BLUEBERRIES

“You ought to have seen what I saw on my way
To the village, through Mortenson's pasture to-day:
Blueberries as big as the end of your thumb,
Real sky-blue, and heavy, and ready to drum
In the cavernous pail of the first one to come!
And all ripe together, not some of them green
And some of them ripe! You ought to have seen!..."

~Robert Frost 

We planted blueberry
bushes about 16 years
ago and  then several more
bushes last year. My rows
are not named like the
place  Amanda and her 
beautiful family picked
berries, but that is going
to change!  Since our
spring and now our 
summer have been so hot
and dry, the bushes are
just now starting to
produce. We are picking
about two gallons of
fruit a day. Quite a few
berries are eaten right off
the bushes and many more
are put in the freezer to
be enjoyed later in smoothies,
pies, salads. Still other 
berries are mixed in yogurt
and baked in muffins and
quite a few are given away 
to anyone who crosses my 
path. I think part of the fun
of growing my own food is to
share with others.  
What are you growing this
week?
xx

Clover's Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin pan with paper liners or grease and flour pan.

Sift flour, baking powder and salt together; set aside (reserve 2 tablespoons - see tip below)

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Add mik, vanilla and lemon juice; mix.  Add flour mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin pans 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

Tip: Dust blueberries with 2 tablespoons of reserved flour mixture.  This helps keep the blueberries from rising to the top of the muffins

YARN ALONG

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Linking with Ginny.

To be honest, my post
this week is pretty boring.
I have finally cast on
my second sock and
am just about done 
with the ribbing. I'm
not sure what kept me
from casting on the sock
in the first place; maybe
knowing that it won't be
worn until winter. Anyway,
it is an extermely easy sock
to knit and I do need to
move along if I want to have
a pair for each of my boy's
for Christmas.

I finally downloaded
The Dirty Life to my
Kindle since I have been
seeing it on past Yarn -
Alongs for a few weeks now.
The reviews were spot on!
I am loving it. Reading
this makes me want to
renew  my efforts to find
a milk cow!

What have you been reading and knitting?
xx

CARDINALS

When maple orchards towered aloft,
  And spicewood bushes spread below,
Where skies were blue, and winds were soft,
I could but go —
For, opening through a wildering haze,
Appeared my restless childhood's days;
And truant feet and loitering mood
Soon found me in the same old wood
(Illusion's hour but seldom brings
So much the very form of things)
Where first I sought, and saw, and heard
The cardinal bird.

~William Davis Gallagher

I watched her as she
built her nest, flying off and
back to  my favorite tree.

Three little eggs she
hatched and raised and
I with a front row view.
xx

WEEKEND: ABUNDANCE

"Expect miracles and see them take

 place. Hold ever before you the thought

 of prosperity and abundance, and know

 that doing so sets in motion forces

 that will bring it into being."

~ Eileen Caddy

weekending, my favorite part of the week. a time to relax, live, love, just to be. if you'd like to share your weekend either with words, photographs, or both, leave a link to a weekend post in the comments.
This weekend was...

An early morning visit to the market
with the wee one, walking slow and
just taking in the sights.  Going home
and baking cupcakes. The wee one
licking the beater and getting batter
all over, shaking her head up and
down and telling me "yes, we did
a good job". Frosting them with
Coconut Cream Frosting and then
eating one. Having sushi for dinner
and finally starting the book I have
heard so much about. Staying
up late and reading the book,
getting why everyone enjoys it.
Sleeping in on Sunday and then
being unplugged for the day.
Picking  the blueberries, butternut
squash, summer squash, cucumbers,
bell pepper and tomatoes  and basil
from the garden and not looking at the
weeds that need to be pulled.. Making
preserves and pistou to be enjoyed
now and this winter. Picking
our first ripe watermelon and
being awed at the smell and taste.
Sitting in the yard as the sun
was setting, watching boy's and
butterflies enjoy the cooler temperature
as they hung out in the yard. Loving
all the abundance this time of year
brings and looking forward to the
miracles this last week of June holds.
How was your weekend?
Joining with Amanda .
xx

THIS MOMENT

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. xx

CANTALOUPES

One of the most delightful things
 about a garden is the anticipation
 it provides. 

~W.E. Johns

Heat indexes are hitting 115
degrees daily, so I have
been getting out in the fields
very early, the bonus
being having a chance
to watch the sun rise while I
work. I was so excited to pick
our first batch of cantaloupes today.
We planted Hale's Jumbo Cantaloupes
again this year as we have always
yielded a large harvest in the past.
With the lack of rain and intense heat
I wasn't optimistic that the plants would
be able to produce a decent size fruit,
even with all the watering we have
been doing.   We sliced one
to enjoy and I'm not sure it it's just
 because it's the first, but the
flavor was perfect.  I have plans to
make old-fashioned cantaloupe preserves
with a few to add to Christmas baskets.
It is not much work, always produces
a beautiful preserve and I have
several people who anticipate a jar
every year...they have already been
asking. The preserves are especially
good on a hot buttermilk biscuit.
What are you growing this week?
xx

YARN ALONG

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Linking with Ginny

I am still knitting away on my

dish cloth , but  I am about

to cast off and then I am determined

to knit my second sock before

beginning another project.

I should finish my cardigan,

but really, all the love is

gone and I'm just not sure

when I'll finish. It depresses

me to think of the time and money

I have spent on this project, so

we'll see what happens.

I was visiting one of my favorite

thrift stores the other day and

for 25 cents picked up

 Saint Therese of Lisieus, The Little Flower of Jesus.

St. Therese is dear to my heart

and I  am enjoying this book immensely.

I did finish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

and while it was interesting, I wasn't

really thrilled with the ending. Since this

is only book one in a trilogy maybe I

will be satisfied by the end of book three.

xx

FOOD,LOVE, SECURITY

"It seems to me that our
 three basic needs, for 
 food and security and love,
 are so entwined that we
 cannot think of one without
 the other."

~ M.F.K. Fisher

We have an abundance
of love and all the security
that is needed. What
we were lacking were
snacks for a growing
little girl. A few hours
in kitchen and that is
now taken care of too.
xx

Simple Cheese Disks

1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients. Chill at least an hour. Roll thin and cut in whatever shape you desire. [I used a thimble for little disks]. Bake on an ungreased or parchment papered baking sheet at  350 for 12-15 minutes.

WEEKEND: ART IN THE KITCHEN

"Cooking is an art and patience a virtue...
Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and
 an unhurried approach are nearly all
you need. There is one more thing -- love.
 Love for food and love for those you
 invite to your table. With a combination
 of these things you can be an artist --
not perhaps in the representational style
 of a Dutch master, but rather more like
 Gauguin, the naive, or Van Gogh, the
 impressionist. Plates or pictures of
 sunshine taste of happiness and love."

~Keith Floyd

weekending, my favorite part of the week. a time to relax, live, love, just to be. if you'd like to share your weekend either with words, photographs, or both, leave a link to a weekend post in the comments.
This weekend was...

Waking before the sun to run
before the heat reached  the
triple digits. Finally overcoming
a runner's block and pushing
forward in my marathon training.
Picking quarts and quarts of blueberries
for the freezer..and a few for
 creamy blueberry pies too.
Reorganizing my kitchen [why
did I wait so long?] and spending
hours creating new recipes and
menus with garden fresh vegetables;
especially loving the pumpkin-carrot
soup with hemp seeds I had for lunch.
Sharing a big bowl of popcorn while
watching Bringing Up Baby with the
thirteen year old. I do love his voice
changing laughter! Waking in the 
middle of the night to a thunderstorm
and listening to the blessing of 
much needed rain.  Having all the children
come by with hugs and cards for their Dad.
Grilling venison burgers [them]
and portabella mushrooms [me]
on the grill  with homemade fries
for dinner followed by bowls of
vanilla bean ice cream. [and I
ate some too...yum!].
Preparing for two weeks with the
wee one while her Mommy and Daddy
are gone....have I told you how much
I enjoy being a grandparent? I do...
a whole lot! 
How was your weekend?
xx
Linking with Amanda~the habit of being

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. xx

CARROTS

" Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? 
  Not just eat it, but taste it? 
  You can't taste the beauty
  and energy of the earth in
  a Twinkie. "

~Astrid Alauda

This year we planted two
kinds of carrots, Danvers
and Little FIngers Carrots.
I was very impressed with
how they grew as in years
past we have not done well
with carrots. Our soil is
very heavy, but after hauling
manure and moving chicken tractor
it  seems to have paid off.
We planted the
Danvers in between the
lettuce plants and gave
the Little Fingers their
very own row since there
were quite a bit more of them.
Besides eating, juicing and
giving away pounds, I still
had plenty  of carrots to can for
winter stews and soup.
I love to fix Sweet Potato, Apple, Carrot, Red Lentil Soup
summer or winter. The only
change I make is to use coconut
oil instead of the butter. It is a wonderful
dish served with a fresh salad
and homemade, crusty rolls.
What are you growing this week?
xx

YARN ALONG

~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Linking with Ginny

I found a great pattern for knitted
dishcloths that uses crochet cotton.
I don't know about you, but here in
the south we are breaking records
with the heat. Just the thought of
using wool or anything 'heavy' just
makes me cringe. The patten is
very easy to follow and will be
perfect to add to my Christmas
baskets along with these dishcloths
that I did over the weekend.

I have been reading See You in a Hundred Years.
I have always said that I should
have been born a hundred years
ago so just the title alone had me.
The author, Logan Ward, and his
family move from New York to
Virginia and live exactly as people
did in the 1900's for a whole
year.   Maybe it's because I am
older  and have lived in the
country for 25 years, but this family
bothers me a little. They did not seem
to prepare or learn what it really takes
to live in the country before they
just jumped in. I hope the further along
I read it will improve, but I'm not holding
out  much hope.
xx

CHOCOLATE

"If you are not feeling well,
 if you have not slept, chocolate
 will revive you. But you have
 no chocolate! I think of  that
 again and again. My dear,
 how will you ever manage?"...

~ Marquise de Sevigne

...You can always make a
batch of chocolate pudding,
and spoon it in a cream puff,
then I wouldn't have to worry
so about you!
xx

Chocolate Pudding

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 ounce melted semi-sweet chocolate

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups Milk [I used Almond Milk]

.   1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons butter

Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, cocoa,melted chocolate and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in Pure Almond. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking occasionally, until mixture thickens, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in extract(s) and butter. Pour into 1 large bowl or 8 small serving bowls and refrigerate for at least an hour, until thoroughly chilled

WEEKENDING: FLOORING

weekending, my favorite part of the week. a time to relax, live, love, just to be. if you'd like to share your weekend either with words, photographs, or both, leave a link to a weekend post in the comments.
This weekend was...

Putting in the hardwood flooring
that has been acclimating in my
foyer for too long. Making lots
of pizza and cream puffs for
my flooring guys. [Thanks
to all of my sons.] Unpacking
boxes of books and wondering
if I really need to keep them all?
Picking blueberries from the
bushes and needing a ladder
to reach the top. All of my
watering is paying off because
the blueberries are huge.
Finishing my Crazy Sexy Diet
cleanse and thinking I will do
it again. Training for my first
marathon to take place in October.
Running at 6:00 A.M. is becoming
one of the favorite parts of my day.
Juicing pounds of spinach and
freezing in ice cubes for some
green juicing this winter. Knitting
a few dish cloths that will go in
Christmas baskets. Realizing
that Christmas is just six months
away and there is still so much I
want to do for the loves in my life.
How was your weekend?
xx
Linking with Amanda~the habit of being