Quintessentially Summer

Nothing says summer like CORN DAY.

Every year, one day in July, my husband's cousin or uncle or aunt (usually a pair of them will go) will go to the corn farmer early in the morning, buy bags of corn (and watermelon and cantaloupe), bring them home and we will prepare them and put them up.  This is my fourth year of doing it.  I definitely feel like summer isn't summer without this "rite."

During corn day, we spend the day under the car port -- cleaning, shucking, cutting and then bagging the corn up to be frozen. It is a lot of work. Often times, sticky. However, there's something very special about this communal event.  The cousins run around playing with each other, having a fun time. They swim. They eat. They chase each other. The adults visit with one another, talking about politics, religion, about someone's garden, and everything under the sun, and yet remained very productive.  It is an experience like no other.  However, it is work well-worth it because, in the dead of the winter, nothing tastes better than the summer corn you put up in July.

Growing up in Singapore, we don't have summer (since, it pretty much feels like summer all year round).  However, break from school in June, isn't technically a break from school. June means morning or half day classes at school. Afternoons at home. No school-night hours. Doing mandatory book reviews for school.  Trips to museums.  We didn't have corn day. Or pick blackberries and peaches day. We didn't have watermelon/peach/tomato festival. Growing up in the city was quite different. A different kind of fun.

These are the memories the kids will remember when they are grown. These are the tales I want my child to tell his children when he is grown. I want him to remember the carefree summer days as well as how much work we do during the summer to keep the garden growing and to keep food put up for the winter.

In terms of my eating, needless to say, I didn't adhere to my 2 carb container ration today. You can't put up corn without eating fresh corn. (By the way, the raw corn niblets and the creamy juice it leaves behind are the BEST!!)  But it is ok. I have learned to swap things or cut out things to make it work and roll with it. It is a lifestyle change. It is being flexible, living a life, and still staying on track.