Our neighborhood was teeming with kids day and night. One childless couple that lived in the cul-de-sac couldn’t have been better hosts for our daily summer-time fun. While Dan went to work every weekday like clockwork, sweet and gentle Catherine was quite literally a captive audience and unofficial caretaker of all the neighborhood kids.

Always ready with a soaped-up paper towel and a bandage for soothing skinned knees, stubbed toes or the occasional bee sting, Catherine suffered with agoraphobia, the fear of open spaces. For her this meant she would come outside into the top of the driveway and relax in an Adirondack chair or venture into the yard but not often close to the edge of their property.

All were welcome to sit and chat, play under the massive willow tree or be treated to a garden tour through the extensive rose garden in the back yard to our hearts content. Catherine could also always be counted on for a frozen treat on those especially hot summer days. Back then it was an exciting surprise to see what flavor the Kool-Aid ice cubes nestled in a mini–Dixie Cup might be on any given day.

Of course, the recipes you’ll find in our pages this month don’t come with all the processed sugar so you can feel as great as we did before we knew the long-term consequences of over consumption of sugar. Ignorance was still bliss in our lives then. At least now that we know better, we can do better if we choose.

Here’s to happy memories of days gone by and to the new ones we get to create on this twisting and turning adventure called life. I hope you have a great and happy memory-making summer!