How I Freeze Strawberries

I get lots and lots of berries throughout the berry season. I try to get as many as possible, so I can have them for jam making and for smoothies through the year. To freeze them, I wash and top them, and lay them out, cut side down, on a sheet of foil, on my jelly roll pans. I put them into my upright freezer and freeze overnight.

In the morning, I can easily remove the berries and put them in a freezer bag. The berries are individually frozen and easy to use in smoothies.

Jamberries!

We had a great day today! Poppy was home from work for Memorial Day. We slept in, had french toast made with homemade bread, then went to the park. After playing a couple of hours, we came home and my Honey BBQ'ed. Later, my strawberry lady called and I went and got six gallons of strawberries, four pints of boysenberries and she also gave us some cherries. This evening, I made up these 10 pints of strawberry-boysenberry jam. I put an additional half pint in to the fridge for quick eating.

I'm so thankful for our free, prosperous nation. Thank you to all the men and women serving in our military, and especially to the families of those who have given it all for our nation.

CyCo Cycle

Our friends at church blessed us today. They gave this odd cycle to the Lambies! It looks like a lot of fun. Hopefully it will outlast all the attention that will be given it over the next few weeks! Thanks, S and B! The gift is wonderful!

Boy, oh Boy!

Boy is beginning to look his age. He's 15 years old! I woke him up to take a pictures and he wasn't all that happy with me. I'll have to make up with him by giving him some tuna!

Pooches

EmBlem, GirlofGod and Trixie are puppysitting for a friend that is out of town. They are having so much fun! Who wouldn't, getting to play with adorable pooches like these?!

One More Batch

This is my last planting of Swiss Chard. Five little plants that are giving me tender greens for breakfast eggs and smoothies. I will sure miss my chard when it finally gets too warm for it!

Math Game Time

Missy's favorite school activities are copywork and math. This is a game she likes to get out once in a while. She nearly got the whole box matched up before she was finished!

Building Project

Daddy and Troubles built an airplane today. Handicrafts....check. Daddy time...check. A new toy to love...check! It's an all around win!

MUS Tower

After completing school today, Troubles asked to play with the blocks. I thought he meant Lego, but out he came with the Math-U-See blocks. He built this tower. It stood all day and was deserving of a picture on the blog. He told me so!

Church Picnic!

We had a picnic today with our church family, after church. My Honey manned the BBQ and fed folks on hamburgers and hotdogs. What a cook he is! We played around on the playground with the Lambies and enjoyed a FUN game of two-hand touch. I have never played football before. I like this getting more active thing! I intercepted the ball on one play (YES!!), though I didn't get any other receptions. I kept getting hit in a bad spot: the hands. :) What a fun day we had!

Thought you might...

...like to see the park where I walk. I walk the whole neighborhood, really, but try to get up and down the hills in the park a few times a week. This little "lake" won't last long, but it sure makes it nice and cool, and pretty, for now. There's a couple of ducks swimming around, but I'm not sure that they made it into this picture.

Recovering

These four have had a hard time with this illness, especially the boys! Today, though, the boys feel a little better. Trixie made a board game and they (along with me!) played a round. I'm so glad they are getting a bit better!

Breakfast du Jour

Since we are going through sick days, I wanted to make a no fuss, do-it-yourself breakfast for those who are well. I chose to make The Headmistress's Granola.

Quick, easy, not too sweet, perfect for breakfast or snack. Thanks for the recipe, HM!

Freezer Fodder

All 12 of these baskets of berries, along with the nine other baskets that I didn't take a picture of, are all in my freezer, awaiting a jam-making session. Strawberry jam is something I just can't seem to make a year's supply of, no matter how much I make! Last year, according to my canning inventory, I made 59 pints of strawberry and strawberry related jams. We ran out well before this spring. Too many PB&J sandwiches, I guess!

Good find!

I found this today at a local thrift store. I paid a quarter. Happily, it's selling on Amazon for at least $17.20. This one will be posted for a few dollars less than that and will help pad the savings account when it sells!

Sick..

We've got the creeping cruds. Troubles is the worst, but others are dropping quickly. I'll post again when I can!

An Abundance

Strawberry season has begun in earnest. We've bought as many as we can. Besides eating them plain, we've been enjoying them with my "Incredible Pound Cake" and homemade whipped cream. Most have been washed, topped and frozen. They will be made into jam after school ends for the summer.

Saturday Fun

Troubles and his brothers, sisters and friends all swam this afternoon. When Troubles came in, his lips were a lovely shade of blue. Poppa wrestled around with him to warm him up some, then they posed for this pic.

Spicy!

Here's my stuffed-full spice cupboard. I use Mason jars to store almost everything. The Rumford can is quite old. I have been making my own baking powder for years!

Awwww!

Someone is going to make a great Daddy someday!