When it Rains......Play in the Kitchen

We woke to a gentle rain, which means the seeds are getting the moisture they need to do their thing.  Although we had plans to get the new flowers in the ground there is always something else to do inside.  For me, bake brownies and put up some strawberry rhubarb jam.  That time of the season and one more full circle for rhubarb and strawberries.  I bought a nice batch of berries just for the jam.  Once all the "stuff" is done in the kitchen it will be off to the cabin to hang the hardware for the slide door.  I really can't call it a barn door since it doesn't look like one, it only slides like a barn door.  My order from Amazon (do I love Amazon, yes I do!) arrived.  The door has 3 windows in it which means no privacy for the bathroom and bedroom.  Can't have that so I am going to put a static cling on the windows.  It is called cotton wood and has a floral design on it.  Hoping we like it and it looks good. 

About the cabin............for some reason I am thinking more along the line of a "play house" for girls.  Every color and design I have decided on (with the hubs approval of course) leads me to believe I am filling a little girls dream.  A play house seems to be popping up daily or nightly.  Nights are a great time to figure out what is next and new ideas.  Even the lawn and flower beds have been thought and rehashed many times.  As I quietly set on the porch it is with a vision on the finished look.  If it turns out like my dreams it will be a quiet, pleasant and soothing place to be.  Even the little chipmunks will add to the time well spent relaxing on the porch.  A picnic table is being moved over this weekend, a fresh coat of paint and a little design added should make it doable.  Time is a ticking as the saying goes and with every tick another accomplishment and two more wants are added. 

The previous blog I mentioned about the "last dance".  It doesn't mean an actual last dance because there are lots of lasts in my memory that I call the last dance. Such as the last words with a loved one, the last time my kids sat on my lap, kissed goodnight, kissed an ouchy, the last time they walked out of our house to pursue their adult life.  The last time I sat quietly looking out over the ocean, viewed the snow capped mountains or looked across the desert.  The last ride on our motorcycle or camping in the tent.  The last time I walked out of OVHS on my graduation night.  Life is full of last times, I  never looked at it that way  until a few days ago.  Along with the last dance is also the first dance of many happenings.  They are always fun, exciting and quite often unexpected.  After all there can not be a last without the first.  Life is good that way.   We can be thankful there are some "last dances" that we are not aware of until the dance is over.  Let there be many firsts and lasts down the path of life for everyone!

The day is near the end, the rain has moved on and the sun is shining off the green, green grass of home.  The hills are in full foliage and the  grass in the fields is tall enough to blow gently with the evening breeze.  Take a deep breath and think of what a wonderful day was given.  The only sounds are a few birds chirping and the beautiful sound of ping, ping, ping.  That makes me smile because all 8 pints of strawberry/rhubarb jam has sealed.  Off to the basement shelves until late fall and early winter.  Then with a warm buttered slice of Salt Rising toast it will be a memory of the rainy, spring day it was canned.  Lucky there is a half pint left for tasting.  The man of the house thinks buttermilk biscuits are needed for breakfast.  I agree! 

Strawberry/Rhubarb Jam Recipe:
2 cups crushed fresh strawberries
1-3/4 cups thin sliced fresh rhubarb
1/2 tsp. butter
6-1/2 cups white sugar
1 pouch of certo
In a large pot add fruit, sugar and butter.  Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 5 minutes.
Add certo and boil 1 minute. 
Fill clean warm jelly jars, seal with lids and rings that have been in hot water, do not let the water boil.
Seal and put in a water bath for 10 minutes, remove and let cool.  This is when you should hear the pings as each lid cools and seals.

A beautiful color, unfortunately the fruit sets on top but no worry, just stir the jam when
we open it and all is mixed and tasty.

My favorite chocolate brownie recipe:
2 sticks of butter, not the fake stuff.
2 cups of sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of flour
1 cup of walnuts or pecans if you want them.
In a medium size sauce pan melt the butter, remove from heat and add sugar, cool slightly and beat in the eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla and stir in flour and salt.  Next stir in the walnuts.  Bake at 350 degrees in a 9x13 greased baking pan for 25-30 minutes.  I don't frost these brownies, they are so moist and chocolaty they don't need anything but a cold class of milk or hot cup of coffee. Enjoy!

The evening snack.

Garden Week

Right on schedule as every May, it is garden planting time.  While I was out enjoying lunch with a dear friend the man of the house was busy getting the garden ready.  All year when the horsestall and chicken coop get cleaned it is piled by the garden waiting for spring.  Yesterday the pile was spread on the garden and tilled in.  Nothing but beautiful fresh turned soil and "shit".  By Sunday it will be mark the rows and start planting.  This is supposedly the year to down size.  Bean, peas, potatoes, corn, cukes and onions.  No lettuce, Swiss Chard or spinach.  They are seasonal eats but the other veggies are staples for canning and freezing that we enjoy all  year long.  I opened our last quart of green beans yesterday.  Usually I put up enough to get us through a complete year.  Last years garden did not produce it's usual bountiful crops.  Potatoes were next to none.  Hopefully this year will be better.  I love seeing the shelves full of beautiful canned vegetables and corn in the freezer.  Tomatoes, pears and peaches I buy by the bushels from the Amish.  A fresh tomato from the garden is always welcome but I find that they never ripen at the same time so it is easier to buy a couple bushels for canning spaghetti sauce, chipotle sauce and just stewed tomatoes for soups etc.  Our few plants provide the all time favorite "mater sandwiches".  Fresh bread, vined ripened tomato, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, it is a daily summer lunch.

We took a 4 day get-a-way from Cook'n by the Creek last weekend.  One of my favorite rides down Rt 15 south.  I never tire of the beautiful hills along the way or the Susquehanna River.  The sun was bright, sky was blue and traffic light.  We had Pandora playing.  My station, the 60s Rock and Roll, Richard's choice the old time country with all the great artists that have left this world.  My station brought back some great high school memories.  Like the formal dances of Prom, Christmas Ball and the Sweet Heart's Ball.  It made me wonder about the "last dance".  At the time we never think, this is the last dance and the last Prom.  To close down the night it always ended with a slow dance.  The songs I listened to along the way were all ones we had danced to 50 years ago.  Wow, it sure seems like yesterday getting all dressed up in a gown, "spike heels", and a beautiful "up do" hairstyle.  We were the lucky generation to have the ever so famous bands playing songs that gave us memories of a life time. 

Well, the garden is planted, temperatures are hovering around mid 60s and the rain has moved in.  Just what the garden ordered.  Last night we put up the frame for the cukes to climb and got the seeds in the ground.  Now to wait and look for the first little cracks in the top of the soil meaning the seeds have sprouted!  The green beans that we planted Sunday have already shown signs of sprouting.  The row had a long crack down through it.  Being the impatient type person I had to scuff the dirt and there it was, a bean sprout.  Happy gardener!

One of my favorite places at Cook'n by the Creek.

I never tire of the beauty in the "wish flower".

This delicate flowering bush is beautiful to look but the overly sweet pungent smell I don't
care for.  Thank goodness the flowers only last a week or so.

By the way..............the garden did not get downsized.  I knew it wouldn't.  We say that every year at the end of the season and when a new season begins it is back at it. 

The next job here will be brush hogging the pastures and fields.  Looking at them yesterday I mentioned it is time to get the brush hog hooked up with Mr. John Deere.  So it begins, the summer fun.  Put me on a tractor so I can breathe deep, enjoy the view and remember things that have been locked away in my memory files.  Another year, full circle.

The cabin is showing progress even though we spend less time each day working on it.  I don't think work is a way to describe our time there, more like "loving on it".  The heavy duty jobs are finished, it is now the fine tuning which requires little muscle power and more "take our time to figure it out".

With Memorial Day weekend near it is time to think of so many that have touched my soul.  We usually put artificial flowers in the urns.  Not this year, we were at the garden center buying flowers for the house and cabin when I thought........I am buying my mom's favorite flowers for the urns this year.  Real, not artificial and it made me happy.  I am sure they won't last all summer but the thought is more loving and respectful.  Pansies and geraniums with all the colorful glory. 

Enjoy the long weekend and remember.........pass it on!

Fish and Flooring!

Spring brings a few of my favorite things.  One being fresh caught trout.  The water is still cold which makes for a nice texture and flavor of trout.  Yesterday I told my grandson and nephew that a small, no bigger than 8 inch trout would taste mighty fine.  They are on the local streams often but always do catch and release.  Just this once will ya bring me home one.  They did!  We had to make a trip to Olean for cabin supplies...............flooring!  When I got back there in a bowl of cold water was my lunch for today.  It was excellent, just as every spring!  Dick was having lunch out with his buddies so it was a perfect time for me to dine quietly on fresh fish. Lightly dusted with flour, salt and pepper.  Then off to the frying pan to fry until crisp on the outside.  That was a memory making lunch.  I even laughed thinking of a little poem I would say to the kids when they were little and headed out to fish with their dad.  Are ya ready.........."Little fishy in the brook, Bart, Amber, Beau catch him on a hook. Mommy fry him in a pan,  Daddy eat him like a man."  Only in our house daddy would not and will not eat trout!  Too many bones he says but I think he is a city slicker and only eats haddock, perch and walleye. 

Here is the only way to fry trout and enjoy the meat with out the fine bones being a problem.
Clean and wash the trout, dry well with a paper towel, add salt and pepper to flour.  Roll the trout in the flour mixture, melt butter in a fry pan and fry the fish until crispy and golden brown.  Now, here is the trick.  Once the trout is done put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds.  For some reason it pulls the bones from the meat.  Now you have it.  The secret to a good fresh trout fry.  If you wrinkle your nose on the thought you are missing a very delicate, mild fish.  No fishy taste or smell.  From the stream to the pan is the only way!

Fresh fish, thanks Kent and Ricardo!

Off shopping with Amberly, Kamrie, Kent and Dick.
When you go to the city, it is calamari for us!

 

Another thought about fishing trout came to mind while enjoying lunch and watching the Orioles eating oranges and grape jelly from the feeder.  My brother taught my kids how to..........."finger fish".  What you say, finger fish?  It is illegal as heck, always has been and always will be.  There are just times that everyone should know how to finger fish.  Who knows you could possibly be lost, hungry, no fishing pole and then where would you be?  So, just in case here is a way to keep from starving when you are lost, hungry and a trout stream near by.  You get down and do a belly crawl to the edge of the stream bank.  Very slowly reach your hand into the water, under the bank and move it down stream.  With any luck you will have a trout in your hands within seconds.  Trout like to hang under the bank edge or where a tree has fallen in.  They wait until something catches their eye, like a worm or other bait and then, BAM! they swim out and grab it.  By fingering the fish you are eliminating a lot of time.  Just finger them, grab and go but only if you are lost and starving.  Don't do anything illegal............

Back to the flooring for the cabin.  Kitchen cabinets will be started soon by our friend that is building them.  How kind of a guy is he?  One of the best.  Dick will be his go-for-guy.  I will enjoy that considering I am his go-for-gal.  I told Ron, make sure you yell at him and say, hurry up, no not that, over there, see it.......this would be fun but I doubt it will go down that way.  Ok, the flooring.  It had to be put down before the cabinets go in.  We got up early this morning to get started and by gosh didn't we do just fine!  No fighting and the laminate flooring went in just like You Tube said it would.  Not a problem.  Half of the kitchen/living room was down in 3 1/2 hours.  We only had to get half down since that is all the kitchen is.  Maybe tonight get the rest of the flooring down and then, get off those knees.  I got to laughing watching us crawl around like babies!  Unfortunately the tall guy didn't see anything funny about it.  The short girl doesn't have so far to get up and down.  One plus for being short.

Won't be long and floor will be checked off the to do list.

It has been a little crazier than normal around here.  Lawn, weed whacking, asparagus picking and the cabin.  Just the way we like it, fast and furious.   Winter was for resting, now it is time to.......move it, move it.  As soon as the weather pattern changes from wind, rain and frosts it will be time to light the outdoor pizza oven!

Farmer Brown

The days have been filled with cabin work, lawn mowing and best of all.........asparagus picking and canning!   I think it is coming on fast and furious compared to other years.  Each morning after chores I check the asparagus bed and at least 2 pints or 1 quart needs picked.  I rinse it and let it set in a bowl covered with water and ice for the day.  By afternoon it is ready to pickle.  Two pints of dill and garlic, two pints of just cider brine and 1 quart of hot pepper flakes added.  On top of the canning we have had two suppers with asparagus as the veggie or main event.  We bought a pound of different variety type mushrooms, fried them lightly (because they were so light and tender) next we lightly browned the asparagus, added more butter (everything is better with butter), olive oil, salt and pepper.  Tossed it in cooked spaghetti and we had supper.  Crusty bread on the side made the meal.  I love easy fixes and this is one for sure.  Next time I plan on using hot pepper flakes and a little prosciutto in it and a spiral pasta.  Can ya tell I like pasta?  Before the end of season a pot of cream of asparagus soup will be on the menu.  Winter is officially over, even though there were flakes in the air today.  Canning season is officially starting.  The rhubarb is also in full swing.  My niece got her spring fix and even shared a delicious rhubarb pie with us.  Next week I will be making strawberry/rhubarb sauce and putting some up for the upcoming cold winter.....gotta think ahead around Cook'n by the Creek.  I always tuck away 2 pounds of frozen strawberries from the previous summer for rhubarb sauce and jelly. 

Every morning the garden gives us a gift.  I swear
we could watch it grow! 

From garden to plate, the work is worth the taste.

Speaking of gardens, let me tell ya about a fella that moved from Shinglehouse long ago.  He went to school here, then off to the military and ended up in Edna, Texas.  We hadn't seen Bob Brown in 50 years until his 50th class reunion last June.  We were lucky enough to have him and his wife visit us for a day.  Coffee Up, is Bob's famous saying.  We did just that, plenty of coffee during the day.  I might have met my match on a coffee drinker.  He even liked the JMC I had.  Ok, so he got interested in gardening and .............yes..........chickens.  We have been messaging back and forth with a question/answer session and I might say, he is a natural.  Being in south Texas he has been harvesting green bean, cukes and tators already. Sending pictures and making me wish it was garden time here.  That would mean summers end so I won't wish it away.  I will just enjoy "Farmer Brown's" pictures and messages.  Go......Farmer Brown....you are doing great for a first year farmer!

Nice looking red potatoes!

Just the way they should be, straight and dark green.

The other day I rode along with Dick while he went to get cracked corn.  I hadn't been up Kings Run that far in years.  It was beautiful with memories of visiting my cousins.  The ones that were closest to my age were Larry and Grace Gross.  The visits were few but the memories still fulfill the place I hold dear in my heart.  It was a time that it was just me and mom riding along and chattering.  She loved spring with the May flowers, Violets, Adders Tongues and Stink Pots. I guess they are really Trilliums. When she would see some we would always stop and pick bouquets to take home.  The ride the other day made me smile every time I saw the beautiful spring flowers.  So, do you know what I am talking about when I say Adders Tongues?  I think I better go google that and see what they are really called.

The "stink pot"

The Adder's Tongue or Erythronium Americanumes.  I'll stick
to Adder's Tongue!

Along with the wild flowers in full bloom the apple trees (wild and tame) are gorgeous and loaded with blossoms.  Also the wild strawberry plants  are in full bloom along with our tame blueberry bushes.  Now, I sometimes like to worry (wink) which makes me worry that a frost or freeze is going to come along in May and ruin the fruits harvest this year.  Last year was plentiful and we were able to have our annual apple squeezing, cider making day.  Could we be lucky enough to have it two years in a row!  Only time will tell what will be. 

Last week we went to Lowes.  Sound exciting?  For me it is!  I planned on shopping for new sandals and a couple outfits that I desperately need...............but.............Lowes..............was the store for me.  Much easier picking out a few tools that I have wanted for quite a while.  Like, wood chisels and a hand planner.  All mine..........until the guy decided he was in need to use them.  How did he get along without them?  They are handy little tools to have, I wanted them for when I start my Kuksa which I hope will be soon.  Just looking for that perfect piece of wood to use.

We are headed down the home stretch.  Windows are all
cased in and soon the chair rail and ceiling trim
will be just a memory.