Summer Style in Late July

Norman Rockwell

The water is warm. I only exclaim once going in. I put this sauce together this morning (using my garden's basil and oregano!) and my hands smell of garlic. I don't remember the last time I prepared pasta. There are good garden treasures to prepare with pasta during the summer. I just finished roasting my fifth large zucchini that Gloria gave me from her sister's garden, which I ate alone or in a salad. I have six ears of corn in my vegetable drawer.

I finished my jar of apricot jam this morning on seedy toast. Apricot jam is my preferred jam. We grew up on strawberry freezer jam. It can't be beat. My father spread it on waffles instead of syrup. I adore the sweetened tartness of the apricot. It never disappoints. Homemade jam is a superb gift. I don't make jam because of the alarming amount of sugar. I would rather not know.

Yesterday at the beach I finished a very exciting book about art crime. The author recovered stolen Norman Rockwells in Brazil, investigated the Gardner theft (the single largest property theft in recorded history, valued at $500 million), and taught me about golden eagle feathers in Native American art and that there are 14 original Bills of Rights. Along with the expected stolen masterpieces from Rembrandt and the usual host of French artists, it is a satisfying read.