Summer has officially arrived at the Goofin’ Off house, bringing with it a flood of childhood summer memories. Although this spring brought a few challenges, I feel a goofy hope and resilience in the air. This summer holds particular significance as my little sister begins her brave battle against an aggressive form of breast cancer. Last week marked the beginning of her chemotherapy treatment, and while the road ahead may be long, I stand strong with her. Our shared childhood room and countless cherished summer memories continue to inspire me with positivity and love.
- Goofin’ Off’s Childhood Summer Nostalgic Foods
- The Summer Flowers Have Begun Blooming
- Update on Mickey and Pirate Friends Cross Stitch
- Newest Free Cross Stitch Designs from Goofin’ Off Around the Block
- Linking Up With:
Goofin’ Off’s Childhood Summer Nostalgic Foods
There are three foods that instantly transport me back to the carefree days of my summer childhood: homemade chocolate chip cookies, Popsicles, and berry pies.
Chocolate chip cookies always take me back to the good old days of family road trips. Picture this: my parents herding five energetic kids into the family station wagon — before seat belts were a thing. My younger sister and I were banished to very back of the station wagon, which conveniently also doubled as the storage unit for mom’s precious cookie stash. Let’s just say a cookie or two or twelve may have mysteriously disappeared along the way. But hey, my lips are sealed (in cookie crumbs)!
The sight of popsicles takes me back to the carefree days of playing with the kids in the cul-de-sac. We always had a crowd playing hide-and-seek, kick the can, or Red Rover. But when the distant melody of the popsicle truck reached our ears, it triggered a hilarious stampede home. There, we’d attempt to sweet-talk our parents into forking over cash for a refreshing treat. It was a wild crapshoot waiting to find out whose parents might cave and treat their kid to a popsicle on any given day.
Oh, and let’s not forget the berry pies. My parents were obsessed with berries: blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries… You name it, we grew it. We’d spend countless mornings out in the garden picking berries, with the strict rule that we couldn’t go play with the neighbor kids until all the ripe berries were picked. And, oh boy, that meant my mom dedicated a chunk of her summer to making berry jellies and baking fresh berry pies. I can still remember walking in the front door to the sweet smell of berries being cooked on the stove before being poured into the jelly jars. My mom was a real berry pie star, that’s for sure!
Question: Which foods, when you eat them, transport you to your childhood? (Let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you!)
The Summer Flowers Have Begun Blooming
Mr. Goofin’ Off and I have been eagerly waiting to see which plants will decide to grace our yard at the new home. There have been some real duds, and we’ve swiftly escorted them off the premises. As for the stars of our garden, we took matters into our own hands and planted a couple of charming rose bushes and a bunch of petunias. Apart from that, it’s just a matter of playing the waiting game.
Here’s a glimpse of the latest floral display out in our backyard by the golf course. I’m so smitten with these beauties that I might just have to expand the collection. I say “I”, but let’s be real, it’s Mr. Goofin’ Off who’s really diving into the gardening. I’m glad he finds more joy in yard work than I do. It’s turned into a peaceful spot to unwind after a long day of work.
Update on Mickey and Pirate Friends Cross Stitch
I was so close to finishing the pattern page for this blog post, but it seems like it’s playing hard to get. Donald’s face is slowly popping up, which is keeping me entertained. Anyway, here’s the latest update on “Mickey and Pirate Friends” – stay tuned for more adventures and mishaps!
Newest Free Cross Stitch Designs from Goofin’ Off Around the Block
The end of May and first part of June were crazy with work, so I didn’t get as much designing and stitching time in. However, I should be hitting a mid-summer lull soon. That will mean more time for creating patterns and stitching on my own projects until the fall hits and work picks up and I’m working long weeks again.
Enjoy the fun designs and don’t forget to spread the word and share the website pages (not the patterns) with anyone you think would enjoy them. Happy stitching!
Remember: Let me know in the comments what summer foods transport you to your childhood? I’d love to know…and happy stitching!
Goofin Off Around the Block 