The Binker Files: Summer Solstice

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Quotes

Actual happiness looks pretty squalid in comparison with the overcompensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn’t nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand. - Aldous Huxley, Brave New World
Education
"Must we always teach our children with books? Let them look at the stars and the mountains above. Let them look at the waters and the trees and flowers on Earth. Then they will begin to think, and to think is the beginning of a real education." -David Polis
"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it... but by sitting still, and the more one sits still, the closer one becomes to feeling ill... Thus if one just keeps walking, everything will be all right." -Soren Kierckgaard
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. - Albert Camus
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. Annie Dillard

June 21, 2010

Summer Solstice

To celebrate the first day of summer, the boys and I harnessed the power of the sun.

We built a solar oven and cooked our lunch outdoors under the bright sun and blue sky on this hot day that definitely felt like summer. Our little oven worked great and in almost no time at all, we were enjoying a picnic lunch together in the shade of the garden.

I give credit to Silas for this lunch, when I asked him how he wanted to do on the solstice, he said "let's make solar bread". I thought he meant that we should bake something in a solar oven and jumped right on it, but didn't find out until much later that I had misunderstood him, he actually said "let's make a celebration". So, our ideas came together and we had a solar celebration which was very nice.

Happy Solstice! Here's to a magical and memorable summer!

Posted at 05:46 PM in In The Kitchen, Learning All The Time | Permalink

Comments

Yum! You guys sure made me hungry for pizza. What a great idea. Maybe Mom could explain exactly how the oven worked. Levi, I love your shirt. Silas, great hat, is that the hat you wear for fly fishing? Happy Summer to you too!

Posted by: Nana | June 21, 2010 at 10:15 PM

Good grief - brilliant - did it really heat up the food?

Posted by: Gwynneth Beasley | June 21, 2010 at 11:30 PM

Yes, Gwynneth, it really worked! I didnt have a thermometer, but will get one for the next meal we cook in the oven, Id love to know what temperature it reached.

Posted by: Michelle | June 22, 2010 at 05:13 PM

I attended my first ever solstice celebration -- what a great way to welcome summer by spending the evening outside in nature on the longest day of the year. I wondered how you guys were celebrating as you always do something special for the solstices. I'm so impressed with the pizzas.

Posted by: Aunt Suz | June 23, 2010 at 11:40 PM

Thanks Suz! Happy summer! Hope you had a great time at your celebration.

Posted by: Michelle | June 24, 2010 at 10:48 AM