far away friends

do you know how it is when you see old friends and start talking like absolutely no time has passed?  how conversations range over all sorts of topics, how the children wander in and out and eat and laugh and play?  that’s how it was when our friends stopped by.  and the best part was that when they left, i kept thinking of things to share with them.  the conversation kept going.

for Clara who is reading Omnivore’s Dilemma…news of another Clara and her reading (from Meagan and Tonia).

for Jess who is dubious of apps…Melissa and all she does of a day with her phone.

for Eliza who liked the peppermint marshmallows even though they were quite spicy…this is a great recipe; so easy!  a few changes that i made: used greased wax paper instead of plastic wrap to line the pan–it worked fine.  and the recipe says that peppermint oil can be substituted for peppermint extract.  i think that’s a mistake.  it’s really much stronger.  i’d start with a quarter to a third of a teaspoon if you are using oil.  this recipe comes from a collection of Christmas posts by Elizabeth Foss.

and one more picture of the children reading (Richard Scarry, who else?) together.  can you see M on the edge of the frame?  yes, i wasn’t the only one who had a good time.