Midsommar, Vikings, and the 4th of July

Somewhere along the way I've lost myself in the season, living in a dreamlike state and not really sure what I've done day-to-day since summer began. On warm evenings I look out over our backyard and breathe in the calm green air, pour a glass of rosé and remind myself to remember the details of these good nights when everything is lagom in our house: just the right amount, not too little, not too much. We thrive within the walls of our house, where peace reigns and where the politics of our time have not yet corroded the ozone.

Meanwhile, summer waxes and there are festivities to attend: a Cooking Matters benefit attended by nearly every chef in the Who's Who catalog of Twin Cities great cooks (and a Pyramid-style game show to draw in new volunteers), a Midsommar celebration and a Viking cooking class at the American Swedish Institute, and a luxurious 4th of July weekend filled with family and memories of childhood summers when the world only needed to be as big as Gaylord's expansive park with its annual party complete with pony rides and fireworks.