Fresh Squeezed....

The last day of August, 2010, brings 90 degree, humid temperatures. I choose to end my day with fresh squeezed lemonade and eclair cake.  Ahhhh...cool.

End of Summer...

This is the perfect "end of summer" meal.  Steak on the grill, fresh corn, fresh peppers stuffed, and as always, mashed potatoes.  Two hours later, we pretended we needed  strawberry shortcake.

More blackberries...

Wandering around the dirt roads and picking as we went was the perfect ending to our day.  Raspberries can be seen from the car driving along slowly but I had to keep getting out to spot the blackberries.  They are hidden.  The trick is to find a patch that someone didn't beat you to.  Our favorite patch was picked clean when we arrived so on we went.

Measuring sugar for the jam, washing dishes, and preparing dinner side by side.  Everyone is getting along in this sandbox.

Moose...

You are going to have to work with me on this.  There is a moose about three quarters over in the picture.  Believe it.

I made cheese yesterday and in my quest to give the whey to a neighbor who has chickens I experienced this wonderful sunset over Burbee Pond.  I couldn't get close enough to the moose to get a good shot but this whole scene was spectacular.  This is great karma and my day is complete.

Six Loose Ladies...

On Thursday evenings my friends and I pile into a car and head for Six Loose Ladies in Proctorsville, VT.  It is the "almost end of the week, we're tired," treat.  What better way to wind down and relax at the end of the day than an old fashioned knitting circle.  Gone aren't the days when knitting circles were common; knitting is experiencing a resurgence of popularity with hundreds of new, luscious yarns available.

Doesn't this just make you want to come and play?

http://www.fiberartsinvermont.org/

Local Produce...

Our neighbors are here for the weekend and have brought us the nicest gift.  Is there anyway to repay such generous spirits? 

And so on...

And so on...they never seem to stop blooming.

August...

Its August afterall.

Praise...

Dear God, for the day you have given us, with all its possibilities, we thank you.

Nine Patch Challenge...

Waterwheel Quilt Shop in Londonderry, VT had a quilt challenge today.  Each participant made a quilt consisting of 30 nine patch squares put together in any design.

25 quilters entered the contest and five prizes were awarded.  My quilt is bottom row, left. 

This quilt won first prize.

And this quilt was my favorite.  We shared a pot luck lunch and I cannot tell you when I have had more fun!

http://www.waterwheelhouse.typepad.com/

1,000 Pillow Case Challenge...

The fabric store where I sew every Tuesday is having a pillow case challenge.  On the third Friday of every month, we sew pillow cases for charity.  The first 200 went to Haiti.  Four of us showed up today and made 25 to be donated to a homeless shelter in Northern Vermont. 

Resting...

Resting on grandma's porch.

No More Sky...

The little girl went home today.  She left me her picture to enjoy until she returns. 

Reaching Out...

I think they understand each other.

Sky Visits Grandma...

Skylar came for a visit this weekend.  She loves animals, any animals.  After a day of blackberry picking, cow hugging, and jam making we are looking forward to our books and bed.

More Summer...

August is the month for berries of all sorts.  For the last month I have had fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries both on my morning cereal and with my evening yogurt.  Nice country, America.

My Tommy was out at 5 am gathering, gathering...

Zucchini Day...

August 8 is "National Sneak some Zucchini on your Neighbor's Porch Day."  It is now time to get creative!  This is one of those non-recipe recipes.  Just Julienne the zucchini and deep fry for around five minutes until golden brown.  Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt and you have the perfect, delicious, snack or garnish.

I laugh out loud at the appropriateness of such a holiday.  The idea is to sneak onto your neighbor's porch or patio under the cover of darkness and unload as much zucchini as you can get away with.  What a selfless act; it is almost patriotic!  You may include all sizes up to baseball bats only good as a receptacle for cucumber dip.  Then run away, fast as you can.

High Maples Farm...

It was a "High Maples" day.  I woke up feeling farmey (if that's a word).  Tommy picked apples from our tree yesterday.  Our friend Randy gave us a semi-large zucchini.  Those are all the ingredients needed to get the burners going.  Our apples are organic so after a quick rinse and chop, in the pan they went.  Then I squashed them through the Foley food mill and spooned my sauce into pint jars.  It only takes a few minutes to process in the pressure canner.  Then on to the bread...

This is the best darned zucchini bread anywhere!  I used a recipe from "The Silver Palate," by Julee Rosse & Sheila Lukins.  I changed it slightly substituting some of the white flour for whole wheat and using my warm applesauce for half of the oil.  My daughter, Laurie, says that if you change two ingredients, the recipe is then yours.   

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

3 Eggs

1/2 Cup Applesauce

3/4 Cup of Oil

1 1/2 Cups of granulated sugar

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Cups grated unpeeled raw zucchini

1 Cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 Cup whole wheat flour

2 Teaspoons baking soda

1 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 Teaspoon ground cloves

1 Cup shelled walnuts, chopped

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter (2) 4 X 8 1/2 inch loaf pans or (1) 9 X 5 using extra batter for  muffins.

2.  Beat eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until light and thick.  Fold grated zucchini into oil mixture.

3.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Stir into zucchini mixture until just blended.  Fold in the walnuts.

4.  Pour batter into buttered pans.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven for approximately 45 minutes for smaller pans, one hour for large, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

5.  Cool slightly, remove from pans, and cool completely on a rack.

Tomorrow, August 14, is National Leave a Zucchini on your Neighbor's Porch Day.  Then run!

Watermellon...

Who says you can't grow watermellons in Vermont?

Where's the Water...

The ocean is empty.  The boats are laying on their sides taking a nap.

Leaving Linnell...

I've left my toys until I return....

Ahhhh....

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!

Grains...

We've all heard the saying, "you only pass this way once."  With all the millions of grains of sand on just one square foot of beach, I'm guessing the great majority of them will never be touched by human feet.  This morning I discovered that arthritic bones do much better early in the day.  I felt light and somewhat pain free as I meandered along finding five pieces of beach glass and a stone with a circle all the way around it.  Good luck, you know.  Then two surprises came my way.  A lady I had been chatting with earlier gave me a piece of beach glass that she found and my Tommy gave me a heart shaped stone, my first.  Sometimes one pass brings heartwarming surprises.    

Once again...Linnell...

Its the day I've been waiting for all summer.  The sun and sand are hot, there is fresh seaweed rotting along the shore giving off its salty, dank odor.  It refreshes me as I inhale deeply and reminds me of younger days when the Brewster flatts were a part of my life.  I teared up for a minute wishing this was home.  That's what it feels like...home.

Thyme...

Walking on a path of thyme...

Waterwheel Quilt Shop...

Every Tuesday my friends and I sew at the new fabric/quilt store near our home.  I am making a quilt for my granddaughter, Ailee, and these are 30 of my squares.  I put them up on our design wall so I can arrange them before I sew the squares together.  The fabric is flannel, therefore very warm and fuzzy.  Isn't that what all quilts should be made of?  I hope she loves it.

Pine Cones...

The things that God puts on this earth are fascinating.

Sweet Corn...

The water is boiling and in approximately ten minutes, we're pigging out!