Summer

And all the fun and work that comes with it.

My new Tayberry bush is doing well.  This luscious fruit needs a special accompaniment

A Sabayon or if in Italy, a Zabaglione is the perfect answer. 
Recipe here

You will need a double boiler and a tireless arm. 

My Basil is perfect for picking and perfect for making Pesto.

It will go to seed in a few days. Must stock up on Pine Nuts and the very best olive oil I can find.

Apricots are ripe, ready for preserves.

Now this is the variety of Opium Poppy I don't like.  
I like simple flowers. 
When these poppies first opened I started to pull some of them out.

But then thought better of it. 

If I had pulled them all I would have missed these Beauties. 

I'm still bottle feeding Liesel.  

Sunflowers are volunteering in the Squash Patch.

Ronde de Nice or Rolly Pollies are ready.
They are the very best Summer Squash. 

And I have been painting a lot of tiles for new kitchens.  


It's another beautiful day here.  
Hope you are enjoying summer.  

Gina 

http://betweennapsontheporch.

It's hard to know what to do first.

Should I

let the cherries ripen a little longer or 

should I pick them before the birds beat me to them.  

Should I pick just a few pea pods while standing in the garden or should we have a pea shelling contest right away (the one I always win).

Should I cut the mint from around the pond

and hang it in my kitchen to dry.

It makes my favorite tea. 

So delicious Summer or Winter. 

I'm in love with my newly planted berry, the Tayberry, a new variety from the Tay River Valley, Scotland.

It is a vigorous grower and produces large and aromatic berries the very first year.  

Not many roses survive our very cold winters.  There is a spot by a wall and facing east where my old roses will grow.  

This time of year I can bring a few into the house.

The kitchen garden has a lot of growing to do. 

Early arugula and many varieties of lettuces have been filling our salad bowls and tall greens have been devoured by the chickens. 

 Our chickens thank us by leaving many eggs in their nests every day.  

Have a wonderful remainder of the week my dear Friends. 

Thank you so much for your visits.   

Gina

Tayberries, Cherries and Roses

Mon Bouquet du Jour.

Roses , Cherries and Tayberries from my garden.  

Tayberries make extra special confiture.

Mix 5 cups of tayberries with 3 to 4 cups of sugar.
Let macerate for a couple of hours. 

Cook to a full rolling boil for about 2 to 5 minutes.

(Test on very cold plate every few minutes.  When the skin on the top of the plate wrinkles, the jam is ready).

Ladle into sterilized jars.  Will hold for 6 months.

Note:  if the jam does not set, do not worry, use as syrup or topping on waffles, pancakes, yogurt, ice cream, and more.  

The Tayberry,  an especially aromatic berry,  is a cross between a Raspberry and a Blackberry. Patented in 1979 the berry is named after the River Tay of Scotland. 

My cherries are disappearing...even before they are ripe.
 Our bird population is making fast work of them.  







Unglazed and unfired tile.  The pigments sit on the tile and are still very powdery and fragile.  The small red guidelines will disappear during firing. 

I thought that I had finished my latest project.  
But no, my tiles are liked and the project has been enlarged.  



Have a great week my dear friends.  

Gina 

Joining http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/
Also joining  http://betweennapsontheporch.net/