Bounty...

The fruit continues to come on.


This was from a short picking session with the whole family helping. My freezer is full! We're now giving away what we can't eat (or make ice cream out of).


The herb-and-flower harvesting continues. I get to make at least one quick pass a day and pick the things that are ready. I have read that dried borage blossoms make a nice tea. We shall see. They do maintain their bright blue color, but dry down to next-to-nothing, size-wise... When it cools down outside, I'll try it out.


And in addition to the bounty of the garden, I got the mother lode of surprise fairy packages from PG over at Middle of Nowhere! She knows me well, and sent a plethora of treats catered to me - chocolates and ginger cookies, vintage herb prints, "Miss Potter"(which I *loved*) brochure, a darling handmade fabric-covered book and a package of Gretel's chicken-print cards - and last, but not least, one of her paper cut cards which I had ordered from her Etsy shop. It is amazing! and is destined to be hung in the studio in a tiny little frame. Thank you so much Gretel. I love it all.

And now, I return to the studio for the next few days to finish up the next book cover.... At least I have treats and art and raspberries to keep my company. :-)

Garden post - fruit

It has been incredibly cool and drizzly all month thus far. My veggies - the tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, basils, etc... are kind of 'sitting' there not doing anything -


-except producing the occasional flower. But the more established fruiting plants about the yard are much happier.


This is a goumi - touted as an Asian cherry-like bush. Well - the fruit is red, has a stem and a pit - but there the similarity ends. If you let it get VERY ripe, the pectin levels drop enough to make them somewhat enjoyable to eat. Up until then, they make your mouth really pucker!


After an unusually cold winter, my blueberries struggled a bit with winter kill - but there will be berries soon! (well, if it ever warms up).


This is my jostaberry - a cross between a gooseberry and a black current. It is a very enthusiastic grower, and table-ready edible off the bush.


But the thing we are picking this week are the strawberries! Shortcake tonight!