We said goodbye to summer today. While we have been excited to have a three day weekend, we also knew what the weekend would mean. The Summer of 2012 is behind us and now it is time to begin the countdown to the end of the year. School is back in session, football season is upon us and the weather is cooling a bit....
So, why do I have a picture of this evening's dessert? Because it represents a bit of spontaneity that summer supports. I'm lucky enough to work for our local school district and have the same schedule as our youngest son who is still at home in high school. I love that summer means to us an entire season of schedule free days. Sure we have been busy. But our days were unstructured, except for my son's summer Cross Country training, and blissful in a way that doesn't happen during the school year.
With our two college-aged kiddos home for the summer, we have had weeks of down time for of us that usually go full speed ahead during the school year.....a mention here, and a shout out, would have to go to my husband and oldest son. They are year rounders and I'm so sorry they can't enjoy the summers the way we can. My husband is in the military and my oldest son is a full-fledged member of the corporate world. Their weekends of summer have to get them through the season.
Oh, yes, I digress! Back to the strawberry shortcake. We were in the store today to pick up some organic strawberries for my husband's weekly lunches and my daughter's morning fruit bowl. The strawberries looked just like the delicious first berries we see here in Southern California in mid-May. They were pretty much irresistible. My husband lamented that it had been ages since he'd had a homemade strawberry shortcake. I agreed and we went on our way. Then, I make an about face, marched back to the refrigerated section of the store, and bought more strawberries. I then stopped by the dairy section to pick up some organic whipping cream. You should have seen the look on my husband's face. He knew exactly what he would be having for dessert this evening. I loved that look. It was almost childlike. I wanted to kick myself for delaying that expression. I could have, and should have, been making strawberry shortcake every week this summer.
The strawberries will get less sweet as the end of the year approaches and we will not be making scrumptious shortcakes. However, on this last unofficial evening of summer, I rolled with the punches, was spontaneous for one last time (I usually plan each morsel we eat in advance during the school year) and fixed the best shortcake of the century....if I do say so myself.
So, here's to the end of summer. I hope you all have enjoyed yours as we have ours. And may all your strawberry shortcakes be scrumptious ~ in summer-time and beyond!
