It happens every August. My friend Kate and I escape to my cottage for a week and enjoy what we call "Art Camp." Every day we paint (or draw or create whatever we're into at the time). Kate works on her annual calendar; I just do whatever I feel like, though I always try something new, too.
But it's not all art! More on that next time! This is about the fun and the food! Our days are filled not only with art but with books, walks, swimming, market-visiting, Lizzie, and yes, good summer food!
Oh, and we have never ending talks, too! And walks and swims as well!
We're seeing changes at the lake -- the goldenrod has arrived in force, spreading it's glorious golden bounty along our walking path.
And the Queen Anne's lace is slowly saying farewell.
After a good walk, we might feel like a fun, easy dinner. How about shrimp cocktail, caprese salad, crackers and cheese and other snacks!
The weather was remarkable -- every day was sunny and the temps were in the mid-80s. When the afternoon sun hit the beach, we hit the water. I'd do my swim and then we'd hop on our floaties. After that, you're ready for dinner (again!). A quiche with fresh corn and another caprese salad!
A visit to the farmer's market is always a good thing! Kate introduced me to kohlrabi, which is my new favorite cold snack. There were fabulous peaches and wonderful sweet corn. And Kate found more than a few jams to bring home to Mike!
With all that corn, we had to revisit my new favorite recipe -- broiled sheet pan shrimp "boil" (no boiling required.)
Lizzie, the Catnip Queen, was happy as a clam, too.
We enjoyed a lot of corn, caprese salad, tons of fruit and salads. But we also took a night and went to favorite restaurant, Bennethum's Northern Inn, for their happy hour (which was really dinner with fabulous appetizers!)
We toasted to my birthday with their half-price wine offerings as we sat outside under a lovely umbrella, far enough from other diners to feel comfortable.
Even Bennethum's seemed to know about my birthday. Someone has a big mouth!
Evenings reading on the porch were lovely too, with beautiful sunsets.
And even after the sun was down, it was still so quiet, peaceful and beautiful.
Life is good!
(More to come!)
Sharing with: Tuesday Turn About / Share Your Style / Pink Saturday / Love Your Creativity / Happiness is Homemade / Tuesday Turn About
Lizzie loves that catnip. :) It's nice they left a lovely note for your birthday, how lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a fabulous time! That corn looks so good!
ReplyDeleteSquiggles hates catnip, but Bleubeard acts like a kitten around it. I must bring my plant inside during the winter to see if Squiggles will warm up to it.
ReplyDeleteYou are eating a ton of great food. You have made me hungry, too. Sounds like art camp is going great!! Glad you are having such a great time.
Oh, Jeanie, that all looks like what dreams are made of. What a lovely time you must have had. Eating out in a scene like that makes eating out seem possible. I wish there was a place around here that could make me feel that way. I miss my friends so much but we can't even go out to lunch outside because of the smoke. Lizzie does look like she is in heaven. Such a cutie pie. Continue on enjoying your time at the lake and Happy Tuesday..xxoJudy
ReplyDeleteThat all looks wonderful. The photo of Lizzie licking her nose is fabulous.
ReplyDeletebest... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Jeanie, you and your friend have had a wonderful time doing all the things that bring you joy, and us too for seeing your photos and reading about time at the cottage. I am a bit late in blog reading this week as we were away on our own getaway in NH and VT to celebrate our anniversary.
ReplyDeleteThe food looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful place to be and what wonderful times. Glad your birthday got the attention it deserved:)
I think the lake atmosphere is a good place to be. That's how I feel about mountain living. What a wonderful meal you had, and isn't that nice that they mentioned your birthday there? Sometimes just appetizers makes a meal. The farmer's market looks nice, especially that jam section. We just had a small one downtown recently too. The art work you're doing with your friend, all the lovely flowers coming out, and those beautiful sunsets - these are all part of the special time you spend at the lake. I hope you will always continue to have visits there, Jeanie.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
ps.....love that photo of Lizzie by the green pot. It's so cute.
I love art camp and wish I could attend. Good friend, good food, good time. Looking forward to the art.
ReplyDeleteA visit to the farmer's market - a place filled with smells, colors and
ReplyDeleteshapes, offering great products for reasonable prices - that's always a joy and an adventure.
Kohlrabi is my favorite raw veggie! Love them. We had some grilled shrimp, corn on the cob seasoned in cajun seasoning the other day. Yours looked delish too! Janice
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous tradition you and Kate have. I love the idea of art week and it not being a stressful art week. It all sounds good. Caprese salad is on my menu tonight. This week sounds like what you think of summer being. Sounds wonderful Jeanie. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteThat is so lovely! I really enjoyed the blogpost. it looks so normal!
ReplyDeleteEverything looks fantastic. I love Farmer's markets. The food looks so delicious and what a treat to gather outside with friends.
ReplyDeleteAh -- best friends make for the best times! So glad to see you enjoying your art days and lakeside sunsets... And you caught a great expression on Lizzie's face -- she looks mighty happy, too!
ReplyDeleteHow very special, Jeanie, to share the last bits of summer with a friend! The food looks wonderful as does the lake for the love of art and friends. So nice to continue your birthday celebration.
ReplyDeleteIt all looks absolutely wonderful! I love caprese salad. Please tell me what to do with kohlrabi. I have no clue. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteSounds like you've been having a good time. Love the pics of Lizzie! Hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post
ReplyDeleteHello, Jeanie
ReplyDeleteWhat a great week, a fun time with your friend and Lizzie. Your painting is pretty and I always love the wildflowers. Your food does look delicious and Lizzie loves her new plant. Gorgeous sunset! Have a great day!
All I can say is that you really know how to live. Can you even imagine what it would be like for a refugee from Syria or Iran to witness one of your days?
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful great friendship!!And a belated very happy birthday!!
ReplyDeleteJust seeing that art photo was enough to make me want to climb into my car, drive halfway across the country, and join you! The food is an added bonus.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful friendships are one of life’s great blessings. What a fabulous week that you both had…painting, swimming, reading, and eating! That sounds just about perfect!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely time with a dear friend! I treasure such moments, too. I love your food, all of it.
ReplyDeleteGood times!
ReplyDeleteI love the shot of Lizzie at the end.
LOVE your painting..it would make the cutest greeting card! You have been having a great time lately, and I've enjoyed reading about your adventures.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely delightful!
ReplyDeleteWhat a happy Happy Birthday celebration! All that food looks delicious, and now I want corn :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like you're having such a terrific time! And eating quite well, too! LOL (Shrimp and corn - perfect summer foods!)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the bounty of your artistic endeavors! Enjoy the rest of your art camp!
This sounds and looks just heavenly! Love to see what you both created. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tradition. And art! The best thing to do with your time. Well, actually art, food, fun, talks and a good friend are the best. Love it. Yep, I could tell the other day that the fall pollen is arriving and make some days not so much fun. haha....but I will be so glad to not have to cut or in this case, have the yard cut. Oh well...looks like y ou had a great time and I am so happy for you. I would love to do something like that with friends.
ReplyDeleteLooks like so much fun. I’m glad you are enjoying. Have a beautiful day my friend. Hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteyes, life is good and you know how to make it even better. love your pics and art adventures post. hugs.
ReplyDeleteEvery year your post from the lake and art camp captures my heart. How I would love this. All your food sounds amazing too. Visiting the farm stand and dinner out, plus swimming in the lake just add to the delight and charm of the week.
ReplyDeleteWith a post like this you can expect about 80 more of us for Art Camp next year.
ReplyDeleteArt camp. I love it. That's got to be all sorts of fun and very motivating having a bud with you.
ReplyDeleteHello, Jeanie. Looks like a fabulous week you both enjoyed. To me, it couldn't have been better. Enjoying a great friendship, doing something you both love, and great food. All in knowing Queen Lizzie was happy!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an amazing week! There is nothing better than quality time with a girlfriend, doing the things you love!
ReplyDeleteWhat a perfect place and way to enjoy a week with a friend.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a wonderful time. I would love art camp. All of those things are my favorite. I may just have to design art camp for me and a friend.
ReplyDeleteWhat a vacation!! You both look radiant with all the rest, relaxation, creativity and friendship -- oh, and the good food and wine ;-)
ReplyDeleteJeanie,
ReplyDeleteWOW!! what a wonderful place to wile away your summer days!! Just beautiful!!
It is still stinking hot herewith temps. in the 90's and high humidity...I am stuck in the house so I have been crafting up a storm because it is too hot to do anything else!!
Thanks so much for all your visits and kind words!!
Stay safe, healthy and happy!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Wonderful time with delicious food, and good swim and beautiful photos, Happy belated birthday.
ReplyDeleteReally. This sounds like paradise! Oh, lucky you!
ReplyDeleteYou have me awwww-ing here with no end! And I´m getting hungry, too!
You didn´t know Kohlrabi??? LOL. Ingo always adds parsley and a knob of butter when cooked. And potatoes. But yummy raw, also.
Ohhh, and Lizzie! And you look so happy! Nice birthday sign, too! Cheers!
Oh, and the lake-pic with the sunset.
Waiting for more! :-)
Cat is very lovely ♥
ReplyDeleteOh I know you look forward to this week! It is always fun to get-away with a good friend. Your fun packed week sounds marvelous and I see the food was delicious as well. I would have to detour on the walk with the golden rod, allergy season already. Enjoy these last days of summer............
ReplyDeleteOh, art camp!! that sounds lovely! I took myself to a solo art camp...which is to say, I just dedicated a week at home to being arty...and it was lovely. Still, having company and all of that lovely food would have been a definite bonus!! xo
ReplyDeleteI smiled at the comments about goldenrod allergies. Goldenrod pollen doesn't affect people at all -- it's the nearly invisible ragweed that causes the problems. It blooms at the same time, but no one notices it because it's such a 'bland' plant.
ReplyDeleteYou certainly didn't have a bland week! Belated happy birthday. My poor, heat-fried brain is barely functioning at this point. All I want is some weather cool enough for our goldenrod to start blooming!
Of course, those of us who know your yearly schedule are really paying attention now. If Art Camp has arrived, can halloween/thanksgiving/christmas be far behind?
What a fun and special time! Art, swimming, talking, eating, total heaven!
ReplyDeleteJenna
So wonderful to spend time with your friends at Art Camp and enjoying meals together.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday Jeanie, I'm quite behind with blog reading.
Truly, that is the essence of Life is Good!
ReplyDeleteThat Lizzie loves her catnip:)
ReplyDeleteLook at all the people who love you . . .
ReplyDeleteI know no other blogger that has this many followers/friends.
And how wonderful to have your dear friend with you for Paint Camp.
You are a joy . . .
Sounds like art camp was fantastically fun for all three of you (three because I'm including Lizzie).
ReplyDelete"Life is good"
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is!
Fabulous post, joy and happiness shines through.
I just happen to have a glass of wine, so I will say 'Cheers and good health'
All the best Jan
Sounds really idyllic...time to really enjoy the good things in life.
ReplyDeleteWhat a spectacular tradition! Female friendships are sooo important and so worth investing in. I look forward to a time when I can do something similar. I used to do running trips with girlfriends but those are on a grand pause until we are out of the little kid stage of life. I do hope to get away with my blog friends in 2022, though! Hopefully we can make that happen.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try the seafood ‘boil’. That looks like something we would love. I need to do that while corn is in season!!