blissful domesticity and berry syrup
I have days where I really just love being domestic, today was one of those days! I love the sound of the wind whipping the clothes and linens on the line.
MMMMMM, the beautiful red, black, and green of fresh berries.
Making berry syrup-
2 cups fresh berries
2 cups sugar
-Mash the berries into a pulp.
-Add the sugar and cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes).
-Store in the refrigerator in an airtight jar for up to 1 week.
Tasty with seltzer water to make a berry soda or drizzled over vanilla ice cream or pancakes.
Straining the peppermint to make jelly. I also made lemon balm jelly today; I love herbal jellies! I’m trying all different kinds this year.
Araina has figured out how to make water balloons and she can even tie them!
Fauna tending the garden and nibbling on radish sprouts.
Wonderful rosemary! One of my FAVORITE cooking herbs so I grow a lot of it.
Tonight was a big night for Fauna- she modeled the garments she made in sewing class this year. She walked the runway and everything! It amazes me how sewing lessons have boosted her confidence in her creativity.
And a friend stopped by on my kitchen window today while I was doing the dishes (he was on the outside thank goodness). I have to admit that I have a bit of a spider phobia- especially when they are this big. This guy was easily 6 inches long from tip of back leg to tip of front; I think he is a type of wolf spider. I hope not to see him again anytime soon!
Well, I’ll be signing off for a couple of days. I’m off to the Shenandoah Valley with my little ladies and my sisters to visit my grandparents. My Appalachian blood is calling me South, I love it down there, feels like home to me! See you again on Monday. There is still time to join the Outdoor Challenge Mondays and the Nature Swap by clicking here. Have a wonderful weekend!
“That’s all.”
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I know what you mean about loving the domesticity. I get so excited by a good clothes drying day, I have just posted poetry about it in my blog!! No one can understand how satisfying a clothes line in a breeze can be unless they have been incharge of a family size laundry pile!
What a lovel line of dresses hanging on the line! I need to get myself more summer dresses, pronto.
That spider is so big! Argh! I don’t know if I would have been able to take that shot. =)
“in my younger and more vulnerable (or shall i say ‘less environmentally concious’) years…” i squashed a wolf spider. her egg sack promptly exploded, and hundreds of tiny little spiders rushed out and everywhere! it totally scared me to death. i have not killed one spider since then.
thanks for the berry syrup recipe. we’re going strawberry picking this week, and i’m excited about giving this idea a try.
Love washing line pictures.
Great sewing Fauna.
Would you share your lemon balm jelly recipe please, love lemon balm and have tons in the garden.
xxx
I love everything about this post except for that spider. Ewww!
Girl you have some super cute dresses, wish I could pull that look off. And love the look of happiness on Fauna’s face.
Now to go daydream about berries and syrup and the taste of summer.
oiy! That spider!!!!
That is a wolf spider, we have lots of them around here. A few months ago my husband and I were laying in bed, we look up and on the ceiling there is this MASSIVE spider just hanging out. I am terrified of spiders and my husband is to, but at least he will do something about it. I went to get the broom to whisk him outside and when I came back my husband LOST the spider. We spent the next two hours looking for it. We eventually went back to sleep, only to find him again when we woke up.
I think somehow a spider has gotten into our house and laid some eggs. Because we are seeing wolf spiders everywhere!
Terrifying story! I bet you didn’t sleep well that night!
that spider freaks me out big time. Ariana’s expression looks a BIT sneaky, what with all that water balloon power in her arms! Are you getting fresh berries already? jealous! WE planted lots of raspberries last year, and we already have blackberries, so we will surely be making that syrup this summer! thanks
It’s funny, her water balloons are harmless because she draws faces on them in order to play with them. She doesn’t throw them at people.
No fresh berries yet from the garden, I cheated a bit and bought them. They just looked so good!
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Look at all those beautiful dresses hanging on the clothesline!! Hope you all are well and enjoyed the weekend!
Jen
Those berries look delicious!
I’ve just posted my Outdoors Monday post http://littleecofootprints.typepad.com/little_eco_footprints/2010/05/exploring-our-outdoors.html. Down here in australia Monday is coming to an end and i’m off to bed. So I thought i’d leave my link here as I’m away from the computer all day tomorrow.
I’m looking forward t catching up on others outdoor time.
Hi! What is lemon balm jelly like? Like everyone who has some lemon balm in the garden, I have too much and don’t know what to do with it. (Have you ever noticed there is a lot of lemon balm at plant swaps?!!) My grandfather used to make mint jelly and we loved to eat it with lamb. Yummy. love, Beth
Hello – your berry syrup is making my mouth water. Thanks so much for the tip. Good grief though – that spider! I think even I’d be alarmed at that one and I don’t usually mind them.
Can I send you a few VERY late photos for the Monday outdoor challenge? Sorry it’s taken me so long.
I just stumbled upon your blog and must say you take some absolutely goureous photos. And I love all the syrup and jelly recipes! I will have to give some of these a try soon. Thanks for sharing them!
I have a ton of berries and couldn’t decide what to make with them. Berry Syrup sounds delicious!
Love your blog.
Gah! Lemon balm jelly!? Now I have to find me a lemon balm patch! lol I have a catnip patch, but I don’t know how that would taste. Would you try catnip jelly? My cats would love me after eating some. What other herbal jellies have you made/want to make?
Funny, we made catnip jelly a few weeks ago; the taste was OK, but we probably won’t be making catnip jelly again. Not a favorite among my jelly eaters.
Lisa, loved your post today, beautfiul pics. I wrote the recipe down for the berry syrup, yum what a treat for the girls! Can’t wait to make it with them! So proud of Fauna- where does she take sewing lessons, or do you teach her? Erika took lessons last year in Centerville at Ready, Set, Sew, but quite pricey- 16/hr. She loves to sew, but don’t know of any other places or if that is pretty much the going rate… thanks for any input
Yikes! that’s a big spider! I love the sewing class outfits – that’s such a great idea – I think I was about 8 when my Mom started teaching me to sew…
I came across one of those spiders in an outhouse once. Made me terrified to go at night!
I went to college in the Shenandoah Valley (always hear John Denver in my head when I say those words, though he said river…). LOVED it there, and it immediately felt like home. Have a great trip! (wave hello to JMU for me!)
~just the kind of day i am seeking today! mr. sun is finally out… a nice treat from the rain we have been enduring! your jams look and sound amazing…lemon balm jelly…would l♥ve to try…we have an abundance that pops up everywhere in our back yard…thank you for sharing yoru day with us…brightest blessings upon you and yours always~
You’re so fun. I’d love to spend irl time with you!
I love this kind of days as well… During these days, even a spider is quite magic.
Um, can I come borrow all your dresses!
Fauna looks so pleased – and well she should! What a great thing for her to learn at this age. I wish I’d learned how to sew better. Would sure come in handy and you really can express your creativity in your clothing when you can make your own.
I haven’t been commenting much lately, but I always enjoy your photos. Have a great trip!
Thank you for sharing your berry syrup recipe…I’m SO looking forward to berry picking, (our season starts late June/early July up here)!!
Love the picture of the spider…I’m not afraid of spiders, however, we don’t grow em that big up here where I come from.
Keep on keepin on!
Maureen
Wow! I didn’t know you had spiders that large there. I don’t even see them here in the SW! Let’s hope it stays on the outside!
That is some serious boho chic on the line
Happy trails!
I LOVE dresses! They are so comfy and cool when the weather gets hot.
Now I need to learn to sew them myself!
Perhaps some where-I-get-dresses linky love?
Love the berry syrup! I’ll pass on the spider.
Beautiful photos! I wish I was feeling more domestic today. I just can’t seem to work up the energy for anything. Have a great trip this weekend!
I did NOT need to see that spider picture twice. Hope I sleep.
Yay for Fauna. She is so sweet. Look how proud she looks. I love it.
Are these berries store bought? They aren’t already growing in your yard…are they? Mind you, I wouldn’t be surprised – everything is early this year.
Love berries and syrup and rosemary too. And radishes. Woo…ate some spicey ones today.
Have a great weekend. See you Monday. xo
HA! Sorry Debbie, at least he wasn’t living and breathing only inches away from you.
your blog is just beautiful, day after day. how inspiring! (except for that crazy spider! shudder.)
i am envious of your fabulous maxi dresses!!!! have a great trip this weekend! i went to undergrad in the VA appalachian mts – va tech.
OH MY GOD. I am terrified of spiders and I am completely paralized in fear now. LOL!! that was horrible!!
excellent post!! looking forward to using the recipe!
LOL! Desiree, that’s kind of how I was feeling. However, I was able to take the photo some how. A few years ago, I never would have been able to do that.
That is one big spider. I think it would send me running for the hills.
Blessings
Diane