Vintage bikes at the beach and baked oysters

summer isn't summer without water....A deep blue lake, a sweet creek strewn with boulders, a waterfall and tropical pool, a day at the seashore...or even a crazy day with kids at the local Water Park!
We took our bikes, the vintage Schwinns, to the Pacific ocean. Where the sand is packed it's pretty easy to ride, even with skinny street tires.

On Washington's beaches you can drive your car ! I think that is stupid-weird.


Here's a fantastic site, Sheldon Brown dot com, where you can learn all you need to know about vintage bikes.  Sheldon Brown was a joy and a delight, and he was an early proponent of fixed-gear, single-speed bicycles for ordinary street use.

since we were at the saltwater we bought oysters and baked them with wine, garlic, and butter, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Perfection. They taste like the ocean....the result...is just below...

my bike. I love her !
When I stand at the edge of the continent...where the saltwater meets the dry earth, I am moved by deep emotion. I hear ancient sounds just as they have been heard since the beginning of time. I never tire of the ocean. I never get jaded. I always feel small.

 Back home in the Winnebago kitchen......$5.00 Turning Leaf Napa Valley wine.....and ....
right now, I'm also baking some corn muffins....I've been using Jiffy mixes for um, decades. Oh sure, there is no problem to mix up with a simple recipe, but I'm on vacation....

 ********* Fresh oysters, baked to perfection. ***********

Here's another favorite Baked Oysters recipe we love too, when we have a bit more energy. After riding bikes around town and on the sand, I took a nap....that, a nap, is a very rare occurrence for me.
I hope you're enjoying your summer! I'm out there soaking up the sunshine, and feeling very blessed.
Do you have special plans for the hot weather? Are there activities you save for summer?

BAKED OYSTERS

Allow 9 oysters per person. Butter ramekins, sprinkle with Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Dip oysters in olive oil (pure) into which garlic has been pressed. Over 1st layer (5 oysters) sprinkle bread crumbs. Repeat process.Melt 1 stick of butter for every 4 servings. Add 1 tablespoon Lea & Perrin, juice of 1 lemon. Pour evenly over each dish. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with spaghetti and garlic/butter sauce.

If you want to know more about keeping our oceans clean....I have a lot of links below the pretty picture of the Pacific Ocean....

"The Environmental Defense Fund’s mission is to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends.

Guided by science and economics, we find practical and lasting solutions to the most serious environmental problems.

What distinguishes Environmental Defense Fund is the combination of what we protect and how we protect it.
We work to solve the most critical environmental problems facing the planet. This has drawn us to areas that span the biosphere: climate, oceans, ecosystems and health."


All the Rich Republican Romney money in the world can never replace or out-do the simple pleasures of fresh food. NO Thanks to Republicans, do we have laws that attempt to keep our shores clean, keep our oceans clean...and protect our seafood industry all along the American coastlines. 
The EPA, the Environmental Defense Fund....all fight for clean water and clean oceans against Big Oil, The Koch Bros, and all multinational corporations that want to rape the world for short term profit. 


 If it were all left up to them, they'd allow all pollutants to flow into the waters...because that would increase their profits. Republicans only think of the short term and never...about the children of the future. Leaving a planet that is clean and healthy is the most loving gift. Romney's children will be left money. Just money. That is so sad.