Busy Busy

Things have been moving along quite nicely so far this summer.  Lots of day trips, swimming adventures, quality time spent with family.  The kids are happy, momma and daddy are happy....what more could we ask for?! 

Good things continue to bloom throughout the yard as well.  Well....the vegetable garden isn't as prolific as in years past but our fruit gardens and honey bees are doing magnificently!

 I noticed this little lady on my Echinacea plant while weeding the garden yesterday!  Such an amazing sight to see.  The yellow on her legs is the pollen that she has collected.  She will then bring it back to the hive.

The hive has gotten a bit taller since last time I shared with you. The term 'Busy as a Bee' shouldn't be used lightly.  It's amazing what these bees do....all the time!



Many of the blueberries are ripe and ready for picking.  I've had to cover them with cheese cloth today because the birds have started eating them.

 

 The raspberries still have a while to go before we'll pick.  There are a few red, ripe ones here and there but I'm thinking in a few weeks they should be ready.

 

 

 

 My first Chamomile plant.  I'm going to attempt to make my own tea.  I'll let you know how that goes....


Hope you all are enjoying the summer with your family!

Another Hail to Kale!

Many of you know how much a I love and appreciate Kale.  Of all things, I know.  But it's so incredibly delicious and good for you....plus my kids love it!

Recently when I found a recipe for Kale and Cole Slaw salad, I was immediately intrigued.  Though the original recipe called for the standard Cole Slaw mix of cabbage and carrots I decided to use Broccoli Slaw instead.  Similar to the original,  it uses the stalk of broccoli instead of cabbage.  Same crunchiness as cabbage but to me it gives it more nutrition value.  And I don't know about you, but I  like to try and avoid mayo based salads during the summer and use a lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette instead.  Mayo in the heat of summer creeps me out!

Kale and Broccoli Slaw salad.

5 cups each: Organic Tuscan Kale and Organic Broccoli Slaw mix.  (Tuscan Kale is the curly, dark green variety)
Mix together the veggies in a large bowl.

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh squeezed organic lemon juice.
1/3 olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt.
Whisk all the ingredients together.  (If bringing this salad to an outing, I like to make the vinaigrette and store in a mason jar.  Shake jar and pour onto salad right before serving.)

Pour vinaigrette onto slaw and sprinkle with 1/2 cup sunflower seeds.  I also like to use pumpkins seeds if I don't have any sunflower seeds available.


Sometimes I double the recipe to feed a crowd or my son who most often has seconds or thirds! :)  Enjoy!

Wise advice

A wise man once told me that I should write everyday!  "Did you know Ernest Hemingway wrote five hundred words everyday?"  he asked me.  "Wow!  No I did not" was my reply.  "Not all his words were published, but he wrote them down everyday."  he added.

Ok, I got the hint.  I've let this blog fall by the wayside due to being "busy".  Work, kids, a business, life.... these are but excuses.  If I am passionate about writing, than I must work at it.  And maybe my words will not be published everyday; but I should write them anyway.

It's good to be back.  And welcome back to you!

Thank you Uncle Tony.  Thank you for your wise words. ox

Tip of the week!

It's that time of year, finally, Strawberry Picking!  For us it's a fond past time spent with great friends.

We're fortunate to live close to an amazing farm which we frequent from June through September/October.  Fields filled with strawberries, raspberries, peaches, plumbs, cherries and of course the apple orchards.

We often pick an over abundance of strawberries; and this is after we've all, mama included, gobbled up some berries before they were able to reach the bin!  I do find that such gorgeous, fresh picked berries can and will go by rather quickly.  I refuse for such delicious gems to go to waste!  Freezing them at their peak is essential.

I place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, placing the sheet into the freezer and letting them freeze completely.  I then transfer the frozen berries into freezer bags.  This way you don't have clumps of frozen berries all stuck to each other.

Oh and eating frozen berries in the summer is a delicious way to stay cool....if only for a moment!