I think that "The Dog Days" of summer are here.  Although we  have had much rain, it still has been very hot.  If you do not get things outside done early in the morning, it becomes too hot to do our chores in the afternoon and early evening.  So just adjust to doing as little as you need to and wait till the temperatures cool down.  

 

I have made a couple of trips to the garden and came back with a mess of Swiss chard, a couple of tomatoes, a cucumber and several peppers.  I fixed the chard with peppers in olive oil and garlic,  I had my first fresh tomato salad with onions and basil and ate my fresh cucumber fixed in vinegar, oil and garlic,  Who needs meat when you have all these wonderful fresh vegetables? 

 

My wonderful neighbor JoEllen and my daughter, Leslie, brought us our first taste of fresh tiaella.  Both were made different, but both were delicious.  I have also been frying some zucchini and serving it with honey mustard dip. What a wonderful and nutritious snack that makes.

I want to call your attention to a new book out; "Spaghetti and Meatballs, Growing Up Italian", by Diana Pishner Walker.  Diana is the daughter of the late Annie and Louis Pishner who were good friends of mine for many,many years.  Diana's first book, "I Do Not Want To Sit In The First Row Any More", refers to her father and mother and their funerals. Unlike the first book, this book is a personal memory lesson of what it was like to grow up Italian in the hills of North Central West Virginia. This book will add to the understanding of the Italian Culture in West Virginia. It will  stir a lot of memories in all of us who shared this same Italian heritage and all its customs.  Pick up a copy to read on one of these hot summer days.

Diana and her husband Mark have three children and two grandchildren.  They reside in Fairmont.

July should be all of our favorite month.  It is National Baked Bean;  Pickle;  Ice Cream, Hot Dog;  and Picnic Month.  Who does not like all of these and some times at the same time?  July 15th was National Ice Cream Day.  The average American eats about 15 quarts of ice cream a year.   There are over 200 flavors of ice cream and the most popular is vanilla followed by chocolate and strawberry.  I mentioned to you in an earlier column about the 50-cent cone of vanilla ice cream that you can get at McDonald's.  It is great and has a wonderful vanilla flavor.  It is just enough to quench your taste.  Dave and I seem to get one about every evening.

I know that July is the month that most families go on vacation so if you are planning one, please be careful.  My neighbor Janna Crowley, who is a teacher, just advised me that school will be starting in about 20 days.  Seems impossible.

Take care, be safe and until  next week "Now You Have Heard It Through The Grapevine."

 

Editor's Note: Photo by Dairy Dream.