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Sunday, July 12, 2020

Colorful

Hello dear friends!  Hope you all are doing well.  We're still spending a good portion of our days watering, trying to keep our garden alive.  My! It's been hot!  But the today we finally had a break from the heat and are having the Picture-perfect summer day.  So many flowers are blooming right now.
This is a garden on the south side of our home.  It's a true cottage garden, in that every plant is either something that someone has given us, or a volunteer plant growing elsewhere in the yard.  It's been thrown together with no forethought on what "goes" but just planted by sticking whatever we found,  wherever there was an empty space.  And you no what?  It's one of the prettiest gardens  that ever existed.  (Sometimes I wish I were a better photographer so I could capture the true beauty of this place, but it is what it is, and if people desire an "artful" blog, I'm afraid they will have to go elsewhere.)  Oh!  And the birds do their part also. Many of the flowers have been reseeded courtesy of the birds. I'm a firm believer in not coddling  plants and letting them live where they want to, no hybrid roses for me!

Here's an area of the yard we will be working on this fall:

This is the back quarter of our property where our apple trees grow.  We plan to plant "something" to make this area completely secluded and have a little sitting area. Even on the hottest days, this shady area is cool.  We've already earmarked some ferns and hostas to go back here.  Any ideas?   I'd love your input. This year we decided not to mow the grass back here and there's all sorts of wildflowers  and herbs growing;   Fleabane, Self-heal, Queen Anne's Lace, Wild Lettuce, Mullein  and Red Clover to name a few.  It's so enjoyable to learn of all the herbs and their many uses. You are never too old to learn something new!

IN THE KITCHEN

This recipe is something new I learned  last year.  For years I've looked at this recipe in one of Mary Mason Campbell's recipe books and ignored it because it seemed too "ordinary".  But last year I had such a glut of summer squashes that I was willing to try anything to use some up. Hence, this recipe, which has become a staple summer meal for us:

 Casserole of Summer Squash

2 tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. summer squash washed and cut into cubes (I use a mixture of summer squash, zucchini and eggplant)
1 white onion, chopped
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. salt (scant)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tbsp. oregano
1 C. breadcrumbs
1 C. cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Parboil the squash for 5 minutes, Drain.
Put the oil in a 3quart casserole. Put in vegetables.
Mix together dry ingredients and half the cheese. Spread over top of the vegetables.
Dot with butter.
Cover and bake 50 minutes. Uncover and scatter the remaining cheese over top.  Return to oven until the cheese is melted.

Isn't it colorful?  We substituted some cheese crackers for the breadcrumbs, just because we had some and they needed using up.  Makes it even more colorful.  Happy days when the garden starts producing!

And look! Canning season has begun! One commenter expressed skepticism that I truly canned as much as what I said I did, but this is just the result of one day's canning session, and my true canning season doesn't really begin until the beans and the tomatoes ripen.  Then it's not unusual for me to can 30 jars a day.  Anyway, I know I should let these comments pass, but it does get tiresome some times. 

And speaking of gardens, with all this dry hot weather, now is the time to be drying your herbs in your car. Something I wrote about way  back in 2012.  Good advice never goes out of style.

This was a dandy year for cherries.  Usually the birds have them eaten before they are ready to be picked, but this year there were even  too many  for them!  I ended up with a dozen jars of cherry preserves.  We will treasure those!  And we had enough cucumbers for a dozen jars of relish. We go through a lot of relish. There'll be more on the way, not to mention pickles.  And I got an amazing deal at WalMart.  They must be getting rid of a brand because they had cans and cans of corn and beans on the sale rack. The expiration date on the cans was 2023 so it wasn't because they were expiring.  Anyway, I bought two  six pound cans of corn for $1.50 each (that's 25 cents/lb!). So I recanned the corn into smaller pint jars.  We never have any luck with corn, between the deer and the raccoons, it just isn't worth our while to grow.  And what they don't eat, the crows will finish off.  Oh! speaking of deer, we spotted twin fawns standing in the street in front of our house.  Gosh, they're cute, but such pests! They know they have it made, with a stream and grazing land behind our house, and apple orchards and our garden, plus the fact that there's no hunting in the village, I'd say they are the smartest little deer!

SEWING

During  the "big lockdown" I took up sewing again.  I haven't done any for years, and it was fun to rediscover the craft.  But not being able to avail myself to any stores, I had to "make-do" with what I had.  Using an old linen tablecloth and substituting some woolen goods for the interfacing I fashioned this old-timey vest.  It has a cute peplum in the back.
Sorry about how awful these pictures are.  I am not a model and the one thing I hate most in the world is having my picture taken.  The photographer gets one chance with me and that's what I go with. ANd I wouldn't know where to begin with photoshopping.  It must be tiresome to be a model, or one of those influencers you see on Instagram.  And I hadn't given any thought about how stupid this vest would look with a t-shirt, (I just put it on to take the picture). Or how I had the back all twisted about. Or that maybe the back would look smoother if I hadn't had a big bulky belt on underneath it.  Oh well!  You get the picture.  

Currently I'm knitting a shawl from some yarn that I picked up at the local thrift shop for 50 cents a skein.  It's just a simple shawl, but the variegated yarn intrigued me. It 's not the best yarn, but I'm not a yarn snob and the entire project will cost me $1.  Not like I'm giving it as a gift or anything, just something to do. Truly a mindless project for the times I'm monitoring the pressure canner.  

Well, the world keeps getting crazier, but life is as good as you care to make it.  I hope you all have a glorious week ahead of you. And that's this week at the old Zempel boarding house.

Hugs
Jane

35 comments:

  1. I love your vest!Did you use a pattern? Boy did I need that recipe! I have squash and zucchini coming out my ears!

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    1. It was a vintage one from Vogue, Angela. I found it at a thrift store a long time ago. Yep, that's what happens with zucchini! Ha! We're going to try dehydrating some this year. Will let you know hw that turns out.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  2. It's been very humid here in NY state. We've been having a lot of rain this summer which doesn't help the humidity. I can take the heat but I am done for with the humidity. Most of my meals at this time of year come from my crockpot. My zucchini is almost ready to pick. That recipe looks so yummy! I love your vest.

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    1. Oh that's where all our rain went! Ha! I'm with you Mary, heat and humidity is very hard to take. This time of year, I'm already looking forward to October and November. Stay cool!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  3. our vest is so cute, Jane. I love the little peplum in the back!

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    1. Thanks Belinda! I'm trying to work the kinks out of the pattern, so maybe someday I can make it out of something beside an old tablecloth. Ha! Have a lovely week!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  4. Dear Jane,

    I was very happy to see a new post from you, today, as currently I am hiding out from the heat...it is 38 degrees C here with the humidex...ugh. Maybe it would be tolerable if all you had to do was sit around and drink mint juleps, but otherwise. (Not fun for canning season!) What are all your jars full of in the canning picture? Cherry preserves? Our tree was just loaded, but the birds and raccoons got them all. Again. I've gotten them once in the ten years we have lived here...the tree is too big to net, and we've tried everything from cd's dangling to deer netting around the bottom branches (to keep out the raccoons), etc. Sometimes it's the critters, and other times it's brown rot from the humidity. Oh, well. The apple trees are loaded, so we'll wait for those! My mouth is watering at the thought of cherry preserves, though.

    Got many strawberries frozen, and I've made a strawberry glace pie for supper tonight. Tomorrow I will be making strawberry jam, cutting and freezing swiss chard, blanching and freezing green peas, and making a "lunch goodie" (cookies or whatever). As you say, this is the busy season! I picked four little snow peas this evening, so they are just starting...really looking forward to eating those. I haven't figured out a good way to preserve them that doesn't involve them going to mush and string, so we just eat them fresh while they're on.

    I love the photos of your flowers. Beware the hostas with your deer! Our whole neighborhood plants them, and the deer chomp 'em down continually. Kind of comical. (I have them, too...both deer and hostas. Ha!)

    Your vest is amazing. I love it. It looks like one of those medieval bodices and is so cute. I scored some thrift store fabric yesterday...half of it is in the wash. I bought quite a stack of it, hoping to get some Christmas presents made out of it...shirts and skirts and vests and things. The best was some thick woven plaid, very wide, that I think will make a cute vintage skirt or two and/or jumper. My girls love to wear vintage clothing, and they always look great in it! These days they sew their own clothing, but I still like to sew presents.

    Well, I guess I'd better sign off. Hope you get some needed rain, soon!!

    xx Jen in NS

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    1. Hi Jen! Hoping that today's cooler weather is heading your way! This is only the second time the birds have left us enough cherries and we have three large trees!

      The deer don't bother our hostas. Guess they are too busy eating all my vegetables, tulips and lilies.

      If you laid out the snow peas on pans and froze them, then packaged them up, would the still turn to mush? I'm wondering if they can be dehydrated. Reminds me that I have to can peas tomorrow. We gather them up and freeze them until we get enough. It was a good year for peas!

      Oh I canned the corn, dill relish and cherry preserves. The day before I canned cabbage. The pantry is starting to get restocked! There's some real bargains on fabric at the thrift stores. I once bought several yards of cashmere for a few dollars! Anytime I see a nice bit of wool at a garage or estate sale or thrift store, I buy it. Getting ready for the new ice age. Ha!

      Sounds like you are keeping busy. Don't overdo it. Hope you get some relief from the heat soon.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  5. First of all, everything (every ingredient) is good in that casserole...yum! And it is colorful! Pretty flowers...you must be doing a good job watering. Love your new back area. The pine trees look very healthy (I can't help thinking of Christmas looking at those)...and smart to have a cool place for hot days. Good idea for the wildflowers...nature knows best! Canning is so rewarding. I haven't done it for three years and hope to do it in the future. hugs, Andrea

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    1. It's a simple recipe, Andrea, but it's one the guys love. We never have leftovers. I can't help but think of Christmas too, it's the only thing that's keeping me cool during this heat. Ha! Hope you have a nice week ahead of you.

      HUgs
      Jane

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  6. Love your cottage garden - it reminds me of one my mom used to have. She could tell a story about every plant in there.
    Such a cute vest! I need to get back to sewing again, once I kill my nemesis the mending pile.
    We're still having to water daily in my spot of SW Virginia. Even the thunderstorms seem to pass us by.
    Thank you so much for the reminder, "life is as good as you care to make it." I hope you have a lovely week!
    P.S. Don't worry about your photos. I enjoy the everyday people feel of them as opposed to slick, too-perfect looking ones.

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    1. Hi Jo! That's nice that your mom had a cottage garden. Brt you have lots of happy memories. I hadn't sewn in eons and I really needed dressmaker's paper for this project, but it was fun to experiment with. I'd probably take more care if I was using something besides an old tablecloth. Ha! Glad you don't too perfect photos, I'm a true point-and-click photographer. Nothing will ever be slick here!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. Hi Jo, nice to meet a neighbor. I live in Hokie country, and it has surely been hot and dry here.

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  7. My photos seem to turn out anywhere from mediocre to quite poor. I guess I inherited my photo taking abilities from my mother. She used to drop the film off for processing and when she got the film back it was always fun to see which ones actually were ok. There were lots of unidentifiable out of focus photos and ones where she would cut me or one of my siblings either partially or fully out of the photos.

    Your photos are fine by the way. I also enjoyed the link to your post on drying herbs. Thank you for the inspiration.

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    1. I forgot all about taking the film to be processed, Sherri. Half of mine usually had a thumb over them. Technology sure has advanced, hasn't it? When I look back on how much in my lifetime, it almost makes me dizzy. My grandmother always said she went from the Wright brothers to man walking on the moon in her lifetime and now I know how she felt!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  8. Wonderful post Jane! I really like the cute vest you made. It's especially nice because you used what you had on hand, and so pretty with the peplum in the back.

    I will be trying your casserole recipe out today. It looks yummy!

    I went back and read the post you wrote on drying herbs in the car. That's a great idea. I'm looking into getting an air dryer too. I have been searching around trying to locate someone to teach me how to can my produce. I wish I could just watch someone doing it so I could ask questions and observe the process. I might just have to jump in with both feet and make a try at it alone.....a little nervous.

    Have a wonderful day dear Jane

    Hugs from Shirley

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    1. I think you'll enjoy the casserole, Shirley. Sometimes something so simple turns out to be really good.

      There's plenty of videos on YouTube about canning. Really, it's quite simple and I think everyone has quite a bit of fear the first few times they do it. Like you said, you just have to jump in and do it. Really, it's not rocket science. Only suggestion that I'd make, is to buy an All American brand cannner if you can afford one. They really are the best and you don't have to fiddle with gaskets and such.

      My son is coming to visit from Wisconsin today, so I'm certain to have a wonderful day. Hope yours is too!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  9. Good morning Jane, would you believe we are getting even more rain right now? July is not normally a wet month in Oklahoma
    My husband has been planting flowers with no regard to what goes where. I like the look of a little of this here and some of that over there but I suspect some of our neighbors think we are loony. I would love to see your yard in person, it looks charming.
    Cherry preserves sound so yummy and I think your vest is wonderful. It will look even nicer with one of your feminine blouses. Good job!

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    1. Hello Rhonda! Goodness! You're going to have to build an ark soon. Too bad it can't be shipped up here. Let the neighbors think you are loony, as my husband says, we are all a little bit crazy, just in different ways. Ha! One day I'd love to show you around my little piece of heaven. But more importantly, I'd love to meet you and say hello in person.

      Stay dry!
      Hugs
      Jane

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  10. Thanks for the suggestions Jane. I know you're right...just need to do it.

    Happy day to you....so glad you're having a special visitor 💗

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  11. Jane,
    The vest is lovely and I too despise having pictures taken. Yesterday my young daughter in law helped me and we canned 27 pints of blueberries a mixture of conserves, jam, plain berries then canned the leftover syrup to sweeten tea. I will begin green tomato salsa tomorrow. Sorry I have not commented in so long but I can't post a comment without one of my children's help. I'm not so great with phones and computers.
    Ginger

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    1. No need to apologize, Ginger! Trust me I understand being technologically challenged. If it weren't for my son Jamie, I'd never be able to write this blog. sounds like your canning season is in full tilt. It looks like they are hinting at another lock down come fall, so can everything you can get your hands on!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  12. I had to chuckle when I read the bit about someone questioning your canning because I knew I would be peeved too. What are people thinking sometimes?? 😘 Anyhow, that is a lovely vest. I love the color so much and the back. Happy canning and gardening! I was wondering, were you about to garden like this when you were raising your boys?

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    1. Good afternoon, Brooke! Kind of akin to calling a person a liar, isn't it? So every once in a great while I feel the need to prove that yes, I do the things I write about. Yes, I always canned like this, even when the boys were babies. Thank goodness for those little bouncy seats. I used to sit the babies in them in the middle of the kitchen and sing silly songs while I prepped the jars. Really, except for the time preparing the food and getting it into the jars, canning isn't that time consuming. While it's in the canner you can be doing something else nearby, like nursing a baby. Just have to monitor the pressure every once in a while. That being said, there were days when I was canning, hanging laundry outside, cleaning and cooking that I could hardly lift my legs to climb the stairs to go to bed. Ha! It was hard work, I won't pull the wool over anyone's eyes. But it was rewarding!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  13. Oh I love a cottage garden, and yours looks lovely!
    Thanks for the recipe, it sounds so good. Hopefully I can make it if some critter quits munching my plants.
    Great job canning! My mom used to admire her jars; she thought the jelly looked like jewels and all that food sure tasted good in the winter.
    Love the vest design.
    Hope you have a good week.

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    1. Yep, those animals are out of control this year, Kathy. Maybe they know something we don't? Perhaps we are going to be in for a harsh winter? Who knows? I'm with your mom. Homemade preserves are better than jewels. You can't eat jewels. Hope you are having a good week, also!

      Hugs
      Jane

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  14. Heuchera does well in shady colors and comes in a rainbow of colors. It would also be a nice place for hellebore as they flower in very early winter, before the fruit trees leaf out.

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    1. Thanks for the suggestions, Sharon! I have never had any luck with hellebores but perhaps this is the area they'd thrive. It's going to be fun to find the plants. ANd just when I was thinking about scaling back my gardens. Ha! Gardeners never quit, they just go to pot.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  15. Great post Jane, love your vest! I am going to try your recipe but use winter squash and sweet potato and cauliflower. We are still getting more rain than I care for, you are welcome to some. There is just something so comforting about jars of canned food isn't there. Cherries how yummy. I have been sorting out my freezer and decided to make more room by making jam out of my blackberries I froze in the summer. Your photos look great to me!

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    1. Hello Sharon! Thank you for the offer of rain, we finally had some today. There's something so cozy about a rainy summer day! Let me know how the casserole turns out, will you? I cleaned out my freezer and did the same thing this spring. I need to do it again. Hope you are enjoying your week!

      Hugs
      Jane

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    2. Hi Jane the casserole turned out lovely, I parboiled the vegetables and added leeks to the mix, a great winter version of your dish, I had it as a side dish with roast chicken and the rest I froze. Thanks for the recipe.

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    3. So glad it worked for you, Sharon! I'll have to try your winter version in a few months, the addition of leeks sounds wonderful. Looks like we are going to have a bumper crop of winter squashes and pumpkins this year.

      Hugs
      Jane

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  16. I am new to your blog. I love your resourcefulness & can do spirit.

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    1. Thank you! I hope that now that we've broken the ice, you'll stop by often and leave a comment. I always say that the comments are the best thing about this blog. They are a lovely bunch of ladies and gentlemen.

      Hugs
      Jane

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