James, like lots of kids, is super savvy when he gets his paws on an iPhone. I put on lock screen passwords only for him to follow my keystrokes with his quick little eyes, and before I know it there are scads of selfies in my photo reel, and my Spotify is loaded with Queen power ballads. When I opened my music the other day, I noticed he had been playing little kid music, like the kind of songs you find in a Music Together class you take them to when they are tiny. We were in the car, and this song “It’s A Big World” by Renee and Jeremy came on, and I could hear James’s small voice singing along. The lyrics go like this:
it’s a big world baby and you’re little for a little while
it’s a big world baby you can fiddle in your own style
it’s a big sun
it’s a big tree
it’s a big boat
it’s a big sea
it’s a big dog
it’s a big plane
it’s a big cloud
with a little bit of rain
it’s a big world baby and you’re little for a little while
it’s a big world baby you can fiddle in your own style
it’s a big house
it’s big chair
it’s a big zoo
it’s a big bear
it’s a big street
it’s a big carit’s a big sky
with pretty little stars
it’s a big world baby and you’re little for a little while
it’s a big world baby you can fiddle in your own style
The sweetness brought tears to my eyes… It’s a big world baby and you’re little for a little while. Maybe it’s the fear of the unknown of the school year, or just my sensitive heart strings, but it was a powerful reminder to live in this moment. And let them be little.
James will start first grade this week which feels like such a big deal! I can still remember my first grade teacher and the smocked dress I wore for picture day. Even though this school year will not at all look like what we wanted, I am going to try to focus on the little moments like when I spy James outside building “caterpillar houses.” The passage of time can bring on pangs of loss knowing that things will never be quite the same. Like when you give away a tiny coat that they no longer fit into or pack up the baby toys that they used to paw with their clumsy little hands. All of it reminds me of how precious time is and how the only guarantee is change. I’m working on embracing that.
Wow, aren’t you glad you decided to open this newsletter today?! Geez… how about a little punch recipe to help us along this first week of school? Especially for those of you doing this all fully remotely, this is for you.
I found this little gem in one of the many southern Junior League cookbooks in my mother’s collection. You may be inclined to wave off these books as tomes written by bored southern housewives, but I assure you they are chock full of useful recipes and tales of gumption and ingenuity.
The Velvet Hammer
recipe from the Cotton Country Collection from the Junior Charity League of Monroe, Louisiana,
copyright 1972.
1, 10 oz. package of frozen strawberries or peaches (Honestly, use fresh if you have on hand)
1 cup light rum
Juice of 2 lemons
Crushed ice
Put strawberries (or peaches), rum, and lemon juice in a blender or a few seconds. Add one tray of ice to fill blender. Blend until mixture is icy. Pour into daiquiri glasses. Garnish with lemon wheel. Makes 6-8 drinks.
(I’m willing to bet Mrs. Elton Upshaw, Jr. had a grand time with these!)
In the spirit to hanging on to the moment, I am grabbing up every last tomato from our garden or farmer’s market. Also, in recognition of the fact that working/ schooling parents may be about to be short on time, here is a tasty and quick sheet pan supper.
Sheet Pan Baked Feta with Broccolini, Tomatoes, and Lemon
Adapted from a recipe by Yasmin Fahr for the New York Times
1 bunch broccolini, ends trimmed, thick stalks split length-wise (I have also subbed in eggplant and zucchini)
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small red onion, peeled and cut into thin 1/4 “strips
1 lemon, 1/2 cut into thick rounds and the remaining 1/2 left for serving
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (use less or omit if this scares you)
Salt and pepper
1 6-8oz. block of feta, cut into 1 slices
Cooked orzo for serving
1/2 cup fresh basil or parsley, roughly chopped
Heat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the lower third of the oven. On a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, combine the broccolini, tomatoes, onion and lemon slices with the olive oil and toss. Add cumin and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper and toss again until evenly coated. Nestle the feta slices into the vegetables. Don’t worry if the feta breaks apart a little bit.
Roast 15-20 minutes, stirring halfway through but leaving the feta in place until the broccolini is charred at the tips, and the stems are easily pierced with a fork and the tomato skins blister and begin to break down.
Serve over orzo. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Top with fresh herbs. Voila!
Lastly, I will leave you with this story of awesomely fun grandparents in Japan who recreated a life size Totoro cartoon bus stop for their grandkids. These are folks who are going after the moment with their grandkids.
In case you are interested in what I am listening to, rather than James’s Kids Bop, this new album by Lianne La Havas has been on heavy rotation. I’m a huge fan of the London based singer-songwriter-guitarist, and this is her first album in five years. It was worth the wait… the lead song Bittersweet feels perfect for this month.
Hold on to your little people, or your tomatoes.
xo,
Laura
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