Grapes are ready to juice or make jam. Picked a 5 gallon bucket last evening in about 10 minutes from the arbor by the house. The garden grapes are just as thick! The juicer will be steaming until there's about 12 quarts ready for juice or jelly. Last year a lot of grapes simply fell off one day and that was the end of the season.
Tomatoes are finally getting ripe but not in the abundance of last year. Seems like we just didn't have enough really hot, sunny days to give them the boost they need. But, there will be salsa and juice and plenty of spaghetti sauce. Carrots are the best in years. Friend, Paulette, and I canned about 40 pints of carrots and 50 pints of potatoes. It was a new venture for us and one we just had to try. The jars of orange and white look gorgeous! Such fun! Beets are just waiting to be pickled and canned. Too bad so much produce comes at one time.
Sauerkraut is on week 3. We did some regular kraut and then some with caraway, mustard seeds, and green apples. We are anxious to see how it turns out. One cabbage weighed 17 lbs. We sliced it in the food processor, and Tom stomped it with his homemade stomper. It's a lot of work but doesn't take long. It's another one of those processes we had to try a few years back and just can't quit!
Apples on the old tree are beginning to fall - nature's way of saying "get out here and pick me!" We have 4 bags of dried apples ready for the grandkids and 6 quarts of apple pie filling. We need to do lots more but that will have to wait until mid-October. There just aren't enough hours in the day!
Neighbor, Joe, is chopping corn so we know it will soon be time to pick the small field we have. Seems like it was just planted. Where did summer go?
Belle is growing - she's into the adolescent stage right now. We had forgotten what a puppy can find to chew. She loves ice cream pails and carries them by the handle in her mouth - looks like she's really on a mission. Learning not to jump on people is a really hard lesson. She knows what we say and will stay down but it is so hard when you are so very happy to see everyone! Casey is still ignoring her as best he can. That still makes Belle stand back and give him a look like, "what is your problem?"
We had a funeral on Saturday - Tom's cousin, Bob. Once again we have to stop and take a good long look around us. We know that things will never be the same again, the lesson we learn each time someone dies. And, once again, we are overwhelmed by how very fortunate we have been over our lives with family and friends. We will miss him.
Take care, all of you.

Let's go

Weekend of the 4th is over and back to business. Strawberries are winding down, this will be the last week we pick. Tom will mow them off in another week. It always looks so awful with the plants mowed but they soon come back with new growth for next year. Berries were so good this year, thanks to Mother Nature's cooperation and lots of hard work. The new patch of trial strawberries is coming along well. We're already anxious to see what they bring next summer.

Mike, Lisa, Kyle and Cody spent the holiday with us; the boys stayed and Lisa will be back to get them this week. She has to get her "berry picking fix!" Yesterday morning she picked 6 quarts of red raspberries to take back to Kansas. As usual, Lisa made jam - she loves to give it to her friends and the teachers as gifts.

The boys and I are planning to get dozens of little chores done that have been ignored the past 3 weeks. We saw "Ice Age 3" last night and enjoyed it immensely. Even they are fascinated by the fact all 4 of us can go to River Falls for a movie, popcorn and a soda for about $15. They love it!

Jane and the girls will be back on Thursday so we'll have a busy house for a few days. Such fun! Hopefully Mikes' family can join us somewhere in there. Kids, bikes, picnics and just being outside - isn't that what summer is all about! (and don't forget the berries!)

For those of you who don't know, that last picture is son-in-law, Mike Moose at the Kansas City Barbeque Contest with Guy Fieri from Food Network. Not sure how he does it but Mike meets some really neat people!

OOOOPS! Grandma's shortcakes need a fourth cup of sugar!

Grandma's Shortcakes
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
Mix dry ingredients until crumbly (can use fingers or food processor)
Gently stir in 3/4 cup milk or light cream, stirring until just blended.
Lightly roll out to 1/2 thick, cut circles and place half on oiled baking sheet.
Spread small amount of soft butter on each circle on baking sheet and top with the rest of th e circles. Bake about 10 minutes at 450 or until golden brown.

My grandmother made these shortcakes - they absolutely melt in your mouth. The two layers of cake with the butter in between make them easy to separate and beautiful to look at. Margarine can be used but the results are not the same. She always sliced the berries and sprinkled on very little sugar, just enough to make juice. Next to her chicken and biscuits, this was a favorite with my brothers and me. More on here chicken and biscuits later.

Jane and the girls were here over the weeked. Those little smiling faces were constantly smeared with strawberry juice. Not sure which of them could eat the most! Between running from the patch to the house and riding bicycles back and forth, they were exhausted at bedtime. Meg ate two huge bowls of strawberry shortcake! Jane made 4 batches of freezer jam - one large container is gone already!