Today's Pickings

There's nothing like a fresh apple right off the tree...crisp, crunchy, juicy, tart/sweet...so good.  We went to visit a few friends today and had the good fortune of enjoying good conversations with them and ending up with some goodies along the way...a basket full of apples we plucked from the trees (for drying, baking and maybe I'll try apple sauce), one of crab apples Johny collected from the tree (for jelly), a dozen eggs collected this morning by our friend Bobby, and 2 chanterelle (Johny found)...a great day...and I can't wait to try some new kitchen creations with those apples (I'm sure you'll be seeing a recipe or two).

The apples on the left are in a garden basket my friend Bertie (thanks Bertie) gave me when we were visiting yesterday...it is such a beautiful basket, I can't wait to fill it with some bounty from the garden!

Did you notice the little butterfly on the crab apple basket?  He landed there exactly when I started taking pictures...perfect timing...like a bow on top!

I find picking apples to be quite enjoyable...being amongst the fruit filled trees and sampling each type of apple to be sure you like it before picking...the slight resistance the apple stem gives before letting go...the burst of tang in your mouth with that first bite...  Have you ever been apple picking?  Do you enjoy it?

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

Easy Fresh Blueberry & Custard Tart

When we picked a small bunch of fresh blueberries a couple days ago, Johny requested I make a European style fruit tart...being the loving and devoted wife that I am, I said of course...and created my version of the tart.  Europeans use a sweeter crust, custard, fresh fruit and top it with a glaze.  My approach is the short cut version, but it makes Mountain Man happy and perfect for a light, summer desert.

Easy Fresh Blueberry & Custard Tart

Ingredients:

1 pie crust (I used a prepared, rolled crust)
1 tsp flour
1 package french vanilla pudding mix (or you can make your own custard, but I have not mastered this skill yet and I didn't want to take a chance...and I said this was the short cut version)
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

Spread a little flour on your counter top, rolling pin, and prepared crust...

 ...and roll out your dough to extend it about 1 inch (be sure to roll it evenly to maintain an even thickness).

 Roll the crust onto the rolling pin...

 ...and unroll it onto your baking sheet (you could use a tart pan for this, but I don't have one).

Roll the edges of the crust over a little...

 ...use the sides of your fingers to pinch it together (creating your edge) and use a fork to press it down a little.

 Use the fork to put small holes throughout the crust (this will keep it from puffing up).

Bake as the package instructs, mine was at 450 degrees for 10 minutes (you want it to be fully cooked but not too brown).

While the crust is baking, make your pudding or custard and let it cool.  When both the crust and the pudding are cool, spread the pudding all over the crust. 

Randomly sprinkle your blueberries over the custard and press lightly into the custard, just enough to keep them from rolling off.  

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

This simple approach highlights the natural sweetness of the blueberries and keeps them fresh so they will pop in your mouth when you take a bite.  The pudding adds creamy sweetness and the crust a little crunch.  So good on a warm summer day!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

I Fancy Fog

I really enjoy the smoky fog that blankets our mountains almost every day...for some it might feel gloomy, but for me, it's fantastic and I find myself filled with a peaceful calm.


Last night, the sky was faintly pink with misty clouds feathering the mountains...

...this morning brought that famous smoky fog just like out of a postcard.

I am one fortunate girl!

Visit ABCWednesday for more posts on the letter F.  Many thanks to the founder, Mrs. Denise Nesbitt, and to Roger for taking the helm.  And congratulations on the lucky 13th round!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best family/friends/readers/subscribers/followers, see you tomorrow,
Lise

How Does My Garden Grow?

While I was down south, Johny would give me daily garden updates, but I have been looking forward to seeing it for myself and this morning we took a walk so I could see how she grows.  There was a lot more rain while I was gone causing some of the squash to spoil before they had developed, but overall things look pretty good. We still have several squash growing...they are the acorn and butternut surprises I've told you about...and our 3 watermelon have grown too!  Our beans are producing like crazy...Johny picked about 3 pounds while I was gone, which I am now in the process of freezing (trying this for the first time, I prefer frozen to canned...I placed them in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze and will then put them in a freezer zip lock, will let you know how that works out), and we picked this basket full this morning...and there are still many more beans growing!  We also picked our first 2 ears of corn, though the top of the cob seemed pretty small...

...I was pleasantly surprised when pulled a little of the husk back...though it didn't fully develop, the kernels that did are plump, juicy and sweet smelling...we're going to try them tonight.

Johny harvested these potatoes and this giant squash (we have more of these squash growing too) while I was gone...these will accompany our dinner this evening as well.  See the single purple potato?  That's what grew from our true potato fruit seed that self germinated.  

I was very happy to find we have 3 or 4 tomatoes growing...maybe they'll actually make it to ripen on the vine...we don't have much luck with tomatoes and all this rain isn't helping!

Our blueberries are ripening, some ready to pick...ooh they are sweet...I'm think going to make Johny a European style custard tart (pie crust topped with custard and fresh berries on top)...and maybe jam or a traditional blueberry pie if we end up with enough. 

I was thrilled when I saw my rhubarb is coming back...I wrote about it looking sickly and having to be transplanted, you can read more about that here.

It's good to be back and enjoy the just picked produce from the garden. How does your garden grow?

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

Home Sweet Home

I'm back at the cabin after a long drive...it was mostly uneventful except for NC greeting me with a couple heavy rain showers interrupting a light drizzle for most of this leg of the trip.  I'm glad that's the only rain I encountered, a 10 hour trip in the rain is no fun. 

As I was getting ready to pull away from the river early this morning, I saw the almost full moon (Tuesday 8/20 is a Blue Moon)...when I took a picture, my camera lens fogged up, and this is what I ended up with...I like it!  The shadow in the top center is moss hanging from a tree, and the bottom left corner is a tree.

As I drove toward the cabin, I kept thinking that it looked like some of the leaves were changing along the highway.  Sure enough, when I got home, our trees are beginning to show colors of fall!  It feels like fall too, it's rainy, cool and doesn't feel anything like summer, especially compared to the heat at the river house!   

It's good to be home sweet home...time to relax and visit with Mountain Man, Pogo & Fluffy!

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

One More Morning on the River

This will be my last sunrise on the river for a while, it was a lovely and breezy morning...perfect for my walk.    

Here's a few of my interesting observations from this morning...

This palm tree is engulfed by a strangler fig, creating an intricate pattern in the base of the trunk where the fig is wrapping around the palm...what's most amazing to me is this palm has continued growing taller, reaching for the sky, while the fig has taken it's own path rather than continue to climb the palm...typically, a strangler fig will eventually kills it's host!

I was so saddened when I saw this heron...if you look closely you can see fishing line coming from his wings...I felt like diving into the river to untangle him, but he flew away with my first step (I know it wasn't realistic to think he would sit still let me release him from the line, but I had to try!).  A good example of why it's so important for humans to maintain respect for nature and make sure they clean up after themselves!

I told you about the honey bee hive...looks like the bees are back.  Of course I didn't try to look inside, but I am very curious how much honey comb they've created after only 2 days.  I am actually happy to see the bees persevere, I've heard so much about their global demise lately...

A common occurrence along our river road is swarms of bicyclists whizzing by...you often hear them shout "walker on the right" down the row of riders...that always makes me chuckle...you can also hear the whir of their wheels from quite a distance. 

It was a perfect walk!  Now I'm looking forward to being back at the cabin...

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise

The Day Begins

The day started with the sun's rays working hard to get through...

...it was beautiful in it's own dark way...

...it took a long time for the sun to actually show itself!

Today's to do list is long.  I'm happy the day started with some clouds, because outside work around here is tough this time of year.  The sun did come out, but the clouds soon returned (normal FL summer activity)...now I'm hoping for some rain, thunder and lightening that forces me to cozy up inside (in the AC) and read!  Johny said it was 55 degrees this morning at the cabin...looking forward to my return to that!

Do you like thunder storms to read by?

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise