So we finally took that trip to the coast last weekend. The drive was a bit longer than I remembered but the views made up for it. We stopped at a little diner along the way that had the best pancakes. The beach was crowded but we found a quiet spot near the rocks. The water was colder than expected so we mostly walked along the shore and collected shells. My niece loved seeing the sea lions. We also visited a small lighthouse that had a museum with old photographs. The weather was perfect — sunny but not too hot. I should have brought a hat though. The whole thing felt like a nice break from the usual routine. On the way back we saw a deer crossing the road. We pulled over and watched it disappear into the trees. It was a calming moment. I was thinking we should do something like this again soon but maybe somewhere inland next time. There are some state parks I have been meaning to explore. Let me know if you want to join next month. I can check the trail conditions closer to the date.

I tried that pasta recipe you sent last week. It turned out pretty good but I modified it a bit. I added some roasted cherry tomatoes and used fresh basil from the garden. The sauce needed a little more salt so I tossed in a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat. My family loved it even the kids asked for seconds. I think next time I will double the garlic because we all love garlic. The original recipe called for cream but I used half-and-half which made it lighter. I served it with a simple side salad and some crusty bread. The whole meal came together in about thirty minutes. We ate outside on the patio because the evenings are finally warm enough. I was thinking of bringing this dish to the potluck next weekend if you think it would travel well. I could keep the sauce separate and combine it just before serving. Let me know if you want the adjusted measurements. I wrote them down somewhere. Thanks again for sharing the recipe it has become a new favorite around here.