Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Blackberry Jam



It's canning time. Dan and I, finally, made our first batch of jam this past Sunday from some gorgeous  blackberries that we got at our local farmers market. Unfortunately, we're a bit late this year with our jam making.  So, we are going to try and catch-up over the next few weekends. The berries have been unbelievable and we are hoping for one more batch of blackberry jam and then at least one batch of raspberry...if we're lucky. Oh, and let's not forget peach. Gotta have some peach jam to bright up a cold, rainy northwest winter day.

Saturday, August 11, 2012

You Win Some...You Lose More Than a Couple Dozen


Anyone who has ever gardened knows that not every plant grows as expected. And, certainly, not everything survives. So it is with our San Marzano tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes are flourishing. The heirlooms are doing okay...so far. But, our paste tomatoes seem to be plagued with blossom end rot. That photo is only a small sampling of the ones that we have lost so far. We have only harvested four that were okay. There will be more that don't rot. However, my dreams of having a large harvest of these beauties, that I could can have been dashed for this year. Well, there's always next year.

An Uninvited...but Most Welcome Guest



Back in May, when I was planting veggies for our summer garden,  I had no idea that we had a guest hiding under the soil. Then, back in late June, I noticed that something was growing next to one of our zucchinis. I just ignored it, and thought that it was a weed and  I would pull it the next time I was at the garden. But, I didn't visit for a couple of weeks and had a pleasant surprise when I returned. Much to my delight, I realized that the weed was actually a sunflower. How, it got there...I don't know. We did not plant it but it was there none the less. And, since they are my favorite flower, there was no way I was taking it out. So, time has gone by and this week that lone sunflower bloomed into the beauty that you see above. I feel blessed that it is there. Sunflowers always make me smile.