Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Around the Garden









Oh my, the garden is growing well this year. Every day more of our meals are coming from the garden and it all tastes so good. Kale, Swiss chard, beets, onions, strawberries, cucumbers, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes and herbs are gracing our plates and filling our bellies. On Sunday morning we enjoyed an entire breakfast from the backyard - omelet with Swiss chard served with roasted tomatoes and wild raspberries on the side. What a wonderful feeling it was to sit down to that meal.

This week has found me spending more time in the kitchen than the garden. The canning pot is seeing almost daily use and the pantry shelves are filling up nicely for the winter ahead. Gingery pickled beets, dilly green beans, dill pickles and blueberry jam were canned this week and blueberries and zucchini were added to our freezer stash.

The rhythm of the season was not lost on me this week as I thought back to all the time we spent in the late spring and early summer season working in the garden, more time spent outside than inside. Then a slowness set upon us as the plants reached for the sun and dove their roots deep into the soil. We watched carefully for bugs, we weeded and watered when needed, but the hard work was done. And now the busyness of the harvest begins. We, or at least I, have moved inside to can and freeze as much as we can for the winter season ahead. It is a rhythm that is repeated year after year, and for me, never gets old.

In the next week or so I will be spending a bit more time in the garden as we get ready to plant the fall garden. We are still debating what to plant, but at this moment I think arugula, mesclun mix, beets, kale and Swiss chard will go in providing us with another lovely harvest later in the fall.

How are things around your garden?

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Blueberries









Cool summer mornings are perfect for so many things and yesterday we used the one gifted to us to pick blueberries. And pick we did, 12lbs worth. Reece picked like a champ and I just tried to keep up.

The highlight of the morning was meeting one of the Harris Hawks. Pedro, born in the spring, is in training to protect the blueberry crop.

Back at home I spent some time making blueberry jam, freezing quite a few pounds and leaving just enough for us to enjoy as is.

And since blueberry season goes on for a few more weeks you can bet we will be heading back for more.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Collecting Moments










It starts out as a bike ride,
Justin and I walking behind.
But then he wonders off the path
towards the creek.
He looks out at the water,
then asks for help taking off his socks
and rolling up his pants.
As he walks toward the creek
movement in the water catches his eye.
Minnows!
He is delighted.

I sit back and watch,
capturing moments.
Then I remember,
playing in the creek as a child,
laughing, splashing, catching minnows
and tossing rocks.
I was about his age, I think,
or maybe a little older.
I don't quite remember.
Will he remember?
At what point will he start
to collect these moments
into memories?

I don't know for sure.
So for now,
I collect them,
through photos
and words.
I imprint them in my memory
and once in awhile ask...
Do you remember?

He smiles when I ask,
or show him a picture.
Moments are collecting,
memories being made.
His story is being tucked away.
One day, sitting on the grass
by the creek,
he will
remember.

Friday, July 26, 2013

{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.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Inspired by Soulemama.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Making the Most of Summer








My sister in law emailed last week to ask if we were free on Sunday for a little visit. I sadly had to decline, Sunday was a busy day of preparing for a little camping trip Reece and I were leaving for on Monday. She replied by saying you guys certainly are making the most of summer. Yes, I agreed, we are doing just that.

Monday morning Reece and I left to travel just 75 minutes north to Balsam Lake Provincial Park for a few nights of camping with another mama and her two kiddos. It was a fun few days of hiking, swimming and kids playing around the campsite.

We walked through a lovely meadow to get to the beach, we enjoying swimming in the lake and playing on the beach and we took a little hike on the Plantation Trail, finding a ton of wild flowers and wild raspberries, which put a smile on everyone's face.

We arrived home a little dirty and a little tired, but full of wonderful memories made with friends.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Drifting By




I flop down
on the green grass,
thinking I might rest
for a minute.

I close my eyes,
the quiet takes over.
But then a little
voice,
open your eyes.

I do.

Before me
is the sky,
and the clouds
drifting by.

I watch.

There is elegance in their
motion,
an unchoreographed
dance of beauty
and mystery.

I stay
far longer than I expected,
captivated,
amazed
and grateful.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Garlic


I harvested a little garlic on the weekend and wow, it smells amazing! For the next few weeks it will hang in our little cottage in the backyard drying, and I will wait, patiently, until I can use it.

Monday, July 22, 2013

A Gift


A Saturday afternoon family hike found us sitting trail side eating the sweetest wild raspberries. After eating just enough, we used Reece's sun hat to gather some more before heading for home. We enjoyed them later that evening topped with coconut milk whipped cream.

Mother Nature is so very good to us, and we are one grateful family for receiving this lovely gift from her.

Friday, July 19, 2013

{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.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Inspired by Soulemama.

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Make and Listen






Making:

~ I finished up two hats for this wonderful project

~ A little soap making was necessary, we kinda ran out

~ Raspberry picking was followed by some jam making

~ Those beets Reece was harvesting in yesterday's post became gingery pickled beets

~ Kale chips! We love them and grow a lot of kale so we can eat them all summer long

Listening:

~ The sounds of nature are still serenading us and we love it. The birds, the bees, the coyotes...all of them filling our ears with nature's music.

~ We always tune into the Back in the Day Sunday brunch on the radio. It does make me feel old, but the music is so good...well, some of it is.

~ During dinner preparations there is always a little Pink, Jason Mraz, The Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers playing in the background.

What are you making and listening to?

Joining Dawn

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Around the Garden












We have moved from tons of work in the garden to a little bit each day. Checking for bugs, pulling a few weeds here and there, giving water to the plants that look a little thirsty and harvesting. Yes, harvesting has become a twice daily routine.

Our morning harvests provide us with kale for our smoothies or juices, a little Swiss chard and herbs for our omelets and a few strawberries or raspberries to round out our breakfast. Afternoon harvests see more greens hitting the basket as well as snow peas, yellow beans and beets.

On Sunday I found Reece sitting among the yellow beans, picking them off one at a time and eating. Pick and eat, he continued for a while, enjoying every last bite. Then on Monday the two of us harvested enough beets to start the pickling season...gingery pickled beets have made it to the new pantry shelf, and I can't wait to dig into them.

The herb garden is doing well too. Yarrow, comfrey and lavender have been harvested and are now infusing in oil on my kitchen window sill. Calendula flowers are being picked daily and drying.

And did you see those tomatoes? Yup, we enjoyed the first ones for dinner last night and they were oh so sweet!

Our no dig potatoes are green and lush. They are starting to flower and I am keeping my fingers crossed that when it comes time to go searching for potatoes they are waiting for us in abundance.

In the rest of the garden cucumbers are growing, zucchinis, green beans, peppers and butternut squash are flowering, the ground cherries are spreading and the garlic is almost ready. I dug up the remains of our mesclun mix, and am preparing the area for another seeding of greens.

The sun has been shining, the temperatures are soaring and the humidity, well, let's just say it is hot and humid. We could really use a little rain, and I have my fingers crossed the long range forecast of rain on Thursday and Friday holds true.

How are things around your garden?

Linking up with Taryn