Come Have a Ball with Us!

We're always so fun here.
Hah.
Actually, I just saw this picture I took the other day and decided to post it.
I love the old blue jars, don't you?  I keep my baking soda, baking powder and salt in them and keep them out handy for baking.  So much cuter than the boxes or tins they come in, don't you think?  As you can see, I written what's in each jar on the lids so I don't mix them up.  Scones with one tablespoon of baking powder are delightful.  Scones with one tablespoon of baking soda are not so much.  Or so I've heard.  ;)
Oh, and the title of this post is the theme for our fair this year based on a picture I did for their art contest.  I actually won.  Who knew?  Of course, I gave them the only copy I had so I'll have to wait to post it.
--------
And here is a link to the BEST picture on the Internet:  Joanne cooking!!!!  Well done, my friend.  Well done.  And in case you missed her latest post click here.  I can't imagine the pain of it all, but I dearly love the sound of hope in her voice.

Natural Homekeeping

Here's an easy, all-natural all-purpose helper for you.  It's my kitchen scouring/scrubby stuff.  Do you get coffee or tea stains in your cups?  A dirty pan with junk that sticks?  Dirty sink?   I even use it on those fresh eggs that need a little more than a rinsing to get off whatever the hens left on them.
 
What's in it?  When I started doing this years ago it was just baking soda.  Now, I mix baking soda, some kosher salt and a few drops of lemon essential oil.  The salt gives a little more scrubbing power and the lemon oil just because I love the smell.  I know it does have disinfecting qualities as well, but it's mostly in there just cause I love it.  It makes me smile.  Don't worry if you don't have any.  It's not required.  Just add a few drops, if you have it, and mix it all well.  Too much might make it clump and be hard to shake out of the jar.

Why do I love this?  It's so easy and it works so well!   Just shake it on the wet surface you want to clean and scrub away.  Sometimes, if stuff is really stuck  I sprinkle it in the pan I need to scrub and let it just soak for a bit before scrubbing.  Those tea and coffee stains just disappear like magic!

It's my daily sink cleaner.  When I need to, I spray on vinegar for disinfecting.  And yes, sometimes even I break out the Ajax, but only when I think it's really needed.  For most things, this is enough.

I used a half-pint canning jar.  At first, I just took a canning lid and hammered a
few nail holes in it.  Eventually, Sweetheart upgraded it for me and drilled holes into this cute gingham lid set I happened to have.  (I love gingham, don't you?  It's such a happy thing!)  Really, any jar with a lid you can pierce could be used.  Since this is cute, it just sits out on the counter all the time within easy reach.

Disclaimer:  Do be careful of sharp edges on the holes, especially if you use a nail.  Be smart people.

Let me know if you try this!  Also,  if you're looking for other easy, all-natural ideas, click here!


Linking to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop.

A Quiet Moment

It's a rare thing indeed!  Actually, the kids are playing upstairs and so I hear the sounds of toys cars driving above me, and the raking sound of the search in the Lego tub for just the right block.
As you can see, I have the window open.  It's so nice to be able to open the windows in the kitchen!  A moment ago all I could hear was the birds in the trees chirping, but alas, now the helicopter is headed back in.  I'll not miss that. 
I should be making body butter, but I'm having to remelt it all to rewhip again.  I also need to make more Cranberry Spice Scone Mixes and Chocolate Chip Spice Scone Mixes as well to take to the little shop that sells my things.  It's not gone well.  And I need to clean out my oven from where the oils spilled all inside yesterday at dinnertime.  (I grilled pizza on the bbq last night for dinner as it was all I could figure out to do in the midst of the mess.)
I need to bake up a batch of the scones as payment for an air conditioning I am supposed to pick up this afternoon.  So I really should get going on the oven.  Instead, I cleaned up the kitchen, turned on my music, lit the oil lamp on the windowsill and went out to pick roses. 
I've got a nice of tea as you can see and I'm writing instead of working.  Here's to hoping I'll be able to get back to what needs to happen with renewed vigor!
I got all my seeds into the main garden yesterday.  I've still got pots, buckets and a smaller garden bed to do, but it'll wait until the weekend.  I've spent a lot of time outside lately and I do enjoy it.  We are getting up to 90* in the afternoons. 
I also made a new jar of Chive Vinegar, the pink jar on the sill.  I cut all my chive blossoms, tucked them into the jar and poured just plain vinegar all over it.  I'll let it steep for a few weeks, take out the flowers and use the vinegar in my salad dressings and marinades.  It's so easy and ever so delicious.  Last year I picked tons of wild blossoms, but they are all in the pasture where the helicopter lands, so I'll skip it.  I imagine they would taste like jet fuel.
The little oil lamp is something my Dad and Stepmom gave us from their trip to Israel last year.  It sits next to a little handmade heart-shaped dish that's full of little pebbles I found down by the river on a bike ride Sweetheart and I took in April.  We bought a tandem mountain bike the second year we were married and we love it so much.  Hmm....It's probably time to plan another ride.  I've got water in the dish so the pebbles are all shiny.  It reminds me of a little jars of polished rocks I bought as a child on vacation one year.
I've also got a jar of nasturtium vinegar with the leaves and blossoms still in it from last summer and a jar of crushed plantain leaves in olive oil I'm steeping for a Drawing Salve recipe to try.  Assorted feathers are tucked in random little jars that also hold single blooms when the little darlings bring me weeds, I mean flowers, from the yard.  There's also a painted rock, some mint I'm soaking for roots and a little onion I picked on accident the other day. 
It's all a happy little jumble kinda like the rest of life.  Though I think I could use a little more happy and a little less jumble.
Time to get back to it all.  Hope you are having a lovely day.

Pictures from the End of Summer

Waiting happily for my friend to arrive for Bible Study.

I love to say it usually doesn't look like this, but it does.  There is always a project, or twenty, going on.  I was going to do a nice post, and I still plan to, on my kitchen remodel, but this is simply the everyday picture of reality.  The pot on the stove is full of wild plums cooking so I can skim the pits out and make fruit leathers.  The crock-pot is full of oil and herbs for a new batch of Healing Balm.  The big baskets on the counter are full of windfall pears, a neighbor's tomatoes, and some early apples.  All the stuff on the island is what I'm working on for gift baskets to sell.  The four pumpkins are ones that were ripe already in the garden.  Two are now on the porch for decoration, one became dinner and some desserts and one is still sitting here next to me.  Between my Seasons~Autumn Board and my Farmhouse Kitchen Cooking Board, I've got lots of uses for the thirty or so pumpkins I've got growing!
Actually, I just looked around and noticed everything is done and the counters are really pretty clean!  Well, there is still a pile of new baskets I washed drying on the counter behind me.  I'm planning on using my late afternoons and evenings to really get cracking on making all my stuff for the sales.

All the kids love to watch and play with the chickens.  Cupcake is a bit to small still to just roam with them, but she's loves to feed them with me.  She and Pumpkin were watching these guys.

The chicks sure have grown!  We're down to four, but they seem to be going strong.

I love tea.  Have I mentioned that before?

Cupcake loves olives, so he sure enjoyed these guys. I was inspired by this pin.

Sometimes we all play with our food.

Even Pumpkin liked the penguins although he doesn't like olives to eat, they were fun to play with.

My zinnias have been a source of delight this summer.  Definitely something to grow every year.

Just a little pretty I've had for years.

After redoing the kitchen, I moved my odds and ends out of the dining room built in, put down vintage shelf paper I bought years ago, and filled the cupboard with my canning and my dried herbs in jars.  I like it.

Now, the cool mornings and lessons make me feel that Autumn has arrived.
It's the best time of year to me.

I took these pictures over the last couple of weeks and just decided to throw together this post while the kiddos are doing chores.  Time to go and get back to the other lessons!

morning light

it all looked so lovely this morning i had to capture it.
i love zinnias and right now they are in full bloom.
we have some gladiolas and a few small sunflowers as well.
the big sunflowers are over eight feet tall and haven't started blooming yet.
i love flowers.
and tea.
but you knew that, didn't you?

What's Blooming Now

I gathered up a few pretties last night while I was grilling supper.

I've become rather proficient on the grill.  In fact, I grilled everything last night:  these veggies, chicken, eggplant, tortillas and even the peaches for dessert.  A little oil and a lot of my Herbal Salt make it all so good.  I'm using fresh herbs as much as I can, but I find the Herbal Salt works great on the grill especially on things where the fresh herbs would fall off or burn.
I love cast iron, don't you?  I can mix up whatever I want inside the skillets and toss the whole thing on the grill.  I get the great flavor I want, don't heat up the kitchen, and nothing falls through the grates or sticks.  It's perfect for the little things. 

Breakfast Salads

We've got an abundance of wonderful lettuce right now.  We're having it at every meal, including breakfast.  Everyone just gobbles it up! 
The herbs are starting to take off as well.  We've had tarragon and chives for awhile now and they've gone into all sorts of dishes.  I add them to eggs in the morning and our salad dressings and sprinkle them all over chicken, or whatever else it sounds good on.  Now I am adding cilantro to the guacamole, or "yuckamole" as Dumpling christened it.  That's fine as it means more for Sweetheart and I. 
I am excited that I'll have fresh savory ready to go by the end of the week.  Basil keeps germinating and dying and I keep reseeding.  Maybe now that it's warmed up, it'll be okay.  I've got parsley and thyme, but I keep forgetting to use them because they are in the old garden areas.  I tried transplanting several times, but to no avail.  I'll give it one more go soon.
The mints are doing well.  We enjoy sprigs in our water bottles and I've even been adding sprigs of lavender to mine as well.  It's so refreshing on these sweltering days.
So, from breakfast through dinnertime, our garden is adding fresh flavors and extra goodness to our meals.  What a blessing.

My Corner

 

So this is my little corner now.  When we started redoing the kitchen we move my Hoosier across the room to where our refrigerator was.  This gives me a little nook which I love and a view out the window into the garden.  My computer is behind those sliding doors.




My ever present cup of tea is being sipped while I type this.  I'm drinking The Republic of Tea's Rose Petal Tea today.  It's lovely.

 

Can I tell you how much I enjoy my island?  We started with an old, enamel table at first so I had some space to work.  When we got the new to us cabinets we set a cabinet of big drawers in the middle and used the enamel top on it.  It worked and gave me some much needed storage space, though it had its own issues.

We added a second bank of cabinets back to back and flipped the whole thing around.  Sweetheart and his friend added the countertop to it last week.  We've got an overhang on one side and some stools for the kiddos to sit at and chat with me while I work. Having such a large work space is such a blessing. 

It's nice that some many of our things like the Hoosier match this gorgeous built in.  It passes into the Dining Room with doors on both sides.  I used to keep all my dishes in it, but since I have the storage in the island I am keeping all the bowls and plates in there.  It's right across from the dishwasher and it allows the kids to be able to reach whatever they need and to help put things away.
 
They were excited that they could help.  I know, they are weird, but we encourage it.  ;)  Actually, Cupcake is the only one after the initial excitement that still wants to help.  She's surprisingly helpful.  Well, except this morning when she got distracted and put the clean cups in the garbage can instead of the drawer where they belong.  She laughed and seemed to wonder why she did it when I pointed it out to her.  She didn't complain when she had to take them out and put them back in the dishwasher so that's something.  In fact, I think she knows better where things go than Sweetheart does.  Ahem.

There is still a lot to be done:  floors, trim work, the new antique :) lights to install, and the upper cabinets and microwave need to be hung.  I'll post final pictures as well as some before picks when it is completed.  Someday.

Until then, I'll just be excited for all that's done and enjoy the breeze I have now that the windows open.  And I'll look forward to having a microwave handy after three years without.  Plus, there is the thrill of being able to wash dishes in a built in dishwasher.  Who knew?

Question for you all:  with Google Reader disappearing in a few days, how are you planning to keep track of what blogs you like to read?  I have the option on the sidebar to follow by email which you are of course welcome to use, but I am curious as to what your plans are.  I'd hate to lose you.

Produce

While I wish we were already growing all the food we want to eat, we aren't.
While I wish wonderful organic produce was available where we live, it isn't.

And so we make do.  We forage, fish, barter, and grow what we are able.  We also get stuff at Costco when we make the trip down below.  In the in between times we can go to the store here in town.  It's not great.  Most things come with an odd, greasy smell.  Really not good.

A few weeks ago I started doing Bountiful Baskets here.  The first week I did the organic box, but have since just ordered the regular, both for cost and quality issues.  I picked up my two baskets today.  For $31.50, I got 34 plums, 2 quarts strawberries, 2 pints blueberries, 10 apples, 11 bananas (or bananananananas as Cupcake calls them) 5 pounds of grapes, 3 fennel bulbs, 6 tomatoes, 4 heads of lettuce, 11 chili peppers and 18 yellow bell peppers.  You don't get to pick what you want, but sometimes you can find someone wanting to trade.

We stopped by the store later to fill in the gaps.  They were having their fill a bag for $10 on select produce.  I stuffed one bag with 5 oranges, 5 broccoli bunches, 5 cucumbers, 2 onions and 10 pounds of carrots.  It was a pretty full bag.

I added in our garden spinach, arugula, radishes, tarragon and chives for an amazing salad with dinner.

There's a potluck at church tomorrow.  I was teasing Sweetheart I was going to make something with fennel and peppers to take since none of those things are a hit around here.  I was surprised at dinner though.  I sliced up a yellow bell and they ate it all.  

So, send your fennel and pepper recipe links on over and we'll see what we can do....Or maybe I should send the peppers to you, Dad, for Fathers Day....

All these veggies might just counteract the six-seven sticks of butter I went through yesterday.  Three pies, a tart, corn on the cob, sauteed morels & zucchini use a lot of butter.  No, I didn't eat it all. 

~believe in tomorrow~

I saw this quote on a pin a few days ago, so I grabbed a board from the demo pile on the back porch.  I think this was from the old window's exterior trim.  I grabbed a Sharpie and wrote it out quick.  I string some wire I had through the old nail holes and attached it to the old headboard I had already tucked in the garden.  It hung too low, so I just hung it on a broken branch on this tree.  I added some old ribbon and viola~garden art.  I can see it from where I am sitting at my Hoosier in the crazy kitchen. 
I cut some fresh lilacs and have them sitting next to me on the Hoosier counter as well.  There is a breeze through the windows coming in.  As much as I would prefer to keep all the old things on the house like the windows, I am near giddy at the fact I can have fresh air in my kitchen.  How nice it will be come canning season!  The Pride & Prejudice soundtrack is playing in the background on the computer.  It's a blissful moment.
Full reality check:  Every other thing in the kitchen is torn apart.  We have no water since Sweetheart shut it off yesterday morning.  I've got stacks of papers to get through on the Hoosier top, along side all the rest of the junk that's been dropped here because everything is topsy-turvy.  The kids are in the boys' room above me banging around and happily making quite a racket~louder than the P&P soundtrack for sure.  There is drywall dust on every surface of the house, even the ones I keep dusting.  It's still getting tracked in off the porch which I haven't been able to wipe up because their still working on it.  So the floors are simply a disaster.
"All" that's left is to finish plumbing, trim the windows, rewire the antique light fixtures, hook up the new dishwasher, get in the cabinets, level them and make the countertops, hang the upper cabinets and microwave and clean up. 
And we found out unexpectedly that Sweetheart's helper is gone for the rest of the week. He's a dear, sweet neighbor who has been helping Sweetheart and has taught him a lot, but we won't see him again until Monday.
And did I mention that I have company coming on Tuesday? Ah, yes.
So, I think I'd better get off my chair, and get cleaning what I can~without water, of course.

Little blessing treat this morning:  while I was washing off dishes this morning with the hose out back I looked over and saw a bright spot of pink behind the first fence.  When I was done being Ma Ingalls, I went over through the gate and found it.  It was a perfect pink tulip.  I never would have seen it if I hadn't been crouched down on the ground bending over the washtub.
I haven't decided if no water, but working pipes is better or worse than the three days we had this winter where the water worked, but we could not put anything down any of the pipes.  I think this is better, because at least I have the hose out back.  This way we can fill buckets with water to at least flush.
There are times I miss city life.
But they are short lived.

It's That Time

The air is filled with the magical scent of lilacs.  I've begun to fill the rooms with them bringing their exquisite perfume in.  How I wish the lilacs would last all year long.
We have one lilac tree behind the house that rises up to the gable on the second floor.  It's the tallest lilac I've ever seen.
And the poppies on the south side of the house have begun to pop.  Pictures of those to come.   I hope.
Right now, I'm just happy I can actually sit in front of my computer for a few minutes and get this out. 
Sweetheart has finished the demolition, insulation, and drywall in the kitchen.  I painted the walls and ceiling yesterday getting as much paint on them as I did on myself and the floor.  Good thing the floors are the last thing to fix.  While I did that yesterday Sweetheart and his friend made the first countertop and final (!) cabinet layout.  Sweetheart worked on the plumbing rough-in after I went to bed last night.  Today they are to set the sink cabinet and counter and do as much as possible before his friend leaves town until next week.
Poor Sweetheart.  He's stayed up so late so much.  Some things are just easier to do when four other people aren't under foot.  We'll all be glad when this is done.

Just a Note

In the midst of planning for a new season of planting, we are also remodeling our kitchen.  Crazy, I know.  But it will be so nice to live in once it is done. It will hopefully make all my work for the Farmers Markets go a bit easier with more workspace and a better layout.  Plus, I won't have to stare at the hideous yellow walls any longer.
It's turning into the most beautiful Spring, our third here.  New flowers we've not had before are even showing their happy faces.  There are so many different shades of green to admire and the birds are back singing away as they build their new homes and feather their nests.  Today, we've had so much rain and hail that I am glad I hadn't planted earlier in the week like I had hoped.  It would have all washed away!
Because of the kitchen redo, I'll not be online much for awhile.  We've moved my Hoosier, which contains my computer and it's landed in a corner where there are no outlets.  Adding outlets is part of the plan for the remodel.  That will be very nice.  We use a lot more outlets than folks did in 1920 when our house was built.
I'll plan to check email probably once a day, so you can still use it.  Family and friends, feel free to call if you need a faster response.  Have a wonderful Spring!

fresh

egg*pie

coming up

and until then, go visit here.  i'll be ready by take 2.

"Dinner!!!"

I went out tonight when dinner was ready to call in Sweetheart and the boys.  I ran the triangle as loud as I could and hollered, "Dinner!!!!"
Ten chickens came running.  No humans.  So, I fed the chickens and came inside.
Maybe next time the chickens will get the pork roast.

*****
Wow.  I posted this and noticed it is the 1,000th post I've done.
Maybe I should erase this one and try to do something....better.
Eh.

In the Kitchen

tea & toast

While I am inside with Cupcake the boys are outside playing in the dirt and building with sticks.  Sweetheart is one Day 2 of burning brush.
Things around the homestead have been so long neglected that Sweetheart has spent much of his time just trying to fix what has broken that day for the last year.  Now, most of those types of repairs are complete and he had been free to work on improvements.  I now have outlets in the bathroom!  After a year without, it is kinda nice.
The weather dictates what is done from day to day for obvious reasons.  Now that we are seeing less rain and warmer temperatures he is spending a lot of time out doors working.  I am able to join him with the boys "helping" when Cupcake naps.
Clearing out decades of overgrowth has resulted in some amazing piles to burn.  We save everything that can be used for firewood and burn or chip the rest.  We end the days now ready for sleep and so happy at the (finally!) visible improvements.
Last evening after the kids were in bed we hung out in the big porch hammock together.  It was so nice to relax after working so hard with a cool drink, a gentle breeze and simply chatting together as the sun went down.  One would think that we would run out of things to say as we are together almost 24/7, but we don't!  Once we was dark we sat on the front stoop just looking at the stars and the rising moon.  What a sweet end to a productive day.
____

Kitchen

Just a few projects in the works. 

Farmgirl Friday

Huckleberry Muffins

Mooove over goats!  We are upgrading to a cow.  Bella and Eve have found a new home.  The jersey cow we've been working on buying calved last week.  She had a not-so-little boy.  I was even more grateful that he was born at their place and not ours.  We will find out for sure today when we will pick them up.  At this point we are planning for tomorrow.

Someone asked if I had cows growing up.  Hello.  I grew up in Phoenix.  We had dogs.  I don't think I even saw a cow close up until I was an adult.  I have lived in big cities almost all my life.  So, no, I don't really know what I am doing.

I have read a lot and the lady we are buying from is great at answering questions.  She also has an amazing gift for people in this area:  she'll tell you what you NEED to know without waiting to be asked.  Now, plenty of folks around here are happy to tell me all sorts of things I DON'T want to know, usually negative things about other people around here.  But most people don't seem to want to share helpful information, unless you specifically ask.  I think they believe in learning things the hard way.  (Hear that banging sound?  It's my head against the wall.)  Seriously people--help me out!!!  I quite regularly admit to being new to all of this.  I pray that when I am the old timer around here I will share a bit (!) more grace to the newcomers.

Anyway...back to the cows.  I am excited and honestly a bit scared.  I think that is wise.  I've never been responsible for any living thing this big.  The goats were our starter animals and we all survived that experience.  I milked twice a day, every still single day since we got them.  No break for almost six months is a good start, I think.  Sweetheart says he will help with milking her.  I hope so.  I know it will usually be my job, but it would be good to have an extra set of hands available.

The next step is to figure out what I will do with all the milk!  We will see how much we are getting and using and figure out what we have left to sell.  I have my butter churn, ice maker, and yogurt maker all on standby.  The cream separator is set up ready to crank.

All suggestions and advice is welcome at this point.  We are also thinking about names:  #902 just isn't a great name.  Still no name for the farm yet either.  We've been too busy to really decide.

Other other fronts, I have been rushing around trying to finish up some projects before the cows arrive.  Yes, it is a bit like waiting for a baby.  I have been working on preserving food and sewing.  I finished my kitchen curtains and hung the last part up last night at about midnight.

It was then that I discovered that I used the WRONG piece of fabric for the valance.  I had cut a foot wide piece from the fabric that I had intended to use.  However, when I picked up the beautiful fabric to sew it all together, I inadvertently grabbed the remnant piece which was two feet wide. Not paying attention, I sewed all the edges and other fabric pieces to it and attached it all the way I wanted it.  I was so proud of myself as sewing is a newish thing to me.  Pride comes before a fall.

Now, I have to decide what to do with it.  I can leave it as is, but the proportions are all wrong.  I can try to modify is and sort of foof and balloon it up.  Or I can rip apart all those little seams that for once are really straight and nicely done and start alllll over again.  Did I mention we are getting a cow tomorrow?  Ugh.

Which also means I have no more time to write!  Do leave a comment with cow wisdom, name suggestions and tips for what to do in 10 minutes for less with my curtains.  Much obliged.   -Kimberly

I am linking up to Farmgirl Friday.  Stop on over for a visit.

On the Windowsill

1 Timothy 6:11 (The Message)

I love this verse.

Sweet Summer Days & Time Away

Barn Door

On Thursday mornings I sneak away. It's usually just for a couple of hours and I usually just go to the local coffee shop, but it is so nice. There are no more Bunco nights, Girls Night Outs, or even just dinner with Terri. Our little party of five is together twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and we are usually right here at home. I love it so much and I need to step away as well.

For the first few months here I was only scooting out at nap times and it was just to run to the local store, or the bank, or on quick errands. Never a break, never anything particularly fun. I got weary of it all. So, finally I told Sweetheart I needed time off and I needed to have it regularly and at least once a month.

It hasn't happened every Thursday, but it does more often than not. I feel so decadent and I know from a few comments, people here don't get it.  I know I didn't when a friend blogged about taking a day off each week.  I think it was mostly jealousy.

The coffee shop is the place to be here in town.  I've met all sorts of people from town natives to people considering moving here.  This morning I chatted with a wide range of folks.  Most of the other people are at least twenty years older and that seems normal.  In Denver, I mostly hung out with people in the same stage of life as me:  working women, newlyweds, young families, etc.  Now, I met a few moms of little ones here, but not a lot.  The change of perspectives is good.

Now, I know that I can ask around the coffee shop and find to almost anything I need to know.  It's a kick because everybodys' lives intersect  in one way or another.  Of course, the flip side is that everybody knows your business whether you like it, or not!

This morning my new neighbor dropped into the coffee shop as well.  She just moved in this weekend.  I pulled up a chair for her and introduced her around.  She and I had a few laughs together about being an outsider here.  She, too, is thrown by random people just dropping by with no warning and she knew I'd understand.  I do.  And we exchanged numbers so we can call each other before we drop by.   It all works out.

I just got back inside myself a few minutes ago.  A neighbor said he was done with the raspberries at his place so after the kids went down for naps, I grabbed my basket and went picking.  (Sweetheart is here whenever I'm not.  I'm not leaving the kids alone!)  I was able to pick a few pounds and will get making some jam in a few minutes.

I was able to put up almost nine quarts of cherries the other day from gleaning someone's trees and hope to get back for more before it's too late.  I'd like to dry some for winter baking and the cherry pie I baked yesterday had only one piece left when I got up this morning.  Guess Sweetheart liked it!

So, I'm going to rub some Healing Balm all over my scratches from berry picking and get canning.  It's an overcast day here and I was sprinkled on a bit walking back.  That's nice as it won't feel too hot in here.  The cherries ended up sugar-packed and frozen because it was just too hot the other day to want to run the canner.

What are you doing these August days?

Morning Light

I was fixing Cupcake's breakfast 

when I noticed the sunlight streaming through the lace trim shadowing the cupboard. 

The flowers' silhouettes completed the moment.  

Looks like it will be a lovely day, don't you think?