The August chill arrived this week. It surprises me every year. We’ll be walking through the field after dinner, and where once was all warmth, there are cold pockets of air. It’s like the cold places in a lake, defined by their edges until the warmth starts up again. The feeling of this localized chill on my skin makes me think about backpacks and lunch boxes and how again I’ve put off scheduling the girl’s yearly school physicals. When I was little, the chill would make me crave apple pies and the rows of school supplies at Kmart, and I still feel those things, too.
August is my favorite month in the Berkshires. When I lived in Santa Fe, August was all about daily downpours and forest fires. I loved the desert, but at night, I’d have dreams about the patterned green of August at home, the smell of rivers, and the shaded places to lie down and look through the layers of leaves for the sun.
There are all sorts of fancy things to do here in the summer. You could spend your life savings on a season of concert tickets and farm to table dinners and it wouldn’t be a bad way to go. But I have to admit, that’s not my Berkshires.
Last week, Joey, Rosie and Maia went up to Mt. Washington and picked 10 pounds of blueberries at Blueberry Hill. $2.50 a pound if you pick 10 pounds, organic, and the place itself is so beautiful, you just want to toss the whole view in sugar and put it into a pie. I heard it’s a good year, and they should have berries all the way through August.
On most Saturday mornings at Tanglewood, you can go and listen to the rehearsal for the next day’s performance. It’s $10 bucks for adults and kids get in free. Bring a cake, a thermos of coffee, and a good picnic blanket. This past weekend, we met up with friends, and we lay in the sun and tried to explain to the kids how cool it was that they were really listening to Yo-Yo Ma, live and really truly.
That day, we took our friends to No. Six Depot, and after sending them off on the Mass Pike, we headed home to make dinner. Before the light disappeared entirely, Joey pulled me through the yard, the field beyond, and down to the river. We dunked in the cold cold water and sat on the rocky bank and drank the last quarter of a bottle of rose. And even though we been to the river hundreds of times in the last decade, I thought about the first time I’d ever been there. My friend, Kelly, wanted to show me her favorite swimming spot, and once we got there, I plopped Sadie on the rocky bank. She picked up river stones over and over for at least an hour, dropping them back into the water that tickled her toes. She was maybe fourteen months old and not walking yet, totally content to sit with her rocks. Heading back up the hill afterwards, Sadie strapped to me, I huffed and puffed and sweated my way through the walk. It turned out I was just a few weeks pregnant. Later that summer when my belly was more obvious, we found our house. We walked through the little rooms and out into the expanse of yard that looked out onto the field. And then we told the real estate agent we’d be in touch, and we all walked through the field and down to the river–my mother, stepfather, Maia, Joey, little Sadie (still not walking but talking up a storm instead), and me. This will be in our backyard, we said.
And more Berkshires? Free concerts at Jacob’s Pillow, with the mountains behind the dancers. Museum passes available to all who have a MA library card. (Just call ahead!) Or just get in the car and drive down some road, any road. Along the side, the conductor seems to point to each wild flower on a different week, saying BLOOM! That flower plays his tune and covers the world in purple, blue, or orange before going to straggly seed and letting another have his turn.
I promise I’ll make more of a Berkshire guide on of these days, but until then, this will have to do. But if you’re here, feel free to drop me a note. We’re always looking for an excuse to have a drink on the back porch. (Or, if it’s the day for it, a popsicle.)
Before we get to the recipe, I have a little giveaway today. My friends Molly and Aurel of Moho Designs have started a new venture called Berkshire Four Poster. Each season, they’re bring out a new poster for the Berkshires, and a year’s subscription gives you all four hand printed posters. The posters are so beautiful, and so far, Molly and Aurel have distilled exactly what I love about each season into a single image. This is the summer poster:
They’ve offered to send one lucky winner a summer poster. The paper is thick and wonderful, and the posters look fantastic on the wall either as a series or on their own. (More info about subscribing is here.) To enter to win the summer poster, let me know how it’s going over there with your summer. What’s your favorite thing so far? Or what are you still trying to squeeze in? I’ll choose the winner on August 14.
And now, before the chill takes over entirely, it’s popsicle time.
Blueberry Lavender Popsicles
Makes 10 large pops, plus a little more
These are densely fruity, super creamy, and not shy about the lavender at all. It uses the simple syrup method from one of my favorite summer cookbooks, People’s Pops. Because everyone has a different pop mold, I’ve created this recipe to likely make more than you need. If you have extra, just freeze it separately and shave it like granita.
1 cup lavender syrup (recipe follows)
1 cup buttermilk
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I prefer frozen, but no need to freeze if all you have is fresh)
Combine the syrup, buttermilk, and blueberries in a blender. Blend until smooth, and then spoon into your pop molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours before eating.
Lavender Syrup
Makes about 3 1/2 cups. You can add it to lemonade, cocktails, whipped cream, really anything.
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup dried lavender flowers
Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat a bit, and let it bubble away for a few minutes. Remove from heat, add the lavender, and cover. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Strain the lavender, and store the syrup in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Occasionally I teach workshops, and I have one coming up this fall. Join me and stellar novelist 
Ahh. yes. Summer in the Berkshires is my favorite, too, even despite the extra, um, traffic. We are hoping to get to Jacob’s Pillow this week or next with our tiny dancer. She’ll love it (last year attention span wasn’t long enough). She’ll certainly have to get on stage after the show and try it out herself!
The summer has gone so quickly! I can’t believe it’s already August! The summer was great, though. My parents came out to visit, as did my sister and brother-in-law with my adorable nephew. Now I’m counting down until our beach vacation in September.
Last summer with a 1-year-old and a 3-1/2-year-old was…challenging. Um, yeah. But this summer has been a Summer! Now my two kids love playing with each other and have taken post-rain splashy puddle walks, run through the sprinkler, shared peach cake (surprisingly well!), and run around the house shirtless, giggling and galloping. Plenty of craziness still hanging around, and the extra light makes bedtimes nuts! But tired as I am, I’m sorry to see to see the days getting a little shorter already.
Oh you remind me. I miss August and even September in the Berkshires.
These Popsicles look so good! So you think soy milk would work as a substitute for buttermilk? My baby has a dairy allergy so I’ve had to say goodbye to my favorite food group for awhile. 🙂
As for this summer- having a newborn and a two year old has made it fly by! Getting to know our littlest guy and figuring out his personality has been such fun! Watching his big brother dote on him has been so sweet- just today he announced “okay. We keep baby. I like him.”
I’ve never frozen soy milk, but I think it would work as a great substitution. If you try it, will you let us know?
Yum I just made lavender ice cream with the lavender I harvested from Max’s gardens
but now I wish I had made BLUEBERRY LAVENDER popsicles instead. Gonna trek on up to Mt Washington & pick some blueberries. It was easy when the kids were little & were the same height as the blueberry bushes.
I’m trying to use whats in season & can’t wait for the peaches to ripen.
Thank U 4 the scoop on “The Perfect Scoop” book …the more I make the more I have to learn it seems but eating all that ice cream & sharing it with my “testers” is not such a bad summer activity.
This is completely unrelated, but could that child look more like her father??? I’m a scientist who has studied genetics, but despite this, I always find it startling when I look at my daughter and see her eyes crinkle when she smiles in the same manner that her father’s and grandmother’s do. Or when she wrinkles her nose and inadvertently does a fabulous impression of my sister. Tangent over. Between you and Deb over at Smitten Kitchen, I think I have about 5 Popsicle recipes I must try now…
Ha! That’s so funny- I posted this on my FB page as well, and someone asked if it was a picture of me! I agree with you though- I think she looks just like her dad.
Favorite things so far: afternoon rain showers; outdoor concerts; and watching the Broncos practice.
This summer has been all about tomatoes for me. We planted 30+ plants and they did beautifully. This was my first summer to can and I have had fun with it. We ate a lot of them, gave a lot away, but I still ended up with over 20 pints of beautiful red chunky goodness that will be enjoyed through the winter.
I love summer because I’m a teacher—goes without saying, huh? But I love when August rolls around and that little chill comes into the air meaning fall is right around the corner. Fall is my favorite season.
How do I not own a popsicle mold? And how have we not made it back out to the Berkshires since May? (Yo-Yo Ma picnic!!!)
And now I know what to get you for your birthday. 🙂 (Come back! There’s still summer!)
We’re trying to squeeze in camping, berry picking, Silverwood, and as many trips to the lake as possible before we say farewell to summer. Most memorable has been a road trip to Keystone, CO for a family wedding at the end of June.
I love your writing! And, I love summer! Summer in Sandpoint, Idaho is all about berry picking and swimming, and popsicles, and outdoor music. Tonight it is Steve Miller, followed by the Infamous Stringdusters. And it’s HOT! Love it……….
That is one beautiful poster…
Favorite times often involve the beautiful Susquehanna river in our backyard. Jumping in a canoe to paddle around but ending up a mile away on the other bank just skimming through the water, green with reeds. Remembering my son sitting with such ease on the back of his cousin’s kayak and watching him lay back looking at the sky as an eagle flew overhead (really!). And eating a meal of the juiciest plums and peaches from a local roadside stand. Each season always feels like my favorite and feeling so blessed to experience all of them. 🙂
I’m glad you are enjoying your summer. It sounds as though it is lovely where you are and it’s nice to hear you have made it your “home” at least for now. Me i’m not a summer lover and i’m waiting for autumn to arrive. Though I have to admit I do enjoy the peaches 🙂
Walking with my daughter and a latte every morning on East Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, CA, has been my favorite thing this summer. Oh, and watching her try new fruits from the various farmers’ markets we have been visiting. At nearly eighteen months she is still discovering everything.
I miss every season in the Berkshires! I did get to visit, and enjoyed the weather, and a walk to visit a friends organic lemonade stand 🙂
The best part of summer for me though, is having my family back together <3
Hey Alana,
What I’m trying to squeeze into the rest of my Berkshire Summer is more WARM WEATHER so that I can want to go swimming even just a few more times…
My Berkshire summer has been about white nectarines and walks in the woods.
My favorite moments in summer are spending time with my two daughters. We take excursions into the City and do touristy things that locals are not supposed to do. We go to the pool, cook out, laugh and swim. We jump on the trampoline at home. We make cakes together. We go camping and make s’mores. I love having them home from school.
Your writing gives me chills! What a beautiful picture you paint with your words. Berskshire sounds like a lovely place.