Community

The Canadian Community Center has been a hive of activity lately, with the addition of a full slate of summer activities to its regular programs. Swimming lessons officially kicked off summer, but that was only the beginning.

The second week in July we hosted 10 eager campers for four days of Museum Day Camp. Each day we toured different parts of the museum and completed crafts related to that day’s lessons. We also enjoyed some great books during snack time each day and had lots of time for fun in between all of the learning.

Canadian’s culinary genius, Janet Schaef, was kind enough to share this recipe with me, and I’m so glad she did. I’m not so confident when it comes to baking homemade bread, but this recipe is so darn easy that a novice like me can whip it up in no time. It’s absolutely delicious and pops in the freezer with ease. Serve it with a meal, make sandwiches, or toast it for breakfast. You’ll be glad you did.

CANYON—A dozen acclaimed regional pianists will join forces for a free concert at West Texas A&M University. High Plains Piano Extravaganza will feature an assortment of piano ensemble combinations performing an array of styles and genres, including some beloved favorites from the likes of George Gershwin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Sergei Rachmaninoff.

I’ve decided that I’m good enough. I had a big birthday, and it got me to thinking, as big birthdays will, about what would change and what would stay the same in the decade to come.

Summer is in full swing in Texas and shaping up to be hotter and drier than average for much of the state. More than 86 percent of Texas was experiencing drought at the beginning of July, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. With higher temperatures and less rainfall, water conservation is a hot topic for many communities across the state.

My friend Becky called to see if I wanted some rhubarb that she was ready to harvest. The answer was an enthusiastic YES. Well, she shows up with a laundry basket filled! I shared with others and froze some. You wash and cut to desired lengths, then flash freeze on a cookie sheet before putting the rhubarb into freezer bags. This keeps them from sticking together. I made this delicious crisp recipe using more rhubarb and vanilla than the recipe called for—2 cups of rhubarb and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. Served with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

WHEN I JOINED THE MUSEUM in January of this year, one of the warnings passed along to me was “Don’t turn on the train! Just don’t touch it. We don’t know exactly what all is wrong, but it doesn’t work right, and might fall off the track.”