peach pops

I made these weeks ago and carefully noted measurements just for Sam...but alas, illness has wiped all memory away. Thank goodness for photographs, from which much can be deduced.

Place 4 loosely-packed cups of sliced peaches (these were frozen, but could as easily be fresh) in a blender.

Use the blender to finely chop the peaches.

And add 1-2 cups of yogurt and 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (notice the hedge with measurements here—all I remember is that I deliberately made it a round number so it would be easy, but really, quantities can be flexible and to your taste). Blend once more.

Finely chop another peach (this one was fresh) for texture.

And stir into the mixture.

Pour into molds.

Freeze.

And eat!

These pops are slightly tangy, due to the yogurt, and we found them very refreshing as an afternoon pick-me-up. If you prefer something milder, however, you can always substitute milk or cream for the yogurt and take out the cinnamon. You'll end up with something like peaches 'n cream on a stick—also yummy.

where we've been (ashland, for one)

This blog has been idle for most of the summer and while there are all sorts of reasons for this, the main one has been pneumonia. It has sapped me of energy, both physical and mental; and though I'm definitely recovering, it's been hard to get back on track. The summer plans I had for cleaning out the garage, tidying up the yard, and putting up a bike shed are postponed for now; it's enough to get through the ordinary day of feeding and watering, cleaning, laundry and errands. And don't get me wrong—I'm grateful to be able to do that much.

Another thing I was glad to be able to do was take the kids back to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. I considered not going, but C offered to help drive if necessary, and I knew I had the option of sending the boys to a play by themselves if I needed to rest.

And everything turned out just fine. We rested plenty, but also walked down each evening to the Elizabethan Stage for 3 different plays. Here is the set for Loves Labour's Lost, as stitched together on my aging iPhone:

There is nothing like sitting outdoors with 1000 other people on a balmy Ashland evening, all cheering together as the flag signaling the start of the play is raised, and then becoming so immersed in the show that there's no memory of when the sun sets and the stars rise overhead.

It was only our second year in Ashland, but we already found ourselves returning to some favorite places. There was Lithia Park, which starts just behind the Festival square and has miles of wooded hiking trail.

Bloomsbury Books, an independent bookseller on Main Street, with a thoughtful selection of titles that we can't pass by.

And our favorite eatery, Dragonfly, which calls itself Latin-Asian fusion food. C made a special request for lunch in the garden here on our last day.

Oops, I have no idea how this picture got in here! Dagoba...? Is that some sort of Star Wars place?

Okay, okay, yes, we went here! Twice, if you must know. (And if you go in summer, remember to take a cooler to pack everything in for the drive home. Not that we filled a cooler, of course—just offering a friendly tip, ahem.)

Where have you been this summer? Does your family have a favorite destination with places you look forward to returning to, or do you aim for ever-new experiences?

interview on The Sattvic Family

Elizabeth at The Sattvic Family contacted me with a request to be part of her Unschooling Moms series (her husband is doing a parallel Unschooling Dads series on their blog, as well).


I met Elizabeth through Twitter, where I have been able to follow their family travels in Asia and their current life in Phuket, Thailand. Though our email interview was short and sweet, I am grateful that it gave me the chance to really explore The Sattvic Family blogsite, an incredible resource for traveling families, holistic and spiritual living and of course, unschooling.


I'm going to link to the home page, which currently has my interview up but will certainly be featuring other unschooling parents, travels, and thoughtful writings in the future. Be sure and take a look:

The Sattvic Family

Elizabeth on Twitter