strawberry time

The garden is all finished. I even mulched and got the rock wall weeded. Photos are on my camera, but I'm not moving to go get it tonight. You'll have to wait for pictures.

In the meantime, strawberries are ready for the picking. As part of my payment, Lynne gave me two pints (or are they quarts?) of fresh picked Michigan strawberries.

I have heard that a vinegar/water wash keeps them fresh longer. I googled it and found several blogs claiming this is true. I am trying it. The strawberries are currently drying. You air dry them so the vinegar dissipates.

I had some California strawberries that started to go bad so I did the vinegar wash this morning. I have since cut them up and put them in my water glass and I don't taste any vinegar, so that part worked.

Now I have to see if this actually keeps them fresher longer.

Either way, I'm excited and thankful for strawberries.

too much dessert?

Is there really such a thing? I'm fighting temptation to go in the kitchen and have some of the strawberry shortcake I have leftover from the weekend. 

But I already had two desserts at the church meeting (if there's anything United Methodists know, it's how to eat). I had a chocolate cake/brownie thing and a cookie.

Normally two desserts would be enough. Right?

Yes. *big sigh*

I'm going to resist temptation. But tomorrow, I'm having strawberry shortcake.

Saturday, it was a good day

Are you enjoying your holiday weekend? We are. Dinner last night was delicious. So was dinner tonight. 

We had steaks and veggies on the grill. 

What veggies?

I'm glad you asked.

A zucchini, asparagus and a yellow squash. 

We also had a salad with the homemade Caesar dressing.

We got a lot done too. I planted veggies with D.d. in our community garden plot. We have a couple pepper plants, lettuce, a tomato, an eggplant and sunflowers. We are excited to see our little plot thrive!

Then, when Heather W. arrived, we did a little shopping. We went to three garden centers. We also visited several stores searching for furniture. Heather is looking for a couple of specific pieces; a sideboard and a sofa table. We did not find what she was looking for. 

After our lovely dinner, Heather and I worked in the backyard, pulling the grass out of the bricks.

Then, strawberry shortcake.

It's been a good day.

here's what's in store...

for the weekend.

Starting tomorrow evening, we'll be having Heather O. over for dinner. On the menu: Hamburgers (cheese optional), homemade baked beans (the beans are soaking now), homemade potato chips, and strawberry shortcake.

Saturday, Heather W. will be coming for her traditional Memorial weekend visit. We have sandwich fixin's for lunch. For dinner we'll be having either steaks or ribs and whatever else we feel like eating. Then Sunday night dinner will be whichever meat is left over.

Extras include; corn dip, potato salad, onion rings, homemade biscuits, apple pie, and Bill's big Sunday breakfast. 

Oh yeah, we have salad fixin's too. 

And there will be ice cream!!!

Have a safe and fun weekend!

Summer, so far...

It's been crazy busy. June started off with me flying out to NJ for the last days of the Show House. No photography was allowed, so all I have is the link here.

Two church friends had their babies. Both families added a baby girl. Both girls are adorable. A very close friend moved to Illinois, our bff Heather. She moved to become a full-time youth director at a church. She's going to be awesome and while I'm very sad that she moved, I'm so excited for her and this new opportunity to serve God and youth. She is coming back tomorrow for our Jr. High Workcamp trip. I'll get that posted when we return.

Then I had my 1/2 birthday. I love D.Q. ice cream cakes, and the D.Q. is closed here in the winter so I never get one on my birthday. My half birthday was a perfect way to celebrate!

At some point, Bill and I spent an afternoon at Meijer Gardens.

The strawberries took forever to come in due to the cooler weather. But it was definitely worth the wait. I didn't get out to a U-pick place, I picked them up at the Farmer's market. Yum!

Then, Jenny had her birthday party in St. Joseph. Several couples got together for a wine tour.


Here are the grapes on the vine. Not quite ripe yet...

We visited the Round Barn Brewery and Winery. The Cocoa beer was the best. Of course they were sold out of it in bottles. They still had kegs!!


The Vineyard at Karmen Vista

We visited five wineries and two chocolate stores.

Then Mom and Skylar came to visit. We went to Meijer Gardens (that Membership sure does come in handy!) and we were going to go to the beach, since it had been in the 90's the week before, but of course it was chilly and cloudy the week they were here.

The Children's Garden is celebrating its 5th Birthday this summer.


We took the Boardwalk path and saw all kinds of animals. Let's see if I can remember everything we saw; a couple turtles, a heron (or was it a crane?), a couple frogs/toads... we saw another animal... It wasn't a beaver, but it was some kind of animal like that. Not a muskrat... I'll have to find out. I forgot!

We also took a trip to the Farmer's Market. We picked up more strawberries, fresh green beans and some cherries. Then we stopped at Wealthy Street Bakery. Oh man! We each picked out something and then got cinnamon rolls for the next day. Everything was SO good. And since there were four cinnamon rolls, I was lucky enough to enjoy another one the day after they left.
Here is Skylar eating the green beans, they are really fresh!

That brings me to the Jr. High Adventure Camp at Lake Michigan. That deserves its own post...