Rhubarb, Strawberries, Blueberries & Doc

Ready to simmer, rhubarb, blueberries & sugar.

It is time for the kitchen to heat up and won't cool down until the end of September.  Freezing rhubarb was easy and cool.  Now the berries are coming in season so jelly, jam and sauces as of today were Cook'n by the Creek. I tried a little twist to the rhubarb sauce and it was a tasty success.  I have blueberries in the freezer from last season and want to use them before we start picking this year.  I added a quart of blueberries to the rhubarb with 3 cups of sugar and simmered until thick.  I always make a batch with strawberries or raspberries.  With the rhubarb in the freezer I make sauces in the winter when we start getting low, I'm always giving a jar away now and again.  We are starting to eat more berry sauces than jelly and jam.  Much less sugar plus we can use it on ice cream, cakes, pancakes and crepes.

Still has another hour or so to cook down.

Look at the color!  It is a 'tada' finish.  Of course I saved a little
 dish for salt rising toast in the morning.

Now if that was not enough for kitchen time while it was cooking down I washed and hulled strawberries for the freezer.  (happy the ankle lets me stand as long as I want with little swelling)  They are beautiful this year.  We buy ours from an Amish family in Ulysses.  They never put a bad berry in a basket and are always picked fresh in the mornings.  They do sell jam berries that are a day old at a lesser price.  I love talking to the ladies.  A few years back they wouldn't utter a word but like in the fancy world the plain people are evolving into a new state of being.  I think it has more to do with public relations, the more they talk the more the sell.  One thing most of the Amish want is to make money.

This afternoon it was off to one of my favorite friends, past neighbor and dentist.  Doc Simons, if I could stop time it would be to keep him as our dentist forever.  I know time is nearing and he will retire.  That will be a terrible adjustment, Doc has taken care of our family for 40 years.  What a guy.  Actually everyone in his office has been tops!  When I go it's like visiting with friends (even though I'm not the best patient in the chair).  I'm sure there are  times he would like to slap me, but there are  times I could him too.  Good friends that laugh at the end of the appointment.  We are of age now that we talk of growing up on Horse Run Rd, especially about the funny happenings or the "old"  people we remember.  Ok, so he glued my broken crown which was a big front one.  I always felt I had big teeth.  In two weeks I will go back to have it cut off, impressions for a new crown and a temporary put on until the new one is made.  Doc put the crown on 33 years ago so I guess I can't complain, they are much more expensive now.  The minute it happened, like my ankle I was upset.  Then reality set in and one of the things I always say,  it is fixable, my family is healthy and happy.  What's a big tooth and an ankle?  Absolutely peanuts ♡