Inspiring Quotes

Figured I would have a spot on here where I can collect quotes. 


Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. ~Helen Keller~

After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box. ~Italian Proverb~

Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink in the wild air. ~RWE~

Whosoever loves and understands a garden will find contentment within. ~Chinese Proverb~

Some people, like flowers, give pleasure just by being.

You must be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Gandhi~

Adopt the pace of nature, her secret is patience. ~RWE~

To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which has never been seen before, and which shall never be seen again. ~RWE~

Blackberry Jam

I have canned my first jam!! My first canning anything for that matter!! It was blackberry jam from my mother-in-law's garden. I did it the old-fashioned way with no pectin. It took a LONG time stirring that damn pot but we got it. Tastes deliscious. I need some more canning jars. I have 8 more to use then I'm out.
I need to go pick up Georgia in about ten minutes. She is at Survival camp. She went to her birding camp last week.

Berry Time!

Almost the end of June and this is my first post of the month...definitely not keeping up. I have been having problems with the laptop so I have only been on to do what is essential and nothing else. It seems to be working okay right now...so I am here.
I have made mulberry coffeecake, mulberry jam, and mulberry and blueberry cake.
I have about 8 gallon bags of frozen mulberries out in the chest freezer, and I've dehydrated a couple batches. I am thinking of making some mulberry wine sometime!

I ordered a pressure canner from Amazon. I received it about two weeks ago and I finally took it out of the package to look at it today. I would be lying if I said I wasan't intimidated by it. It looks so industrial, and the whole pressured cooking is scary...knowing it can blow up if not down correctly! I am not sure what I want to can first. I saw a recipe for grapefruit marmalade that I want to try...and maybe some more jams since berries are in season. I'll have to shop the farmers markets to see what I can make. But first I need to buy canning jars and lids!!

June Garden Update

The tomatoes are growing, so aren't the jalapenos. The apples and peaches are swelling up pretty fast. Not many pears to speak of. I have made a couple batches of pesto from the basil plants but need to use them more. They are delicious fresh mixed in with salads or on sandwiches or omelets, too.

Photos from May and June 2010

Mark's new beer brewing supplies

saying goodbye to a bird we rehabilitated

Georgia finding a four-leaf clover

Mark patching the garage roof

kite flying

Molly had her surgery

harvested our first mulberries

Georgia planted a prairie with the Park Pals