cathy and I used to make in our little apartment on King Street, Shippensburg University.  Our apartment was just above the green awning, and PS—in 1983, it looked NOTHING like this!

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With the dog days of summer just around the corner, nothing quenches your thirst better than a fresh margarita.  You can sidle up to the local Mexican bar with store bought mixer, or whip up some fresh margaritas on your own!   Forget that sour mix and ream some lemons and limes—this one is a keeper.  This recipe, courtesy of Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, beckoned to me one warm, spring afternoon.  My husband, David was feverishly working on the monthly bills at our dining room table.…

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May I just say up front, that my relationship with vegetables of any sort is tenuous at best.  As a child, I remember swallowing green peas one by one like aspirin just to get them down.  I fed broccoli to an unsuspecting blind and mentally challenged, older than dirt pooch under the dinner table.  I was unsuccessful.  My mother would put creamed corn on my plate and it was all I could do to not heave right there at the table. Brussel sprouts—yuck.  Even the odor was enough to keep me…

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Spring is here!  Bulbs are sprouting, greenery is appearing, birds are returning to the feeders and the delicate scent of hyacinths are in the air.  That can only mean that summer is just around the corner. Clean off the grill, dust off the propane tank and get ready for a BBQ!  As important as the main course, the side dishes always make your mouth water. …

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He is every man's man. A story teller who crys out from the heart. He croons what resides in the hearts of many. Comforting sometimes and sometimes distressing. Wake up, America! Look around and take care of one another.

Passing me on the way to his car, David gave me a smooch on the lips. Lovingly, we called it foreplay. David on his way to his car and off to the work-a-day world. Entering the sterile enviornment of the hospital, I walked the all too familiar halls to my doctor's office. I waited while the technicians did their magic, spinning, cleaning, spinning and cleaning.... The crisp, white paper "robe" was donned and I swung my feet in anticipation of what I hoped would…

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Feet tumble over each other as we spill out the back gate into the driveway.

Six feet between us, Winslow and me.

He scampers too and fro taking in nature's scents,

One more wonderful than the next--at least as far as he's concerned.

Sun is setting yet the light is still enough,

To guide our feet and light our…

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The roaring sounds of the music of marching bands waft through the air on the warm summer morning. Billowy white clouds glide across the magnificent blue sky. Cars begin lining up, as the children inside clamor over each other in eager anticipation of the fun that awaits them. They pile out of cars, backpacks in tow with smiles from ear to ear. The smell…

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Strewn about, like random shells after high tide lay the remnants of Christmas trees, dribbled with faded tinsel; hugging the curbs waiting for the onslaught of sanitation trucks to whisk them away to become the mulch of Christmas past. Cast out, with nary a thought were those evergreen boughs as they hung lazily over the curb. Clean it up, gifts away, wrapping paper be gone! Christmas is over! A chilly wind blew through the streets as I traversed the… Continue

Heather's first day of Kindergarten---



It began as any other autumn day. The sun was shining; not a cloud in the sky. As I listened to the birds welcoming the new day, it dawned on me. Today was not a typical day. This morning, my daughter will spend her first day in kindergarten. After a little self-talk to stop my heart from hammering, a good stretch and a moment of prayer, I vowed I would survive.



We have been talking about it for months. The new lunchbox had been… Continue

Winslow lay curled in a white ball of fur at my feet. A crisp, cool Autumn breeze sailed through the screen door, beckoning my four legged friend and I to grab the leash and head out into the beauty of the day. I took his leash from it's hook and held it up for Winslow to see. "Do you want to go for a walk," I said to him excitedly. He launched himself from his place of rest and spun in wild and frantic circles. In an effort to not alert the napping… Continue

I remember folding the freshly laundered onesies and putting them away. I sat in the rocking chair, a warm August breeze blew the white eylet curtains ever so slightly. I scrunched my toes into the thick pile of sand colored carpet and took it all in. Blue bunnies sat on crooked alphabet letters and seemed to parade across the wallpaper of the nursery. The brand new cherrywood crib shone as the sun bounched of the side. I had dreamed of the day our… Continue