When we were younger we would wait and wait for summer. School would never end, we would wait and wait for Memorial Day and we would spend the holiday in a garage, shivering and watching our Dad grill in the rain. Camp, fourth of July at Uncle Chris’s and before you knew it–it was Labor Day and those darn cicadas were singing their song and it was back to school.
Now, fast forward years, many years and we have these little kids and they LIVE for summer. They are out bell to bell, catching frogs, riding Big Wheels, swinging, sliding, spitting, skooting and dreaming…Popcicles, watermelon, ice, the hose….chalk, bubbles…you know the rest. We are usually inside until the cool of the evening sets in. We sisters are doing chores and cooking food. I take brief breaks in the summer to sit at the lake in the evening or share an ice cream cone with a brown-eyed boy or two, Amy goes with the girls to the water park for a splash before bed.
We are together in Ft D this week for our second annual Cousin Rice Ranch, (Long story–you get it or you don’t) and we are beyond the half-way gone summer day. We have played and swam and climbed and laughed and left a ring in the tub! While shopping for a fresh supply of summer treats and fun we saw it….THE BACK TO SCHOOL isle!!!
Amy is in this new house and we are trying to unpack and put it in order…dinner from the backyard grill seems the perfect choice.
Southwest (Wisconsin) Marinated Skirt Steak
Juice of 1 lime
4 cloves garlic (smash’em)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 lg pinch crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Webber TexMex seasoning
some salt and cracked black pepper too
Place your skirt steak in a ziptop bag, add your flavor fireworks and refrigerate at least 2 hours to overnight. Remove from fridge 1 hour before grilling and bring to room temperature. Under the broiler, on a grill pan or over the coals this is delicious! Grill 4 minutes each side and let it rest before slicing! Serve with rice and beans, tortillas, grilled buns, or with a baked sweet po’tater.
It has really been a great summer! Miracles, memories, marshmallows and more. Time seems to move faster now, faster than ever. We have a few more moments to celebrate summer, a few more bits of magic to make.
Go make some lemonade, eat a hot dog, catch a firefly…Time flies when you’re having fun.
Sincerely, Sara
