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/

A juggling act.

This time of year I keep the jam pot boiling and my artist brushes busy.

It's a juggling act. 

The fruit is ripening and needs attention. 

Red Currants first and then the apricots. 

My owl didn't show up this year.  The marauding birds have become very brazen. 
They have eaten every single cherry from our tree.  

Can't make Kirsch Likör this year. 

Have several commissions for hand painted tiles. 

Have finished some of them. 

Rows and rows of vegetables need to be harvested.

Dilly beans, or what I call cocktail beans,  go into jars next. 

A hundred flower pots have to be watered every single day.

 Pots get moved around to add color where needed. 

Choke cherries need to turn black before I can harvest them. 
  Have to cover the tree with netting to save them from the birds. 

Choke cherries make the finest pancake syrup. 

Weeds are outgrowing the crops.

Must pull a few. 

But there is always time to sit and admire Summer.

Hope your Summer is going well my dear 

Blogging Friends. 

I appreciate each and every one of you.  Thank you for your visit.  

Gina