“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”
Franz Kafka
July is The Youth Issue. Nothing is more youthful than summer. Kids are out of school and can be found all over town, playing in parks, hanging out by the pool, and making new friends at summer camps. The days are long and the sunsets seem to go on forever. Birds sing all day and fireflies grace the evenings. There is magic at play. Families spend more time together and schedules are a little more relaxed. The presence of children and their playfulness adds fun to any picnic or barbecue. This month’s “From the Kitchen of…” features grilling recipes we tried with the girls as we sat under our gazebo, chatting and playing games while the smoker and grill go for hours. If you want to spice up your dinner gathering, be sure to take a look.
Summer seems extra special this year. I am not sure if it is because it is the last summer before my oldest daughter goes off to college, the beginning of the last year my second oldest daughter has left in high school, or the beginning of the last year my youngest daughter has in elementary school. It might be because the girls were at home the last two and a half months of school due to COVID-19. It feels like they should be going back to school, and yet we are lucky enough to have them home for another two months. During the quarantine, families have spent more time together, slowing down and staying hopeful. I feel like I finally got a chance to learn who my girls are and where they are headed. I was able to hug them more often and I held on a little longer.
We were fortunate to have the time to plant an amazing garden, and it is bursting with tomatoes. When the girls were younger I used to can everything: jams, jellies, salsas, sauces, fruit, and vegetables. I am finally getting back to canning again and plan on teaching my girls.
Cabinet of Curiosities has an article in this month’s Palmetto Bella about The Tomato Girls Club. The members, young women, were tasked with processing an entire crop of tomatoes from seed to can and journaling about the process. The tomatoes represented more than just food. “They were a way for these young ladies to provide for their families, make a bit of extra money for themselves, and socialize within their community.” Please read more about these young women inside.
We are excited to be able to bring Bella Buzz back this month. Looking for something fun to do with the youth in your life? Check out the Aiken Center for the Arts, Lessie B. Price Senior and Youth Center, and the DuPont Planetarium for camps, classes, and events to take your youngsters to. Perhaps you might want to play barefoot along the Sand River in Hitchcock Woods. Or, my personal favorite, paint some rocks and take them to Hopelands Gardens and hide them. Perhaps you will find some treasures left behind. If you do, be sure to post them to the Aiken Rocks! Facebook page!
We hope that you have a safe and youthful summer.
