Blackberries

When we cleared our land six years ago to build our home, all along the edge of our woods grew blackberry brambles. Everywhere.  

 They are just now starting to ripen.. and if you look (not too hard), you can find some sweet, juicy berries.

  We still have about a two week wait for the real windfall to happen.

The kids and I eat what we pick right away. The berries don't even make it inside!   

I'm always amazed at the variety of sizes.. we have jumbo goliaths (my name) and teeny weenies.

Nothing can quite match the sweetness of the itty bitty ones, but when you find one the size of your thumb, it's amazing! The large one is the biggest we could find the other day, but we have some almost twice that not quite ripe yet.

Blackberry facts:

 If there is even one red/pink tiny fruit on the berry, it's not quite ripe yet. Don't pick it unless you are looking for a tart, snappy taste.  It won't ripen after being picked. the softer and plump it is, the sweeter the berry.

Each tiny ball is a single, individual fruit with it's own seed. Hence all the seeds when you eat them. Think of them like teeny weenie grape clusters.

They are filled with anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants and are said to help prevent cancer.

You can use them in any recipe calling for berries, like muffins, jams, jellies, tarts, etc...

They make fun ammunition in Berry Wars.. yesterday my children fired them off at each other and smeared them everywhere!

Just thought you'd like to know...

xoxo~

Abbie

We went to the ocean...

We went to the ocean. That is my husband and son. Waaaaaaaay out there where the waves were breaking. Isn't the sparkle fabulous? We had the most gorgeous weather, it was so warm the ocean was almost tolerable. Almost.

xoxo~

Abbie

Thankful Project continued..

I have some catching up to do.. is anyone else not ready for the holidays? I am completely lacking the spirit I guess.. just overwhelmed by the tasks ahead. I have decided to make the kids gifts this year instead of buying them. Such as, for my 4 yr old daughter, I picked up an antique box the other day and I am going to convert it into an art supply box for her. But it all takes time and it just seems  like there aren't enough hours in the day. I almost decorated for Christmas yesterday. I thinkI'll pull out the Christmas things before Thanksgiving. Perhaps it will help me get in the holiday spirit abit more. Also, most of the family is around on Thanksgiving and tend to go their own way at Christmas. Then they can see the house all decorated and it should make the day more festive. We'll see if I am up for it. I have some serious catching up to do on my blessings.. not that I haven't taken a moment each day to think on them, I just haven't sat down to type them out.

10. I am thankful for my children's love of dance.. and that they grab my hands and make me dance too.

11. I am thankful that my son and I love the same music. That way I can listen to his IPod. :)

12. I am thankful for the frost in the mornings.. it means winter is moving in, then it will be moving out..

13.                           .... sunshine on cold days.

14.                           .... a full pantry.

15.                           .... my creativity.

16.                           .... that my 2 year old is potty trained. No more diapers in this house!

17.  I am thankful that my parents dragged me all over Europe as a child. Oh the memories I have now!

18.  I am thankful for my very warm bed at night.

19.                            .... for the rain yesterday. The sound is lovely and soothing.

20.                           ..... sidewalk chalk and bicycles.

21.                           ..... my camera.

There..I have written them down. Spoken them 'outloud'. 

I hope that you are counting your blessings..

xoxo~

Abbie

My Wee Weensy Life... (from the archives)

This is a visit to a post from my archives. It speaks of how I feel right now. I have been busy cleaning, organizing, sorting, purging AND spending time with my sick kids. Our daughter has responded well to the antibiotics and now my son has been home for two days with a fever and headaches. And so it goes...

I apologize for being gone so long. It is so hard to get out my little box sometimes. It is a nice box though, filled with distractions. I have had tangible friends over for visits. It is so nice to spend time with those I haven't seen in years, but have known most of my life. To be able to give hugs.. I can not hug 'you'.. unfortunately... I like hugs.

My wee weensy life is occasionally pestilent and filled with the trails of family so I come here to hide...

.. and to rest. It is a nice place, caught within four walls and filled with delicate happiness.

I'll be back.. I'm just not sure when my little box will let me out.

xoxo~

Abbie

(The 'scene' is a small cardboard box that I decorated for my daughters. The chest of drawers is an antique Aunt Lydia thread spool. The bed is made of cardboard and antique wallpaper, the carpet - an antique lace doily and the tiny mushroom I made from clay. )

Page 9

Yesterday, one year ago, my father in law passed away. It is hard to believe that already a year has fluttered by, but sometimes it seems as if it was just yesterday. For one year now I have shared my home with another woman. Strange, but lovely all the same. She fills the children with smiles, and I know they do the same for her. I'm finding it more true each year, that the older you get the faster the years go, and I'm only 33! When I'm seventy will they seem to flash in a blink?

The sunflowers are blooming and the leaves are starting to change already. Our nights are getting quite brisk, but we have yet to get a frost severe enough to kill the mosquitoes. I got bit several times taking photos of the jumbo blooms in our backyard. Some are about 10 feet tall right now!

Well, sending my daughter off to preschool has back fired, sort of. She has had a lurking cold since she started, and the all day thing yesterday fired it right up. Today she sits very quiet, watching TV, snorting, sneezing, and very drippy eyed. Anytime a 3 year old sits quiet for hours on end, you know they don't feel well.

Off to spoon feed chicken rice soup into her.. thank you for the questions and thoughts about my hubby. He has another Dr's appt today so hopefully he'll get the 'all clear'.

xoxo~

Abbie

Taggin' Along..

A few weekends ago, my brother needed my help with a wedding cake setup. For those of you who are unfamiliar, he is a pastry chef and owns a chocolate/cake business. (handmade chocolates, and cakes.. separate. Not 'chocolate-cake'. ) Anywhooo.. it was a lot of fun to see him work as he is a phenomenal designer! Here is the assembly in progress, as it has to be assembled on site in a about an hour. Butter cream frosting and a delicate white cake. Ohhh... his cakes are more beautiful to eat than to look at (if that is at all possible).

All the layers get stacked on site.

The rose garlands, all handmade. Waiting to go up.

Filling in the layers and hiding the stand base.

Piping, piping and more piping.

Up. Up. Up. The couple spent almost their entire wedding budget on the cake. It was front and center at their reception, a school gym. Almost all of my brothers cakes are done at high end resorts, so this was quite different. No air conditioning. (not a good combo with butter cream frosting on a 85 degree day.)

I just love the little dot clusters. So cute!

The finished cake! Dead center of the gym! :) Here are some more cakes he has made..

This is a scan of a slide from my childhood. The wee one on the right is me, to give you an idea of size, my mom (middle) is less that 5 feet tall. I think this image was from 1977-8. My father was in the Air Force for 30+ years and we traveled constantly. At this time we were living in Naples, Italy. My eldest brother is in the stripes. I have been back to Paris several times, but haven't been as an adult. Someday perhaps..

As promised.. for Rachel.

The holly hocks have been growing in front of the house for a hundred years. Or so my grandmother says..
You can see a peek of the raised vegetable beds. All sorts of lettuces!
Throughout the property you can find parts and pieces stacked and displayed. I have more photos of the twisted vine you can just see a bit of in the upper right corner.
Old chicken coops stacked under the barn.
The view down the driveway, lined with maple trees.

Summer...

My nephew 7.15.08

I have been enjoying the simplier things and quiet moments. OK, I am lying. My husband would have snorted loudly when he read that. Actually, as much as I would love to settle down and just breathe, my family stresses me out. To the point of an ocular migraine yesterday morning. Mind you, I do love my family, but for some reason, I get quite flustered when everyone is around. Take dinner the other evening. I had my brothers over with their families and my mom. There were only 13 of us, not that many considering there are usually 6 at our table every night. It ended with my 9 year old son projectile vomiting all over my 'clean for the moment' kitchen. Uuuhh??? Why? It was a difficult evening anyway, but why? Why must it end so? Are anyone else's 'perfect' family moments and summer get together's foolishly ridiculous too?? Anyone? Or are all the photos I see on your blogs the 'true' story? Romantic, fabulous, and sans vomit?

Oh well. Our pack is going to my aunt's house later, I'll try to sneak some pictures for you. Her gardens are to die for and the house, oh the house. The barn, the buildings, just about the most perfect 200+ year old New England farm you have ever seen.

Hope you are relaxing and breathing.

Local goodies that my daughters eat by the fistful.