Followers

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Last Loring Peach Pie

I had just three Loring peaches left and they were due to be used so I made another pie! See how easy they open, and I peel with just my fingers. Yes, there are slight bruises that I made when giving the "twist" to open this very ripe one.
Please click on image to imagine the taste!
The Flamin' Fury is an unusually well-colored freestone peach. This is the peach variety that I just picked up at the Farm Market. The Lorings, my favorites for everything were sold out. Next on my agenda is a recipe for peach bread; think banana bread. I'll post the recipe I use. Maybe I'll bake it tomorrow.

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Dried and Bagged

Yes, it did the job! The dehydrator that my daughter gave me for Christmas last year has been put to good use and will work more for me in the next few months for sure!

To see details please click on image to enlarge


Monday, August 28, 2017

New to Me

I have not ever had a dehydrator before this year and it is a trial and error thing for me to try several projects. The first, wild blackberry leather failed. I just didn't have enough pulp and it was all juice after straining. It ended up being tasty jelly and has already disappeared.  The next project was dried peach slices. They came out great but the drying took longer than the manual said it would. Then my peach leather project was perfect! Now I have tomato slices filling all four trays and expect it to be a 12 hour process. I have plans to use these, don't worry!

The best part is that these tomatoes are the Oxhearts from which I saved the seeds from last year. My PA daughter started the seedlings and grew a few this spring.  She took some to my NJ daughter who grew great ones this year. PA daughter brought four beauties back to me from NJ daughter after vacationing together at the NJ beach last week. Whew! We had a great tomato to eat, I'm currently dehydrating three and saving seeds for next year. (I do ramble on, don't I?)  Don't forget to click on image to view larger and you will soon ask for some seeds for yourself to plant next year.
Bottom Tray 1
Tray 2
Tray 3
Top Tray
Saved seeds as I sliced
They will ferment for about a week
After fermenting they will be strained and dried

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Signs of Autumn!

On one of my rides out and about this morning look at what I saw! It's just around the bend. Oh well, I knew it was coming.
I was wearing a light jacket because the temperature this morning at 7am was 44°!

The Goldenrod is especially pretty. Did you know that it is an edible plant?
Edible parts: All aerial parts of the plant can be used. The flowers are edible and make attractive garnishes on salads. Flowers and leaves (fresh or dried) are used to make tea. Leaves can be cooked like spinach or added to soups, stews or casseroles. Leaves can be blanched and frozen for later use in soups, stews, or stir fry throughout the winter or spring.

The above information came from the internet. Check the link below for more.

And my peach leather rollups came out GREAT! It was made of 4 cups of pure puree (no skins) with one tablespoon of honey added. It took a total of 16 hours at low temperature and I cut it into 8 sections and rolled each between plastic strips. We already ate part of one.
please click on image to view larger

Edible Goldenrod Link 

Thursday, August 24, 2017

This one took time...

...and a lot of experimentation until I was satisfied.

Here is the "BEFORE"
And here is the "AFTER."
The eyeglasses are the original. I added each eye separately on a background. Then I put the original image less the lenses of the eyeglasses over on top of the eyes and manipulated color and frame. A "paper fold" free filter was then applied over the entire image. I use a computer, not a phone. 

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Emergence

In an earlier story I showed you my find of a Monarch caterpillar and how it formed its chrysalis in my jar, on a milkweed leaf. I took the leaf and put it over the top of the jar and then put an elastic band around the opening to hold it in place while it developed, hanging over the opening.  I found it on August 4 and it developed into its pupa stage on August 9. Today it emerged. I didn't want it to get stuck in the jar so, as it was dropping out of its shell, I took the stiff and dried-out leaf and pinned it with a clothespin to the loop in my laundry line so it could dry before flying away. It took 2 hours to spread its wings before leaving. Everything went off with out a problem at all and that was my hope. As I was watching it spread its wings while on the leaf, it suddenly took off. I was caught unaware and didn't get the shot of its flight high in the sky as it headed to a destination far far away! It was a wonderful feeling to see it soar.
7:47 AM August 23, 2017
 
9:41 AM August 23, 2017
please click on image to view larger
Wonders will never cease...

Eclipse Fever

A granddaughter from the state of NY and a great granddaughter who lives in CO each sent me their phone photos of the Great Eclipse and I interpreted them - my way.

I remembered seeing an image that Jennifer sent me of her newly painted nails. I took it and placed it on her eclipse shots. I wasn't satisfied with the first two so I went into deep water and really expressed my feelings. She was a bit dismayed because I made her hands look so old! Sorry sweet, it is only your off-the- wall grandmother playing again.
The CO picture came first to her mother and then to me. I immediately saw hers as an eye pupil and proceeded to wild it up a bit. Getting carried away like this is very relaxing for me. Sometimes I think I'm not in the here and now.
    My process...    
   Finished   
please click on image to view larger
I'm glad all of the hoopla is over.

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Peachy

While everyone was excited about the eclipse I was out buying more peaches. Here are 4 beauties. They take up an entire oval dinner plate and I put the teaspoon in to show you how large they really are. They are freestone Lorings - my very favorite. I baked a pie this morning, and I plan to try out the peach casserole I mentioned before. I don't know why they call it a casserole when that brings to mind a dinner concoction! This would be a breakfast.


Then I touched the moon for good luck!
click on image to view larger

Monday, August 21, 2017

Poisonous and Pretty

These are wild Privet Berries and they are poisonous. Eating the berries of this shrub are only mildly poisonous to humans but eating them is still never recommended. There are many ripening along the roadsides now, along with the elderberries and I don't want anyone to be confused.
A neighbor across the lake has a beautiful hydrangea paniculata in his front yard. I think it is called Pinky Winky! There are many names for this pink variety. There another hydrangea blooming in another yard that is the same shape with massive flowerheads but apple greenish colored. These are large bushy plants and very pretty.
please click on image to view larger

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Beautiful Rideabout to Neighbor's

On Friday morning I awoke with extreme pain in my left eye and I couldn't open it at all because it hurt so. My local ophthalmologist wasn't in so I traveled to another one about 28 miles away. The Mister drove. After intense examination it was determined that I had a sudden corneal erosion without specific reason or cause. He explained what might have happened. Thank goodness for the numbing drops that allowed for the exam. He sent me home with a contact lens "bandaid" inserted and a prescription for an antibiotic. I am to return in 3 days. At least it doesn't hurt now, just tears and my vision in that eye is comparable to looking through wax paper. I can look forward to complete healing soon. For more information on this you can check out the link at the bottom of this page.

It was such a beautiful day that I took a ride in the golf car down the road and up a rough road to the top of a hill to visit a neighbor. They weren't home but I took pictures and left. On the way up I had spotted ripening elderberries at the side of the road. I am sorry that no one seems to be reaping the wonderful elderberries to make jams and syrups as I did so many years ago. They are plentiful and ripening beautifully. I have the old recipe if anyone would like to do this. I just don't have the energy nor the equipment but would be happy to share the process. See what I found!
EASY to make!
please click on image to view large