All Before 8

 What a morning. Just a bit hazy and a cool 63 degrees, I figured Marabella would accompany me to the Crossing. That didnt happen. Our first stop had me stepping in place. My heavy dog walking, dewy, wet grass resistant boots, unbeknown to me, squishing what was obviously Mullberries discovered only after the aroma wafted up to my face.  I was instantly transported to the driveway at the farm house in Hopewell.

And such was our walk this morning, she stopping and sniffing and me stopping and stepping back and forth, until we reached the middle of the field and I had to have a serious talk with my dog. OY

My suspicion is Coyote   She has been learning to ignore or at least leave, the deer, squirrels l, fox and bunnies. I had very little control of her this morning. 

Lucky for me our day would get better. Once home, I burned off a bit of energy with a little bit of yardwork. I had clipped some fresh blooming hydrangea, when I encountered my vegetable gardening neighbor.  Now I have a bowl with tomatoes and carrots.  Alas, he has the hydranges😃

 

Yum  

 

Time to Jam

I had the pleasure of received a great tip, to “Head down to Well’s Blueberry Farm in Southampton  https://www.wellsblueberryfarm.com/. I left home a little after 9 am on Thursday. There was a definite haze above as New Jersey heat and humidity and smoke from Canada clashed. I drove about 45 minutes south into Jersey farm country.  I followed the sign directing start here where  I was handed a small can to tie around my waist and a large bucket by a nice women who directed me to the picking area just a short walk up a dirt road.   The berries were light blue to deep dark blueish purple  and shiny, round and plump and perfect and seemed to jump from the vines into the can I had strapped to my waist.  

I filled the small can three times, transferring each full load  into the larger bucket, I carried with me as I made my way down the row. In less then an hour and not even half way into the row, the big bucket was full and heavy. I heard the plunk plunk of the berries falling into the cans and the soft chatter of some women a row away.  I was so happy to be out there on the farm picking berries and feeling how perfectly economically, medically, sustainabley sane getting fresh real food from a farm is.  I hauled my pickings  to the barn, where I  checked out about 12 pounds at $2.50 each and along with a jar of local wild flower honey, went home. 

By the end of the day I had berries everywhere. Big beautiful firm berries in the fridge, a bunch of quart zip locks in the freezer holding one pound each and I made 6 jars of jam without pectin. Never successfully did that before.  I already tasted it and can assure you it’s yummy. One open jar already in fridge. 

Give it a go.

2 quarts fresh blueberries

3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 inch stick cinnamon 

Mash two cups of berries in a large pot.  Add the rest of the berries and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes  

Remove from heat and add sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon  Return to heat, bring to rapid boil, stirring constantly til thick and syrupy. This took a bit of time, stirring and watching the bubbling juice thicken as it dyed my wooden spoon. Don’t rush it,  you’ll recognize it when it happens. Remove from heat when it does.   

Pour into sterile jars, seal with lid and ring in a water bath  to preserve. Let cool without moving before storing.    

I should probably suggest using stainless steal utensils.  Blueberry juice would make a good dye.  

On Friday I just had to make muffins and they were so yum with the Jam  

Breakfast is My Favorite Meal

 I never run out of ideas for breakfast. I’m always ready to start my day with a healthy one.  

This is so easy and yummy and filling. 

Banana Fritters with Strawberries and of course pure Maple Syrup. 

INGREDIENTS

olive oil for pan

2 ripe bananas

1½ tablespoons honey

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla 

¼ cup flour sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

cinammon and ginger to taste

Sliced strawberries for the top  

DIRECTIONS

Mix first four ingredients

Sift in the rest

Drop 1 ½ Tablespoon batter into hot oiled pan

Brown to edge flip and drain on paper before serving with maple syrup

Let me know if you try it. 

Not even sure, I remember how to do this

 I had such a fun photography day at Seasons Garden Center. I met with five eager iPhone users who wanted to improve their snap and edit skills and I’m confident each one did😀

I used slides to demonstrate composition techniques and as we went through them we reviewed the iPhone camera. Of course, everyone had a different phone from 7 to the latest and I have a 12. We got grids up and burst out a few. Everyone tried panarama and most importantly they learned touch focus and light adjustments and even saw their histograms. One person started to nod so I got the group up and moving

So much fun shaking myself around to model and everyone followed. 

Demonstration of camera on the ground, wreath made for selfies which we did not use, and all of us playing with panarama  

  

Favorites from the slide show.