Watching The Gardens Grow

Good Morning!

I must say when I toured the gardens yesterday I found alot of plants damaged by the heavy rains we have been having this summer. There are some that are doing quite well and I took a few pictures to share with you.

This is the first year that I have been able to harvest  berries from our canes without the birds beating me to them .

 

The People I Love And Admire Most

                                                  My parents

I consider us the wealthiest family I know, not with material things our wealth is the love and respect we have for eachother as a family.
Today I felt I wanted to express my thanks to my parents for all  the hard work and love they have invested in their family...I love you Mom and Dad, thank-you for always being there ... for the love, advice and direction. You have unselfishly given over the years of yourselves and today I just wanted you to know it has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.
Many people's lives are richer because you have been apart of them...THANK-YOU!

My Sunday Morning Sunshine

Sleeping in?

Something we don't seem to do is sleep in when we have a chance to.
Of course we say we will but it never seems to happen.
Do you sleep in on the weekends?

Friday's Favorites

Well this week it should be no surprise that I chose to post a favorite strawberry recipe after all it is strawberry season!

                                                                                
 


                  Old-fashioned Strawberry Jam

This recipe yields 12 half pint jars of jam.

 Ingredients: 12 cups crushed fresh strawberries
                     12 cups of sugar
If you prefer less sugar like I do you will need to cook down for a longer period of time or use pectin.
Rinse and hull strawberries and crush them in your canning pot.
Stir in sugar until well blended and bring mixture to a  boil over high heat stirring constantly.
Continue to boil the mixture uncovered for  10 - 15 minutes or until thickened ensuring you stir frequently.
Ladle into prepared jars within 1/8" of the rim.
Seal and wipe jar down and turn over on counter until it has cooled and you hear the lids pop.
Turn jars back upright and store.
If you decide to use 1/2 the sugar as I do it will take quite a bit of cooking down to reach the desired consistency.
If you decided to use pectin, follow the directions for use on the bottle or box.

Enjoy!

Thursday's Thoughts

Good morning!
I don't know how many of you felt the earthquake yesterday, I can honestly say I have never experienced one before.
I was sitting at my desk chatting with company when the house started shaking and sounding as though it were going to fall in, nothing fell off shelves or walls just  clanking of glassware that was sitting close to one another.
I think it lasted about 20-30 seconds.
Then last night the tornado warnings, boy it makes me wonder what is with the weather lately.
Have you been observing odd happenings in your environment lately too?

Wednesday's Wish

Good Wednesday morning!
This Wednesday's Wish is that you and yours spend more quality time with your families  ...

I mentioned yesterday that I was going strawberry picking, above is a photo of some of  the fabulous fruit the strawberry fields have produced this year.

This is pretty much the last week for the strawberries and next week the raspberries should be ready to pick!

I was reading through some of the blogs that I follow yesterday and over at Mennonite Girls Can Cook I found a wonderful recipe for rhubarb pie squares and the rhubarb one turned out so well I decided to make 2 more, one with just strawberries and the other one with both strawberries and rhubarb...yes ladies and gents Mennonite girls can cook!
This recipe was a hit and will be made over and over again .

I have tried a few different recipes the ladies have posted at this site and have enjoyed each one.
Many thanks to the ladies at Mennonite Girls Can Cook for sharing not only their recipes and the  stories behind the recipes I especially enjoy the "Bread For The Journey".

Strawberries

Today I am picking strawberries, it is the last of the strawberry season this week and the beginning of the raspberry season next week.
I am not making jams this year as my cupboard is still full of jam from last year...apparently when the boys are not home I don't go through much.
I send some home with them each visit but it still doesn't seem use up the amount I can each season so I imagine I only need to can every second year.
Do you do any canning?

Saturday Night Storm

This is how high the winds were Saturday night, luckily my significant other repaired the damage.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day!

Yesterday we had a barbeque for Father's Day and my brother's birthday!
It was very nice, my sister-in-law and my Mother worked very hard to make everything perfect...and it was!

Barbeque

This morning I am going to Peterborough to drop off my son Ryan's Father's Day gift , have a little visit with my earth angel and pick-up my sprout seeds from the health food store.
This afternoon there will be a barbeque on our patio for my brother's birthday and Father's Day.
The weatherman says there is 90% chance of rain but I am hoping he is wrong.
We do have a canopy but I am sure that we would still get a bit of a shower if the wind stays as high as it has been for the last week.
It is always great when family gets together.
What are your plans for this weekend?

Friday's Favorites

Bean Salad

1 can of mixed beans drained
1 can of chick peas drained
1 can lima beans drained
green onion chopped (as much as desired)
tomatoes diced (as much as desired)
chopped cucumber (as much as desired)
You can use a bottle of italian dressing if you like but i use red wine vinegar, garlic and a small amount of olive oil and spice to taste.
Enjoy!

Voices

I woke-up this morning at 3am hearing someone calling my name.
I got up and wandered around the house and found no one else awake and even listened next door at my parent's house and no one was moving around in there so I decided I must have been dreaming and crawled back into bed.
At 5am I heard my name being called again and again I got up and did the once through the house and again no one was calling me, again I crawled back into bed only to hear my name being called at 7am.
This time I got up and came down stairs to find my significant other asking me what I was doing up. I explained I thought that I had heard someone calling my name.
He assured me that no one called me and that he had been up for an hour and besides the cat meowing to get outside he had heard no noise at all, I got myself a drink and decided that I was up for the day.
I have no idea why I was hearing some one call my name but for it to happen 3 times in one night is very unsettling.
Have you ever experienced anything like this?

Wednesday's Wish

It's Wednesday again, boy this week just flew by.
My wish this week is that they will contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
If you look at the aerial photographs of the oil spill it appears the waters are as red as blood as predicted in the Bible in Revelations...folks we are living in the last days, but don't take my word , read your Bible and you certainly cannot deny that we are.

Aching To Feel Better

Well I finally have diagnosis and new medication.
Unfortunately the side effects of the medication are making me miserable.
I ache as though I have the flu constantly and I am exhausted .
I don't know what to do with myself except keep moving and try to ignore it because being still certainly doesn't help.
I have been eating lots of potassium rich foods thinking I may be lacking in potassium, so far my aches are still with me.
Anyone have any ideas, as not taking the medication is not an option.

She Is My Heart

Family Fun

Yesterday after spending the morning at the market with my daughter in law and my little earth angel I went to the cottage with my Mom and had a great time at the family bbq with my aunt, uncle and cousins.
It always amazes me how quickly the years pass by, it seems like yesterday since I use to bring my boys there to enjoy spending time with their grandparents and now it feels so funny going there without them.
I gazed out across the water remembering them out there fishing in the aluminum boat, playing in the paddle boat, sinking the canoe, catching frogs, swimming, fishing from the dock, and having a blast with their Poppie and Nanny and I.
Do you have a place that brings memories flooding back to you each time you visit?

Rainy Saturday

I am off to the market this morning in the big Peter Patch (Peterborough).
What have you planned for this rainy morning?

Friday's Favorites

Strawberry Jam

Ingredients

- 4 cups strawberries
- 4 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fruit pectin (I don't use pectin as you can read in the directions below but do give the option of adding it to those that prefer to).

Directions:

Clean and chop strawberries and put in canning pot along with sugar.

Pour in the lemon juice and fruit pectin if you use it. Boil mixture then simmer for 5 - 10 minutes.

Stir frequently.

When finished skim off the foamy top layer of the mixture and jar(be sure to use hot sterilized jars and lids.

(I add one tablespoon of vodka, on top of the strawberry jam,before tightening the lid, I light it and close the lid quickly. The flame will consume all of the alcohol and the oxygen. Inside the jar you will have a vacuum that allows for longer storage without using preservatives. it is 1:1 fruit and sugar, but you can try with a bit less if you like but will require pectin to thicken the jam.)


Clean the jars with a damp towel. After 10 minutes turn around and place jars on the lid. Let cool down, turn over again and store.

Even though it is not recommendable to do so, you could leave the strawberry jelly up to 5 years stored in a cool and dark place and still eat it without any problems.

I'm sure you'll like your homemade strawberry jam so much more than the store bought.

Seeing as strawberry season has just started I figured a strawberry jam recipe was in order.

I hope you and yours enjoy and share this recipe.

Thursday's Knocking!

This morning the birds were not only singing, they were knocking!
I awoke to this adult woodpecker teaching it's little one how to find food, after watching them for about 10 minutes it occurred to me I should get my camera out.
As you can see by the photos the adult finally ended up feeding the baby, it was more interested in hopping around and playing in the wood chips at the base of the tree stump.
I will try to get some better photos of the two of them next time they are here.
What did you wake-up to today?

Wednesday's Wish

Well it is Wednesday again and the wish for this week is for good news when I go to the doctor today for my results of my tests.
It has been 11.5 months since I have been going to the doctor for this ailment and am more than frustrated with the constant run around from specialist to specialist.
What ever happened to the days when you were ill they kept you in the hospital and did tests until they figured out what was wrong with you?
I hope you all have a great Wednesday and may all your wishes come true.

Sleepless Again

Since my cat Smudge passed away in February, my other cat Smokey-Joe has been keeping me awake most of the night and it is really making me quite cranky to say the least.
I have done everything I can think of to console Smokey-Joe with no resolution to my dilemma except to stay up with him all night which is the reason I am so cranky.
Does anyone have any suggestions besides getting another cat?

Monday's Cool

I have been bragging about our beautiful weather, although the weather is beautiful the temperatures feel quite cool compared to the heat we have had for the last little while.
This morning it is sunny and 12C here at 10am and the high is suppose to be 19C.
The coolness makes it nicer for doing things outdoors.
I will get pictures of the beautiful flowers that are now blooming in the gardens and be sure to share them with you.
Enjoy your day!

Lazy Sunday

Good Morning!
I had a really nice time out last night but didn't wake until almost 11am!
I don't usually sleep in that late as I am a get up and go person, I like to do everything early so that I am back home by early afternoon as I find I have alot more energy in the mornings.
Are you a morning person?

No Parking?

Tonight we are to go to the arena in Havelock for a reunion of sorts.
I just drove by there and they are paving the parking lot.
I wonder if they know there is a shindig going on there tonight and if they do where is everyone going to park?
There are to be more than 100 people attending and I am sure that they all will be driving except for a few people like myself that live close enough to walk there.
Have you ever attended a gathering where there was no where to park?
If so, how was the problem remedied?

Friday's Favorites

Dill Pickle Soup

• 3 Tablespoons butter
  

• 3 oz onions, chopped finely

• ½ cup white wine

• ½ cup flour

• 4 cups water

• 1½ cup dill pickles, chopped

• 2 teaspoons fresh or dried dill weed

• ½ cup whipping cream

• Poultry seasoning

• salt and pepper

• Croutons for garnish

• Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft. Add wine and continue cooking until almost all liquid evaporates. Reduce heat and stir in flour. Combine water and pickle marinade and whisk into mixture all at once. Increase heat and bring to a boil stirring constantly until soup thickens. Add pickles and dill. Stir in cream. Garnish with croutons and diced pickles.

• I hope you enjoy this recipe, although it sounds odd it tastes wonderful!
  
• This recipe is from Tastebook
  

Thursday's Thoughts

Today when I awoke it was to a drooling cat head-butting me and pulling my hair with his toes.
This is how I wake-up each morning, he starts at 4am and will continue until I get out of bed.

Once I am out of bed he either takes my spot in the bed or wants outside.
When I let him out he goes directly next door to my parents home and knocks on the door to alert my Father that he is there and wants him to come and give him his morning treats.

If my Father is not there or doesn't hear him he goes around to the front door to see if it is open so that he can look through the screen and hope to catch his eye.
If that fails he goes back around to the back patio and situates himself so he can see inside the back door and waits to see movement then starts knocking again.

Once he has had his treat from him he goes to the back of the yard and lays in the garden and has a bath and watches the birds.

He then waits until he knows my Mother is up and waits for her to come and give him a treat and a few kind words then it is in through the kitty door and sits by his dish waiting for his bowl of moist cat food.
Once he has had his fill of that he eats a few pieces of his crunchy dry food and once again goes outside to have a bath and laze around for the rest of the morning.

Talk about a spoiled cat!
I am amazed he isn't the size of a house!
I really do enjoy him, he is a great companion.

Do you have a pet that has a routine that is unusual?

Wednesday's Wish

Good Morning!
Nice to see the sun shining out there and the birds enjoying the birdbath in my yard.

This week's Wednesday's wish is that BP get that terrible oil leak contained.
My heart breaks to see all the damage that is being done to the earth and wonder what the long term effects will be...

Happy Birdies

Well we got some much needed rain last night and the plants are well hydrated.
I spent most of the day yesterday reading in the gazebo and watching the birds bathing in the bird bath.
The birds were so happy to have a place to cool off in the heat and I was happy to be able to enjoy watching them flutter and splash about in the coolness of the water.
When I was cleaning out and filling the bird bath, they were watching me and once I finished and put the hose away, you could hear the robin singing and splashing about in the water.
Once she was done she sat atop of the statue in the centre of the bird bath and loudly let everyone know that there was cool water, or atleast I think that is what she was telling the other birds because within a minute there were a dozen or more birds sitting on the fence, ground and in the bird bath.
If I had been thinking I would have brought my camera out to snap some photos....next time!