Weekend Round-Up and Revisiting A Children's Classic

Weekend Round-Up

Some of the Week's Best

Celebrate summer by making this Blueberry Corn Salad. It is simple to make and can be made in advance which makes it perfect for summer bbq’s, picnics, and pool parties

This salad is light and refreshing. The pop of color and juiciness of the blueberries add to the corn salad. The cucumbers also add a nice crunch. The salad is full of flavor thanks to the cilantro, jalapeño, red onion, and honey lime dressing.

Blueberry Corn Salad

Honey Balsamic Chicken

A one pan meal that's easy to clean up. With a simple honey balsamic marinade, you can toss everything right onto the sheet pan and pop it in the oven, adding in your asparagus the last 10 minutes of cooking time so they are not overcooked. Other veggies like green beans and carrots can be substituted.

Honey Balsamic Chicken Breasts

Revisiting A Classic The Secret Garden

I am sure there is Magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it and make it do things for us” 

― Frances Hodgson Burnett, "The Secret Garden" 

What I imagine a rose covered trellis might look like along a path in "The Secret Garden".
"The Secret Garden" is a novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It was initially published in serial format starting in the autumn of 1910 and was first published in its entirety in 1911. It is now one of Burnett's most popular novels, and is considered to be a classic of English children's literature. Several stage and film adaptations have been produced.

original cover
A recent gift "A Year in the Secret Garden" from the author Valarie Budayr (see footnote below) 

motivated me to check out a library copy of the children's classic "The Secret Garden" from 1911.

I was quite amazed to see that Goodreads had over 9, 000 book reviews written by adults on "The Secret Garden." Having  read the book in grade school I wondered if the book would still have that magical feel and indeed it did. The author pulls you into the story with cholera outbreak, multiple viewpoints, mystery and lots of magic. Along the way I discovered the story with a fresh "set of eyes." Even though the storyline is outdated by modern standards, its powerful themes of effort, friendship and persistence still reign supreme. The author uses the novel to explore themes of mental and physical damage and healing. The garden becomes a sheltered paradise brimming with plants, flowers, animals, birds and evolving friendships among Mary, Colin and Dickon. Colin and Mary undergo a metamorphosis as the story moves them along from depressed, neglected children to self- confident, happy individuals.  
Try setting aside those wanna read books and revisit a favorite book from your childhood. It can be a worthy endeavor. You might surprise yourself how much you missed old friends as you see them in a new light.  

Footnote: The concept of "A Year in the Secret Garden" is innovative as it features monthly family activities based on a children's classic plus giving children exposure to Edwardian England. The books includes step -by-step crafts, kid friendly recipes, monthly gardening, characters studies and historical information.
Follow this link for the May 13th EVER READY book review of "A Year in the Secret Garden.
http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/search?q=+A+year+in+the+Secret+garden

Speaking of classics today is the birthday of  Elwyn Brooks "E. B." White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985) an American writer and author of the beloved book "Charlotte's Web" .